Each fall, the excitement builds as generations of fans from Allegany High School and Fort Hill High School fill Greenway Avenue Stadium for the annual Homecoming game. This year’s matchup will take place on Halloween afternoon, bringing alumni, families, and visitors to Cumberland. The rivalry has been a part of Cumberland’s story for generations, and the stadium serves as the heart of its traditions. Following last year’s game, Fort Hill improved to 69-32-4 all-time against Allegany. The annual matchup also brings former residents back to Cumberland, providing an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family and see recent changes throughout the community.

Travelers searching for their next autumn getaway are finding Allegany County, the Mountain Side of Maryland, near the top of the list this year. Mountain Maryland was recently named the No. 2 Best Place to Visit for Fall in the United States in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The recognition marks the county’s fourth consecutive nomination in the national competition and moves Allegany County up from its No. 3 finish in 2024.Ashli Workman, Director of Tourism for Allegany County Tourism, says the ranking showcases something larger about the community and the growing confidence surrounding it.“I think for so long, we’ve gotten stuck in the mentality of what we’ve lost or what we don’t have,” Workman said. “There has been a shift in our community, a real renaissance and a new generation of people with an opportunity-focused mindset.”This new mentality is becoming increasingly visible to both Allegany County residents and visitors. Before the public votes in the USA TODAY 10Best competition, destinations must make the first cut. A panel of travel experts and USA TODAY 10Best editors selects the initial nominees, and readers then vote. For 2026, Allegany County was one of 20 destinations chosen to compete and ultimately finished second behind Mackinac Island, Michigan. For Workman, earning a place among those initial nominees carries its own significance, proving that national travel experts are becoming increasingly familiar with Mountain Maryland and see it as competitive alongside destinations across the country. The public vote is yet another measure of how strongly visitors, businesses, and residents are willing to rally around the place.

For the Allegany County Economic & Community Development (ACECD) team, 2025 was about strengthening community fundamentals—including housing, infrastructure, businesses, and destinations—while continuing to connect the dots between economic development, tourism, and residents.Jeffery Barclay, ACECD Director, says, “We’re building the foundation of Allegany County.” In 2025, that foundation looked a lot like patient, behind-the-scenes progress that makes big “wins” possible, even if they aren’t fully finished yet.

When the McCagh family opened 1812 Brewery—Allegany County’s first farm brewery—they did so with a commitment to craft quality beer while supporting the local community. In 2023, 1812 Brewery was already growing fast. Now, two years later, the McCagh family’s vision has become a reality. With support from state and local funding partners, 1812 Brewery has completed a purpose-built production facility, expanded its reach across Western Maryland, and added jobs to meet growing demand for its locally crafted beer.In June 2025, 1812 Brewery celebrated its eighth anniversary and the ribbon-cutting of a new 4,000-square-foot production space, which is now fully operational with state-of-the-art brewing systems. The facility marks a major milestone for the business, which had previously operated out of a historic 1812-era barn on the family’s farm just outside Cumberland.

Students from West Virginia University (WVU) are bringing fresh ideas to community revitalization efforts in Allegany County. Through a partnership with the WVU Landscape Architecture Program, the City of Cumberland, and Allegany County Economic and Community Development (ACECD), the Wills Creek corridor in Cumberland, Maryland, has been the focus of a student-led design project to consider its potential as a central connector for the city and a catalyst for economic prosperity.Wills Creek, a 38.6-mile-long tributary of the North Branch Potomac River, has long been both an asset and a challenge for the city of Cumberland. Concrete walls added in the 1950s to mitigate flooding have effectively protected the area but also created a physical barrier between the east and west sides.Supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project focuses on improving Wills Creek’s role in the community, examining how environmental and social design could create new opportunities for businesses, residents, and visitors.The initiative, led by Dr. Stefania Staniscia, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture in WVU’s School of Design and Community Development, gave senior students in the landscape architecture program an opportunity to apply their expertise to real-world challenges while encouraging fresh perspectives on how the creek might be used in the future. This valuable offering from WVU allows landscape architecture students to apply their skills to real-world community design challenges.One of those students, Erik Moses, saw the project as an exciting opportunity to put his skills to use. “At first glance, Wills Creek is almost like a scar through the city, but if you look at it in a new way, it could be the new central vein that flows life into Cumberland,” he notes about the corridor. His team proposed a multipurpose, mixed-use green corridor emphasizing accessibility, livability, and tourism. Their design also considered ways to connect existing and proposed urban green spaces along the creek. Moses and his team emphasized strengthening the connection between both sides of the creek and downtown Cumberland to the east, as well as between the creek and the GAP Trail to the west. 

