Where Holiday Magic Finds Its Home
There is a moment each year when Oakland seems to glow from the inside out, when storefronts sparkle, familiar faces return, and the cold mountain air feels just a little warmer. The holidays have always suited our small town, and this year’s celebrations promise all...
A Winter’s Journey: Sounds of the Season
The Garrett Community Concert Band will present its holiday concert, A Winter’s Journey: Sounds of the Season, on Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 PM in the Daniel Offutt III Theatre at the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College. The band, under the direction of Dr....
47th Annual House of Hope Food Drive
For over four decades, the House of Hope has been serving unmet and emergency needs for those in our community including operating two food pantries in the area. On Saturday, December 6, supporters of the organization will join together for the 47th annual Cash Drive...
December 2025 Issue
Dear Friends, December always feels a little different in that traditions force me into a slower rhythm, even if just for a few moments. I always look forward to Christmas lights! This month, we are honoring husband and wife, Paul and Tracy Browning, for their decades...
The Quiet Language of Creation
There are artists who paint with brushes, and there are artists who paint with moments Magazine mailed with paper, light, and texture. April Hebden belongs to both. Her work lives somewhere between design and daydream, shaped by curiosity, discipline, and a love for...
November Shopping Guide
A MOUNTAIN FIX Online https://amountainfix.com/ Your favorite Deep Creek gift shop is online and at local events. BAKER’S HOME & GARDEN CENTER 570 Berlin Plank Road, Somerset, PA (Located 1 mile from Route 219) 814-445-7028 • bakershgc.com Open Mon - Sat: 9 AM - 5...
Shop Local, Shop Small This Season
This season, make every purchase count by choosing to Shop Small, Shop Local! Our advertisers are offering great deals and local services to help you enjoy winter while supporting the community. Shopping local keeps our hometown strong, fuels small business success,...
WGW Youth Charities: Practical Support for Local Kids
Thirteen years ago, a golf tournament started by local real estate agent William G. Wiessgerber sparked a simple idea. Bring people together. Raise money. Help local kids. That effort has grown into WGW Youth Charities, a year-round non-profit that supports any and...
November: A “Skip” Around Town
October is always one of the busiest and most beautiful months of the year here on the mountaintop. Even though the colors of our leaves have been muted because of our dry summer, they can still take your breath away. I love driving down some of our country roads,...
Mike Tumbarello
If you’ve seen a local initiative or idea go from “someone should…” to “we did,” you’ve probably seen our Unsung Hero’s fingerprints on it. Mike Tumbarello fell in love with Deep Creek Lake and came to Garrett County with the kind of background you’d expect to stay in...
Friendsville Veterans Memorial Committee
Honoring Service, Sacrifice, and Small-Town Pride If you’ve ever passed through Friendsville, you might have noticed a monument standing quietly near the edge of town. That monument is the Friendsville Veterans Memorial, and behind its creation stands a small group of...
Vietnam 1968
I welcomed New Year’s Eve, 1968, flying across the International Dateline before landing in Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut Air Base, assigned to the 366 Tactical Fighter Wing. The intake clerk asked, “What are you doing here?” I learned some stateside clerk typed 355th instead...
November 2025 Issue
Dear Friends, When November rolls around, I awlays think of the cutsy “Thankful. Grateful. Blessed” sign someone had in their kitchen at one time.. as cliche as it is, it really is a great reminder. In this issue, we’re highlighting a few Veteran stories and some...
Jack O’Lanterns & Other Pumpkin Spice Stuff
Later on this month you’ll be overcome with the irresistible desire to plunge a knife into a fruit...a very big fruit. It won’t be pretty...well...maybe it will be, but you’ll need some practice if you haven’t done this since the Truman administration. Nevertheless,...
AJ’s Adventures
AJ’s Adventures, a new off-highway vehicle (OHV) outfitter based in Kitzmiller, is drawing riders to Garrett County with guided and self-guided side-by-side and ATV experiences on some of Western Maryland’s most scenic and technical OHV terrain. The company’s...
Barn Quilt Association Kicks Off “Facelift” Refurbishment Project
When autumn rolls around in Garrett County, the hillsides turn brilliant with reds, golds, and fiery oranges. But if you take a drive along our winding country roads this fall, you’ll notice more than just the changing leaves. Scattered across barns, sheds, and farm...
Garrett Highlands Pipes & Drums Concert Scheduled: October 11
Mark your calendar: Saturday, October 11 at 11:00 a.m., the Garrett Highlands Pipes & Drums will play a public concert at the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department Firehall (31 S. 3rd St.). Bring a lawn chair, settle in, and you’ll be perfectly placed to watch the...
The Mike Drop
September came and went in a blur of sunshine, food, friends, and more than a few surprises. The month started strong with our Morning Market at Market on 42. The weather was perfect, the vendors brought their best, and the crowd came ready to shop. Farmers, artisans,...
Fall Into Fun at Oakland’s FallFest Weekend!
On Friday, October 10, from 11 AM – 4 PM, Downtown Oakland kicks off the Fall celebrations with games, prizes, delicious food, and rows of local vendors. This family-friendly street festival is the perfect start to an unforgettable Autumn Glory weekend. Explore...
Preview Night for the Antiques & Artisans Market
For one hundred and fourteen years, the Civic Club of Oakland has been active in Garrett County, engaged in many community projects and organizations. For fifty-one years, the Antiques & Artisans Market has been a major fundraiser for the club. The money raised by...
A “Skip” Around Town
What a wonderful end to summer! The weather the past several weeks has been nothing short of spectacular...warm, sunny days and lovely cool evenings. As beautiful as Deep Creek is any time of year, I spent the first week of September at the beach with Caitlin and her...
October 2025 Issue
Dear Friends, Today, I’m thinking about core childhood memories, and the annual Autumn Glory festival carries so many for me: It’s the fireman’s parade where everyone sits on the curb huddled under blankets, the never-ending emergency vehicle lights, the local kids’...
For the Love of Community
This month’s Unsung Hero has a bevy of stories and experiences that could each fill their own article. From high-stakes sports broadcasting to start-up chaos during the Napster years, to fundraisers that bring people together, Missy Gralish has done a little bit of...
Fact-Checking Fall: Autumn Myths
Myth 1: Jack Frost and his palette of natural colors are responsible for the autumnal blushes. Nope. Not even close. Jack is responsible for other things but not fall colors. Leaves can change colors even before Jack makes his yearly appearance. Now, get this: the...