A tradition since 2010, Small Business Saturday encourages people to buy local to show their support for their communities. This year’s celebration will be held November 25, and there’s no better place to celebrate than in Maryland’s Main Street Communities. From Oakland to Ocean City and Taneytown to Takoma Park, Maryland's 23 designated Main Streets are filled with historic architecture, boutique shops, art galleries, and the opportunity for both residents and visitors to experience seasonal events and charm.

"With the holidays upon us, Small Business Saturday is the perfect time to visit a Maryland Main Street, where you'll find local shops and galleries, cafes and signature holiday experiences,” said Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA. For more information, visit the Department of Commerce’s Maryland Small Business Saturday page.

Maryland Traditions, the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council, has hosted the Maryland Traditions Heritage Awards since 2007 to honor Maryland's outstanding stewards of traditional arts and culture. Free tickets are available for the 11th annual awards ceremony being held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 2, at the Proscenium Theatre on the campus of UMBC. Awardees are documentary story quilter Joan Gaither (Anne Arundel County); the Baltimore American Indian Center (pictured, Baltimore City); and the Skipjack Races & Festival of Deal Island (Somerset County). The awards ceremony will conclude with a country blues performance by the Phil Wiggins Blues House Party and a reception.

Reserve your tickets at the UMBC box office or by going to Maryland Tradition’s Facebook event.

Photographs by Edwin Remsberg Photographs. Design by Evins Design.

OTD Welcome Center Travel Counselors joined Talbot County Office of Tourism staffers and volunteers in promoting Maryland’s Fish & Hunt initiative during Talbot County’s 47th annual Waterfowl Festival. The event brings 18,000 to 20,000 visitors annually to historic Easton, showcases more than 300 nationally recognized artists, and is home of the World Championship Goose Calling Contest. For more information about Fish and Hunt Maryland, visit the website.

Secretary of Commerce Mike Gill; Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director, TFA; and Rick Howarth, President, Six Flags America and Chair, Maryland Tourism Development Board, presented the 2017 Tourism Awards at a luncheon during the Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit (MTTS) held this year at The Hotel at University of Maryland. The awards recognize excellence and major contributions in cultural heritage and culinary tourism, economic impact, partnerships, and elevating Maryland’s image as a tourism destination. "I am proud to present this year’s Maryland Tourism Awards," said Secretary Gill. "Tourism is an important economic driver for the state and today we recognize the outstanding achievements of our tourism partners who support OTD and the MTDB in fulfilling their mission of increasing visitor expenditures to Maryland." Added Fitzsimmons, "These awards pay tribute to the people, programs and organizations that have ramped up their performance and significantly contributed revenue to the state by getting visitors to stay longer and spend more here."

Pictured: (left to right) Commerce Secretary Mike Gill; Aaryn Chandler, Talent Acquisition Representative, MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino; Nerissa Gonzaga, Talent Acquisition Specialist, MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino; Tomar Smith, Talent Acquisition Specialist, MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino; and Rick Howarth, President, Six Flags America and Chair, Maryland Tourism Development Board.

Hospitality and tourism jobs have shown a 2.8 percent increase year-over-year to 295,100 fulltime and fulltime-equivalent positions. OTD outreach continues to show growth with a 24.3 percent rise in social media followers, growth of 15.9 percent in welcome center visitation, and an 18.1 percent increase in digital referrals to industry partners. This reflects an overall increase of 3.7 percent in all tourism taxes, exceeding the state average of 1 percent. For the full September Maryland Tourism Monitor, follow this link.

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