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Today, the Carroll Book Festival opens at 10 a.m. at the Farm Museum with more than 100 authors across six stages — the first year of an event five years in the making. Jodi Picoult takes the Penguin Random House Stage at 11 a.m. Picoult’s talk is sold out but tickets remain for a photo opportunity with her that comes with a copy of her book, Hollow Bones.
But it isn't the only thing happening. Woofstock lands at Wakefield Valley Park for the first time, the Live Hope Laugh flea market takes over the Ag Center grounds, TotSwap continues, and the Milk Run steps off at 8:30 a.m. out at Tahoma Farm Park to fund milk vouchers for Carroll County families.
Looking ahead: the Community Foundation hands out its We Are Carroll Awards Wednesday, and the Maryland Microbrewery Festival returns to Union Mills next Saturday.
Let's get into it.
👀 Around Town
📚 The Carroll Book Festival is here — today, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St. More than 100 authors are spread across six stages. Free admission, no reservations for author panels, first-come first-served. The festival is entirely outdoors and runs rain or shine, with free parking at both the Farm Museum and the Ag Center, and it's a pet-free event. Full schedule · program PDF · FAQ.
🐕 Woofstock moves to Westminster this year — today, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., at Wakefield Valley Event Center & Park, 1000 Fenby Farm Road. Suggested admission is $10 per car, by donation, with all proceeds going to the Humane Society of Carroll County. The day includes live music, food trucks, vendors, pet demonstrations, a petting zoo, a car show and area rescues on site with adoptable animals. The 5K Fun Run steps off at 9 a.m., the 1-mile Leash-urely Walk at 10:30 a.m., and Puppy Yoga runs in two sessions (10–11 a.m. and noon–1 p.m., $25, bring your own mat). Dachshunds and dachshund mixes 6 months and up can still enter the Wiener Dog Races, which start at noon — $25 per dog in advance, $35 day-of. Details and registration.
🥛 The Milk Run & Stroll is in its 12th year — registration at 7:30 a.m., race at 8:30 a.m. today at Tahoma Farm Boulder Park on Tahoma Farm Road. There's a 5K on paved paths and a 2K (1¼-mile) walking course. Day-of registration is $41; members of the WRRC and Eldersburg Rogue Runners clubs and students pay $21. Proceeds support Carroll County Food Sunday's milk voucher program and its other supplemental nutrition work in the county. Registration and details.
🛍️ The Live Hope Laugh Annual Flea Market runs today, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. New spot this year: the Ag Center's listing says the market "has moved from the Reese Carnival Grounds to the Carroll County Ag. Center's grass area." Live Hope Laugh is a Westminster nonprofit that supports children and teens living with chronic illness, best known locally for its annual Night of Giving. About the organization · event listing.
👶 TotSwap continues today at the Carroll County Ag Center, 706 Agricultural Center Drive — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. with no ticket required. The sale continues Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. with discounts, and wraps with the Dollar Dash Monday, 9–10 a.m. (adults only on that one). Sale details.
🌽 The Carroll County Ag Center Corn Maze opened for the season yesterday at 706 Agricultural Center Drive — Fridays 6–10 p.m., Saturdays 2–10 p.m. and Sundays noon–6 p.m., running through Nov. 1, with a special Halloween opening Saturday, Oct. 31. Event listing.
🎬 R/C Westminster Movies 9, at 400 N. Center St., has another Mystery Movie Monday queued up for Monday, Sept. 21 — all the theatre will say is PG-13 and 1 hour 55 minutes. Their post doesn't list a showtime, so check with the box office. Theatre info and showtimes · see the post.
👋 The Aging Your Way Expo fills Shipley Arena at the Carroll County Ag Center on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Run by the Carroll County Division of Aging & Disabilities, the health and wellness expo draws roughly 2,000 people and is aimed at older adults, people with disabilities, veterans and their caregivers — with vendor prize bingo, medication disposal, wellness services, a veterans area and technology help. The Ag Center's listing advertises free admission and a free onsite shuttle. County event page.
🎡 Westminster Fallfest opens Thursday and runs Sept. 24–27 at City Park, 11 Longwell Ave. — amusement rides from Snyder's Attractions, more than 80 craft and business vendors Saturday and Sunday, a Kids Zone, a BMX and muscle bike show, and the opening parade down Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Thursday evening. Full schedule.
