James Rada, Jr.
For 60 years now, Catoctin Colorfest has turned the second weekend in October into an appreciation of beauty both natural and created. Nowadays, around 125,000 people travel to Thurmont to admire the color of the changing leaves in the Catoctin Mountains and browse through the art and craftwork of talented artisans.
Catoctin Colorfest boasts 240 juried exhibits, plus many more vendors in and around the town. You can find original paintings, metal sculptures, hand-sewn quilts, homemade soaps, unique jewelry, and much more.
“The atmosphere for Catoctin Colorfest is really important,” said Carol Robertson with Catoctin Colorfest, Inc., the volunteer group that organizes the annual event. “The locale nestled in the mountains is attractive to people.”
It is the locale that gave birth to Catoctin Colorfest. In 1963, Catoctin Colorfest was not much more than a nature walk. The first four Catoctin Colorfests were nature walks that Catoctin Mountain Park Naturalist Duncan Burchard organized. Those events attracted about 60 people a year and were centered around Catoctin Mountain Park.
In 1968, art exhibits, church dinners, orchard tours and apple butter boiling were added to the attractions. At the park, music and exhibits were added, but the focus was still on the leaves on the trees.
“The three-hour walk leads to Thurmont Vista and Wolf Rock with two of the Park’s most scenic views,” the Frederick News reported.
Attendance grew and buses were used to transport people up to the park. By 1971, 30,000 people were attending the weekend’s activities. Craftspeople began exhibiting at the Thurmont Community Park in 1973. By 1975, attendance was up to 75,000 people a year.
“I can remember when it was just a small group of artisans at Community Park,” Robertson said. “Then we had a few picnic tables in the park with some vendors and we struggled along until the 80s.”
This juried artisan area remains the main element of Catoctin Colorfest, but as the festival has grown, so have the number of areas where people set up booths. Yard sales and non-juried craft shows spring up everywhere around Thurmont. The town closes off blocks of South Water Street and Frederick Road to accommodate the mass of people. The town government also pays for buses to provide a free shuttle service from various parking areas around town, including the schools.
The Thurmont Lions Club was one of the early organizations that saw the festival as a fundraising opportunity. The club sells food to visitors, including deep-fried Snickers candy bars and deep-fried Twinkies.
Catoctin Colorfest represents the largest fundraiser of the year for many community organizations. The local school PTAs park cars at the schools and can raise around $5,000 in a weekend. The American Legion and Guardian Hose Company rent vendor spaces on their properties.
Catoctin Colorfest also donates to town events and supports organizations, such as the Thurmont Food Bank, Thurmont Police, Thurmont Ambulance Company, and Guardian Hose Company.
“Last year, we gave over $20,000 in donations, including $5,000 in gift cards for the food bank,” Robertson said.
Catoctin Colorfest also provides thousands of dollars in scholarships each year. This year alone, the organization has awarded $14,500 in scholarships.
Robertson credits long-time president Bev Zienda for growing Catoctin Colorfest to the size that it is today. Zienda kept the festival going and expanded the marketing to reach more and more people.
Robertson said working on everything that has to do with Catoctin Colorfest—preparing for the show, marketing the show, making donations, and more—is a year-round commitment to both Catoctin Colorfest and Thurmont.
This year, Catoctin Colorfest is celebrating its 60th year, and the event will be recognized with a special proclamation from the State of Maryland during the October 1 Thurmont town meeting.
A photo of Catoctin Colorfest taken near the front entrance to the town park.
