72 HOURS July 9, 2026

2026 FREE

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Brings America’s founding debates to New Spire Arts

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CHILL DOWN A HILL: Mount Airy’s ice block sledding beats the heat with winter fun PAGE 8

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June 12 - August 23 FOODIES’ FANTASIA: Rare Morsel brings new flavor to a Market Street

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Eat & Drink ............................................... 4 Music ........................................................... 5 Frederick Mom ........................................ 6 Art ............................................................... 9 Poetry ...................................................... 11 Cover Story.............................................12 Theater..............................................14 Film ............................................................16 Classifieds ...............................................17

Don’t miss this hilariously fun musical! Calendar ................................................. 19

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2 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Dyk talks mental health, creativity and second chances PAGE 5

INSIDE THIS WEEK

Family .......................................................... 8

Based on the motion picture written by T i N a F e y

MINDFUL HEALING: Daniel Van

ON THE COVER: Robert Herbertson as Thomas McKean in the Landless Theatre Company production of “1776.”

Photo by Shuan Butcher

PUBLISHER Geordie Wilson EDITOR Lauren LaRocca llarocca@newspost.com REVENUE DIRECTOR Connie Hastings CALENDAR EDITOR Sue Guynn sguynn@newspost.com Submit a calendar listing for your event 10 days prior to publication at newspost.com/calendar.

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GO SLEDDING ... IN JULY

Only in Mount Airy can you go sledding in the middle of summer. The town’s beloved ice block sledding event will return for its fourth year at 11:30 a.m.

July 16 at Watkins Park, when 10-pound blocks of ice from Frederick Ice Co. become sleds on a gently sloping hill. The idea was born a few years back when a sparse snow season left local kids without their winter fun, and parks and events manager Nancy Hernandez decided summer was as good a time as any to fix that. No registration or payment is required, all ages are welcome, and snow cone vendors will be on hand. One tip from the pros: Bring a hand towel to sit on.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, THEN AND NOW

The Frederick Book Arts Center will host an open house July 11 with activities for adults and kids alike, and the day doubles as the opening of “Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now,” a traveling exhibition from Maryland Humanities exploring the evolution of press freedom from its earliest roots in the Maryland Colony to its role in society today. The exhibition, funded in part by the Maryland Two-Fifty Commission, is touring eight locations across the state during the nation’s 250th anniversary year, and it will remain on view in the FBAC gallery through Aug. 23. The center recently put its own letterpress skills to semiquincentennial use, printing 400 copies of the Declaration of Independence for the Frederick 250 Commission.

50 YEARS, 50-PLUS ARTISTS

The Frederick Arts Council’s golden anniversary celebration continues with “Celebrating 50 Years of Creative Community,” an exhibition featuring more than 50 Frederick County artists at the Artspiration art gallery, 915 Toll House Ave., Frederick. The show, which runs through July 26, presents works reflecting each artist’s interpretation of and contribution to the region’s arts community, with participants including Yemi Fagbohun, Sarah Hempel-Irani, Sheryl Massaro, Andrea McCluskey and Lisa Sheirer. A free reception runs 3 to 5 p.m.

July 18, with light food and beverages and a chance to talk with the artists.

FREDERICK CHORALE: MUSIC AMBASSADORS OF IRELAND

Before the Frederick Chorale departed for its concert tour of Ireland, the city gave the ensemble a proper send-off. Mayor Michael O’Connor presented the Chorale with an official proclamation designating it Music Ambassadors of Ireland during the group’s spring concert, “Dreams of the Emerald Isle,” at Frederick Presbyterian Church on June 7. The proclamation recognized the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants to Frederick’s history and the Chorale’s role in strengthening international friendships through music. Under music director Heidi Ackerman, the ensemble toured Ireland from June 22 to 29 with performances in Kilkenny, Galway and Dublin, collaborating with local Irish choral ensembles in each city. Founded in 1977, the Frederick Chorale has been enriching Frederick’s cultural life for nearly five decades.

THE PERFECT TRUFFLE IS NOW RARE MORSEL — AND IT’S MORE THAN CHOCOLATE

If you’ve walked past the Market Street sweet shop formerly known as The Perfect Truffle and noticed a new name on the sign, here’s the story. Owner Cody Marwine, who purchased the shop in 2021, rebranded it as Rare Morsel last November — a change designed to let the business grow beyond its artisanal chocolate roots. The shop now scoops ice cream in about 10 flavors, stocks Swedish pick-and-mix gummy candies and carries imported mustards, vinegars, high-end cheese and nonalcoholic beverages alongside the truffles that built its reputation. This summer, Rare Morsel’s mocktails are also available at the Alive@Five happy hour concerts along Carroll Creek on Thursdays.

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My Estate Planning attorney said I should avoid Probate. What does that mean?

“Probate” is the formal legal process of appointing a responsible party, a “Personal Representative” to settle a deceased person’s debts and distribute their assets according to their Last Will and Testament or state Intestacy Laws.

While Probate is a necessary legal process for administering a deceased person’s estate when they do not have a solid Estate Plan in place, there are several reasons why reputable Estate Planners tell you to avoid it: 1. Time and money: Probate can take months or even years to complete, depending on many factors (ex: disputes among heirs or creditors).

During this time, beneficiaries may not have access to the assets. Court and administrative fees, ongoing expenses, and other costs can add up over time.

2. Public Record: Probate is a public process, meaning details about the deceased’s assets, debts, and beneficiaries become part of the

public record. This lack of privacy can expose beneficiaries to unsolicited contacts or even fraud!

3. Complexity and Conflict: Probate proceedings can be complicated, especially for those with significant debts and/or assets. In rare occasions, disputes among heirs exasperate the already complex process.

4. Loss of Control: The court oversees the distribution of the estate, and decisions must comply with local laws and procedures. If no will exists, the estate is distributed according to state intestacy laws, which may not align with the deceased’s wishes.

If you need help protecting your money and loved ones in the event of death or disability or help with probate or estate administration, call us at 301-696-0567 or self-schedule online at www.lenaclarklegal.com.

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72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 3

EAT & DRINK

Rare Morsel brings new flavor to a Market Street favorite

BY SCOTT HARRIS

Special to The News-Post

When Cody Marwine purchased The Perfect Truffle in 2021, he had a dream.

“I wanted to make it fully mine,” he said.

It was easier said than done for the Market Street sweet shop.

Ironically for Marwine, though, economic headwinds helped the process along. The store, known across downtown Frederick and beyond for its artisanal chocolates, was facing a double-edged IF YOU GO sword.

“Chocolate can Rare Morsel is get very expensive at 25 N. Market to produce,” he St., Frederick. said. “It’s hard to See raremorsel. survive as a shop com for more [selling] just a information. single thing.”

What’s more, chocolate sales slow down in the summer, and the store was losing out on seasonal business.

Here was Marwine’s chance to put his own stamp on the business.

The resulting diversification was personified in a name change that took place last November, when The Perfect Truffle became Rare Morsel.

The shop hasn’t looked back, and neither have most of its customers.

In fact, customers are drawn to the store’s new offerings, including everything from ice cream to charcuterie.

“With the rebrand, that’s when I decided I wanted to extend my counter and offer a scooped ice cream to make the business make sense in the summer, too,” Marwine said. “When I purchased it, I always had the idea of changing the name to make it more mine and be able to continue to grow the business. ... As things grew and as I kept changing things, I was slowly changing and adding product, but the chocolate stayed what it’s always been. That’s when we decided to change the name, which eventually was Rare Morsel.”

The name change wasn’t an overnight whim. Using a marketing 4 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Staff photos by Lauren LaRocca

firm based in Richmond, Marwine ultimately decided on the right new moniker.

“They presented me with several different ideas, and this is the one I liked. It fit what we were doing,” Marwine said. “It gave it a bit more ambiguity and is so much more vast.

It allows us to continue to grow and change as we need.”

Scooped ice cream, available in about 10 flavors, not to mention

bars and popsicles, was just the beginning. On the shelves, Swedish pick-and-mix gummy candies are the newest addition, complementing savory offerings like high-end cheese and mustard.

It turns out having only truffles was more limiting than the average chocophile might think.

“Some people don’t like chocolate, and I lost that business from people,” Marwine said. “If they

didn’t like chocolate, they walked in, went, ‘Oh, you only have chocolate,’ and left. Now they walk in, see that we have ice cream and some nice imported mustards and vinegars.

There are different non-alcoholic beverages that I offer that are a nice alternative to wine or cocktails. And yeah, it’s been great as far as that goes and just keep adding products that people are looking for. And a lot of it is ingredients or foods that

SONGS FROM THE TRON

Daniel Van Dyk talks mental health, creativity and second chances

BY DARYL CAMPBELL Special to The News-Post

I enjoy, that I enjoy eating and cooking with, that I can’t find within this area.”

This year, Rare Morsel’s nonalcoholic offerings will also extend beyond the shop.

Mocktails from Rare Morsel will be available for purchase at Alive@Five happy hour concerts on Thursdays along Carroll Creek in downtown Frederick.

According to Marwine, 80% of store customers like the name.

Another 10% are curious about the change, and the final 10% are not fans.

Another problem with the old name? Too fancy, at least according to some of Marwine’s interactions with customers.

“One thing I always heard from a lot of people was, ‘It’s getting too serious in here,’ so they didn’t come in,” he said. “It seemed too fancy under the old name and just how the design of the store was.

So with the change, it makes it a little bit more fun, more inviting for people.

“Some people unfortunately aren’t happy with it,” he continued. “But also, I understand that change is difficult sometimes. ... Yes, a name change is drastic and it is a huge change and it’s not taken lightly, but it’s sometimes needed.”

Scott Harris is a writer based in Frederick. In his spare time, he writes science fiction and tries to grow houseplants.

Recently, my interview with longtime friend Robert “Bobcat” Van Dyk was published in 72 Hours, delving into music and the special needs community.

Since his brother Daniel Van Dyk was also there, I wanted to share his perspective as well on similar subjects.

Stories can only be so long, though, so I sat down and did an interview exclusively with Daniel for another Songs from the Tron column.

This was something I also looked forward to, as I’ve known Daniel for even longer. I actually met Robert through him indirectly, and Daniel and I have talked endlessly about mental health concerns for nearly two decades. However, we only started talking again recently, after taking a break to work on each of our own situations in life.

So this is informative not only for the reader, but for me as well. I’m catching up with an old friend and learning about the profound events that occurred in those years we were apart.

Can you give the readers a summary of who you are?

My name’s Daniel Van Dyk. I’ve been dealing with mental illness and ADHD for years. I finally got to a point where medication has stabilized me and given me the ability to function like a normal human. I’m doing very well for myself.

I grew up in Frederick and have five siblings. I’ve lived a good life!

When did this journey in mental health begin?

At 18, 19 or in my early 20s at my mom’s house. Not depressed; I was writing things — notes that no one understood. It started out small with manic episodes. When I got older, then the depression set in. The snowball effect caused me to react differently to different medications. They had to rapidly change them over and over again.

After moving out, I moved into Sheppard Pratt — then Way Station — in 2008. [My condition] expanded up until, I’d say, five years ago, when it finally settled and my medications got stabilized.

Medication is key. They helped me function better, but also helped me adjust to different situations. I take a lot of them, but they all help with different parts. There was a lot of different experimentation with them. It’s not as dark anymore. I had a dark period in my life where I was struggling with manic

MORE INFO Daniel Van Dyk has two books available on Amazon: “In the Presence of Danger (The Mysterious Beyond),” the first part of his trilogy series, and “Secrets of the Unknown.”

He’s currently writing a third book, the second installment of the trilogy. abstained from alcohol after 10 years of active addiction. Daniel cited alcohol as his biggest substance as well. We also ruminate on how addiction, with regard to substance use, can stem from a sort of deeper underlying emotional addiction.

Addiction is not a joke. People can have multiple addictions, but there’s always that one addiction that the rest stem off from. Mine was ... feeling sorry for myself. I hated who I was for the longest time. That was the root of all of my other addictions. So, I fed different things to myself, my body. Instead of just picking one, I picked a whole bunch of stuff.

Courtesy photo What changes took place, and how did you process or even initiate them?

Daniel Van Dyk I can tell you exactly what happened.

My brother found me in my house, lying episodes, suicidal ideations, but basically on the ground, almost unconscious. He came back to the fact that I needed carried me to the car, and my mom said, medication ... more than medication “We’re not going out to eat, we’re taking needed me. [Sheppard Pratt] has you to the hospital.” helped me grow. So now I’m in released I got there, and my temperature supervision. was 107 degrees, I think. They said I’ll note here that Sheppard Pratt is they’d never seen someone with that the largest private, nonprofit provider temperature before. They did a lot of of mental health, special education, tests and finally did a spinal tap. They substance-use treatment, developmental asked what medications I took, and disability services and social services found out that Lamictal (lamotrigine) had in the United States, headquartered in induced meningitis. It was a very rare Maryland. case, with only 41 cases of it.

So it’s basically just minor stuff I was very fortunate that it was found now? No ups and downs? when it was, because if it hadn’t been No, I don’t have any ups and downs found, I might not have made it. I had anymore. I wouldn’t call it recovery. to learn how to talk, eat, walk, breathe ...

I’d call it stabilization. I don’t have everything. I basically had to be reborn. any voices, hallucinations, anxiety, I had to have a tracheotomy, a feeding depression. All of that has been weeded tube. It was a very humbling experience. out of my life. Now I’m more of an So you’re saying, as a result, that optimist than I was before. My spirituality they had to change your medication? also plays a big part in it.

