Celebration Scheduled to Recognize Frostburg Elk’s Derby Day as a 2024 Maryland Heritage Award Winner

Apr 4, 2025 8:00 AM

A celebration to honor the Frostburg Elk’s Derby Day, which was recognized as a 2024 Maryland Heritage Award winner, will be held on Thursday, April 24, at the Palace Theatre in Frostburg. Events kick off at 7 p.m. with a screening of short films produced by the Maryland State Arts Council recognizing Maryland Heritage Award winners and Folklife Apprenticeships- including Frostburg awardees. Attendees can stay for a panel discussion on the history of the Frostburg Derby and its enduring legacy in the community.

Prior to the evening event, Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) staff members along with staff from Maryland Humanities, will be at Mountain City Traditional Arts (MCTA) from 3 to 6 p.m. to answer questions about grants and other resources for artists, arts and culture administrators, and anyone whose work involves the arts sector. Staff will be available for individual meetings to answer both general and specific questions, including technical inquiries about MSAC's online grants platform, SmartSimple. Register through MSAC.org to receive details prior to the event. Walk-ins are also welcome. The Frostburg Elks and B&B Country Meats will provide afternoon refreshments.

The MSAC selects Heritage Awards through its traditional arts program, Maryland Traditions. Recognizing long-term achievement in the traditional arts, nominations are accepted in three categories: Person or People, Place, and Tradition. Frostburg Derby Day received one of six awards provided in 2024 in the Tradition category, earning a $10,000 grant.

As a recipient of the award, a production company visited Frostburg and spoke with members of the Frostburg Elk’s to document the role of Derby Day in the community. The screening at the Palace will be the first time this short film has been played in a public setting. Co-organized by the Frostburg Elks and Folklore and Folklife Programming at Frostburg State University, the evening will also feature short films on additional Maryland Heritage Award winners and Maryland Folklife Apprenticeships, including Frostburg Bologna and the Princess Restaurant’s Easter candy-making traditions.  

During the annual Frostburg Derby Day, children race small, homemade derby cars down Main Street in Frostburg while families and local business sponsors cheer them on. Organized by the Frostburg Elks since 1977, the tradition grew from the soapbox derby craze of the 1930s and 1940s. In some families, derby racing cars have achieved the status of family heirlooms, with as many as three generations of drivers having used the same car. A highlight of the evening program at the Palace Theatre will be a panel discussion on the history of the Frostburg Derby.

For more information contact Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas at Frostburg State University at krogersthomas@frostburg.edu or 301-687-3124.