Montgomery Parks has announced programming and special event highlights for the month of November. Read more about Maryland Emancipation Days, Campfire Nights, Fun Runs, and more, below.
Evening Embers Campfire Nights (opens in a new tab) – Multiple Days/Locations
Embrace the cold-weather season and cozy up in a comfy Adirondack chair around the warm embers of a campfire. Each campfire ring rental seats up to six people. Advanced registration is required(opens in a new tab). $35 per campfire ring rental.
Adult Nights – includes free s’mores kits for each guest
- November 3: Germantown Town Center Urban Park, 6 to 8 p.m.
- November 9: Western Grove Urban Park, 6 to 8 p.m.
Family Nights – includes an outdoor movie
- November 6: Cloverly Local Park, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- November 13: Aberdeen Local Park, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Maryland Emancipation Days – Multiple Days/Locations
On November 1, 1864, Maryland adopted a new constitution which abolished slavery in the state. Join us for special programs commemorating this important day in history.
The event features greetings from Reverend Josiah Henson reenactor Kelvin Fowler; a tour of our sister site, Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site in Ontario, Canada; and the reading of the 1864 amendment to the state constitution. Free, Registration Requested(opens in a new tab).
Enjoy live blues music with Brian Cunningham Project, guided tours, living history and cooking demonstrations, hands-on archaeology activities, and old-fashioned games at Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park. Free, no registration is required.
Come explore the newly opened Josiah Henson Museum and Park and take a free self- guided tour between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Free, no registration is required.
- Maryland Emancipation Day Hike(opens in a new tab) – November 6
Join us for a guided hike along the Underground Railroad Experience Trail at Woodlawn Cultural Park. Free admission to Woodlawn Museum included. Hikes last approximately 2.5 hours. Intended for ages 7 and up. $8 per person. Registration required.(opens in a new tab)
Maydale Nature Classroom Community Celebration(opens in a new tab) – November 6
Join us for a day of celebration for Maydale Nature Classroom, as we highlight the new classroom and upgraded facilities. The free family-friendly event will include fall crafts, creek critter show-and-tell, and s’mores. Free, no registration required.
Winter Craft and Sip(opens in a new tab) – November 16
Enjoy a cozy evening indoors at the Meadowbrook Local Park Activity Building creating a festive personalized ribbon wreath. Reservations include all craft materials and instructions, assorted desserts, and a glass of wine for each participant. All guests must be 21 years of age or older. Additional dates and locations in December. $60 per table, Reservations required.(opens in a new tab)
Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens(opens in a new tab) – Opens November 19
For the 23rd year, Brookside Gardens has transformed into a magical winter wonderland. Enjoy glimmering displays of more than one million LED lights as you stroll through the 50 acres in Wheaton. $10 per person. Advanced tickets are required(opens in a new tab).
Gobbler Fun Run and Walk(opens in a new tab) – November 20
Make room for your Thanksgiving feast by burning off some pre-holiday calories on the three-mile loop at Wheaton Regional Park. Shepherd’s Table(opens in a new tab) will have a table onsite to collect donations of nonperishable food items for those in need this holiday season. Free, registration recommended,(opens in a new tab) but not required.
Visit MontgomeryParks.org(opens in a new tab) for a complete list of special events and programming.
11/1 Update: The date we were provided has been pushed back. Date TBD.
Last year there was a delay in opening as county had not yet adapted updated restrictions to allow the outdoor rink to open until November 10th. The rink opened a couple weeks after the updated restrictions went into effect.
This season:
TBD through 3/20/2022
Hours:
Saturday: 10am – 11pm
Sunday: 10am – 10pm
Monday: Noon – 10pm
Tuesday: Noon – 10pm
Wednesday: Noon – 10pm
Thursday: Noon – 10pm
Pricing
Adult Admission: $10
Child Admission: $9
Senior Admission: $9
Skate Rental: $5
Discount Card: $70
Season Passes
Brookside Gardens’ Winter Light Exhibit, Garden of Lights, Opens This Friday
Montgomery Parks announces Garden of Lights, the annual outdoor winter light exhibit at Brookside Gardens, will open on November 19, 2021.
For the 23rd season, Garden of Lights will transform Brookside Gardens into a magical winter wonderland, with twinkling lights and glimmering displays decorating paths and flowerbeds throughout the 50-acre site in Wheaton.
The one-half mile walk-through display consists of more than one million colorful LED lights, many handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. The event also features computerized light displays matching lights with music and fog bubbles. Sweet and savory refreshments will be available for purchase, and the gift shop will be open. The conservatory and Garden Railway exhibit will remain closed this year.
