Activities

Heritage Parade - Time: Begins at 10:00 AM – Location: Main Street

The Middletown Heritage Festival Parade kicks off the Festival with the Frederick County Honor Guard leading the parade down Main Street to Elm Street. With its dance groups, floats, marching bands and a variety of community organizations, the parade is always a highlight of the day.

The Grand Marshal for our 28th annual parade is Kathleen Rudesill. Mrs. Rudesill has great pride in Middletown, having lived in town for more than 40 years. She is active in the Auxilary of the Salvation Army, Frederick Memorial Hospital, AmVets Post 9 and past president and active member of the Middletown Valley Historical Society. She is also a professional story teller and is a mother of two sons and grandmother to five.

Pie Eating Contest

Time: 2:15pm

Pre-register by emailing name, phone number and age to middletownpie@gmail.com by Sept 21st. Sponsored By Bobbi Prescott – Remax Results.

Living History Encampments

Location: Main Street at the Christ Reformed Church Green Space.

The South Mountain Sutlers will demonstrate soap making, butter churning, wool spinning, writing with quill pens, cooking over a fire and have 18th century  objects for everyday life on display. French & Indian War era groups will show what life was like when General Braddock and a young George Washington   came through Middletown.  Native American dancing performances by Potomac Dancers. Our German heritage will be highlighted by MHS German language students.  Visit a Civil War soldier’s camp with re-enactors portraying Union soldiers from the 1st Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade. This unit was organized at Frederick, Maryland August 15, 1861 and fought in the battles of Gettysburg, New Market and Monocacy. Everyday activities of the common  soldier’s life will be on display including soldier’s rations, personal items, uniforms, weapons and gear.

Heritage Children’s Crafts

Time: Begins at Noon

Location: State Farm Parking Lot behind 17 W. Main Street.

FREE of charge! Sit and relax and let your child create their own artistic masterpieces. This year’s crafts include making a “Middletown Hot Air Balloon”, decorating your own parasol, making a Mushroom House, repurposing a water bottle to create a Jelly Fish; and creating Glitter Scratch Offs (2 years and up).

Middletown Heritage Hunt -“M I D D L E T O W N” Sponsored by Main Street Middletown
Find the items pictured in our “Heritage Hunt”, and you could win a prize! Pick up an entry form at the Main Street Middletown Booth located in front of  Town Hall. As you travel through the festival area, look for our pictured letters, identify where they are and return the completed form. All complete and  correct entries will be entered into a drawing for prizes. Entries must be returned to the Main Street Middletown Booth by 3:00 p.m. to be eligible for prizes.

Historial Society House Tour & Booth

Location: 305 West Main Street
Hearth cooking demonstration by local period cooking expert, Sally Waltz in the old summer kitchen. 10 am – 3 pm. Museum house open for tours throughout the day. Allnatural crafts and historical items for sale. Visit the Historical Society’s booth in the Festival area.

Lamar Center Tours

Location: 200 West Main Street

Tour the surgical center and sanitarium of Dr. Austin Lamar. Restored and maintained by the Central Maryland Heritage League, Dr. Lamar’s surgical suite, recovery room and equipment are on display.

Heritage Festival Booth

Location: Main Street in Front of Town Hall
Be sure to check out the Middletown Heritage Festival booth. We have loads of merchandise for sale to remember your day at the festival! Mugs, t-shirts and other great keepsakes await you at the Heritage Booth.

Christmas in the Valley Ornament - Town of Middletown Booth
In honor of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, the 2012 Christmas in the Valley ornament depicts a scene from the Civil War in Middletown. When the  Confederates passed through town, they attempted to take Nancy Crouse’s Union flag. Nancy Crouse wrapped herself in the flag and declared “You may shoot me, but never will I willingly give up my country’s flag into the hands of traitors.” Previous years ornaments will also be available. Proceeds fund Christmas in the Valley.

Zion Lutheran Church

Location: Main Street in Front of Town Hall

Rich in history dating back to 1740, Zion’s current structure was designated as a general hospital during by the U.S. Army during the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. Step back in time to a civil war hospital and learn about the medical practices and challenges during this time period. A demonstration of a Civil War field hospital presented by Zion Lutheran Church and the Civil War Medicine Museum. Antique quilt show downstairs in the church social room.

Visit the Middletown Fire Department Auxiliary Breakfast on Heritage Morning for their Annual All You Can Eat Breakfast. From 7 am to 11 am.

Middletown Library Book Sale - Located in the Old Memorial Hall Building on East Main Street which was built in dedication to Middletown’s veterans from World War I.
Saturday 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Christ Reformed Church Quilt Raffle and Booth -
Location: Christ Reformed Front Lawn
See the handmade quilt on display and purchase your raffle ticket for a chance to win this beautiful heirloom keepsake. They will also have a Basket and Craft sale and a Moon Bounce.

READ MORE about the history of Middletown.