October 7 - 11 2026
59th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Title Sponsor
Wednesday, October 7 - Sunday, October 11, 2026
The annual Autumn Glory Festival is a five-day celebration of autumn that celebrates the beauty of the local fall foliage.
The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area, a program of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, will once again offer their annual Turkey Trail, sponsored by NeuBeam Internet, which celebrates the event’s roots by promoting area turkey dinners served in our region. The Heritage Area will also have two new Fall Foliage Driving Tours highlighting some of the area’s most scenic spots to view our stunning Autumn leaves.
The Town of Oakland and the Greater Oakland Business Association will host the annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade, sponsored by First United Bank & Trust, on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Garrett County’s annual Autumn Glory Festival landed in the international spotlight in 2007, when the popular travel website, MSN.com listed it tops among fall festivals in the world. In 2021, Travel & Leisure listed Oakland as one of the Best Small Towns in the U.S. to See Fall Foliage which led to a segment featuring Oakland and Autumn Glory on the Today show. Good Housekeeping has listed our Oakland, MD among the Top 50 Small Towns with the Best Fall Foliage; Travel & Leisure listed Oakland, MD as the number 2 Best Town for Fall Colors in America; and TripAdvisor selected Oakland, MD as one of 20 Best Fall Vacations in America for Seeing Autumn Foliage. Oakland was also selected by U.S. News and World Report as one of 50 Small Towns Across America with Gorgeous Fall Foliage and Readers Digest listed Garrett County as one of the 11 Road Trips That Showcase Stunning Fall Foliage You Need to Take This Autumn.
Advertise in the Official 2026 Autumn Glory Brochure
Do you host an Autumn Glory event? Promote it in the official 59th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Brochure! This year’s Autumn Glory Festival, sponsored by BILT Construction, will be held Wednesday, October 7 - Sunday, October 11, 2026. 8,000 Autumn Glory brochures will be printed and made available in racks around Garrett County, at the Visitors Center in McHenry, at the Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center along Interstate 68, at Chamber member businesses, distribution centers, via visitor request and more. Along with the ability to advertise your Autumn Glory event with a listing in our brochure, you can also purchase display advertising in the brochure. To purchase a listing or a display ad in the brochure, please complete the Autumn Glory Brochure Listing Form and return it, with payment, by Friday, May 29, 2026.
Completed forms can be emailed to sarah@garrettchamber.com, faxed to 301.334.8073 or mailed to Garrett County Chamber of Commerce 15 Visitors Center Drive McHenry, MD 21541. Please email sarah@garrettchamber.com with any questions.
Grand Feature Parade - Saturday, October 10, 2026
The Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade, presented by the Town of Oakland and the Greater Oakland Business Association, will be held Saturday, October 10, 2026. Visitors gather to view regional bands, local professional and amateur floats, dance teams and dignitaries. The parade begins at 1 pm in downtown Oakland on Omar Street and runs down the length of 2nd Street, rounding Alder Street and then ending on 3rd Street near Fox's Pizza Den. Concessions are available on Green Street located across from Naylor's Hardware.
2025 Fall Foliage Driving Tours
These self guided driving tours will highlight the splendor of Garrett County's fall foliage in the Southern and Northern end of the county. While traveling along some of Maryland's Scenic Byways, you'll see the gorgeous colors of fall everywhere you look. Take your time, drive a little slower and take in the beauty of autumn! Don't forget to have your camera ready!! You won't be surprised if you have some some wildlife sightings on these gorgeous fall days. There really is no better way to spend an autumn day in Garrett County.
Self Guided Extended Fall Foliage Heritage Driving Tour- Southern Garrett County
Tour Highlights: Bloomington Viaduct, Savage River, Monroe Scenic Overlook, Barn Quilts, Historical Markers and Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway.
Drive 54 miles, 1 hour, 30 minutes
The tour begins at the Garrett County Visitor's Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive in McHenry MD. 21541 and continues right onto US 219 South (Garrett Highway), turn LEFT onto Sand Flat Road, at the end turn LEFT onto MD-135, at the set of flashing lights bear RIGHT to continue toward Bloomington/Westernport. Turn LEFT onto Raley Avenue, then a slight RIGHT onto Savage River Road. Turn LEFT onto Dry Run Rd. Turn RIGHT onto Blackhawk School Road. Turn LEFT onto New Germany Rd. then make a sharp RIGHT onto Bittinger RD/MD-495. Turn LEFT onto Rock Lodge Road. Turn RIGHT onto Mosser Road and then turn RIGHT (North) on US-219. Turn LEFT onto Visitor's Center Drive returning to the Garrett County Visitor's Center.
