On July 1, Maryland Secretary of Commerce Kelly M. Schulz announced the designation of two new Arts & Entertainment (A&E) Districts in Maryland. The Town of Easton and the area along the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor in Baltimore will join 26 existing Districts in the state. Managed by the Maryland State Arts Council, the districts offer tax-related incentives to help attract artists, arts organizations, and other creative enterprises to these areas, and are aimed at developing and promoting community involvement, tourism, and revitalization.

“Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts serve an important role in revitalizing communities across the state,” said Secretary Schulz. “This designation helps attract artists and creative businesses and gives counties and municipalities the ability to develop unique arts experiences that engage residents and attract visitors. I look forward to seeing how these districts utilize the designations for community and economic revitalization.” For more information on Maryland’s newest A&E Districts, follow this link to the Department of Commerce website.

OTD is seeking nominations for the 2019 Destination Maryland Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding work of the tourism industry in its quest to increase revenue from visitor spending while providing unforgettable customer experiences for our visitors. Individuals, businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies that have significantly and positively impacted the local, regional, or statewide economy between October 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019 are eligible for nominations. Submissions are due September 18, 2019.

This year’s categories include the Maximizing Opportunities Award, the Market Expansion Award, the Leveraging Partnerships Award, and the Transactional Outcomes Award. The awards will be presented during the Maryland Travel & Tourism Summit, November 6-8 in Flintstone. For more information including eligibility guidelines, and to make a nomination, follow this link to the OTD industry website.

On Saturday, June 28, the C&O Canal Trust held a ribbon-cutting at the newly rehabilitated Swains Lockhouse 21 in Potomac, MD. The first floor is now ADA accessible, opening the historic structure to visitors who had never before been able to explore the lockhouse. The rehab has been in the works since 2011, and with the reopening, Lockhouse 21 will rejoin the canal quarters program with accommodations for up to eight guests. The program is run in partnership between The Canal Trust and the National Park Service. For more information and ideas for exploring Maryland’s famous C&O Canal, go to visitmaryland.org.

Harriet Tubman self-liberated 170 years ago on September 17, 1849. To commemorate this event and to honor all of Maryland’s freedom fighters involved in the Underground Railroad, the Maryland Office of Tourism is announcing Maryland as the “Most Powerful Underground Railroad Storytelling Destination in the World.” Maryland has a robust Underground Railroad legacy and many tourism partners across the state have visitor-ready experiences and attractions, interpretive materials, and guides enabling visitors to explore this powerful history and stories of courage for themselves. This summer OTD is gathering all of Maryland’s Underground Railroad assets to include in a new marketing initiative that will launch at the end of August.

If you have an Underground Railroad site, program, or guide you would like to have included in the marketing efforts, please fill out this form. If you have a site or program you would like to have as part of the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom, please contact Heather Ersts at hersts@visitmaryland.org. Throughout the summer there will be more news and information about how to be a part of this exciting announcement and initiative.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The DNR was created by Governor Marvin Mandel on July 1, 1969 replacing the former Board of Natural Resources with the new cabinet-level designation. Today, DNR maintains more than 461,000 acres of public lands, protects more than 17,000 miles of waterways, and is an important driver of Maryland’s thriving tourism industry.

“The Department of Natural Resources enhances every Marylander’s quality of life with open public spaces, tree plantings, access to waterfronts, restoration of rivers and streams, and so much more,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “I am honored to be here today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a department that touches every part of our great state and whose employees work hard to change Maryland for the better every day.”

Cumberland’s Canal Place has rebranded and created a new logo. Now to be known as “Passages of the Potomac Western Heritage Area,” the new name and logo better capture the assets of this unique destination. The previous name created confusion in visitors, and with the heritage area having newly expanded, the time was right to make the change. The word “passages” is meant to communicate the routes and pathways carved from the waterways including railroads, trails, roads, and the Underground Railroad. Also, including “Potomac” emphasizes the connection to the Washington D.C. area while adding “Western” ties the area to Allegany County and Western Maryland.

Have you got a can’t-miss marketing platform to increase overnight stays in Maryland? Submit your idea now and see if you’ve got what it takes to win over the judges at the Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit’s (MTTS) second annual “Crab Tank” pitch competition. If selected, you will make your pitch live at MTTS and the “Big Crabs” will pick the pitch with the claws to get it done. Winning submissions should go beyond traditional travel silos and combine Maryland’s winning travel possibilities including group travel, multicultural/diversity travel, human-powered recreation, and family fun. The winning pitch will receive $50,000 in marketing support provided by OTD, including a full-page ad in Destination Maryland, web banner ads, coverage on VisitMaryland.org and in OTD’s newsletters, and more. All submissions must be received by October 14. Click here for more information about how to submit your pitch.

How can OTD help spread the word about your attraction or event? "Maryland Mondays" is the perfect way to help us help you. Each Monday, OTD launches a new “Maryland Mondays” ticket give-away program across all of our social media channels, consumer newsletter, and weekly “Maryland Minute” radio spots. Combined, these channels reach thousands of potential customers each week. To find out how to get involved by providing tickets to your attraction for an upcoming "Maryland Mondays," email OTD’s Leslie Troy.

For the latest on events and everything going all around Maryland, view the latest edition of Visit Maryland Now! here.

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on iHeart radio stations in Maryland and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.