Fall Harvest Family Day, Foodie Friday and a 'Not-So-Spooky Skate' Among the Montgomery Parks Special Events in October

Sunday Serenades, Fall Harvest Family Day and a “Not-So-Spooky Skate” are among the Montgomery Parks special events that will be held in October.

The special events calendar will include:

• Fall Harvest Family Day. Saturday, Oct. 12. 11 a.m. –3 p.m. Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 16501 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring. Churn butter, fill a harvest basket, decorate a cardboard pumpkin and participate in other hands-on activities. Learn how a 19th-century farm works. All ages. Free (includes admission to Woodlawn Museum).
• History Hour – The Voices of Woodlawn Manor: A 200-Year-Old Cultural Site. Thursday, Oct. 17. 6-7 p.m. Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda. Christian Murgia, education program manager at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, will delve into the history of the property as a location in continuous use since its founding more than 200 years ago. The dynamic site has been a boarding school, a Quaker plantation with an enslaved population and is currently a Montgomery Parks historical site. Arrive early and take a self-guided tour of the Josiah Henson Museum. Refreshments provided. Ages 13 and older. Purchase tickets. $5 per person.
• Not So Spooky Skate. Friday, Oct. 25. 4:30–6:30 p.m. (Cabin John Ice Rink); 5:30–7:30 p.m. (Wheaton Ice Arena). Cabin John Ice Rink, 10610 Westlake Drive, Rockville; Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Ave., Wheaton. Celebrate Halloween trick-or-treating at the skating rink, participate in the costume contest and make some Halloween-themed crafts. Ages 3–12. $12 per child (includes skate rental).
• Foodie Fridays: See the Future–Young Farmers in Montgomery County. Friday, Oct. 25, 6:30 –8:30 p.m. Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda. Envision the future of agriculture in Montgomery County with young growers who are reimagining the food system, featuring educator, filmmaker and community activist Falani Spivey. The registration fee includes light refreshments, one alcoholic beverage (21 and older), and a ticket to Josiah Henson Museum ($5 value, redeemable during regular museum hours). Ages 18 and older. Purchase tickets. $15 per person.

Special events at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton will include:

• Botany Basics. Saturdays, Oct.19 and 26. 11 a.m.–noon. Ages 9–12. Registration required. $7 per person.
• Dealing with Deer and Other Mammal Pests in Your Garden. Thursday, Oct. 24. 7–8:30 p.m. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $15 per person.
• Junior Gardeners. Friday, Oct. 25. 11 a.m.–noon. Ages 3–5. Registration required. $7 per person.
• Chrysanthemum Tour. Thursday, Oct 24. 7–8:30 p.m. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $12 per person.
• Heaven is a Garden: Serenity by Design. Tuesday, Oct. 29. 7–8:30 p.m. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. Free.
• Glory of Fall Garden Tour. Tuesday, Oct. 29, and Wednesday, Oct. 31. 1–2:30 p.m. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $12 per person.

Brookside Gardens is located at 1800 Glenallen Ave. in Wheaton.

Programs for Ages 55-and-over:

• 55+ Nature Book Club – Book Review. Tuesday, Oct. 15. 6–7:30 p.m. Sligo-Dennis Avenue Local Park, 10200 Sligo Creek Parkway, Silver Spring. Registration required. Free.
• Socials for 55+: Gourd Homes for Bird-friendly Crafting. Monday, Oct. 21. 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood
• Registration required. $8 per person. (Part of Birdability Week).
• Socials for 55+: The Art of Bird Carving. Thursday, Oct. 24. 10–11:30 a.m. Veirs Mill Local Park, 4425 Garrett Park Road, Wheaton. Registration required. $8 per person. (Part of Birdability Week)

Montgomery Parks is a co-sponsor of the Learn to Inline Skate and Try Hockey. Sunday, Oct. 20. Dewey Local Park.

Go to Montgomery Parks event calendar for a complete list of special events and programming and to learn how to sign up using ActiveMontgomery. Visit the Fall 2024 Montgomery Parks Program Guide