Montgomery Parks Commemorates Brookside Nature Center’s 60th Anniversary on October 9, 2022

Montgomery Parks will celebrate 60 years of Brookside Nature Center with a slate of free programs and activities from 1-7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Montgomery County’s first nature center has been a staple in the community, educating the public as well as introducing people to environmental stewardship.The lineup of free activities is listed below:

• Sing Happy Birthday and enjoy a slice of cake at 1 p.m.
• Feed me! Feed me! Live critter feeding from 1:30 – 1:45 p.m. (this program requires advanced registration)
• Brookside Nature Center memory collection booth (of illustrations, pictures and stories, written or voice recorded) from 2 – 3 p.m. and 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
• Turtle Talk from 2 – 2:30 p.m. and 3 – 3:30 p.m.
• Nature Story Time from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (this program requires advanced registration)
• S’mores around the campfire starting at 5:30 and ending at 7 p.m.
• Crafts and a memory activity table throughout the event.
• First 100 visitors will get a free souvenir to remember the special day!

 Please note that parking at Brookside Nature Center is limited.

Brookside Nature Center, located within Wheaton Regional Park, opened in the early 1960s. It was the first nature center established in the county. The center’s consistent mission has been to provide natural history interpretation to the community. While the nature center has changed over the years, some features, including the distinctive interior wood paneling, have remained intact.

Suzanne Bode, the nature center’s manager, said she’s excited to celebrate the milestone anniversary with the community. “Generations of Montgomery County residents and visitors from around the world have visited Brookside Nature Center over the last 60 years and learned about the flora and fauna of the county. We look forward to continuing to serve the community for the next 60 years.”

About Brookside Nature Center: Brookside Nature Center is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The park area is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Brookside Nature Center, nestled within 536 acres of Wheaton Regional Park, provides quality programs for people of all ages, interests, and abilities. Interpretative programs and seasonal events include; Turtle Talk, Flying Squirrels, guided hikes, and Maple Sugaring Days. Indoor and outdoor exhibits provide nature education as well as opportunities to view live animals up close.

Various habitats including ponds, gardens and meadows surround the center and a network of natural surface trails connect to other areas of Wheaton Regional Park. The grounds include the Harper Homestead, an 1870s log cabin and smokehouse, a wooded nature play area, an outdoor amphitheater, and picnic pavilions.