04/28/2023
By Nicholas A. Redding
The Fort Frederick Market Fair: A Taste of Colonial America
Of all the events on the Maryland calendar that fall into my family’s must-attend column, the Fort Frederick Market Fair in Big Pool, Maryland, is at the top of the list. I often regale my family with stories about my work here at Preservation Maryland—all the tidbits about important historic places and exciting work around the state. But there’s nothing like seeing that historic magic come to life! The Fort Frederick Market Fair at Fort Frederick State Park is an annual gathering of 18th-century tradespeople, crafters, interpreters, and historians. Unlike many craft events, this fair, now in its second decade, exclusively features items that would be found in colonial America—from Native American trade goods to European-inspired pottery to the redware that was so common on American tables of the period. The rich and varied collection of handmade goods—all juried and created by master craftspeople —not only serves as an open-air museum, but nearly everything on display is for sale
