Deep Creek’s Art, Wine and Spirits Festival Returns
The 22nd annual Deep Creek Lake Art, Wine & Spirits Festival hits the Garrett County Fairgrounds Sept. 11-12 with 40 artisans, 39 wine tables and 18 spirit tables.
An hour from Confluence, on the far side of the lake, roughly 200 wines are about to be poured into commemorative glasses for a very good cause.
The Deep Creek Lake Art, Wine and Spirits Festival returns to the Garrett County Fairgrounds on Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12 for its 22nd year, and organizers say this is the biggest one they have put on.
Friday night is the one that sells out
The Premium Wine and Spirits Tasting runs Friday, September 11 from 5 to 8 p.m., advance tickets only, with a limited number possibly available at the gate.
“We’ve added six premium spirit tables to Friday’s Premium Wine and Spirits night, plus 16 premium wine tables,” said Paula Yudelevit, event chair and executive director of HART for Animals.
Friday’s pours include a Comisario Gran Extra Anejo IX, a rare release carrying a Century Award and a 100-point rating. There is live music from Heart 2 Heart, light hors d’oeuvres from FireFly Farms, and a $25 coupon toward in-store purchases built into the ticket.
“Friday’s Premium Wine and Spirits Tasting is not to be missed,” Yudelevit said. “Our selection of wines is hand-selected by experts from wineries around the world.” She also had a word of advice: it sells out quickly, so buy early.
Saturday is the full festival
Saturday, September 12, noon to 6 p.m., with the wine and spirits store staying open until 7. Forty local and regional artisans, 39 wine tasting tables, 18 spirit tables, glass-blowing demonstrations, a football lounge, live entertainment, food trucks and food booths run by local nonprofits.
Saturday tickets come as wine tasting, spirits tasting, or a combination, and all include a commemorative glass and a $15 store coupon.
Mountain readers will notice some familiar names on the artisan list: handcrafted cheeses, local maple syrup, pottery, oil paintings, jewelry and woodwork. Local winery Blackthorne Cellars is pouring its award-winning wines alongside national and international bottles rated 90 and above.
There is also a bigger chilled beverage area this year. “You can buy chilled wines, beer, seltzers, and mocktails to picnic with your favorite foods,” said Jen Meyett, logistics chair and HART president. For anyone skipping the alcohol, Mark’s Mocktails is on hand, fresh off a double gold and 98 points for its mojito at this year’s WSWA competition in Las Vegas.
New this year: an app instead of a paper map
A mobile app lets you find wines, spirits and artists by table number, variety or type, read tasting notes and save favorites. It is live at app.deepcreekwinefest.com.
Where the money goes
The festival benefits HART for Animals in Accident, a nonprofit that pulls homeless pets from local and regional shelters and finds them permanent homes. The HART Animal Center on Bumble Bee Road also runs the Bredel Veterinary Clinic and the Bed ‘n Bark Inn pet hotel.
Garrett College athletes, Maryland State Police, the Northern High School JROTC and the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office all pitch in on the day.
Tickets and lodging
Advance tickets for both days are at deepcreekwinefest.com, including discounted Friday-plus-Saturday combinations. Lodging packages are available through Railey Vacations, The Inn at Silver Tree, Cove Creek, Will o’ the Wisp, Taylor-Made Vacations and Wisp Resort, with more partners to follow.
Source: Garrett County Business Development, August 28, 2026, article courtesy of The Garrett County Republican.