MoComCon is back and it’s an all day, all ages event celebrating all things comics, graphic novels, and fandoms. MoComCon 2023 will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Germantown Library. Additional information available below:
On-going between 11:00 – 3:30pm: Life Sized Candy Land, FOLMC Book Sale, Beat Saber VR Stations, Coloring Stations, Scavenger Hunt, Button Making, Selfie Station, Take & Make Kits (while supplies lasts), and more!
Montgomery Parks announces the opening of this year’s Brookside Gardens’ annual Garden of Lights outdoor, walk-through winter light display on Friday, November 18 (preview photos and video available below). Garden of Lights features glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and pathways throughout Brookside Gardens. New features this year include a winter wonderland scene with tall ice-like formations and falling snow in the Rose Garden and oversized colorful flower forms throughout the Formal Gardens. All new displays were handcrafted by Montgomery Parks staff
Pedestrians and cyclists can enter the seasonal light display at the pedestrian gate at 1800 Glenallan Avenue or via a half-mile path beginning at 2000 Shorefield Road, near the Wheaton Regional Park Adventure Playground.Visitors can buy unique, seasonal gifts at the gift shop and hot chocolate and snacks will also be available for purchase.
The Family Room Laytonsville is holding a Holiday Market with over 35 local vendors on Saturday, November 19 from 9am until 2pm at 6820 Olney-Laytonsville Road in Laytonsville.
“We are thrilled to welcome back 35 local Maryland Makers for our Holiday Market Day! Our vendors will be sharing a variety of goods and trades with our community. Grab a bite to eat from our local food vendors, shop locally made goods from our makers & crafters, enjoy Christmas Carolers and participate in a canned food drive for Olney Help!”
Public invited to provide testimony on draft plan that adds roads to the program and updates details for roads already included in the program
The Montgomery County Planning Boardwill hold a public hearing for the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan Update on November 17 at 6 p.m. The public is invited to provide testimony in-person or virtually. Learn about testifying to the Planning Board. The public hearing was set on October 6 after a briefing to the Planning Board.
Students in the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) and Information Technology Foundation (ITF) will be selling used cars and computers that they have refurbished on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Gaithersburg High School, from 9–11 a.m. The school is located at 101 Education Blvd. in Gaithersburg.
The cars and computers are refurbished and reconditioned by the students as part of their classroom and lab studies. The sales provide students with the opportunity to practice their sales skills, earn Student Service Learning hours, and develop a deeper appreciation for community involvement.
This year’s exhibit features more than 1,200 unique, handmade items by members of the Gaithersburg Artist Collective, many perfect for the season’s gift giving. Items include paintings, prints, cards, ceramics, photography, jewelry, art glass, turned wood, mixed media & much more.
Artists on Market is pop-up gallery & studio space where visitors may shop for unique art and handcrafts from 27 juried collective members – all local artists – recognized for their talent in painting, collage, fiber, ceramics, jewelry, photography, glass, sculpture & more. The mission of the Gaithersburg Artist Collective, which runs Artists on Market, is to bring the visual arts to the community through not only the pop-up gallery, but also by providing events & educational opportunities for all ages, year-round. The Collective is a program of the Kentlands Community Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to volunteerism, the cultural arts and New Urbanism. For more information, please visit kentlands.org.
Rockville Town Square will “light up the night” with its annual tree lighting event on Friday, November 18th from 6pm to 8pm. The event will feature a variety of activities, like live music, crafts, ice skating, and food & drink.
The retail portion of Rockville Town Square was recently acquired by Morguard for $33 million after purchasing the Fenestra apartments back in 2017. Rockville Town Square at 30 Maryland Avenue encompasses 183,000 square feet of retail, dining, and municipal and financial services. The mixed-use pedestrian-friendly location offers public gathering areas, entertainment events, and has served as a neighborhood hub.
Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg will hold a ‘Holiday Street Fest’ that will include a fireworks presentation on Saturday, December 10th. The fun begins with a market during the day from 1pm-5pm, a DJ playing music from 5pm-7pm and fireworks at 6:45pm. Additional details, per Rio, below:
“Cue the holiday festivities! 🎄 rio’s Holiday Street Fest & Fireworks presented by Novavax is Saturday, December 10, and you’ll want to be HERE FOR THE CHEER. 🎅 We’re stocking up on the fun along Grand Corner Ave. with pop-up bars, s’mores stations, holiday workshops, an artisan market, and more from 1 – 5 p.m. Bring your best elf to the Boardwalk Stage from 5 – 7 p.m. and sing along to festive favorites with our DJ & Cheer Station! Wrap it up with a lakefront firework show at 6:45 p.m. for the perfect end to the night. ✨ Mark your (advent) calendars!”
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.