“We’re excited to bring back the Garden of Lights in 2021 after having to cancel in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are new measures in place to ensure the health and safety of our guests, but they will still find our one-of-a-kind light displays and the magical experience of the Gardens at night,” said Stephanie Oberle, Director, Brookside Gardens.
New this year, all guests ages 3 and older will be required to pre-purchase timed-entry tickets. Tickets will be available to purchase beginning October 12, 2021, on the Eventbrite ticketing service. The Gardens, Visitor Center, and Conservatory will close daily at 4 p.m. and reopen at 5:30 p.m. for the exhibit.
Garden of Lights At-A-Glance:
Dates: Open nightly November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022 (Closed November 22-25 and December 24-25, 2021)
Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Location: 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902
Tickets: $10 per person, ages 3 and older. Timed-entry tickets for a specific date and time are required and must be purchased in advance. Tickets go on sale October 12, 2021 and will be available to purchase on Eventbrite.
For more information visit the Garden of Lights Frequently-Asked-Questions(opens in a new tab)
Montgomery Parks has released five events that are fun for the whole family in October!
Below you’ll see five activities that’ll get you into the ghoulish spirit of the month. Hey
Halloween Eye Spy Trains
Bring your little pirates, superheroes, and monsters to Halloween Eye Spy Trains(opens in a new tab). The event is a family-friendly moving scavenger hunt. Look for hidden characters during your ride at Wheaton Train and Carousel and Cabin John Train. Open every Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm, in October. Get tickets online.
Pumpkins and Pours
Pumpkins and Pours(opens in a new tab) at Western Grove Urban Park in Chevy Chase Village Saturday, October 16, 4 to 8 pm, has seasonal fun for everyone. Children can decorate free pumpkins while parents enjoy local craft beer. A food truck will be onsite offering pizza and gelato. Drive, bike, or take the train and bus to the event. Free admission!
Nightmare on Elm Street Urban Park
Spooky, silly fun for everyone at Nightmare on Elm Street Urban Park(opens in a new tab)! Costume parade, lawn games, scavenger hunt, and food and drink vendors! Join us for this free event at Elm Street Urban Park Saturday, October 30, from 1 to 4 pm.
Walktober
Work on your steps during Walktober and Walk Maryland Day(opens in a new tab) on October 6. Montgomery Parks is participating in this statewide event to encourage walking as a great way to improve health. Montgomery Parks has programs, parks, and trails that will keep you moving every day in October and beyond.
Movie Night in the Gardens
Pass the popcorn! Brookside Gardens invites you to its free family Movie Night in the Gardens(opens in a new tab) on Tuesday, October 5. Watch Coco with us on our giant screen outdoors on the lawn next to the visitor center. Seating begins at 6:30 pm. Free blankets to the first fifty attendees.
Many were disappointed when the City of Gaithersburg announced the cancellation of its Oktoberfest celebration in the Kentlands neighborhood. That was followed up by the City of Rockville cancelling Rocktobierfest a few days later.
Comus Inn looks to fill the void with a five day celebration that starts on Wednesday, September 22nd and goes until Sunday, September 26th.
The celebration will feature German food specials for the week, German beers on tap (along with local Fest beers), and live Oom-pah music.
On Thurday, September 23rd they will offer a ticketed beer dinner with Rockville’s True Respite.
The Comus Inn social media post announcing the celebration can be seen below:
Who’s getting ready for Oktoberfest next week? 🍺🥨🌭📯🇩🇪
Featuring:
* German food specials ALL WEEK!
* German Beers on tap
* Local Fest Beers on tap
* Live Oom-pah music (schedule below)
Also Happening:
GERMAN BEER DINNER
Thursday (9/23)
with @truerespite
tickets: www.thecomusinn.com/events
LIVE MUSIC (12pm-4pm)
Saturday – The Alte Kumpel Band
Sunday – Liab’ und Schneid
The Damascus Freedom 5K is an annual community event held on the weekend closest to 9/11. This year, it’ll take place on Saturday, September 11th, with registration beginning at 7:30am.
Proceeds from the event are donated to nonprofit organizations that combine to support troops and their families, including the Wounded Warrior Foundation, USO, Fisher House, Disabled American Veterans, and Hero Dogs.
Participants can enjoy music, camaraderie and an abundance of food (including local restaurants Jimmie Cone and J&P) , but also observe moments of silence at each minute a plane crashed on September 11th, 2001.
