When it comes to things to do each week, there’s no place quite like Montgomery County. The region is a hub for activities of all sorts, from art exhibits and theater to craft fairs, food festivals and inventive workshops. Yet with all the happenings across the area, it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what to do. To get started, here are our top picks for the week.

Haga clic aquí para leer este artículo en español.

Friday and Saturday: The Long Branch Festival

8746 Flower Ave., Silver Spring
Sept. 13, 5-9 p.m.; Sept.14, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

This neighborhood festival brings the community together to celebrate its diversity through a zumba class, live music, a science show and more. Attendance is free with food, drink and goods for purchase.

Saturday: Colores art exhibit opening reception

Blackrock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown
Sept. 14, 4-7 p.m.

The viewing of this art exhibit of local Latino artists is from Sept. 7 through Nov. 3, but the opening reception is on Sept. 14. Enjoy appetizers, a cash bar and networking opportunities with a free ticket.

Saturday: Armenian Cultural Night

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville
Sept. 14, 6 p.m.

The Armenian Youth Center of Greater Washington Inc. will celebrate Armenian heritage through folk dance and song. Tickets start at $75 for non-members.

Sunday: Ride for the Reserve

Sugarloaf Citizens Association, 20900 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson
Sept. 15, 8 a.m.

The Montgomery County Farm Tour is a bike ride around Montgomery County and/or a picnic at Linden Farm. Bike ride lengths span up to 62 miles. Tickets start at $17.96 and help support Montgomery County’s rural economy. 

The whole weekend: The Washington Ukrainian Festival

St. Andrews Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, 15100 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring
Sept. 13, 5-8 p.m.; Sept. 14, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sept. 15, 11 a.m. – dusk

This three-day festival features Ukrainian food, performances, children’s activities and a Kozak beer garden. Friday is free admission, Saturday and Sunday together costs $20 and Sunday alone costs $15. Those under the age of 21 receive free admission, and a portion of proceeds provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

And one event worth the trip: In the Streets in Frederick, MD

Downtown Frederick, MD
Sept. 14, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Take a trip up to the historic downtown of Frederick, MD, for its In the Streets Festival. The streets shut down and the businesses open up for a day of food, music, vendors and fun. Before businesses hit the streets, you can partake in the Market Street Mile race. Afterward, check out the Up The Creek Party for ages 21 and up or the family-friendly Great Frederick Fair.

For more events this fall, check out our September and October calendar of events.

Aquí está qué hacer en el Condado de Montgomery esta semana

Muy pronto.

Looking for more things to do around Montgomery County this week? Our arts and culture section spotlights the latest and greatest things to do in the region. Plus, take a peek at our family and education content for happenings impacting you and your family.

For foodies, our food and drink vertical has everything you need to know about openings, closing and the hottest spots to eat throughout the community. You won’t want to miss any of it!

Please call ahead or check online to confirm events for potential cancelations and updates.

The post Here’s what to do in Montgomery County this week appeared first on MoCo360.

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend this weekend’s Bethesda Row Arts Festival in downtown Bethesda, an annual event that’s being held a month earlier than the traditional timing for the largest juried art show in the Washington, D.C., region, according to organizers.

The work of 185 artists will be showcased in tents along Woodmont and Bethesda avenues, Elm Street and Bethesda Lane, east of Arlington Road. An additional block of art exhibitions has been added this year on Woodmont Avenue from Hampden Lane to Montgomery Avenue, according to a news release from the festival. The event is sponsored by Bethesda Row, Koons Motors, Calluna Flower Truck, Pella Mid-Atlantic Windows and Doors, and the Purple Line.

The free show will be held rain or shine from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday. According to organizers, the event, which is in its 26^th year, typically attracts more than 25,000 visitors each year.

This year’s event will feature 82 artists who are new to the festival, 52 of whom live in the D.C. area. Artwork will span 14 adjudicated categories: ceramics, drawing/pastels, fiber/decorative, fiber/wearables, glass, graphics/printmaking, jewelry, metalwork, mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, oil/acrylic painting, photography/digital art, sculpture, watercolor and wood.

Visitors will have the opportunity to talk with artists at their booths about the process and inspiration behind their work.

“Festivals like this give us the opportunity to connect. We often buy mass-produced home décor, or through online maker sites without knowing anything about the process or the person who created it,” festival director Jon Gann said in a news release. “Art festivals … allow people to bring meaning to the items that make their space a home. Come meet the artist behind the art that inspires you.”

