The 2nd annual HalloWheaton event will take place between 12pm-4pm on Sunday, October 30th at Marian Fryer Town Plaza (2424 Reedie Drive) in Wheaton. Activities include s’mores roasting, mask and pumpkin painting, a beer garden for adults, craft projects, a costume contest, lawn games, hot chocolate, and more. This is a free event.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night will take place on Saturday, October 15th at Rockville Town Center with festival activities beginning at 5pm (full schedule and road closures available below). There will also be a virtual event experience provided for any participants who would prefer to not join us in-person, held on November 15, Details to come in emails to all registered participants in early November.
IN-PERSON EVENT
The 26th annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival, one of the premiere literary festivals in the nation, will return as in-person event on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Rockville by presenting its annual Award for Achievement in American Literature to acclaimed author Richard Powers. The festival will be held on at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Rockville with this year’s theme of “Stories and the More-Than-Human.”
The festival will feature a keynote talk by Alice McDermott and morning and afternoon writing workshops. There will be events leading up to the featured day throughout the preceding week. Information on the event, including how to register, can be found at https://www.fscottfestival.org/registration.
Music
Start your Sunday mornings with our free jazz concert at Cabin John Regional Park Amphitheater. Sunday Serenade(opens in a new tab) on October 16, 10 am to 11:30 am, features the New Orchestra of Washington. Breakfast foods and coffee for purchase.
Montgomery Parks is hosting a harvest party on Sunday, October 16, at 11 a.m. at Fenton Street Urban Park. Montgomery Parks partner HarvestShare will collect and donate freshly grown produce from the Fenton Street Urban Park community garden to local food assistance providers.
This year, gardeners at Montgomery Parks community gardens have donated over 2,900 pounds of fresh food, surpassing last year’s total by about 400 pounds. Gardeners at Fenton Street Urban Park community garden have donated more than 250 pounds of produce.
The inaugural DMV Auto Show will take place at the Clarksburg Premium Outlets (22705 Clarksburg Rd.) on Saturday, October 22 from 1pm until 6pm.
Per the event: “This is a different take on the car shows you are used to with the goal to be completely inclusive to the whole car community. We want to bring a premium experience to those who have spent a lot time and money on this passion and to appreciate the vast variety of cars our community has to offer. We will have over 20 classes with premium trophies, guest judges, prizes, giveaways, vendors, food & drinks and family friendly entertainment! ALL SPECTATORS ARE FREE!”
Bethesda Central Farm Market will return to Bethesda Elementary School (7600 Arlington Rd) on Sunday, October 16th. The market was operating out of the Bethesda Farm Women’s Market since June due to the elementary school having its roof replaced. The work on the roof took a bit longer than expected, but it is now complete and the market will be returning.
Central Farm Markets was founded in 2008 by Debra Moser and Mitch Berliner. Bethesda Central Farm Market was the first market, which began in a small parking lot with 17 vendors. Today Central Farm Markets has four farm markets in Maryland, DC and Virginia.
Montgomery Parks has an impressive lineup of forthcoming events at Meadowside Nature Center including night hikes with tequila, raptor talks and Day of the Dead crafts. “We may be ‘under construction’ but we’re still offering fun and exciting programs for all ages throughout the renovation process,” said Carolina Giraldo, director of Meadowside Nature Center. “We have several great events lined up this month.” Meadowside Nature Center is located at 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, Md., 20855.
Upcoming events at Meadowside Nature Center include:
The City of Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival is getting ready to welcome visitors for another spectacular season. The wondrous display of lights at Seneca Creek State Park will be open nightly November 25 through December 31. The festival is closed on December 25 and last entry for December 24 & 31 is 8:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale on October 12th at 10am
The 3.5 mile drive through the enchanted setting of Seneca Creek State Park takes you past more than 450 illuminated displays and beautifully lit trees that light up the night. The park is located at 11950 Clopper Road, conveniently accessible from I-270.
MCDOT is sponsoring the drive in partnership with Rockville Bike Hub and Bikes for the World. Between 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. adult and child bikes will be collected (rain or shine) outside of the Montgomery County Council Office Building Garage at East Jefferson and Monroe Street in Rockville.
Bicycles should be in good working condition or in need of only minor repairs. Rockville Bike Hub volunteers will refurbish the bikes and MCDOT will place them with low-income children and adults in the County through the MCDOT Bike Match Program or through the Rockville Terrific Kids program.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, which encourages students who have a safe path and live near their elementary school to walk to school, will join in the national recognition of “Walk to School Day” on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Most County elementary schools will participate, with a special event starting at 8:30 a.m. that day being held at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in Rockville.
The event in front of Wheaton Woods Elementary School will have fanfare including music, balloons, giveaways, police officers, firefighters, firetrucks and a special appearance from MCDOT’s Zeal the Safety Zebra. The school is located at 4510 Faroe Pl. in Rockville.