Allegany County kicks off summer with tourism attractions

Guest feature: Caitlin Squires works with the Allegany County Department of Tourism. Follow Mountain Maryland on Facebook and Twitter.

For most, the summertime season kicks off on Memorial Day weekend – school is over, the sun is out, and good times are ready to be had by all.

Near the Potomac River at the base of the Appalachian Mountains, a quaint town in Allegany County will be celebrating the summer holiday with the music that made the mountain chain famous. For Cumberland, Memorial Day weekend means a whole lot of sun, a whole lot of music, and a whole lot of Del.

For nine years, DelFest has been the area’s premier music festival, calling the Allegany County Fairgrounds home. Del McCoury, the esteemed musician of bluegrass fame, founded the event in 2008 and has made appearances with The Del McCoury Band every year since. The four-day event hosts nearly 40 acts with various levels of renown – Steve Martin (yes, the Father of the Bride) and The Steep Canyon Rangers, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, Trey Anastasio (of the rock band, Phish), the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the Sam Bush Band have all been part of the lineup. Even come-ups like our local band, Grand Ole Ditch, have performed on the stages of DelFest. The festival will kick off its ninth year on May 26.

Aside from the music festival in May, Allegany County will celebrate art and entertainment infused with history from June 11-12. Cumberland’s Heritage Days Festival once again will bring together local craftsmen, artisans, and delicious food vendors for a weekend celebration of the city. This year, the event will be preceded by the Whiskey Rebellion – a two-day celebration of Cumberland’s involvement in the historic event that ended with George Washington’s militia subduing unrest in the wake of a whiskey tax levied in 1791. The Allegany Museum will host the first night of the Rebellion, which will gather boutique whiskey breweries and industry heavyweight Maker’s Mark for a night of tasting. The second day will be held at the Canal Place festival grounds and will offer the rebellious attendees a chance to sample beers from Old German and numerous microbreweries.

As the summer winds to an end and fall comes into full swing, Allegany County continues the excitement. The Fireball Run Adventurally, a life-sized trivial pursuit game filmed and produced by a crew from Orlando, rolls into Cumberland on September 26. Teams will visit numerous locations in Cumberland and Frostburg to complete their missions before moving on to the next state. Our county is excited to host such an amazing production – one that will boost tourism and benefit our local businesses. Everyone from our community and the region is invited to help us welcome the Fireball team into town and see them off at the starting line on September 27!

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from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2016/05/allegany-county-kicks-off-summer-tourism-attractions/