The artists’ work will be juried by three local judges: Amy Cavanaugh, executive director at Maryland Art Place in Baltimore; Laurel Lukaszewski, a Prince George’s County-based sculpture and installation artist; and Andrew Wodzianski, a District-based interdisciplinary artist and professor of studio arts at the College of Southern Maryland, a community college based in La Plata.

The post Bethesda Row Arts Festival shines spotlight on artists this weekend appeared first on MoCo360.

Yoga for All

When Arlet Koseian-Beckham, owner and founder of extendYoga in North Bethesda, looked around the wellness world in 2021, she saw a community that didn’t reflect the diverse population of folks who lived near her studio. With inclusivity in mind, the first-generation Armenian, 42, and employees Ayanna Wells (pictured above), 37, a Black woman, and Zahra Abbassi, 40, a Muslim woman, came up with the Repped Inclusive Yoga Series. A community is chosen to be the focus of a month of Sunday afternoon yoga sessions led by a teacher from that community, plus there’s representation in the art on the walls and the products in the boutique. September will be Latinx month, with three classes in Spanish and a trip to the Latin American Film Festival at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring. October will be a warrior series with trauma-informed yoga, sessions for breast cancer survivors and a session for those living with addiction.

12106 Wilkins Ave., North Bethesda, 301-881-3330, extendyoga.com 

Great Wall

There’s so much to take in when looking at “Wheaton Lives,” a mural completed in June on the side of Elbe’s Beer & Wine store, that your eye may not know where to go first. Start at the right side, above the store entrance, and “read” to the left, moving through time from past to present. A Native American village, 18th-century European settlers, the founders of Elbe’s back when it was a neighborhood grocery store, a youth kicking a soccer ball, a present-day woman cooking pupusas—these images and more make up a tapestry of Wheaton life. The mural was painted by Baltimore artist Bridget Cimino, 42, who says she “wanted to create a piece with lots of color and movement.” Her favorite touches: the plowmen and their horses, and the Piscataway village.  

 2522 University Blvd. W., Wheaton, wheatonartsparade.org/elbesmural

Fall for this 

To the mix of pumpkin spice lattes, harvest ales, apple fritters and other quintessential fall faves, we add the apple cider doughnut sundae at Jimmie Cone in Damascus. It starts with an apple cider doughnut from Gaver Farm in Mt. Airy, Maryland. Piled on is soft-serve vanilla ice cream drizzled with hot caramel sauce. To top it off: whipped cream and a cherry, of course. Look for this year’s sundaes to hit the iconic ice cream shop around mid-September, and you can expect prices close to last year’s $8 or a little more. 

 26420 Ridge Road, Damascus, 301-253-2003, jimmiecone.com

Naturally Fun 

The best way to get out of a playground rut? Discover a spot with new things to explore. Beeline to the Nature Play Space at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase for a water feature that’s activated by kid power, a group of boulders to scale, a slide encased in a wooden wood thrush (seen in the photo here) and a “bird nest” climbing structure made of giant logs. Opened in the fall of 2023, the play space is meant for kids up to age 10 and is designed to be accessible to all. It includes a small parking lot nearby, a pair of bathrooms with composting toilets (no water or chemicals), a water bottle filling station and a changing table stall. Keep the exploration going by trekking around some of the trails on the 40-acre property and checking out the gardens, meadows and pond.  

 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, 301-652-9188, natureforward.org

Stretch Out Summer

We’re not ready to say goodbye to days spent cooling off at the pool. With county-run outdoor pools (and many private ones) closing right after Labor Day, it’s a good time to splash the day away at the new indoor Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center. Open year-round, it has the only county-run aquatic climbing wall. Climbers move untethered up the 10-foot rock wall, which means that falling into the water (from the top or on the way up) is part of the fun. The aquatic center, which opened in February in downtown Silver Spring, also has lap lanes, two hot tubs, diving boards, water-dumping buckets and a couple of slides. See the website for prices and the schedule; the climbing wall is open during rec swim. Look for metered parking on the street or in the garage at 8700 Cameron St. 

 1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring, 240-777-6900, montgomerycountymd.gov

The post Five things we can’t get enough of in Montgomery County appeared first on MoCo360.

