2023 Cumberland Heritage Days to Feature New Programming and Locations
CUMBERLAND MD – The Allegany County Historical Society Heritage Days Committee has announced a 2023 festival schedule covering four days from September 7 to 10. Pre-event gala receptions are being hosted by the Woman’s Civic Club on Thursday in addition to the annual Whiskey Rebellion Reception at Allegany Museum on Friday of event weekend.
Entering year three of the Wills Creek Muster reenactor program, this year’s edition of the street fair established in the late 1960s will blend heritage education programming with traditional family favorites. Up-to-date schedules and vendors can be found online at https://heritagedaysfestival.com
“The third year for event organizers is important to long-term success,” commented Becky McClarran who volunteers to coordinate the craft and festival food vendor portion of the event.
She links recent changes Heritage Days to a good 2023 response from craft and food vendors. To date, 67 vendors have been accepted to participate along Washington Street and Prospect Square. New food vendors will offer Maine Lobster Rolls and Baltimore Greek Specialties in addition to popular Crab Cakes, Alhambra Sausages and Funnel Cakes.
“The committee is closely with the City of Cumberland this year to add programming at Riverside Park, the top of Smallwood Street and the Gordon-Roberts House to keep the festival clear of on-going construction projects,” she continued.
Riverside Park will feature traditional DAR tours of Washington’s Headquarters on Saturday and Sunday.
The St. Paul’s Lutheran parking lot on Smallwood Street will be used to host the Queen City Chapter of Antique Car Club of America on Saturday and the Classy Chassis Custom Car Club on Sunday. The SS Peter and Paul and the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will also host open house tours on Saturday. SS Peter and Paul will also be open for tours on Sunday afternoon.
Gordon-Roberts house just west of Smallwood Street will host house tours and living history presentations by John Koopman III on George Washington’s horsemanship, Wayne’s 1794 Sub-Legion reenactors will present demonstrations of their history and uniforms – and reenactors portraying Benjamin Franklin, Washington’s Philadelphia cook Hercules, Thomas Jefferson and Abigail Adams will be available for meet and greets and photo ops as part of a “Backstage History” opportunity to meet and learn from the weekend’s history actors.
The Wills Creek Muster will feature scheduled living history presentations by academic scholars in character on Saturday and Sunday including the return of Charlotte Browne, British Fort Cumberland nurse as portrayed by Dr. Erica Nuckles on Sunday afternoon. It will also feature a campus of colonial presenters and authentic demonstrations by members of the Maryland Forces, a group that accurately represents the era of Fort Cumberland militia force in 1755. Tours near the Muster campus will include Emmanuel Church tunnels and the new Wills Creek Museum on both festival days and the nearby Masonic Temple on Saturday.
Children’s programming around Prospect Square includes The Natural Philosopher returning to share science of the 18th century at a school-age level, Mr. Toad’s Pottery tile painting, Taylor Pony Rides, a goat petting zoo, face painting and the popular ACHS Pack Your Wagon family frontier experience. The local Civil War Roundtable will return to Heritage Days with a Saturday family-oriented demonstration of encampment skills.
Reenactors are participating in a timeline tribute to Washington’s horseback review of the Whiskey Rebellion Troops around 4 PM on Prospect Square.
The Washington Street Main Stage has scheduled programs designed to increase visitor interest and expand heritage education. New stage programming will include a demonstration by Durable Slate Company historic roof repair early Saturday, an English Country Dancing program early Sunday, and several episodes of Cumberland Jeopardy organized by the Cumberland Historic Preservation Planning Commission and DDC.
Saturday, a full presentation of Megan Jean’s Secret Family album drop is planned for mid-day. The “PLOT (play loud on turntable)” album is scheduled for January release with support from on-line investors and the Maryland State Arts Council. It will be performed end-to-end on Saturday on Prospect Square. Sunday will feature stage performances by Michael Biggs from San Francisco (accompanied by Ken Nolan) and popular Western Maryland performers Briana Merkel and Gary Atol.
Frostburg’s Arion band will kick off the Festival at the Court House on Saturday and the Potomac Concert Band will close the 2023 music program on Sunday afternoon. Paid parking will be available at the First Presbyterian Church and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, both available from Fayette Street.
2023 Heritage Days information is available at on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/heritagedaysfestival and on the web at https://heritagedaysfestival.com