Starting in 2026, only six events with vendors will be permitted per year at Carroll Creek Park. The policy, which was spearheaded by (now former) city council member Kelly Russell, splits the year into three windows in which only two events may occur. Events that do not require a vendor/peddler’s license will not be affected.
The policy came into review back in August, when local business owners claimed that for-profit events harmed revenue. Mindy Cawley, owner of vintage furniture store Vintage MC, told the Frederick News Post that on weekends with an event, her store experienced a 20 to 30% drop in sales.
Afterwards, Russell took charge of the task and held a council workshop on Thursday, November 13th. Only Russel and fellow council member Derek Shackelford were present. As it was a departmental policy, a vote was not needed to pass it.
Under the new policy, event hosting groups are now split into a tiered hierarchy. Tier one consists of the city of Frederick, tier two the Carroll Creek Park Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Holders, tier three non-profits, tier four the general public, and tier five organizations with vendors. The two event policy only applies to tiers four and five, specifically when a vendor’s license is required. Any event that has stands with items for sale in the park would require a vendor’s license.
The year is now split into three windows: January through March, April through July, and August through October. November and December are blacked out for only groups with prior MOUS. Each window may only have two events with a vendor’s license, making for six total. Any organization may only host up to two out of the six. Additionally, no two events may be on consecutive days. Each period will also have one blacked out weekend for public use of the park.
The reservation window for 2026 was November 15th- December 15th, however for the coming years the window will be moved from November 1st to November 30th.
The new policy has brought up a lot of discourse within the Frederick community. Carroll Creek Park has been home to the locals and event goers alike for years. In fact Frederick native, Tegan Kries-Harris shared that when she attends events at the park, she is “likely to spend time at nearby places. Simply because downtown is so full of life.”
Similarly, Natty McLaughlin, host of multiple events on the canal, including the Fall Festival, shared with the Frederick News Post back in October that she had spoken with restaurant owners who have claimed to have had better sales during event weekends.
Overall, it’s unclear how business will be affected by the change in the coming year. Restaurants may be preparing for a decrease, while other stores may increase. However, one thing is certain, Frederick County is changing, bit by bit.