June 4th-5th 2021

Travel back in time to the Garrett County Celtic Festival to celebrate the heritage, arts and culture of the Appalachian immigrants from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Brittany.  The festival takes place in Friendsville, MD along the bonnie banks of Youghiogheny River.

Day 1:

Enjoy a leisurely ride to Wisp Resort, located in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.  Arrive early afternoon at the top of Marsh Mountain where we will visit Maryland’s only ski resort control center and learn how snow is made then a short walk to the Whitewater Rafting Course, a re-circulating course that was home to the 2014 World Canoe Federation Championship.  Take a leisurely scenic chairlift ride down the mountain. The views are spectacular with the trees coming to life at the end of winter and the lake starting to bust with activity. Check-in to The Lodge at Wisp where dinner will be served then relax by our courtyard fire pit.  Roasting marshmallows is a great way to end the evening. 

Day 2:

Rise and Shine to a delicious breakfast.  Check-out and say cheerio to the hotel staff.  The festival will be bustling with all kinds of activity on 3 stages and 3 fields. 
 Traditional & Contemporary Celtic Music
 Pipe & Drum Band Parades
 Irish & Scottish Dancers
 Celtic Village Artisans & Vendors
 Grub & Grog
 Glen of Clans & Living History Units – visit and encampment of different families flying their family tartan
 Great Highland Athletes
 Children’s Event – crafts, costume making, face painting, birds of prey, Celtic stories, myths and songs, pirates, Highland athletics (6-12), kids parade
Lunch will be on your own.  Departure for home will be from the festival.  Or extend your weekend and let us create additional activities to do. 

Package includes: 

 Lodging 1 night at The Lodge at Wisp
 1 continental breakfast at Wisp
 Scenic Chairlift Ride
 Admissions to the Festival
 Taxes and Service Charges
 1 dinner at Wisp
 Snowmaking & Whitewater Rafting Tour
 Courtyard Fire Pit with s’mores

Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Appalachian Mountains to beautiful Garrett County, Maryland.  First stop will be in the town of Grantsville. Enjoy over 900 varieties of candy as you explore Candyland at Farmers Market.   Located just off the Historic National Road is the High Country Creamery and Market. See how Head Cheese Maker and his team create delicious cow’s milk dairy products such as their delicious dill curds or scrumptious aged cheddar.  Sample the cheese and visit the gift shop. 

Depart High Country Creamery and enjoy a leisurely ride through the farmland.  Look for barn quilts along the way.  
Our next stop will be at the Deep Creek Lake Art, Wine, & Beer Festival, which benefits HART for Animals and Garrett Lakes Arts Festival, features beautifully handcrafted works by local and regional artisans, more than 200 wines to taste, a beer tent featuring small batch beers, a lounge to watch college football, live entertainment, food, silent auction and so much more.  Lunch is on your own at the festival. 

A must on everyone’s bucket list is the scenic chairlift ride to the top of Wisp Mountain and enjoy breathtaking views of Deep Creek Lake.   

Enjoy an All American Steak Out at Wisp Resort.  Hand-cut New York Strip and BBQ Chicken served with Caesar Salad, Baked Potato, Grilled Seasonal Vegetables, Cornbread and Fruit Pie with Hand-shipped Cream. 

Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Appalachian Mountains to beautiful Garrett County, MD.  First stop will be in the town of Accident.  Yes that is correct and you must visit us to find how Accident got its name.  Our stop in Accident will include Firefly Farms & Creamery, talk to the cheese makers and discover how their handmade goat cheeses have become world renowned.  Visit the Rolling Pin Bakery and enjoy fresh homemade donuts, seasoned cheddar pretzels, muffins, breads, coffees, Grandma’s Jam House jellies and much more.  Enjoy a beverage.  A mini loaf of bread and a small jar of Grandma’s Jelly will be available to take with you. 

