VisitHagerstown.com; @VisitHagerstownWashingtonCoMD
Event planners at a recent familiarization tour hosted by Visit Hagerstown & Washington County CVB were pleasantly surprised by the amenities available to groups gathering in this western Maryland destination, according to Tiffany Ahalt, director of sales and community engagement for Visit Hagerstown & Washington County CVB.
“They couldn’t get over our accessibility and proximity to three major airports, Amtrak, and two major interstates,” Ahalt says. “They were also impressed by the many value-added opportunities our area offers and how wonderfully our natural landscape, historic buildings, and unique architecture worked as a backdrop for special events.”
Maryland Theatre, a historic circa-1915 venue in Hagerstown, features several event spaces, including a 1,300-seat auditorium and a ballroom with a capacity of 400 people. The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, nestled in Hagerstown’s historic City Park, is considered one of the nation’s best small museums. It contains several indoor/outdoor spaces for events, including classrooms, a gallery, a manicured garden, and an atrium with a capacity of 150 people.
The 13,000-square-foot Hagerstown Aviation Museum, located inside a beautifully restored 1943 flight-test hangar, features stunning architectural details, historic aircraft, and exhibits. The space is adaptable for intimate gatherings or large celebrations. It also has an expansive eight-acre paved lot ideal for larger events, such as car shows and outdoor festivals.
Meritus Park baseball and event facility opened last spring. Home of the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars baseball team, the park has several private event spaces, including a club-level space with a capacity of 250 people and two bar areas accommodating 200 people.
One of Hagerstown’s newest live-music venues, Live at Hub City Vinyl, sits adjacent to a record store and accommodates private events of 240 people for receptions, 180 seated theater style, and 140 in classroom configuration. Hagerstown and Washington County feature several award-winning wineries, some located off scenic byways and offering views of Antietam National Battlefield, the 1862 Civil War battle site, and South Mountain State Park. Antietam Brewery serves small-batch handcrafted ales and features live music. The brewery also has private rooms and semi-private areas for events.
Groups can also enjoy the county’s many outdoor recreational activities, such as cycling on the C&O Canal and hiking the Appalachian Trail. Antietam National Battlefield has also become a popular setting for leadership and teambuilding programs for many companies and visiting groups. Planners can work with the local CVB to arrange professional guides and facilitators for such programs.
