Montgomery Parks Presents Shakespeare Beyond at Four Locations in June and July

 

Join Montgomery Parks for their Shakespeare Beyond performances, featuring Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. They’ll be bringing a fresh twist to a timeless Shakespearean classic, The Comedy of Errors, Hon!

The Comedy of Errors is a lively and entertaining Shakespearean comedy, filled with mistaken identities and humorous misunderstandings. With its fast-paced action and playful chaos, the performance promises to be fun, engaging, and full of laughter for audiences.

These family-friendly events are free and open to all ages. Performances will take place throughout the summer at various park locations, so be sure to check the calendar below for the full lineup.

Concessions will be available for purchase on-site, and rain dates can be found below.

• Tuesday, July 8
  Lake Needwood Mansion. 6700 Needwood Rd, Rockville, MD.6:30-8:30 p.m.
  Rain date is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9.
• Tuesday, July 15
  Black Hill Regional Park. 20930 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
  Rain date is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16.

Treats are available for purchase from Lavish Ice Cream.

Free Fireworks Shows for Independence Day in Germantown and Kensington

 

Montgomery County is set to celebrate Independence Day with two events full of fireworks, live music and other family-friendly activities:

Germantown Glory will be held Friday, July 4 at South Germantown Recreational Park (18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds). The event starts at 7 p.m. with Central City Orchestra set to perform. Parking is available on-site.

Mid-County Sparkles will take place the following evening, Saturday, July 5 at Albert Einstein High School (11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington). The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with live music from Downtown Sound. Parking will only be available on-site for individuals with disabilities.

Fireworks are set to begin at approximately 9:15 p.m. Depending on weather conditions, the timing of the fireworks is subject to change.

For more information about other local fireworks shows to celebrate the holiday go to Visit Montgomery.com.

Rockville’s ‘Suds and Soles’ 5K Evening Run Hits the Streets on Saturday, June 14

 

The annual Rockville “Suds and Soles” 5K run will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at The Square in Downtown Rockville. The race is presented through a partnership of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) and the City of Rockville. It is open to all ages and will be followed by a post-race party, where runners ages 21 and older can try free beverage samples from local breweries. There will also be kids’ activities, live music and refreshments.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Rockville Youth Recreation Fund and Youth and Beginning Running Programs of MCRRC Race day registration will only be available if the race is not sold out. 

Suds & Soles is a USATF-certified 5K course beginning and ending at The Square in Downtown Rockville. The course will run through downtown Rockville and through neighborhood roads before returning to The Square. It is one of the few evening races in the DMV.

Find out more and register online at https://www.mcrrcsudsandsoles.org/.

Lace Up for Fun: Pike’s Peek 10K is Back – And You Could Run for Free!

 

Get ready, runners, cheer squads and fun-seekers—the popular Pike’s Peek 10K is hitting the streets on Sunday, April 27 and the Pike District Partnership is hooking up one lucky winner with a free race bib (worth $48). This fast, downhill race from Shady Grove Metro to Pike & Rose is one of the most exciting 10Ks in the area, and whether you're sprinting for a PR or just soaking up the vibes, this event is all about good times and fast miles.

All you have to do to win a free entry is:

• ✔ Follow Pike District on Facebook
• ✔ Like the pinned post about the race

Boom! That’s it. One lucky winner will score free entry to the race—because the only thing better than a runner’s high is a free runner’s high!

More Than Just a Race – A Full-On Festival!

This isn’t just a race—it’s a community party with something for everyone:

🎉 Kids Fun Runs – A 1/4-mile dash and a 50M Toddler Trot mean the little ones can get in on the action, too!

📣 Cheer Squads – Not running? No problem! Bring your energy and cheer on the racers along the course. Every great run deserves a hype crew!

🎶 Festival Vibes – After you cross the finish line, soak in the live music, delicious food, and awesome giveaways at the post-race festival at Pike & Rose.

Stop by the Pike District Tent – Free Swag Alert!

Make sure to swing by the Pike District Partnership tent at the festival, where you can learn more about the Pike District and score a free light-up pedestrian safety button—because staying safe while walking or running = 🔥.

If you don’t win the free bib, don’t stress—you can still register and join the fun.
Register here: pikespeek10k.org

‘Rules for Writing Christmas Cards’ to Premiere at Gaithersburg Arts Barn Nov. 29-Dec. 15

“Rules for Writing Christmas Cards,” a comedy by Jennifer Faletto, will make its world premiere from Nov. 29-Dec. 15 at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. The show will be presented by the Best Medicine Rep Theater Company, in partnership with the City of Gaithersburg.

