Aug 2014 recreation news

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plus • Maryland celebrates War of 1812 crossroads • Geocaching in Martinsburg • Gettysburg beyond the battlefield • In and around Shenandoah National Park • Blue Ridge Highlands Festival • Cruise bargains • Destination North Carolina

CelebratingFort McHenry

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August 2014 Volume 32/Number 8 www.recreationnews.com

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Mount Nittany is one of Centre County’s most recognizable natural landmarks. Rising above State Col-lege and the area known as Happy Valley, Mount Nittany is a favorite destination for hikers and those who enjoy spending time in the outdoors.

For more than 30 years, the Mount Nittany Conservancy has been dedicated to the conservation and protection of the mountain. In 2011, the organization decided it needed to raise awareness of the organiza-

tion and its mission. Avid runners on the board proposed a Mount Nittany race, but the State College area al-ready has a plethora of 5K races, a 10K race, a half-marathon, and even an ultra-marathon. What the area didn’t have was a traditional mara-thon, so the Mount Nittany Marathon was organized and run for the first time in 2013.

This year’s marathon will take place on Aug. 31. The marathon doesn’t actually take place on Mount

Nittany, but the course does take runners to the mountain. Instead, the bulk of the race is on the Penn State University campus. According the organization’s John Hook, runners start and finish at Beaver Stadium. Along the course, they pass by the Penn State Blue Band practice field (last year Penn State fight songs were pumped out of the speakers to cheer on the runners), run around Mount Nittany, past the Nittany Lion shrine, and finally in back of the pic-turesque Arboretum.

The marathon’s website, mtnit-tany.org/marathon, provides details on entry fees and other details.

“We were surprised at the num-ber of first-time marathoners we had in the race last year,” says Hook. “At least one-third of the field were ‘newbies.’ This year it seems like a lot more multiple-marathoners. We had 189 people register last year and 139 crossed the finish line. We are on pace to double the registrations from last year if the rate continues.”

New tour at Penn’s CaveApproximately 18 miles east of

State College, Penn’s Cave is of-fering a different type of mountain attraction. Dubbed “Nature’s Roll-ercoaster,” the Cave Rock Mountain Tour is a two-and-a-half hour Jeep ride that takes guests on off-road trails and obstacles such as ravines, moguls, and vertical climbs.

Insider tip: The tour also includes stops so guests can get an up-close look at the timber wolves and moun-tain lions at the attraction’s Wildlife Park.

“We go from the cave to the mountain top,” says the cave’s Terri L. Schleiden. “The Cave Rock Moun-tain Tour is attracting people who otherwise might not come to Penn’s Cave. We’re seeing grandparents bringing their older grandchildren. Last year a hip hop artist took the tour and loved it so much, he wrote a song about it and recorded a video.”

continued on page 46

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It’s one of those movie scenes I’ll never forget. Joe Pesci, as Vinny, enters the southern small town diner in the classic movie My Cousin Vinny. He asks the waitress for a menu, and she hands him a single sheet of paper with seven words total: menu, breakfast $1.99, lunch $2.49, dinner $3.49. Given the early hour, he opts for breakfast.

It’s hard to imagine how such a simple scene could contain so many insights into life. Compare the aver-age diner menu from Brooklyn, N.Y. — Vinny’s hometown — with its page after page of every imaginable item with the movie’s simplifed menu. In the small town, breakfast was just “breakfast.”

Nobody questioned it. Each morning it was the same thing. It worked for them.

This spurs dialogue where Vinny finds out what constitutes breakfast in a typical small Alabama town and learns all about grits; what they are, how they are cooked, etc. This knowledge later becomes pivotal in a courtroom cross-examination. Just as interesting is the implied fact that nobody questions the lack of choice. Is it because they are like lemmings? Is it because there is no “need” for other choices? Is it that choices simply are not being offered and something that works is simply good enough?

Travel brings about situations where we stumble into learning about other regions, cultures, and elements of geography. You ask questions that you didn’t even know you had. While you can gain insights to other areas by reading, watching videos, or talking with others that have been there, nothing beats the knowledge into which you simply

stumble. My wife and I have had some of

our best experiences in travel when we accidentally got lost and stum-bled upon interesting places.

The bottom line is this: You have to actually travel and go places for these experiences. Believe me, I truly enjoy watching National Geo-graphic specials as well as listening to firsthand accounts of places I’ve not seen, but it just serves to fuel the fire of desire to see more — and to see it for myself.

The menu for travel is virtually endless. The choices truly offer something for everyone. It’s often too hard to make selections when the menu is overwhelming. Perhaps that is why items are clustered together under subheadings.

And sometimes, it’s the simplest of choices that can bring about pro-found new understanding. The sim-ple menu: breakfast, lunch, dinner. It shows just how deep and different the world’s locations can be. I’d like to sample it all.

Flip through the pages of this issue, and see what tickles your taste buds for travel. Enjoy!

On our coverWhile events at Baltimore’s Fort

McHenry are a major focus as the War of 1812 Bi-centen-nial winds down, there are numerous other ac-tivities tak-ing place./Tom Darden

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4 ~ Central Pennsylvania

5 ~ Publisher’s note

6 ~ Editor’s note

7 ~ Travel Line

10 ~ Baltimore’s Star-Spangled Celebration

12 ~ Kent County marks the War of 1812

13 ~ Relax in Chesapeake Beach

14 ~ Back to the beach

15 ~ Geocache challenge

16 ~ Cruise bargains

18 ~ Family Travel

20 ~ Stand up paddle boarding

22 ~ Shenandoah Valley getaways

24 ~ Storage safe exhibit

26 ~ Historic Triangle

29 ~ Blue Ridge Highlands Festival

30 ~ Calendar of events

34 ~ Lancaster outdoors

35 ~ Raystown Lake

36 ~ Gettysburg’s festival season

38 ~ Celebrating Indiana County heritage

39 ~ Fayetteville’s military museums

40 ~ Outer Banks mystery

42 ~ Music Festival

44 ~ Adventures in Taste

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TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat’s on the menu?

This month we preview activities marking the cul-minating events of the War of 1812 — events of spe-cial significance in Maryland that left an important legacy to our nation. The story of Francis Scott Key anxiously awaiting the out-come of the British bombardment of Fort McHenry is often repeated.

The fact that he joyfully wrote a poem to express his feelings about the American vic-tory that ultimately became our na-tional anthem is well known. But that’s not the end of the story.

Key’s published poem became popular and was soon set to the music of a popular tune of the day. Carr Music Store in Baltimore first published the lyrics and music in 1814 and you can see a rare first edition of the sheet music at the Maryland Historical Society along with the oldest surviving manuscript of Key’s poem.

My personal, though distant, links to the story began in 1959, when my father became pastor of a Baptist church in Baltimore and the church music director was a direct descendant of the Carr Music Store family. He was the first to tell me the story of Francis Scott Key and his personal connection

gave it an importance that remains in my mind to this day.

But the story continues, because the popular, though often difficult to sing, national anthem re-mained just a song for more than a century.

Enter John Charles Linthicum, a teacher-turned-lawyer and Maryland congressman who was born in 1867 and served in Congress from 1911 to 1932. In 1918, Linthicum first introduced a bill to make The Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem. Even so, it was not officially made the national song until 1931. Then, the bill’s passage was largely due to the public outcry created by colum-nist Robert Ripley.

I didn’t know this part of the story until nearly 30 years ago when Jane and I moved to Linthicum Heights, a small community that traces its roots back to 1647 and is named for an earlier member of the Linthicum family. Our home turns 100 years old in 2014, meaning it was built in the centennial year of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Members of the Linthicum family still live here, although today, Linthicum Heights is better known for neighboring BWI Airport than for the congress-man who worked to give America a national an-them. And lest you think Congressman Linthicum did nothing else, he was also a leader in the fight to repeal Prohibition and modernized the Foreign Service as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commit-tee.

Re-acquaint yourself with the story by visiting Fort McHenry. Check out the new IMAX film about the battle and the song at the Maryland Science Center.

Sports fans can even learn how the anthem came to be so much a part of sporting events with a visit to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum where you can see an excellent new film. Reed Hellman sums up these and other activities celebrating the bicentennial in this issue.

About the pictureA recent visit to Roanoke Island, N.C., took us

back to the time of Sir Walter Raleigh’s ill-fated attempt at a colony more than 20 years before Jamestown.

Travelers’ toolboxu Unfamiliar city noises or loud neighbors can

make hotel stays less enjoyable but the folks at Sound Oasis have created Sleep Therapy Pillow Speakers. The thin speakers go on opposite ends of your pillow, connect to most any sound source, and have a volume control close at hand. (sound-oasis.com)

u A new interactive travel guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway, produced by the Ashville, N.C., tourism office, is designed to look, move, and sound like a journey along the parkway.

There are top hikes, animated vistas, historic dramas, wildflower hunting tips, and wildlife ad-ventures to explore. (exploreashville.com/blu-eridgeparkway)

u CardHub.com released a 2014 study on credit card auto insurance policies to help you determine whether or not to purchase the supplemental in-surance offered by car rental agencies. The pro-tection offered by the various credit cards differs significantly.

Coming next monthCivil War sectionVirginia’s Space CoastWest Virginia parksLuzerne for adventure

CorrectionIn the July issue we incorrectly identified the

Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau and its website, visithersheyharrisburg.com. Recreation News regrets the error.

The CFC is the only campaign authorized to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace on behalf of charitable organizations.

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editor’s note I marvin bond

Celebrating our National Anthem: Here’s the rest of the story


After dining on a delicious Nebraska steak at MJ’s Ranch House in Crawford, Neb., we headed into the sunset in search of Our Heritage Guest Ranch, where we would spend the next two nights. Candace, the owner’s daughter who was visiting from college, led us out of town in her own vehicle.

As we drove northwest of town over the lonely dirt roads, the sky, already orange when we left Crawford, turned a deeper orange and then a fiery red that hung like a curtain over us.

As we crossed the prairie, the brilliant sky hov-ered for a long time, finally melting into the dark-ness.

At the railroad crossing, we spotted the sign to the ranch and headed toward the lights, still fol-lowing the lead car and finally coming to a stop between the main house and the barn.

My companions took rooms in the barn and I claimed the little two-bedroom house, where owner Jean Norman’s mother, now a youthful 97, had grown up.

Norman, an attractive modern woman with a pioneer spirit, is not only an independent rancher but an artist and talented decorator. The guest house is casual and comfortable, with a western theme featuring cowboy artwork, stenciled walls, and a bold patterned rug. A black-and-white pic-ture of Norman’s father and some ranch hands hangs by the front door.

Several trains passed by the house during the

night, and at daybreak I was ready to snap pic-tures of the trains carrying coal from Wyoming to the eastern states. They stretch as far as you can see. (The next evening we met a frequent guest named Bill who spends weeks at a time photo-graphing the passing trains.)

As I walked around the ranch before breakfast, Cowboy, a golden, spirited horse, trotted around the fenced-in area next to the barn, while Sophie, a Lassie look-alike, took a short break from her nine puppies to get acquainted. The 4,000-acre ranch, about 16 miles northwest of Crawford, is also home to herds of Black Angus cattle, and a variety of horses, cats, and peacocks (the ranch’s alarm clocks).

Norman served a delicious breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs with herbs, muffins, and orange juice in the kitchen of the guest house. Then, we left the ranch for a day of touring in the surround-ing hills.

Our first stop was Fort Robinson State Park, an active military post for the U.S. Army Cavalry for 74 years (1874-1948). Crazy Horse was assassi-nated here in 1877, and the Cheyenne Outbreak followed during the winter of 1878-79.

Today, the 22,000-acre park offers a historical museum, as well as a variety of accommodations, dining, and recreational activities. (We took in the beautiful scenery on a horseback ride to Soldier Creek.)

The Museum of the Fur Trade, our next stop, has an outstanding collection of objects that were ex-changed by Europeans and Americans with Native Americans, from glass beads to blankets, and from knives to guns. It is also the site of an authentic reconstruction of the Bordeaux Trading Post (1837-1876).

Later in the day we visited the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center at Chadron State College. The center was named for the Nebraska author who wrote a plethora of books about prairie life (Old Jules, Cheyenne Autumn, The Horsecatcher, Crazy Horse, and others). The center is dedicated to the study of the culture, history, and ecology of the High Plains.

In the evening we dined at the Drifter Cook-shack at the High Plains Homestead, near the Bad-lands. Operated by Mike and Linda Kesselring, High Plains also offers lodging in several historic structures. (northwestnebraskahighcountry.com)

Remains of Spanish fort found in North Carolina

Archaeologists have been studying a large Na-tive American village called Joara, which dates from 1400 to 1600, for the past 20 years. Called the “Berry site” after the location’s landowner, Joara is five miles north of Morganton, N.C.

continued on page 8

The ‘Old West’ in NebraskaGuest ranches, cavalry posts, and fur traders

travel line I carol timblin

Trains stretching as far as the eye can see across the Nebraska prairie carry coal eastward from Wyoming.

Carol Timblin

TRAVEL LINEcontinued from page 7

Last year workers unearthed evidence of a Spanish fort, including a European-style moat. The fort was built in 1567 by Juan Pardo and his Con-quistadors, approximately 27 years after Hernando de Soto passed through the area in search of an overland route to Mexico. Spanish pottery shards, glass beads, olive jar fragments, iron chain mail armor, blue majolica medicine jar remnants, and other artifacts dating to the time of the occupa-tion were also found here. According to historical records, Fort San Juan was one of six military forts that stretched from Santa Elena near present-day Parris Island, S.C., to western Tennessee. The larg-est of the forts, San Juan is the only one that has been discovered so far.

The fort, which predates the Lost Colony, James-town, and Plymouth Rock, is the oldest known European settlement in America’s interior. How-ever, its existence was short-lived. After living peacefully with the Catawbas for 18 months, the

tribe killed all but one of the 30 Spanish soldiers stationed here and torched the fort. The reason for the massacre is unknown.

This summer, college students are digging at the site under the direction of Dr. David Moore, who has been involved at Joara since he wrote his doctoral thesis on the subject. The Berry site is open to the public one day each summer but visitors may stop by the Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton, N.C., any time. An interpretative center is being developed at the park. (exploring-joara.org and warren-wilson.edu.)

Around the Mid-AtlanticYou might enjoy some afternoon tea and learn

about the choices your grandmother or great-grandmother faced during the 1920s by signing up for “Downton Abbey: The Fabulous Flapper Tea Program,” at Historic Green Spring in Alexandria, Va., Aug. 3, 1:00-3:00pm. During the Flapper Era, women undid their corsets, shortened their skirts, voted, danced, smoked, and even drank liquor. Along with a traditional English tea, there will be a discussion of the Flapper Girl through the charac-

ters of Downton Abbey. Tickets are $29 per person. (703-941-7987)

Plenty of unique travel experiences are avail-able through summer’s end in Virginia’s Historic Triangle area. “London Rocks” has made a perma-nent return to the Globe Theater at Busch Gardens. Created by more than 500 international artists and craftsmen, the show takes visitors on a musical journey through British rock ‘n’ roll culture.

At nearby Water Country USA, there’s a new, action-packed water slide called Colossal Curl. And, dinosaur lovers are flocking to the Virginia Living Museum to see “Dinos Live,” created by Billings Productions, the leading producer of ani-matronics in North America.

In the Revolutionary City of Colonial Williams-burg, visitors can sample treats from the historic kitchen gardens during The Taste Studio’s Chef’s Garden Tour and Tasting series throughout August and September.

Also, A Rich and Varied Culture: The Material World of the Early South, the newest exhibit at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colo-nial Williamsburg, features objects created or im-ported to the Chesapeake Bay area, the Carolina low country, and the southern backcountry. (visit-williamsburg.com)

You can make the most of your visit to the His-toric Triangle by tailoring a package to your travel needs. For example, the Williamsburg Flex plan includes everything from Colonial Williamsburg to Historic Jamestown and Busch Gardens to Water Country USA, while the Williamsburg Bounce plan is limited to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gar-dens, and Water Country USA. (visitwilliamsburg.com)

Hollywood toursStarline Tours, considered by many to be the

top celebrity tour company in Los Angeles, has a new movie tour that features more than 50 movie locations, authentic movie clips on a 65-inch HDTV viewing screen, and Turner Classic Movies com-mentary aboard a panoramic viewing bus. Tours are offered year-round. (starlinetours.com)

Carol Timblin welcomes travel news at [email protected].


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It’s an oft-told tale in this, the bi-centennial year of The Star-Spangled Banner: Young lawyer Francis Scott Key, negotiating the release of a southern Maryland doctor arrested by British troops, witnesses the night-long bombardment of Balti-more’s Fort McHenry.

The early morning sun illuminates the fort’s fl ag, still fl ying defi antly, inspiring Key to write the poem that would become our national anthem.

The tale may be told often, but only once can you celebrate its 200th anniversary in the place where it all actually happened. Baltimore’s festivities will span nearly a dozen sites with direct connections to the War of 1812. “The Star-Spangled Spectacular” commemorates the an-niversary, Sept. 10-16, with events in

the Inner Harbor and beyond. It will be a weeklong celebration, signaled by the arrival of Navy ships and tall ships sailing past the Fort McHenry.

Public tours of the ships start on Sept. 11, and that day also sees the 200th March of the Defenders. Fri-day brings Star-Spangled Festivals to the Inner Harbor Village and Fort McHenry Village.

Saturday’s events feature the Blue Angels performing a Star-Spangled Air Show, followed by the Star-Span-gled Spectacular Patriotic Concert that evening and a massive fi reworks display after dark.

A two-hour concert on Sept. 13 at Pier Six Pavilion will be hosted by John Lithgow and feature Kristen Chenoweth, Little Big Town, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. PBS

will broadcast the program. On Sun-day, Sept. 14 — the 200th birthday of our national anthem — you can join Maryland’s Gov. Martin O’Malley for “By Dawn’s Early Light,” a 9:00am fl ag raising.

