Cocktails & Carousels

The Frederick Arts Council is holding a fall fundraiser to support arts programming throughout the County

Cocktails & Carousels will feature talented local musicians, a live auction of one-of-a-kind refurbished carousel horses, a silent auction of select carousel related artwork, delightful signature cocktails and beverages, exquisite hors d’oeuvres and a chance to connect with the local creative community. Join us in celebrating the arts in Frederick!

5:30-6:30 Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, Silent auction of carousel-themed paintings

6:30-7:30 Welcome, FAC Highlights, Live Auction of Carousel Horses

7:30-8:30 Cocktails continued and completion of silent auction

For purchase of auction art: cash, checks, credit cards accepted.

Purchase Tickets on Eventbrite

To avoid paying the ticketing processing fee, please pay by check (Frederick Arts Council, 115 E Church St, Frederick, MD 21701) and we will complete your registration.

Rreach out to info@frederickartscouncil.org for other payment options.

Image by Mary Page Evans

Consider Becoming a Sponsor! See full benefits here.

Much appreciation to the Frederick Keys for their generous donation of original carousel horses for refurbishing and decorating.

Artists Decorating Carousel Horses Available During Live Auction

Adam Curtis
Bill Watson
Breck Brunson
Cynthia Scott-Johnson
Lowe Turner & Elizabeth Ashe
Esperanza Alzona
Joan Cartier
Lea Craigie Marshall
Matt Long
Shane Acuff
Sheldon Mathis
Suzanne Feldman, Barbra Quinn, Geoff Quinn & Vicki Sipe

2D Silent Auction Artists

Mark Adler
Melissa Adler
Pamela Betts
Mary Page Evans
Stacey Goldman-Laughter
Rebecca Jackson
Christine Merry
Lee Newman
Rebecca Pearl
Ann Schaefer

Horses on Parade

You can find carousel figures throughout Frederick the month leading up to the Cocktails & Carousels event.

Place a bid on a beautiful carousel figure refurbished by a local artist.

Online bidding through Sept 22, 11:59p with a concluding live auction during the Cocktails & Carousels event Sept 24.

High-Ho, Silver!

Esperanza Alzona

Located at Y Arts Center (115 E Church St, Frederick)

High-Ho, Silver!” —the phrase associated with the Lone Ranger, has become a cultural touchstone, used metaphorically to indicate that something or someone is on the way or that help is coming. The famous stallion named Silver was actually white, but this horse is a bright metallic silver. The refurbished figure is meant to be a symbol of shining hope, help arriving, a harbinger of something exciting about to happen. A pair of wings have been added reminiscent of Pegasus, conveying the idea of swiftness and unstoppable movement in an upward direction, characteristics of a mission being carried out with divine purpose. The horse is a bright, shiny vision of uplifting, hope, salvation and transcendence, much needed in our troubled times.

Animae Liberato Onoris

Shane Acuff

Located at Sacred Arts (216 N Market St, Frederick)

When I took stewardship of the creature, it was nameless. It’s body worn by years of carrying burdens, for the joy of countless travelers. I sought to unfold all that had been worn into this beast, by helping it regenerate into something that others would strive to support, joyfully, for the burden to carry it on, so that it may serve anew. A vessel to embody the noble release of burdens, and it is so named: The Animae Liberato Onoris. May it’s unbreakable spirit inspire the unbinding of pains carried with countless burdens~

Fantastical Majesty in the Key of Three

Breck Brunson

The Agency (11 S Market St, Frederick)

Art breathes and evolves while being made and even further as diverse engagements occur. Translations and intent are subject to the varying interpretations. Beginning and never ending in subtleties of new comparisons and relations including location changes.

My carousel zebra had a story before we chose each other for this artistic endeavor. The black and white stripes, the heavy aluminum casting, the thought of spinning to a whimsical soundtrack and the sounds of riders seeking an escape from everyday outcomes reminded me that joy can be creatively designed.

Many outside of eastern and southern Africa don’t encounter zebras. This wonderful creature is bordering mystical. This majestic sentiment is what I wanted to shine through with my remix.

My love of music, rhythm, and notes are also in play here. The gold and chrome striping pattern keep visual time as the three little birds perform notes. A song by the title, “three little birds” assisted my decision to include them as supportive components. “Singing don’t worry, cuz every little thing, gonna be alright”. A hopefulness in the key of three.

