17th Annual Festival slated for Sept 10 & 11

The Deep Creek Lake Art & Wine Festival returns to McHenry, MD with a few changes since 2019. The Premium Wine Tasting area is now Friday, September 10, from 5-8 pm. On Saturday, September 11, the festival will feature wine tasting, artisans, a football lounge with craft beer on tap for sale, entertainment, food, and fun. The festival is from noon to 6:00 pm at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. Wines may be purchased directly from the Premium Wine Tasting on Friday and all others in the wine store on Saturday. The wine store remains open until 7 pm.

Other than the craft beers on sale in the Football Lounge, the festival committee has decided not to have beer tasting. “We want everyone to be happy, says Mary Callis, co-chair. “We have learned from our mistakes: beer and wine do not mix! And while we tried for two years, we think it’s time to retire the beer tent. We’d rather be doing what we’ve done right for 16 years than continue to make our patrons unhappy.” Co-chair, Paula Yudelevit agrees. “The truth is, we have to buy the beer we sample. When a case is broken from a purchase, we also have to cover the cost of the left-over case. As two nonprofits, it doesn’t make sense. We run out of samples quickly, which is not an enjoyable situation for our patrons. The football lounge with beer on tap for sale is the best of both worlds.”

The festival, held as a benefit for HART for Animals and the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF), also includes Friday night pre-fix wine pairing dinners at local restaurants surrounding Deep Creek Lake and the nearby vicinity. The popular dinners pair appetizers, entrees, and desserts with wines from throughout the United States. Menus for the dinners are posted on the event’s website at www.deepcreekwinefest.com.

Regional, national and international wines will be available for tasting on Saturday and a selection of premium wines will be available for tasting Friday night in the Premium Wine Tasting Area. For an additional cost, guests will enjoy highly rated and estate-bottled wines, along with hors d’oeuvres in a private area in the Exhibit Hall. Tickets may be purchased separately in advance online, or in combination with the Saturday festival.

Guests can watch the college game of the week on a big screen TV in the Mountain State Brewing Company/The Stogie Company Football Lounge. Ice cold tap beer will be on sale in the lounge and the Stogie Company will be offering their cigars in the Cigar tent immediately outside the lounge area.

Guests will also enjoy works by local and regional artisans. Jewelry, pottery, oil paintings, hand crafted wood work and more will be featured. Food artisans include handcrafted cheeses, biscotti and other delectable food items.

An online program for smart phones and other mobile devices at the event allows patrons to view the wines while saving their selections to a Favorite page for purchasing ease.

Advance tickets to the Saturday festival are $30.50 (which includes a service charge) online at www.deepcreekwinefest.com, and $37 at the entrance to the festival on Saturday, September 11. The cost includes entry to the festival, unlimited wine tasting, and a commemorative glass. Under 21 entry is $12 per person. 12 and under are admitted free. The Premium Wine Tasting on Friday, September 10 is $35 per person in advance online. A combination ticket for Friday night Premium Wine Tasting and Saturday General Admittance is $63 in advance.

Art & Wine Festival lodging packages are available at participating hotels, B&Bs and resort rental agencies. The package includes entrance to the Saturday festival, wine tastings, a commemorative wine glass and lodging.

“A special thank you needs to go to our amazing sponsors,” notes festival co-chair Mary Callis. Sponsors include McHenry Beverage, Solnet, Taylor Made Vacations & Real Estate, Railey Real Estate and Vacations, Deep Creek Watershed Foundation, Thousand Acres Golf Club, Hideaway Company, Lakefront Lodge, Mountain State Brewing Company, The Stogie Company, Perry’s, Arrowhead Market, Taco Bell, My Bank! First United, Diamond Appliance Repair, Shop ‘n Save, Little Mountain Promotions, NuWay Interiors, Deepcreektimes.com, Porch, Hire a Helper, Inspection Support Network, Michael Larkin of Morgan Stanley.

“The festival has been a success because of our committee,” says Paula. Mary agrees. “These volunteers put hundreds of hours into this event, even with full-time jobs and other obligations. It’s a lot of work!” The 2021 committee includes Mary and Paula as co-chairs, Eric Robison, Andy McKenzie, Michael Pellet, Jen Meyett, Betty Ellington, Erin Croake, Sue Arnson, Jimmy Flanigan, Joe Refosco, Kelli Palamar, Lilian Steele, Edward Faley, Coby Blom, Jess and Russ Dijak.

Garrett College Athletes, Maryland State Police, Northern High School JRTOC, and the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office contribute to the success of the festival.

HART for Animals, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless pets in Western Maryland. Through a network of volunteers – individuals and rescue organizations – HART is able to rescue animals from the Garrett County shelter and give them a chance to find a permanent home. The HART Animal Center on Bumble Bee Road in Accident, MD, offers full-service veterinary services at the Bredel Veterinary Clinic, day and overnight accommodations at the Bed ‘n Bark Inn pet hotel, and grooming services at MUTTWorks Salon. The 12,000 square foot building was completed in April of 2016, with the addition of the HART Adoption Wing, where adoptable animals will never have to be euthanized.

Garrett Lakes Arts Festival’s (GLAF) primary purpose is to improve the quality and scope of performing arts for local residents and visitors to Garrett County. The non-profit organization considers high-quality performing arts to consist of nationally or regionally recognized professional artists in the fields of dance, music and theatre. Arts education provides elementary through high school students experiences that enhance their appreciation and understanding of performing and visual arts. GLAF’s mission is to present high-quality performing arts and provide arts education that appeals to diverse tastes, is affordable, and is suitable for all ages. A core of 22 citizens evolved from the originators, many of whom remained in leadership roles serving with dedication and distinction in the ensuing years.

For more information on the Deep Creek Lake Art, Wine & Beer Festival, please visit www.deepcreekwinefest.com.