Self Guided Short Driving Fall Foliage Heritage Tour- Northern Garrett County
Tour Highlights: Friendsville, Friend Family Museum, Youghiogheny Lake, the Cove, Barn Quilts, School House Earth & Meshach Browning's grave.
Drive 27 miles approx. 40 minutes
The tour begins at the Garrett County Visitor's Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive in McHenry, MD 21541 and continues LEFT onto US-219 North (Garrett Highway) follow to Cove Road, turn LEFT. Cove Road becomes Old Morgantown Road, stay straight to follow Old Morgantown Road. Turn LEFT onto Friendsville Addison Road, follow into town of Friendsville. Friendsville Addison Road becomes 2nd Avenue, turn RIGHT onto Maple Street. Take the 2nd LEFT onto 1st Avenue toward MD-42. Turn LEFT onto Friendsville Rd. Follow MD-42 to the intersection with Garrett Highway/US-219 South. Turn RIGHT onto Visitor's Center Drive returning to the Garrett County Visitor's Center.
Garrett County Fall Foliage begins late September and peaks in mid-October. For more information please call the Maryland Fall Foliage Hotline at 1-800-LEAVES1
2025 Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the Kick-Off Reception & Dinner, sponsored by Garrett Regional Medical Center, a proud partner of WVU Medicine, for the 58th Annual Autumn Glory Festival on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Meet Autumn Glory King Shane Sisler and Queen Ava Witt during the Cocktail Hour (sponsored by Budget Charters, Inc., Clear Mountain Bank, and Silver Tree Marine, LLC) and bid on the one-of-a-kind canvas during the auction for the official Autumn Glory Photo (sponsored by M&T Bank). Congratulate the winner of the 2025 Golden Ambassador Award, sponsored by The Garrett County Republican and Morin Aviation, LLC. Fall-themed centerpieces and decorations are sponsored by Middletown Valley Bank and Mlend. Following the dinner and program stick around for dancing courtesy of Dinner Entertainment sponsor Usource. The location of the Kick-Off Reception and Dinner is the McHenry Lodge at Wisp Resort.
Silver Sponsors
- - Deep Creek Docks, Inc.
- - First Peoples Community Federal Credit Union
- - The Rodeheaver Group, P.C.
- - Taylor-Made Deep Creek Sales
- - Somerset Trust Company
- - Unique Decor
Bronze Sponsors
- - Deep Creek Spa & Billiards
2025 Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner Sponsors
2025 Official Autumn Glory Photo and Auction
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce produces an official Autumn Glory Festival brochure that includes events around Garrett County. Each year a photo is chosen that represents Garrett County, Maryland’s natural beauty and focuses on an autumn theme featuring fall foliage/colors.
The photo from this year's Autumn Glory brochure cover will be blown up to 20" x 30" and printed on gallery-wrapped canvas. Attendees of the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 will have the opportunity to commemorate the 58th Annual Autumn Glory Festival by bidding on this canvas to display in their own home or office. Only one canvas is available, though all Kick-Off Reception & Dinner attendees will receive a commemorative gift bag featuring the photo on a magnet and a postcard.
All auction proceeds are allocated toward tuition assistance for 2025 Autumn Glory King Shane Sisler and Queen Ava Witt.
58th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Photo Sponsors
Announcing the 59th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Royalty
The 2026 Autumn Glory Royalty has been selected for the 59th Annual Autumn Glory Festival. This year’s Queen Jayden Weaver and King Jaxxton Miller. BILT Construction is the Title sponsor of the 59th Annual Autumn Glory Festival.