Challedon

Joan Cartier

Located at the Weinberg Center for the Arts (20 W Patrick St, Frederick)

My project was to reconstruct the carousel horse into a depiction of Challedon. He was a dark bay racehorse, born and raised at Glade Valley Farm in Walkersville, MD and he was loved by Frederick! He was a local colt who achieved national fame: Horse of the Year for two years running, winner of the 1949 Preakness, and inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. Even more importantly, he was loved because a portion of his winnings paid for the air conditioning at the Tivoli Theatre in Frederick (now the Weinberg Center for the Arts) in 1939, making it the first air-conditioned building in Frederick!

‘The Carousel Creatures’ Moonlit Mischief

Lea Cragie Marshall

Located at JoJo’s Restaurant & Tap House beginning Sept 2

One moonlit evening, when the fairground had gone quiet, the creatures of the English garden sprang to life— sculpted mice with twitching whiskers, a hedgehog nestled into a teacup, a bird peeking from its painted nest, even a curious snake coiled in wait. Each one was shaped by hand and tucked among blossoms, vines, and patterns that spill across the horse in a riot of color.

This carousel is my own maximalist daydream, a wild and joyful leap into the pages of a Beatrix Potter story. As a child, I longed to climb inside those tales, to live alongside the woodland creatures and share their adventures. Here, you have a glimpse into my imagination.

Adam Curtis

Strail

Located at Winchester Hall (12 E Church St, Frederick)

Adam Curtis is a large scale abstract metal sculptor who has been making artwork for 30 years. One of his earliest collectors was Virgin Atlantic Airlines and he has been placing work in private collections as well as public commissions ever since.

He has been represented by galleries in Los Angeles, New York, Europe and Sante Fe, NM. He has exhibited in numerous group and two-person shows as well as solo shows including one in Zurich Switzerlad at the Turske-Whitney Gallery.

He has had large pieces on display in Chicago at the Navy pier, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Salty the Seahorse

Suzanne Feldman, Barbra Quinn, Geoffrey Quinn, and Vicki Sipe

Located at 7th Sister Garden (228 N Market St, Frederick)

Salty the Seahorse is surrounded by her underwater friends. The artist team bringing Salty to life believes that glass is a narrative medium, and does best when it’s telling a story.

Pinto Party!

Matt Long

Located at ACNB Bank (2 N Market St, Frederick)

With this sculpture, I wanted to celebrate the playful and vibrant energy that the carousel experience radiates. Bright colors, bold graphics, and pattern exploration work together to create an exciting visual blend of vintage circus nostalgia and modern elements of design. I’m reminded of a child-like wonder and unique design
aesthetic that’s defined so many fun memories for multiple generations.

Beau Monde

Sheldon Mathis

Located at The Wine Kitchen on the Creek (50 Carroll Creek Linear Park, Frederick)

A horse accustomed to the fashionable lifestyle in the 1700s. The book “Life Mask” by Emma Donoghue was very influential in this project and for that I am very grateful. This horse was made using acrylic paint, gloss medium, epoxy sculpt, beads, and costume pearls.

Purple Pony Club

Cynthia Scott-Johnson

Located at: The Frederick Center (5 E 2nd St, Frederick)

Our perceptual bubbles shift with mood and change with the season. This pony came to life during Frederick Pride 2025. That was the vibe when I was painting Purple Pony Club. Chappell Roan’s song was in the streets all weekend long, and now I can’t get it out of my heart.

Vince

Lowe Turner & Elizabeth Ashe

Located at Woodsboro Bank through Sept 10 then the Great Frederick Fair from through September 18

When we thought about carousels, we thought about the circular movement, the twinkling lights, nostalgic time with family, and brassy music. When we thought of how the carousel horse must feel, we imagined it embodied in the opposite way — stillness, and the sky in motion. Vince is a nod to Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” where our horse is the medium between spectator and rider — churning the night sky at a wild gallop, with black-eyed susans and a few Maryland beetles underfoot.

Funky Chicken

Bill Watson

Located at Vault of Visions (1 N Market St, Frederick)

“Funky Chicken” is an exploration of color and form that reflects Watson’s distinctive stylistic approach. The work presents an intricate interplay of flattened geometric elements against a dimensional surface. While sharp, straight-edged forms seem to act independently, the underlying carousel figure maintains its sinuous, curving motion. This tension between precision and fluidity disrupts familiar visual expectations, inviting the viewer to reconsider the boundaries of the typical and to see beyond the obvious.