The Gaithersburg Arts Barn is located at 311 Kent Square Road in Gaithersburg. Tickets are $21 - $23. They are available by calling the Arts Barn at 301-258-6394 or by clicking here. "Rules for Writing Christmas Cards" contains adult language and situations. It is not recommended for people younger than 12.

"Rules for Writing Christmas Cards" is a funny and warm collection of blackout sketches detailing holiday card failures featuring way too much information about the people who sent them. This includes the Secret Santa who goes too far, the college acquaintance who landed a husband out of her league and the many passive-aggressive family relationships that are sometimes expected this time of year.

Jennifer Faletto is familiar with Best Medicine Rep, where her play “The Texas Homecoming Revolution of 1995” premiered in 2018. Her other local productions include “This Little Light” at Venus Theatre and “Domestic Animals” at the Capital Fringe Festival. She is originally from Texas and graduated from the Second City Conservatory in Chicago.

Best Med regulars Rebecca A. Herron, Terence Heffernan, Matthew Marcus, and Cristen Stephansky round out the cast. Actress Rose Hahn is new to the company.

Now in its eighth season, Best Medicine Rep is a nonprofit, professional theater company that specializes in new comedies. It is dedicated to the artistic, educational and cultural development of the Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village area. For more information about the company, visit the Best Medicine Rep website. 

Thanksgiving Parade Will Bring Olympians, Marching Bands and Floats to Downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, Nov. 16

Montgomery County’s annual Thanksgiving Parade, the largest in the Washington, D.C. region, is set to fill downtown Silver Spring with holiday cheer starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16. This year’s festivities will include marching bands, community floats, County Executive Marc Elrich, members of the County Council and local Olympians Thea LaFond of Dominica and Aaron Ghebre Owusu of Eritrea.

Ms. LaFond, who lives in Silver Spring, set a new national record for her birth country, securing a historic first Olympic gold medal for Dominica in the women’s triple jump in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Mr. Owuso represented his homeland as he competed in the men’s 50-meter freestyle swim in Paris.

ABC7’s First Alert Weather Team’s Eileen Whalen will kick off the parade with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The parade route will start at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street, proceed south on Georgia Avenue and conclude at Silver Spring Avenue.

“The Thanksgiving Parade is a Montgomery County tradition that brings our community together to celebrate the start of the holiday season with friends, family and neighbors,” said County Executive Elrich. “This year, we are pleased to welcome local Olympians, talented performers and our dedicated community groups to make the day even more special. This parade highlights the people, places and culture that help make Montgomery County a diverse and vibrant place to live. I am looking forward to seeing the streets of Silver Spring filled with joy.”

Attendees can look forward to a festive lineup of more than 150 units, including community groups, local marching bands, vibrant floats, mascots and live performances by the Akhmedova Ballet Academy and Maryland Youth Ballet. The parade’s lineup also will include stilt walkers, a giant T-Rex and a penguin inflatable. There will be holiday characters including performing dogs, Hannukah bears, reindeer and Santa Claus himself. Dance and marching band performances will occur near the parade’s starting point at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street.

The parade will take place rain or shine. For more information, visit the official parade website or call 240-777-0311.

To accommodate the parade, road closures will be in place from 6 a.m-1 p.m. on Nov. 16:

• North and Southbound lanes of Georgia Ave., from East-West Highway to Colesville Road.
• Cedar Street between Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue.
• Pershing Drive from Cedar Street to Veterans Place.
• Veterans Place from Pershing Drive to Ellsworth Drive.
• Ellsworth Drive from Georgia Avenue to Cedar Street.
• Roeder Road from Fenton Street to Cedar Street.
• Fenton Street from Cameron Street to Wayne Avenue.
• Wayne Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
• Bonifant Street from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
• Thayer Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
• Silver Spring Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.

Public parking is available in garages on Sligo Avenue, Cameron Street and Bonifant Street. (The Ellsworth Town Center garage will be closed starting at 2 a.m. on Nov. 16.) Attendees are encouraged to take the Metro Red Line to the Silver Spring Station for easy access to the parade route.

