Prost and Welcome
Join us on Saturday, September 20, from 11 am to 3 pm, for our annual Parks Ale Trail, featuring live music, local craft beer, food, and hiking. Parks Ale Trail has something for everyone! The main festival area features live music on the main stage, craft beer stations, and regional food trucks. Kids can enjoy live entertainment and tree climbing.
Enjoy a scenic 2.5-mile round-trip hike to soak in the beautiful sights and sounds of Lake Needwood. Take a refreshing break at the mid-hike beer garden located at the Needwood Mansion parking lot. Grab a cold drink or tasty snack and listen to live acoustic music before continuing your adventure.
Live Music and Entertainment
Main Stage
A Washington, DC-based five-piece band that plays carefully-selected covers and originals in a high-energy style that turns shy guests into party animals. La Unica’s outstanding musicianship and unique “Irish Latin Rock” style greatly expand the band’s repertoire. The Washington Post called La Unica a “pan-genre party band”, and their fans call them exciting, creative, and high-energy. A celebratory atmosphere at every live show, La Unica will catch you by surprise as you’re invited to dance, laugh, and join the fun.
Mid-Hike Stage
A lifelong enthusiast of all things musical, Chris firmly believes in the transformative power of music to uplift, unite, and enhance our lives. Over the past 40 years, Chris has amassed an incredible wealth of experience and has toured the U.S., Jamaica, Australia, and India with Pebble to Pearl, The Fishermen Band, Mindy Miller, The Pocket Band, Ronnie Davis of The Itals, Shane Gamble, The Andy Westcott Band, 5 O’clock Somewhere (the Jimmy Buffett Tribute), and Grammy-nominated producer BT. He has also recorded and produced music for and with countless artists over the years.
Currently, Chris plays, writes, teaches, and produces music full-time, based in his hometown of Damascus, MD. Other notable accomplishments include winning 2nd place in a regional singing/songwriting competition and recording multiple times at prestigious locations like George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch Studios in California and Sausalito’s former Record Plant.
Food and Drink
Attendees are welcome to bring their own food or purchase food, drinks, or treats from one of our many vendors at the event. To keep you fueled and moving, there are two food and beverage locations this year: one near the main festival area and another located at the mid-hike. A reminder that no outside alcohol is permitted.
Food Vendors:
Drink Vendors:
Additional Entertainment
Be sure to stop by these kid-friendly activities and keep an eye out for roving entertainers throughout the festival.
- Ambient Bubbles provided by Jonna Productions
- Roving entertainers, including living statues and stilt walkers from Baltimore Hoop Love
- Yard games
- Kids Tree Climbing
- Kids Archaeology activity
- Police horses
Parking at Ale Trail
There will be on-site parking for vehicles and bikes.
Check back soon for more details.
