College Fest to Welcome Students Back to Downtown Cumberland

College Fest to Welcome Students Back to Downtown Cumberland

Aug 24, 2026 8:00 AM

Frostburg State University, Allegany College of Maryland and Cumberland's Downtown Development Commission will partner to present the Welcome Back College Street Fest 2026 on Thursday, Aug. 27, from 3 to 10 p.m. in downtown Cumberland.

Designed to welcome students and celebrate the start of the academic year, the event invites FSU and ACM students, prospective students and community members of all ages to enjoy live entertainment, interactive activities, local business promotions and a free outdoor concert as part of the Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series.

Activities from 3 to 6 p.m. will take place throughout downtown and include live music by DJ Rob Zembower at Liberty Street Plaza, games, a community scavenger hunt, giveaways and complimentary gift bags featuring promotions from participating businesses.

Beginning at 6 p.m., participants are invited to Canal Place for the final concert of the 2026 Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series. Southern rock and roots band Holy Roller will take the stage at 7 p.m. The evening will also feature lawn games, Fore Axes axe throwing provided by ACM and food and beverage vendors including Café 832, In Between Café, Open Kitchen, Queen City Creamery and 1812 Brewery.

Community partners will collect donations throughout the event to support the FSU PAWS Pantry and the ACM Pantry. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items.

Following the concert, guests can continue the festivities during Levitt After Hours at Uncle Jack's, where the kitchen will remain open late.

Attendees are encouraged to wear FSU or ACM apparel and show their school spirit throughout the day.

Free transportation will be provided for both FSU and ACM students throughout the event. For FSU students, shuttle vans will depart from the Performing Arts Center parking lot beginning at 2:45 p.m., with additional departures every 30 minutes. The final shuttle leaving campus will depart at 7:15 p.m. Return transportation to campus will be available throughout the evening, with shuttles operating until 10:15 p.m. For ACM students, shuttle vans will depart from the Willowbrook Woods Clubhouse parking lot beginning at 2:45 p.m., with additional departures every hour. The final shuttle leaving ACM will depart at 6:45 p.m. Return transportation will be available throughout the evening, with shuttles operating until 8:45 p.m., or until the last student has been transported back.

Bringing together higher education, local businesses and community organizations, College Fest celebrates the strong partnerships that help make Cumberland and the surrounding region a welcoming place to learn, live and engage.

The Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series is supported by funding from Allegany County, City of Cumberland, Frostburg State University and the Cumberland Arts and Entertainment District, and in partnership with the Allegany Arts Council, Loft 129, Allegany County, Maryland - The Mountain Side of Maryland (County Tourism) and Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority.

The Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series is supported in part by the Levitt Family Foundation, which partners with changemakers and nonprofits to strengthen the social fabric of communities in America through free, live music in outdoor public spaces. Presenting high-caliber talent and a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt concerts are welcoming, inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together. In 2026, the Levitt Family Foundation is supporting over 900 free concerts in 90+ towns and cities across the country, bringing joy to over a million people. In addition to supporting free concerts, the Foundation is dedicated to advancing vibrant music ecosystems through partnerships, field-building initiatives and research. levitt.org