October 2025 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN October 2025 4 Beer, Wine & Spirits Showcase How could it get anymore exciting than seeing the best riders in the world take on Fair Hill’s elusive cross-coun- try course? How about adding all the best beer, wine, and spirits from around the region to the experience? MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill p/b Brown Advisory is delighted to present the fifth annual Local Beer, Wine & Spirit Showcase, hosted by Elk River Brewing Company and supported by Cultivate & Craft on Saturday, October 18 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm! The showcase is located next to the North Aintree Permanent Grandstand and the One MARS activation — the perfect location to watch Pony racing over the lunch break! Free to all spectators with any Saturday ticket purchase! The event is pairing the exhilaration of the cross-country gallops with the premier taste of the best alcohol in the region. The Maryland 5 Star Beer, Wine & Spirit Showcase will feature a variety of vendors selling & sampling some of the state’s finest craft beers, along with wines and spirits procured locally right in Cecil County and its surrounding areas. Browse a selection of in-house beers, wines, & liquors and explore participating vendor’s seasonal offerings. Don’t forget to try the Maryland 5 Star limited edition selections crafted by Elk River Brewing Company! Enjoy the Maryland 5 Star on Saturday with some of the best beer, wine, and spirits that Maryland has to offer. Sit down and savor the day with live music, a cold drink, and screens playing all the 5-star action. Maryland Local Food Festival The MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill p/b Brown Advisory is thrilled to once again present the Local Food Festival hosted by Horizon Farm Credit and supported by Cecil County Agriculture. On Sunday, October 19th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, the Local Food Festival will feature vendors represent- ing Cecil County and its surrounding areas. Find the Local Food Festival next to the North Aintree Permanent Grandstand andOneMARS activation. Vendors will be selling & sampling seasonal fruits and vegetables, pastries, snacks, dairy products, jams, sauces, meats, and more. Enjoy a beautiful fall day discovering, sampling, and purchasing local products from the finest Maryland farmers, growers, and makers. Come support local Maryland businesses with us this October! Maryland 5 Star is a proud supporter of Cecil County agriculture and local producers! Admission to the area is free to all spectators with the purchase of any valid Sunday ticket. Kids’ Corner Located in the reimaged infield, the Kids’ Corner is back for 2025 and expanded, welcoming children of all ages! The space will feature interactive games and activities from partners Milburn Orchard, Great Wolf Lodge, Fair Hill Nature Center, The Fluffy Eventer and more. Open daily (Thursday – Sunday) from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, kids can make new friends in the petting zoo, interact, learn and play with our barnyard games, explore their way through a straw bale maze, jump around in the bounce house, get creative with arts & crafts, decorate a pair of Great Wolf Lodge wolf ears, and more! General Admission to the event for Children 10 and under is FREE when accompanied by a paid adult. Located just near the Kids Corner, the Hall of Champions is where you can meet some famous four-legged friends! Come by the barn Friday and Sunday to interact and take pictures with some well-known retired race and eventing horses and check out memorabilia from their careers. Maryland Corgi Cup presented by Major League Eventing It’s the cutest show on turf! Watch corgis race to the finish line across the historic Fall Hill Turf Track during the annual Maryland Corgi Cup held on Sunday of each year’s MARS Maryland 5 Star! The races take place on the turf track between the North Aintree Grandstand and Main Arena and in between the walkways. Media Sponsor (and corgi lovers) Major League Eventing organizes and operates the Maryland Corgi Cup. Registration for the 2025 Maryland Corgi Cup is now closed but you can still attend as a spectator (and bring your dog)! Access to watch the Maryland Corgi Cup is included with the purchase of any valid Sunday ticket. Promising to be an exciting blend of high-level competition, the event is far more than just eventing; it’s a weekend of sampling fresh, local food and the finest beverages that the region has to offer, jamming out to local musical acts, finding gifts for the holidays with a wide array of shopping options on retail row (from 9 am until gates close) and a host of other family-friendly activities. There’s something for everyone! Photo credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo credit: Shannon Brinkman Photo credit: Shannon Brinkman October 16-19 ★ SPECIAL EVENTS ★ maryland5star.us Photo courtesy of Shannon Brinkman.