Rockville’s 10k/5k Run, a Fall Tradition, Will Hit the Streets of King Farm on Sunday, Nov. 3

The City of Rockville, in partnership with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club, will again host the fall running tradition of the Rockville 10k/5k run on Sunday morning, Nov. 3. The event, which welcomes runners of all abilities, will happen along the streets of the King Farm community.

The race will be staged from the King Farm Village Center, located at 302 King Farm Blvd. in Rockville. Road closures in the area will go into effect. At 8:10 a.m., a kids' one-mile fun run will begin at the corner of Redland Blvd. and Pleasant Drive. The 10k run begins at 8:30 a.m., and the 5k run starts at 8:45 a.m.

Although participants of all abilities are welcome, a 15-minute per mile pace will be enforced due to permitting requirements and the re-opening of roads. Participants who fall behind that pace will be moved to the sidewalk.

Walkers are encouraged to participate in the 5k distance due to the road closure restrictions. Strollers are permitted, but organizers ask anyone pushing a stroller to seed themselves in the back of the field at the start of the race they are running.

Dogs and all other pets are not permitted on the course.

Additional information about the race is available at www.rockville10k5k.com.

Pike District Partnership to Host ‘Barks, Brews and BBQ’ Dog-Friendly Beer Garden in North Bethesda on Saturday, Nov. 2

The Pike District Partnership will host its third annual “Barks, Brews and BBQ Beer Garden” free, dog-friendly event from noon-4 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Pike District Pop-up Park in North Bethesda.

The event will have tail-wagging, hand-clapping, local brews and mocktails at the Pike District Pop-up Park at Grand Park and Banneker Avenues, one block south of Old Georgetown Road.

Dog-friendly activities will include dog play areas and opportunities to snap adorable pics at the dog selfie station. Dogs and owners also can get creative at the dog ornament-making booth. Local vendors will include Dogtopia, Paw by Paw, Petwell Clinic and nonprofit PetConnect for dogs looking to connect with their forever families.

Hepcat Hoodie will open the music at the event. It features covers from the 60’s to today. The 19th Street Band returns as the event headliner, bringing together Americana, country and rock. It has made appearances at festivals including DelFest, Charm City Bluegrass Festival, National Cherry Blossom Festival, Annapolis Irish Festival and Maryland Irish Festival. Its latest album is currently airing across 100 radio stations in Ireland and the U.K.

Brews, cocktails and mocktails will be available from Third Hill Brewing Co., 7Locks Brewing and Saints Row. Vine Alley will have a specialty cider cocktail, seltzers and mocktails.

BBQ will be available from Origins BBQ and Grubbing Hard BBQ.

The Pike District Partnership will collect donations to benefit Pet Connect, a local organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming pets in need.

For up-to-date information on the festival and to check for weather-related changes, click here.

The Pike District Partnership (PDP) is the advocacy and marketing engine that fosters connections and amplifies community voices to promote economic opportunities. Its central purpose is to position the Pike District’s success as North Bethesda’s Urban Core. The PDP continues the mission of The Friends of White Flint (FoWF) nonprofit advocacy organization and the White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee (WFDAC) to support North Bethesda.

‘How Taking the Road Less Travelled Can Lead to Your Best Life’ Will Be Focus of ‘Follow Your Bliss’ Event on Thursday, Nov. 14, in Silver Spring

“How Taking the Road Less Travelled Can Lead to Your Best Life” will be the focus of the next in the free series of “Follow Your Bliss” events at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The series is presented by of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.

This year's panel will be hosted by Imago Family Therapist and Trainer Rebecca Sears. The panel will feature author Chana Brissett Shinegba, artist Sylvia Douglin, astrologer, craniosacral and family constellation therapist Randy Goldberg, international trainer and educator Rolande Lewis, artist Syahidah Osman, filmmaker/musician Omar Teitelbaum and special assistant to County Executive Marc Elrich Debbie Spielberg.

The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Place in Downtown Silver Spring.

The reserve a place at the event, click here.  

Outdoor, Walking Ghost Tours on Oct. 25-26 Will Expose Chilling Tales of Poolesville

Author, artist, and paranormal investigator Lennon Gross will lead hair-raising outdoor walking tour through the center of Poolesville on Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, telling the tales of dark histories and chilling hauntings associated with some of the town’s oldest historic buildings. There will be two tours each night organized at the historic John Poole House.