An unusual viewVisitors can even get the same

view of Fort McHenry that the British bombardment fl eet had. A 35-minute boat tour provides a unique per-spective through the eyes of Francis Scott Key. Tours depart from the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, on the hour, 10:00am-4:00pm, through Sept. 30.

The National Anthem Tour by Sea, a narrated 60-minute cruise, leaves from the Light Street Finger Piers and tells the story of the War of 1812 in Maryland, the state’s pivotal role in that confl ict, and the birth of two of our nation’s most enduring icons.

For a completely different per-spective, enjoy a helicopter ride over Fort McHenry with “O’er the Ramparts.” While circling above the fort, you’ll see Federal Hill, ma-rinas, and the sweeping Baltimore Inner Harbor skyline. Flights depart from Tipton Airport at Fort Meade, through Nov. 30.

At Baltimore’s Star-Spangled Ban-ner Flag House Museum, the Family of Flagmakers: The Women Who Cre-ated the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit focuses on the life of Mary Pickersgill — the maker of the Star-Spangled Banner fl ag — her family, household, and neighborhood. The ongoing exhibit presents several interac-

tive areas including stations where you can measure yourself against the fl ag’s stars, touch reproduction fabric, and attempt to hoist the fl ag’s weight.

For Whom It Stands: The Flag and the American People, at the Regi-nald F. Lewis Museum, presents a 3,200-square-foot exhibition featur-ing more than 75 works of art, arti-facts, documents, and photographs. This major exhibit investigates the history and representation of the U.S. fl ag as an icon, and honors Grace Wisher, a young African-American indentured servant in Mary Pickers-gill’s household. Few people know that Wisher helped create the Star-Spangled Banner. The exhibit runs through Feb. 28, 2015.

From IMAX to visionary art

On the other side of the harbor, the Maryland Science Center pres-ents a new IMAX fi lm exploring the origins of the War of 1812. Star-Spangled Banner: Anthem of Liberty charts the war in the Chesapeake, the British torching Washington, D.C., and the bombardment of Fort McHenry.

“All of the footage had to be shot in the IMAX format, so the reenact-ments are all new,” said the Science Center’s Jim O’Leary. “People are standing for the national anthem at the end and even staying to watch the credits, so we know it’s making an impression.”

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The view from these ramparts

The Fort McHenry Guard faithfully portray Baltimore’s defenders of 1814.

National Park Service

Visionary Art Museum presents “A Very Visionary Star-Spangled Side-walk,” through September. This free outdoor art celebration offers an engaging and informative format that playfully welcomes visitors’ feet and wheelchairs to 520 linear feet of Key’s creation. AVAM has transformed the sidewalk into an up-close-and-personal viewing ex-perience of a “visually creative inter-pretation, line by line, of our national anthem.”

The Maryland Historical Society is home to the oldest-known surviving manuscript of The Star-Spangled Ban-

ner, showcased in the Star-Spangled Banner Gallery along with paintings and artifacts that tell the story of Bal-timore’s defense.

The manuscript recently returned from a short exhibit with the original Fort McHenry fl ag at the Smithson-ian’s Museum of American History. Currently on view at the Historical Society’s galleries in Baltimore is The Star-Spangled Banner. A Patriotic Song, published by Carr Music Store in Baltimore in 1814. It is one of the few remaining copies of the fi rst edi-tion set to music.

Baltimore’s professional sports

community is also joining the cel-ebration. The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum features O Say Can You See: The Star-Spangled Banner in Sports, a 3-D fi lm charting the history of our national anthem being played at sporting events throughout America. Beginning with the fi rst game of the 1918 baseball World Series, the an-them has been a regular feature at American sporting events.

The museum’s fi lm, using new projection technology, features a composite playing of the song pulled from dozens of renditions dating from the 1930s to the present.

The museum’s John Zeigler en-thuses, “People really seem touched by the nine-minute fi lm.”

Insider tip: Visit Baltimore offers a Star-Spangled Banner Pass with discounted admission to three of the bicentennial sites including Fort McHenry, the Maryland Historical Society, and the Star-Spangled Ban-ner Flag House.

For more informationBaltimore Tourism: baltimore.org

Star-Spangled Spectacular: starspangled200.com

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Havre de Grace announces a Summer and Fall full of Activities

Art Show, Haunted History Tours, Fall Harvest Festival

51ST ANNUAL HAVRE DE GRACE ART SHOW • Aug. 15-17Juried Artists from throughout the U.S. in Tydings Park.

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HAUNTED HISTORY GHOST TOURS • Sept. 5-Oct. 25 Haunted History and Ghost Tours through the historic

downtown district on Friday and Saturday evenings.

STEPPINGSTONE FARM MUSEUM FALL HARVEST & CRAFT FESTIVAL • SEPT. 27-28craft booths, scarecrow making, pumpkin painting, apple bobbing & pressing, apple

butter making, hay rides, straw maze, bluegrass music, food, and tours.


d STAR-SPANGLED BANNER TRAIL GUIDE

The Maryland Tourism Offi ce has released a new travel guide for the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, a 560-mile land and water route that tells the story of the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake Bay region. Along with information about visiting the historic sites, the free, full-color trail guide high-lights key attractions, state and national parks, lodging, and services along the historic trail, as well as suggested itineraries organized by region. (visitmary-land.org)

Firing the morning gun at Fort McHenry.


The War of 1812 is something of a forgotten confl ict. Occurring after the excitement of the Revolution and before the trauma of the Civil War, it best known for producing the na-tional anthem.

But, had the fl edging United States lost the war, it would have been re-absorbed into the British Empire and baseball games (or cricket matches) would start with the singing of God Save the Queen.

Despite its name, the war lasted until 1815. There was fi ghting along the Appalachian frontier, in Canada, and New Orleans. But the action on the Chesapeake was particularly

dramatic. In August 1814, the British fl eet marauded along the Chesa-peake, burned much of Washington, D.C., and set sail for Baltimore, intent upon destroying the important port city where American privateer ships were built.

Which brings us to The Battle of Caulk’s Field. The skirmish ended raids by the British on the Eastern Shore, cost the Redcoats one of their seasoned commanders, and gave a huge boost to the morale of the na-tion after the humiliation of the burn-ing of Washington.

As part of the Bicentennial of 1812 celebration, the battle will be re-

enacted over the weekend of Aug. 30-31 on the actual bicentennial date and battleground between Chester-town and Rock Hall.

British ships crossed to the Chesa-peake Bay’s Eastern Shore, planning to attack local militia to prevent them from reinforcing troops defending Baltimore.

Late at night on Aug. 30, 140 Brit-ish marines and sailors came ashore near Rock Hall. American pickets spotted the British advance and the American commander, Col. Philip Reed, positioned his force of 174 militia and was ready when the Red-coats arrived around midnight.

During the hour-long fi ght, the British could not overwhelm the militia and pulled back. Their dead included their commander, Sir Peter Parker. Reportedly, he was shot by a militiaman who’d climbed a tree and fi lled his blunderbuss musket with “all the hardware, bolts, nuts, nails, etc. in his barnyard.”

Only three militiamen were wounded, while the well-trained British suffered more than two dozen killed or wounded.

American papers played up the skirmish like a seminal moment in military history. The British report was somewhat different. It claimed that there were 600 Americans, plus a cavalry unit and fi ve pieces of artil-lery.

According to the British, the mili-tia was “routed” and ran away so fast

and so far that the British decided it was neither necessary nor prudent to pursue.

The battlefi eld is beloved by historians and archeologists, as it is virtually untouched since the action took place two centuries ago.

Archeological digs have un-earthed musket balls, canister shot, and buttons. Their location pinpoints how the battle unfolded. The fi eld is privately owned and is normally off-limits, but for the bicentennial event, the public is welcome.

The weekend starts in Chester-town on Aug. 30, with parades by British and American troop reenac-tors, encampments, music, and living history events.

On Aug. 31, activities move to the battlefi eld itself. Visitors will see more encampments and exhibits of actual Caulk’s Field artifacts before the reenactment.

In a departure from historical ac-curacy, the “fi ght” will be mid-after-noon, not midnight.

For more information Kent Co. Tourism: kentcounty.com/1812

800-272-1933 | www.CarrollCountyTourism.org

Check out exciting summer events in Carroll County!44TH ANNUAL CORN ROAST FESTIVALAugust 2 | 11am–5pmUnion Mills Homestead and Grist Mill, Union Mills

CARROLL COUNTY RESTAURANT WEEKAugust 17–24 | 11:30am–9pmVarious cafés, coffee houses, and restaurants

Take a Day? Take a Weekend? You need to escape, but not too far away!


maryland I fran severn-levy

War of 1812 Bicentennial revisits the Battle of Caulk’s Field

“American papers

played up the skirmish

like a seminal moment

in military history.”

British regulars and American militiamen meet again on Caulk’s Field on Aug. 31.

Kent Co. Tourism

All of us — some more than others — need down time by the water. Yet dealing with Bay Bridge traffi c and battling beach crowds can make the getaway no “day at the beach.”

It can be a wonderful experience, however, if your destination is the Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa in Calvert County, Md. This luxury property, with its 72 high-end rooms and suites, has limitless entertain-ment opportunities.

The town of Chesapeake Beach has a long resort history. Trains car-ried visitors from Washington, D.C., to the area for dances, swimming in the Chesapeake Bay, and general frivolity in the early- to mid-20th cen-tury.

Today’s resort is located in a quiet town of small boutiques and spe-cialty shops, and situated on a quaint boardwalk overlooking the sparkling Chesapeake Bay. A single overnight trip at the resort feels like a week’s worth of relaxation; a week feels like a month of fun.

“We cater to everyone,” says

Wesley Donovan, the resort’s presi-dent. “There are families who come in from out of town to visit, couples and newlyweds enjoying the town, guys getting together for pier fi sh-ing, and girls’ getaway weekends at the spa.”

The Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa keeps its guests as busy — or as laid back — as they choose. An on-site game room and casino features digital pull-tab machines and nightly bingo with a jackpot.

The spa, overlooking the bay, provides luxurious surroundings. Treatments, many of which are cus-tomized to a guest’s wishes, include massages, manicures, pedicures, full service hair care, and facials.

Three onsite restaurants satisfy a variety of appetites, with seafood being the natural specialty. The Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant, a culinary landmark since 1946, presents menu items such as “Chesapeake Bay Count Oysters,” “Baked Maryland Crab Imperial,” and “Fresh Local Stuffed Rockfi sh.”

Smokey Joe’s Grill is a barbecue lovers’ delight, while the outdoor Boardwalk Cafe serves up casual fare and tropical drinks under the palm trees.

“During the summer months, we have music on the beach fi ve days a week,” Donovan says. “Our guests really enjoy it.”

There’s plenty more to do

Other activities include charter fi shing, nearby golfi ng, and family packages that include tickets to the in-town Water Park and passes to the


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Chesapeake Beach makes for a great getaway from the city

Chesapeake Beach Resort features waterfront accommodations and a spa in Southern Maryland.

Chesapeake Beach Resort

Accommodations account for the largest chunk of an Ocean City, Md., vacation budget for most people.

You can spend hours poring over websites and scanning travel guides, but there really is an easier way.

Check out ococean.com for the vacation deals page. You’ll find dozens of accommodations offer-ing deals to stretch your vacation dollar.

The properties range from resorts to hotels to motels to bed-and-breakfast inns.

Deals and savings range from weekday offers to one-night-free opportunities to early booking rates.

Some are tied to specific events like the Ocean City Winefest on Sept. 26-27.

August also brings the second annual Hotel Week to Ocean City. Special bargains are avail-able at the resort’s lodging properties, Aug. 17-28. “It’s designed to mimic the popular Restaurant

Week,” said Susan Jones of the local hotel-motel-restaurant association. “Along with great deals on accommodations, there are a number of free activities.”

Information on the specific Hotel Week bargains is listed on oceancityhotelweek.com.

North of Ocean City, along the Delaware beaches, there’s still plenty of summer activity on and off the sand. Take a three-hour culinary adventure to five Rehoboth Beach restaurants on an Eating Rehoboth tour, Fridays-Sundays. (eatingrehoboth.com) Or, engage your taste for fine art at the 41st Rehoboth Fine Art and Craft Show on Aug. 9-10 at the Rehoboth Art League. (rehobothartleague.org)

You can head inland to Georgetown, Del., for the Wings and Wheels event on Oct. 4, a World War II-themed air and car show that includes a vin-tage plane fly-in, reenactments, and other family activities. (wings-wheels.com)

Of course, there are plenty of accommodations in all the Southern Delaware beach communities. Check out visitsoutherndelaware.com for a listing by area.

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The Rehoboth Beach boardwalk is busy from morning until night.

Catching a ride at an Ocean City amusement park.

The Ocean City boardwalk remains a favorite of visitors.

Southern Del. Tourism

Ocean City Tourism

Ocean City Tourism

If you’re a geocacher and want a real challenge, take the easy drive from Baltimore and Washing-ton to Martinsburg, W.Va. But, be forewarned: this new trail is not for beginners.

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game that uses GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specifi c set of GPS co-ordinates and then attempt to fi nd the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

Finding these particular geocaches isn’t the challenge. It’s trying to fi gure out how to open them. The Gadgets of Berkeley County trail has 13 caches, located all over the area, which were de-signed by Tim Eggleston, of Hedgesville, W.Va.

A geocacher since 2008, Eggleston’s back-ground in mechanical engineering led to his fond-ness for gadgets. Each of his caches has to be manipulated somehow to be opened to get to the log book that must be signed. Instead of the usual plastic containers, many of these have other forms that you have to fi gure out how to open.

Insider tip: Sometimes it requires “gadgets” — wires, batteries, keys, balloons, etc. — to open these caches. All tools, if needed, are supplied as part of the cache.


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west virginia I bonnie williamson

A genuine geocaching challenge around Martinsburg, W.Va.

Geocacher Tim Eggleston constructed unique caches around Martinsburg that are recognized as especially challenging.

Tim Eggleston

Cruises always make us wonder, “How can they do so much at this price point?”

Is it economy of scale buying? The low labor costs of employing staff from around the world? Some unique marketing or business prowess?

So, why not get even better deals? Let’s explore some ideas to get you even more bang for the buck.

When to travelSelecting the time or season for travel affects

both the price and the experience. If you don’t want a ton of noisy kids as cruise mates, then se-lect dates when schools are typically in session. Prices are almost always lower at that time.

If you’re fl ying, airline tickets are often less ex-pensive as well.

Think of itineraries, too.

We once took the last cruise of the season in Alaska and all souvenirs emblazoned with Alaska were selling for about 75 to 80 percent off.

How to bookA common myth is you can save money booking

direct with a cruise line or online. The cruise in-dustry will never sell cheaper through any source than travel agents; they’re viewed as the front line. Not only are other venues banned from sales below these levels, but travel agents have knowl-edge of where to fi nd the “deals of the moment,” as well as access to other goodies and perks such as onboard credits and upgrades. Always use a travel agent and fi nd one who really works for you.

Ship relocation cruisesThese are the cruises where the ship ends a

rotation of one itinerary and is going to a whole new location to begin its next season. Hands down, these are bargains. The bad news is they are single-shot opportunities that may or may not fi t your schedule. Your port of departure and your fi nal port may be a continent apart, so planning your return may be more challenging. But if you can swing it, your cost per day averages about half that of a normal cruise, your cruise mates will typi-cally be more seasoned travelers, and many of the sights aren’t available at other times. It’s like get-

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c cRUISE orner

c cRUISE orner

michelle & karl teel

ting two cruises for the price of one.

Last-minute travelTravel agents and websites often have last-min-

ute deals. When a ship is just a few weeks from de-parture and has too much unsold inventory, prices drop so the cruise line can salvage whatever it can before the cabin “goes dark” (unsold). You lose a lot in the choice department, but the deals can be remarkable. Obviously, you need flexibility as well as spontaneity to take advantage of this op-portunity.

Cruise without flyingAbout half of the expense of a cruise vacation

involves the travel to and from the cruise terminal. Don’t forget to throw parking into the equation, too. Cruising from Baltimore eliminates that ex-pense and saves travel time, too. If you have to fly, remember to also check flight costs by date, as well as cruise costs. Frequent flyer miles can save, but may involve black-out dates or other restric-tions.

Excursion savingsNot sure what to do at a port of call but want to

save some money? Look at the cruise line’s list of excursions and see if you can do it solo. The sav-ings can be dramatic. In a typical Caribbean port, the cruise line will sell an $89 tour that covers a bus trip around the island, a prolonged stop at a beach, and return to the ship. If you walk off the ship, odds are the first thing you see are lines of tour buses offering the same trip for $20 to $25. Multiply that by a family of four at four ports of call and you’ve saved about $1,000!

Just get on the shipEvery cruise has its loss leader-priced cabin.

Friends of ours who cruise often said it best — “Just get on the ship.” Your cabin is a place to sleep and change.

Typically, this way one can purchase two cruises at the lowest cost for the same price as one moderately priced one.

The question you need to ask is how much of your vacation will be spent in your room versus the dinners, excursions, pool deck, spa, and other shipboard activities.

Run of the shipThis is a little-known trick where you book the

cruise for a price near the bottom, but don’t get a cabin assignment until the last minute and you get the best of the leftover space. While there is a chance you could get that dog of a room that ev-eryone else avoided, the reality is typically quite different.

If bargain hunters already booked all the low dollar rooms, then you might end up with a ve-randa balcony cabin. Your odds vary by ship. Newer ships with tons of balconies often sell out the low-price interior lower deck cabins early. By sheer ratio, the odds are that the best leftovers will be balcony rooms. The one who knows this game best is often a travel agent. Get advice and roll the dice!

Figure out the type of cruise you want and rough dates, then consult one of the agents on

these pages. Before long, you’ll be on your way and trying to figure out how to use your savings to

have even more fun on your next cruise. Bon voyage!


