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 29th annual parade is Mr. Randy Sowers. Randy began farming in the early 1980’s with his wife Karen and they have since built a dairy processing plant that produces farm fresh and all-natural products for over 8,500 customers in DC, MD, VA, and PA. Glass bottled milk, Certified Humane eggs, and more can be delivered to your doorstep, thanks to Randy’s hard work! Randy and Karen wake up every morning at 1:30am to milk a herd of over 200 cows and work tirelessly throughout the day. Randy’s goal is to become one of the top agricultural educators in the state of Maryland and is actively involved in the Middletown community. His famous tagline marks almost all delivery trucks, “If you want your milk straight from the cow, you have to call South Mountain Creamery.” Learn more at www.southmountaincreamery.com

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 flowers and arrange them in a vase, put together a variety of trucks, pom pom animals, create Hodge-Podge crafts, make your own Middletown Mug or Mosaic Canvas and decorate a Propeller Beanie.

Historical 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 located on Main Street in front of Town Hall. 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
The 2014 Christmas in the Valley collectible ornament honors Middletown’s rich agricultural heritage. The view is taken from near the water tower looking southwest towards downtown. The plowed fields and cow represent the farming that continues today. The red barn was placed in the scene to represent the many barns that dot our valley. This ornament in 7th in a series. The ornaments are available for sale on the Town of Middletown’s booth at Heritage Days, at the town office during normal business hours and at Christmas in the Valley. $25 with a stand.

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
Location: 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
Location: Christ Reformed Front Lawn
They will also have a Basket and Craft sale and a Moon Bounce.  A bake sale, apple dumplings and delicious lunch available in the downstairs social room.