A must on everyone’s bucket list is a scenic chairlift ride to the top of Marsh Mountain overlooking Deep Creek Lake.  The mountain views and lake views are spectacular.  Relax at Wisp Resort while your lunch is served. 
Visit Wisp’s Control Center and learn how snow is made for our winter guests to enjoy.  While on top of Wisp Mountain a quick visit to ASCI for a lesson on how this re-circulating whitewater rafting course hosted the World’s Canoe Competition in September 2014. 

Did you know that Garrett County is also home to Maryland’s tallest waterfall?  Cameras are a must when we visit Swallow Falls State Park, home to Maryland’s largest waterfall.  Muddy Creek Falls is a crashing 53-foot waterfall – a spectacular sight.  Our final visit is to the Farmers Market home to over 700 different kinds of candy. 

Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Appalachian Mountains to beautiful Garrett County, MD.  First stop will be in the town of Grantsville.  Located just off the Historic National Road is the High Country Creamery and Market.  See how Head Cheese Maker and his team create delicious cow’s milk dairy products such as their delicious dill curds or scrumptious aged cheddar.  Afterwards, head to downtown Grantsville for a stop at the Grantsville Museum located in the former First State Bank.  Peruse the historic photographs of Leo Beachy who shot the region from 1905-1927.  Learn about the B-52 Bomber that crashed in 1964. 

A must on everyone’s bucket list is the scenic chairlift ride to the top of Marsh Mountain overlooking Deep Creek Lake.  Relax on the deck or dine in a yurt at Wisp Resort while your lunch is served.  The mountain views and lake views are spectacular.   

Our next stop is a visit to Simon Pearce Glass Blowing Factory originally from Kilkenny, Ireland.  Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the glassblowing process and visit their retail gift shop. 

The next visit is to the town of Oakland, a state and nationally recognized Main Street Community.  Meander through the unique shops and visit Oakland B&O Museum (a restored 1884 train station) or the group can visit the local Shawnee Trading Post and be amazed at this collection of beautifully carved life size statues made   

The next stop will be Bear Creek Traders which offers the best Deep Creek Lake souvenirs and apparel.  A souvenir will be available for you.  Our final visit is to Huey’s Ice Cream where we will enjoy a delicious scoop of ice cream.

Connecting Students through Outdoor Education 

Wisp Resort has partnered with the Center For Adventure & Experiential Learning (CAEL) at Garrett College and the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) to connect students with nature and the outdoors through environmental education and adventure outdoor recreational experiences.  Wisp Resort will package the experience with lodging and meals to create a customized tour just for your group.

Here are a few sample Student Tours & Programs:

Whitewater Rafting – Students raft the whitewater course a ASCI in guided 6 person rafts.  The experience lasts 2 hours, including 20-30 minutes of outfitting and orientation.  The Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) provides the perfect setting for students to both paddle on the whitewater and hike around the manmade river to learn how it was engineered. 

The Science of Snowmaking – How does Wisp Resort make snow for the ski slopes?  Visit the Control Center that contains equipment and computers used to monitor and control various pieces of the snowmaking process.  Learn how the weather stations play an important role at Wisp. 

Turf Life – Students form small groups and transition from station to station around the clubhouse area.  Learn how turf and grounds are metered, measured and maintained.  Learning labs include soil samples, drainage experiments, measuring large areas for practical application, measuring greens speed, equipment operation and a visit to maintenance facility.  Students will enjoy chipping, putting and the driving range. 

Gravity is Fun – 30 minute lesson/approximately 2 hours in length.  Students ride the mountain coaster and challenge themselves on the various obstacles on the Spider Monkey Challenge Course or the Chipmunk Challenge Course in an effort to understand the interchange of potential and kinetic energies and the roll of friction and release of heat. 

Build A Boat - Students construct boats from cardboard & other materials to be floated in the pool.  Program focuses on engineering and team work. 

Scavenger Hunt – Groups will use riddles, rhymes and photos to solve and find their clues. Acquiring the combination of collected items and photos keeps the teams moving throughout the event.  This activity encourages leadership and teambuilding. 

Slopeside Fireplace with S’mores – relax and enjoy the evening stars while roasting marshmallows.