Children will be able to play in two moon bounces and a playground, and get their faces painted or balloon items made for them.
The inaugural Damascus Freedom 5K took place on 9/11/2010. 2013 saw the debut of the Damascus Freedom youth summer run program, a free program that has trained hundreds of kids of all ages to run the 5K. Five kids as young as three years of age have completed the program and the 5K without stopping. Over 60 kids of all ages are expected to compete this year.
More information can be found in the links below.
http://damascusfreedom5k.com/
http://damascusfreedom5k.com/youthrunning/
Saints Constantine & Helen will hold its annual Greek festival this weekend. The festival will take place over three days– starting Friday, September 10th and lasting until Sunday, September 12th.
It will take place on the grounds of Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, located at 701 Norwood Road in Silver Spring:
Times:
Friday, 9/10: 4pm-9pm
Saturday, 9/11: 11am-9pm
Sunday, 9/12: 11am-7pm
You‘ll be able to enjoy homemade Greek dishes and desserts, such as gyros, souvlaki, and loukoumades or shop at local Greek vendors for Greek groceries, jewelry, and crafts all while enjoying Greek music with live performances from Greek dance troupes.
Covid precautions will be taken, and food will be available for pre-order and take out.
Oktoberfest will return to the Kentlands neighborhood in Gaithersburg on Sunday, October 10, 2021.
The event will take place from 12pm-5pm.
Per the city of Gaithersburg:
The 29th annual Oktoberfest returns to transform the Kentlands in Gaithersburg, with multiple stages of live entertainment featuring traditional Bavarian music & dancing, and local, regional & national talent.
Fall-themed activities for families, a Business Expo, artisans, beer, mead & cider, and delicious food will delight attendees throughout the day. In past years this event has drawn crowds of up to 30,000.
Admission, shuttles & parking are free to the public. More details will be added as the event draws nearer.
As health situations may change, please check back here for updates regarding the status of this event.
Contact the City of Gaithersburg at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
Featured photo courtesy of the City of Gaithersburg.
This one-day FREE event located in Montgomery County is a Poolesville tradition celebrating more than 25 years of community, fun and entertainment! Poolesville Day is produced by the Poolesville Day Committee, Inc. (PDC) which is comprised of local volunteer residents and is held in mid-September in Poolesville, Maryland each year.
WHEN:
September 18, 2021
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
WHERE:
Whalen Commons
19701 Fisher Avenue
Poolesville, Maryland 20837
The family-oriented festival attracts over 12,000 visitors to the historic downtown Commons.
Activities include:
- Town parade with marching band
- 5K Charity Run
- Children’s activities: Moon bounce, pony rides, arts & crafts
- Arts and craft vendors and other exhibitors
The Long Branch Festival will take place from Friday, September 10th until Sunday, September 12th at Flower Avenue Urban Park (8746 Flower Ave in Silver Spring).
Per the Long Branch Festival Facebook event page:
The purpose of the Long Branch Festival is to celebrate the dynamic neighborhood, businesses and culture of Long Branch. Our goal is to bring communities together and celebrate our diversity, expand understanding of the crucial role of shared public spaces and highlight the value of locally-owned stores.
An additional goal is to help our community reimagine a future that includes both the current community and future changes.The festival is also an experiment in placemaking — the process of adding small interventions to the built environment to make areas feel more walkable, accessible, and friendly. We want community members to start seeing the places they already use in a different light: maybe there are ways to increase support to local business by adding more seating in a certain area, or create more spaces for people to gather.
One of the several inspirations for this event came from a Montgomery Planning initiative in White Flint. We also want to reimagine the look and feel of Long Branch with a people-centered
The Long Branch Festival is a collaborative partnership of the Long Branch Business League, Montgomery Housing Partnership, Montgomery County Planning, and the Department of Housing and Community Development, with substantial support from Montgomery Parks and Purple Line Transit Partners.
Below you’ll see the 2021 Long Branch Festival schedule:
Rockville Town Square’s Interactive Fountain Opens Today
After remaining closed for over a year due to pandemic restrictions, the interactive fountain/splash pads in Rockville Town Square are reopening today.
The city recently proposed keeping the Streetery on Gibbs open through the summer and the opening of the fountain will now provide more entertainment for kids, while providing an opportunity for anyone to cool off.
A Mexican restaurant, Plaza Oaxaca, also recently opened in Rockville Town Square.
Featured photo courtesy of Rockville Town Square.