And that, in turn, resulted in you being I don’t know if you remember, but I more stable? It was a blessing in almost died in 2022. disguise?

I heard something about it, yeah.

Yeah, pretty much!

That’s what humbled and changed Wow, I didn’t know ... me. It gave me the ability to restart and I take a second to meditate on all of do things better for myself. this. I think of a question that’s similar We talk a bit about us having a sense to what I asked his brother, Robert. I of spirituality before our turning points in wondered what are some things that life, being that things came to a head for me as well in 2017. That’s when I finally (See VAN DYK 7) 72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 5

The Frederick Mom’s recommendations for the weekend of July 10

Activities to do with the kids this weekend, courtesy of The Frederick Mom. All-You-Can-Pick Sunflowers 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 10 to 12 Valley View Acres, 4005 Valley View Road, Middletown $10 per person, cash only; children 5 and younger are free This weekend, consider visiting Valley View Acres in Middletown for its All-You-Can-Pick event. Pay cash at the gate, and TIFFANY MAHANEY bring your own clippers and buckets to cut your own stems. The event is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 10, 11 and 12. No pets are allowed.

A DNA Whodunit for Teens 2 to 3:30 p.m. July 10 C. Burr Artz Library, 110 E. Patrick St., Frederick Free In this lab at the downtown library, students will use DNA electrophoresis to solve a mock crime by comparing DNA samples from a fake crime scene with samples from “suspects.” By loading real DNA into a gel and observing how the glowing fragments separate into distinct banding patterns, students can learn how scientists analyze genetic evidence. This free, hands-on activity introduces the basics of DNA forensics, showing how DNA can be used as reliable evidence to identify or rule out suspects in an investigation.

Thurmont Firemen’s Carnival 6 to 10 p.m. July 10 and 11 Thurmont Carnival Grounds, 123 E. Main St., Thurmont Free admission The Guardian Hose Company’s annual Thurmont Firemen’s Carnival continues through July 11, with the parade taking place at 6:30 p.m. July 9. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy nightly live bands and entertainment.

Covered seating is available for dinner, served nightly starting at 6 p.m.

Carnival ride tickets are $25 per person.

Bird Box Building 7 to 8 p.m. July 10 Kemptown Park Shelter No. 1, 3456-B Kemptown Church Road, Monrovia Free Join the park rangers for a fun, free event for all ages. Build a bird box at Kemptown Park and learn about providing habitats for local birds.

6 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

PMC’s Carnival 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. July 11 Pediatric Movement Center, 4640 Wedgewood Blvd., Suite 103, Frederick Free Step right up to PMC’s Carnival Extravaganza. Visit the indoor gym for a fun-filled day of excitement and adventure, featuring a variety of activities for kids of all ages. Get creative with arts and crafts. Take on obstacle courses and games, like ring toss and bowling. Enjoy face painting and a photo booth while snacking on cotton candy and popcorn. PMC’s Carnival has three slots to sign up for: 12:30 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m., plus a sensory-friendly hour from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, but preregistration is requested. Register at hisawyer.com/pediatric-movement-center.

Ice Cream Social 1 to 3 p.m. July 11 Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick Free Join Heritage Frederick for a free ice cream treat, provided by Frederick Fudge & Ice Cream. The Heritage Garden will be full of games and activities, plus the museum will have free admission from 1 to 3 p.m. Please enter through the garden gate, accessible through the parking lot between Heritage Frederick and Winchester Hall.

A Bubble, Comedy & Music Show 2 to 3 p.m. July 11 Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg Free Get out your cameras because your family is invited to go on a dancing adventure with some dinosaurs. Kids Courtesy photo can pop bubbles, dance, sing, use their imaginations and connect with Rebecca Rhinecker, 11, at Story Time at the Farm at Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch. the coolest dinosaurs that have ever Outdoor Movie Night A Morning on the Farm walked this planet. The show is crafted 7:30 to 10 p.m. July 10 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. July 11 to be inclusive for all children, includWatkins Park, 615 Center St., Mount Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch, 6521 ing children on the autism spectrum.

Airy Holter Road, Middletown Each song in this high-energy show is Free $35 per person accompanied by hands-on, visual and Make family memories under Check out this fun, hands-on morn- sensory experiences designed to help the stars seeing “Zootopia 2” at this ing at the farm, perfect for animal lov- kids in elementary school learn and free outdoor movie night presenters, families and curious explorers. have fun at the same time. ed by Delta Home Group. Seating Participants will visit and feed baby Goat Yoga opens at 7:30 p.m., and the movie farm animals, get a picture on one of 10 to 11:30 a.m. July 12 starts at sundown. Free movie snacks Mr. Huffer’s international tractors, creRocky Point Creamery, 4323 Tuscawill also be offered. If you preregisate a bee bath to help pollinators and rora Road, Tuscarora ter on Eventbrite, you can receive a wander and explore the farm. Tick$37 per person free surprise gift and be entered for a ets include all materials and activities.

All experience levels are welcome chance to win an ultimate prize pack.

Bring your own snacks and drinks. If to try Goat Yoga at Rocky Point CreamBring your blankets and lawn chairs you miss this one, the next Morning ery this Sunday morning. Presented by and meet at Watkins Park. Register at on the Farm is July 25. See jumbos.org Goat for the Soul, your ticket includes goat yoga and ice cream. Bring an old Eventbrite. for more information.

VAN DYK come back even stronger.

Is there anything else you’d like to let the readers know? he’d like to see change in the mental NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental health movement? He started off with Illness, is one resource, but On Our Own saying that even as a child who was adopted at 20 months old — he knew he is definitely good. There’s peer support, hotlines ... different organizations lead was different. He had an awareness and to different results. For me, going to a sense of empathy, wanting to make a the hospital wasn’t always the best difference in the world. answer. Having a good therapist that There should be more awareness understands is important. Medication is and advocates of mental illness, more a blessing, but can also be a curse if it’s resources. I hope this article shows misused. people that stabilization from mental illness is possible ... and not that it has I do wanna say, I have books that I to happen like that. It doesn’t have to be wanted to talk about. They’re published, such an erratic change in their life. but I’m working on another one. My You said something about your creativity and imagination are what spirituality playing a big role? drive me to get better. It gives my Yeah, I go to Christian men’s groups. mind something to work on, rather We come together and they help me, than dwelling on things. I do artwork, talk to me ... they’re very supportive. like painting rocks, standard paintings, I love the fact that it’s so diverse. But origami ... which I love. I’ve always been my spirituality really keyed in after my good at it. I also love to sculpt things, like meningitis. It flourished, because I had clay. more reason to. I had a second lease on Mainly, I love poetry. It gets my life ... a reboot, I guess you could say. different thoughts on paper without I was given a second chance, and I the physical expression, which can be wasn’t about to let that second chance stressful and strenuous. I’ve also written go. I wouldn’t go back to the way that some lyrics, 11 songs, but I haven’t had it used to be. Not everyone gets that music put to it yet. They’re intense. Three opportunity, so I didn’t want it to go to of them are Christian-based, and the waste.

That’s awesome! How does it feel? others are nature/emotion-based.

My favorite one is called “Victory It feels great! It’s the best I’ve felt in Promised.” It gives me something to think years. I haven’t been to the hospital for about. It shows me that all the ideas in mental illness for four months. And I the world come from different people, haven’t been suicidal for almost a year now. The stability is so amazing once you but they all mean the same thing. They all mean survival, getting better, to find it. improve. To function properly. That’s why My mom always gave us quotes. My favorite one was “use your resources.”

I promote writing, if possible.

She always banged that one into our I’m also going back to college for a heads. So I’ve always tried to use as many degree in peer support. I love to help as I can, to find out where I was and and guide people, for them to work on where I could be. themselves ... but not stress on working I’ve had times where I felt like I’d on themselves. If you’re working too never get better. Did you ever feel like hard, you’re not gonna notice the that? change, but how hard and difficult it is — To an extent. When I lived on Market how much pain you’re going through in Street, I definitely did. I was so far under, order to get to that place. [We also talk I just gave up. God was trying to talk to about pacing, how you can’t rush and me, but I wasn’t listening; I was so deep how we’ve both reached a good pace in down under. Then that happened, and life, and Daniel returned to that idea.] when I got back out, I said ... I’m free!

You can’t do that, or else you’re I can once again relate in my own speeding up the process in the wrong way, since I had periods of sobriety but then eventually relapsed. Not that I woke way, for the wrong reasons. If you’re sped up, it’s hard to slow down. You have up with the intention of “hey, I wanna to wean yourself back to that slower use again,” but change is difficult. Even process. It’s like a gear; it has to click in though I knew it was necessary, it was a struggle nonetheless. This resonates with your mind. It has to be at a certain level, and then you say, “I’ve gotten this done.

Daniel as well.

Now I can go to another level,” until you Letting go is one of the hardest reach another level where you’re actually things you’ll ever do, but the harder satisfied and stable like I am now. thing than that is living with the idea of This interview has been edited for letting go. Once you let go, you don’t have that anymore. You have to fill it with space and clarity.

Daryl Campbell, who performs as new things and activities, new habits.

Something healthy. If you don’t, it will Daryltron, is based in Frederick.

(Continued from 5)

Layne Brigham at Story Time at the Farm at Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch. towel or yoga mat, since goats can nibble. Children age 4 and older are welcome, and children will need to remain on their mat or towel for the duration of the one-hour class as a courtesy to other guests. See goatforthesoul.com for more information.

National Ice Cream Day Noon to 1:30 p.m. July 12 Catoctin Creek Nature Center, 2929 Sumantown Road, Middletown $13 per person Have you ever made your own ice cream? Celebrate National Ice Cream Day at Catoctin Creek Nature Center with a sweet science experiment. This fun, hands-on STEM activity lets you discover the science behind making this frozen favorite. Explore different methods, learn what makes ice cream freeze and enjoy a delicious treat that you’ve helped create. This program is open to ages 2 and older. Preregistration is required at recreater.com. Use activity No. 39269.

Let’s Play Day at Keys game 2 to 5 p.m. July 12

Harry Grove Stadium, 21 Stadium Drive, Frederick Cost varies Make Sunday a day spent at Nymeo Field. It’s Let’s Play Day at the Frederick Keys game, with a free kids building block giveaway, featuring the mascot Keyote, for the first 500 fans ages 5 to 12. There will also be a foam party in the courtyard, plus a variety of games and activities to get kids having a blast during the game.

Play a game of catch in the outfield with your kids and grab players’ autographs on the concourse for the first 30 minutes after gates open.

Don’t forget: Kids ages 3 to 12 can line up after the game to run the bases. Play ball! See frederickkeys. com for more information.

Tiffany Mahaney is at least a fifth-generation native to Frederick County, and she now proudly raises her own family here. She is the owner of The Frederick Mom. To see more local family-friendly things to do, follow her at @thefrederickmom.

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 7

Mount Airy’s ice block sledding beats the heat with winter fun

BY ERIN JONES

Special to The News-Post

Ice block sledding was born of necessity — truly the mother of invention, as the adage goes.

That year, Mount Airy experienced a sparse snow season, and parks and events manager Nancy Hernandez felt bad for the children.

So as summer’s heat bore down on the region, Mount Airy issued a surprising invitation for July: Let’s go sledding.

The popular event, now in its fourth year, will take place at 11:30 a.m. July 16 at Watkins Park. No registration or payment is required, and all ages are welcome, from kids to kids at heart. Bringing a hand towel is recommended for sitting on the ice, and snow cone vendors will be on hand for a sweet treat.

While Hernandez may have been the first to implement ice block sledding in Mount Airy’s calendar of events, she does not take credit for the idea itself.

Hernandez was a youth adviser at her church, and she tried to draw on the youthful inspiration of the teens to plan their activities. One teenage girl suggested trying ice block sledding, having heard about it from relatives out west.

“I thought, oh, that sounds super fun. So we got the ice blocks and went sledding in Watkins Park and we had such a great time,” Hernandez recalled.

Around that time, Hernandez began working for the town of Mount Airy, and when the town faced a dearth of snowfall, plans to bring ice block sledding to the town on a larger scale began to formulate.

Initially, the event took place on a weekend and always had a robust turnout. Hernandez started getting requests for the event to take place during the week, as families were looking for activities for their children during the week, and weekends were often busy with sports and other obligations.

The event moved to a weekday, and participation remained just as enthusiastic.

“I still get a really amazing turnout.

People from all over the place come.

I think it’s sort of novel. They’re curious to see what exactly it is. It’s a pretty laid back activity because pretty much anyone can do it from young to old,” Hernandez said.

Ice for the event comes in 8 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Staff file photos by Ric Dugan

Children slide down a hill on blocks of ice at Watkins Park in Mount Airy in 2025.

Callie Jacobson carries an ice block up a hill.

Nathan Selby slides down a hill on a block of ice.

10-pound blocks and is sourced from Frederick Ice Co. On the morning of the event, Hernandez will load up the town truck with ice blocks and bring them to the park.

Watkins Park was chosen strategically. The park provided hill space that could be safely cordoned

off. There is also ample parking, and the hills lend themselves to adaptability by age and level of daring.

“That hill is a gradual slope. We do have some hills that are pretty steep and that would be terrifying going down on a block. It’s a little

more tricky than just a regular sled.

But on the gradual hill you don’t have to go all the way to the top.

The little kids can start lower so that they can do what they’re comfortable doing,” Hernandez said.

At the 11:30 a.m. start time, there is often a waiting crowd eager to begin the fun.

The ice blocks are flat and big enough for most people to sit on. Some people will lie on their stomachs and steer with their hands or sit astride the block and control it with their feet.