“The cruise industry will never

sell cheaper through any source

than travel agents.”

It doesn’t matter if your cabin is an interior one. You are just sleeping and changing clothes there, then out to the deck or off to a port!

Michelle Teel

A run of the ship booking once garnered the writers a back corner cabin with 40 feet of balcony along the stern and side of the ship.

Michelle Teel

For families looking for a unique weekend ex-perience that offers a break from online devices and video games, the Virginia Creeper Trail is a beautiful getaway in the southwestern corner of the Old Dominion.

The Creeper Trail is a multi-purpose trail of nearly 34 miles that winds through the Blue Ridge Mountains from Whitetop to Abingdon. A former rail bed, the trail is perfect for a mountain biking adventure.

A popular choice for families is to head to Damascus and ride a very manageable 17-mile stretch that is about half of the crushed gravel trail.

Appropriate for all experience levels, it is not uncommon to see multigenerational families along this leg, with grandparents riding alongside their

grandchildren. Local resident Lawrence Dye, 82, has ridden 182,000 miles on the trail since 1990 and will lead a group ride from the Abingdon Trailhead on Aug. 2 at 8:00am.

The first 13 miles of the 17-mile journey is nearly pedal-free as riders gradually descend 1,600 feet from Whitetop to Damascus. The grade of the trail is such that riders of all experience lev-els can mostly take in the gorgeous scenery along the way while propelling ever so slowly down the mountain.

The photo opportunities on the trail are almost too numerous to count. There are more than 40 trestles and bridges along the 34-mile trip. On the Whitetop to Damascus leg, cyclists will cross more than 15 of these scenic trestles.

The ride from Whitetop to Damascus takes up to three hours at a gradual leisurely pace. There are several rest areas along the way, and there is water available, seasonally, at Green Cove.

For food options, there are small cafes at vari-ous points along the journey, as well as plenty of local options in Damascus.

The Damascus cycling shops all have bicycles for rent, and there is a small fee for shuttle service to Whitetop. October is the busiest time of the year, so book early for one of the best fall foliage excursions on the East Coast.

There are plenty of hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodations in the area, includ-ing Abingdon’s storied Martha Washington Inn. (vacreepertrail.com)


Virginia Creeper Trail perfect for mountain biking adventure

family travel I karen graham

Free in D.C.The Library of Congress’s popular National Book Festival moves this year

to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Aug. 30 and features author talks, book signings, and evening programs (loc.gov/bookfest) . . . Listen to patriotic music at the National Symphony Orchestra’s Labor Day concert on Aug. 31 at 8:00pm on the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn (washington.org) . . . Get an aerial view of the “BIG Maze,” a giant plywood installation, in the National Building Museum’s Great Hall through Sept. 1; there’s a fee if you wish to ex-plore it. (nbm.org)

- gwen woolf

family eventDo you have a little football player in training? For families who have a pas-

sion for the game of football, a trip to see the Redskins Training Camp is a popular destination every year. In 2013, the Redskins moved to a new training site in Richmond, Va.

Through Aug. 11, fans can watch the players in action, and they may even have an opportunity to get autographs or pictures with their favorites players.

Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair or blanket. (visitrichmond.com)

- karen graham

Geocachingcontinued from page 15

“If you don’t like puzzles, this may not be a trail for you, but, if you love being challenged, you’ll love this trail,” said Laura Gassler, who pro-motes the area.

Eggleston proudly noted that fel-

low geocachers have voted online that the Martinsburg area has the best caches of any area in the coun-try right after Seattle, Wash., where Geocachers.com headquarters is located. Eggleston was named Inter-national Geocacher of the Month in March 2013 by the geocaching com-munity.

“People vote for their favorites.

Geocaching also helps businesses in the area. I heard people at a local sandwich shop saying they stopped there to eat while they figured out how to open a cache,” said Egg-leston. “I leave my phone number in the caches so I can give people hints. I get phone calls every day.”

“We have people coming from all over the country on a regular basis,” said Gassler. “Berkeley County has about 200 caches.”

Gassler said the first geotrail, the Villages of Berkeley, which has 14 sites, was opened last summer. She described it as much simpler than the new trail, which opened in March.

“Our first geotrail took people to all the corners of the county. They got to see how beautiful the area is and learn some history lessons about the towns that used to be there or are still there,” she said.

Gassler said a lot of local resi-dents enjoyed the trail, too. They became aware of many sites and businesses they didn’t know existed, she added.

Some of the sites include the path George Washington took when he was 16 years old, paths Indians used for hunting, and the same road Confederates took after their retreat from Gettysburg.

Gassler found out about geocach-ing after attending a seminar by Eggleston last year. She thought it would be an unusual way to attract tourists to the area.

And it’s a hobby that is growing. There are more than 2.3 million ac-tive geocaches and more than 6 mil-lion geocachers worldwide.

She called the first trail a success and noted both trails are a win for everyone.

“Geocachers have two great trails and the county is having overnight stays because of them,” she said.

A third trail will be launched in June 2015.

For more informationMartinsburg-Berkeley Co. Tourism: travelwv.comThe trick to Tim Eggleston’s caches is getting them open.

Another of Eggleston’s “catchy” caches.

Tim Eggleston

Tim Eggleston


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Chesapeake Beachcontinued from page 13

private North Beach nearby. Three boardwalks in town encourage casual strolling.

Insider tip: Visitors can also enjoy fossil hunt-ing at Bay Front Park and lace up their sneakers for running, walking, and biking on the Chesa-peake Beach Railway Trail.

Joyce Stinnett Baki, who promotes the area, offers insights on two of her favorite museums, both walkable from the resort, that are Chesa-peake Beach highlights.

“The Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum features photos, memorabilia, and artifacts about the railway that once serviced Chesa-peake Beach and the resort area that was located here at the turn of the century,” Baki explains. “The Bayside History Museum gives

insight into the cultural history of beaches and bayside communities. Both museums are a won-derful way to spend an afternoon.”

At the Bayside History Museum, visitors will fi nd exhibits such as “The War of 1812,” and “A Day at the Beach.” At the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, all ages will learn about the “stuff” we leave behind in the exhibit, “Artifacts: Learning the Facts of Life and History from the Stuff They Left Behind.”

“We do a little bit of everything here in Ches-apeake Beach,” says Donovan. “Our resort is a wonderful getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city!”

Learn moreCalvert Co. Tourism: choosecalvert.com

Chesapeake Beach Resort: chesapeakebeachresortspa.com

Exploring the Bayside History Museum in Chesapeake Beach, Md.

Calvert Co. Tourism

Standing atop the oversized surfboard, you stroke the long oar through the water. The board wobbles a bit as it moves forward. Keeping a slight bend in the knee, you absorb the unstable motions of the board. Everyone had said that stand up paddleboarding would be a great core work-out. However, it’s nothing but easy. Simply stand and paddle — the elongated craft glides atop the water.

With only a couple of small skegs (fins) on the bottom, the board can go places where kayaks and canoes would run aground, like into the shal-lows of rivers and marshes. It’s so much fun you consider buying one. But then, there’s the problem of storage and transportation … and cost. Prices begin around $500 and can easily top $1,000. And,

really, there is no need to buy an SUP, because these trendy watercraft are available for rent nearly everywhere.

In Washington, D.C., the Key Bridge Boathouse in Georgetown rents SUPs. Here, on the tidal Po-tomac, paddle around Teddy Roosevelt Island, taking in the lush vegetation and the multitude of great blue herons, egrets, and other wildlife. Coming out from behind the island, the view of the monuments from the water can’t be beat.

At National Harbor Boathouse, cruise across this wide section of the Potomac River and along the shore of Old Town Alexandria. Both locations also offer fitness classes on the boards. Yoga classes atop SUPs are available at Key Bridge. (boat-ingindc.com/boat-rentals)

Insider tip: Just down the Potomac on Virginia’s Northern Neck, Westmoreland State Park now of-fers stand up paddleboard rentals for only $15 per hour.

For a bit more of a challenge, try surfing the waves on the Gunpowder River, north of Balti-more, Md., at Ultimate Watersports. An SUP is, after all, a great big surfboard. Lessons on the choppier waters are available, as are rentals. And, don’t forget your dog and your downward dog. Ul-timate Watersports features tours of the flat waters of Dundee Creek with your dog onboard, as well as SUP yoga. (ultimatewatersports.com)

Middle River SUP, east of Baltimore, now offers a floating pier to launch paddleboards onto Sue Creek. (410-687-2000)


paddleboarding I matthew graham

Stand up and paddle!

Front Royal Canoe Co. offers stand up paddle boarding on the Shenandoah River.

Front Royal Canoe

From ocean to mountains

Further afi eld, SUPs may be rented from the shores of the Atlantic

Ocean to the mountains of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Del-marva Board Sports in southern Del-aware offers excursions, including tours around Fenwick Island, Beth-

any Beach, and Cape Henlopen State Park, which is a great spot to catch sight of a dolphin. (delmarvaboard-sportadventures.com) Dolphin tours are also available in Virginia Beach at Beach Eco Tours. (beachecotours.com)

Nestled amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is the scenic Shenandoah River. An SUP is an ideal way to explore this oft-shallow river with a tour from Front Royal Canoe Company. (frontroyalcanoe.com)

In West Virginia, ACE Adven-

ture Resort features tours at its own private beach near the New River Gorge or at Summersville Lake. For more experienced paddleboarders, ACE offers fast water tours, hitting a few small riffl es on the New River. (aceraft.com)

SUPs also are an ideal way to enjoy the waters of Deep Creek Lake next to Wisp Resort in Garrett County, Md. The 3,900-acre lake al-lows for days and days of fun with this wonderful and fast-growing sport. (wispresort.com)

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Ending the day in scenic Southern Delaware.

Delmarva Board Sport Adventures

America’s national parks trace their roots to the Yosemite Land Grant, signed 150 years ago this summer as the fi rst law to preserve wild lands. Nearby Shenandoah National Park is consistently among the most visited and best known of the parks and offers a great combination of outdoor adventures, beautiful scenery, the Skyline Drive, and interesting accommodations.

If you’re not into camping, there are plenty of great places to stay in and around the park. Sky-land and Big Meadow lodges, right on Skyline Drive, offer plenty of amenities, great food, and nightly entertainment during the season. Skyland, located at the highest point on the Skyline Drive, boasts 28 buildings on 16 acres with both cabin

and lodge accommodations and dining room. Big Meadows includes a lodge, fi ve cabins, and six multi-unit buildings as well as the Spotswood Din-ing Room, New Market Taproom, and Craft Shop.

Both lodges offer some value-added packages that make for a great getaway. The Linger Longer package includes two nights, breakfast each morn-ing, and your choice of three activities that can in-clude horseback riding, a canoe trip, hiking, a tour of Luray Caverns, wine tasting, or cooking demon-strations. The lodges also offer a Bed and Breakfast package, a Sweetheart package, and a Blue Ridge package. You can save 25 percent by booking 14 days ahead, or 15 percent if you book seven days ahead. The lodges also offer military, AAA, and

AARP discounts. (goshenandoah.com)

Cabin capitalThe Luray area is known as “the cabin capi-

tal of Virginia” for good reason. Just west of the park, Brookside Cabins offers nine cabins along a stream with Williamsburg-style furnishings and three other cabins nearby. Five of the cabins in-clude hot tubs or whirlpool tubs. The Castle family, longtime owners of the property, also operates a family restaurant and gift shop onsite. (brookside-cabins.com)

Allstar Lodging’s website offers more than 100 choices of cabins and vacation homes, mostly

within 15 miles of Luray and within walking distance of the Shenan-doah River. You can choose from rustic to luxurious accommoda-tions, many with hot tubs, fi re-places, and free bicycle use. The cabins are available year-round and most have off-season rates dur-ing the winter months. (allstarlodg-ing.com)

For a bit more luxury, the his-toric Mimslyn Inn in Luray offers beautiful rooms, two distinctive restaurants, pool, and spa. The inn also offers an adventure packages that includes room, breakfast, and choice of activities. (mimslyninn.com)

River adventureAdventurers who want to tackle

the Shenandoah River for canoe-ing, kayaking, tubing, or rafting have many options, but two outfi t-ters offer lodging as well. Shenan-doah River Outfi tters near Luray offers a host of trips and add-on amenities like riverside lunches and steak cookouts, but also offers camping, nine river cabins, and a cottage. (shenandoahriver.com)

Front Royal Canoe Company also provides relaxing river trips and added paddle boards this year. You can also stay in the out-fi tter’s Skymont Cottage, Camp Overall House, or Three Chimneys Cabin. (frontroyalcanoe.com)

More traditional motel accom-modations are available at the Quality Inn Skyline in Front Royal, near the north end of the Skyline Drive. To the west of Luray, the Quality Inn Shenandoah Valley in New Market is convenient to I-81 if you want to extend your trip fur-ther into the Valley to visit the New Market Battlefi eld, the attractions at Shenandoah Caverns, or the sev-eral local wineries. The motel also includes the Johnny Appleseed Restaurant, a Shenandoah Valley


virginia I jane and marvin bond

Plan a late summer getaway to the Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah Valley

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Our luxuriously appointed cabins at the foot ofthe Blue Ridge Mountains are an ideal romantic

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Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge are managed by DNC Parks & Resorts at Shenandoah, Inc. ©2014 DNC Parks & Resorts at Shenandoah, Inc.

Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge are managed by DNC Parks & Resorts at Shenandoah, Inc. Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge are managed by DNC Parks & Resorts at Shenandoah, Inc.

Bundle together with a loved one. Unplug from all things urban. And log into a forested site, up in the mountains of Shenandoah this summer.

For an escape – pure and simple – the way nature intended.

BED & BREAKFASTRates starting at $159 for two adults

HI-DEF NATURE. WIRELESS CONNECTIONS. OFFLINE SEARCHING.

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Rates starting at $159 for two adults

goshenandoah.com/Vacation-Packages or call 877-313-2586

For an escape – pure and simple – the way nature intended.

BED & BREAKFAST

tradition. (qualityinn-shenandoahvalley.com)

Water park and moreMassanutten Resort offers hotel and condo lodg-

ing in a setting that includes four-season activities ranging from two golf courses to a huge indoor/outdoor water park, to mountain biking to snow skiing and a spa. There are plenty of packages to choose from depending on your recreational inter-est.

Massanutten also holds major events, including the Mountain Jubilee on Aug. 30 which features plenty of live music, food vendors, and a beer gar-den. (massresort.com)

There are numerous bed-and-breakfasts scat-tered throughout the Luray, Front Royal, and New Market area as well.

Take your pick of accommodations and activi-ties for a late summer getaway to the Shenandoah Valley.

www.MassResort.com/WaterPark

Located only 10 minutes east of Harrisonburg, VA!

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indooR WAteRPARk Explore a massive water fortress, an adventure river tube expedition, eight wild water slides, a FlowRider extreme surf wave, two on-site restaurants, a state-of-the-art arcade and a retail surf shop.

outdooR WAteRPARk is open Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend and includes a wave pool, multi-lane mat racer and activity pool. The activity pool features three basketball hoops, two floating crosswalks and a spray deck for all ages. The Blue Ridge Buffet will be open during the summer too!

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Come change your view ...Buena Vista translates to mean “good view.”

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Summertime in the Shenandoah Valley!

The Mimslyn Inn401 West Main Street

Luray, VA 22835800-296-5105

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Stay in a historic room & enjoy a wine themed dinner for two. Only $79 (per person, double occupancy)

Short Drive to Shenandoah National Park and Luray Caverns. Kids 12 and under stay and eat free.

Rate based on availability and good anytime during August.

Mimslyn Inn The


Back country camping is available in Shenandoah National Park, but there are plenty of other options in and around the park.

Massanutten Resort boasts a huge water park. Dark Hollow Falls in Shenandoah National Park.

Hikers tackle the trail up Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park.


Massanutten Resort



Long before walk-in closets and stainless steel refrigerators, wooden cabinets known as “safes” were used to store food, clothing, and other house-hold goods. Now referred to (albeit inaccurately) as “pie safes,” these treasures are admired by many and seriously collected by a few. Because of renewed interest, the Museum of the Shenan-doah Valley, located in Winchester, Va., is hosting the first-ever exhibit of storage safes. From now through March 29, 2015, “Safes of the Valley” at the museum showcases 45 locally made examples, dating from 1829 to 1940.

“This exhibit is a great lesson in design and nature,” said the museum’s Cory Garman. Char-

acterized by their distinctive punched tin panels, these safes provided ventilated storage space, helping to protect items stashed inside from heat, humidity, and vermin. Because of these detrimen-tal conditions, closet safes were in especially great demand in the 1800s. “By the mid-19th century, every household had one,” Garman noted. Not only dry goods, but also surplus food (“this area was an agrarian community”), required special storage.

Nearly all of the safes in this landmark exhibit are on loan from private collections, and many have never before been publicly exhibited. They are arranged in a commodious series of adjoining

gallery spaces; the design of the museum’s construction in general reflects the architecture and feel of barns of the surrounding area, and so the safes seem right at home.

For the most part, safes in the exhibit are grouped geographically by county of origin, thereby making it possible for visitors to observe a wide variety of styles and to determine what was needed (or coveted) by households in each locale.

Rockingham Co. Fairgrounds Harrisonburg, VA

www.blueridgemusicandbbq.com


virginia I barbara and ken beem

Safes kept out 19th-century heat, humidity, and verminMuseum of the Shenandoah Valley mounts landmark exhibit

This 1829 Lexington, Va., -made safe features a tin profile of George Washington as part of its décor.

