The town calendar — festivals, parades, bingo nights and community days. Event details are published per year, exactly as each organizer announces them; when a date for the next edition isn't confirmed yet, we say so instead of guessing.
Annual — last Saturday in June
Heritage Day is Emmitsburg's hometown festival, founded by the Emmitsburg Lions Club in 1983 and run by a committee of the Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Sons of the American Legion, Tyrian Lodge (Masons), the Vigilant Hose Company and its Auxiliary, Christ's Community Church, the Town of Emmitsburg and the Emmitsburg Business & Professional Association (EBPA). The most recent edition was Saturday, June 27, 2026 at E. Eugene Myers Community Park. The next edition falls on the last Saturday of June 2027 — June 26, 2027 by the festival's standing pattern; the day's schedule is published by the committee each spring and will appear here when it is announced.
| Time | Activity | Details (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Vigilant Hose Annual Breakfast | Activities Building, 17701 Creamery Rd. All-you-can-eat; 2026 prices as published: $13 adults, kids 6–12 $6.50, under 5 free. |
| 9:00am | Fire & Rescue Museum open + yard sale | Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum — yard sale benefits its expansion. |
| 11:00am–1:30pm | Field Games | Lions Club, Elementary School field. Greased pig catch, egg toss, three-legged race, sack race, watermelon and pie eating. All ages. |
| 11:00am | Car, Truck & Open Show — registration | Field behind the Town Office, 300A S Seton Ave; judging noon–2:30pm, trophies 3:30pm. By donation. Contact: Andy Crone, (240) 409-3670. |
| 12:00–4:00pm | Bingo | Bingo tent — quarter bingo, win half the pot. |
| 12:00–3:00pm | CCC Kids Games & Rides | Christ's Community Church, near the tennis courts. Free: inflatables, moon bounce, barrel train, face painting. |
| 12:00–4:00pm | Chalk Art Contest | Tennis courts, ages 1–17, chalk provided. 2026 theme as published: "Things of Summer". |
| 12:00pm | Cotton Candy giveaway | Knights of Columbus — while it lasts. |
| 12:00–4:00pm | Crafter Market | Juried crafters and vendors near the bandstand. |
| 12:00–6:00pm | Lions Food Pavilion & BBQ | BBQ chicken dinners — 2026 price as published: $12 with beverage and sides; burgers, chips and sodas too. |
| 12:00–7:00pm | Community Pool — free all day | Town of Emmitsburg Community Pool, 201 W Lincoln Ave. |
| 12:00 reg / 1:00pm | Horseshoe Tournament | Tyrian Lodge. Open to all. |
| 1:00–10:00pm | Beer Garden (21+) | Benefits the Emmitsburg Library & Multi-User Trails; craft brew by Smoketown Brewery; $5 a cup as published. Fenced area by the bandstand — beer stays in the garden. |
| 2:00 reg / 3:00pm | Cornhole Tournament | Hosted by the Cool Legacy Team; $20 entry benefiting the AFSP "Out of Darkness" walk; blind-draw partners. |
| 4:30 lineup / 5:00pm | Heritage Day Parade | Vigilant Hose Auxiliary. Lineup on Mountain View Rd; route: the Doughboy → West Main St → the Square → South Seton Ave → Cedar. |
| 5:00pm | Food trucks + evening music | Dinnertime trucks and live music at the bandstand into the fireworks. |
| ~9:30pm | Fireworks | Community Park. 2026 fireworks-only rain date was Sunday, June 28, 2026. Funded by local sponsors and community donations. |
Source: emmitsburgevents.com, the committee's own site. Times and prices change every year and are never carried forward — each year's schedule is published fresh.
October (Saturday). The Town's fall festival at Community Park — vendors, food trucks, a beer garden, cruise-in car show, dog costume contest and live music. The first Fall Festival was held on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Whether it returns is to be confirmed by the Town.
Every October 31. Trick-or-treating in town, then the Lions Club costume parade from the Town Pool to the Vigilant Hose fire house, with a party and costume prizes (Cutest, Funniest, Scariest, Most Original, Best Group). Times are announced each fall.
Spring (first weekend in May in recent years). The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's national tribute at the Memorial on the NETC campus. Exact dates are announced at firehero.org — check before traveling; campus visitor rules (REAL ID, escort) apply.
Bingo on Wednesday and Friday nights at the Activities Building, 17701 Creamery Rd — a Fire Company fundraiser. Weather closures are announced on the company's Facebook page.
The Vigilant Hose Company's weekly drawing — jackpot and drawing details are posted at vhc6.com and change every week.
Mount St. Mary's basketball and campus events run through the school year at the PNC Sports Complex / Knott Arena. Schedules: msmary.edu.
Pilgrimage days, concerts and feast-day events at the Basilica & National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — calendar at setonshrine.org.
The Emmitsburg Branch of Frederick County Public Libraries (300 S Seton Ave) runs storytimes, clubs and talks year-round — live calendar at fcpl.org.
September. The annual agricultural and community show at Catoctin High School — exhibits, a baked-goods auction and the pet show.
Emmitsburg elects its mayor and commissioners at the Community Building gym, 300A S Seton Ave. The most recent election was September 29, 2026; official notices are at emmitsburgmd.gov.
The Emmitsburg Community Chorus performs seasonally — dates are announced locally each season.
The Vigilant Hose Company's spring fundraiser at the Activities Building. Next date: to be confirmed by the company — see vhc6.com.
A note on Community Day: Emmitsburg's first July 4th Community Day was held in 1973, begun by the Council of Churches. Heritage Day (last Saturday in June) carries that Independence-time tradition today; a separate current July 4th event is not listed here because none is confirmed.