Garden of Lights officially opens on November 18th and runs until January 1 (closed Nov. 21-24 and Dec. 24-25), 5-pm9:30 p.m. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton (video preview below).

Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a dazzling winter wonderland. The one-half mile outdoor exhibit features one-of-a-kind light displays decorating flower beds and the grounds. Visitors can buy unique seasonal items at the gift shop. Hot chocolate and light snacks will be available for purchase.


The celebration will include free cookies and cider, a bake sale of homemade treats, hayrides, a farmhouse tour and an opportunity to see farm animals up close. The event will be hosted by Friends of the Montgomery Agricultural History Farm Park and supported by Montgomery Parks, which is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The Agricultural Park looks at the past, present and future of farming in Montgomery County. The 455-acre park features rolling hills, open fields, an apple orchard and a variety of farm animals. It offers a unique perspective of the County’s rich farming heritage and enables visitors to experience barns, historic buildings, a modern farm activity center and other facilities.


The annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade, which traditionally is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, this year will return in grand fashion—including new special guests— starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, in Silver Spring.

The parade will step off from Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street in the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District and proceed south on Georgia Avenue. It will conclude at Silver Spring Avenue.


The City of Gaithersburg  celebrates GIS Day and Geography Awareness Week in November with discussions and activities designed to promote geography knowledge and showcase Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and how they impact everyday life. With more than 700 layers of information in its database, the City’s GIS serves as an important tool for analysis and strategic decision making. The GIS database helps inform staff and elected officials about such things as the availability of affordable housing, impervious surface coverage, most effective snow plow routes, access to social services, and much more.

With a proclamation at their meeting on November 7, the Mayor & City Council officially proclaimed November 16 as GIS Day & November 14 to 18 as Geography Awareness Week in the City. At the meeting, staff presented on the City’s field mapping capabilities and its companion dashboards. View the meeting presentation hereGIS activities include:


If you are interested in discovering local pet service businesses, like training, boarding, and veterinary, you are in luck. Whether your dog needs to learn to “sit” and “stay” for your family holiday photoshoot or needs a yearly check-up, you can learn more at the Holiday Barket.

If your pup is looking for a furry friend to add to their pack, catch PetConnect Rescue at the event and learn more about their adoption efforts and services. PetConnect is an animal welfare organization dedicated to saving dogs and cats at high risk of euthanasia. We are committed to ensuring a highly positive rescue experience for our adopters and to raising awareness of the plight of abandoned animals through community education.


Ice skating, hiking, storytelling, volunteering, and more! Discover these programs in the parks for Friday, November 11, to Sunday, November 13! Check out the list of events? Per Montgomery Parks, below:

Veterans: Montgomery Parks honors military service members past and present with Veterans Day Skate. Veterans and active duty service members, along with their families, receive free admission and skate rental on Sunday, November 13, at Cabin John Ice Rink(opens in a new tab), 12:30 to 2:30 pm, and at Wheaton Ice Arena(opens in a new tab), 3 pm to 5 pm.


Per the DVNF: “Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless population presents a major difficulty – the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 40,056 veterans are homeless on any given night.  Over the course of the year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Did you know only 7% of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly 13% of the homeless adult population are veterans?”

The DVNF is currently accepting donations that will provide direct support for:


Below is our list of the November 2022 upcoming races in Montgomery County. If there are any MoCo races we may have missed, please feel free to comment with the race name and any additional information you may have:

5K Orchard Run – November 12 (Germantown, MD) — Registration fees are $40 until November 10, $45 November 11-12. Kids Fun Run is free. This is a trail run hosted at Butler’s Orchard by Montgomery County FCA. More information available here.


UPDATE: Antares launch scrubbed after fire alarm at control center. Rescheduled for 5:27am Monday morning (11/7)

Per NASA: Rise and shine early to catch the next launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The next Antares launch is scheduled for 5:50 a.m. EST, Sunday, Nov. 6, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A on Wallops Island.


The 47th annual Rockville 10K/5K is still registering runners until Friday, Nov. 4.  The oldest continuing foot race in Montgomery County — which includes a 1-mile fun run for kids — will take place the morning of Sunday, Nov. 6.

The kids 1-mile fun run begins at 8:10 a.m. The 10K starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K at 8:45 a.m. Runners should arrive before 8 a.m., at which time streets leading to the race will be closed to ensure a prompt start.  Registration costs $35 online or by mail-in through Friday, Nov. 4, and $45 for in-person or online registration after that.  Saturday packet pickup on Nov. 5 is from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at RnJ Sports, 11910-R Parklawn Drive. Day-of race packet pickup opens at 7:30 a.m. at King Farm Village Center, 801 Pleasant Drive, between the Fontina Grille and Baja Fresh restaurants.


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