Gavin Ainsworth

Third Battle of Winchester: Sept 19-20Battle of Cedar Creek: Oct 18-19

Sheridan’s Field Hospital Living History: Oct 25

(877) 871-1326www.visitwinchesterva.com(877) 871 1326

Plan Your Visit

150th Commemorations

virginiacivilwar.org

Common themesThere are local preferences, to

be sure. But some themes extend throughout the entire Valley when it comes to safes. Overall, popular motifs include a variety of stylized eagles, diamonds, and pinwheels. Tobacco leaves and classical urns frequently turn up, not just to satisfy the maker’s whim, but to appeal to paying customers. Political and pa-triotic themes abound.

Ranging from folksy to fi ne, the cabinets were commonly crafted of pine and poplar, although walnut ex-amples are occasionally seen. As to style, there are wide pieces and high ones, some with legs designed “to keep the critters out” and others with squatty bun feet, some with care-fully wrought inlay and others with painted surfaces.

The exhibit makes it possible to

appreciate the wide range of varia-tions.

Just for fun, the safe exhibit in-cludes an opportunity for visitors to try their hands at punching designs into little squares of tin; the resulting “masterpieces” are a personalized, free souvenir. Coupled with a tour of Glen Burnie House and Gardens, located adjacent to the property, the museum is a worthwhile way to spend the better part of a day.

Insider tip: Take time to visit the Museum Cafe by Bonnie Blue to enjoy the pulled pork barbecue.

The spacious museum is a relax-ing two-hour drive from the Capital region and is tucked away in a still bucolic corner of Winchester.

Learn moreMuseum of the Shenandoah Valley: themsv.org

Festival Fun & Fine Wine in

Orange.

Bring your family and friends for a fun day on the beautiful grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier for Constitution Day Celebration & Taste of Freedom Wine Festival. Settle in for a great day featuring live music, balloon rides, games, fireworks, food and of course, plenty of delicious Virginia wine.

CONSTITUTION DAY & TASTE OF FREEDOM WINE FESTIVALSaturday, September 20, 2014


d ANTIQUING IN THE VALLEY If you feel inspired to take home a bit of the Shenandoah Valley’s charm,

there are a multitude of antique shopping possibilities. All it takes is a vehicle with a spacious trunk.

There are a number of notable antique shops in Old Town Winchester. (If you haven’t been here in the last few years, you haven’t been here.) Taking to the open road, there is Blue Peacock Antiques, with ample off-street park-ing outside and a large collection of “smalls” and local furniture, reasonably priced, for sale inside. Travel further south to the Strasburg Emporium, where the selection ranges from fl ea market fi nds to greater treasures. Odds are good that a local safe is in the sprawling establishment’s extensive inventory and within the reach of any budget.

If you get off of I-81 and onto Route 11, you’ll fi nd countless more antiquing opportunities.

Visitors peruse some of the 45 safes on exhibit at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley through March 2015.

This sideboard safe dates to 1840-50.

Rick Foster

Ron Blunt

As summer winds into fall, the fun doesn’t stop in Virginia’s Historic Triangle. You can listen to

live bands, look at paintings, watch artillery fir-ings, see how American Indians made dugout

canoes, shop at farm-ers markets, relax at a spa, and thrill to ghostly tales.

WilliamsburgWilliamsburg’s

Merchants Square on Duke of Gloucester Street is the place to be, especially for “An Occasion for the Arts,” Oct. 4-5. Some 20,000 visitors are ex-pected to mill around a sea of outdoor tents and stages to shop for art, interact with art-ists, and listen to live music.

“It’s Williams-burg’s premier music and arts festival,” says Allison Jones, who is with AOFTA, a nonprofit organization that is sponsoring the show for the 46th year. “It’s a big community event.”

Jones says the artworks are of high quality in the juried show. Of 250 ap-plicants from across the nation, 150 artists

were chosen to participate. The good news for the public is the art covers “every price range,” Jones says. Paintings, prints, photography, jewelry, mixed media, pottery, glass, and wood crafts are among the types of art expected. In addition, there will be youth art exhibits and demonstrations.

Throughout the free festival, which runs from 10:00am to 5:00pm each day, 28 groups with eclectic musical sounds will entertain. There also will hands-on children’s activities, food, and bev-erages.

Merchants Square, which is ringed with shops and restaurants, has been celebrating its 85th an-niversary this year with weekly Summer Breeze Concerts. The free outdoor concerts from 7:00 to 9:00pm on Wednesdays continue through Aug. 27.

“It’s delightful,” says Barbara Brown about the concert experience. Brown, who promotes Colo-nial Williamsburg, says people bring lawn chairs and coolers and sit back and enjoy the music.

On Saturdays from 8:00am to noon, the square hosts the Williamsburg Farmers Market where you can choose from a colorful array of fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, herbs, honey, baked goods, and cut flowers.

Colonial Williamsburg offers ghost walks nightly, where you hear about the other-worldly residents that still haunt the taverns and historic buildings. The Tavern Ghost Walk, leaving from Shields Tavern, is considered the more family-friendly experience. “Ghosts Among Us,” leaving from the Greenhow Lumber House, is for the har-dier soul.

There are other evening programs for those who want to supplement their Williamsburg expe-rience. Mr. Hallam’s Traveling Players do a nightly show of Moliere’s comedy Scapin on the outdoor Charlton Stage. You can also serve on the “jury”

deciding the fate of Grace Sherwood, a 1706 figure, in Cry Witch at the Capitol. The Kimball Theatre in Merchants Square has current films and live performances.

For pure relaxation you can mellow out at the Spa of Colonial Williamsburg. Some of the options are modern versions of age-old treatments. There also are pack-ages aimed at men, teenagers, and moth-ers and daughters.

Jamestown and Yorktown

You can learn ev-erything you always wanted to know about 17th- and 18th-century weapons and tactics during “Arms and Ar-

Williamsburg’s beloved candy store for 50 years!

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Lively arts and music among Historic Triangle attractions

Saturdays8:00am-12:00pm

WilliamsburgFarmersMarket.com

402 W Duke of Gloucester Street

757-259-3768757-220-2500

Williamsburg.DoubleTree.com50 Kingsmill Rd., Williamsburg, VA

Southern hospitality including a warm chocolate chip cookie in the closest full service hotel to Busch Gardens.

Convenient to all that makes Williamsburg a special destination.

America’s Historic Triangle The Birthplace of American Democracy

This early picture of a log canoe race on the Chesapeake Bay is part of an exhibit at Jamestown Settlement on the craft as a work and pleasure boat.

Mariners’ Museum

tillery” month in August at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center. There will be daily firings of different kinds of weapons, including muskets, swivel guns, falcons, and mortars.

At Jamestown, you can learn about European weapon makers from gunsmiths to swordsmiths, try on metal breastplates and helmets, and check out Powhatan Indian weapons and techniques.

At Yorktown, you can see a Continental Army encampment, participate in wooden musket drills and building siegeworks, and learn how farmers became soldiers.

Jamestown Settlement, in partnership with The Mariners’ Museum, is planning a yearlong exhibi-tion opening Sept. 19 called “Working and Racing on the Bay: The Chesapeake Log Canoe.”

You’ll be able to trace the evolution of the dug-out canoe from the days of the Powhatan Indians to multi-log trade vessels to work and racing boats.

More than 100 objects will include wood samples, tools, sale models, and photographic im-ages.

Yorktown’s Riverwalk Landing is the site of free evening outdoor concerts. Following up on the “Shagging on the Riverwalk” beach music se-ries in June and July, there will be a military band concert series on Tuesdays, Aug. 12-26, and a “Rhythms on the Riverfront” series on Fridays in September and on Oct. 3.

You can bring blankets or lawn chairs, and food will be available.

Yorktown Market Days are Saturdays from 8:00 am to noon, offering fresh produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, art, and entertainment.

A fall festival on Oct. 11 will extend to 3:00 pm and include hayrides, a pumpkin patch, children’s hay maze, and face painting.

Learn moreAn Occasion for the Arts: aofta.org

Williamsburg: colonialwilliamsburg.com; visitwilliamsburg.com

Jamestown-Yorktown: historyisfun.org; visityorktown.org

Explore the nation’s beginnings at Jamestown where America’s first permanent English colony site

is preserved at Historic Jamestowne, and Jamestown Settlement living-history museum provides a

glimpse of 1607 life.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and scents of this meticulously restored 18th-century colonial capital city,

Colonial Williamsburg, where patriots ignited the cause for freedom and laid the groundwork for creation

of this great nation.

At Yorktown, discover the lives of people who witnessed the Revolution at Yorktown Victory Center living-history

museum, and walk the ground where America’s independence was won in 1781 at Yorktown Battlefield.

earning never felt so good. With the help of our historians, The Spa of Colonial

Williamsburg offers you healing therapies that emerged throughout the ages. From

17th-century Native American practices to 21st-century modern therapeutic skin care,

each century will leave you rejuvenated. And the best part, no homework. Stay and

make some history. Book one of our hotels at

1-855-484-7776 or at colonialwilliamsburg.com.

~ ’ ~

© 2014 Colonial Williamsburg 3/14 9841907


An Occasion for the Arts brings artists and artisans of all kinds to Williamsburg, Oct. 4-5.

An Occasion for the Arts

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Photo: The cast of Les Misérables (2013)


If you love cool forests, fast-mov-ing mountain streams, historic small towns and all things arts-related, you’ll want to visit Abingdon, Va., during the annual Virginia Highlands Festival that runs Aug. 1–10. This action-packed celebration of Blue Ridge Highlands artistic life includes entertainment galore, with resident artists, actors, musicians, outdoor ad-venture outfitters, and foodies mak-ing fun in the summer sun.

“The streets of downtown Abing-don come alive during the annual Virginia Highlands Festival and visi-tors travel from all over the country to be a part of the fun,” says Kevin Costello, who promotes the area. “We are excited about the 66th anni-versary of the festival and can’t wait to see everyone ‘getting their kicks’ in Abingdon.”

Stay awhile in this gem of a moun-tain town and enjoy its celebration of nature’s gifts. Historic lodging places range from cozy bed-and-breakfasts to the elegant Martha Washington Inn and Spa. In addition to juried arts and crafts, photography, and fine arts, the Virginia Highlands Festival has live music, theatrical productions at the Barter Theatre (America’s lon-gest-running Equity theater), living history, themed tours, nature hikes and bike trips, and a variety of films screened outside. One of the great focal points of the festival is the an-tique show that displays furnishings and decorative arts from Virginia and out-of-state vendors.

Sophisticated little Abingdon is close to the tallest mountain peaks in Virginia, fabulous outdoor rec-reation, and extraordinarily helpful outfitters. Before the Revolution-ary War, in 1760, trailblazer Daniel Boone camped here. Then, the area

was a crossroads of American In-dian trails — well-trod paths later to be known as the Great Wilderness Road and the first passageway to the American West.

In the 1930s, Robert Porterfield founded the Barter Theatre (so-named because locals bartered produce for admission during the Great Depression). Porterfield held the first Virginia Highlands Festival in 1948 on the front porch of the Mar-tha Washington Inn to celebrate the area’s cultural heritage. The Barter Theatre became known as the place where playgoers and playwrights such as Tennessee Williams could trade “ham for Hamlet.” It’s now the State Theatre of Virginia. At least once a year, the Barter accepts food donations in exchange for admission and gives them to an area food bank. Many famous actors began their careers here, and now visitors can learn about them on fascinating tours of the Barter’s performance spaces.

Special art showings and living history events enhance the High-lands Festival and town tours talk of restless spirits.

The William King Museum of Art, located in a 1913 former school building, houses three main galler-ies, studios, and a sculpture garden. The museum will feature a photo ex-hibition during the festival.

Music during the festival is just part of the attraction at Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gate-way. The facility is a great orienta-tion to the performing and traditional arts in this area. Heartwood is a launch point for the Crooked Road Music Trail, which guides you to major music hot spots in southwest Virginia. Heartwood’s contemporary galleries are devoted to both the

heritage of Appalachian roots music and the work of regional artisans. Live music starts early each Thurs-day night with open jam nights on first, third, and fifth Thursdays. Dur-ing the Virginia Highlands Festival, several musical performances are scheduled on Heartwood’s acousti-cally superior stage. This year, the festival’s signature art is a song called Open Road, written by local artist Kat Rush and performed by the band Barlow Gin and the Hatchet-men from nearby Bristol.

Celebrating regional culture at the start of the Highlands Festival, a “Celtic weekend,” Aug. 1-3, will include performances by nationally recognized Celtic folksinger Sha-ron Knight and beloved Celtic rock band Barleyjuice. Local Appalachian pipers and drummers will open the Saturday music events with a parade celebrating Scots-Irish heritage.

For some heart-thumping ac-tion, check out the outdoor and conservation-themed events during the Highlands Festival. Bike the 33.4-mile Virginia Creeper National Rec-reation Trail, from Abingdon through Damascus to Whitetop, Va. The Rails to Trails Conservancy inducted the Virginia Creeper Trail into its Hall of Fame this spring.

Insider tip: Guests at the beauti-ful Martha Washington Inn and Spa can take advantage of the hotel’s Creeper Trail Express that takes you for a scenic 50-minute drive to White Top Mountain, with bicycles, helmets, bottled water, and, if you choose, a tasty picnic lunch. Three hours later the express meets you at the finish to bring you back to the hotel.

The cost is $45 per person or $25 per child under 12.

Other great Highlands Festival events include a guided Clinch River float, an edible and medicinal plant walk, fly fishing opportunities, and birding and owl tours.

For kids, festival organizers offer many special activities, including workshops on building wooden toys. Suggested festival admission is $1 per day, and certain events require additional ticketed fees.

Before you goAbingdon Tourism: abingdon.com

Virginia Highlands Festival: vahighlandsfestival.com

AIRSHOW

&BIPLANE

RIDES

The Flying Circus is a 45 minute drive from the Capital Beltway. It is located 14 miles south of Warrenton and 22 miles north of Fredericksburg off Rt. 17 on Rt. 644 near Bealeton. Watch for the Flying Circus signs.

Every SundayMay through October

Flying CirCusAir show

45th Annual

www.FlyingCircusAirshow.com

$2.00 OFFONE ADMISSION

WITH THIS COUPONNot valid with any other offer. RN

4 FAMILY FUN 4 GREAT AIRSHOW4 THRILLING AIRPLANE RIDES

GATES OPEN / RIDES BEGIN 11amSHOW STARTS 2:30pm

540-439-86615114 Ritchie Rd., Bealeton, VA

Adults $15 • Children $7

CHECK OUT OUR BALLOON FESTIVAL AUGUST 16-17

What’s going on?

Check out our calendar on page 30 for

what’s happening in

and around your area!


virginia I sue bland

Virginia Highlands Festival combines arts and adventure

There are more than 40 trestles and bridges along the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail in southwest Virginia.

Abingdon Tourism

LABOR DAY ART AND CRAFT FESTIVALAug. 29-31. Unique gifts and household items, including oils and watercolors, woodworking, furniture, stained glass, can-dles, and pottery. Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, Md. 800-OC-OCEAN, ococean.com

LABOR DAY AT VERAMARAug. 30, noon-8:00pm. Live music from Seven Sons of West Vir-ginia, wine, and food. Veramar Vineyard, 905 Quarry Rd., Ber-ryville, Va. 540-955-5510, veramar.com

CARROLL COUNTY 4-H FAIRThrough Aug. 1. Exhibitors, entertainment, animal shows, and food. 700 Agriculture Way, Westminster, Md. 410-848-3247, car-rollcountyfair.com

VOLUNTEER FIREMEN’S CARNIVALFridays and Saturdays through Aug. 2. Rides, food, and fun. Carnival leads up to the world famous Pony Swim and Auction. Chincoteague, Va. chincoteaguechamber.com

GARRETT COUNTY FAIRThrough Aug. 2. Livestock shows, the midway, rides, food, and games. 270 Mosser Rd., McHenry, Md. 301-387-5400, gar-rettcountyfair.org

KAYPI PERU FESTIVALThrough Aug. 3. Festival highlights include exhibition and sale of handmade crafts, traditional dances and live music, photo ex-hibitions, films, lectures, Peruvian food and drinks, and hands-on activities. National Museum of the American Indian, 4th St. and Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. nmai.si.edu

VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS FESTIVALAug. 1-10. A celebration of Blue Ridge Highlands artistic life with entertainment galore, resident artists, huge antique fair, and more. Abingdon, Va. vahighlandsfestival.com

ANNAPOLIS CRAB FEASTAug. 1, 5:00-8:00pm. Crabs, beer, barbeque, and soft drinks at the annual Rotary Club Crab Feast. Navy-Marine Corps Memo-rial Stadium, Annapolis, Md. annapolisrotary.org

SOUTHERN MARYLAND BREW AND BBQAug. 1-2. Two-day festival featuring a variety of events, attrac-tions, food, and entertainment for all ages. St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, Leonardtown, Md. visitstmarysmd.com

HAMPTON CUP REGATTAAug. 1-3. North America’s oldest continuously run hydroplane boat race. Enjoy the children’s area, food vendors, Bay educa-tion, and environmental exhibits. East Mercury Bridge at Fort Monroe, Hampton, Va. 757-727-8311. hamptoncupregatta.org

PEACH FESTIVALAug. 2, 11:00am-2:00pm. Fresh Susquehanna Orchard peaches, Brooms Bloom ice cream, amazing raffles, kids’ zone, church tours, and local vendors. 1 St. Mary’s Church Rd., Abingdon, Md. 443-655-7790

HOWARD COUNTY FAIRAug. 2-9. Livestock shows, commercial exhibits, petting farm, rides, horse shows, entertainment, home arts, and horse and tractor pulls. Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., West Friendship, Md. 410-442-1022, howardcountyfair.org

PLASTIC MODELERS CONVENTIONAug. 6-9. The only national organization that provides an orga-nized structure for scale modelers to meet, exchange tips and techniques, socialize, and enter their projects into competition. Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Dr., Hamp-ton, Va. 757-727-8311, impusa2014.com