To jump to a category:
Art
Literature
Theater
Comedy & Variety
Music
Dance
Film

Art

Sept. 5-29: The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards

This annual exhibition features pieces by finalists in The Trawick Prize competition, which awards $10,000 to the best in show. It’s open to artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., working in any media. Among this year’s finalists is James Terrell’s “The Last Supper.” Past exhibitions have included large-scale sculptures, video installations and performance art, as well as paintings, drawings and photography. An opening reception is planned for Sept. 13 at Gallery B. bethesda.org

Sept. 12-Dec. 6: Faces of the Forest: Frontline of Resilience

Rock Creek Conservancy presents this exhibition of large-scale botanical fiber sculptures (pictured) and small drawings by artist Sophia McCrocklin at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. An opening reception is planned for Sept. 12. A symposium, “If the Forest Could Talk, What Would it Say?,” with the artist and other panelists is scheduled for Oct. 3, and a discussion about the future of Rock Creek Park moderated by U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 8) is slated for Nov. 25. rockcreekconservancy.org

Oct. 2-23  Synchronicity

In one image by Olney photographer Kim Keller, a model in a picture on the side of a bus appears to nearly kick a bystander in the head. In another, a man wearing a Star Wars stormtrooper helmet casually crosses a city intersection along with tourists in shorts and T-shirts. Keller uses her camera to capture scenes like these that happen at random but seem to communicate something meaningful. Her street photography will be on display in an exhibition at Artists & Makers Studios in Rockville. An opening reception is planned for Oct. 4. artistsandmakersstudios.com

Literature

Sept. 28  F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival

Two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward is the Fitzgerald Award honoree at this annual festival that celebrates F. Scott Fitzgerald and other prominent American authors with readings, author discussions, writing workshops, awards and book signings. Ward, the author of Salvage the Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing among her four novels, and an English professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, will give a reading at the event. Other highlights include readings and remarks by keynote speaker David Ignatius, author and Washington Post foreign affairs columnist, and special guest Kiese Laymon, author of the novel Long Division and a professor of English and creative writing at Rice University in Houston. Events take place at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College. fitzgeraldfestival.com

Theater

Sept. 11-Oct. 6: Sojourners

Revolving around a love triangle among three young Nigerian immigrants in Texas in the 1970s, this show is the first in playwright Mfoniso Udofia’s projected nine-part multigenerational Ufot Cycle, which will examine the Nigerian American experience through the eyes of the Ufot family. In Sojourners, at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre, the characters must decide whether to return to Nigeria after finishing their education or stay in America and make a life for themselves. roundhousetheatre.org

Sept. 18-Oct. 27: Winnie the Pooh

A.A. Milne’s classic character is joined by Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl in this gentle musical for children age 3 and older at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. Set during one busy day in the Hundred Acre Wood, there’s a Heffalump to catch, Eeyore’s tail to find and a misunderstanding between Rabbit and Kanga to sort out. imaginationstage.org

Sept. 27-Oct. 20 Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground

With the presidential election fast approaching, this one-man show at Olney Theatre Center looks back to a time in history, but also speaks to the present. Starring Tony Award winner John Rubinstein (pictured), it’s set in 1962 as President Dwight Eisenhower finds out he’s been ranked toward the bottom of a list of the best presidents in history. From his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he defends his life and career, pointing out the leadership a president must project and the responsibilities they must shoulder. olneytheatre.org

Oct. 4-Nov. 3: She Persisted

Based on the book by Chelsea Clinton, this time-traveling musical at Adventure Theatre MTC in Glen Echo follows fourth grader Naomi’s field trip to a women’s history museum where she encounters inspirational women—including Harriet Tubman, Virginia Apgar, Ruby Bridges, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner and Sonia Sotomayor—who overcame barriers and made waves throughout U.S. history. The show is recommended for all ages. adventuretheatre-mtc.org

Oct. 19-Nov. 3: Astro Boy and the God of Comics

The iconic manga character Astro Boy comes to the stage at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre in this retro-futuristic production presented by Flying V Theatre. Puppets, illustrations and live actors will blend to tell a multimedia story of artist and cartoonist Osamu Tezuka and his creation through 10 “episodes.” The show is recommended for age 13 and older due to possible adult language and references to topics such as death and war. flyingvtheatre.com

Oct. 24-Jan. 5: Disney’s Frozen

Sure, you’ve seen the animated movie a million times. But if you think have an idea of what to expect from Olney Theatre Center’s production of the Disney hit, “let it go.” Starring two women of color including Anna (Alex De Bard), this production directed by Alan Muraoka of Sesame Street aims to please adults as well as kids. The theater’s website says the musical would probably receive a PG rating if it were a film. olneytheatre.org

