Montgomery Parks is bringing back one of its largest outdoor events next month, with the third annual Sligo Creek Fest set to take over a stretch of Sligo Creek Parkway in Silver Spring. The festival will take place on Saturday, May 2 from 11am to 3pm along Sligo Creek Parkway between University Boulevard and Dennis Avenue. In preparation for the event, the roadway will close beginning at 10am on Thursday, April 30.
Montgomery Parks is inviting the community to come together this weekend for a free, inclusive event celebrating Autism Acceptance Month at Wheaton Regional Park. “Shine Brighter Together” will take place on Saturday, April 18 from 11am to 2pm at 2000 Shorefield Road in Wheaton. The family-friendly event is designed to bring together individuals of all abilities for an afternoon of sensory-friendly activities, performances, and hands-on experiences.
Montgomery Parks has received more than $6 million in capital funding from the State of Maryland during the 2026 legislative session to support seven park improvement projects across Montgomery County and expand the department’s solar energy initiative.
The Butterfly Experience is back at Brookside Gardens, offering visitors a chance to step inside a vibrant, living exhibit filled with hundreds of butterflies from around the world. The seasonal attraction opened Wednesday, April 1 and will run through Monday, September 7, 2026. A video of the experience can be seen below.
Montgomery Parks announced that trails in and around Germantown have earned national recognition from International Mountain Bicycling Association, which designated Germantown as a 2026 IMBA Trail Town.
As cherry blossom season begins, Montgomery Parks is encouraging residents to explore blooms closer to home using its online cherry tree map, which highlights locations across dozens of local parks, trails, and gardens throughout the county.
Montgomery Parks has announced the opening of a new skate park at Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park in Clarksburg, adding a major new recreational amenity in the northern part of Montgomery County.
Montgomery Parks announced that grass athletic fields across the county will open later than usual this spring due to persistently wet winter conditions. The department said it anticipates opening all grass fields on April 1, 2026.
Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton is adjusting its schedule this spring and summer as Montgomery Parks completes several major improvements to the facility. Brookside Nature Center is managed separately from Brookside Gardens. Brookside Gardens’ hours are not affected by closings at the Nature Center.
Montgomery Parks and community members gathered Sunday to celebrate new interpretive signs honoring the history of Emory Grove, an African American community in Gaithersburg founded by formerly enslaved people in 1864. Nearly 100 residents and descendants of Emory Grove attended the March 1, 2026 gathering at Johnson’s Local Park, where the new signs were unveiled. The bilingual signs, presented in English and Spanish, highlight the stories of the people who built the community and describe daily life, religious gatherings, and the generations who lived there. An audio post installed at the park also allows visitors to hear first-person accounts and reflections tied to Emory Grove’s history.
Montgomery Parks is expanding the hours for its popular Open Parkways program as daylight saving time begins this weekend, giving residents more opportunities to enjoy car-free roads for walking, biking, skating, and other outdoor activities.