The tours begin at 7 and 9 p.m. each night. Early tours (7-8 p.m.) will be family-friendly and end back at the John Poole House, where a bonfire and hot cider will be waiting. Later tours (9-10 p.m.) are even spookier and also end with a bonfire and cider at the John Poole House. The tours are for adults and children ages 15 and over.

The John Poole House is located at 19949 Fisher Ave. in Poolesville.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children.

Participants should expect to walk approximately one mile and stand for the duration of the tour.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and space is limited. All ticket sales support the preservation efforts and educational programs of Historic Medley District.

Purchase Tickets Here: Click below for your preferred day and time:

• Friday Oct. 25. 7 PM
• Friday Oct. 25, 9 PM
• Saturday Oct. 26. 7 PM
• Saturday Oct. 26. 9 PM

Historic Medley District, Inc. was founded in 1974 by 27 Montgomery County residents concerned about the neglect and disappearance of historic buildings and landmarks in the area formerly known as the voting district, “Medley District of Montgomery County.”

The district's purpose is to conserve buildings, structures, objects, and spaces that contribute to the area's historic character; develop and implement plans for preserving and using these resources; promote research and education in area history and its contribution to Montgomery County; and encourage citizen participation in these activities.

National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville Will Host Its Annual ‘Trolley-Ween’ on Oct. 26-27

The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville will again host its annual family-friendly “Trolley-Ween” even on Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 26-27. Trolley-Ween encourages visitors to get into the spirit of the season and wear a costume to the museum, which has preserved trolleys of lines from around the nation.

 
The National Capital Trolley Museum is located at 1313 Bonifant Rd. in Colesville. Trolley-Ween will take place from noon-6:30 p.m. (last tour starts at 5:30 p.m.) on Saturday, Oct. 26, and from noon-4 p.m. (last tour starts at 3 p.m.) on Sunday, Oct. 27.

General admission tickets are $12. Tickets for seniors and those ages 2-17 are $10.

For more information about the museum, Trolley-Ween and to purchase tickets, go to Plan Your Visit — National Capital Trolley Museum.

At the event, in addition to viewing the historic reconstructed trolley, visitors can make Halloween crafts, ride an antique street car and take advantage of photo opportunities.

Costumes should be family friendly. Activities will be included with regular price of admission.

The National Capital Trolley Museum first opened in 1969. It has operated at its Colesville location since 2010. One of the main features of the museum is its ability to offer rides on restored trolleys on its one-mile route through Northwest Branch Park.

The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It preserves and interprets the heritage of electric street and interurban railways for the Nation’s Capital and environs for the benefit of present and future generations while supplementing its collections with significant national and international objects to enhance its interpretive programs.

Kentlands Festival Will Celebrate Fall on Saturday Oct. 26

The Kentlands Falls Festival will return from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, with live music throughout the day, crafts for kids and trick-or-treating.

The festival will take place throughout the Kentlands Market Square business district in Gaithersburg. It can be easily found at 200 Kentlands Blvd. in Gaithersburg.

Trick-or-treating throughout the area will be encouraged from 2-4:30 p.m. Kids can show off their costumes while collecting treats.

Annual Free Rockville Antique and Classic Car Show Will Drive In on Oct. 19

The annual Rockville Antique and Classic Car Show will be held from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, on the grounds of Glenview Mansion in Rockville Civic Center Park. The event, which each year is one of the largest classic car shows in the Mid-Atlantic Region, is free to attend.

This year’s show will include exhibitions featuring 32 car clubs, in addition to displays of other rare vehicles. The show also has a flea market, car sales area and live music by the Bad Influence Band. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Glenview Mansion is located at 603 Edmonston Dr. in Rockville. Parking at Rockville Civic Center Park is free, but limited. Enter from Baltimore Road at Avery Road. Accessible parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to those with an accessible placard or license plate.

A courtesy shuttle will run every 15-20 minutes from Meadow Hall Elementary School, which is located at 251 Twinbrook Parkway, to the show grounds. The shuttles are accessible and will operate from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Each year, the Mayor and Council of Rockville selects one vehicle to receive the Mayor and Council Award. The 2023 recipient was a 1955 Lotus MK IX owned by Kevin McGovern.

While there are no road closures associated with the event, there will be an increase in vehicular and pedestrian traffic surrounding Rockville Civic Center Park. Additionally, the tennis courts in the park will be closed for the day. The Croydon Creek Nature Center is open normal business hours, with its parking lot is reserved for guests visiting the center. 