Nov. 20-Dec. 22: A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical

This world premiere at Round House Theatre in Bethesda puts a Hanukkah spin on A Christmas Carol. Millennial influencer Chava Kanipshin is visited by a series of ghosts who lead her through Hanukkahs past, present and future to reconnect with her spirit of generosity, Jewish identity and supporters in real life, not just online. roundhousetheatre.org

Dec. 6-Jan. 5: ’Twas the Night Before Christmas

Traditionally, not a creature stirs on Christmas Eve, not even a mouse. But that’s not the case in this tribute to the holiday season at Glen Echo’s Adventure Theatre MTC. After Santa missed his house last year, a mouse goes on a wild adventure with an elf and a spunky little girl. The show is appropriate for all ages. adventuretheatre-mtc.org

Dec. 11-March 7  Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood

It’s Little Red Riding Hood but with a Cajun twist in this update of the classic tale at Bethesda’s Imagination Stage. Petite Rouge, a red-robed duck, and her cat set off to bring Grand-mere some gumbo, but they encounter a Big Bad Gator who chases them through New Orleans. Expect Zydeco music and a chorus of swamp dwellers in this show that’s best for age 5 and older. imaginationstage.org

Comedy and Variety

Sept. 10: Mikey Day and Ego Nwodim

The two Saturday Night Live cast members are joined by Los Angeles-based writer and comedian Amy Silverberg at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville for a night of stand-up comedy. Day started at SNL as a writer and went on to become a cast member, playing President Joe Biden in a 2023 Halloween sketch, and cracking up fellow cast member Heidi Gardner as the Butt-Head to guest host Ryan Gosling’s Beavis in a sketch earlier this year. He’s also the host of the show Is It Cake? on Netflix. In addition to SNL, Nwodim, a Baltimore native, has appeared in the movies Players, Spin Me Round and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.
montgomerycollege.edu/events

Nov. 7:  Giancarlo Esposito

Known for his roles as terrifying drug kingpin Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and the dangerous Imperial leader Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, Esposito comes to Rockville’s Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center for a moderated discussion on his nearly five-decade career as a film, television and stage actor, director and producer. He’ll discuss the hurdles people of color face in the industry and how he embraced his racial identity in his acting. montgomerycollege.edu/events

Dec. 4: A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch

If you like your holidays flavored with some mid-century Christmas kitsch, head to The Music Center at Strathmore for a show that’s part cabaret and part comedy. Jane Lynch (center), the Emmy and Golden Globe winner known for her roles in Glee and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, is joined by Kate Flannery (right), from The Office, and Tim Davis (left), vocal arranger from Glee, in a send-up of holiday shows from the 1950s and ’60s. They will be backed by the Tony Guerrero Quintet. strathmore.org

Music

Sept. 13: BSO Fusion—And I Love Her: The Beatles Reimagined

In this concert at The Music Center at Strathmore, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Steve Hackman, performs a musical tribute to the Fab Four, the women who influenced them and the unforgettable characters they created in their songs. bsomusic.org

Sept. 22: Rosanne Cash

The American roots music icon and daughter of Johnny Cash comes to The Music Center at Strathmore for a concert marking the re-release of her album The Wheel and 30 years of stories and songs. A four-time Grammy Award winner, she’s also an author and the first female composer to win the MacDowell Medal, given to “artists who have made exceptional contributions to American culture.” strathmore.org

Oct. 5: Meshell Ndegeocello

The culmination of Strathmore’s series marking the 100th birthday of writer James Baldwin, this concert at The Music Center at Strathmore features the Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, joined by her band and guest performers. Inspired by Baldwin’s use of writing to empower others, Ndegeocello utilizes her music, which draws on rock, hip-hop, R&B and spoken word, to engage with and pay tribute to his work. strathmore.org

Oct. 9  Neko Case

The singer-songwriter’s career has stretched over decades and musical genres, drawing from country, folk, indie rock, pop and punk. Known for her clear contralto voice and cryptic lyrics, she has released seven solo studio albums as well as collaborated with indie rock band The New Pornographers and with k.d. lang and Laura Veirs in their group Case/Lang/Veirs. With a career-spanning retrospective album released in 2022 and a memoir due out in January, she visits The Music Center at Strathmore on her tour this fall. strathmore.org

Oct. 12: Tori Kelly

The one-time American Idol contestant and Grammy Award winner stops by The Fillmore Silver Spring on her Purple Skies tour supporting her album TORI., which features pop music inspired by tunes from the late 1990s and early 2000s. In addition to releasing five albums, Kelly’s also known for voicing the elephant Meena in the animated movies Sing and Sing 2. fillmoresilverspring.com

