When Christopher Boggs saw the Dundalk Heritage Fair was canceled, he swiftly jumped into action.

“We can’t let such a treasured event just go to the wayside,” said Boggs, a Dundalk native and the chief operating officer of MacNabb Funeral Home.

He rallied his Catonsville-based company to donate $10,000 to help keep the 50th year of the Dundalk Heritage Fair going.

Thanks to the support of Boggs, along with dozens of other community members and businesses, the Heritage Fair is back on for July 4-6, organizers announced Wednesday. The Heritage Association of Greater Dundalk, which organizes the fair, says it’s raised nearly $100,000, including $40,000 from new sponsors.

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“We still need another $10,000 to $15,000,” said Mark Krysiak, the Heritage Association of Greater Dundalk executive director, “but we are confident the community will continue to step up.”

The revival marks a dramatic turnaround after organizers abruptly canceled the event this month, citing financial troubles. What followed was an outpouring of support — from sandwich shops to elected officials to lip balm companies.

“Not only has my business been a part of the Dundalk community for eight years, I also grew up in Dundalk and the surrounding area, so the Heritage Fair is very special to me,” said Eric Oppel, the owner of sandwich shop Deli-ish.

Oppel said his business made a private donation and hosted a fundraiser last weekend in which a portion of sales went to the Heritage Association of Greater Dundalk.

“Many people came in that weekend announcing their support to ‘Save the Fair,’” Oppel said. “We are so happy the community rallied together and were successful in saving this fair that’s so very important to Dundalk.”

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Oppel said Deli-ish will have a food tent at the fair.

In addition to community support, the Heritage Association of Greater Dundalk said local and state leaders, including County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, County Councilmember Todd Crandell and state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling, played a significant role in the fair’s comeback. The Baltimore Banner reached out to each of their offices for comment.

“Our ability to make such a remarkable recovery is due in no small part to the support of our elected officials and the hard-working employees of Baltimore County,” the association said in a press release. “But, none of this would be possible without the patriotism and community spirit of the people of Dundalk. The decision to cancel the 2025 Heritage Fair clearly undervalued the tenacity of this wonderful group of people.”

The Heritage Fair has been a staple in Dundalk since 1976. The three-day Independence Day celebration also features fireworks, a 6K race and musical guests. The fair attracted upwards of 20,000 people to Heritage Park in its glory days.

But for Dundalk native Kellie Miller, who owns the lip balm company Bmore Bomb, the Heritage Fair means much more. That’s why she stepped up to help. According to Miller, Bmore Bomb donated 30% of its sales from the past 12 days to keep her hometown tradition alive.

“This fair is more than just an event — it’s a celebration of local culture, tradition and hometown pride. As a small business rooted in the Dundalk area, it felt important to give back to the community that continues to support us,” Miller said. “Our fundraiser was just one way we could help keep that spirit alive.”