Ice blocks can be reused and passed around between participants.

The ice will usually last about three

ART

IF YOU GO Ice Block Sledding will begin at 11:30 a.m. July 16 at Watkins Park, 615 Center St., Mount Airy. The event is free, and no registration is required. Bring a towel to sit on while sledding. See mountairymd.gov for more information. hours, even in the summer heat.

The perk of an event that primarily employs ice is that ice comes with its own cleanup mechanism and disappears on a hot day.

The event takes place in July as part of National Park and Recreation Month.

For a town with a population of approximately 10,000, Mount Airy has 12 parks ranging from trails to sports fields. “[Parks] really improve quality of life. If you have a nice park system, that’s where people want to go and spend time, meet others, enjoy nature, relax, and chill. I feel that we are really blessed here in Mount Airy,” Hernandez said.

“I think that parks are what really makes a community thrive.”

Hernandez particularly appreciates the Board of Recreation and Parks, especially chairman Mike Riegel, who is supportive of the events. Board members are known to join a vital volunteer force that makes these events possible.

“Several of our parks board members help out a lot with our events and are pretty open to letting me try new things, and I’m grateful for that. We’re very fortunate here in Mount Airy that we do have a pretty strong volunteer base, which is a huge blessing. You cannot do an event by yourself,” Hernandez said.

An event born out of a desire to give children the winter pastime they were deprived of the previous season has now become a beloved fixture in the town’s year. Whether bringing children or bringing your inner child, all ages are encouraged to give it a try.

“You don’t have to bring a kid,” Hernandez said. “You can just come yourself and have fun.

It’s OK. Have fun as an adult. And some are brave enough to do that.”

Erin Jones is a freelance arts and culture journalist, narrative strategist and literary collaborator.

Learn more at erinjoneswriter. com, follow her on Instagram @ ErinJonesWriter, or subscribe to her newsletter at erinjoneswriter. substack.com.

Courtesy photo

Over the Mountain Studio Tour welcomes four new members The artists of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour will present their annual Summer Preview Show and Sale July 10 to 12 at Eclectic, 106 W. German St., Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

The Summer Preview Show and Sale introduces the newest members of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour. This year, four artists were juried and invited to join the group.

Anne Barney is a pastel artist who also makes woodcuts using the white-line woodcut technique, a combination of woodcarving and watercolor painting that was developed in the early 20th century.

Textile mixed-media artist Melanie Brownsmith makes 2D and 3D pieces from textiles inspired by the natural world, her photography and “a bit of exaggeration,” in her words.

Painter Judy Rand will show new

work on wood and canvas panels.

During the last year, she has been abstracting landscape compositions and exploring different surface techniques.

Pang Tubhirun has a passion for documenting life and its details in her photography. During the pandemic, she started making tintypes, a 19th-century photographic process that involves coating a tin plate with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it to light in-camera and developing it in a darkroom.

The show opens at 11 a.m. July 10. A reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. July 10, providing an opportunity to meet the new artists, explore their processes and catch up with the artists who will participate in the Over the Mountain Studio Tour in November.

Weekend hours are 11 a.m. to

7 p.m. July 11 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

July 12. Eclectic is near the corner of King and German streets in Shepherdstown. On-street parking is free after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

The Over the Mountain Studio Tour is a juried group of working artisans located in Jefferson County, West Virginia. Every year on the second weekend of November, the artists open their studios to guests on a self-guided tour to share their work and life as artists. Now in its 37th year, the Over the Mountain Studio Tour highlights the work of local artists and is the longest-running studio tour in West Virginia.

This year’s tour will be held Nov. 14 and 15. See overthemountainstudiotour.com for more information.

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 9

2026 National Juried Exhibition — through July 12, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick.

Works in a variety of media. The Delaplaine’s annual juried show features works by artists from around the region and the nation. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

301-698-0656, delaplaine.org. ”Mundane-Sacred” — through July 26, NOMA Gallery, 437 N. Market St., Frederick. Collaborative exhibit by mother-daughter Lily Sellers and Annie Quinlan. Rooted in a shared reverence for the natural world, the exhibition explores the quiet beauty found within the overlooked and the ordinary. Artists’ talk 2 p.m. July 18. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 240-367-9770 or nomagalleryfrederick.com. ”Old Friends” — through July 26, Eastside Artists’ Gallery, 313 E. Patrick St., Frederick. For more than six decades, Lynn Hotes has cultivated a rich artistic practice, while Doug Moulden has devoted over four decades to making inspired art. Their friendship, spanning more than 20 years, has fostered an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiration and mutual respect. Gallery hours are 3-7 p.m.

Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. eastsidearts313@gmail.com. ”Impressions of Maryland” — through July 26, Links Bridge Vineyards, 8830 Old Links Bridge Road, Thurmont. Part of the Wine and Art Series, features recent paintings

by Tom Richie and Lissa Abrams and their ongoing impressions of

Courtesy photo

“U.S. of Art: Reflections on 250 Years” runs July 4-26 at the Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick, featuring work by multiple artists. Shown here, artwork by Spitzer.

Maryland farmland, landscapes, still-life and people engaged in daily activities. Opening reception 1-4 p.m. July 11 with demonstration of their plein air technique 1-3 p.m.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or by appointment. 301466-2413, linksbridgevineyards.com. ”9 x 9 or Less” — through July 26, Artspiration Frederick, 915 Tollhouse Ave., Frederick. A juried exhibition.

This unique exhibit celebrates the magic of smaller scale creativity, proving that great art doesn’t have to be big to make a big impact.

Opening reception 5-7:30 p.m.

July 11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or by appointment other days. 240-397-6248, artspirationfred. com. ”U.S. of Art: Reflections on 250

Years” — through July 26, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Work in a variety of media.

For our nation’s semiquincentennial, we invited artists to create work reflecting on their personal experiences as Americans as well as how they engage with the histories of their communities and families, and their hopes for the future. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through

Frederick Arts Council marks 50 years with Artspiration exhibition The Frederick Arts Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary with “Celebrating 50 Years of Creative Community,” an exhibition at Artspiration Frederick featuring more than 50 Frederick artists.

The exhibition opened July 4 and runs through July 26 at the Artspiration art gallery, 915 Toll House Ave., Frederick. It features many of the same artists from the Annapolis Treasury Building exhibition earlier this year.

In celebration of the Frederick Arts Council’s 50th anniversary, participating artists from across Frederick County present works that reflect their unique interpretations of and contributions to the region’s arts community.

10 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

“The Frederick Arts Council’s 50th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate not only our history, but also the remarkable artists whose creativity continues to shape our community,” said Louise Kennelly, executive director of the Frederick Arts Council. “This exhibition honors the diverse voices and talents that have helped Frederick’s arts scene flourish while reaffirming our commitment to supporting artists for generations to come.”

A reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. July 18, providing an opportunity for creative conversation with artists and arts supporters. Light food and beverages will be available. The event is free, and registration is requested.

Register at eventbrite.com/e/artist-reception-for-artspiration-exhibition-tickets-1992934427521.

Participating artists are Daniel Absi, Esperanza Alzona, Melissa Avera-Cook, Marc Bolea, Gary Carver, Noah Chiles, Cheryl Dapsauski, Patricia Dobbin, Thomas Dorsz, Yemi Fagbohun, Suzanne Feldman, Luc Fiedler, Valarie Frank, Sarah Hempel-Irani, Thomas Hornyak, Juliet Hossain, Margaret Huddy, Beckie Laughlin, Alexis Dominique Limpiado, Matt Long, Christina Lund, Sheryl Massaro, Julie Maynard, Christine Mayo, Andrea McCluskey, Jan McIntyre-Creager, Christine Merry, Lee Newman, Ludmilla Oliver, Liana Owad, Karen Peacock, Donna Quesada, Ki-

sha Reid, Lori Rounds, Ann Schaefer, Ellen Olson Schippert, Lisa Sheirer, Janet Siefert, Yuganti Shirodkar, Helen Smith, Dan Stouffer, Christine Stovall, Michelle Venable, Richard Weiblinger, Paula Rubin-Wexler, Ira Wexler, Homer Yost and Ronald Young.

Public art enriches communities and transforms shared places into meaningful places that inspire connection. The FAC vision is a Frederick where public art connects residents and visitors, expresses an authentic and unique sense of place, drives economic prosperity through creativity and advances a culturally inclusive and empowered future.

See frederickartscouncil.org for more information.

Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

301-698-0656, delaplaine.org. ”Light & Shadows Provide Inspiration” — through July 28, Washington County Arts Council, 34 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. An exhibit by the Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association. Parking at the A&E parking deck, 25 Renaissance Way, Hagerstown. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday, Tuesday by appointment only. 301791-3132, washingtoncountyarts. com. ”A Study of Trees” — through July 31, Gifts Inn Boonsboro, 16 N. Main St., Boonsboro. Nature photography by Bruce Wilder. 301432-0090 or giftsinnboonsboro. com. ”America Punctuated: Contemporary Responses to 250 Years of America” — through Aug. 23, Frederick Book Arts Center, 127 S. Carroll St., Frederick.

There’s a big difference between “America!” and “America?” In 1962, Martin Speckter, an advertising executive and hobbyist letterpress printer in New York, invented the interrobang, a mark of punctuation that combines the question mark and the exclamation point.

FBAC hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday and Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. frederickbookarts. org. ”Night Journeys” Photography After Dark” — through Aug. 30, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Photography

by Rich Isaacman. These works offer nighttime views in settings around the world, from Vietnam to Bangladesh. The world is different after dark: different light, different skies and cityscapes, different people. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 301-698-0656, delaplaine.org. ”Stills on White” — through Aug. 30, Blanche Ames Gallery, 4880 Elmer Derr Road, Frederick.

An exhibit by June Jarkey. For gallery hours, call 301-473-7680 or email gallery@frederickuu.org or visit frederickuu.org/gallery.

Over the Mountain Studio Tour Annual Summer Show — July 10-12, Eclectic, 106 W. German St., Shepherdstown, W.Va. Visitors will be treated to high quality fine art and fine craft work in basketry, glass, painting & pastel, fiber & textiles, jewelry & metal work, ceramics, wood, photography and more. Meet the artists reception July 10 from 5-8 p.m. Hours are 11 a.m.8 p.m. July 10, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

July 11 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 12. overthemountainstudiotour.com.

”Reordering Reality: Pencil Works by Michael C. Gibson” — July 17-Sept. 5, Just Lookin’ Gallery, 40 Summit Ave., Hagerstown. His graphite portraits challenge our assumptions about what we see. Though viewers often mistake his drawings for photographs, Gibson resists the label of photorealism. His work is not an attempt to replicate reality, but to reorder it — elevating memory, identity, spirituality and presence through the deliberate language of graphite. Opening reception July 17-19; meet the artist 4-7 p.m. July 17 reservations required to justlookin@justlookin. com. Artist talk 4 p.m. July 18.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday, by appointment Sunday and Monday.

301-714-2278, justlookin.com. ”Over 70 Show” — July 18Aug. 30, Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Works in a variety of media. A signature of the Delaplaine’s Creative Aging Month, this annual exhibition celebrates local artists over age 70 and showcases a wide range of styles, techniques, and interests.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday. 301-698-0656, delaplaine. org. ”Obsessed: Ink Drawings by Jim Haller” — Aug. 1-30, Links Bridge Vineyards, 8830 Old Links Bridge Road, Thurmont. Part of the Wine and Art Series. This is a unique exhibit featuring beautiful, bigger than life renditions of old medicine bottles from the artist’s collection. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or by appointment. 301-466-2413, linksbridgevineyards.com.

Virtual 50+ Community Center Art Show — Aug. 19, 5-6:30 p.m., Frederick 50+ Community Center, 1440 Taney Ave., Frederick. An inspiring showcase of artwork made by our 50+ community — paintings, drawings, quilting, pottery, woodworking, sculpture, photography and more.

Attendance is free. Pre-register to receive a link to attend virtually.

Light refreshments will be provided. frederickcountymd.gov/ virtual50. ”Impressionistic Landscapes” — Sept. 5-27, Links Bridge Vineyards, 8830 Old Links Bridge Road, Thurmont. Part of the Wine and Art Series. Pastel landscapes by professional artist Brian Jernigan. Opening reception 1-3 p.m. Sept. 6. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or by appointment. 301-466-2413, linksbridgevineyards.com.

Courtesy photo

“Heat,” by Sheryl Massaro.

Everyday Poetry

My worlds of poetry and painting converged in mid-June during what has become a delightful event — volunteering at the hanging of a new exhibit at Artspiration Frederick.

I managed to sign up for a halfday poetry writing marathon, forgetting it was the same day I’d volunteered to take SHERYL MASSARO over the front desk shifts of two friends who had been donating way too many hours and needed a break.

It turned out one of those folks came in anyway, plus another kind soul, and we wound up talking nonstop about art, et al., for five hours.

During that time, I’d have to be rude, stop talking and write a poem so that I could achieve my poem-per-hour-for12-hours quota.

One of those times, I found out kind soul’s mother and I actually had been classmates way back in the 1980s at American University’s MFA in creative writing program, so kind soul was used to someone suddenly slipping temporarily into another dimension.

What exactly is Artspiration Frederick? It is a newish art center being grown in the emptying spaces of a large office building at 915 Toll House Ave., Suite 101, Frederick, near Frederick Health Hospital.

It is where I have my favorite art studio thus far, amid my favorite growing arts community. Copious gallery spaces and studios, plus breakout rooms and even a podcast room, are on the first floor, and more studios and our Ceramics Lab are nearing completion on the second floor.

