Page 19 - Garrett County 2024/2025 Visitors Guide

// WHAT’S NEW
PHOTO COURTESY OF JTF
JTF BRINGS ICE RINK, FUN EVENTS TO GARRETT COUNTY
While Garrett County has long been Maryland’s prime skiing destination, it didn’t have an ice rink — until the 2022/23 winter season. That’s when Joint Training Facility (JTF), a veteran-owned local event company, opened an outdoor ice-skating destination at one of the pavilions in Grantsville’s Town Park.
JTF is planning to bring the ice rink back each winter, starting the weekend before Thanksgiving and wrapping on Presidents’ Day, said Ronda Johnson, JTF’s co-owner. In fact, following a successful opening season, JTF is exploring a bigger footprint for the ice rink in winters to come.
However, the ice rink is far from the only attraction JTF has to offer. The company is a “mobile sports and entertainment business,” Johnson said, whose goal is to bring unique recreational and sports activities to Garrett County and surrounding rural areas.
One of JTF’s specialties is event rentals that can liven up anything from birthday parties and family or military reunions to corporate teambuilding and nonprofit fundraisers. Options for games and activities include human foosball, inflatable axe throwing, laser tag, over-sized checkers and many more.
While JTF doesn’t own a venue, the company is happy to work with locals or visitors on finding one, Johnson said. “We’ve done corporate outings where we set up games for teambuilding at vacation rentals, and we did a family event at a hotel last year. We can help you figure out where to set up. We’re pretty familiar with all the parks in the area too.”
During the summer, JTF teams up with the Town of Grantsville to offer a free summer camp that’s open to locals and visitors alike, with lunch catered by area restaurants. The camp is free of charge and open to all ages.
Learn more about JTF’s programming at jtf1.com.
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