Event scheduled for Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. canceled due to forecasted inclement weather

Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission,will host Parks Ale Trail on Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. This free, family-friendly festival features a nearly three-mile hike along the trails of Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park, live music, tons of activities for kids, crafts for sale, as well as a beer garden and food from area restaurants available for purchase.  


https://mocoshow.com/blog/national-cherry-blossom-festival-returns-to-dc-in-april/Lisa Ann Walter, MoCo native and actress who is perhaps best known for her roles as Chessy in the romantic comedy film The Parent Trap and her current role as Melissa Schemmenti on the ABC mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary, has been named the honorary Marshal of this year’s Cherry Blossom Parade that will take place on April 15th (per MyMCMedia)

Walter was born in Silver Spring on August 3, 1963. She grew up in the area and was a 1979 graduate of Blair High School. She later graduated with a theater degree from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1983. Below you’ll see yearbook photos of Walter, sent in by her former teacher, Carole Chansky Goodman (who is also Blake High School’s first ever principal).


The Nation’s Springtime Parade, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is returning to Constitution Avenue on Saturday, April 15, 2023. Grand colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers burst down the Parade route in a spectacle of music and showmanship celebrating spring in Washington, DC.

Portions of the Parade (Constitution Ave between 9th & 15th Streets) are free to the public along the route and are first-come, first-serve. The Grand Marshals for the parade will be Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and Montgomery County native Lisa Ann Walter will be an honorary marshal.


Montgomery County Public Schools is hosting the 2nd annual Youth Climate Summit on April 22nd from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.  The event will take place at the recently opened Tilden Middle School; a LEED Silver awarded example of Sustainable architecture in MCPS.

This event is an education-packed conference designed to teach MCPS high school students about climate change and important information to encourage climate action! Students are invited to speak with environmental mentors, collaborate with student leaders, gain imperative environmental information, and grow as environmental activists.


International Night will return Friday, March 17, following a two-year pandemic hiatus, for a free evening of multicultural fun and entertainment at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre. From 6 p.m., International Night will showcase dance performances and traditional clothing displays, with an opportunity for attendees to sample unique and traditional foods from around the world, engage with and learn the customs of people from different countries, and discover our community’s different cultures.

Per the City of Rockville: Rockville is a city of diversity. Our residents come from around the world. Our International Night is a celebration of the living, breathing example of Rockville’s success as a truly cosmopolitan city, one that respects and encourages people of all cultures, creeds and colors. International Night showcases dance performances and traditional clothing displays, with an opportunity for attendees to sample unique and traditional foods from around the world, engage with and learn the customs of people from different countries, and discover our community’s different cultures. Watch video of the celebration the day after the event on Rockville 11, channel 11 on county cable, and on the city’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofrockville. For more information, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/internationalnight. The theater is located in Rockville Civic Center Park at 603 Edmonston Drive.


The Glenview Mansion and Peerless Rockville Speaker Series marks Women’s History Month in March with “Women Who Dared: Pioneering Rockville Mother and Daughter,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9 at Glenview Mansion at Rockville Civic Center Park.

Hear the inspirational stories of Clara Finley and her daughter Bliss Finley, Rockville residents who did not let the restrictions placed on women by late 19th- and early 20th-century society hold them back. Clara was a divorced mother with a young child who attended medical school and became a pioneering doctor and supporter of women’s rights and childhood education. Bliss was prominently featured in society columns as a young woman. As she matured, she used her connections to help organize and inspire working women to stand up for the right to vote.


In a free Takoma Park Arts event on Thursday, March 9 at 7:30pm at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave), four bilingual poets will share their poetry in English and Spanish which transcends borders and unites diverse cultures across political and geographical divides. The featured poets include Rosie Prohías Driscoll, david alberto fernández, David Lott, and Jorge Fernando Sodero.

Per the City of Takoma Park: Rosie Prohías Driscoll is a Cuban-American educator and poet. The daughter of Cuban exiles, she writes about identity and exile, loss and renewal, grief and grace. Her poems have appeared in many journals, and her debut full-length collection Poised for Flight was published last year. She lives in Alexandria and teaches English at Bishop Ireton High School.


Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, has an inviting lineup of special events and programs in March, including a variety of hikes, birdwatching, Parks Ale Trail and more. March events in Montgomery Parks include:

Mini Open House | March 1 | 6 – 8 p.m.: Lodge at Little Seneca Creek, 14500-A Clopper Road, Boyds, MD 20841 Surrounded by 26 acres of wooded parkland, The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek is the perfect natural setting for all types of special occasions, as well as business meetings. Free.


The City of Gaithersburg, in partnership with The Peterson Companies & Rio, will host the 21st St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Rio (Rio Boulevard & Grand Corner Avenue) on Saturday, March 11 at 10am. Free parking is available in three garages along Washingtonian Boulevard.

Dozens of units will march in the parade, including Celtic dancers, bagpipe bands, school groups, fire trucks, equestrian units, service organizations, characters, & more. Sally & Tom Marchessault, longtime City volunteers & 2020 Distinguished Residents, will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. The parade will be emceed by Carolyn Muller, Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture.


Arts access has been an important part of Strathmore’s mission since its founding. In 2016, Strathmore expanded its commitment to taking the arts beyond its walls, particularly in the eastern part of Montgomery County. “Strathmore is such an important part of the identity of Montgomery County, and it is such a special place,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “But we know the arts are not equally accessible to all members of our County. The ‘East County Initiative’ of Bloom by Strathmore is a creative way to bring a variety of music to community members who might otherwise never have this opportunity. We are happy that Strathmore and Montgomery County Recreation are again partnering in this innovative program.”

For more information about the concert series, contact Martita Galindo of Strathmore at 301-581-5249 or [email protected].


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