HAVRE DE GRACE SEAFOOD FESTIVALAug. 8-10. Music, artisans, entertainment, and a charity auc-tion/raffle. Tydings Memorial Park, Commerce St., Havre de Grace, Md. 410-939-1525, hdgseafoodfestival.org

CRAFT AND BEER FESTIVALAug. 9. Favorite summer picnic foods. Enjoy live music all day on the outdoor stage. Have fun with stilt-walkers, jugglers and acro-bats, crafts vendors, a farmers market, and more. Admission to the grounds is free. Cape May, N.J. 800-275-4278, capemaymac.org

ROUTE 11 YARD CRAWLAug. 9, 7:00am start. More than 40 miles of yard sale bargains along U.S. Route 11 from New Market to Stephens City, Va. (route11yardcrawl.org

PEACH FESTIVALAug. 9-10, noon-5:00pm. Sample and purchase many peach va-rieties and products. Hollabaugh Bros. Fruit Farm and Market, 545 Carlisle Rd., Biglerville, Pa. destinationgettysburg.com

QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY FAIRAug. 11-16. Animals, educational exhibits, rodeo, jousting, truck/tractor pulls, chain saw carving, carnival, food and craft vendors, and music.100 Dulin Clark Rd., 4-H Park, Centrev-ille, Md. 410-758-0267, queenannescofair.com

AFRICAN LANDING FESTIVALAug. 15-17. A commemoration of the arrival of the first Africans in America on English-occupied territory at Point Comfort in Hampton. Hampton History Museum, The American Theatre and Fort Monroe, Hampton, Va. 757-380-1319, www.proj-ect1619.org

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION DAYAug. 16, 10:00am-2:00pm. Learn about wildlife conservation and recreational opportunities through habitat exploration, children’s crafts, fishing, archery, and firearm demonstrations. Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, Md. 301-497- 5770, fws.gov/northeast/patuxent

RVA BREW-B-Q FESTIVALAug. 17, noon-5:00pm. This event features an amazing array of central Virginia’s most loved barbeque producers. Enjoy live, local music and an expanded produce and crafts marketplace. 100 North 17th St., Richmond, Va. 804-646-0954, enrichmond.org

DC BEER WEEKAug. 17-24. A celebration of good beer in the Capital Region, from conception to consumption and everyone and everything in between. Various locations throughout Washington, D.C. dcbeerweek.net

OC SANDFESTAug. 18-22. Performance art with master champion sand sculp-tors creating 10 giant sand sculptures along the beach from North Division Street to 4th Street. Ocean City, Md. 800-626-2326, ococean.com

ANNAPOLIS ART WALKAug. 21, 5:00-9:00pm. More than 20 galleries in downtown Annapolis host new art exhibits and feature artists working in oil, watercolor, ceramics, woodturning, sculpture, and jewelry. Musicians perform around town and galleries serve light re-freshments. Downtown Annapolis, Md. 410-267-7077, artinan-napolis.com

SHENANDOAH COUNTY FAIRAug. 22-30. Livestock shows and exhibits, four days of harness racing, tractor pulls, demo derbies, national musical entertain-ers, various free shows and entertainment on the grounds, and kids’ day. 300 Fairgrounds Rd., Woodstock, Va. 540-459-3867, shencofair.com

MARYLAND STATE FAIRAug. 22-Sept. 1. Food, tame and thrilling rides and games, thou-sands of livestock, farm and garden and home arts exhibits, live thoroughbred horse racing, and concerts. Maryland State Fair-grounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium, Md. 410-252-0200, mary-landstatefair.com

MUSIC AND BBQ FESTIVALAug. 23, 10:00an-6:00pm. Barbecue competition, battle of the bands, kids’ activities, and craft and food vendors. Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, Va. blueridgemusicandbbq.com

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVALWeekends, Aug. 23-Oct.19. Travel back in time as you immerse yourself in the culture of a 16th-century English village, com-plete with King Henry VIII and his court. Revel Grove, Crowns-ville, Md. 800-296-7304, rennfest.com

INDIANA COUNTY FAIRAug. 24-30. Local farmers, 4H members, and others to show their livestock, crafts, and baked goods in numerous compe-titions. Other events include tractor pulls, demolition derbies, entertainment, a carnival, and food. J.S. Mack Park, 803 Hospital Road, Indiana, Pa. 724-479-8282, indianacountyfair.com

AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVALAug. 29-31. The largest outdoor musical event on the East Coast, the American Music Festival brings together local, regional, and national acts. Virginia Beach, Va. 800-822-3224, beachstreetusa.com

PATSY CLINE MUSIC FESTIVALAug. 30. Musical entertainment provided by Liz Ruffner, Spring-field Exit, and an Elvis impersonator; also features craft vendors, souvenirs, and food. Winchester, Va. celebratingpatsycline.org

NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVALAug. 30, 10:00am-10:00pm. The National Book Festival features a variety of interactive family-centered activities about the im-portance of lifelong literacy, cultural preservation, and preserv-ing digital culture. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C. loc.gov/bookfest

CALVERT COUNTY JOUSTING TOURNAMENTAug. 30, 11:00am-6:00pm. The 148th tournament featuring Maryland’s official state sport. Christ Episcopal Church, Port Re-public, Md. christchurchcalvert.org

VIRGINIA SCOTTISH GAMESAug. 30-31. Includes piping and drumming, highland dancing, and fiddling competitions along with sheep-herding demon-strations, an antique car show, a living history encampment, children’s activities, live entertainment, and plenty of Scottish food and drink. Great Meadow, 5089 Old Tavern Rd., The Plains, Va. vascottishgames.org

STEAM AND GAS ENGINE SHOWAug. 1-3, 10:00am. Get a glimpse of antique farm equipment in action with antique car and equipment parades, a flea market, steam and gas engines, tractor games, and live entertainment. 5946 Federalsburg Hwy. Federalsburg, Md. 410-673-2414, threshermen.org

FOUR-COUNTY QUILT SHOWAug. 2-4. Hundreds of quilts, national and local vendors, and the Country Store Emporium. Frederick Fairgrounds Eventplex, 797 E. Patrick St., Frederick, Md. fourcountyquilters.com

ANTIQUES SHOWAug. 2, 9:00am-4:00pm. Nearly 60 high-quality dealers partici-pate in the show that features 18th-century to early 20th-cen-tury antiques. Lewes Historic Complex, 110 Shipcarpenter St., Lewes, Del. 302-645-7670, historiclewes.org


HOLIDAYS

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

August 2014

d ‘WILD AND WELL’ ROLE-PLAY EXHIBIT FOR KIDS

Designed primarily for pre-K to 3rd grade chil-dren, the new Wild & Well exhibit at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News offers hands-on exploration and learning about animal health with a secondary message about human health.

In the “Be the Keeper” area, children can cook, clean, and care for native wild animals that live at the museum. The area includes a play kitchen, food bins, animal diet cards, and animal holding cages with life-sized stuffed animals.

In the “Be the Vet” area, children can play the role of a wildlife veterinary specialist. They can “diagnose” various native animals and “pre-scribe” and “perform” treatments to improve their health. The area includes examination tables and tools, treatment materials, life-sized stuffed ani-mals, and a display of actual wildlife X-rays.

Videos and slide shows of the museum’s animal keepers and vet tech provide inspiration for the role play.

“Kids learn best through creative play,” said the museum’s Fred Farris. “As they play the roles of animal keepers and vets, they will learn about being healthy.”

Through Labor Day, the museum is open 9:00am-5:00pm daily. (thevlm.org)

Kids can explore what animal keepers and veterinarians do in a new exhibit.

Va. Living Museum

NOW SHOWING

ANNAPOLIS CAR SHOWAug. 2, 11:00am-4:00pm. 2540 Riva Rd., Annapolis, Md. 410-224-2100, theannapoliscarshow.com

CRUSIN’ ON THE RIVER CAR SHOWAug. 9. Classic cars and live entertainment along the Potomac River. 137 National Plaza, National Harbor, Md. 877-NTL-HBR, nationalharbor.com

HUNTING AND OUTDOOR EXPOAug. 22-24. The largest hunting and outdoors show in the state of Maryland. 8440 Fairgrounds Rd., La Plata, Md. 301-932-1234, countrylifefestival.com

BEGONIA SHOW AND SALEAug. 23-24. The sale offers a wide variety of begonias, includ-ing subtropical species. Free. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. 703-642-5173, fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring

CHARLES STREET 12 RUNAug. 9, 8:00am. Runners will enjoy running through Charm City’s most charming neighborhoods and past Maryland’s most esteemed religious, historical, and educational institutions. 800 Kenilworth Dr., Towson, Md. 410-308-1870, charlesst12.com

CHOPTANK RIVAH RUNAug. 15, 8:30am. This fun, 2-mile paddling event is for children and adults and features a poker run and great prizes. Martinak State Park, 137 Deep Shore Rd., Denton, Md. 410-479-8120, carolinerecreation.org

MOUNT NITTANY MARATHONAug. 31. Race runs mostly through the Penn State campus to benefit the Mount Nittany Conservancy. State College, Pa. mt-nittany.org/marathon

BALTIMORE ANNAPOLIS SAILING CLUBYear-round. Offers day sailing events and seminars in Baltimore and Annapolis, Md., and Washington, D.C., and sailing excur-sions on the Chesapeake Bay. Membership free. 410-394-9483, mdsailing.com

QUANTICO ORIENTEERING CLUB Hosts map and compass activities most weekends in the greater Washington, D.C., area. Suitable for all ages and skill levels; free beginner instruction. qocweb.org

POTOMAC APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUBLeads weekly hikes and work trips in greater Washington, D.C., area. Contact PATC for more information. 703-242-0965, patc.net

APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUBLeads hiking, bicycling, canoeing, and conservation events in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. amc-dc.org

SENIORS EXERCISE FOR A BETTER LIFETuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:15am. Exercise for free. Cora B. Wood Senior Center, 3601 Taylor St., Brentwood, Md. 301-699-1238, pgparks.com

FITNESS CENTER SENIOR CLASSESPrince George’s County Sports and Learning Complex, Lando-ver, Md. 301-583-2626, pgparks.com

WASHINGTON AREA ROADSKATERSYear-round; check website for dates and times. Skaters leave from White House, Washington, D.C. meetup.com/washington-area-roadskaters

CENTER HIKING CLUBVarious hikes and locations in D.C. metropolitan area. 703-751-3971, centerhikingclub.org

FREESTATE HAPPY WANDERERS Various walking trails and locations in Maryland. 410-437-2164, ava.org/clubs/freestate

WANDERBIRDS HIKING CLUBSundays. Various hikes and locations in Virginia. 703-242-0315, wanderbirds.org

SWIMMING AND WATER EXERCISE PROGRAMSTuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00-8:00am. Glenarden/Theresa Banks Complex Pool, 8615-A McLain Ave., Glenarden, Md. 301-772-5515

RICHMOND JAZZ FESTIVALAug. 7-10 Jazz, great food, outstanding wine, outdoor cigar lounge, and the beautiful rolling hills of Maymont Park. 1700 Hampton St., Richmond, Va. 804-644-8515, jazzatmaymont.com

BLUE GRASS FESTIVALAug. 14-17. Festival features six or seven groups daily in the middle of Granite Hill Campground near Gettysburg, Pa. get-tysburgbluegrass.com

BRANDYWINE BRINGS IN THE BLUESAug. 15, 6:00-9:00pm. In the courtyard of the museum, music by Philadelphia Blues rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter Steve Cal. Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, Pa. brandywine.org

SOUTHERN MARYLAND BLUES FESTIVALAug. 23-24, 11:00am-8:00pm Listen to the Blues at the Calvert County Fairgrounds, Prince Frederick, Md. somdblues.org

ALEXANDER JAZZ FESTIVALAug. 28-31. The festival opens Thursday night with jazz guitarist Frank Vignola, followed on Friday night by trumpeter Etienne Charles. Saturday’s concert features a tribute to Dave Brubeck in the afternoon and a concert by pianist Monty Alexander that night. Sunday features vocalist Dee Daniels. 40 E. Dover St., Easton, Md. 410-819-0380

MUSIKFESTAug. 1-10. National acts from Alan Jackson to ZZ Top entertain in mostly outdoor venues in Bethlehem, Pa. musikfest.org

THE BAND PERRYAug. 28, 8:00pm. Wolf Trap, The Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va. 703-255-1900, wolftrap.org

THE BFGThrough Aug. 10. Integrates puppetry, rich visuals, and imagi-native storytelling as Sophie and the Big Friendly Giant go on a magical journey to save the children of England. Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, Md. imaginationstage.org

CIRQUE DU SOLIEL: AMALUNAThrough Aug. 24. Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. 201 Harbor View Ave., National Harbor, Md. 877-NTL-HBR, cirquedusoleil.com

DIRTY DANCING Through Sept. 14. An unprecedented live experience, explod-ing with heart-pounding music, passionate romance, and sen-sational dancing. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 202-628-6161, thenationaldc.com

SCREEN ON THE GREENMondays through Aug. 11, beginning at dusk. Bring a blanket to the National Mall on a warm night and watch a classic film on a gigantic movie screen. National Mall, between 7th and 12th Sts., Washington, D.C. 877-262-5866

COMCAST FILM FESTIVALAug. 15-17. A three-night drive-in film festival featuring fun, games, and amusement. The Lego Movie on Friday, Gravity on Saturday, and Hunger Games: Catching Fire on Sunday. 850 Hun-gerford Dr., Rockville, Md. 866-448-3456, filmfestnih.org

DANCE PROGRAMSWeekends, 7:30-11:30pm. Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. fridaynightdance.org

THE WASHINGTON BALLETCall for performances and times. 3515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 202-362-3606, washingtonballet.org

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR CENTER AT HISTORIC TREDEGAR490 Tredegar St., Richmond, Va. 804-788-6480, tredegar.org

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AT THE KATZEN ARTS CENTERWard Circle, Massachusetts and Nebraska Aves., Washington, D.C. 202-885-1300, american.edu/cas/katzen

AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM800 Key Hwy., Baltimore, Md. 410-244-1900, avam.org

THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

CARRIAGE HOUSE GALLERY AT EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J. 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, capemaymac.org

CARROLL ARTS CENTER TEVIS GALLERY91 Main St., Westminster, Md. 410-848-7272, carrollcounty-artscouncil.org

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDENIndependence Ave. and Seventh St. SW, Washington, D.C. 202-633-1000, hirshhorn.si.edu

LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, Md. 410-557-9570, ladewgar-dens.com

MARYLAND HALL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS801 Chase St., Annapolis, Md. 410-263-5544, marylandhall.org

MONTPELIER ARTS CENTER9652 Muirkirk Rd., Laurel, Md. 301-953-1993, arts.pgparks.com

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ARTNational Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 202-737-4215, nga.gov

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, Md. 301-695-1864, civilwarmed.org

THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION1600 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. 202-387-2151, phillipscol-lection.org

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM OF MARYLAND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, Md. 443-263-1800, africanamerican-culture.org

SHAKESPEARE GALLERYFolger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St., Washington, D.C. 202-544-7077, folger.edu

SURRATT HOUSE MUSEUM TOURSSurratt House Museum, 9118 Brandywine Rd., Clinton, Md. 301-868-1121, surratt.org

THE TEXTILE MUSEUM2320 S St. NW, Washington, D.C. 202-667-0441, textilemuseum.org

TUDOR PLACE HISTORIC HOUSE AND GARDEN1644 31st St., Georgetown, Washington, D.C. 202-965-0400, ext. 109, tudorplace.org

VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS200 N. Blvd., Richmond, Va. 804-340-1400, vmfa.museum

THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM600 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org

RALPH FASANELLAThrough Aug. 3. Brings together 19 of the artist’s most signifi-cant paintings and eight sketches on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Sts. NW, Washington, D.C. americanart.si.edu

ARCHITECTURAL BOOKSThrough Aug. 17. Some books survey a variety of architectural works, while others focus on a specific building. National Gallery of Art, National Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Consti-tution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C .202-737-4215, nga.gov

A REVOLUTIONARY SPIRITThrough October. More than 30 vivid paintings, drawings, prints, watercolors, and sculpture present an overview of the revolutionary art movement that flourished in Germany. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

VIDEO ART EXHIBITIONThrough Oct. 12. The first museum exhibition to focus on women’s impact on the field of video art. National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. nmwa.org

RYAN MCGINNESS: STUDIO VISITThrough Oct. 19. The exhibit will explore this contemporary art-ist’s creative process for his 2009 painting “Art History Is Not Lin-ear.” The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Blvd., Richmond, Va. 804-340-1400, vmfa.museum


d MILES AND MILES OF BARGAINS

The northern Shenandoah Valley communities along U.S. Route 11 are marking the 10th anniver-sary of the Route 11 Yard Crawl on Aug. 9. The an-nual event stretches 43 miles through nine towns from New Market to Stephens City, Va. The event has been so successful it has spawned its own mer-chandise, such as T-shirts and tote bags, and even has a mascot. (route11yardcrawl.org)

The success of the Route 11 event did not go unnoticed, and bargain lovers in Spotsylvania County, Va., established their own Route 208 Sale Trail last year. The 2014 event is Sept. 12-13 along 24 miles of Route 208 from Route 1 to Lake Anna. It may continue across Lake Anna in Louisa County as well. (208saletrail.com)

Popular/Other

Theater

Films

Dance

MUSICJazz/Blues/Country

ExhibitsResources and Institutions Directory

Featured Exhibitions

BASEBALL AND BECOMING AN AMERICANThrough Oct. 26. Features more than 130 original objects, in-cluding game-worn uniforms, game-used objects, correspon-dence, newspaper accounts, board games, awards, baseball cards, signed baseballs, Jewish ritual objects, and ballpark give-aways. National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall E., Philadelphia, Pa. 215-923-3811, nmajh.org