Jayden Weaver is grateful for the opportunity to serve as Autumn Glory Queen. Growing up on 2nd Street, she has lived at the heart of Garrett County's traditions, participating in every Autumn Glory parade since she was four years old. Throughout high school, Jayden has worked hard to be a leader both on and off the court/field. She serves as a class representative and National Honors Society Leader, while captaining both her soccer and basketball teams. In soccer, she helped lead her team to the regional finals for the first time since 2018. In basketball, she is proud to be a three-time regional champion, three-time state participant, and a 2026 state champion. She was honored as the most outstanding player in the state championship game, named 2025-2026 Area Player of the Year, and recently awarded the Rick Shaffer Female Athlete of the Year. Beyond athletics, she values giving back to her community. She has completed 80.5 service-learning hours, volunteered at the Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt, Night to Shine at Crossroads, assisted with a canned food drive at Oak Park Church of Brethren, and helped young children in Oakland Youth Basketball League. Jayden wants to show the younger generation watching the parade that with hard work and a deep love for Garrett County, they too can lead our community into the future. Jayden would like to thank her family, friends, coaches, and all of Garrett County for this opportunity.
Jaxxton Miller is honored to represent Garrett County as the 2026 Autumn Glory King. Jaxxton is a senior at Southern Garrett High School, where he is a member of the varsity basketball team. Jaxxton is a senior class officer and a member of the National Honor Society. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, spending time with friends, and playing pickleball. For the past seven summers, he has been counselor at 4-H camp Algawa. Jaxxton is the ninth generation of his family to call Garrett County home and would like to thank his family, friends, and all of Garrett County for the opportunity to represent them at the 59th Autumn Glory Festival.
The Autumn Glory King & Queen will preside over the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner to be held on Wednesday, October 7, and they will be featured in the Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade, presented by the Town of Oakland and the Greater Oakland Business Association, on Saturday, October 10. Besides having the honor of representing their home county during the Autumn Glory Festival and at various other events throughout the summer and fall, the Royalty will receive a monetary contribution towards future educational attainment endeavors.
The 59th Annual Autumn Glory Royalty is generously sponsored by Byco Enterprises, Inc., Chessie Federal Credit Union, David Jochynek State Farm, Healy Insurance Group Inc., Railey Realty, The Rowdy Rooster Bar & Grille, and Silver Tree Marine.
(Pictured from left to right: King Jaxxton Miller, Queen Jayden Weaver, Megan Hinebaugh, Tyler Willmon, and Tim Reed)
2026 Autumn Glory Golden Ambassador
The Golden Ambassador is announced at the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner. The title of "Golden Ambassador" is awarded by the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce to a person who has contributed to and supported tourism in Garrett County. The Golden Ambassador is selected by a committee of former Golden Ambassador winners. Only Chamber members may nominate fellow Chamber members for this prestigious title.
If you are interested in nominating someone for this distinction, please complete the Golden Ambassador Nomination Form. Please submit your completed nomination form to Sarah Duck by email at sarah@garrettchamber.com, fax at 301.334.8073 or mail, or drop off, your completed nomination to the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce located at 15 Visitors Center Drive McHenry, MD 21541 by 5 pm on Friday, September 4, 2026.
For the purposes of this award only, Chamber members shall mean owners, employees and volunteers of a Garrett County Chamber member organization. Only one nomination form is required per nominee; multiple nomination forms for an individual will only be used for additional information about the individual but do not count as multiple nominations. The winner of Golden Ambassador title will be announced at the 2026 Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
2025 Golden Ambassador Sponsors
Morin Aviation
2025 Autumn Glory Festival Turkey Trail
Celebrate the Autumn Glory Festival with a taste of local tradition. More than a decade before the Autumn Glory Festival became an annual event, a group of turkey growers organized and promoted community turkey dinners. “The turkey dinners were an on again-off again event until the Lions Club became involved in the 1960s,” said local historian John Grant. However, the idea of a large festival to attract visitors to the area remained popular and led to the start of the Autumn Glory Festival. Today, more than 50 years later, turkey dinners are still a favorite tradition of the festival celebration.
The Turkey Trail is an easy-to-use tool for visitors and residents to locate our county-wide dinners served at restaurants, churches, grocery stores and other organizations. The Turkey Trail flyer contains a map, contact information, hours of operation, cost and the delicious items that are included with each dinner. Turkey dinners around the area offer a variation of turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, vegetable, rolls and dessert. (Check flyer for specific offerings at each location). Click here to download the official 2025 Turkey Trail! Printed copies of the Turkey Trail flyer are also available at the Garrett County Visitors Center in McHenry.
Visit garrettheritage.com for more information.
58th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Turkey Trail Sponsors