Oct. 18: Judah & the Lion

Formed in 2011, the folk-rock group is made up of Judah Akers and Brian Macdonald, who met while attending college at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Their concert at The Fillmore Silver Spring is in support of their latest album, The Process, which is based on different stages of grief and was written after Akers faced a tough stretch in his life, including a divorce and the deaths of family members. fillmoresilverspring.com

Nov. 1: Judy Collins and Madeleine Peyroux

Collins (left), a folk legend, will perform her 1967 album Wildflowers in its entirety at The Music Center at Strathmore. Included on the album is her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” for which Collins won a Grammy. Sharing the bill, Peyroux (right), a jazz vocalist, will perform hits from her album Careless Love and other recent releases. strathmore.org

Nov. 9: Tyler Hubbard

One half of the country duo Florida Georgia Line, Hubbard is touring solo after the breakup of the pair in 2022. He swings by The Fillmore Silver Spring to promote his latest album, Strong, which is full of upbeat feel-good music. fillmoresilverspring.com

Nov. 15-16: Dru Hill

Before Sisqo was rapping about thongs, he was singing with Dru Hill, the R&B group from Baltimore that became famous in the 1990s for songs such as “In My Bed,” “Never Make a Promise” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” The group will perform two shows featuring original and newer members at the Bethesda Theater. bethesdatheater.com

Dance

Nov. 30: Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet

An international cast of dancers in lavish costumes stars onstage along with puppets and acrobats in this traditional take on the classic Tchaikovsky ballet at The Music Center at Strathmore. strathmore.org

Dec. 13: BSO: Cirque Nutcracker

Troupe Vertigo blends elements of circus acrobatics, dance and theater in this performance of The Nutcracker backed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at The Music Center at Strathmore. bsomusic.org

Film

Sept. 19-Oct. 10: AFI Latin American Film Festival

Set to coincide with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year, the festival features movies from Latin American countries as well as Spain and Portugal at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring. Last year’s showcase offered more than 40 films. Some screenings include Q&As with filmmakers and embassy-sponsored receptions. afisilver.afi.com/silver/laff

Oct. 11-24: Noir City: DC

This festival at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring features a curated collection of films noir. This year, the festival presents a series of double features, pairing American and British noirs with thematically linked foreign-language movies. Eddie Muller, a writer, film historian and Turner Classic Movies host, will introduce select screenings. Muller is founder of the Film Noir Foundation, which restores and preserves movies from the genre. Proceeds from the festival go to the foundation. afisilver.afi.com

Dec. 4-22: AFI European Union Film Showcase

You don’t need a passport to see the best films from Europe this season; just head to Silver Spring. The annual AFI European Union Film Showcase, now in its 37th year, features the best movies from across the continent at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. Last year’s films included Academy Award contenders and U.S. premieres. Select screenings include Q&A sessions with filmmakers. afisilver.afi.com 

The post Montgomery County’s music, art and theater offerings will keep you entertained this fall appeared first on MoCo360.

Black-owned ice cream shop Lil’ Sumthin’ Sweet just opened in downtown Silver Spring. The shop on Fenton Street offers a variety of ice cream desserts, including ice cream nachos and globally inspired flavors. [DC News Now]

Takoma Park volunteer pedals change with Meals on Wheels  

One Takoma Park volunteer, John Salmen, is making a difference in Montgomery County by riding his recumbent tricycle to deliver prepared meals to neighbors in need. Salmen said he hopes to help the community while helping the planet. [Source of the Spring] 

Pool rental website gives options for cooling off after Labor Day

Most pools close after Labor Day weekend, but some local pool owners have extended the pool season by renting out their backyard oases through the website Swimply. [WTOP]

Today’s weather: Rainy with a high of 78 degrees 

In case you missed it:  

Two men dead in apparent murder-suicide shooting in Rockville 

Elrich: County needs to rethink commercial taxing to reach goal as life sciences hub 

MCPS to explore how serious incidents are tracked 

The post Lil’ Sumthin’ Sweet ice cream shop opens in downtown Silver Spring appeared first on MoCo360.

Sylvia Bugg, 53, describes her job at PBS as “the chief question asker.” Officially she’s the network’s chief programming executive and general manager for general audience programming, a major position that puts her in charge of “any content that’s on PBS that’s not kids’ content,” she says. Shows she’s brought to air include fan favorites “The Great American Recipe,” “Next at the Kennedy Center” and “Southern Storytellers.” The Clarksburg resident spent several years at Silver Spring’s Discovery Communications before returning to her second employer out of college, PBS, where she has been since October 2020. We asked the chief question asker about what she’s learned along the way. 