HERALDRY IN SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLANDThrough Oct. 26. The roots of genealogy took off during Shake-speare’s time. See pedigrees and family trees, books explaining heraldry’s complex rules, manuscripts illustrating actual coats of arms, and documents written by professional heralds seeking to regulate heraldic practice in a fast-changing society. Excep-tional treasures include the original drafts of William Shake-speare’s own coat of arms. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C. folger.edu

FRONT ROOM: SETH ADELSBERGERThrough Nov. 2. A variety of luminescent and textured paintings from Baltimore-based artist Seth Adelsberger demonstrates the artist’s innovative approaches to painting over the past five years. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Balti-more, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

PRINTMAKERS OF WORLD WAR IThrough Nov. 9. This exhibition focuses on how artists — many of whom witnessed combat firsthand as official war artists — represent the moods and transformative experiences particular to this global conflict. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Blvd., Richmond, Va. 804-340-1400, vmfa.museum

SAFES OF THE VALLEYThrough March 29. Landmark exhibition of mostly privately owned food safes from the Shenandoah Valley. Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Va. themsv.org

EXALTED NATUREAug. 23-Nov. 16. To spend even a moment with one of Charles Burchfield’s hallucinatory watercolors is to experience the art-ist’s visceral response to nature. Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, Pa. brand-wine.org

ARMS AND ARTILLERY Aug. 1-31. Interpretive programs allow visitors to encounter a range of 17th- and 18th-century arms and artillery — and firings, too. Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Va. and Yorktown Victory Center in Yorktown, Va. 888-593-4682, historyisfun.org

NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE Aug. 15, 7:00pm. Learn how the settlement history and the ag-riculture and iron industries shaped the use of slavery in the Shenandoah Valley. 652 N. Buckton Rd., Middletown, Va. nps.gov/cebe/index.htm

THE FOSSIL FIELD EXPERIENCE Aug. 16, Sept. 6, Oct. 4., 9:00am. The program begins at the Cove Point Lighthouse where participants, with a trained guide, will learn how to find and identify fossils. Enjoy time on the beach until 11:30am, and at 1:00pm, meet the guide at the museum to discuss fossil finds. Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, Md. 410-326-2042, calvertmarinemuseum.com

WWII TUNESAug. 16, 3:00-5:30pm. An afternoon of World War II and 1940s USO-type musical entertainment. Learn dance steps with in-struction at 2:00pm; then drift back to the 40s to enjoy the show. Children’s Museum of Rose Hill Manor Park, 1611 North Market St., Frederick, Md. 301-600-1650, rosehillmuseum.com

WWII WEEKENDAug. 16-17. Encamped soldier and civilian re-enactors, displays, family activities, living history, veterans, World War II trivia box hunt activity, and food booth. The Children’s Museum of Rose Hill Manor Park, 1611 North Market St., Frederick, Md. 301-600-1650, rosehillmuseum.com

LIBERATE NEW OXFORDAug. 20. Allies and Germans fight over New Oxford, Pa., which poses as a 1940s French village. liberationofoxford.com

UNDAUNTED WEEKENDAug. 23, 11:00am-9:30pm. Join in the fun with a War of 1812 re-enactment, demonstrations, food, music, and fireworks. Bladensburg Rd., Bladensburg, Md. 301-887-0777, maryland-milestones.org

BRITISH INVASIONAug. 25, noon-3:30pm. Through a series of vignettes, meet a runaway slave, the mistress of Mount Welby, a militiaman, a royal marine, and others, followed by popular 1812 music. Res-ervations required. Oxen Hill Farm, 6411 Oxen Hill Rd., Oxen Hill, Md. Nps.gov/oxhi

BATTLE OF CAULK’S FIELDAug. 30-31. Re-enactment weekend marking the bicentennial of the 1812 battle on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. On the same ground and date as the original battle. Other activities all week-end. kentcounty.com/1812

OLD MARYLAND FARM ACTIVITIES Old Maryland Farm, 301 Watkins Park Dr., Upper Marlboro, Md. 301-218-6770 or 301-699-2544, pgparks.com

MONTPELIER MANSION TOURSSundays, 1:00pm and 2:00pm. Montpelier Mansion, Rt. 197 and Muirkirk Rd., Laurel, Md. 301-953-1376

AVIATION SPEAKER SERIESAug. 4, 7:00pm. Carl Bobrow, museum specialist with the Na-tional Air and Space Museum/Smithsonian Institution, will offer a presentation on Gen. George Owen Squier, a pioneer in mili-tary aviation. Lockheed Martin Auditorium, 2323 Eastern Blvd., Middle River, Md. 410-682-6122, mdairmuseum.org

STAINED GLASS CLASSOngoing. Mat About You Gallery, 3774 Old Columbia Pike, Elli-cott City, Md. 410-313-8860, mataboutyou.com

ADULT ART COURSESBaltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

GALLERY TALKSThursdays, 1:00pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 2:00pm. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

SECOND SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT TALKSSecond Sunday of every month, 2:00pm. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Md. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org

TRADITIONAL ART CLASSES Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster, Md. 410-386-3880, carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org

CAPE MAY, NJHistoric district, moonlight trolley, and Cape May sampler tours. Cape May, N.J. 800-275-4278, capemaymac.org

MARITIME HISTORY WALKING TOURSSecond and fourth Saturdays, 10:00am. Fells Point Visitor Cen-ter, Baltimore, Md. 410-675-6750, preservationsociety.com

SUITLAND BOG TOURSAug. 2 and Sept. 13, 10:00am-2:00pm. This bog is now a unique wetland within the Washington Metropolitan Area. Suitland, Md. 301-627-7755, pgparks.com

WALKING THROUGH TIME TOURAug. 9 and 23 and Sept. 13. Learn about the life and personalities of the City of Fairfax in this 90-minute guided walking tour through the Old Town Fairfax National Register Historic District. Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center, Fairfax, Va. 703-385-8414, historicfairfax.org

SUMMIT POINT RACINGPark features three road-racing circuits used for amateur auto-mobile, kart, and motorcycle racing, high-performance driver education, and emergency training for local and federal law enforcement. Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, W.Va. 304-725-8444, summitpoint-raceway.com

HOWARD COUNTY RESTAURANT WEEKThrough Aug. 4. Farm to Table Restaurant Week with restau-rants featuring local meats, seafood, produce, and wine. 6741 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, Md. 410-313-1900, visithow-ardcounty.com


BALTIMORE ORIOLES AT HOMEFri., Aug. 1 vs. Mariners, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 2 vs. Mariners, 7:05pmSun., Aug. 3 vs. Mariners, 1:35pmFri., Aug. 8 vs. Cardinals, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 9 vs. Cardinals, 4:05pmSun., Aug. 10 vs. Cardinals, 1:35pmMon., Aug. 11 vs. Yankees, 7:05pmTues., Aug. 12 vs. Yankees, 7:05pmWed., Aug. 13 vs. Yankees, 7:05pmMon., Aug. 25 vs. Rays, 7:05pmTues., Aug. 26 vs. Rays, 7:05pmWed., Aug. 27 vs. Rays, 7:05pmThurs., Aug. 28 vs. Rays, 7:05pmFri., Aug. 29 vs. Twins, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 30 vs. Twins, 7:05pmSun., Aug 31 vs. Twins, 1:35pmThe Orioles play home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, 333 West Camden St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Call 888-848-BIRD or visit baltimore.orioles.mlb.com.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS AT HOMEFri., Aug. 1 vs. Phillies, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 2 vs. Phillies, 7:05pmSun., Aug. 3 vs. Phillies, 1:35pmTues., Aug. 5 vs. Mets, 7:05pmWed., Aug. 6 vs. Mets, 7:05pmThurs., Aug. 7 vs. Mets, 7:05pmFri., Aug. 15 vs. Pirates, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 16 vs. Pirates, 7:05pmSun., Aug. 17 vs. Pirates, 5:05pmMon., Aug. 18 vs Diamondbacks, 7:05pmTues., Aug. 19 vs. Diamondbacks, 7:05pmWed., Aug. 20 vs. Diamondbacks, 7:05pmThurs., Aug. 21 vs. Diamondbacks, 4:05pmFri., Aug. 22 vs. Giants, 7:05pmSat., Aug. 23 vs. Giants, 4:05pmSun., Aug. 24 vs. Giants, 1:35pmThe Nationals play home games at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Call 202-397-SEAT (7328) or visit washington.nationals.mlb.com.

DC UNITED AT HOMESun., Aug. 17 vs. Colorado, 8:00pmSun., Aug. 31 vs. New York, 2:30pmDC United plays home games at RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Call 202-587-5000 or visit dcunited.com.

PRO SPORTSOTHER

History

Sit in the pilot’s seat of different planes during the Aug. 9 Open Cockpit event at Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum in Baltimore.

Martin Aviation Museum

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TOURS

BETHESDA CHEVY CHASE RESTAURANT WEEKThrough Aug. 4. Restaurant week offers prix fi xe lunch for $12 or $16 and three-course dinner menus for $33 at dozens of Bethesda area restaurants. Bethesda, Md. bethesda.org/bethesda/restaurant-week

HISTORY PADDLESThursdays in August, 9:00am. Take a kayak tour of the Lewes Harbor and Delaware Breakwater Harbor to hear about ship-wrecks, pirates, lighthouses, and more. The trip includes the Lewes & Rehoboth Canal and Delaware Bay. Lewes, Del. 302-74-KAYAK

BALTIMORE RESTAURANT WEEKAug. 1-10. Enjoy special three-course prix-fi xe dinner menus for either $20 or $30 and two-course lunch menus for just $15 at participating locations in Baltimore, Md. baltimorerestaurant-week.com

NATURE QUEST CANOE TRIPAug. 2-3, 1:00-3:00pm. Rangers and participants will search for the Nature Quest Marker while also enjoying time on the lake looking for wildlife such as turtles, beavers, and eagles. Robert E. Lee Park, Towson, Md. 410-887-4156

OPEN COCKPIT SEASON FINALEAug. 9, 11:00am-3:00pm. Visitors can experience air travel of the 1950s and board the museum’s 1952 Martin 404 passenger airliner and can sit in the pilot’s seat of one of the museum’s jet fi ghter aircraft. Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum, 701 Wilson Point Rd., Baltimore, Md. 410-682-6122, mdairmuseum.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. RESTAURANT WEEKAug. 11-17. More than 200 of Washington, D.C.’s fi nest restau-rants offer three-course lunches for $20.14 and three-course dinners for $35.14. Please check website for participating res-taurants and menus. Washington, D.C. ramw.org/restaurant-week

ALEXANDRIA RESTAURANT WEEKAug. 15-24. A great time to try a new restaurant at reduced prices. Alexandria, Va. visitalexandriava.com/restaurants/res-taurant-week

OCEAN CITY HOTEL WEEKAug. 17-28. Participating hotels will offer a variety of deals, in-cluding free night stays and tiered discounts for multiple night stays during the dates of the Hotel Week promotion. Ocean City, Md. 410-289-6733, ococean.com

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The Maryland State Fair runs Aug. 22-Sept. 1 at the fairgrounds in Timonium.

Edie Bernier

To Submit an Event for theRecreation News Calendar:

Send announcements to: Calendar, Recreation News, 204 Greenwood Road, Linthicum, MD, 21090, or e-mail to [email protected].

www.recreationnews.com410-638-6901

fax: 410-638-6902Mailing Address:

1607 Sailaway Circle, Baltimore MD 21221

Summer’s siren song calls us outdoors. In Lancaster County, Pa., summertime is best lived outside, exploring the rich landscape with a plethora of activities designed to ac-commodate a wide range of abilities and interests.

The area’s verdant farms are a chief draw this time of year. Corn “high as an elephant’s eye,” creates challenging mazes to conquer at places like Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and makes green, leafy tunnels

bordering the county’s plentiful bike routes and rail trails.

Float down the refreshing Pequea Creek in the county’s southern end, or leap into exhilarat-ing zip line tours through the canopy of trees at Refreshing Mountain in the northern part of the county.

Air TravelThe 80 acres of woodlands at Re-

freshing Mountain Retreat and Ad-

venture Center may, at first glance, seem to provide a cool respite on a steamy summer day.

But once visitors get airborne, the heart-pumping thrill of the zip line and the physical tests are an instant warm-up. The treetop cargo nets resemble hammocks, but there is no resting here. Challenges abound from simply being willing to climb into the branches, to leaping from tree to tree.

“Our customers range from fami-lies with children to retired World War II vets who just want to check zip lining off their bucket lists,” says the attraction’s Sunny Redcay.

Visitors can combine or choose from a Challenge Adventure Tour with different levels of obstacles ending with a swoop over a pond or an Aerial Excursion Tour with more dramatic running speeds from plat-form to platform, ending in a 40-foot rappel to the forest floor.

By LandThose who prefer more earth-

bound adventures may enjoy the farm-themed activities at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm or take on the puzzling challenge of its corn maze. Or, simply survey the county’s corn-fields from the comfort of the open cars at the Strasburg Railroad or the informative bus tours at the Amish Farm and House.

But for a taste of Lancaster County that doesn’t often make the cover of the tour books, head west to the Susquehanna River to the dramatic outcrop known as Chiques Rock. Not only a great place to hike and climb, the county’s new Northwest River Trail makes for the perfect bike path. For those without wheels, Chiques Rock Outfitters provides rentals.

Insider tip: In a clever move, owner Jim Cox of Chiques Rock Out-fitters has set up two locations: one

downriver where visitors can park their cars and rent bikes to head north on the River Trail, and one up-river, where visitors can rent kayaks or tubes and paddle or float back to their vehicles.

An enterprising river rat, Cox can also provide primitive camp-ing accommodations and even fresh produce from his garden with in-structions to “pick what you can and pay what you can.”

For dessert, check out the Turkey Hill Experience in the nearby river town of Columbia.

The attraction provides not only a fanciful history of the region’s favor-ite frosty indulgence, but also the op-portunity for visitors to create their own flavors. What’s a better way to cap-off a steamy summer day than with scoops of a sweet treat?

Water WelcomeIn addition to paddling or float-

ing down the mighty Susquehanna, visitors to Lancaster County have the option to play on smaller bodies of water like the Pequea Creek. Sick-man’s Mill has welcomed genera-tions of tube riders to cool off in the refreshing two miles of waterway under the generous shade of mag-nificent sycamores.

Trina Armstrong says the site’s traditional tubing trip takes between 45 minutes to an hour and 45 min-utes, depending on the water levels.

“You will be completely out in nature until almost the end of the trip. There are a series of small rap-ids interspersed with calmer areas throughout the length of the trip,” she says, noting that visitors “will hear birds chirping, see dragonflies, and sometimes other wildlife (bald eagle, heron, deer, mink) if they are lucky.”

Visitors who would like a more active water experience can make reservations for a longer trip (three to five hours) with raft-like

“Kayak Tubes” on an 8-mile stretch of the creek, which also in-cludes the highlight of floating under a covered bridge.

For more informationLancaster Co. Tourism: padutchcountry.com

Biking/Kayaking: chiquesrockoutfitters.com

Pequea Tubing: sickmansmill.com

Zip Line Tours: refreshingmountain.comwww.ClintonCountyInfo.com

1-888-388-6991 • [email protected]

Start your adventure by visiting

ClintonCounty, PA

shop. play.relish. stay.

Intercourse, PAwww.kitchenkettle.com

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pennsylvania I daina savage

Appreciating the great outdoors in Lancaster County

A 40th birthday is cause for celebration, and Raystown Lake Region just marked this important milestone as one of Pennsylvania’s premier out-door attractions.

Created in 1974 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and dedicated by then-Vice President Gerald Ford on June 6 of that year, the lake project continues to serve as a recreational site for out-door enthusiasts. The 8,300-acre man-made lake’s shoreline is 98 percent undeveloped, with nearly unlimited recreational opportunities both on and off the water.

“Once you get to Raystown you’ll be fi nding yourself saying, ‘Ahhh...this is the life.’ Come and relax amongst the Pennsylvania forests surround-ing the 118-mile shoreline of Raystown Lake,” said Matt Price, of the Huntingdon County Visitors Bu-reau.

On and off the lakeThe lake is the main feature of a visit to the

Huntingdon County region. There are several beaches, unlimited boating opportunities, fi shing and waterskiing, and hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country ski trails.

“Bring your bikes. Bring your boots. Or just bring your camp chair. We invite you to enjoy the view of the pristine shoreline of Raystown Lake. Ride our 33 miles of the world-class single-track Allegrippis Trail system. Fish and try to beat the Pennsylvania state records from our waters. Hike our hundreds of miles of wooded trails, paddle to your hear’s content on our water trails, or ride your bicycle on state-designated road routes,” Price said.

If anyone knows and understands the beauty of the area, it is Ed Stoddard, also of the Visitorss Bureau.

He fi rst came to the area as a visitor numerous times before he decided he couldn’t leave and made it his home.

“It is an outdoor getaway with miles of scenery. Once you see the beauty here, it makes it hard to leave,” he said.

Range of accommmodationsAccording to both Price and Stoddard, one of

the great elements of Huntingdon County is the wide choice a visitor has in accommodations.

More adventurous folks might opt to rent a houseboat and stay out on the lake for the dura-tion of their trip or pitch a tent at one of the many campgrounds. There are also hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and modern cabins.

“It is the only place in Pennsylvania where you can rent a houseboat and stay overnight,” said Stoddard.

There are also other sights to see while in the Huntingdon County area. The Swigart Museum is dedicated to the history of the American automo-tive industry. The museum has a collection of more than 150 automobiles. There are usually 30 to 35 on display at a time, including Herbie, the love-able Volkswagen Beetle that Americans fell in love with thanks to the popular “Love Bug” movies. There’s also a 1940 Cadillac owned by Cary Grant, and others too numerous to list.

The popular Stone Town Gallery and Cafe showcases local artists. Owner and stained glass artist Deb Tumlin started the gallery in 2011. It has expanded since then from just fi ve local artists to more than 75.

“We just kept growing and growing. When we had to move to a larger place, we added a café into the mix,” said Tumlin.

