Hello Harford Tourism Website, Social Media Pages Have Launched

Hello Harford, the county’s new tourism marketing initiative under the department of economic development, will officially launch on May 1, but you can get an advanced look at the Hello Harford website, Facebook page, and Instagram now. The new website, part of an overall marketing effort, includes extensive lists of the county's restaurants, attractions, hotels and an events calendar for the year. The site was designed to help visitors from outside the county and state easily plan their trips and find fun, exciting things to do while they’re here, but you may discover (or re-discover) some for yourself! To learn more about the overall plans for Hello Harford, contact our Tourism Manager Jodi Marschhauser.

April 9: Find Out How Apprentices, Interns Can Benefit Your Business

Apprentices and interns can help your business grow and thrive. Find out how at the Harford Business Roundtable for Education's Apprenticeship & Internship Summit on Wednesday, April 9. This event is free but registration is required. 

Click here to see an interactive map and infographics on current Harford County Public Schools' internships and apprenticeships. 

Learn How to do Business with Aberdeen Proving Ground at Workshop on April 9

Interested in contracting with the federal government? Join County Executive Bob Cassilly and a panel of industry experts for Doing Business with Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) on Wednesday, April 9. The workshop will help you prepare your business for APG's Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry (APBI) on April 22-24. The event is free to attend, but registration is required. To register, click here.

Spread the Word about Your Business through Municipal Event Sponsorship Opportunities

Trying to get the word out about your business? Do you want to support local events? Sponsorship opportunities are available for events in the downtown areas of Harford's three municipalities - Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre de Grace. Business owners can choose which events they would like to sponsor and which packages work best for them to promote their company's name, logo, mission, and more. To learn more, contact Vickie Horne at the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Jenny Erhard at the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, or Lauri Orzewicz at the City of Havre de Grace.

Horror Comedy Filmed in Harford Now Streaming; Premiere April 5 in Havre de Grace

Gothic Slayers, a horror adventure comedy filmed at various sites in Harford, is streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Fandango at Home, and Google Play. The film tells the story of two mini-golf employees who battle a demonic cult to save their hometown; the hometown is Havre de Grace. Filming was done in late 2022, with more than 50 cast and crew shooting at locations like Churchville Golf Center, Arctic Circle, and Jurassic Golf & Arcade. Learn more about the film's production.  The official film premiere is at the State Theater of Havre de Grace on April 5; click here to purchase tickets.

Upcoming Events

Fun Things to Do in April

Through April 14: Laughter & Intrigue Exhibit at the Liriodendron
April 5: Steppingstone Museum's Opening Day; Dunnigan's: Bel Air Speakeasy
April 10: Taste of Aberdeen
April 12: HDG Citywide Yard Sale; My Lady's Manor Steeplechase; Bel Air Kite Festival
April 18-20: B1G Women's Golf Championship at Bulle Rock Golf Course
April 19: Earth Day in Aberdeen; Havre de Grace Annual Egg Hunt
April 26: Earth Day Celebration at Poplar Grove Park

Check out Hello Harford's calendar to see more upcoming events. 

Business, Community Leaders Hear Economic Trends, Predictions at Event on March 27

photo courtesy of the Harford County Chamber of Commerce

Local business and community leaders heard past trends and 2025 predictions for the county, state, and regional economies at the Economic Outlook Breakfast, hosted by the Harford County Chamber of Commerce, on March 27. Speakers at the event, held at Maryland Golf and Country Clubs in Bel Air, were Acting Secretary Harry Coker of the Maryland Department of Commerce; Dr. Daraius Irani, chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute at Towson University; and Karen Holt, director of Harford County Economic Development. Presentation topics included: key industry sectors; how to leverage Maryland's assets; consumer sentiments and prices; real estate; and variable interest, employment, and vacancy rates. 

Harford Economic Development Director Speaks at National Defense Conference

Harford County Economic Development Director Karen Holt opened the recent Association of Defense Communities (ADC) National Summit, attended by nearly 700 military, government, and community defense leaders from across the country. The two-day summit, themed "National Security Starts at HOME," gave homage to ADC's HOME initiative, which focuses on strong military foundations. Summit topics included a historic look at Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) rounds; installation resilience and military readiness; reliable connectivity and cyber vulnerability, and military family resources. Holt, who transitioned to ADC past president at the summit's conclusion, will now lead board development and nominations. ADC supports military families and soldier readiness in more than 300 defense communities across the nation, including Aberdeen Proving Ground. ADC will celebrate its 50th anniversary in May 2026.

Local Kudos for April

Harford Financial Group was voted Best Financial Adviser for the fifth year in a row by Harford Magazine readers.  University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health rebranded its primary care programs to reinforce its commitment to patient care.  Emerald Technical Solutions, an IT and cybersecurity company based in Havre de Grace, was named to the list of fastest growing business in the Mid-Atlantic by Inc.com.

Stay in Touch! Find updates from the Harford business community, event information, stories from local companies, and more on our Harford County Economic Development Facebook page. Click here to join.

Check out our new Connect for Success video to hear from fellow local companies on how the Department of Economic Development can help take your business to the next level.

Want to know more about what's happening in southern Harford County?  Click here to subscribe to the Southern County Taskforce Newsletter.

Has your business expanded recently - built more space, hired 10 or more new employees, etc.? If so, please reach out! Email ded@harfordcountymd.gov and let our team know. 

Harford County Department of Economic Development
220 S Main Street | Bel Air, MD 21014
www.harfordcountymd.gov| 410-638-3059 | ded@harfordcountymd.gov