🌃 And downtown gets its own Fallfest night: Westminster After Dark returns Friday, Sept. 25, with 19 participating businesses staying open late along Main Street, plus the usual late-night restaurants. If you've been here long enough to miss Midnight Madness, that's the point — organizers describe After Dark as the effort to "keep the 'Madness' alive" after Midnight Madness stopped running years ago. Live music runs roughly 6 to 11 p.m.: Kerplung at City Park Gaming & Brew Room (133 E. Main), a cello player at Serenity + Sol (66 E. Main), a solo artist on the Collision Course patio (61 E. Main), jazz at Covalent Spirits, something upbeat and funky at Westminster New & Used Furniture (31 W. Main), and karaoke at the Sentinel Lot (11 Liberty). Sponsored by the Downtown Business Association and the City of Westminster. See the event map.
🦪 Tickets are available for the Westminster Oyster Stroll, Saturday, Oct. 10, noon–4 p.m., in downtown Westminster — an annual festival of oysters, music and food that City of Westminster Parks and Recreation runs to raise awareness about Chesapeake Bay farm-raised oysters. VIP tickets ($40, or $38 for six or more) and Gehr Lot reserved seating ($30, or $28 for six or more) are on sale now; general admission is $15 and sold on event day only, free for children 12 and under. Details and tickets.
⚽ The James D. Ball Athletic Field Complex at Carroll Community College opened Sept. 17 and has now hosted its first Carroll Lynx games. The Community Media Center taped the kickoff ceremony if you missed it. Lynx schedules · watch the ceremony.
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🏅 Community Foundation to Honor Four Carroll County Philanthropic Efforts at We Are Carroll Awards
The Community Foundation of Carroll County holds its We Are Carroll Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St. This year's event, themed "Rooted & Rising Together," marks the 18th year of a tradition the foundation ran for years as the Philanthropists of the Year awards. Doors open at 5 p.m., awards run 6:30–7:30 p.m., and a dessert reception follows from 7:45 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $40.
Four awards go to the foundation's "Class of 2026": Melvin Blizzard Jr. takes the Sylvia Canon Legacy Award; America's Warriors Care Package Projects is honored as Rooted in the Community; Rachel's Bears takes Rising Star; and the BFF Award nominees are Emily Barriere, Stacey Tracey, and Tom and Sharon Templeton. The foundation is not presenting a Philanthropist of the Year award this year, saying it didn't receive enough qualified submissions in that category. Proceeds benefit the foundation's Audrey Cimino Legacy Fund.
🍺 Maryland Microbrewery Festival Returns to Union Mills for Its 19th Year
The Union Mills Homestead hosts the 19th Annual Maryland Microbrewery Festival next Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., at 3311 Littlestown Pike — Maryland craft breweries, continuous live music, food and craft vendors, and brewing seminars, all on the grounds of a 1797 homestead that's been run by a nonprofit foundation since 1964. It's the culminating event of Carroll County Beer Week, and proceeds support the Homestead's preservation and operation.
Advance tickets are $25 for adults sampling and $8 for non-sampling guests; at the gate it's $30 and $10. Children under 12 get in free. Admission is limited and sold first-come, first-served, so advance is the safer bet. Also tied to the festival: a BJCP-sanctioned homebrew competition in the historic mill, limited this year to American beer styles in a nod to the nation's 250th anniversary.
💬 Worth scrolling back for
Here are three Westminster Wire Facebook threads that got real traction this week:
💼 "Let's talk about jobs" — 77 comments, 24,000 views, with people posting job opportunities including everything from Curaleaf to the Maryland judiciary. The thread.
🧠 Looking for a therapist? Neighbors named about 20 local practices across 46 comments. Westminster Wire hasn't vetted any of them, but it's a place to star with plenty of professionals answering questions. The thread.
🏪 "Why hasn't Westminster Wire covered us yet?" — 116 comments from people suggesting new businesses for Westminster Wire to cover. The thread.
Know something the Wire should cover? Submit news here.
Questions? Send them to [email protected].
— Westminster Wire