For more information about the show, go to Rockville Antique and Classic Car Show | Rockville, MD - Official Website (rockvillemd.gov).

County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 Inductees Will Include Lafond, Rabil, Onyewu, Skarupa, Thomas and Windsor

The Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF) has announced that it will induct six new members in its 2025. The new honorees are Olympic gold medal winner triple jumper Thea Lafond, soccer player Oguchi Onyewu, four-time all-America lacrosse player Paul Rabil, Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Haley Skarupa, late high school football coach Al Thomas and former NFL star Bob Windsor.

This is the sixth class of the County Sports Hall of Fame, which found a new home this year at the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center. This year’s inductees will join 29 others who were previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremonies will be held on Sunday, May 4, at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

“These men and women have brought recognition and honor to our community in their respective fields,” said MCSHF Board of Directors Chair Bob Milloy. “It is a stellar group and the induction ceremony will be one fabulous evening.”

More information about the hall of fame, including details on the hall members, can be found at www.MCSHF.org.

Details on the newly selected members of the County Sports Hall of Fame:

• Thea Lafond, a special education teacher at Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, won the gold medal in the women’s triple jump in the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing the Caribbean island of Dominica. She was born in Dominica and became that country’s first Olympic gold medal winner. Her family emigrated to the U.S. when she was a child and she attended Kennedy High School and then the University of Maryland. At Maryland, she competed in several track and field events including heptathlon and indoor pentathlon. She competed in the triple jump at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics before winning gold at the 2024 Olympics. Lafond also won gold medals at the 2024 indoor world championships.
• Oguchi Onyewu was a professional soccer player for 15 years, including 10 as a member of the U.S. national team, playing in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. The former Sherwood High School star attended Clemson University before beginning his pro career in 2002. Onyewu played in France, England, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and The Netherlands before ending his career in the United States. The center back defender spent much of his career with Standard Liege in Belgium, where he played in 139 games. He has served on the boards of several organizations and has been a soccer and Special Olympics ambassador. He spent two years on the board of directors of U.S. Soccer before being named vice president of sporting for U.S. Soccer in 2023. In that role, he oversaw dozens of men’s, women’s and youth national teams.
• Paul Rabil is widely regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. The Gaithersburg native attended Watkins Mill and DeMatha high schools before heading to Johns Hopkins University, where he was a four-time All-America. His Hopkins teams won NCAA national championships in 2005 and 2007, and he won the Mclaughlin Award as the nation’s best midfielder in 2007. Rabil began his pro career in 2008 playing in both Major League Lacrosse and the indoor National Lacrosse League. He was a two-time league MVP of Major League Lacrosse while being part of two league championship teams. He ended his career as the all-time points leader in professional lacrosse with 657 points across 14 seasons. In 2018, Rabil and his brother Mike co-founded the Premier Lacrosse League. He also founded the Rabil Companies, which help grow the sport of lacrosse.
• Haley Skarupa is an Olympic gold medal winner and member of three world championship teams in women’s ice hockey. The Wootton High School graduate began her junior career with the local Washington Pride team before attending Boston College, where she scored 244 points in 144 games. She was a two-time finalist for the Kazmaier national player of the year award. Skarupa began her professional career in 2016 and played for seven years in the National Women’s Hockey League and the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association. She retired in 2023. She has worked as a hockey ambassador for the Washington Capitals and in 2023 became USA Hockey’s head scout for the women’s national team.
• Al Thomas was one of the most successful high school football coaches in Maryland history, leading teams to eight Maryland state championships. A native of Johnsburg, Pa., Thomas came to Montgomery County after college to be a teacher and coach. In 1964, he took his first coaching job as an assistant at Gaithersburg High School under John Harvill, who was already on his way to a historic career that also led him into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame. After 10 years there, Thomas was hired to become head coach at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown. His teams there went to win five Maryland state championships. He moved on to Damascus High, where the Swarmin’ Hornets won two state titles. He then took over at Sherwood High in Sandy Spring and won another state championship. Thomas created some unique nicknames for his teams that still are going strong today: Seneca Valley became known as the Screamin’ Eagles; the Hornets of Damascus unofficially adapted the Swarmin’ Hornets name; and the Sherwood Warriors took on the nickname of the Stormin’ Warriors. Overall, his teams won 242 games in nearly four decades of coaching. Thomas passed away in 2016.
• Bob Windsor spent nine seasons in the NFL, playing tight end played for the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots. At Blair High School in Silver Spring, he excelled in football, basketball and track. He began his college career at Montgomery College before going on to play at Kentucky. He was drafted by teams in the AFL and NFL (before the leagues merged) and chose to play for the 49ers in the NFL. After his career, Windsor ran a successful sporting goods business and served as a teacher and coach at several Montgomery County schools.

