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June News and Alerts
along the Great Allegheny Passage

Follow the Ice Cream Trail!

Warm summer days in Frostburg and Cumberland mean stops along the Allegany County Ice Cream Trail! Get a workout along the Great Allegheny Passage or C&O Canal Towpath, then hit one of Mountain Maryland's nine creameries or dairies for a two scoops, maybe three. Fantastic flavors, homemade waffle cones, and gracious hospitality await. Cool off, treat yourself, and and get ready for the ride back.

Chalking Up Connellsville

Look for colorful messages from the Fayette County Cultural Trust and Downtown Connellsville along the Great Allegheny Passage this summer! During "Chalking Up Connellsville," coordinated by C ycle Forward, community members are using sidewalk chalk to welcome GAP travelers and to bring whimsy and joy to the trail surface and downtown sidewalks. Stop by the seasonal visitor center launched by GO Laurel Highlands!

Do Juneteenth in Cumberland

Join up for the Juneteenth Celebration in Cumberland, commemorating the final liberation of enslaved Americans with a morning meditation, rememberance ceremony, and music festival at Canal Place. At 11:00 am, a March for Justice will proceed from Emmanuel Episcopal Church, whose tunnels still echo with the voices of those traveling the Underground Railroad toward freedom. Visit Mile Zero of the Great Allegheny Passage while there.

2021 World Canal Conference

Register today for the 2021 World Canal Conference, hosted along the neighboring C&O Canal Towpath this coming August 30 to September 2. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, this gathering will draw experts and historians from all over the world to mark the legacy of canals in contemporary education, recreation, tourism and community engagement.

Register for the GAP Relay

Run wild along the Great Allegheny Passage with your friends this October 15 and 16, by participating in the GAP Relay Presented by UPMC Health Plan. This fun team event has legs for every runner, fast or slow, and is a perfect way to enjoy an overnight trail run with friends. Starting on Pittsburgh's South Side and ending downhill in Cumberland, it's a popular event hosted by P3R and benefiting the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy.

Beer and Gear in Ohiopyle

Plan to attend Ohiopyle's 2021 Beer and Gear Festival, a day of live music, vendors showcasing the best outdoor gear brands, and ever-flowing local microbrews on tap. Plus, dancing on Garrett Street! Presented by Wilderness Voyageurs, this year's festival requires an advance ticket purchase and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Stay in Confluence, just 11 miles up the Great Allegheny Passage, and pedal or float in for the day.

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