Allegany County is on the rise. With growth and innovation at the forefront, Allegany County Economic and Community Development (ACECD) is blending economic development, tourism, and quality-of-life improvements into a bold vision for the future. “Maryland is a highly innovative state,” said Jeffery Barclay, ACECD Director. “To keep Allegany County competitive, we’ve made significant investments in recent years to capitalize on our unique strengths…residents are starting to see these efforts pay off, generating an enthusiasm we haven’t seen in some time. We plan to continue that momentum by prioritizing forward-thinking projects in the new year.” This future-forward approach underscores the importance of ACECD’s upcoming strategic plan, which will establish broad economic development goals for years to come.

Local pride meets holiday cheer in Allegany County's Shop Small, Win Big campaign! Now in its fifth year, this popular initiative has become a county-wide holiday tradition, inspiring residents to shop locally and rewarding them with exciting prizes—all while increasing foot traffic and visibility for Allegany County’s local businesses.Created by Allegany County Tourism in 2020, the Shop Small, Win Big campaign was initially intended as a creative pivot in response to COVID-19 limitations.Ashli Workman, Director of Allegany County Tourism, explains, “We couldn’t advertise to our traditional markets in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and elsewhere because of the travel restrictions,” Workman said. “We turned inward and focused on encouraging our community to support local businesses, which had also struggled during the pandemic. What started as a temporary initiative grew into an annual highlight for residents and businesses alike.”

Western Maryland’s outdoor recreation attractions are increasingly recognized globally for their natural beauty, accessibility, and variety. Top destinations such as the Great Allegany Passage and the C&O Canal National Historical Park—ranked as the 16th most visited U.S. National Park Service site—continue to draw visitors near and far. A new research project and Make It. In the Mountains. marketing campaign, spearheaded by Allegany and Garrett County Governments and the Maryland Department of Commerce and Office of Tourism, aims to leverage the region’s leading natural resources to attract more outdoor-focused businesses and manufacturers to the area, driving further investment into Western Maryland. Ashli Workman, Director of Allegany County Tourism, explains, “We have seen Allegany’s outdoor-based amenities drive destination awareness and visitor volume, but they’ve also acted like an ambassador for our economic development. Companies are interested in our region because of the lifestyle that their workforce can have after the nine-to-five.” 

Ristorante Ottaviani believes that family and community are the same. As it approaches its 17th year in business, the classic Italian restaurant continues to serve authentic recipes, employ family members across the generations, and welcome all visitors to Cumberland as if they are a part of the Ottaviani family. “Family is at the center of everything we do,” shares founder Adrienne Ottaviani. “Whether that is with our staff or those who come in to eat—everyone becomes family with us.” Now under her son Tony’s ownership, the restaurant has branched into new ventures with the Ottaviani’s Tasting Room and Lounge, next door to the original restaurant. 

In its 25th year, the Hooley Pub Crawl draws crowds from Allegany County and beyond to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with food, drink, and entertainment. The event invites visitors to patronize 22 participating establishments in downtown, north, and south Cumberland and explore the region's attractions. The Pub Crawl begins on Saturday, March 16th, at 12:00 pm and continues through 1:00 am the next day. “This has been a long-standing tradition in Downtown Cumberland,” shares Melinda Kelleher, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Commission, which is coordinating and promoting the event. “The Hooley Pub Crawl is always well attended and important for downtown foot traffic. This year is especially important since construction has limited pedestrians to the area.” She continues, “We’re encouraging everyone to come downtown, have a great time, and support the local businesses.”