Things To See and Do in September and October

Photo by Scott Chernis

All that Jazz

Sept. 10

Saxophonist David Sanborn headlines this year’s Silver Spring Jazz Festival. A solo musician known for his instrumental blend of jazz and pop, Sanborn has also played with some of the biggest names in popular music, including the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Billy Joel. The outdoor festival also includes performances by students from Silver Spring’s Jazz Academy of Music, local smooth jazz musician Marcus Johnson, Baltimore bass clarinetist Todd Marcus and R&B vocalist Tamara Wellons.

3 to 10 p.m. in Veterans Plaza, free, montgomerycountymd.gov/rec

State of the Art

Aug. 31-Sept. 24

For some of the most cutting-edge contemporary art in the area, check out The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards exhibition. The show at Bethesda’s Gallery B features artwork by the eight finalists for The Trawick Prize, which awards $10,000 to the winner and is open to artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The exhibition features paintings, photography, mixed media sculpture and installations created for the gallery’s space. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Gallery B, free, www.bethesda.org

50 Years of Pet Sounds

Sept. 20

Pet Sounds, recorded by the Beach Boys in 1966, has been listed among the greatest and most influential rock albums of all time. Written, arranged and produced mostly by band member Brian Wilson, it is lauded for the beauty of its music, the emotional sentiment of its lyrics and the ingenuity of its production. Wilson marks the 50th anniversary of his masterpiece with a concert at The Music Center at Strathmore that will feature all the songs on the album.

8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, $45-$165, www.strathmore.org

Photo by Mark McIntyre

Fright Nights

Sept. 30-Nov. 5

More than just a haunted house, the Field of Screams is a truly terrifying Halloween experience. The annual scarefest features a 35-minute trail walk through a haunted forest, a 3-D walk through a haunted house and a haunted hayride. Professional actors trained to scare patrons stiff play roles in each experience. If you haven’t lost your appetite, stick around for make-your-own s’mores and other seasonal treats. Not recommended for children under 13.

4501 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, $15-$88, www.screams.org

Kid Rock

Sept. 25

Dan Zanes earned his rock credentials as frontman of the 1980s band the Del Fuegos. But for the last 16 years or so, he’s been earning acclaim, including a 2007 Grammy Award, for his children’s music. The “kindie rock” performer plays a blend of originals, sea shanties, party songs and world and folk music. The family-friendly performance at Amp in North Bethesda will feature plenty of playful tunes, high energy and lots of room for dancing.

5:30 p.m. at Amp by Strathmore, $20, free for children under 2, ampbystrathmore.com

Photo by Sonny Odom

Taste of the Town

Oct. 1

Pizza or tacos? Paella or meatballs? Ice cream or cupcakes? How about a little of each? That’s what you’ll find at Taste of Bethesda, downtown Bethesda’s long-running, signature food festival. The event brings samples from 60 restaurants to Woodmont Triangle, including newcomers such as Duck Duck Goose and old favorites like Olazzo. The festival also features entertainment, including cultural dance performances and live music by local bands.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Woodmont Triangle, free admission, taste tickets: four for $5, www.bethesda.org

Return to the Prairie

Oct. 28

Through his show, “A Prairie Home Companion,” Garrison Keillor became one of the most well-known voices in public radio. But the longtime radio personality is also a noted writer, penning numerous magazine articles, essays and a screenplay. Keillor, who retired in July as host of “Prairie Home” after 42 years, is this year’s recipient of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Achievement in American Literature. The award will be presented as part of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival in Rockville on Oct. 29. The festival features workshops for writers and literary discussions, but the highlight will be An Evening with Garrison Keillor on Oct. 28 at Strathmore, where Keillor will share his humor and wit.

8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, $35-$75, www.strathmore.org

Munich Via Gaithersburg

Oct. 9

This year marks the 25th annual Oktoberfest at the Kentlands in Gaithersburg. Oktoberfest is the traditional German beer festival first celebrated more than two centuries ago in Munich. This family-friendly version features a Bavarian-style band and dancers, horse-drawn carriage rides and cider pressing, along with plenty of children’s activities, including crafts, mini-golf and inflatables. For those over 21, there will be a traditional beer garden and local wine tastings.

Noon to 5 p.m. at Kentlands Mansion, Kentlands Village Green, Main Street and Market Square, free, www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Talking to an Angel

Bethesda’s Round House Theatre is teaming up with Olney Theatre Center for a 25th anniversary production of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America Part I: Millennium Approaches and Part II: Perestroika (both parts will be onstage at Round House on a rotating schedule; the theaters will collaborate on another production for Olney Theatre’s stage next year). The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play about sexuality, religion and politics at the dawn of the AIDS crisis centers around Prior Walter, a young gay man with AIDS. Washington, D.C., actor Tom Story plays the lead. Here’s what he had to say about it:

Knowing the role: “This play has been a part of my life and my consciousness for a long, long time. I actually saw it when I was young, and it had a profound impact on me. First of all, because of what a brilliant piece of theater it was. But also because I wasn’t in the generation that really was hit so profoundly by the disease, but of course it was in my consciousness through all of my becoming an adult. So the play was kind of an education for me.”

The play’s importance: “It marks a certain time in history for America and for LGBT people, but it also still feels relevant. It feels like we’ve come so far, but there are people who still said that they were glad that [the] Orlando [Pulse nightclub shooting] happened because God was punishing those people. Young gay men and women and trans men and women are still hearing messages that they’re less than. … It would be easy to hide when you’re still a target, but we can’t. Gay men and women can’t hide.”

Something surprising: “The play has a lot in it, but it also has a lot of humor and a lot of light. It’s not a dirge. It’s vibrant. People are struggling to live.”

Sept. 7-Oct. 30 at Round House Theatre, $10-$60, www.roundhousetheatre.org