Diving into the fun at Waterfest, sprucing up your abode with native plant sales or enjoying a full moon on a Friday night in a festive atmosphere are among the special programs in May that will be featured at nature centers operated by Montgomery Parks.
The schedule of May special programs will include:
- Native Plant Sale. Locust Grove Nature Center’s Spring Native Plant Sale. Saturday-Sunday, May 18–19. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Pope Farm Nursery, 7400 Airpark Road, Gaithersburg. Experts will be available to answer questions. This in-person sale will take place at Pope Farm Nursery and sales will support educational programs at Locust Grove Nature Center.
- Nature Hike and Seek. Wednesday, May 22. 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Preschoolers and their caretakers, guided by a park naturalist, will have the opportunity to collect, count and sort different materials, shapes and patterns in nature and develop social skills like sharing and cooperation. Ages 3-5. Registration required. $7 per person.
- Orienteering 101. Saturday, May 18. 10 a.m.-noon. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. Go “orienteering” in Wheaton Regional Park. Take turns finding wilderness checkpoints with your map, compass and powers of observation. Ages 8 and older. Registration required. $7 per person.
- Waterfest, Saturday, May 18. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Maydale Nature Classroom, 1638 Maydale Drive, Colesville. Make a splash while learning about your local watershed through crafts, games, exhibitors and activities. All ages. Free.
- Full Moon Friday. Friday, May 24. 6:30–8 p.m. Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda. Enjoy the full moon for a hike and campfire. Registration required. Ages 10 and older. $8 per person.
- Nature Center Pop-up. Friday, May 24. 4-6 p.m. Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park, 12121 Skylark Drive, Clarksburg. Sunday, May 26. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. South Germantown Recreational Park, 18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds. Visit the Nature on Wheels vehicle and meet a naturalist to learn about the park, explore some natural objects, ask questions and do biology-themed activities. Registration optional. All ages. Free.
- Ready, Set, Go! Friday, May 31. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. Embark on a family-friendly, nature-themed scavenger hunt adventure on the trails of Wheaton Regional Park. The hunt will be facilitated using the GooseChase smartphone app. Ages 8 and older. Registration required. $15 per person.