And what is this Poetry Writing Marathon/Half Marathon? I saw it on Face-

book and of course shared it. I know of one other participant — Wayne Drozynski from Brunswick, who did the entire 24-hour marathon!

This event was thought up by some Canadians, who tend to spend the long, cold winters thinking up such things. I’ve worked with Canadian writers before.

Sheryl Massaro is a Frederick poet and oil painter. She has authored three books of poetry, all available from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, Artspiration Frederick and, with her art, from sherylmassaro.com. During July and August, her art is available at Visitation Hotel, the Delaplaine Art Center for “Over 70,” TAG/The Artists Gallery for “Le Salon” and Artspiration Frederick for “9 x 9” and “Unscripted” in Frederick, and at Locals Farm Market in Poolesville. Her poetry is in lowercase as a nod to equality, no letter being more important than another.

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 11

Brings America’s founding debates to New Spire Arts

BY SHUAN BUTCHER Special to The News-Post

Josh Pedersen as Delaware Delegate George Read.

Photos by Shuan Butcher

12 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Communities across the U.S. have been reviving “1776” this year. Appropriately so, as 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the country’s founders working to forge a new nation.

Frederick is no different, as Landless Theatre Company will stage three performances of the Tony Award-winning musical about how the Declaration of Independence came to be.

The shows run July 10 to 12 at New Spire Arts. “’1776’ is not just a celebration of American independence, but it directly confronts the single greatest flaw in the founding of our nation: that the U.S. was built on slavery,” said Landless Theatre Company’s producing artistic director Andrew Baughman, who plays Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee in the show. “There has been a recent sentiment that it is unpatriotic to acknowledge these flaws in our history, but understanding the past is what helps us appreciate how far we have come.

“We can celebrate the founders and our growth as a nation at the same time,” he continued. “They were imperfect human beings making the most of the world they were given at the time, as we always are.”

Having the show at New Spire Arts means the audience is almost part of that deliberation.

“The audience will feel much closer to the action” than in the company’s previous run at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, Baughman said, adding that he hopes the closeness sharpens the emotional payoff. “The audience will walk away feeling patriotic, but with a sobering understanding of how much work

was left t remains.”

That te and recko draws Fre Pedersen For the fo stepping of Georg delegate declaring Great Bri marks its year, Ped more res Read i Pedersen comforta “He op Pedersen being co being run time.”

Read i own Dela two of th

IF YOU GO Landless Theatre Company’s “1776” will be performed at 8 p.m. July 10 and 11 and 2 p.m. July 12 at New Spire Arts, 15 W. Patrick St., Frederick. Tickets are $30. See weinbergcenter.org or call 301-600-2828 for more information.

Maryland Delegate Heather Bagnall

to do, and how much still ” ension between pride oning is exactly what ederick resident Josh n back to the production. ourth time, Pedersen is g into the buckled shoes ge Read, the Delaware e who stood against g independence from itain. As the country s 250th anniversary this dersen said the role feels sonant than ever. is not a villain in n’s telling, just a man able with the status quo. pposes the revolution,” n said. “He is fine with ontent with how things are n in the colonies at the

is outvoted within his aware delegation, with hree delegates siding

with declaring sovereignty, but he holds his ground to the end.

“He doesn’t really ever change his mind. He’s just kind of complacent there the whole time,” Pedersen said.

For Pedersen, the reason behind that resistance is the heart of the story. Read and delegates like him weren’t simply stubborn; they were being asked to renounce a lineage that stretched back generations.

“It’s really hard to give up our heritage,” Pedersen said. “These people in the colonies, England was their history, that was their genealogy, and it’s really hard to let that go.”

He frames the delegates’ hesitation as a tribute to how much was actually at stake.

“That tells a great story about our founding fathers, is they were giving up a lot to let go of their heritage, and that’s why there was

Bill Stitely such a conflict,” Pedersen said.

It’s a corrective, Pedersen said, to a common misconception about the nation’s founding.

“People who are not familiar with that story think the Declaration of Independence was written overnight, and that everyone is in unison,” he said, “but the show really showcases the trials and tribulations and the turmoils that they go through during that deliberation.”

That deliberation carried a uniquely high bar: total agreement.

“They had to get unity among all 13 colonies. There was none of this ‘I agree to disagree’ complacency. They had to say, we’re all in,” Pedersen said.

Any historical musical takes liberties, and “1776” is no exception. Baughman points to the sheer scale of the Continental Congress as the source of the

show’s biggest departure from the record, with characters like Adams and Rutledge turned into archetypes representing many different people, since there are too many figures from the Revolution to fit onstage at once.

There’s a hidden history in the score, too.

“I learned that the show was originally intended to be a 60s rock musical,” Baughman said, a lineage he said is fitting since Landless is known for reorchestrating traditional musicals as rock musicals.

A veteran of various productions with Landless Theatre Company, Pedersen said the show holds a particular pull for him.

“I love America,” he said. “I love the story of bringing people together, even though we may disagree, to kind of find some sort of resolution to say no, let’s

come together and unite around a singular purpose, and art tells a beautiful story of that.”

That message carries extra significance this year.

“It’s a very solid reminder of what was going on 250 years ago. We talk about the semiquincentennial all the time.

Well, this is why. It was that coming together that really gave America its genesis. I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate it this year,” Pedersen said.

Pedersen, who is civically active in Frederick, hopes audiences leave with more than an appreciation for history. First is a call to service.

“I would love for people to take away: one is volunteering and stepping up to say I want to get involved in my community,” he said. “I believe in a cause, and I think volunteerism is the way that we’re going to solve problems in America. That’s how we started it, is people volunteering to say, I want to help with this, I want to create a new nation from this.”

Second is a commitment to finding common ground.

“Work hard to unify, work hard to agree with other people, work hard to find some sort of place where you can join together in unity,” Pedersen said. “That’s what they fought hard for, is that they would be unified, they wouldn’t settle for, well, let’s agree to disagree.”

The show is supported

by Frederick County’s U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.

So if you’re looking for a way to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary, Baughman has a simple recommendation: Go see this musical.

“It’s a great classic musical,” Baughman said, “and a great time to celebrate America.”

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 13

THEATER

CATF will stage five new plays in Shepherdstown

The Contemporary American Theater Festival will return July 10 to Aug. 2 with five new plays, including four world premieres, in three venues on the Shepherd University campus in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

The 2026 season features “The Smoker” by Lisa D’Amour, “Refugee Rhapsody” by Yussef El Guindi, “Best Line Wins: A Play Inspired by the Improvised Lives of Elaine May & Mike Nichols”

by Beth Kander, “¡VOS!” by Christina Pumariega and “My Favorite Sociopath”

by Aurin Squire.

CATF will also host more than 30 talktheater events, including discussions, lectures, backstage tours, post-show conversations and opportunities to meet the artists. Performances will be staged at the Frank Center, Marinoff Theater and Studio 112.

“The plays of the 2026 season are all very different, but one thing they all share are tour-de-force roles that uplift the craft of the actor. The work on stage is rich and filled with theatrical magic,” said CATF artistic director Peggy McKowen.

“There is humor in all the plays, but their stories and arcs cover so many serious and compelling subjects that have relevance to challenges we’re facing today.”

“The Smoker,” a world premiere by Pulitzer Prize finalist D’Amour, explores the possibility of community-building under unlikely circumstances. A group of underemployed, underinsured dreamers on a New York street corner have one thing in common: their need for a cigarette. As different as they are in their aspirations, vocations and avocations, they come to know each other’s joys, sorrows, disappointments and hopes.

The cast features Brad Fleischer as The Smoker, Orlando Arriaga as Roberto, Danielle Davenport as Tonya, Regina Gibson as Kim and Vivia Font as The Lady Who Walks Sammy/Ruthie/Miranda.

Shelley Butler directs.

“Eventually, we in the audience start to learn the things about each other that they’ve learned, and we become a part of that community too,” McKowen said.

“It touches on the ways we move through society and our need to have social interaction and to connect to each other as humans.”

El Guindi’s “Refugee Rhapsody,” a 2025 recipient of the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Citation of Excellence, is also a world premiere. In the play, a chance meeting of a pair of young Arab Americans framed by their refugee experience and an impossibly rich patroness sets in motion a chain of

14 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Photos by Seth Freeman

Outside Marinoff Theater.

Photo by Seth Freeman

Peggy McKowen events that leads to a violent crime.

El Guindi’s work frequently examines the collision of ethnicities, cultures and politics that face immigrants, particularly Arab Americans and Muslim Americans.

The cast features Ellena Eshraghi as Sakinah, Jada Alston Owens as Jenny, Revon Yousif as Fouad, Joshua David Scarlett as Richard/Walled and Shelby Alayne Antel as Emily. Zi Alikhan directs.

“As soon as I read it, I was really struck by the extraordinary writing

Photo by Bob Davis

Inside Marinoff Theater. in this play, as well as the fascinating parallels it draws between the immigrant experience today and the journey of the enslaved in this country,” McKowen said.

“Best Line Wins,” a world premiere

by USA Today bestselling author and 2024-25 Dramatists Guild Foundation National Fellow Kander, follows Nichols

and May, one of the most beloved comedy duos of all time. When they parted ways, Mike Nichols’ career took off while Elaine May struggled.

Decades later, when Mike approaches Elaine with a new opportunity, she must wrestle with what matters more: succeeding on her own or reuniting

with the partner who knows her true worth.

The cast features Lori Vega as Elaine and Riley Shanahan as Mike. Jessica Kubzansky directs.

“This is the ideal play for an audience member who’s starting to come to CATF for the first time,” McKowen said. “It also tells the very important story of the struggles women face in Hollywood or in any artistic form that their male counterparts don’t necessarily experience.”

Pumariega’s “¡VOS!” follows Annie as she returns to her estranged birthplace of Buenos Aires to undergo IVF treatments with the renowned Dr. Cossi, a journey toward motherhood that unexpectedly uncovers the lives of two women who vanished during Argentina’s Dirty War. Inspired by Las Madres, past, present and hopeful, the play becomes a search for home, family and the Disappeared. “¡VOS!” received the 2025 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

The cast features Francesca Santodomingo as Annie and Sofia and Maggie Bofill as Dr. Cossi, Ana and others.

Kimberly Senior directs.

“The events depicted in this play feel very relevant to things happening in our world today,” McKowen said. “The journey of these women speaks to how society lives with itself.”

Squire, winner of the 2017 Helen Merrill Prize for Emerging Playwrights, makes his CATF debut with the world premiere of “My Favorite Sociopath.” The biting comedy, set at the dawn of the 24-hour news cycle, follows three ambitious journalism students who bond over their shared love of storytelling, only to see their friendship spiral into a dangerous game of ambition, seduction and betrayal. As they race to launch their careers, the line between reporting and manipulation dissolves, exposing the sociopathy embedded in the media and in human desire itself.

The cast features Nick Saxton as Miles, Brooke Turner as Gina and Kennedy Kanagawa as Evan. Celine Rosenthal directs.

“I think we all wonder what is happening in the world of journalism today,” McKowen said. “This play, based on a true experience, sheds light on the challenges and desperate measures that young emerging journalists encounter in a competitive and shrinking field.”

In addition to the five mainstage productions, CATF’s talktheater series will include Backstage Tours, Breakfast with Peggy, Lunch & Art, In Context & Lectures, Aftertalk, Public Changeovers and Know Before You Go, a Zoom conversation with McKowen featuring an overview of the plays, artists and productions in the 2026 festival.

Individual tickets range from $45 to $75. Packages of three or five mainstage performances range from $120 to $300.

Tickets and packages are available at catf. org or by calling the box office at 681240-2283.

Curtain Call

What to see on Frederick-area stages this month Summer is in full swing, a time when many theater companies and performing arts organizations slow down their schedules or press pause before a new season begins. Either that, or they take their shows outside, on the road, into festivals and through summer stock.

As it JOSEPH PETERSON happens, Frederick is more the latter, with more than its fair share of festivals and artistic events flooding the summer calendar with cool performances for hot nights. Here’s a look at what’s onstage — or on a grassy hill — this month in Frederick.

A FESTIVAL OF THE BARD “HENRY IV, PART ONE”

Now in its eighth season, the Frederick Shakespeare Festival is bringing in more theater companies, both locally and across the region, to increase production muscle and add their own creative spin to its festival slate for July and August.

First up is Unstrung Harpist Productions’ “Henry IV, Part One.” As described by the festival’s website, attendees can “Expect blistering battles, barrel-bottom wit, and the greatest rogue ever written — Sir John Falstaff.”

Director Evan Crump said it’s one of his favorites of the Bard’s works because “it’s got a little bit of everything: broad comedy, family drama, action, political intrigue; it’s a real crowd pleaser,” adding that the production will feature sword fights and live music, too.

Indeed, one of Shakespeare’s most enduring works, which saw much popularity in his own time, will make its first appearance at Frederick Shakespeare Festival.

The production runs July 10 to 18 at the Avalon Theater inside Hood College’s Tatem Performing Arts Center.

“THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST”

Later in the month, the festival’s organizing theater company, Endangered Species theatre

Project, will stage Oscar Wilde’s classic “The Importance of Being Earnest” as its contribution to the festival. And though Wilde is not the Bard, his work — known for its clever humor and complex characters — often finds a place in many a Shakespearean festival.

“Oscar Wilde’s wit is unmatched,” said festival cofounder and EStP creative director Christine Mosere, who added that after spending so much time with the status-obsessed Lady Bracknell, she’s come to appreciate that the character is more than the domineering and formidable woman audiences expect. “Underneath all the hilarity is someone fiercely committed to protecting her daughter — however misguided that may sometimes be,” she said.