I had a former boss who oversaw production programming [at Discovery] who was also a mentor. He said something in front of me to someone else: “Sylvia can do anything.” I was really just starting out in the cable world and beginning to understand how it all worked and where I would fit in that experience. And just hearing that really stayed with me.

What he meant was that I could grow into doing many things as it related to my career. At that stage of my career and my life I don’t think I had quite fully realized what my potential was, so when he said that, it meant so much to me. People will often comment on your abilities or your skill, especially early in your career, when you are not in the room, but to hear someone say that when you are in the room—well, it has stayed with me for 20 or 25 years. It instilled in me the confidence to know that if I really put my head down, worked really hard, kept being a really good listener, and surrounded myself with positive people, that I could do anything. 

There has always been this idea in leadership that you have to do it all. At some point in my career I felt I could do it all. I can do anything, right? But maybe not all of it. So in some ways those two ideas combined: Doing it all and doing everything. But that was not quite right.

The signs of a good leader are those who surround themselves with other great leaders and great teams. Early on, I probably did not fully understand that. I may have had situations where I was trying to juggle too much and really needed to think about what it meant to be a good leader. It really is a 360-degree experience. So often we have to manage up, we manage across, we manage down. But the whole idea is 360-degrees leadership, and for me, that’s been a valuable lesson. 

I try to think about ways to be influential and be a good contributor and be collaborative—and that will really take you far. That’s one of the principles I’ve tried to live by and lead by—through example. 

—As told to Buzz McClain

The post What I know: the inspiring advice given to a PBS executive appeared first on MoCo360.

Rockville resident and first-ever Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos is featured as the cover story of the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. The show will premiere Sept. 18. Vassos was a fan favorite on the Golden Bachelor, which she left early to support her daughter and new grandchild. [Montgomery Community Media]

Two MoCo eateries make Eater D.C.’s ‘essentials’ list

J. Hollinger’s in Silver Spring and Melina in North Bethesda were named to Eater D.C.’s list of 38 “essential restaurants.” The outlet periodically updates the list, considered to be the top recommendations of the best 38 restaurants in the Washington, D.C., region. [Eater D.C.]

Food influencer Keith Lee wants local restaurant recommendations

Popular food influencer Keith Lee is headed to the DMV, and he wants to know what family-owned area restaurants he should highlight. The TikTok star with over 16 million followers is asking for locals to nominate their favorite “mom and pop” eateries for him to highlight on his page. [The MoCo Show]

Today’s weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76

In case you missed it:

Far from home: MCPS community welcomes Filipino special education teachers   

BabyCat Brewery to open second location in downtown Bethesda

By the numbers: Bethesda student creates online election predictor

The post Rockville’s Golden Bachelorette graces cover of Entertainment Weekly appeared first on MoCo360.

After years of chasing ribbons for everything from my prize Brussels sprouts to peppers to zucchini at the annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg, I knew exactly where to look when I walked into the Farm and Garden building on Sunday to find out what, if anything, I had won this year.

To the left and right were rows upon rows of produce and flower entries, but my eyes were on the platform in the center: a tiered, circular tower of glory. The place of honor for the best of the best awarded the biggest of the ribbons.

Every year, I submit entries to the fair because as a former athlete, I love a good competition. I also am following in the footsteps of my mom and dad, who have a corner in their basement festooned with their own ribbons. Planning for my entries starts at the conclusion of the prior year’s fair: I plan my garden and start seeds when it is still cold. Late spring and summer mornings are spent weeding and watering the garden, then canning and pickling after the sun sets. This year, I also chose an embroidery project to finish, sewed a Godzilla Halloween costume for my youngest son and made matching Christmas pajama pants for our family of four.

On Sunday, I had come to the fair from Rockville with my 5- and 7-year-old sons who were more interested in checking out their own entries than mine, but gamely walked around the center platform with me as we gazed at the loveliest roses, flawless tomatoes and intricate floral displays.

I had almost completed my lap when my eyes spotted one of my entries, a small basket display representing the fair’s theme of “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”  My entry featured okra, tomato and pepper seeds along with fresh okra, tomatoes and peppers from my garden and canned pickled okra, salsa and pepper jam made in my kitchen—my idea of the perfect produce presentation of the theme.