The MCSHF is a nonprofit organization established in 2018. Its objectives are to build a better community through sports and to develop and support such programs.

Rockville’s ‘Rocktobierfest’ Will Celebrate German Culture with Bands, Beer and Bratwurst on Saturday, Sept. 28

The City of Rockville's Rocktobierfest will celebrate German culture with bands, beer and bratwurst from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Rockville Town Center. The free festival will have two stages of live music, food vendors, beer sales by local breweries, an artisan shopping area and activities for kids.

The Oktoberfest event annually attracts about 8,000 people to Downtown Rockville.

For more information about the event, call 240-314-8620 or go to specialevents@rockvillemd.gov.

The two stages of music for Rocktobierfest will include traditional Bavarian and rock music. The music schedule:

The Maryland Avenue Stage schedule includes the beach party music of Sons of Pirates (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) , the alternative rock of It’s All Good (1:30-3 p.m.) and the rock tribute band HFS (3:30- 5 p.m.).

On the East Montgomery Avenue Stage will be the Bavarian polka of Mike Surratt and the Continentals (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), the traditional German sounds of the Rockville German Band (1-2:30 p.m.) and the Bavarian polka of Alt Washingtonia (3:30-5 p.m.).

There are 11 scheduled breweries and vendors for the event, including 7 Locks Brewing, Clear Skies Meadery, Crooked Crab Brewing Company, Denizens Brewing Co., Lone Oak Farm Brewing, Saints Row Brewing, Silver Branch Brewing, Third Hill Brewing, Twin Valley Distillers, Waredaca Brewing Company and World of Beer.

Free parking will be available at the Council Office Building garage on Fleet Street and the City Hall parking lot. Paid parking will be available in the Town Square Route 355 and North Washington Street garages.

11th Annual ‘Harvest Moon Festival’ Will Fill Downtown Silver Spring with Arts, Entertainment and Exhibitors on Sunday, Sept. 22

The free 11th Annual “Harvest Moon Festival” will fill Downtown Silver Spring with arts, entertainment and exhibitors from 1-7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22. The music on the Veterans Plaza stage will range from Irish dance to New Orleans brass.

Veterans Plaza is located at 1 Veterans Pl. in Downtown Silver Spring.

The eclectic lineup of music starts with The Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance at 1 p.m. It will be followed by Positive Vibrations Youth Steel Orchestra (2 p.m.), Hālau Nohona Hawai’I (3 p.m.) and the Crush Funk Brass Band (4 p.m.). The Silver Spring Flow Arts (5:30 p.m.) will take over with its creative movement and light show.

The event, which is presented by Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., will also have art exhibitions and activities for kids.

For more information, go to https://www.silverspringtowncenter.com/.

10th Annual Free ‘Friendship Picnic’ to Celebrate Diverse Cultures and Faiths on Sunday, Sept. 15, in Wheaton

The 10th annual Montgomery County “Friendship Picnic” will again bring people of many cultures and faiths together to celebrate the County's diversity. The free picnic, whose goal is to enable people to make new friends and build a stronger community, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Wheaton Regional Park.

Wheaton Regional Park is located at 2000 Shorefield Road in Wheaton. A free satellite parking shuttle will be available to and from the Wheaton Ice Rink and athletic fields.

The event is an initiative of the Montgomery County Committee Against Hate/Violence (CAHV), which works to eradicate acts of hate and intimidation through community education, advocacy, collaboration and legislation.

All are welcome to the celebration, which will include traditional American Kosher, Halal, Ethiopian and vegan lunch options. A wide range of activities for children and adults will include music, dancing, face painting, a petting zoo, a moon bounce, a carousel and rides on the park’s miniature train.

There is no need to register in advance to attend. Attendees do not need to bring food or drink to the event. All will be provided.

“Over the last decade, our ‘Friendship Picnic’ has become a County tradition for diverse communities to gather and celebrate the community’s inclusivity,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “This picnic demonstrates that we are a place where people of all cultures, backgrounds and faiths can come together, learn from each other and build lasting relationships. I invite all residents to join this gathering.”