Dates for that perennial crowdpleaser are July 24 to Aug. 13 at New Spire Arts, with select performances at Hidden Hills Vineyard.

Keep in mind, these are only July’s offerings for the festival.

There will be more to come in August, as the festival features four main plays, including a youthdriven production coming up next month.

IF BEN FRANKLIN COULD SING

Regional theater company Landless Theatre Company often brings its productions to Frederick. This month, it’s showcasing the patriotic themes of July on the 250th anniversary of the American experiment with the story of how it all began. “1776,” the Tony Awardwinning musical, is the story of America’s Founding Fathers and the signing of the Declaration of Independence ... but with singing!

Per the Weinberg Center’s website, the show is “Set to a bold and memorable score, [and] reminds us that democracy has always been contentious, messy, and worth fighting for.” Also of note, this community outreach production, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, will feature cameo appearances by local Frederick luminaries. See this enduring classic of American musical theater at STAGES at New

Spire Arts downtown for three performances only July 10 to 12.

GO, GREASED LIGHTNIN’!

Remember Rizzo, Frenchie, Kenickie and Cha-Cha? And, of course, Danny and Sandy, the fated lovebirds from different worlds singing rock ‘n’ roll tunes at Rydell High? One of the most popular musicals in the world, “Grease” is currently playing at Frederick’s dinner theater, Way Off Broadway, now part of the same dinner theater family as the Washington County Playhouse in Hagerstown. Always a big crowdpleaser, this run of “Grease” opened last month but continues all this month and into August, through Aug. 9. At Frederick County’s only dinner theater, demand could be high with a show like this, so it’s good to plan ahead before the run runs out.

A reminder from the theater: “Grease” contains adult language, themes and situations.

SO MANY BROTHERS, SO MANY COLORS

OK, since technically it will have one performance in July, we should mention that Other Voices Theatre Company opens what is sure to be a popular run of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” on the last day of this month. Though it’s more of an August run, given the show’s family-friendly appeal, it may be wise to plan ahead sooner rather than later.

OK, that’s it for the first edition of Curtain Call, bringing you more performing arts coverage, recommendations and highlights in Frederick County and beyond.

As an arts community, it’s not just visual arts that make Frederick a rich cultural destination.

Even in summer, there’s always something onstage — or on a grassy hill — worth seeing.

Joseph Peterson can usually be found reading the weathered plaques of obscure monuments he sees while wandering the city.

He counts public libraries, public lands and places where local community is fostered among his favorite kinds of places.

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 15

FILM

‘Uncut Gems’ producer Oscar Boyson made a movie for the Letterboxd generation

BY LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer

“Our Hero, Balthazar” is not really an elevator-pitch kind of movie. Sure, there’s a log-line: A wealthy New York City teenager (Jaeden Martell) who, in a misguided attempt to impress a girl, travels to Texas to try to stop a school shooting. But it’s the describing of it that gets tricky: It’s a black comedy, but also sometimes just a comedy. It’s a thriller and a satire. It’s a commentary on performative activism, gun culture and toxic masculinity. Mostly, it’s just an entertaining ride.

Owen Gleiberman, writing for Variety, called it “a cutting, audacious, and at times astonishing movie.”

Perhaps it makes more sense to understand that “Our Hero, Balthazar,” which is currently in theaters, comes from a filmmaker known for his collaborations with the Safdie brothers. Film-

16 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

WG Pictures via AP

This image released by WG Pictures shows Noah Centineo, left, and Jaeden Martell in a scene from “Our Hero, Balthazar.” maker and producer Oscar Boyson has been on the ground making independent films for nearly 20 years, from “Frances Ha” to “Uncut Gems.”

The idea for “Balthazar,” which he co-wrote with Ricky Camilleri, just felt

electric, like the movies that made them want to make movies when they were younger. It’s also the kind of that seems to be disappearing from American cinemas and has the makings of a cult classic.

“There’s a trend towards sameness and safety and familiarity that is making the movie industry a really uninteresting world to play and create and collaborate in,” Boyson said. “I felt like because the industry was saying no to it, it was exactly what I should be doing. And that really fired me up.”

Boyson has come up against a lot of obstacles in the industry with “Balthazar,” from festivals to distributors, who told him they loved it but couldn’t market it. That resistance just made him even more emboldened to do it his own way. Besides, he learned long ago not to look for permission from the establishment.

Bringing back the slow burn release “We don’t have the marketing budget, but we do have tremendous energy,” Boyson said.

And, through their grassroots campaign, involving a fake social media account for Martell’s character Balthazar that has over 84,000 followers (more than most film accounts), and old-fashioned word-of-mouth, audiences are finding the film, which will be in New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Diego, Encino, Santa Cruz and Westbrook, Maine, this weekend. At the Village East in New York, where it’s entering its seventh weekend, there are people who’ve seen it six times.

And it’s not just the hard core cinephiles either: It’s younger audiences too.

Boyson wishes the industry could get away from the “big opening weekend” mentality and give movies time to find their place and audience.

“So much of it’s about word-ofmouth, and you need time in order for that to work,” he said. “When it does, it’s actually not that expensive. You just gotta make something good.”

Don’t get hung up on the budget “Frances Ha” was the first New York City-based feature Boyson got to work on. Their primary location was the apartment he shared with Greta Gerwig and the production designer, and their crew was small enough to fit in a van.

“The thing that really stuck with me was that nobody talked about how small the production model was,” he said.

“Movies are about the emotional response that they get from the audience and that has nothing to do with how expensive or how cheaply they were made. When you feel what it’s like to work on something that felt like you were just making something that felt so intimate and small and you feel it resonate with a big audience of people who could go see a Marvel movie or could go see a hundred million dollar David Fincher movie, that’s so empowering. That really informs everything I do, that belief that that can happen.”

On “Our Hero, Balthazar,” he wanted to surround himself with 20-somethings, like he was on “Frances Ha,” because, he said, “they keep me honest.”

Actors love to work “Our Hero, Balthazar” is full of up and coming and veteran character actors. Jennifer Ehle is Balthazar’s distracted socialite mother; Noah Centineo is his life coach. In Texas, “Sex Education’s” Asa Butterfield plays Solomon, the struggling kid Balthazar tries to befriend, Becky Ann Baker is his loving grandmother and Chris Bauer (“The Wire”) is his estranged dad.

“Actors love to work, you know?

And actors love to be surprised, and actors love to challenge themselves,” Boyson said. “Especially if you’re in New York, ‘Our Hero, Balthazar’ is a testament to the fact that a low budget movie, if you get lucky on the timing, you can have some of the greatest actors in the world popping up in your movie.”

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Local Mentions

Local Mentions

Local Mentions

Rainforest Falls – Exploring the Nature of God July 13 – 17, 2026 5:30–6 pm FREE Dinner 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm VBS Music, Wacky Experiments, Games, Bible Stories, & Tons of Fun!!

Elementary School ~Age 5 (completed Kindergarten) thru ~ 5th grade (completed) Please register @ office@bushcreekchurch.org If you have any questions or concerns please call 301.252.6308 Bush Creek Church of the Brethren 4821A Green Valley Road Monrovia, Md. 21770 https://vbspro.events/p/bccobrainforestfallsvbs2026 301-865-3013

Local Mentions

COMING SOON!

“Maryland’s Favorite Chicken is Expanding” Authentic Peruvian flavor is arriving soon at:

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BINGO

Benefits MVFC Auxillary Sun. July 19, Doors open 1 p.m., Bingo starts 2 p.m.

1 Firemans Lane, Middletown (401 Franklin Street) $15/ 3-Bingo cards on a sheet; 15 Reg. Games & 3-Special Games Backpacks & lunch bags filled with school supplies Sandwiches, French fries, snacks & drinks available for purchase For tickets or more info Lisa Miller: 301-639-1416 or Debbie Smith: udder_muther13 @comcast.net

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

with live country music

by Donnie Wood, Rob Terry, Dale Atkins & Danny Hayden Sat., July 11, 6:30-8:30pm Rain or shine. Seating provided or bring a lawn chair.

Wesley Chapel UMC 3519 Urbana Pike Frederick, MD 21704

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

with live country music Sat., July 12, 6:00-8:30pm Rain or shine. Seating provided or bring a lawn chair.

Wesley Chapel UMC 3519 Urbana Pike Frederick, MD 21704

5722 Buckeystown Pike Frederick, MD 21704

CASH BINGO Sunday, July 19

Woodsboro American Legion Auxiliary Doors open 1 pm, games @ 1:30 pm $40 for 25 games, includes 3 specials @ $150 and 2 jackpots @ $500; Reserve early and receive free special game-call Peggy at 301-514-7164; King tuts, bingo balls, h older jars and door prizes; Food, drinks, baked goods available.

Donate canned food item for local food bank and receive free special game.

Proceeds benefit scholarships, veterans, and youth.

SECOND SATURDAY MAKERS MARKET

July 11th from 10a to 2p Handmade Local Art, Fresh Produce & Honey Artisan Crafts, Baked Goods Will be held Second 2nd Saturday each month Jefferson Ruritan Club 4603B Lander Road, Jefferson, MD 21755

Sardi's Peruvian Chicken — home of Maryland’s favorite Peruvian chicken — is opening its second Frederick location.

Enjoy our signature charcoal rotisserie chicken, fresh-made sides, sandwiches, salads, and authentic Peruvian dishes made with bold flavor and quality ingredients. =============== BOGO Chicken (BUY ONE 3-PIECE DARK or 1/4 CHICKEN & GET ONE FREE) USE CODE: FN16YRN STORE REG CODE: 424 Not redeemable for cash. One-time use only. One offer per person. Offer is only valid at our Frederick Buckeystown Pike location, in person, via the Sardi's app or Sardi's website. Present card to use in person.

Not valid with other promotions. ===============

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

WEEKLY BINGO Every Friday Night

Doors open @ 5 p.m., Bingo starts @ 7 p.m.

Bonanza, Early Bird, Regular, Specials, Jackpot!

Small Jackpot-$500 Big Jackpot-$1500 Great Food!

Thurmont Event Complex 13716 Strafford Drive Thurmont, Maryland Thurmont Community Ambulance Service, Inc.

Yard Sales INDOOR/ OUTDOOR YARD SALE

Lewistown Dist. Vol. Fire Dept.

Saturday, July 18, 2026 From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wanted to Buy

Rainforest Falls – Exploring the Nature of God WE PURCHASE ESTATES July 13 – 17, 2026 5:30–6 pm FREE Dinner Large or small. House calls made seven 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm VBS days a week. Buying furniture, art, Music, Wacky Experiments, glassware, pottery, decorative arts, jewelry, Games, Bible Stories, gold, silver, coins, etc. High-end vintage & Tons of Fun!! preferred. Call Tom, anytime, day or night.

Elementary School All calls returned. 301-654-8678. ~Age 5 (completed Kindergarten) thru ~ 5th 72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 17 grade (completed) Please register @ office@bushcreekchurch.org If you have any questions or concerns

Services

Services ALL OUTSIDE SERVICES

240-409-2991

NO TRASH IS TOO BIG, NO HAUL IS TOO SMALL! • Trash/Junk/Yard Waste Removal • Appliance Removal • Bed and Mattress Removal • Mulch Delivery • Lawnmower & Equipment Removal • Light Demo • Welding repairs and fabrication • Hauling needs • Dump trailer available for rent

• Hauling/ Clean-Outs Any material taken to the dump or recycled • Landscaping/ Mulching/ Shrub Trimming • Tree & Stump Removal • Brush Clearing • Fall / Spring Clean-up • Power Washing • Outdoor Handyman • Snow Services • Retaining Walls/ Fence Repair • Farm Work FREE estimates • Insured

240-506-3236

GREAT PRICES!

20% Off 1st Job!

Please call to enquire.

Talkinscrap@yahoo.com

LANDSCAPING

Spring Cleaning • Trimming Mulching • Mowing and more Call Will Landscaping At 301-401-4463 Comercial & Residential Free estimates

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®Registered trademark of Bath Fitter Franchising Inc. 1Offer ends 8/31/26. $1,500 off qualifying projects; discount applied to contract price before tax. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required. *Terms of promotional financing are 18 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. Interest accrues from date of purchase but is waived if paid in full within 18 months. Monthly payments are required during the 18 months, and making only the required monthly payments will not pay off the amount financed. See representative for details. Qualified buyers only. †Lifetime Warranty on Bath Fitter®-manufactured acrylic products; see terms and limitations at Bathfitter.com/warranty. ‡Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous quotes or purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Some plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing. DC HIC #420213000044, DE MPL #PL-0002303, IA CL #52609-CL, IA CR #C132306, IL CL #055-043646, IL MPL #058-198946, MD Licensed Plumber #17499, MD Licensed Plumber #82842, MHIC # 129436, MHIC # 129995, MI CL #8111651, MI MPL #8111651, NE CR #52729, NJ HIC #13VH03073000, NJ Plumbing Lic. # 36BI01065500, OH LIC #37445, PA HIC #PA017017, SD MPL #CLS-MD-R0823-19-2078C, VA Class A HIC #2705146537, VA Class A HIC #2705155694, VA Tradesman Master Plumber #2710064024, IA MPL #25077, WV HIC #WV038808, WV HIC #WV053085, WV MPL #PL07514. Each franchise is independently owned and operated by Bath Saver, Inc, Iowa Bath Solutions, LLC, Ohio Bath Solutions, LLC, or Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC.