Artwork includes photography, paintings, fi ber art, wood work, pottery, soaps and candles, stained glass, and jewelry.

“Visitors can also come and take a class while


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Take a ride on real trolleys weekends through October 26!

Aug. 16 — HomecomingAug. 30 — Italian “Water” Ice & Pretzel DaySept. 13 — Steel Wheels Meet Rubber Tires — See antique cars, trucks, tractors, and other vehicles Sept. 20-21 — Back to school weekendOct. 11-12 — Fall Spectacular — Meet Daniel Tiger from PBS Kids. See and ride trolleys not normally operated.Oct. 18-19 — Pumpkin Patch TrolleyOct. 25-26 — Halloween Costume Days

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pennsylvania I kathleen ganster

Raystown Lake celebrates 40 years of recreational opportunities

Raystown Lake is just one reason to visit Huntingdon County, Pa.

Huntingdon Co. Tourism

The battlefield that bears one of the most fa-mous names in military history is just one reason to make the short drive to Gettysburg and surround-ing Adams County, Pa.

“The battlefield will always be the biggest draw to Gettysburg, and we know that,” said Carl Whitehill, who promotes the area. “But what our visitors don’t often realize is how much else there is to do here.”

Long a popular historical day trip, Gettysburg is worthy of a getaway for couples or families, with plenty to interest both.

Events to check outThe local calendar is brimming with interesting

events in August and September. The 2014 Peach Festival, held at Hollabaugh

Bros. Inc. Fruit Farm and Market is one of the farm’s most popular festivals. Visitors are invited to sample and purchase the many peach varieties and products, Aug. 9-10. Could anything be better on an August afternoon than a wagon ride and a dish of peach ice cream?

The Blue Grass Festival at Granite Hill Camping Resort and Bed & Breakfast is held Aug. 14-17

“This is the campground’s biggest event,” said Granite Hill’s Becca Riley. “The festival goes on

right in the middle of the campground, so basi-cally you can hear the music from every site.”

Six to seven groups perform daily, and there is a bounce house for the kids, miniature golf, and food and merchandise vendors.

Day tickets can be purchased, with campers getting a discount. But, Riley cautions, “Campsites are on a first come, first served (basis) and we al-ways have a very good turnout.” Advance reserva-tions are accepted.

New this year, the Gettysburg Brew Fest will be held Aug. 23 from 4:30-8:00pm on the Lutheran Theological Seminary Grounds. A variety of craft brews and hard ciders from Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region will be available for sampling.

Insider tip: The Seminary Ridge location pro-vides some of the best views of the battlefield and is also the site of the Seminary Ridge Museum, which opened last year in the building where Union cavalrymen watched the Confederates ad-vance toward Gettysburg.

Still in the mood for sipping and samplings? The 10th Annual Gettysburg Wine & Music Festi-val takes place Sept. 6-7 on the grassy area of the campus of Gateway Gettysburg. Some 20 Pennsyl-vania wineries will be pouring and there will be an abundance of food, crafts vendors, and live music.

The fall Gettysburg Antique Show fills the down-town sidewalks with antique finds of all kinds on Sept. 27, 7:00am-4:00pm. Savvy shoppers get there early.

Remembering a different warA more recent war is on the minds of the folks

in New Oxford, roughly 10 miles from Gettysburg. There, on Aug. 20, the town’s center square will be transformed into a quaint French village during the World War II German occupation in 1944.

“This is a huge event in terms of the number of re-enactors involved,” said Elaine Gerwig, the event coordinator. “We have 200 German (sol-diers) and over 100 Allies. The German encamp-ment is at our train station where they stay for the weekend. They make their way from the station up to the town, just as it was in the war.”

The Allies camp at the Eisenhower farm in Get-tysburg and at Borough Hall, a former high school built in 1938.

At 8:00am, they convoy over to the village, which is filled with German propaganda posters and other props to make it look like a French town of the 1940s.

They ride in jeeps and tanks and re-enact the liberation of the French town. A battle ensues to


pennsylvania I marie gullard

It’s festival time throughout Adams County, Pennsylvania

Entertainment is the aim of the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival being held at Granite Hill Campground, Aug. 14-17.

Thompson Photography

the deafening sounds of cannons and other weap-onry. At long last, the town in liberated. Church bells ring amid general celebrating.

There’s a USO dance the night before in the gym at Borough Hall featuring a swing band, a girl trio, and Lindy Hop dancers.

As summer turns to fall, Whitehill hopes to hear more of what visitors are constantly telling him: “I didn’t realize there was so much to do here!”

For more informationGettysburg Tourism: destinationgettysburg.com

Blue Grass Festival: gettysburgbluegrass.com

WWII Re-enactment: liberationofoxford.com

For Reservations Call 877-680-TOUROr Visit GburgBusTours.Com

Your Battlefield Tour Starts With Us

Let us guide you through a memorable historical Gettysburg experience on one of our double decker buses with

a dramatic audio presentation or a Licensed

Battlefield Guide.

...and you thought we were just history.

D iscover the eclectic restaurants, refreshing summer brews, vastselection of wines, country markets, fairs and festivals that Gettysburg,Pennsylvania has to offer. You’ll be glad you gave us a visit.

For more information on places to go, eat, and tour, please visit DestinationGettysburg.com or scan the QR code below to download our FREE 2014 Travel Guide!

Real FoodiesEXPLORE THE TASTESOF GETTYSBURG, PA.


The Gettysburg Antique Show fills Lincoln Square and surrounding streets on Aug. 20.

Gettysburg Tourism

Agriculture is a big deal in Indi-ana County, Pa., so it’s no wonder there are three agricultural fairs to celebrate the harvest. The Indiana

County Fair is the biggest of three, according to Denise Liggett, who promotes the area, although the fairs all pay homage to agriculture, the

number one industry in Pennsylva-nia.

“Our fairs embrace the heritage of agriculture and our youth who will carry on the tradition of farming and agriculture that is so important to our rich history and our future,” she said.

The Indiana County Fair, Aug. 24-30, features local and nationally known performers, demonstrations and exhibits, contests, and good old country fair food. The Ox Hill Fair is Sept. 1-6 and the Cookport Fair is Sept. 8-13.

Apples and Appalachian folk traditions

Fall harvest brings lots of apples to Indiana County.

The Smicksburg Apple Fest takes place Sept. 13-14. With the theme “It’s All About Apples,” the fest features demonstrations of mak-ing apple butter and apple cider, children’s activities, local apples for sale, and more than 20 local spe-cialty shops selling — you guessed it — all things apple, including apple dumplings, pies, fudge, cider, and butter.

Insider tip: While in Smicksburg, check out the local Amish shops for primitive crafts and local art work and sample the vintages at the local

winery. The Northern Appalachian Folk

Festival, Sept. 5-6 in downtown In-diana, presents the work of artists, craftspeople, and musical perfor-mances and is dedicated to preserv-ing the folk music, art, and culture of the region.

A taste of HollywoodIndiana, Pa., is also the hometown

of one of America’s favorite actors, the late Jimmy Stewart, so it’s fi t-ting that this year’s Governor’s Arts Awards will be held at Indiana Uni-versity of Pennsylvania — the fi rst time the event has ever been held on a college campus. Stewart was the fi rst recipient of the award when it was created in 1980.

The Sept. 28 event will also show-case local artists and performers in free events the entire weekend.

“We are making this a community-wide event. ... We will have special activities downtown, events and per-formers in town as well, and special sales and vendors,” Liggett said.

A stop at the Jimmy Stewart Mu-seum is a good bet anytime. The venue features artifacts from Stew-art’s childhood and his service in


866-646-8060 | ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com

For more great festivals visit us online at:

DoDineStayFranklinCountyPA.com/FestivalsFor more great festivals visit us online at:

DoDineStayFranklinCountyPA.com/Festivals

Shippensburg Corn FestivalSaturday, August 30, 2014 | 8 - 4 p.m. Downtown Shippensburg, PAMore than 300 craft and food vendors, an antique car show, free family entertainment and a lively corn eating contest!

GREAT FESTIVALS inFranklin Co

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For more great festivals visit us online at:

Mercersburg TownfestSaturday, September 27, 2014 | 9 - 4 p.m. Downtown Mercersburg, PAFeaturing more than 120 crafters, artisans, culinary and local vendors, entertainment from community and school bands, with a children’s fun section on the grounds of the Mercersburg Elementary School.


pennsylvania I kathleen ganster

Late summer in Indiana Co. means fairs and festivals

The Artists Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar in Indiana, Pa., is a great stop in Jimmy Stewart’s hometown.

Indiana Co. Tourism

Fayetteville, N.C., proudly claims it’s the home-town for the U.S. Army, and for good reason. With nearly 55,000 active duty soldiers, Fort Bragg — just outside town — is the largest military base in the country.

Fort Bragg is the home of the Airborne Infantry and Special Operations (the Green Berets and Delta Force). Their long and storied sagas are told at museums and memorials in the area. The most comprehensive is the Airborne & Special Op-erations Museum. It’s dedicated to the history of parachute and special operations from 1940 to the present. The entrance is guarded by “Iron Mike,” a 16-foot statue of a World War II-era paratrooper in full battle kit.

Inside, a massive collection of memorabilia traces the history, starting with how the idea of dropping troops into battle developed during World War II. Walk-through dioramas let you feel what it was like to move through a German-occu-pied French village or imbed with Special Forces during the Gulf War. Docents are more than well-versed in the museum’s collection; many of them are veterans of the missions.

Insider tip: Ask for Al Alvarez, who is often

there. He dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day. (asomf.org)


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Fayetteville features numerous military-related museums

The 82nd Airborne Museum is among the many military museums in Fayetteville, N.C.

Fayetteville Tourism

Once you cross the Wright Brothers Memorial Bridge onto North Carolina’s Outer Banks you can follow Route 12 north toward Duck and Corolla where the rhythms of Currituck Sound have con-trolled the pace of life for centuries. This is the northernmost of the Outer Banks where 16th- cen-tury Spanish explorers herded horses ashore and were forced to leave the mustangs when attacked. Once the paved road ends you can take your four-wheel-drive onto the beach in search of the wild horses though they are mostly found in the area of sand streets behind the dunes.

It makes more sense to take a wild horse tour from one of the local outfi tters like Back Country Safari, which departs from the Inn at Corolla Light, or the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, which departs from the organization’s museum store. Outfi tters offer a variety of vehicles for touring and Bob’s Wild Horse Tours even lets you drive a Jeep while following a guide.

The horses and other wildlife are an integral part of the rhythms of life in this part of the Outer

Banks, and the Wildlife Education Center in the Corolla Heritage Park offers exhibits, an excellent fi lm, and onsite educators who explain the intricate relationship between land, sound, and sea. Climb to the top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, also in the Heritage Park, for a fantastic view of the bar-rier islands.

Accommodations in the Corolla area are mostly vacation home rentals, however, the newly reno-vated Hampton Inn is right on the beach with great views from virtually all rooms. The hotel has an inviting pool and beach, and is convenient to res-taurants and shopping.

The Inn at Corolla Light sits on Currituck Sound and most rooms have great sunset views. It’s also convenient to everything you need, including Fat Crabs, where the owner, a Vienna, Va., native, dishes up local seafood and four different steamers you can eat in or carry out.

The community of Duck, between Corolla and Kitty Hawk, is home to the Sanderling Resort and its onsite restaurants. The low-rise buildings face

Call 877-287-7488 for a free visitor’s guide www.TuckedAwayOBX.com

on the tucked-away shores of Currituck’s Outer Banks, NC.Secluded four-wheel-drive beaches, the legendary Corolla wild

Spanish mustangs, mild coastal temperatures and off-season rates are just a few of the reasons why now is a great time to visit.

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Mustangs and mystery along North Carolina’s Outer Banks

The wild horses roam free among the dunes and scattered homes north of Corolla, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Currictuck Co. Tourismwww.recreationnews.com410-638-6901

fax: 410-638-6902Mailing Address:

1607 Sailaway Circle, Baltimore MD 21221

Fayettevillecontinued from page 39

Outside, the Special Operation Forces K-9 Me-morial honors the more than 50 combat-trained dogs who have been killed on missions since 9/11. The dogs go through extensive training in patrol-ling and parachuting. (Yes, they jump with their handlers.) They share the daily discomforts and dangers with their human partners, and they are credited with saving many lives with their ability to literally sniff out danger. The life-sized statue of a Belgian malinois wears full battle gear. Pav-ers around the statue name each dog, the country where it was serving, and the year it was killed in action. (sofk9memorial.com)

Opposite the museum is the North Carolina Vet-erans Park. It’s a deeply poignant tribute to North Carolinians who’ve worn uniforms from the Revo-lution to the present. Hand prints from veterans from all 100 of the state’s counties rest on pillars, surrounded by free-form sculptures made from salvaged surplus military equipment. Visitors re-flect upon the meaning of “service” at a quiet area

beside a pool filled with cascading water from one of the sculptures. (ncveteransmemorial.org)

On-base sitesThere is more history on Fort Bragg itself. The

82nd Airborne Museum is dedicated to that legend-ary division. Many artifacts were donated by the soldiers who participated in the actions. While people remember the military actions, the mu-seum also highlights the division’s humanitarian work in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. Outside, there’s a display of military air-craft. (82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com)

The JFK Special Warfare Museum details the activities of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations regiments. The Special Forces are well-known, but the roles played by the other units don’t get regular atten-tion. With the motto “Persuade, Change, Influ-ence,” the Psychological Operations (Military Information Support Operations) units use informa-tion distributed through civilian outlets to promote U.S. policy in non-violent ways. The Civil Affairs units work to establish civilian administration and infrastructure in war zones. (jfkwebstore.com)

Two events this summer are special for the Fort Bragg community. Airborne Heritage Day, on Aug. 16, commemorates the first official Army parachute drop on Aug. 16, 1940. The base and museum plan special events including parachute demonstra-tions. The weekend of Sept. 24-26 is the annual International Folk Festival. It celebrates the world-wide make-up of Fayetteville and Fort Bragg’s community, as soldiers and their families have traveled the world and returned with new cultural experiences.

For more information Fayetteville Tourism: visitfayettevillenc.com


d NEED TO KNOWMore than 30 memorials and monuments

commemorating specific units and actions are scattered throughout Fort Bragg. A brochure is available at the Fayetteville visitor center.

To get onto the base, civilians need to show valid driver’s licenses or passports and must enter through the All-American Gate.

pools and large fire pits on the near side of the dunes. Beach views are best from the second floor solarium and outdoor deck or the convenient deck atop the dunes. The well-equipped spa includes an indoor pool and gift shop.

Insider tip: Head to the No. 5 Bar on the second floor of the resort’s Lifesaving Station Restaurant for great views of the sound and the signature drink made with pecan-infused bourbon.

Duck offers plenty of shopping and an eclectic selection of restaurants.

Head south to Roanoke IslandAn easy day trip from the Sanderling, Roanoke

Island is a journey into one of the shadowy myster-ies of America’s beginnings, for it was here that Sir Walter Raleigh sent his first colonists in 1585. Start your own exploration at Festival Park in the charm-ing town of Manteo.

The interactive exhibits show how the colonists came to the area and how the site was selected to hide from Spanish ships.

The big mystery, of course, is what happened to Raleigh’s “lost” colony. One exhibit takes a “CSI” approach, allowing you to theorize what happened based on available evidence.

Just as interesting are the outdoor exhibits — the full-size Elizabeth II launched in 1983, the American Indian Town, and the re-created settle-ment and smithy where a carpenter explains how settlers could build a Tudor-style house in six days and challenges visitors to a game of ninepins.

Manteo offers restaurants and shopping be-fore heading to the other end of the island. There, closer to the actual settlement site, the National Park visitor center offers artifacts and exhibits and a walking trail to the reconstructed earthen Fort Raleigh, originally created by the 1585 or 1587 colonists. The 10-acre Elizabethan Gardens are a pleasant diversion, with shady pathways through gardens reminiscent of the Elizabethan era. There are plants from the gardens for sale as well.

No summertime trip to the island is complete without taking in a performance of The Lost Colony, with its huge cast in the beautiful outdoor setting facing Albemarle Sound.

Charles Massey, a veteran of outdoor dramas, promotes The Lost Colony. “We see ourselves as an unsolved mystery,” he says, noting that there

are phenomenal stories in the 150 people who ar-rived in 1585 as well as the mystery of why they had disappeared when a supply ship arrived in 1590.

The play, in its 77th season, boasts numbers of prominent actors among its alumni, including Andy Griffith. The ship that moves across the back of the stage is the largest hand prop in the Ameri-can theater. Why does the performance continue to attract playgoers? “It’s the unsolved story and it’s what we are all about — people looking for a better way of life,” Massey speculates.

Insider tip: A great way to add to the experi-

ence is the cast dinner and backstage tour offered before performances on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The play runs through Aug. 22. On the way back, there’s plenty of time to reflect on the mys-tery or just relax with the rhythms of the sound and sea.

Learn moreCurrituck Co. Tourism: visitcurrituck.com

Manteo Tourism: outerbanks.cmo/manteo

The Lost Colony: thelostcolony.org

The Elizabeth II is a replica of one of Sir Walter Raleigh’s ships that brought colonists to Roanoke Island in the late 1500s.

Marvin Bond

Musical stars from A to Z — Alan Jackson to ZZ Top — are headliners at Musikfest, a giant music festival coming up Aug. 1-10 in Bethlehem, Pa.

Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Weezer, Jason De-rulo, The Moody Blues, Steely Dan, The All-Amer-ican Rejects, and The Avett Brothers are among other nationally known performers on tap.

The festival, now in its 31st year, draws a million spectators from more than 40 states during its 10-day run. The southeastern Pennsylvania town of Bethlehem is a 185-mile drive from Washington, D.C.

