Brookside Gardens – Earth Month Family Celebration – Social Narrative

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Arriving at Brookside Gardens Visitor Center

Welcome to the Earth Day Family Celebration! The address of the Brookside Visitor Center is 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton MD 20902. When you arrive, you will go over a deer exclusion gate, which will make your vehicle shake as you drive over it.

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Parking at the Visitor Center or Conservatory

Visitors can park in the parking lot at the Visitor Center. The parking lot might be full so you may have to circle a few times to find a spot. Accessible parking is on the right side of the parking lot, close to the Visitor Center.

If you cannot find parking, you can also park in the Conservatory parking lot (1500 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton MD 20902) and head over to the event from there. You can preview the path from the Conservatory parking lot to the Visitor Center on this map. You can also park in the surrounding neighborhood.

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Activities and Performances

Once you have parked, you will head towards the Visitor Center.

To the left of the main doors, there will be a table with information to help you navigate the activities and schedule. You will then follow a path to the left of the table to go to the event!

At the event, there will be a lot of people doing a lot of different activities. You will hear and see people playing music next to the Visitor Center. One performance will start at approximately 11 am and another will begin at approximately 1 pm.

The large field in front of the visitor center and performance area is where you can enjoy the music and have picnics and eat food. Usually, picnicking is not allowed at Brookside Gardens, but this is a special occasion.

To the right of the Bluestone Terrace, there is an area where strollers and wheelchairs can wheel onto the field using a ramp.

Next to the picnic area, is a field where the main activities of the event will be held. You will see several tents. At each tent, there is a different activity you can do.

The first activity you can do is Pot-a-Plant. You will put a plant in a pot and add soil to help it grow. During this activity, adult volunteers will assist you. You will get your hands dirty, but can wash them off in the bathroom in the Visitor Center.

At the Science Discovery tent, you can use a magnifying glass or a handheld microscope to look at plants.

At the rainbow mural tent, you can contribute to a community art project by coloring a section of blank paper that will make up a mural.

You can also stop at the iNaturalist table, where you can learn to use the iNaturalist app on your phone. iNaturalist identifies plants based on crowd-sourced information.

There will also be a station where you can take photos with the Montgomery Parks mascots. These are people wearing costumes. You can choose to interact with them or to walk away.

If you continue on the path, past the Children’s Garden, there is a field where you can take a 15-minute children’s yoga class.

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Restroom Location

There are bathrooms inside of the Visitor Center. If you are at the end of the event space, you can turn right at the leaf chairs, and enter the double doors.

Once you are inside the door, the men’s and women’s bathrooms will be on your right. The All-Gender restroom will be down a small hallway on your left.

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Building Information

Trash cans will only be available within the designated event picnicking area and inside the visitor center. Please dispose of waste appropriately.

There is also a water fountain next to the right of the men’s room.

If you go to the front of the Visitor Center, there is a gift shop that you can visit.

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Sensory Retreat Area

The Gardens will be busy with regular visitor activity and the crowds from the event and activities. Visitors that need a break from the crowds and noise can visit the “Sensory Retreat Area” which will be located in the Anderson Pavilion near the aquatic ponds.