18 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Thursday July 9 CLASSES

Senior Cafe: The place to come for coffee, conversation, friendship and fun events! Smart Meal Planning with a Dietitian — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. It can be challenging to be motivated to cook for two or just you, especially when you’re trying to follow a special diet or stick to a budget. Join us to learn simple, healthy meal prep strategies designed for smaller households. Discover how to incorporate nutritious foods into your routine while keeping both your menu and your budget on track! This program is for any adult (18 and older) interested in the topic!

301-600-8200.

Tween/Teen Leadership Camp: Shock Trauma (Grades 5-12) — 10:30 a.m. to noon at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Join us every Thursday this summer for a Tween/Teen Leadership Camp and earn Community Service hours each week. R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center for Injury Prevention & Policy will present life-saving bleeding control training through STOP THE BLEED. In this course you’ll learn three quick techniques to help save a life before someone bleeds out. FREE Personal Stop the Bleed kits will be provided at the end of class for all attendees ($45 value). We will also create a Take and Make kit for our Community Service project.

301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org/.

Students will practice their speaking and listening skills with conversations guided by an instructor from the LCFC. Registration is required by the LCFC. 18 and older.

301-600-8200. tinyurl.com/muadtwev.

ETCETERA 2026 Exhibits at the Museum of Frederick History — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Take a deep dive into various topics that have defined Frederick’s history, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and our County’s role in the Revolution.

Featuring brand new exhibits: “Cultivating Independence: Frederick in the Revolution,” “Witnessing Revolution,” “All Saints Street: Avenue to the History of Frederick and Its African American Community,” “Growing Gold: A History of Frederick’s Goldfish Industry,” and returning favorites: “Etchison Connections,” “Timeless Toys,” “24 E. Church Street,” “Decorative Arts. See our all new and renovated exhibits, March 7 through Dec. 12! $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.

DCFS Family Support Specialist — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Thurmont Regional Library, 76 E. Moser Road, Thurmont. Need help navigating forms, benefits, or services?

Representatives from the Frederick County Division of Child and Family Services will be onsite during open office hours to provide one-on-one assistance for those families with children ages up to 24 years.

Stop by to ask questions, complete paperwork, or learn about available programs.

ESL High Beginner’s/Low Intermediate Conversation Classes — 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. No appointment required — just drop in and get the support you need. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. We welcome adults who 301-600-7200. bbrannen@frederickcountymd.gov. want to practice their English, hosted by tinyurl.com/2etcb9mf. the Literacy Council of Frederick County.

Go Team Therapy Dogs: Adaptive Adult Program — 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. The dogs want to come back and have some fun with their human friends! Join us for more pets and love from Go Team Therapy Dogs! This program is for adults with developmental disabilities and their caregivers. 18 and older.

301-600-8200. www.fcpl.org.

Expungement Clinic with Maryland Legal Aid — noon to 2 p.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. Need help expunging your record from a past conviction? Meet with an attorney from Maryland Legal Aid to discuss your options and begin the process. 18 and older. 301-600-8200. www.fcpl.org.

Duplicate Bridge Pairs Games — noon to 4 p.m. at Church of the Transfiguration Memorial Hall, 6909 Maryland Ave., Braddock Heights. Looking for a competitive mind sport? Frederick Bridge Club’s ACBL sanctioned duplicate games allow you to hone your skills and meet other bridge enthusiasts. All are welcome. We host Pairs Games ($8) weekly on Monday (299 Limit and Open) and Thursday (Open). If you need a partner or want to brush up your skills, contact Membership Chair, Maria, at frederick@bridgewebsemail.com or check out our website. $8. frederick@bridgewebsemail.com. www.bridgewebs.com/frederick/home. html.

Curious Iguana Presents: Author Shannon Sanders — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Frederick Book Arts Center, 127 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Join author Shannon Sanders and her latest release, “The Great Wherever.”

Shannon will be in-conversation with book influencer Morgan Menzies. Following their conversation, Shannon will answer ques-

tions and sign books. Copies of “The Great Wherever” will be available for purchase at the event. 18 and older.

301-695-2500. curiousiguanaevents@ gmail.com. curiousiguana.com.

Writing Workshop with Niki Gjoni — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Urbana Regional Library, 9020 Amelung St., Frederick. Dive into creative writing with this workshop led

by Author Niki Gjoni. All materials provided while supplies last. For grades 6-12.

301-600-7000. fcpl.org.

Frederick Filmmaker Meet Up — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Vanish, 1009 W Patrick St., Frederick. Monthly networking group meeting on the second Thursday of each month at locations in the Frederick area. Join the community to chat about your current and upcoming projects, scout talent for your team, and enjoy food and drink available for purchase from Vanish. Enter through 1065 W. Patrick St. fallingsquares@gmail.com.

FAMILY Summerfest Family Theatre: King Bullfrog — 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Baker Park Band Shell, North Bentz and Second streets, Frederick. King Bullfrog is a kiddie rock trio that plays high-energy tunes that are developmentally appropriate for kids and grownups alike. Formed in 2017 after meeting in an early-childhood music class where Steve taught Jeremiah’s daughter, King Bullfrog has performed hundreds of shows throughout the nation’s capital region. With their Americana flair, their rock n’ roll chops, and their serious silliness, King Bullfrog delights audiences young and old(er). Bring a canned food item for the city’s Foodbank Program.

301-600-2841. celebratefrederick.com.

Now through August 9th Only!

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 19

Find Waldo Local 2026 — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Curious Iguana, 12 N. Market St., Frederick. Continues daily through July 31.

Where’s Waldo? In Downtown Frederick, of course! Celebrating its 14th year in July, Find Waldo Local has become a beloved summertime event in communities nationwide. This year, Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association are again teaming up with over 300 independent bookstores nationwide, including Curious Iguana, for some hide-and-seek fun designed to encourage residents to patronize their local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt begins July 1-31.

301-695-2500. curiousiguanaevents@ gmail.com. curiousiguana.com/event/ find-waldo-local-2026/.

Reading Buddies at the Library — 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg.

Could your child benefit from a reading boost? We will be offering one-on-one literacy support for elementary students in a friendly, encouraging space. Readers will have a 15-minute session (first-come, first-served) to practice reading, build confidence, and strengthen skills like phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Take-home enrichment activities with a literacy focus will be available for all who stop in.

301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org/.

Family Fun: R.E.A.D. with WAGS for Hope — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Practice your reading skills with patient and adorable Reading Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) from WAGS for Hope! For children grade K-5.

301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org/.

FESTIVALS

Winfield Fire Co. Carnival — 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Winfield Fire Co., 1320 W. Old Liberty Road, Sykesville. Food, games, rides, raffles. Nightly entertainment: July 6, Boh Daddies, ‘70s-’90s music; July 7, Half Serious, classic rock; July 8, Eclipse, classic rock/Journey tribute band; July 9, Jay Henley & Stone Broke Band, country; July 10, Dean Crawford & Dunn’s River Band, country; July 11, Girl Crush, ‘80s, ‘90s and classic rock. Fireworks at 10 p.m. July 11. winfieldvfd.org.

MUSIC

Alive @ Five: Ben Flournoy — 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Carroll Creek Outdoor Amphiteatre, between Market and Carroll streets, Frederick. Bluesy pop. Food, beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails. 21+ only, valid ID required. Drink tokens $7 each. $5 cash or credit. downtownfrederick.org.

RECREATION

Frederick Keys Youth Baseball Camp — 7:30 a.m. to noon at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium, 21 Stadium Drive, Frederick. Continues July 8 and 9. Give your young athlete the chance to learn from the stars of tomorrow at the Frederick Keys Youth Baseball Camp! Open to ages 7–12, this three-day camp is led by current Frederick Keys players and coaches, providing hands-on instruction in hitting, fielding, defense, practice habits, fitness, and more.

20 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Camp includes two days of on-field and indoor instruction, one day of mini games on the field, a camp T-shirt, daily lunch, and a Coors Light Chill Deck ticket with an allyou-can-eat picnic to a designated Frederick Keys home game, including an on-field parade experience. Second camp session Aug. 11-13. 2026 Camp Sessions:July 7–9 $275 per camper. 301-815-9919. kshaw@ frederickkeys.com. www.milb.com/frederick/ballpark/baseball-camps.

Friday July 10 CLASSES

Art At Noon: A History of an American House: Reflecting on 225 Years at Baltimore’s Homewood Museum — noon to 1 p.m. at Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. In commemoration of the United States 250th anniversary, the National Historic Landmark site Homewood Museum is letting the house tell its own history. Using architectural details, objects and first-hand accounts from the people who lived and labored at Homewood over the course of its 225 year history, Johns Hopkins University Museums’ Curator of Collections, Michelle Fitzgerald, will highlight how one house’s history can tell the story of the nation’s history.

301-698-0656. jclark@delaplaine.org. delaplaine.org.

Bug Me: The Importance of Insects in Your Garden — 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. at C. Burr Artz Library, 110 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Insects are often seen as pests, but many are essential to a healthy garden. In this seminar, you’ll learn how beneficial insects support pollination, pest control, and overall garden health. espangler@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.

Summer Bounty Floral Arranging Workshop — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Potomac River Interiros, 30 W. Potomac St., Brunswick.

Join us at Potomac River Interiors as we celebrate the shop’s 2nd Birthday with an evening filled with beautiful local blooms!

We’re partnering with Whispering Flower Farm to bring you a workshop on floral arranging using the freshest florals. Learn new techniques and express your creativity.

Your $130 ticket includes expert instruction, all supplies and flowers needed, lite bites and refreshments, and a special discount on any purchases at Potomac River Interiors. RSVP required. $130. 410-530-3225. potomacriverinteriors@gmail.com. www.potomacriverinteriors.com.

ETCETERA Fellowship Fridays — 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Service Center, 1750 Monocacy Blvd., Suite A, Frederick. Fridays through Dec. 25. A free hot breakfast each Friday which includes eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, breads, muffins, fruit, juices, and Black Rifle Coffee Company coffee. Breakfast is open to all Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, Veterans, Military Retirees, Law Enforcement, First Responders, and their families. Breakfast is followed by a non-denominational Bible

study at 10:30 a.m. Attendance is not required to enjoy a warm breakfast with others who have served. info@veteranservicescenter.org. veteranservicescenter.org/events/.

2026 Exhibits at the Museum of Frederick History — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Take a deep dive into various topics that have defined Frederick’s history, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and our County’s role in the Revolution.

Featuring brand new exhibits: “Cultivating Independence: Frederick in the Revolution,” “Witnessing Revolution,” “All Saints Street: Avenue to the History of Frederick and Its African American Community,” “Growing Gold: A History of Frederick’s Goldfish Industry,” and returning favorites: “Etchison Connections,” “Timeless Toys,” “24 E. Church Street,” “Decorative Arts. See our all new and renovated exhibits, March 7 through Dec. 12! $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.

Mike Kuster at Linganore Winecellars — 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Linganore Winecellars, 13601 Glissans Mill Road, Mount Airy.

Mike Kuster brings his signature blend of modern country, Americana, and heartfelt storytelling to Linganore Winecellars for an evening of live music in the heart of Frederick County. A hometown favorite, Kuster delivers engaging performances filled with relatable songs, sharp lyrics, and a sound that fits perfectly with a glass of local wine and the winery’s relaxed, scenic atmosphere. Featuring original music alongside crowd-pleasing covers, this show promises a laid-back yet lively experience — perfect for longtime fans and first-time listeners alike. 21 and older.

301-662-3355. mike@mikekuster.net. www.linganorewines.com/event/foodtruck-music-weekends-276/.

Northside Blues and Rock Band at Monocacy Brewing Company — 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Monocacy Brewing Company, 1781 N. Market St., Frederick. Join The Northside Blues and Rock Band at Monocacy Brewing Company for tunes by artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Bad Company, Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughn Stone Temple Pilots, the Doobie Brothers, Eagles, Joe Cocker, Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Neil Young and many more. Listen to great music while enjoying an excellent beverage! northsidebluesandrock.com/home.

Drew Gibson and Full Band LIVE in Concert — 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Rockwell Brewry, 8411 Broadband Drive, Frederick. Make sure you get to this show! This is a musician that will speak volumes to your soul!

Gibson’s music drifts on influence from the American days of country-blues and the singer-songwriters of the recent past. No cover, all ages.

240-575-9755. info@rockwellbrewery.com. tinyurl.com/4z3my4xx.

Ghost Tours of Historic Frederick — 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Brewer’s Alley Restaurant and Brewery, 124 N. Market St., Frederick.

Take a remarkable journey through Frederick’s gruesome and bloody past. Nearly 300 years of war, executions and revenge.

True documented stories of the “paranor-

mal” with “Maryland’s Oldest Operating Ghost Tour!” Reservations recommended. $17 adult. 301-668-8922. info@marylandghosttours.com. www.MarylandGhostTours.com.

FAMILY A DNA Whodunit for Teens — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at C. Burr Artz Public Library, 110 E. Patrick St., Frederick. In this lab at the downtown library, students will use DNA electrophoresis to solve a mock crime by comparing DNA samples from a fake crime scene with samples from “suspects.” By loading real DNA into a gel and observing how the glowing fragments separate into distinct banding patterns, students can learn how scientists analyze genetic evidence. This free, hands-on activity introduces the basics of DNA forensics, showing how DNA can be used as reliable evidence to identify or rule out suspects in an investigation.

301-600-1630. fcpl.org.

All-You-Can-Pick Sunflowers — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Valley View Acres, 4005 Valley View Road, Middletown. Bring your own clippers and buckets to cut your own stems. Continues July 11 and 12. No pets allowed. $10 person, cash only; ages 5 and under free. valleyviewacresmd.com.