And next to it: a blue first-place ribbon, a grand champion ribbon and—could it be?—a best of show banner!

I jumped and hollered and danced for joy. If there had been a competition for making a fool of oneself, I would have no doubt won that, too. In more than 30 years of entering hundreds of items in the fair, I have never received a best of show. I have no idea of how many hundreds (thousands?) of entries I beat out, but I had.

I could have walked out of the building and been promptly run over by the tractor trolley and I would have died with a grin on my face.

Instead, I texted everyone from my retired horticulturalist dad whose roses often win big (“Congratulations! You’re carrying on the tradition! I never had a best in show.”), to my fellow fair buddy hoping for her own winnings to my Facebook pals (141 likes, hearts and wows).

 My boys and I found the rest of our entries. Some, including my son’s marigold and my pint of Brussels sprouts, won first place ribbons. Others, including my tomatoes and eggplant, didn’t merit an honorable mention. Even with a dry summer, the competition was fierce.

From the Farm and Garden building we walked to the Home Arts building where I had entered samples of seven flavors of jams and jellies, plus my cross stitching and sewing projects.

Competing is a family affair for the Orndorff clan. While my dad dominates in Farm and Garden competitions, my mom is the master of Home Arts. Her jams are set just right. Her knitting is nonpareil. Her embroidery is superlative. I have spent years refining my jams and embroidery to rise to her level.

This year my big entry was an embroidered pattern on linen in shades of blue. And this year, blue attracted blue: Next to my picture hung a champion ribbon. I jumped, hollered and excitedly told those who happened to glance my way what I had accomplished. One man even shook my hand. My strawberry rhubarb jam (with rhubarb from my garden) and blackberry jam both won first place and the rest of the entries received a rainbow of ribbons.  (Weep not for my mom, she received champion ribbons for a knitted, cream-colored sweater as well as her collection of jams.)

Though my ribbons bring me great joy, there is still one prize I crave: I want to be a HOTY– Homemaker of the Year.

The Homemaker of the Year is the person who receives the most blue ribbons in at least six departments (think jams, cakes, quilts, embroidery, crocheting and sewed clothing). Gaithersburg’s Karen Johnston, 65, who was crowned HOTY last year entered 157 items in 16 divisions and won at least one blue ribbon in 14 of them. She was awarded a tiara that she can wear that sets her apart from us commoners.

This year I knew I would not be the HOTY because I had not entered items in six departments. In addition to being a mom and a wife, I am a full-time editor at MoCo360 as well as a volunteer firefighter and ambulance driver serving at least 14 hours a week. I still have much to learn and limited uninterrupted time. As it is, my husband deserves credit for keeping the boys out of the kitchen while I ladled molten jam into jars.

So no HOTY crown for me this year. But on Tuesday I am celebrating by returning to the fair and buying my boys wristbands to ride all the rides they want. I’ll cheer on the pigs as they race around the track, savor a funnel cake and a fried Oreo, and I will surely run into neighbors and friends and congratulate them on winning their own ribbons.

And then I will go back home and begin planning for next year.

Amy Orndorff is the managing editor of Bethesda Magazine.

The post Essay: Confessions of a serial ribbon chaser appeared first on MoCo360.

This story, originally published at 3:44 p.m. Aug. 6, 2024, was updated at 3:36 p.m. Aug. 9, 2024, with the fair’s new opening date.

While the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair opened Saturday with its standard fare of carnival rides, cotton candy and livestock races, the annual event will celebrate its 75th anniversary in retro style, with the theme of “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.”

The fair, which cancelled its Friday opening due to inclement weather, will run through Aug. 17 at the fairgrounds at 501 Perry Parkway in Gaithersburg.

The anniversary theme “promises a captivating journey through our rich agricultural history, the vibrant present, and the promising future of our beloved community,” according to a letter from fair president Mandy German.

Hundreds of participants are expected to enter contests ranging from best livestock and jams to cheese carving and toilet decorating, according to Olivia Boughton, the fair’s media coordinator. And one resourceful county resident will be crowned as “HOTY” – that is, Homemaker of the Year. A full fair catalog of competitions is available on the fair’s website.

These contests are no small potatoes. The fair takes the events seriously–even judges are judged before they can participate. Back in November, the fair auditioned prospective judges at a training event. Potential judges must fulfill five requirements: attend judges’ training school, complete three segments in the same subject area by different instructors, provide written permission to be on a public judge list, judge at a minimum of two fairs or shows with another judge, and provide documentation to the fair’s Judging School of the dates they judged.

