Oakland's Kick Off to Summer

While, summer does not begin until June 21, GOBA’s Events Team is kicking things off Saturday, May 25 with its “Kick Off to Summer” event in the Arts & Entertainment District in downtown Oakland!  This new event will run from 12 noon to 6pm.  Activities include a Kids Zone, live music, sidewalk sales, the Farmer’s Market, and a Beer Walk.  
The Beer Walk, sponsored by John Rose from Edward Jones Investments, is from 2pm-6pm and tickets can be purchased the day of the event for $15 per person.  Participants must be at least 21 years old and present a valid ID to one of the TIPS trained event personnel.   Tickets can be purchased on the porch of the Garrett County Historical Society building.  This is a limited 500 ticket event. 
“We are very excited about this new event.  The wine walk during Winter Fest was very successful and we are hoping to repeat that success with this new event and double the tickets available,” Michelle Ross, the Oakland Business Coordinator stated. “It is amazing to see the streets and sidewalks full of people going in and out of our stores and restaurants.” 
There are six locations where each participant can sample two different types of beer.  Participants can receive a free commemorative glass if they go to all six stations sponsored by Smoke N’ Mirrors Photography, Alder Street Diner, Sunrise Sanitation, the Oakland B&O Museum, Tomanetti’s Pizzeria and Italian Eatery and The Manor Steakhouse.
The Kids Zone on Alder Street is sponsored by Landon’s Library t and includes a free book station and plenty of kid’s games organized by Craeve & Company and CurlyRed.  MasterCraft Printers is providing fun props for our “selfie station”.  We will also have a free bounce house and slide on South Second Street in First United Bank’s Pocket Park.  
Pickin’ Empty Pockets will be performing live at the B&O Museum Boxcar Stage from 12:30pm-2:30pm. Buffalo Run will then perform from 3:30pm-5:30pm.  This live music is sponsored by Boal and Associates.
The Farmer’s Market will be at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion until 1pm that day and local businesses will be having in store specials, events and sidewalk sales all day.  Bub’s Grub will be on hand with concessions to benefit HART for Animals and the Oakland/Mountain Lake Lions’ Club.   The Rotary will also be there serving up their famous Rotary fries. 
This is a rain or shine event. A complete map and listing of free parking locations, events and times can be found at www.oaklandmd.com.