WHEATON, Md.— Montgomery Parks is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month with a dizzying array of fun activities and performances, including Shakespeare in the Parks, Parks Playhouse Junior for the little ones, 55-plus events, the Summer Concert Series and much more.
Montgomery Parks’ July events highlights include:
Shakespeare performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bring a lawn chair, a picnic and enjoy the Bard under the stars. On-site food trucks at some performances. All ages. Free.
- Shakespeare in the Parks | July 6 | 7:30–9 p.m.
Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville - Shakespeare in the Garden | July 9 (Rain date: July 11) | 6:30-8:30p.m.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton - Chesapeake Shakespeare Co. Presents | July 10 (Rain date: July 11) | 7–9 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park, 1120 Jackson Road, Silver Spring
Parks Summer Concert Series | July 11, 18 and 25 | 6–8 p.m.
Join us Thursday evenings for a series of free musical performances by local acts at different parks around the county. Bring friends and family, chairs, blankets and picnics. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase at some events. All ages. Free.
- July 11, The Nighthawks (Rock) @ Black Hill Regional Park – 20930 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds
- July 18, Loose Ties (Pop/Rock) @ North Four Corners Local Park – 315 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring
- July 25, Juliet Lloyd (Folk/Pop) @ Cabin John Regional Park – 7400 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda
Parks Playhouse Junior | July 13, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31| 10–11 a.m.
Live performances for the kid set, ages 2-12 (ages may vary with some performances). Free.
Silly Goose and Val
- July 13, @ Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park – 1120 Jackson Road, Silver Spring
Christylez Bacon
- July 15 @ Falls Road Local Park – 12600 Falls Road, Potomac
- July 16 @ Germantown Town Center Urban Park – 19840 Century Boulevard, Germantown
- July 17 @ Wheaton Local Park (Performance will have an ASL interpreter and sensory retreat tent) – 11729 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton
Puppet Co.
- July 25 @ Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park (Performance will have an ASL interpreter and sensory retreat tent)
- July 26) @ Falls Road Local Park- 12600 Falls Road, Potomac
- July 27 @ Cabin John Regional Park – 7400 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda
Uncle Devin Show
- July 29 @ Flower Avenue Urban Park (Performance will have an ASL interpreter and sensory retreat tent) – 8746 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring
- July 30 @ Germantown Town Center Urban Park – 19840 Century Boulevard, Germantown
- July 31 @ Arora Hills Local Park – 23244 Arora Hills Drive, Clarksburg
West African Food Crops: History, Cultivation, and Culinary Uses | July 13 | 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton
Join Brookside Gardens’ staff Thomas Crawley and Angelus Bullock to expand your gardening and cooking palette with unique vegetables from West Africa. Learn traditional agricultural practices and the cultural history of each crop, as well as where to source seeds and plants locally. Class includes garden tour for an up-close look at the plants. This is an in-person program. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $25 per person.
Foodie Fridays: Smell the Flowers | July 26 | 6:30 –8:30 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda
Learn about the role of pollinators in agriculture and local food systems while identifying insects and exploring pollination biology during this hands-on lecture with researcher Michael Roswell. The registration fee includes light refreshments, one alcoholic beverage (21 and older), and a ticket to Josiah Henson Museum ($5 value, redeemable during regular museum hours). Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $15 per person.
Parks Academy Fitness Series classes:
POUND Fitness | July 10–August 7 (Wednesdays)| 5–5:45 p.m.
Norbeck-Muncaster Mill Neighborhood Park, 4101 Muncaster Mill Road, Norbeck
Ages 18 and older. Five weekly classes-$40 per person. Registration required; no walk-ins.
Dance Fitness | July 11–29 (Thursdays) | 6–7 p.m.
Clarksburg Neighborhood Park, 22501 Wims Road, Clarksburg
Ages 16 and older. Eight weekly classes-$64 per person. Registration required; no walk-ins.
Breath and Movement Flow Yoga | July 20–August 17 (Saturdays) | 10–11 a.m.
Quince Orchard Valley Neighborhood Park, 12015 Suffolk Terrace, Gaithersburg
Ages 16 and older. Five weekly classes-$50 per person. Registration required; no walk-ins.
Programs for Ages 55+:
Strong and Fit (55+) | July 9–August 13 (Tuesdays) | 10–11 a.m.
Wheaton Regional Park, 2000 Shorefield Road, Wheaton
Registration required. Free.
Socials for 55+: Exploring Watercolor and Neopastels | July 12 | 3–4:30 p.m.
North Four Corners Local Park, 315 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring
Registration required. $25 per person.
Socials for 55+: Mosaic Plant Coasters | July 26 | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
East Norbeck Local Park, 3131 Norbeck Road, Norbeck
Registration required. $7 per person.
Montgomery Parks is a co-sponsor of the following events taking place in parks during the month of July:
Germantown Glory, Independence Day Celebration: (July 4) @ South Germantown Recreational Park
Mid-County Sparkles, Independence Day Celebration: (July 6) @ Newport Mill Local Park
MCPL in the Park: A Storytime at Wheaton Local Park: (July 8) @ Wheaton Local Park
Try Ball Hockey and Learn to Inline Skate (July 13) @ Ridge Road Recreational Park
Register for Montgomery Parks Programs, Classes, Camps, Events
Registration is through the Active Montgomery website. Users must first set up a free account on the site before registering.
Go to Montgomery Parks event calendar for a complete list of events and programming Visit the Summer 2024 Montgomery Parks Program Guide.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Program Access for more information.
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