The county agricultural fair is one of 17 fairs held in the state annually, including events in Baltimore, Frederick, Kent and Howard counties. The counties share instructors, resources and judges. More than 800 volunteers help put on Montgomery County’s nine-day fair, according to the event website.

For those not planning to enter their prized fruit pies, there is still plenty of entertainment to enjoy, Boughton said.

This year’s special grandstand events include:

• Truck and Tractor Pull

Monday at 7:30 p.m.

• Renegade Monster Truck Tour

Aug. 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.

• Demolition Derby

Aug. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $18 at the gate and $15 online for all grandstand events. Admission is free for children under age 2.

Boughton said returning guests will be excited to see the fair’s popular magic and comedy show, Agricadabra, hosted by Brad Matchett at various times listed on the fair’s website. The show provides a fun take on healthy eating through food science, Boughton said.

“It’s all about healthy eating and agriculture, while kind of making it more exciting and fun with magic,” Boughton said. 

Matchett will also host his popular comedy hypnotism show, which Boughton said has been a favorite in previous years. Both shows will run at least daily throughout the length of the fair.

Musical acts will include The Sons of Liberty, Hepcat Hoodie, The Grasso Brothers and Jess Kellie Adams.

The cowboy circus is also a popular attraction, according to Boughton. The show runs daily at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.and is interactive, giving audience members the opportunity to participate in various games.

Fair admission is $15 per person on-site and $12 if purchased online in advance. Children age 11 and under are free. Parking on-site is $15. Free parking and shuttle bus transport are available at the Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus at 51 Mannakee Street and the Lakeforest Mall at Lost Knife Road and Odenhal Avenue. Ride tickets are sold separately, with varying wristband prices based on date and number of rides. More information is available on the fair’s website.

The post Montgomery County Agricultural Fair offers plenty of food, fun and rides appeared first on MoCo360.

Benj Gershman says he wants to share with the world his conversations with people who have struggled with trauma and recovered—just like him. The graduate of Rockville’s Thomas S. Wootton High School and original member of the rock band O.A.R. was on tour in February 2020 when he was infected by COVID-19; for the next two years, he battled extreme fatigue from long COVID. Gershman says he was so focused on rebuilding his physical strength and identity as a musician that he overlooked the toll the ordeal took on his mental health.

With hard work and support from others, Gershman, 44, says he’s now in a good place. O.A.R., which formed in 1996 in Rockville, is recording a new album and touring this summer with a stop on July 27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia.

In May, Gershman—who grew up in Gaithersburg and lives in Encinitas, California, with his wife and 5-year-old son—launched What Could Be Bad, a mental health and wellness podcast to discuss his journey and those of other performers and producers.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

How do you stay grounded? Connecting with my family first and foremost. … I look at the ways I used to live before as very reactive. Now I look at living as preventive maintenance—a part-time job where I need to take care of myself. That means waking up before everyone else in the family [at 5 a.m.], stretching, exercising, doing breath work and meditation, taking a walk for 45 minutes to sometimes two hours. That’s my time.

Who did you listen to most growing up? Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers. My first live concert was at Merriweather to see the Monkees with Weird Al Yankovich.

Do you have a favorite D.C.-area music club? The Anthem [in Southwest D.C.]. That place is glorious. I grew up loving the 9:30 Club, and the Anthem is the 9:30 Club magnified.

What influence do you think growing up in MoCo had on your music? There are so many cultures and there is so much music. You can pull up at a light and hear somebody listen to music from another part of the world. I remember that happening, loving it, and [being] like: What was that sound? I need to figure that out.

Where is your favorite place to be? Home. I spent so much time here that I thought when I got through all this stuff I’d take my wife and kid on a nationwide adventure. But my wife has a career. My kid really benefits from the things he has here. I live in a beautiful place, and I love being here to support them. Being of service as a father and as a husband is my greatest priority.

What’s the best advice someone has given you? Do the work.

What book have you read recently? This Is What It Sounds Like: A Legendary Producer Turned Neuroscientist on Finding Yourself Through Music by Susan Rogers. It’s an incredible book that analyzes what it is about music that we all appreciate and get attached to.

What’s one song you have on heavy rotation? “Welcome to Hard Times” by Charley Crockett. It’s country music. I feel like he’s one of the new outlaws like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson or Merle Haggard. I just dig his low voice, and we share the same birthday, March 24. 

The post Rockville’s rock star: Q&A with Benj Gershman appeared first on MoCo360.