Westminster
New Community Center in Westminster Aims to Give Teens a Voice
Rise Up community center opened its doors in June at 280 E. Main Street in Westminster with a mission to support local teens. Offering a youth-driven program, the goal is to provide a safe space for youth to discover their strengths and learn to overcome challenges. At Rise Up, youth aged 12-18 create the culture, set expectations, create goals, plan and coordinate daily activities and service projects, and hold both themselves and their peers accountable, according to Executive Director Katie Kirby.
“The work we do at Rise Up is only made possible when we can rally the community behind us,” Kirby said.
“Our youth need to know that there’s an entire community behind them that cares and that includes parents, educators, business owners, community resources, and local politicians. Rise Up Community Center was developed with one mission in mind; to stop Carroll County youth from falling through the cracks.”
Still a fledgling organization, Kirby said that the community can help support their mission by offering job shadowing opportunities and donating time, materials and money to support programs. Youth are referred to the all-volunteer organization by law enforcement, therapists, school counselors, and parents or the youth may refer themselves if they recognize the need for more support. Each youth referred to the program will go through an intake process before they are eligible for services.
Rise Up offers a variety of support services to include crisis intervention, mental health counseling referrals, job training, mentoring and leadership training. To learn more visit www.weareriseup.org.
35th Maryland Wine Festival
Sept. 15–16
Tickets: $25–50 • Carroll County Farm Museum • Learn more at www.marylandwine.org.
Event highlights include sampling of more than 150 Maryland wines, a local cheese pavilion, juried artisans, live music and local food vendors.
48th Annual Old-Fashioned Corn Roast Festival
August 4
11am-5pm. Union Mills Homestead and Grist Mill, 3311 Littlestown Pike, Westminster. www.unionmills.org.
Come enjoy an old-fashioned meal featuring corn roasted in the husk, served at your table.
Secret Garden Farewell Summer Music, Arts & Wine Festival
August 19
Noon-6pm. Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center Street, Westminster. www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org.
Food, wines, reggae music and arts and crafts vendors.
40th Annual Westminster FallFest
Sept. 27-30
Downtown Westminster. Schedule of events: www.westminsterfallfest.com
Three-day event offers non-stop fun including a parade, fun run, rides, live music, games, craft vendors,
food and more.
Sykesville/Eldersburg
Kids Become Crime Scene Investigators in Sykesville
This fall Sykesville youths are going to find themselves at the center of crime scene investigations with local police. And they can’t wait for the fun to begin.
The Sykesville Police Department will again be inviting students to attend a four-week course that gives them unique insights and understanding of crime scene investigations. This year will mark the 10th anniversary of the program.
The Junior CSI Academy will be led by Sykesville Police Chief Michael A. Spaulding, with participation from other law enforcement officials from Maryland State Police, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore County police and Baltimore City police. Students will learn about the various facets of crime scene investigations including fingerprinting, grid searches, the importance of learning how to locate, photograph and collect evidence and how to maintain the integrity of the crime scene.
“This program is an important part of our community policing efforts here in Sykesville, and we feel the real value is interacting with the youth of our town and for them to get a chance to know us in a non-intimidating setting,” Spaulding said.
Classes are scheduled from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings at Sykesville Middle School, culminating with a final exam and graduation on the last day. On the final exam day, students will face “mock” crime scenes which will be laid out in various locations at the school, according to a police department news release.
The class dates are Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 2 and 9. Applications for the program can be obtained at the Sykesville Police Department, Sykesville Middle School or online at www.townofsykesville.org. Class size is limited and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Call the Sykesville Police Department for more information at 410-795-0757.
Sykesville Farmers’ Market
August 5, 12, 19 & 26
September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Fresh produce, meats, eggs, cheese, herbs, honey, nuts, pickles, baked goods, crafts, jewelry and more.
9 a.m.–1 p.m. Historic Downtown Main Street, Sykesville
Sykesville First Responder First Friday
September 7
Bring the kids to get a first-hand peek at a firetruck and police car.
6–9 p.m. • Historic Downtown Main Street, Sykesville
Piney Run Apple Festival
September 29
Enjoy everything apple as well as craft making, scarecrow making, hayrides, music and entertainment, along with many local vendors selling their wares, and the Nature Center will be open to visit. Park entrance fees apply.
10 a.m.–4 p.m. • Piney Run Park & Nature Center, Sykesville
Taneytown/Union Bridge/New Windsor
Floral Fêtes brings Inspiration to Taneytown Main Street
With 20 years in the flower and wedding industry under her belt, Victoria Clausen said she is excited to put her experience and energy to work in Taneytown. Clausen opened Floral Fêtes in June with hopes of offering unique services and giving people a place to find delightful gifts and local inspiration.
Clausen said she never really dreamed of having a flower shop, but said the space presented a good opportunity for a flower shop that also offers locally made gifts and unique items as well as features local artist works.
“I always thought it would be so cool to have a little place where people can buy beautiful gifts and flowers that can serve as an inspiration,” Clausen said.
Paulsen has worked in the wedding and flower industry since 1999. She said she started out doing weddings and small parties and now her company does larger events and big galas.
Floral Fêtes carries mostly items – including soaps, jewelry, artwork, garden items, hostess gifts – that are locally made, made by small businesses and made in the U.S.
“One of the things I’m serious about is I want products to be unique, but most importantly that we are supporting small businesses,” Clausen said. “It’s not just about the sale, but about believing in the product and then supporting the people who make the products.”
Floral Fêtes is also a finalist in this year’s Carroll Biz Challenge – a local contest that encourages entrepreneurs to pitch business ideas and compete for a $5,000 cash prize. Floral Fêtes is one of five finalists, the winner will be announced at a finale event on Aug. 9.