In addition to the recreation activities, there will be opportunities for small group conversations to share and discuss how to move toward a nonviolent community, peaceably and respectfully.

The Friendship Picnic is endorsed and supported by the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights, the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission, the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, the Faith Community Advisory Group, Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Police and the County Fire and Rescue Service, the African American Health Program and the Black Physicians Network.

For more information about the Friendship Picnic, call 240-777-8454.

Free Silver Spring Jazz Festival Returns on Saturday, Sept. 7, with Two Stages of Great Music and the ‘Chucho Valdés Quartet’ as Headliner

The free Silver Spring Jazz Festival returns to Downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, Sept. 7, with great music filling two stages throughout the day. Latin jazz legend, Chucho Valdés, whose career has spanned more than 60 years, will lead his quartet as the headline performance starting around 8:30 p.m. on the main stage.

The festival will run from 3 to 10 p.m. at Veterans Plaza, 1 Veterans Pl. in Silver Spring. It is a several-block walk from the now-reopened Silver Spring Metro Station, and there is plenty of public parking in the area.

Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdés leads another great lineup for this year’s festival. He has won seven Grammy and six Latin Grammy Awards and is the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz.  

The Silver Spring Jazz Festival began in 2004 with local jazz great Keter Betts and Silver Spring’s own smooth jazz star Marcus Johnson as headliners. The festival has featured a variety of well-known, popular performers, with jazz styles ranging from New Orleans-style big band to contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, straight-ahead jazz, Latin jazz and more.

The festival schedule for Sept. 7 will include:

• 3 p.m. Second stage: Feedel Band
• 3:30 p.m. Main stage: Dupont Brass
• 4:15 p.m. Second stage: Eric Byrd Trio
• 5 p.m. Main stage: Paul Carr and the Jazz Collective
• 6 p.m. Second stage: Todd Marcus Quintet
• 7 p.m. Main stage: Marcus Johnson presents Crank + Flo
• 8:30 p.m. Main stage: Chucho Valdés Quartet

More details on this year’s top performers:

• Feedel Band: This Ethiopian Jazz Band is based in Washington but has played all over the world. Its sound can best be described as East African jazz, a merging of 1960s R and B and funk grooves with traditional Ethiopian minor key scales. The band is led by Araya Woldemichael on keys, Moges Habte on tenor sax, Panda Manurung on drums and Derrick Cooper on bass.
• Dupont Brass: The brass-driven rhythm group from the heart of DC, Maryland and Virginia. Born out of the musical halls of Howard University, this once humble quintet of music scholars has blossomed into a dynamic 10-piece force, featuring brass, a rhythm section and vocal prowess. Their journey began with humble origins, as they busked in Metro stations to fund their education, but has since catapulted them onto prestigious stages across the nation.
• Eric Byrd Trio: For more than twenty years, the Eric Byrd Trio has traveled the world as enthusiastic ambassadors of jazz. Rooted in swing and bebop, the Trio also embraces gospel and the blues as core elements of its expansive performance style. The trio takes a rigorous, modern approach to standards and original compositions, playing with great acuity within the broad and rich jazz tradition.
• Paul Carr and the Jazz Collective: Paul Carr is an award-winning saxophonist, educator, and founder of the Jazz Academy of Music and director of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. Paul is passionately committed to the education of children and young adults, particularly as it relates to the preservation of jazz. As founder of the Jazz Academy of Music, he hosts summer camps and jazz ensembles for kids throughout the year. The Houston native has made himself indispensable to the Washington area jazz education and concert scene. He has toured Russia, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Central and South America and has shared the stage with many of the greatest names in jazz. Paul has appeared frequently as guests of Presidents at the White House.
• Todd Marcus Quintet: One of the few artists worldwide to focus on the bass clarinet as a main instrument in modern jazz, Todd leads his small and large ensembles. His straight-ahead playing and compositions swing with fiery intensity balanced with delicate introspection. His music offers a strong melodic sensibility, draws from elements of his community work, and often incorporate the Middle Eastern influences of his Egyptian-American heritage.
• Marcus Johson Presents Crank + Flo: Crank + Flo is a jazz and gogo mesh, for those who love a different sophisticated gogo experience. Internationally famous, homegrown star Marcus Johnson will lead the energetic performance. Marcus plays a blend of contemporary jazz stylings and hip-hop and rhythms. He describes his music as “instrumental R&B with a D.C. bounce.” Marcus began playing the piano at age nine and, from that point, he wanted to “create classics, not just hit songs.” Marcus is a founding member of the Silver Spring Jazz Festival.
• Chucho Valdés Quartet: The Latin jazz legend has pushed boundaries in pursuit of new expressions in Afro-Cuban music. His influence in the genre is immeasurable, his work establishing the standard by which younger generations set out to create their own interpretation of Afro-Cuban jazz. Chucho’s musical education included formal studies and countless nights on the best stages in Cuba as the pianist with his father Bebo Valdés and his orchestra Sabor de Cuba, and with the seminal Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna. Chucho is perhaps best known as the founder, pianist and main composer and arranger of Irakere, a landmark ensemble in Cuban music. Chucho led Irakere for more than 30 years, but since 2005 he has focused more on his personal career, highlighting his work as a pianist and leading small ensembles.

