September 20, 2022

Sixth Annual Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival Returns on Sunday, Sept. 25, with Events on Marian Fryer Town Plaza

The Sixth Annual Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival returns to the streets of Wheaton on Sunday, Sept. 25, with activities on Marian Fryer Town Plaza in Downtown Wheaton following the unique parade. The free event celebrates the artistic and cultural diversity of the community and provides a showcase for local artists.

The Arts Parade starts at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Grandview and Ennalls avenues. It will move down Georgia Avenue, around the Wheaton Triangle Business District and will end at the festival site adjacent to the entrance of the Wheaton Metrorail Station.

Marian Fryer Town Plaza is located at 2424 Reedie Dr. in Wheaton.

Anyone can join the parade as long as they push, pull, carry, wear or perform art. On this day, everyone can be an artist. No motor vehicles are allowed in the parade. However, there will be more than 15 large, artist-designed floats—some old favorites and some new ones. The line of march will include a gold and silver double tetrahedron.

The parade will walk to the beat of marching bands, bagpipes, drums and dance companies. A map of the parade route can be found at https://www.wheatonartsparade.org/wapf2022.

The festival will have more than 50 tents of original art for sale and three stages of continuous performances from noon-5 p.m.

More than 40 individual artists, as well as art organizations and galleries, will sell their original art. There will be artists representing the Montgomery Art Association, the Washington Watercolor Association, the Capitol Hill Art League, Gallery 209 and the Wheaton Arts Parade Gallery.

Family fun will include balloon art, chalk art, face painting and various free art-making activities.

The lineup of music and dance performers will include Strathmore artists Taisha Estrada, Amadou Kouyate and Seán Heely; the Urban Artistry Dance Company, the Wheaton Studio of Dance, the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance, Beijing Opera Dance. There also will be performances by the Albert Einstein High School and the Northwood High School band.

Carpe Diem is bringing a number of performers including Munit and Z Lovebugs, Mr. Lilo, Gabrielle Zwi & Friends, Christina Drapkin and the Glenn Pearson Band with Dick Kaufmann.

Also performing will be local musicians Roadside Attraction; Dir and the Howlers; Spencer J,; Cody as Always; and Tai the Bouffoon.

Food will be available to purchase from local award-winning restaurants. The festival will have a beer garden featuring Astro Lab Brewing and True Respite Brewing Company.

A map of the festival tents and the program of entertainment on each stage can be found at
https://www.wheatonartsparade.org/wapf2022.

Wheaton is one of three Maryland Arts and Entertainment Districts in Montgomery County. The mission of the Wheaton Arts Parade organization is to bring the community together with art.

The parade and festival are sponsored in part by the Montgomery County Government, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Montgomery Parks and Planning, the County Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County Recreation, Greenhill Properties, Westfield Wheaton, the Maryland State Arts Council and numerous local businesses and community organizations.

For more information on the parade and festival, visit www.wheatonartsparade.org.