August 23, 2023
WHEATON, Md. — It’s almost autumn and school’s back in session but there’s always fun to be had at Montgomery Parks. It’s the last chance to enjoy water amenities for the year. Take your favorite pup to Yappy Hour, come out to play at Never Grow Up, catch a concert or lecture. That’s just a sampling of the offerings this month.
September events in Montgomery Parks include:
Never Grow Up Social for 55+ | September 6 and 20 | 10‒11:30 a.m.; 11 a.m.‒12:30 p.m.
Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood
South Germantown Driving Range, 18045 Central Park Circle, Boyds
Registration required. Free.
Fall Twilight Concert Series | September 6, 13, 20, 27 | 6 –7:30 p.m.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton
Join us each Wednesday in September for musical performances
All ages. Registration recommended. Free.
Adaptive Recreation: Gardening 101 | September 7–October 12 | 4–5 p.m.
Black Hill Nature Programs, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds
Gardening is proven to improve physical and mental health and cognitive ability. Learn to grow native plants, herbs, or vegetables in this five-session series. Participants will be asked to complete a Modification Intake Form when registering to ensure appropriate support from Program Access. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $25. (Contact the Program Access office for more details 301-495-2581 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org)
Hike to Parks Unknown: Seniors | September 8 | 10–11 a.m.
Little Bennett Regional Park, 24472 Clarksburg Road, Clarksburg
Join a Park naturalist for a 75-minute, off-site hike, followed by a social chat. Montgomery Parks mobile nature center, Nature on Wheels will provide seating, water, and bathroom access (stairs). Ages 55 and older. Registration required. $10.
Acoustics and Ales | September 8 | 5–7:30 p.m.
Germantown Town Center Urban Park, 19840 Century Boulevard, Germantown
Enjoy the music of Justin Trawick while drinking a pint from Waredaca Brewing or Lone Oak Brewing and noshing on Corned Beef King and Salat Foods. All ages. Free.
Urban Tree Summit | September 13–15 | Various times and locations
Montgomery Parks presents the twelfth annual Urban Tree Summit conference. Presentations will focus on the health of trees in increasingly developed landscapes. The event kicks off with a virtual session, followed by three in-person sessions on the following two days. This event is designed for professionals from the landscape industry and related fields. Registration required. $25 (virtual session); $50 per session (field sessions).
Wheaton Ice Arena Open House | September 17 | 9–11 a. m.
11717 Orebaugh Avenue, Wheaton
From 9:15–10:45 a.m., come and try out skating. Stations will be set up to assist beginner skaters as well as skaters who want to try hockey, speedskating, and figure skating. Meet clubs who operate at Wheaton Ice Arena, get information on group lessons, birthday parties, camps, and clinics and take advantage of sign-up specials.
Skate schedule:
Skating participants can also skate the 11 a.m.–1 p.m. public skating session for half price!
Registration required for skating activities. $4 per person to skate (includes skate rental); Open House is free.
Behind-the-Scenes Greenhouse Tour | September 22 | 1–2:15 p.m.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton
Get an up-close look at the state-of-the-art technology that enables the O’Rourke Greenhouse to grow a variety of beautiful plants year-round. Ages 18 and older. Registration recommended. $12.
Foodie Fridays: Saving Seeds and Stories | September 22 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda
Niraj Ray, founder and CEO of Cultivate the City, will discuss how to save seeds and the value of saving seeds from culturally important and hard-to-find crops. Ages 21 and older. Registration required. Registration includes light refreshments and one alcoholic drink, as well as admission to Josiah Henson Museum ($5 value), redeemable during regular museum hours. $10.
Native Flowers, Fruits and Foliage for Fall | September 23 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Virtual event
Learn the characteristics and maintenance tips for 40 plants native to the mid-Atlantic area, including perennials, ground covers, vines, shrubs, and trees that support local wildlife and offer autumn beauty. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $15.
Parks Ale Trail | September 24 | 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Lake Needwood Trails, Rock Creek Regional Park, 15700 Needwood Lake Circle, Rockville
Part festival and part hiking experience, Parks Ale Trail will start Oktoberfest with a bang. The main festival area will feature live music, beer stations, food trucks, and an area for kids to enjoy inflatables or try tree climbing. The hike is a 2.5-mile trip around Lake Needwood. A beer garden is located mid-hike at Needwood Mansion where hikers can grab a snack, a drink and enjoy live acoustic music. All ages. Free.
History Hour | September 28 | 6–7 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda
Author Stephen Goldman will discuss “The Brownsville Affray: A White Union Veteran’s Lonely Fight for Justice for Black Soldiers Summarily Cashiered by President Theodore Roosevelt.” Arrive early and take a self-guided tour of Josiah Henson Museum and Park. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. Registration includes light refreshments. $5.
Summer water amenities close after Labor Day weekend:
Open through Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Black Hill boat rentals at Little Seneca Lake in Black Hill Regional Park and Lake Needwood boat rentals at Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park open through Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Montgomery Parks is a co-sponsor of the following events taking place in parks during the month of September:
Visit the Fall 2023 Montgomery Parks Program Guide. Go to Montgomery Parks event calendar for a complete list of special events and programming and to learn how to sign up using ActiveMontgomery.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. 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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