The full history of the headliners for the Silver Spring Jazz Festival is as follows:

• 2024 Chucho Valdés Quartet
• 2023 Dee Dee Bridgewater
• 2022 Delfeayo Marsalis
• 2021 COVID-19 (no event)
• 2020 COVID-19 (no event)
• 2019 Arturo Sandoval
• 2018 Dianne Reeves
• 2017 Lao Tizer
• 2016 David Sanborn
• 2015 Al Chez and the Brothers of Funk Big Band
• 2014 Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• 2013 Branford Marsalis
• 2012 Sergio Mendez
• 2011 Marcus Johnson Project
• 2010 Aaron Neville
• 2009 Allen Toussaint
• 2008 Mingus Big Band
• 2007 Arturo Sandoval
• 2006 Spyro Gyra
• 2005 Wynton Marsalis
• 2004 Keter Betts and The Marcus Johnson Project

‘All Aboard for Kensington’ Model Train Show Rolls into Kensington on Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 7-8

“All Aboard for Kensington,” an exhibition of model trains, will be on display in Kensington Town Hall from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 7-8.

Kensington Town Hall is located at 3710 Mitchell St. in Kensington.

The display will be organized by the National Capital Chuggers. It is sponsored by the Ditto Group and the Kensington Historical Society.

Entrance fees are $7 for adults and $2 for children. Proceeds will benefit Noyes Children’s Library and the Kensington Historical Society.

86th Annual Labor Day Parade Will Wind Through Olde Towne Gaithersburg on Monday, Sept. 2

The City of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department will celebrate the unofficial end of summer with the 86th Annual Labor Day Parade on Monday, Sept. 2, at a new start time at 10 a.m. This year’s emcee is Larry Miller, a multiple-Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning morning news anchor and consumer investigative reporter for WUSA 9-TV in Washington, D.C.

The parade will feature high school marching bands, dance groups, costumed characters, antique cars and fire engines, equestrian units, clowns and more. They will wind their way down East Diamond and Russell avenues in the Olde Towne section of Gaithersburg. Food vendors will be located at Olde Towne Plaza and the parking lot next to the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Station.

The Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade is one of the City’s oldest traditions. The Gaithersburg Fire Department established a rescue squad in 1938 and that year its volunteers hosted traditional fundraising events such as dinners and dances and a Labor Day Parade. Early parades included a band competition, carnival booths and a dance. Eventually the carnival and dance aspects ceased to be a profitable way for the department to raise money, but the volunteers continued to sponsor the Labor Day parade until 1977, when a citizen's committee undertook the task of organizing the end-of-summer festivity. The event is now coordinated by the City of Gaithersburg Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, with continued support from the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department.

Free parking is available at the Lakeforest Shopping Center transit station, with free shuttle service to Gaithersburg Elementary School between 8 and 9:30 a.m. The last bus after the parade will leave at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Those who wish to view the parade in the shade along Russell Avenue can walk there from the transit station by way of Odendhal Avenue. Limited free parking is available in the Olde Towne Parking Garage, located at the corner of Olde Towne and South Summit avenues. Accessible parking for those with disability placards or plates is available behind the Victor Litz store on the north side of Diamond Avenue and behind the Shell station on South Summit Avenue.

For more information about the event, visit www.gaithersburgMD.gov or call 301-258-6350.

This year’s Labor Day Parade is sponsored by Premiere Sponsor Chick-fil-A, Presenting Sponsor Amazon Fresh, Skypoint Credit Union and Contributing Sponsor Goldfish Swim School.