Floral Fêtes is located at 14 E. Baltimore Street in Taneytown. Visit www.floralfetes.com to learn more.
Century of Toys
August 3–31
September 1–30
1890-1990
All have been loaned to the Museum from citizens of Taneytown and the surrounding communities.
Fri.: 10am-1pm; Sat. & Sun.: 1pm-4pm. Taneytown History Museum, 340 East Baltimore Street, Taneytown
National Night Out
August 7
Community-building event that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.
6:30–8:30 p.m., New Windsor Carnival Grounds, New Windsor
Music on the Main!
October 6
There will be live music, beer and wine garden, craft and food vendors, kid activities and more!
Free event. 1–7 p.m., Main Street, New Windsor
Hampstead/Manchester
Community Helps Friend Get Her Legs Back, at Least in the Pool
Members of the Magna Domos Crossfit gym and the broader Hampstead community rallied to raise money to install a pool lift so fellow crossfitter Marsha Derrickson could get in the water after suffering the affects of ALS.
Derrickson started taking classes at Magna Domos Crossfit gym, located at Four Seasons sports complex in Hampstead, in 2013. In 2016 she was diagnosed with ALS – a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Derrickson, who lives in Hampstead with her husband and two sons, has lost the use of her legs and now uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. She said the pool is the only place where she can walk on her own because she doesn’t have to deal with the weight of her body.
“Being in the pool is so important to me because it’s the only time I’m able to walk without assistance,” Derrickson said. “There’s nothing to even quantify how valuable this is to me.”
Stacey Gruber, an instructor at Four Seasons and Magna Domos, spearheaded efforts to raise the $3,500 for the lift that would help get Derrickson, and others needing assistance, into the outdoor pool. Through a series of fundraisers and donations, by early July, $2,000 had been raised and because they wanted Derrickson to be able to get in the pool right away, they went ahead and installed the lift at the Four Seasons pool, still needing to raise close to $1,500.
To learn more, visit www.magnadomos.com or call 443-858-1317.
Carroll County Cloggers at the Library
Learn about clogging at the North Carroll branch library on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. For all ages. Join the dancing fun with the longest continuously active clogging group in Maryland. Clogging originated in the Appalachian Mountain folk dances of the 1800s – often a mix of the jigs and step dances brought to America by English, German, Scottish, and Irish settlers. See a live demonstration and learn about the heritage and history of clogging. A Celebrating America program. Call 410.386.4488 for more information.
Hampstead Farmers’ Market
August 4, 11, 18 & 25
September 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
Producer only market.
8:30 a.m.-Noon. 1341 N. Main St., Hampstead
Music in the Park Concert Series
August 4
Free outdoor concerts sponsored by the Hampstead Train Station.
6:30–8:30 p.m. 1341 N. Main St., Hampstead
2nd Saturday at Galloping Goose Vineyards
August 11
“Sweet Summer” featuring sangria and sweet wines.
12–4 p.m. Galloping Goose Winery, 4326 Maple Grove Rd., Hampstead
Hampstead Fire Company Carnival
August 13–18
Rides, food, fun and entertainment.
6–11 p.m.Hampstead Fire Company Carnival Grounds, 1341 N. Main St., Hampstead
Mount Airy
Using the Old for the New: Renovated Train Station Houses Expanded Mount Airy Museum
It’s been a labor of love and has taken several years to come to fruition, but on Aug. 25 the Mt. Airy Historical Society will officially open the doors of its new museum in the renovated Train Station at 1 N. Main St. The grand opening celebration will take place during the third Celebrate Mount Airy festival in the downtown area.
The renovation of the old train station is the latest in a series of train-related projects the town has invested in over the past several years. In 2016, the town restored an old B&O caboose, named Mackenzie. It is located across the street from the old train station. The town also brought to life the Mount Airy Rails to Trails project – a mile-long walking/biking path that allows visitors to journey along the same path the train used to travel.
The Mount Airy Museum, previously located in the Flat Iron Building, at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue, will have new displays that reveal some never-known history of Mount Airy, according to the Historical Society’s Facebook page. The Garrett Sanitarium and the Mount Airy Railyard will be feature exhibits. The museum will be a work in progress for the rest of this year and into the winter, so be sure to visit regularly to watch it evolve.
Visit www.mountairymd.org/196/Historical-Society to learn more.
Mount Airy Oktoberfest
Sept. 29
The inaugural Mount Airy Oktoberfest will offer a traditional Oktoberfest experience. The family-friendly event will feature family entertainment, brass bands, German folk music and dancers, yodelers, and will showcase a Kids Corner, complete with Moon-Bounce, crafts, and carnival inspired games. Enjoy shopping along historic Main Street, and indulge in a traditional-style biergarten, featuring special Oktoberfest selections and domestic choices, as well as traditional Bavarian food that is uniquely crafted by Mount Airy local restaurants. Free admission. 11 am–5 PM • Main Street Mount Airy
Mt. Airy Main Street Farmers’ Market
August 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
September 5, 12, 19 & 26
Fresh produce, herbs, flowers and plants, baked goods and breads, eggs, soaps and more.
3–7 p.m. The Railyard, 3 North Main Street, Mount Airy
Celebrate Mount Airy
August 25
Unique street festival features food, businesses, and community organizations.
3–8 p.m. Historic Downtown Mount Airy
History 101
September 17–22
Featuring speakers, and history programs focusing on Mount Airy and Maryland history.
9 a.m.–9 p.m.3 North Main Street, Mount Airy
Mount Airy Lions Club
September 22
Yard Sale & Flea Market
Over 250 booths with various items for sale.
5–10 p.m. Fireman’s Carnival Grounds, 1008 Twin Arch Road, Mount Airy
