The Maryland State Arts Council is turning 50 and is organizing a year-long celebration to recognize the many achievements of Maryland artists and arts organizations that have contributed so much to our cultural life here in Maryland. “We look forward to continuing our work to develop vibrant centers of culture, commerce and creativity around the state,” said Julie Madden, Interim Executive Director, MSAC. “Beginning in September, we will be working with our County Arts Councils to help us celebrate our past, our present and the future of the arts in Maryland." Look for more information here.

Ahead of this year’s Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference, the Maryland Tourism Coalition (MTC) and the Maryland Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (MDMO) will be hosting their annual Summer Soiree. The event brings together industry partners and their representatives for one of the year’s best tourism advocacy opportunities. The Summer Soiree will be held August 16, 4-6 p.m. at the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel in Ocean City. The Soiree coincides with the Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference which runs August 16-19 at the Powell Convention Center. For more information including sponsorship opportunities and to register for the Summer Soiree, follow this link to mdtourism.org.

Maryland’s thriving off-roading community has a new place to play. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has opened the St. John’s Rock ORV Park in the Savage River State Forest. The new park features dedicated, single-track hair scramble-style trail sections for motorcycles; technical spurs for all-terrain vehicles; and a rare full-size rock crawl area for four-wheel drive vehicles. The site also has a unique campsite designed to support ORV riders. For more information, visit the DNR’s St. John’s Rock page.

This Memorial Day marks the first of Maryland’s longer summers. After years of lobbying by the tourism industry, Governor Larry Hogan, with the support of Comptroller Peter Franchot, announced that summer vacations for students in Maryland would extend through Labor Day. The move was hailed by industry leaders and parents who could use the holiday weekend for final summer getaways before the start of the school year. To mark this first extended summer, the Maryland Tourism Coalition (MTC) is running their “How Will You Spend Your Longer Summer” program with ideas to get out and explore the free state. To see some of MTC’s great suggestions, follow this link to their webpage.

Ocean City has also joined in the extended summer fun by naming the last week of August “Maryland Week.” O.C. is celebrating Maryland Week with Maryland flags along the boardwalk, hotel deals, and banners thanking Governor Hogan and Comptroller Franchot for their “Let Summer Be Summer” campaign. “For many Marylanders, it isn’t really summer until you’ve been to Ocean City,” said Donna Abbott, Tourism & Marketing Director, Ocean City. “By extending students' summer vacations until after the Labor Day holiday, we are giving families one more chance to savor the summer. And for our tourism industry partners, it’s one more opportunity to extend our season — benefitting businesses, their employees, and Maryland.”

The all-new official Destination Maryland guide presents our tourism partners with a unique, powerful platform. There is no comparable opportunity available that is 100 percent focused on visitation to Maryland—and there is no better time to speak to its large audience than when they are actively planning their visit to the state. Destination Maryland is sent by request to highly qualified travelers who are actively planning a Maryland vacation—most often a long one. In addition to 250,000 printed copies distributed, the guide will also be available as an interactive E-book with click-through to advertiser landing pages.

Contact Carly Stedman for rates and details: carly.stedman@milespartnership.com / 202-681-8169.

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on CBS radio stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.