Washington Monument State Park Museum Open — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Washington Monument State Park, 6620 Zittlestown Rd, Middletown. Visit the museum at Washington Monument State Park. This monument has served several interesting uses through its time and is a perfect spot to take in the panoramic views of the Great Appalachian Valley from South Mountain. Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

301-791-4767. laura.nalven@maryland.gov. dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/western/washington.aspx.

Plus-Plus Play Day! — 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Dancing Bear Toys and Games, 15 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Kids ages 6 and up can play and build with Plus-Plus pieces that inspire young builders to explore STEM through creative play. Parent/guardian supervision is required.

301-631-9300. info@dbeartoys.com. dbeartoys.com/event/plus-plus-play-day/.

Bird Box Building — 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kemptown Park Shelter #1, 3456-B Kemptown Church Road, Monrovia. Join the Park Rangers for a fun, free event for all ages. Build a bird box at Kemptown Park and learn about providing habitats for local birds.

Outdoor Movie Night: “Zootopia 2” — 7:30 p.m. to at Watkins Park, 615 Center St., Mount Airy. Make family memories under the stars at this free outdoor movie night presented by Delta Home Group.

Seating opens at 7:30 p.m. and the movie starts at sundown. Free movie snacks are also offered. If you pre-register on Eventbrite.com, you can receive a free surprise gift plus be entered for a chance to win an ultimate prize pack! Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and meet at Watkins Park. tinyurl.com/2bppsk8k.

FESTIVALS Winfield Fire Co. Carnival — 6 p.m. to

10 p.m. at Winfield Fire Co., 1320 W. Old Liberty Road, Sykesville. Food, games, rides, raffles. Nightly entertainment: July 6, Boh Daddies, ‘70s-’90s music; July 7, Half Serious, classic rock; July 8, Eclipse, classic rock/Journey tribute band; July 9, Jay Henley & Stone Broke Band, country; July 10, Dean Crawford & Dunn’s River Band, country; July 11, Girl Crush, ‘80s, ‘90s and classic rock. Fireworks at 10 p.m. July 11. winfieldvfd.org.

GALLERY Over the Mountain Studio Tour Summer Preview — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Eclectic, 106 W. German St., Shepherdstown, W.Va. Continues 11 a.m.-7 p.m. July 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

July 12. Discover new work by the Over the Mountain Studio Tour artists of Jefferson County, W.Va., featuring high quality fine art and fine craft work by local artists in basketry, glass, painting & pastel, fiber & textiles, jewelry & metal work, ceramics, wood, photography and more! info@overthemountainstudiotour.com. www.overthemountainstudiotour.com/.

MUSIC Catonsville Homes Presents Summer Concert Series — 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Main Street Plaza, 112 S. Main St., Mount Airy.

Country, rock and acoustic band Junction will take the stage. Bring a lawn chair. mountairymd.gov.

Bethesda’s Summer Concert Series — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Woodmont Triangle, 7900 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda. Every Friday, free outdoor concerts by some of the best bands in the DMV! Tables and chairs can fill up quickly, so be sure to arrive early to grab your seat. For the full summer lineup, please visit Bethesda.org.

301-215-6660. sparker@bethesda.org. bethesda.org/summer-concert-series/.

F.A.M.E. hosts Acoustic Open Mic — 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at FAC’s Sky Stage, 59 S. Carroll St., Frederick. An acoustic open mic hosted by our friends at the Frederick Acoustic Music Enterprise. Every second Friday, May through October.

301-662-4196. skystage@frederickartscouncil.org. frederickartscouncil.org/ programs/sky-stage/.

Bow Wow W/ Special Guests Twista & Bubba Sparxxx — 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, W.Va. Dubbed “Mr. 106 & PARK” with nearly 25 years in the film, television and music industry, Bow Wow continues to remain a dominate force in the entertainment world. He is the first rap artist of his generation to become a legitimate entertainer, excelling as a rapper, stage performer and actor. 21 and older. $47 and up. www.hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com/ entertainment.

THEATER “Grease” — 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Way Off Broadway Dinner Theater, 05 Willowtree Plaza #A1, Frederick. Mainstage Musical Dinner & Show. Here is Rydell High’s senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding “Burger Palace Boys” and their gum-snap-

ping, hip-shaking “Pink Ladies” in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. (*Contains adult language, themes and situations.) $75. 301-662-6600. boxoffice@wayoffbroadway.com. www.wayoffbroadway.com/.

Founding Memberships Now Open!!

Frederick Shakespeare Festival: “Henry IV, Part One” — 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Hood College’s Tatem Arts Center, 410 Hood College Drive, Frederick. Amid tavern revelry, royal unrest and the gathering thunder of rebellion, Prince Hal stands at the crossroads between mischief and majesty. “Henry IV, Part One” is a thrilling clash of honor, ambition and destiny. Admission is pay-what-you-will. info@ardeotheatre.org. www.ardeotheatre.org/shows.

“Lightning Round” at MET Comedy Night — 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 31 West Patrick Street, Frederick. Calling all Dropout fans – we have the show for you! Lightning Round is an improv comedy game show where the contestants find out the rules as they’re playing. Come see what’s up and who will win! $15. 301-694-4744. contact@marylandensemble.org. tinyurl.com/563nt8ev.

Saturday July 11 CLASSES

Cottage Food Fair — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville. Whether you’re a home cook interested in starting your own business or someone who likes eating homemade goods, join us to learn about cottage food businesses in Maryland! Meet cottage food business owners, learn about regulations from the Health Department, more. 18 and older.

301-600-8200. www.fcpl.org.

Aromatherapy to Beat the Heat Primary — 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Edward F. Fry Memorial Library at Point of Rocks, 1635 Ballenger Creek Pike, Point of Rocks. Ruxandra Meinze will share her knowledge and passion for aromatherapy in this beat-theheat workshop. Learn how essential oils can provide relief for heat, bugs and fatigue.

Make your own aromatherapy inhaler, while supplies last. Ideal for adults and older teens. 301-874-4560. scwells@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.

A History of America in 10 Maps — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Middletown Branch Library, 31 E. Green St., Middletown. A map can tell you much more than how to get from point A to point B, they can show you firsthand how mapmakers over hundreds of years charted a changing landscape and a changing society. Get hands-on with maps from the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s historic collection, presented by Benjamin Egerman, and see how they can show us about everything from colonization and the Revolutionary War to industrialization and westward expansion, the Black experience, the World Wars and beyond!

301-600-7560. frederick.librarycalendar.com.

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72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 21

FACETED Seminar Series: Artistic CAD — 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at InBloom Jewelry, 100 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Learning seminar about artistic computer-aided design (CAD). During this seminar, you will step behind the scenes with our design team to see how a custom piece evolves from sketch, to on screen CAD model, to the finished jewelry sparkling in the case. RSVP recommended, space is limited.

301-835-7929. support@inbloomjewelry. com. www.inbloomjewelry.com/faceted-seminars.

Line Dancing Under the Stars — 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at FAC’s Sky Stage, 59 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Fitness professional and author Tanya Pershin starts off the evening with a brief lesson followed by dancing to all your favorite country-and-beyond line dance jams! Additional instruction is given partway through the evening for new steps to expand your repertoire. Give-what-youcan donation entry ($10 suggested) goes to benefit charities. All-ages, beer/wine available to purchase for 21+ with ID. $10 suggested donation. skystage@frederickartscouncil.org.

Rhythm of Belonging: Song Circle — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sol Yoga Earth Room, 256 West Patrick St., Frederick. Join Amanda Lucia in song and heart coherence, where music becomes a bridge for belonging.

Together, we’ll explore medicine songs for Earth and collective liberation, guiding us into deeper connection with ourselves and one another. Through vocal toning, call-and-response and improv layering, our voices will weave into a living, breathing tapestry. $20-$40. amandaluciaart@gmail.com. linktr.ee/amandaluciaart.

2026 Exhibits at the Museum of Frederick History — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Museum of Frederick County History, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Take a deep dive into various topics that have defined Frederick’s history, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and our County’s role in the Revolution.

Featuring brand new exhibits: “Cultivating Independence: Frederick in the Revolution,” “Witnessing Revolution,” “All Saints Street: Avenue to the History of Frederick and Its African American Community,” “Growing Gold: A History of Frederick’s Goldfish Industry,” and returning favorites: “Etchison Connections,” “Timeless Toys,” “24 E. Church Street,” “Decorative Arts. See our all new and renovated exhibits, March 7 through Dec. 12! $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.

Visit the National Road Museum and Trolley Station Museum — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National Road Museum, 214 N. Main St., Boonsboro. Explore the history both the Historic National Road and the trolleys of central Maryland through this two-museum experience in Boonsboro!

Donations appreciated.

240-769-0898. Director@NationalRdFoundation.org. nationalrdfoundation.org.

Frederick Farmers Market (new location!) — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Westside Regional Park, 632 Contender Way, Frederick. frederickfarmersmarket.com.

Frederick’s Black Heritage Walking Tour — 10:30 a.m. to noon at Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Visit landmarks and hear stories revealing Frederick’s Black heritage from the early-19th century to the present day. This tour features sites associated with enslavement and segregaETCETERA tion and highlights the achievements of a diverse and vibrant Black community in the Myersville Farmers Market — 9 a.m. to noon at Municipal Parking Lot, 301 Main St., pursuit of equality and freedom. Reservations required, 90 minutes.

Myersville. This market shares in the cele$5, $8, $10, $12. 410-707-1105. Outreach@ bration of local products, fresh foods, and FrederickHistory.org. community. Saturdays through Oct. 31. www.cognitoforms.com/HeritageFredermyersvillefarmersmarket.com. ick1/WalkingTourTicketReservation.

Elevated Architecture Double DeckPermanent Jewelry Pop Up with Honeyer Bus Tour — 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at haus — noon to 3 p.m. at Potomac River InMuseum of Frederick County History, 24 E teriors, 30 W. Potomac St., Brunswick. We’re Church St, Frederick. Many of the defining celebrating Potomac River Interior’s 2nd features of historic Frederick’s charming Anniversary. Honeyhaus will be popping up architecture are found high above the streets in upper stories, cornices and spires. to do permanent jewelry in the shop. No appointment necessary.

Discover beautifully preserved examples 410-530-3225. potomacriverinteriors@ of commercial, residential, religious, and public buildings displaying major American gmail.com. and European styles that span more than www.potomacriverinteriors.com. two centuries. Along the way, we’ll explore Ancient Origins: The History of Mead: how the history of Frederick is told by the An afternoon at Orchid Cellar — 1 p.m. enduring structures that witnessed it. to 3 p.m. at Orchid Cellar Meadery and $49. outreach@frederickhistory.org.

Winery, 8546 Pete Wiles Road, Middlefrederickhistory.org/event/eletown. Vvisit Maryland’s premier meadery! vated-architecture-double-deckIn partnership with Myersville Community er-bus-tour/2026-06-13/.

Library, Orchid Cellar Meadery and Winery will host a presentation about the history of TalkTheater: CATF in Context — 10 a.m. fermented honey and how modern mead is to 11 a.m. at The Marinoff Theater, 62 W enjoyed. 21 and older.

Campus Drive, Shepherdstown, W.Va. On 301-600-8350. kmckenna@frederickcounJuly 11, from stage director to intimacy tymd.gov. directors. Meet the various directors who craft the world of the play. Series continues tinyurl.com/yc63bzrf. on Saturdays through Aug. 1.

United Steam Fire Engine Co #3 9th 681-240-2283. nfo@catf.org.

Annual Crab Feast — 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at catf.org.

Middletown Volunteer Fire Department

22 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS

Activities Building, 1 Fireman’s Lane, Middletown. 50/50 raffles, pull tabs, raffle and FUN!!! All-you-can-eat crabs; all-you-candrink beer, wine coolers and soda. Corn, fried chicken, hot dogs, hush puppies, Maryland crab soup and desserts! $70. crabfeast@ufc3.org. usfe3.com/.

Nicholas Pare and The Jags LIVE at Rockwell Brewery 7/11 8PM Guitar Driven!

— 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Rockwell Brewery, 8411 Broadband Drive, Frederick. You are invited to a night of awesome music with Nicholas Paré and The Jags! An evening of great music, cold drinks, and summer vibes at Rockwell Brewery! Featuring songs off their upcoming album, Nicholas Paré & The JAGS deliver an energetic live show that keeps audiences engaged from the first song to the last. $20. 240-575-9755. info@rockwellbrewery. com. tinyurl.com/tt94n32c.

Ghost Tours of Historic Frederick — 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Brewer’s Alley Restaurant and Brewery, 124 N. Market St., Frederick.

Take a remarkable journey through Frederick’s gruesome and bloody past. Nearly 300 years of war, executions and revenge.

True documented stories of the “paranormal” with “Maryland’s Oldest Operating Ghost Tour!” Reservations recommended. $17 adult. 301-668-8922. info@marylandghosttours.com. www.MarylandGhostTours.com.

FAMILY A Morning on the Farm — 8:30 a.m. to at Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch, 6521 Holter Road, Middletown. Also at 9:30 a.m. Check out this fun, hands-on morning at the farm, perfect for animal lovers, families, and curious explorers. Participants will visit and feed baby farm animals, get a picture on one of Mr. Huffer’s international tractors, create a bee bath to help pollinators, and wander and explore the farm. Tickets include all materials and activities. Bring your own snacks and drinks. $35. jumbos.org.

