Fall in Western Maryland is festival time. Time to pack up the family or friends, head for the hills and spend a day or two in fresh clean mountain air and colorful foliage. Apples, apple butter, pumpkins, crafts, parades, dance, fiddle contests, good cooking, heritage displays and more are all part of the many festivals held in the area—shown here are just a few. For a complete list of events and festivals, we recommend getting in touch with the:
Allegany Tourism Office at (301) 777-5138 www.mdmountainside.com
or Garrett County Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-800-5557 www.garrettchamber.com

Autumn Glory Festival
Garrett County, MD
October 9-13, 2002
There are many events going on for the five days of this festival. The events take place all around the County, but are mainly in the Oakland/Deep Creek Lake area. There are so many, we cannot begin to list them all here. Contact Garrett County Chamber of Commerce for specifics at 1-800-800-5557 or www.garrettchamber.com

Springs Folk Festival
Springs, PA
October 4-5, 2002
The Springs Folk Festival invites you to join in the celebration of the arts, skills and labors of our forefathers. Watch the women baking bread and weaving, the men hewing logs and threshing grain and the children enjoying themselves on an old-time hayride. The lilting notes of blue grass groups, gospel music and children singing a cappella fill the air with continuous performances in an enclosed program building. Of course, the Mountain Anthems singing close harmony is always a thrill.
Paintings, baskets, wood crafted furniture, quilts, and dulcimers—over 140 juried artisans demonstrating their craft. Sample the homemade lollipops, funnel cakes and homemade ice cream. Pennsylvania Dutch sausage meals, pancakes and sausage, bean soup, homemade bread baked in an outdoor kiln, doughnuts fried as you watch. All of this, plus the opportunity to walk through the woods trail in the splendor of fall color and stop by the maple sugar camp along the way.
Springs is located on Rt. 669 (Springs Rd.) between Salisbury, PA (US 219N) and Grantsville, MD (US 40, I-68 exit 19) in southern Somerset County, PA. For more infor-mation call (814) 662-4158 or (814) 662-2625. www.somersetcounty chamber.org

Up, Up and Away Hot Air Balloon Festival
Morgantown, WV
October 10-13, 2002
Featuring various races (depending on weather) and events including a carnival, arts and crafts, a car show and more. Contact BOPARC, Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners (304)-296-8357 or visit www.morgantown.com/balloon-fest.htm

Cherries and Chill Festival
Grantsville, MD
Spruce Artisan Village at Penn Alps
February 14-15, 2003
Bringing artisans who handcraft, showcase and market their artworks. Complimentary hot chocolate will be served along with chances to win a variety of door prizes.
Activities begin with a Cherry Desserts Contest. Entrants bring already-prepared cherry desserts for judging in six categories. There is no cost to enter and certificates, ribbons and gift certificates will be awarded. “Celebrity Dessert Connoisseurs”, who will taste and judge will be announced in early February.
Activities on Saturday for children include a cherry hunt, snow-building contests and George Washington Tall Tales & Legends Storytelling in the Village Church. As Tall Tales and Legends continues, Abraham Lincoln arrives. Also, families are invited to bring their cameras from 1:30-3:00 pm to take photos with Abe.
This festival is sponsored in part by Penn Alps and the Maryland State and Garrett County Arts Councils. Admission to all festival activities is FREE. For directions to Spruce Forest and to verify activities in case of inclement weather, contact Ms. Morgan at (301) 895-3332 or tmorgan@spruceforest.org

Celtic Fest
Cumberland, MD
September 28, 2002
Downtown Cumberland Mall, featuring live entertainment, vendors, dancers, clans, ethnic foods, children’s games and more. For more information call (301) 777-2800.

Burlington Apple Harvest Festival
Burlington, WV
October 5-6, 2002
Apple Harvest Festival in nearby Burlington, WV is at the Burlington Children’s Home and for their benefit. The festival is in its 29th year and features apple harvests, apple butter making, an ox roast, crafts, foods, gospel music on stage and a fiddle and banjo contest on Sunday afternoon. The festival also features the U.S. Navy’s “Country Current”, Ronald McDonald Show, Dancin’ Fever and other blue grass entertainment. Not only is this a great festival, but it’s also for a worthy cause. For information contact Burlington United Methodist Family Services at (304) 788-2342. www.Burlington UMFamilyServices.org

Highland Festival
Garrett County, MD
June 7, 2003
The 16th Annual Highland Festival in Garrett County, MD will be held June 7, 2003 at the Garrett County Fairgrounds in McHenry, MD—Maryland’s scenic highland at Deep Creek Lake. The festival has something for everyone and features Scottish fiddlers, Celtic vocalists and instrumentalists, an encampment, 5 bag pipe bands, athletic games, Scottish dancers, Celtic vendors, craft show, foods, a British car show, livestock and a sheep dog demonstration For more information visit www.highlandfest.info or call (301) 387-3383.
A great festival with lots to see and do all day.