This year’s Musikfest will feature 300 artists from around the globe. Among the performers are the band Southern Hospitality; singer-songwriter Sam Hunt, who has co-written songs with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney; Postmodern Jukebox, which takes pop songs and transforms them into vintage jazz, swing, and doo-wop tunes; and Rick Vito, once part of Fleetwood Mac but now known as King Paris, who performs rock, world, and blues music. Other performances range from hip hop, reggae, and zydeco to classical music and march-ing bands.

“One of the things that makes [Musikfest] spe-cial is the opportunity to go from stage to stage and hear all these different styles of music,” says Mark Demko, who promotes the festival.

Calling itself the largest free music festival in the nation, the event hosts free concerts on 13 of its 14 stages. Concerts at the Sands Steel Stage are ticketed, but more than 500 performances cost nothing.

Some performances take place with 250-foot-tall furnace stacks as a backdrop at the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, created on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. Other venues include churches, performing arts centers, parks, and plazas throughout Bethlehem’s Historic Dis-trict. Most of the concerts are given outdoors.

“It’s a great experience for all ages,” says Demko.

Sponsored by ArtsQuest, a nonprofi t arts or-ganization, the festival is a community effort, with businesses and 2,000 volunteers making it hap-pen. The town has “a wonderful infrastructure” in place for the annual festival, including shuttle services, according to Demko. He suggests festival newcomers download the festival app or check the website for an overview and concert locations.

In addition to the music, there will be 45 arti-sans, selling such items as jewelry, apparel, pho-tography, metal, soaps, and candles. There also will be 60 food vendors, children’s activities, and fi reworks.

Bethlehem was founded by Moravians in 1741, and a rich Germanic infl uence remains in the town. That heritage also is refl ected in the festival through some of the venue names and interna-tional musical fl avors.

“Music really is the universal language,” says Demko.

FESTIVAL AT A GLANCEWhat: MusikfestWhen: Aug. 1-10Where: 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, Pa.Info/tickets: 610-332-3378, musikfest.org

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Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is smokin’ with Musikfest

Keith Urban is among the headliners at this year’s Musikfest.

Musikfest


“I love clay as a metaphor,” says potter Lori Haldeman, whose hands are deep in gray goo while they shape a spinning pot. “You start out with this hunk of clay and end up with something.”

For Haldeman, “something” in-cludes lovely plates, bowls, and pitchers she creates, glazes, fires, then displays at Buxton & Landstreet Gallery & Studios in Thomas, W.Va.

On a recent day, Haldeman worked in her studio while two other artists painted in the large, light-filled gallery.

Holly Hinkle drew inspiration from a butterfly she found on the grounds as she applied oil pastels in layers on the canvas. “It’s like painting with lipstick,” says the artist, known for her colorful contemporary folk art and recycled wood creations.

Sandra Wright polished up a rural scene of a man leaning on his cane. She specializes in personal and fam-ily portraits, using charcoal, oil, or pastel.

The trio is among 70 regional art-ists whose work is represented at the gallery, a handsome building that used to serve as the “company store” when Thomas was a coal town at the turn of the 20th century.

You can still see the original wood staircase. In back are artists’ studios; old church pews serve as temporary resting places for art.

The showroom has high ceilings and an array of fine arts for sale, in-cluding quilts, paintings, art glass, pottery, jewelry, lamps, handbags, furniture, and even dulcimers.

“Lots of people love just to see the building,” says the gallery’s Heidi Haldeen.

Thomas is a village in the Canaan Valley, an area best known for its ski resorts, outdoor recreation, and spectacular mountain views. But the budding arts scene here is also worth a visit. You might say it’s off the beaten path, but the county is more accessible than ever with the new U.S. 48, which has shortened the drive from Washington, D.C., by at least an hour.

In Thomas, buildings from the early 1900s are being rehabilitated for modern uses such as art galler-ies, shops, and restaurants.

The commercial district, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is concentrated on East Av-enue (known as Front Street) and Spruce Street.

You can take a self-guided tour

and learn the buildings’ histories. One was an opera house, which boasted a first-floor saloon. After res-toration, it will become an arts center for live theater, square dancing, and community functions.

A stroll takes you into shops fea-turing artisan-made metal, photog-raphy, jewelry, and leather items. Seth Pitt at the White Room Art Gal-lery uses melted crayons to create unique paintings.

Ben Nelson of MUD Ceramics makes customized mugs. There’s also a general store; antiques, Christmas, wine, and music shops; and the TipTop coffee bar.

Insider tip: Try the “Moscow Mule” cocktail for a kick.

A highlight of Front Street is the Purple Fiddle Café, where live music rocks the place on weekends. On a recent night, the Hillbilly Gypsies performed crowd-pleasing Appala-chian and bluegrass tunes.

Other times, you might hear rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, funk, reggae, blues, or folk music.

A general store in the old days, the café has a casual, family-friendly atmosphere, offering sandwiches, homemade ice cream, and brews.

The Purple Fiddle and the Moun-tain State Brewing Co., also in Thomas, are part of West Virginia’s Mountain Music Trail, which seeks to preserve traditional music. Besides handcrafted ales, the Mountain State Brewing hosts live music and spon-sors Brew Skies, a festival that fea-tures West Virginia breweries and local and national musical acts, each July.

In nearby Davis, the art of mak-ing beer is practiced at Blackwater Brewing Co., an artisanal “bre-whaus” and eatery, where Lincoln Wilkins makes small batches of European-style beers.

WV Highlands Artisans Gallery sells the work of 25 co-op artists. Of-ferings include paintings, photogra-phy, pottery, soaps, hats, and wood art.

Parsons, the county seat, holds the Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival, July 30-Aug. 2.

The area pulls it all together with ArtSpring in May, featuring art and craft demonstrations, studio tours, gallery exhibits, outdoor painting, and street musicians.

Learn moreTucker Co. Tourism: 800-782-2775, canaanvalley.org

Arts tucked away in Tucker County, W.Va.

culture I gwen woolf

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In a former life, I guided wilderness hiking trips for an adventure trekking company. “Gourmet backpacking,” one of our most popular “in-tents” adventures, featured epicurean meals, prepared fresh on the trail.

Guides were expected to make, from scratch, almond pancakes for breakfast, fresh guacamole for lunch, and crab fettuccini for dinner. We baked bread in the campfire, expertly grilled marinated tenderloins over open coals, and presented choco-late fondue desserts made with Gran Marnier and wild huckleberries picked by our guests. Even our coffee was specially ground and filter-brewed.

Our company trips ranged from overnighters on the nearby Appalachian Trail to a week in the Alaskan bush. We never used the freeze-dried or already-prepared camping meals; it was always fresh made from scratch.

We carried minimalist cooking sets with care-fully selected pots, cutlery, dining ware, and micro-miniature, single-burner camp stoves that boiled water in scant minutes. A griddle, designed to fit across two of our stoves, completed the cook-ing outfit. Everything — including the food and clean-up gear — was lightweight and designed to fit easily into our backpacks.

It’s been a few years since I guided one of these treks, but I still use my backcountry culinary skills on some very “frontcountry” expeditions. A well-

planned gastronomic adventure adds a highlight to a day hike, fishing trip, picnic, road trip, or any outdoor escapade that includes an alfresco meal.

I have a daypack with one pouch lined with a sheet of waterproof, closed-cell foam, forming a mini-refrigerator that effectively keeps things cool for a full day on the trail or the river. I’ve used fro-zen tenderloins, pork chops, or chicken breasts — pre-cut in 4-ounce portions in a marinade and herb mix — as cold blocks in my mobile fridge to chill cheeses, pate, crab, and even eggs. (Perhaps the paragon of lightweight, one guide I knew regu-larly used his spare insulated socks as an effective personal-sized cooler.)

Along with a cooler, I carry a thin but durable cutting board for any slicing or chopping. The board also serves as a good prep surface.

Vacuum bottles — the newer double-wall metal kind — are nearly indestructible and open the possibilities of hot soups, stews, and grain dishes from minute rice to quinoa to risotto. Couscous is particularly easy and adaptable. Add the grain, seasoning, and boiling water to the bottle as you begin your hike; then, enjoy a hot pilaf for your trailside lunch.

New offeringsCoincidentally, just before I completed this

month’s column, I received samples of the latest freeze-dried camping foods from Mountain House, a producer of lightweight meals for nearly 50 years. Their new offerings — biscuits and gravy, apple crisp, and fire-roasted vegetables — tap into the growing interest in traditional dishes and flavors. Comparing the new meals to a 1998 pasta primavera pointed out another advancement. Pre-paring the vintage meal required nearly a dozen steps; the new selections take just three.

The adventure that you choose will, to a large extent, dictate your foods and accoutrements. Planning a banquet on hand-painted china and crystal stemware, transporting it all, and preparing an elaborate meal at a remote wilderness site will pose serious, but not insurmountable, problems.

Conversely, the nearby urban park may offer easy access, washing facilities, covered pavilions, pic-nic tables, and grills, but only relatively tame ad-ventures and scenery.

Safety also governs menu choices. Obviously, raw meats, dairy products, some prepared foods, and anything containing raw eggs should not be left at room temperature, let alone in the hot sun. If you plan to travel more than a few minutes away from reliable refrigeration, use a cooler.

Cleanup is the final act of a successful wilder-ness dining organization. The same bags you used to carry food in can also serve to carry trash out. Extra plastic trash bags cleanly carry out soiled pots and cutlery. True backcountry gourmands al-ways leave a site cleaner than they found it.

This month’s recipe focuses on ease of prepara-tion and transportation, but includes cheese and fish. Please chill them properly.

Smoked Salmon Roll-ups(With a “thank you” to Susan Daniel.)Serves 44 soft flour tortillas12 ounces Boursin or similar soft cheese12 ounces smoked salmon2 dozen very thin asparagus spears

Blanch the asparagus. Spread the cheese mod-erately thickly on each of the tortillas. Top with smoked salmon, then top with the blanched as-paragus. Roll the tortilla into a log very tightly and slice crosswise. No cooking is required, the flavors blend beautifully, the asparagus adds a crunch, and when the roll-ups are sliced and laid on their cut sides, you see the white of the cheese, the pink of the salmon, and the green of the asparagus. This pinwheel effect looks like much more fuss than was required. The secret is to spread all the ingre-dients evenly so that every piece has all the colors.

Reed Hellman is a professional writer living in Alberton, Md. Visit his website at reedhellman wordsmith.com or email questions and comments to [email protected].

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Enjoy dining alfresco with tips from a wilderness gourmand

adventures in taste I reed hellman

Mountain House has been providing lightweight meals for camping for nearly 50 years.

Reed Hellman

Indianacontinued from page 38

the military. There are also galleries dedicated to his Hollywood career.

Artist Studio Tour The Artist Open Studio Tour also takes place

the last weekend in September. It’s a once-a-year event where local artists welcome visitors to their studios for the “behind the scenes” look at how they design and create their art.

On Sept. 27, from 11:00am-5:00pm, visitors can stop at the studios and meet informally with more than a dozen artists including potter, painters, and ceramic and fiber artists. Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the country roads of Indiana County while traveling from studio to studio. An easy-to-use map provides locations, directions, and descriptions of the artists for self-guided tours.

“Indiana County has a wealth of talented art-ists. This ‘tour at your own pace weekend’ pro-vides a fun experience to shop and view the many fine collections at each artist’s studio,” Liggett said.

Indiana County is also home to 24 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, an Under-

ground Railroad Museum, and 64 miles of rail trails.

For more informationIndiana Co. Tourism: visitindianacountypa.org

Artist Open Studio Tour: indianaartscouncil.org

One of my favorite Italian dishes is veal Mar-sala, made with the amazing fortified wine of Sic-ily. Unfortunately, Marsala does not get a lot of publicity here in North America other than as a cooking wine in that dish and in other recipes. As a result, there isn’t much available. Perhaps that’s because it’s overshadowed by better-known forti-fied wines, such as port and sherry. Whatever the reason, it’s most unfortunate, because the wine is a delight.

Its production is based around the seaside city of the same name on Sicily’s west coast. Like port and sherry, it is fortified (grape brandy or spirits are added to it increasing the alcohol) which can vary from 17 percent to 18-plus percent depend-ing on the style and aging.

Also, like its counterparts, it comes in both sweet and dry versions and can be red or white depending on the grapes used. It’s made from local, indigenous grapes, with grillo being the most popular for whites, and calabrese, perricone, nero d’avola and nerello mascalese used for the red versions.

Some Marsala is aged in a “solera” system, similar to sherry, where different vintages of wine are blended together.

Classification of Marsala is based on its color, age, alcohol content, and sweetness. From a color perspective, there are three styles. “Ambra” (amber-colored) is made from white grapes, “oro” (gold-colored) is made from white grapes, and “rubino” (red-colored) is made from red grapes.

Aging mattersAging of Marsala takes place in oak, and its age

classifications are interesting. “Fine” is a wine that is aged for at least one year. It’s a simple, straight-forward style often used for cooking. “Superiore” must age for at least two years, but is often kept in wood for up to three. With “superiore riserva,” the wine starts to have more complexity and is wor-thy of sipping as an aperitif or dessert wine. This is aged for at least four years and often up to six. “Vergine” has a minimum aging requirement of five years, but many producers will stretch that up to seven years. A wine labeled “vergine soleras” is a blend of many different years and aged for a minimum of five years. The ultimate in Marsala is “stravecchio.” At least 10 years of aging is re-quired for this baby. Although alcohol content var-ies from 17 percent to 18-plus percent, generally, those styles with lesser aging requirements are fortified at the lower end of the spectrum.

Certain words on the label indicate sweetness. “Dolce” means sweet (100+ grams of sugar per liter), “semi secco” says the wine is semi-dry (be-tween 50 and 100 grams of sugar per liter) and “secco” tells you the wine is dry (fewer than 40 grams of sugar per liter).

Producers to try include Marco De Bartoli, Flo-rio, Curatolo Arini, Pelligrino, and Lombardo.

As mentioned earlier, Marsala’s claim to fame here in North America is as a cooking wine. Gen-erally, drier styles work best with such delights as meats (especially smoked), soft cheese such as goat, olives, and nuts. Sweeter versions go well with desserts (especially chocolate), and strong, aggressive cheese such as Roquefort. More spe-cifically, Marsala sauce works wonders with rib-eye burgers, beef tenderloin, porterhouse, pork

chops, and veal cutlets. Check it out with smoked duck in a fruit compote, or try it with turkey cut-lets or chicken meatballs. Try searing scallops or shrimps in it, or glaze sea bass or tilapia.

For sweets, how about strawberries or dried figs and Marsala? Maybe match it to trifle or truffles. And then there’s tiramisu, baked apples, poached pears, zabaglione, or, one of my favor-ites, homemade cannoli with mascarpone cream. In fact, quality designations for this historic wine have improved so much over the last number of years you’ll be happy simply sipping it straight up as an aperitif or dessert wine.

If you have the opportunity, whether here or in Sic-ily, give Marsala a go. Versatile and delicious, there’s definitely a style that will appeal to every taste.

© Edward Finstein, “The Wine Doctor” 2014. “The Wine Doctor” is Edward Finstein, award-winning author, TV/radio host, renowned wine jour-nalist, international wine judge, professor of wine, and consultant. Website: winedoctor.ca. Twitter: twitter.com/drwineknow. Blogspot: thewinedoctor.blogspot.com. Doc’s Grapevine: winedoctor.ca/docs-grapevine.html. Facebook: facebook.com/edwarddocfinstein?fref=ts


Don’t let better-known fortified wines overshadow the delights of Marsala

wine doctor I edward finstein

Winchester, VA

(540) 662-5555Facebook.com/

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Raystown Lakecontinued from page 35

they are on vacation — that is always fun,” she added.

At the Rockhill Trolley Museum, visi-tors can ride a real trolley.

“And I would be remiss if I didn’t men-tion our caverns. Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks are always a fun stop, especially around Halloween when they host ghost and goblin tours — think haunted house underground,” Stoddard added.

On the water, through the woods, and even underground, there’s always some-thing to do in the Raystown Lake area.

For more informationHuntingdon Co. Tourism: raystown.org


Centre Countycontinued from page 4

The tour is extremely popular, Schleiden adds, and reservations must be made in advance. There are restric-tions as to who can participate, as well. Children under age 8 and those who have had under-gone recent surgery, have back problems, or are pregnant are not allowed on the tour.

Even if you don’t take the Cave Rock Mountain Tour, there is another relatively new at-traction that’s receiving rave reviews. Prospector Pete’s Min-ers Maze is a 4,800-square-foot maze on a paved surface. “It’s a fun thing to do while waiting for tours to start,” says Schleiden, adding that the maze makes for fun family competitions or even team building exercises. On Fri-day nights in October, the Min-ers Maze will turn into a haunted maze. “There is nothing violent

about our haunted maze,” Schleiden is quick to point out, “so it is appropriate for children of all ages.”

Learn moreCentral Pennsylvania Tourism: visitpennstate.org

Penn’s Cave: pennscave.com

Living history at Fort Roberdeau.

Huntingdon Co. Tourism

The Mt. Nittany Marathon take its name from the Central Pennsylvania landmark.

Central Pennsylvania Tourism

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d REVISIT THE REVOLUTION IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Western Pennsylvania was a hotbed of Tory activity during the Revo-lutionary War and Fort Roberdeau, between Huntingdon and Altoona, recalls the effort to protect the frontier settlers and the recently estab-lished lead mining operation there.

Originally built in 1778 and called the “Lead Mine Fort,” it was con-structed with horizontal logs instead of the more common vertical pali-sade because the limestone formations in the area made it diffi cult to dig post holes.

The lead mining operation was important in providing bullets for the American military and was founded by Gen. Daniel Roberdeau, a wealthy merchant and member of Congress.

Maj. Robert Cluggage, in charge of the Fort Roberdeau operation, found skilled lead miners were scarce and France’s entry into the war eased the need for lead production.

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Aug 2014 recreation news