Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, has an engaging lineup of special events and programs in February, including birdwatching opportunities, the annual GreenScapes landscape design symposium, and special programs in celebration of Black History Month.
February events in Montgomery Parks include:
Beginner Bird Identification Class | February 1 through 22 | 6:30 – 7:15 p.m.
Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855
Beginner Bird Identification is designed for those who can’t tell one bird from another but want to learn foundational birdwatching skills. The course will be taught online on Wednesdays via Zoom and in-person on two Saturday bird walks at Rock Creek Regional Park. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $40.
Groundhog Day Celebration! | February 2 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Maydale Nature Classroom, 1638 Maydale Drive, Colesville, MD 20905
Celebrate Groundhog Day with groundhog stories, activities and a craft. Ages 3 to 8. Registration required. $6.
Sensory Days: Make Your Own Liquid Motion Bubble Toy | February 4 | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855
Join a naturalist and make a liquid motion bubble toy from an upcycled plastic container and food coloring. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All ages. Registration required. $7.
Night Hike | February 4 | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841
Take an early evening stroll to look and listen for creatures that are most active at night. Ages 8 and older. Registration required. $6 (Friends of Black Hill $5).Full Moon Viewing | February 5 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841
Learn more about the moon at this stargazing for startersevent. Attendees are welcome to bring telescopes, chairs, blankets and snacks. Ages 14 and older. Registration required.$6.
Waterfowl Hike | February 7 | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841
Hike the trails at the north end of the cove in the Ten Mile Creek area of Black Hill Regional Park to see which waterfowl are visiting Little Seneca Lake. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $7 (FOBH $6).
Make and Take Recycled Paper Valentines | February 7 | 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902
Learn where paper comes from and how to make paper using recycled materials to create a valentine. Registration required. Ages 8 to 11. $8.
We Speak Weddings Workshop | February 11 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902
Get advice and instruction on how to plan an event at Brookside Gardens. Topics covered will include sample layouts, budget building, DIY projects and even how to build a bar. Though designed for Brookside Gardens clients, the workshop is open to all. Registration required. $15.
Wine and Waterfowl | February 11 | 5 – 7:30 p.m.
Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841
View art from the winners of the Federal Duck Stamp contest and other local artists that highlight our beautiful waterfowl. Admission includes a small wine tasting, one glass of local wine from Rockland Farms and snacks, as well as a lovely sunset from the deck watching resident waterfowl land on the lake for the night. Ages 21 and older. Registration required. $30.
GreenScapes 2023: Designing with Purpose | February 17 | 9:15 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Live Zoom Event
Explore the latest advancements in sustainable landscape design at Brookside Garden’s annual GreenScapes symposium. This year’s theme is “Designing with Purpose.”Industry experts will explore strategies to achieve a range of goals from public gardens that engage diverse audiences to landscapes that reduce carbon footprints and are resilient to climate change Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from a variety of professional organizations will be available for each session. Registration required. $55.
Paint and Sip Night | February 22 | 6 – 8 p.m.
Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855
Warm up in the nature center and enjoy the company of friends and fellow creative neighbors as you learn the basics of acrylic painting with artist, Pamela Gordimer. The class will include two glasses of wine from Rockland Farms Winery. Registration required. Ages 21 and older. $40.
Commemorate Black History Month
Unshakable: The Rise of Newmantown at the Agricultural History Farm Park | Every Friday and Saturday in February | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD 20855
The exhibit “Unshakable” explores the history of Albert and Mary Newman, freedmen who emigrated in 1862 from Virginia to Montgomery County, Md., and became landowning farmers despite unprecedented circumstances. Albert and Mary Newman, and their children, built a thriving African American kinship community known as “Newmantown,” located on the grounds of the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood. The exhibit showcases photographs, documents, family mementos, local history, and rarely seen artifacts excavated from the site. Free.
Black History Month Family Day | February 18 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 16501 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Bring the whole family and enjoy a self-guided exploration of Montgomery County’s Black history at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park. Stop by the Visitor Center to pick up take-home activities (for ages 5-12) and trail maps to explore the Underground Railroad Experience Trail. All ages. Free.
When the Stars Align: Celestial Navigation and the Underground Railroad | February 25 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Learn about the crucial role of the night sky in guiding and empowering freedom seekers in their perilous journeys north along the Underground Railroad. With guest speakers, historian Dr. Sylvea Hollis, astronomer Dr. Lou Strolger and PhD candidate Sophie Hess. Ages 6 and older. (Registration for this program is full but there will be a limited number of seats available on a first-come, first-served basis). Free.
Visit the Josiah Henson Museum and Park
- The Josiah Henson Museum and Park is the first museum in the United States dedicated to Reverend Josiah Henson. Located on the grounds of the former plantation where Henson was enslaved prior to self-emancipating to Canada, the site includes a Visitor Center, a historic house with an attached log kitchen dating to 1850, and a 4-acre landscaped park with accessible walking paths.
Indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits throughout the property detail Henson’s inspirational life story, enslavement in Maryland, and the ongoing struggles for racial equality and justice. Hours: Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $5 (adults); $4 (kids, 6-17); $4 (seniors); Free (5 and under)
Visit the Winter 2022 Montgomery Parks Program Guide. Go to Montgomery Parks event calendar to view a complete list of special events and programming and to learn how to sign up using ActiveMontgomery.
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