Washington Monument State Park Museum Open — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Washington Monument State Park, 6620 Zittlestown Rd, Middletown. Visit the museum at Washington Monument State Park. This monument has served several interesting uses through its time and is a perfect spot to take in the panoramic views of the Great Appalachian Valley from South Mountain. Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

301-791-4767. laura.nalven@maryland.gov. dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/western/washington.aspx.

Mini & Me Crafting: Rock Painting — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Talley Rec Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick. Grab your favorite grown-up and get ready for a summer of Mini & Me Crafting! We’re bringing back the 90s with throwback DIYs, creating magical dream-themed projects, and even making masterpieces with your food. Join us every 2nd Saturday for some serious one-on-one fun and a whole lot of creativity! $6 city residents, $10 non-city residents.

240-344-8760. hboswell@cityoffrederick-

md.gov. tinyurl.com/2u23fyf5.

Mini & Me Crafting: Rock Painting — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Talley Rec Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick. Grab your favorite grown-up and get ready for a summer of Mini & Me Crafting! We’re bringing back the ‘90s with throwback DIYs, creating magical dream-themed projects, and even making masterpieces with your food. Join us every 2nd Saturday for some serious one-on-one fun and a whole lot of creativity! $6 city / $10 non-city. 240-344-8760. hboswell@cityoffrederickmd.gov. tinyurl.com/2u23fyf5.

A Quiet Hike — 10 a.m. to noon at Greenbrier State Park, 21843 National Pike, Boonsboro. Start your weekend off right with a peaceful walk in the woods. Enjoy a less-populated trail in Greenbrier that boasts many native understory plants. Meet in lower parking lot by boat launch ramp in Greenbrier Park. Hike will be on paved and natural trails, approx. 1 mile, beginner-friendly! 10AM-12PM. This program qualifies for the 2026 SMRA Junior Ranger program.

301-791-4767. laura.nalven@maryland.gov. dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/greenbrier.aspx.

Community Craft & Chat: DIY Flower Vase — 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Talley Rec Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick. Join us for a fun and relaxed crafting class that is perfect for all experience levels. We will make a new project covering a different medium every class. This is a great place to connect with others and relax while being creative. $10 city resident / $15 Non-city resident.

2403448760. hboswell@cityoffrederickmd. gov. tinyurl.com/2hkxwxv7.

PMC’s Carnival — 12:30 p.m. to at Pediatric Movement Center, 4640 Wedgewood Blvd., Suite 103, Frederick. Visit the indoor gym for a fun-filled day of excitement and adventure, featuring a variety of thrilling activities for kids of all ages. Get creative with arts and crafts. Take on obstacle courses and games, like ring toss and bowling. Enjoy facepainting and a photo booth while snacking on cotton candy and popcorn! PMC Carnival has 3 slots to sign up for: 12:30 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m., plus a sensory-friendly hour from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, but please pre-register. tinyurl.com/58nv5sut.

Ice Cream Social — 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick.

A free sweet treat provided by Frederick Fudge and Ice Cream! Our garden will be full of games and activities and the museum is free admission 1-3 p.m. Enter through Garden gate, accessible through parking lot between us and Winchester Hall.

Outreach@FrederickHistory.org. frederickhistory.org.

Open House at Train Station/ Museum — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Train Station, 6 Creagerstown Road, Woodsboro. Learn about Woodsboro’s interesting past. View artifacts and photographs in our restored train station. Have fun interactions with local experts.

301-520-7154. rickbontz@yahoo.com.

woodsborohistoricalsociety.org.

A Bubble, Comedy and Music Show: Unearth Your Story! — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Get out your cameras and your paleontology tools because we are about to go on a dancing adventure with some really rad dinosaurs! Kids will pop bubbles, dance, sing, laugh, use their imaginations and connect with the coolest dinosaurs that have ever walked this planet. The show is crafted to be inclusive for all children, including children on the Autism Spectrum, and a great time for parents and caregivers!

301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org.

Explore Frederick’s Oldest House — 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, 1110 Rosemont Ave., Frederick. Travel back to colonial Frederick. Built in 1758 by German settlers, this sturdy stone farmhouse offers a glimpse of early American life before the American Revolution. Walk through thick-walled but spacious rooms, hear stories of early immigrants, and see how a Frederick County farm family lived more than two and a half centuries ago. $8 over age 15. 301-456-4912. boycerensberger@gmail.com. fredericklandmarks.org.

Creative Outlet: July — 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Free, but donations encouraged.

Kids and their adults are invited to drop-in and get creative together in our family open studio to create an artist-inspired project!

Learn about zines and create your own.

301-698-0656. jclark@delaplaine.org. delaplaine.org/event/creative-outlet-07/.

FESTIVALS Second Saturday Maker’s Market — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jefferson Ruritan Club, 4603B Lander Road, Jefferson. Handmade local art, fresh produce and honey, artisan crafts, baked goods.

301-662-3643. rdhigdon@comcast.net. jeffersonruritan.org.

Carroll County Car Fest — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster. Hosted by Carroll County Rec and Parks. 150+ classic, custom and unique vehicles, live music by Six Daze, food trucks, artisan vendors, beer including the custom Car Fest brew! Rain or shine. $10 to $20. 410-386-2103.

A Toast To Italy — 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 45 W. Main St., 45 W. Main St., Westminster.

A celebration of Italian culture, food and tradition. Main Street will be transformed into a bustling Italian street fair, with street performers, bocce ball, Miss Little Italy Contest, authentic Italian street food, wines and beer, vendors, Italian disco music and more including the highlight — Big Italian Family Dinner where guests can reserve seating at a communal table right on Main Street ($20 reserved seating, BYOF or purchase from a local restaurant). $5 general admission at the gate, ages 12 and under free. facebook.com/WestminsterRec. July 2026 Barnyard Band & Booze — 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Green Meadows Petting Farm, 10102 Fingerboard Road, Ijamsville.

An evening concert on the lawn (rain or shine). Our featured band, Freddie Long

Band, will begin playing at 6 p.m. Also, various breweries, distilleries, wineries, food and more available for purchase. The Animal Barn will also be open. Bring your blankets, chairs & friends. Children are welcome. $15 to $18, credit only, for ages 2 and older. 301-865-9203. info@greenmeadowsevents.com. greenmeadowsevents.com/outdoor-music-venue.

Winfield Fire Co. Carnival — 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Winfield Fire Co., 1320 W. Old Liberty Road, Sykesville. Food, games, rides, raffles. Nightly entertainment: July 6, Boh Daddies, ‘70s-’90s music; July 7, Half Serious, classic rock; July 8, Eclipse, classic rock/Journey tribute band; July 9, Jay Henley & Stone Broke Band, country; July 10, Dean Crawford & Dunn’s River Band, country; July 11, Girl Crush, ‘80s, ‘90s and classic rock. Fireworks at 10 p.m. July 11. winfieldvfd.org.

GALLERY Reception for Two Notable Plein Air Artists, Tom Ritchie and Lissa Abrams — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Links Bridge Vineyards, 8830 Old Links Bridge Road, Thurmont. A reception will be held for these two plein air artists to celebrate their exhibit “Impressions of Maryland” in the Tasting Room of Links Bridge Vineyards on July 11. The artists will be providing a demonstration of their Plein Air technique from 1 to 3 pm and will be holding a reception from 1 to 4 pm.

301-602-5733. Linksbridgevineyards@ gmail.com. www.linksbridgevineyards.com/blog/.

Art Matters Artist Talk: “U.S of Art” and Rich Isaacman — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Rich Isaacman and select artists in the “U.S. of Art” exhibition will discuss the work in their exhibitions.

301-698-0656. jclark@delaplaine.org. delaplaine.org/event/art-matters-artisttalk-07/.

Exhibition Openings: “U.S of Art” and Rich Isaacman — 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. View exhibitions and meet the artists!

301-698-0656. jclark@delaplaine.org. delaplaine.org/event/exhibition-openings-07/.

Artspiration Frederick Exhibit: “9 x 9 or Less” Opening Reception — 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Artspiration Frederick, 915 Tollhouse Ave., Frederick. A juried exhibition. This unique exhibit celebrates the magic of smaller scale creativity, proving that great art doesn’t have to be big to make a big impact. Exhibit continues through July 26.

240-529-3279. lori.rounds@gmail.com. artspirationfred.com.

MUSIC Saturday Live Acoustic — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shab Row Stage, 100 N. East St., Frederick. Listen to local/regional acoustic musicians perform behind the Frederick Coffee Co & Cafe. Relax in Adirondack chairs, smell the flowers, drink your coffee, enjoy a

sandwich or muffin, and be entertained.

301-639-1050. todd@toddcwalker.com.

PERFORMANCE Dusty Slay: The Neighborhood Guy — 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, W.Va. You can take the boy out of the trailer park, but you can’t take the trailer park out of the boy … stand-up comedian Dusty Slay grew up on Lot 8 of a mobile home neighborhood in Opelika, Alabama, with a love for both classic country and rock and a career history peppered with jobs like waiting tables and selling pesticides. 21 and older. $36 and up. www.hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com/ entertainment.

RECREATION Roundtable Fencing — 11 a.m. to noon at Emmitsburg Branch Library, 300 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg. Join Roundtable Historical Fencing for an exciting hour that includes an educational overview, visual demonstration, safety review and interactive experience about the sport of fencing.

All ages. 301-600-6329. www.fcpl.org/.

THEATER Frederick Shakespeare Festival: “Henry IV, Part One” — 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hood College’s Tatem Arts Center, 410 Hood College Drive, Frederick. Amid tavern revelry, royal unrest and the gathering thunder of rebellion, Prince Hal stands at the crossroads between mischief and majesty.

“Henry IV, Part One” is a thrilling clash of honor, ambition and destiny. Admission is pay-what-you-will. info@ardeotheatre.org. www.ardeotheatre.org/shows.

Frederick Shakespeare Festival: “Henry IV, Part One” — 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Hood College’s Tatem Arts Center, 410 Hood College Drive, Frederick. Amid tavern revelry, royal unrest and the gathering thunder of rebellion, Prince Hal stands at the crossroads between mischief and majesty. “Henry IV, Part One” is a thrilling clash of honor, ambition and destiny. Admission is pay-what-you-will. info@ardeotheatre.org. www.ardeotheatre.org/shows.

Sunday July 12 CLASSES

All-levels Yoga with Yogamour — 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at FAC’s Sky Stage, 59 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Join the Yogamour Team for another season of our all levels yoga classes in the open air venue at Sky Stage located at 59 Carroll Street in the heart of Downtown Frederick, most* Sunday mornings May 10-Sept 27. Please bring a yoga mat and water with you. Free parking at street meters on Sundays. $20 or $15 each with 10-class package.

301-662-4196. skystage@frederickartscouncil.org. yogamour.org.

Nature Connection Through Observation

Phenological Calendar Workshop — 9 a.m. to noon at ThorpeWood Homestead Barn, 13002 Mink Farm Road, Thurmont.

Want to be more connected to nature?

Learn how to keep a phenological calendar! This unique kind of calendar tracks recurring events in nature such as the blooming of flowers, bird migrations, or insect emergence. It is a way to stay connected to nature by observing, reflecting, and recording how the natural world changes around you year round. Pre-registration is required. thorpewood.org.

Goat Yoga at Rocky Point Creamery — 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Rocky Point Creamery, 4323A Tuscarora Road, Tuscarora . Join the fun: goat, yoga ... and ice cream included!

All ages welcome. Purchase tickets online. $37 per person. 240-405-2208. christy@ gvalleye.com. goatforthesoul.com/.

Intro to Sourdough Starters — 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Middletown Branch Library, 31 E. Green St., Middletown. Want to learn how get started making your own sourdough bread? Join Liz Hough and Stephanie Gordon, local Middletown sourdough bakers, to learn how to keep a sourdough starter and explore fun recipes to make with it! 301-600-7560. frederick.librarycalendar.com.

Summer Veggie Garden Basics — 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. at C. Burr Artz Library, 110 E. Patrick St., Frederick. Join Tiger Waddell from the Frederick County Master Gardeners to learn what veggies to plant when and how to get the most out of your garden. espangler@frederickcountymd.gov. frederick.librarycalendar.com.

ETCETERA Mount Airy Cars and Coffee — 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Municipal Lot 1, beside Chewey’s Performance Automotive, 1 Veterans Way, Mount Airy. Want to see some of the most incredible cars in the area, talk with community members who also love automobiles and get some coffee? Come check out Mount Airy Cars & Coffee!

301-829-5315. mountairymd.gov.

The Frederick City Market — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Parking lot , 622 N. Market St., Frederick. Farmers and Artisans market.

Real Food, Real Farmers and Local Artisans.

A Frederick favorite since 2011!

240-291-8254. Info@frederickcitymarket. com. www.frederickcitymarket.com.

Water to Shine: Pathfinder Farm Distillery — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brunswick Family Campground , 40 Canal Road , Brunswick.

Enjoy a 5.5-mile broad and scenic section of the Potomac River. This mellow section of the river allows for relaxation, sunbathing and wildlife viewing. Great blue herons, egrets, and the return of the bald eagle make this a kayak or canoe trip to remember! Finish the afternoon at Pathfinder Farm Distillery in Boonsboro, where you’ll relax in this friendly haven, savoring your choice of six of their current crafted spirits, while tasting from a charcuterie platter. 18 and older, must be 21 or older for wine tasting.

Reservations required. $103. 301-834-9950. river@rivertrail.com. www.rivertrail.com/paddling/water-to-spirits-pathfinder/.

72 HOURS | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 23

24 | Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 72 HOURS