Festivals
May 10-11: Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
Artists from around the country—more than 100 in all—will sell paintings, drawings, photographs, jewelry, sculptures and other original creations at this annual street festival in downtown Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. The event is free, and there will be food for sale from local restaurants and live musical performances. bethesda.org/arts/artsfestival.htm
May 17: Gaithersburg Book Festival
Fiction writers Ibi Zoboi and Louis Bayard, humorist Dave Barry, sports journalists David Aldridge and Joe Posnanski, mystery author Jeffery Deaver and Caldecott-winning authors Vera Brosgol and Brian Lies are just a few of the big names who will participate in book talks and panel discussions at this annual literary festival in Gaithersburg’s Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. The event features more than 100 authors in genres ranging from fiction to nonfiction, poetry, children’s literature, graphic novels, science fiction, mystery/thrillers and young adult literature. The free festival also includes writing workshops, book signings and children’s activities. gaithersburgbookfestival.org
May 24-25: Hometown Holidays
The annual two-day music festival is back in Rockville Town Center after a few years at RedGate Park. The city’s free summer kickoff party features two stages with live music, food and beverages from local vendors, and yard games and crafts for kids. New this year will be an arts market. rockvillemd.gov/665/hometown-holidays-at-town-center
June 7: Sandy Spring Strawberry Festival
After taking a year off to reevaluate its size and focus, this popular festival returns to the grounds of the Sandy Spring Museum in Sandy Spring. Strawberries are the star of the show, so expect strawberry drinks, strawberry desserts and a strawberry shortcake-eating contest. In addition, there will be a petting zoo, hands-on crafts and demonstrations, a juried craft show and a plant sale. Tickets, available for purchase online, will be required and limited to 5,000 people. sandyspringmuseum.org/strawberry-festival
Community Events
May 15: Best of Bethesda Party
After a five-year hiatus, Bethesda Magazine’s event celebrating the year’s Best of Bethesda winners is returning with live music, drinks and food. Guests can nibble on offerings from 2025 readers’ favorites and editors’ picks, including No Regrets Pizza Co. (Best New Pizza Parlor With Creative Cocktails), Burtons Grill & Bar (Best Allergy-Friendly Brunch) and Läderach Chocolatier Suisse (Best New Indulgences) at the Kid Museum in Bethesda. Tickets are available for purchase online. bethesdamagazine.com/best-of-bethesda-party
May 26: Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade
Rockville’s annual Memorial Day observation starts with a ceremony in Rockville Town Center to remember fallen veterans and continues with a parade that includes military and community groups, dance troupes and other organizations. The procession begins at North Washington Street and Martins Lane and ends at East Montgomery Avenue and Monroe Street. rockvillemd.gov/2402/memorial-day-ceremony-and-parade
June 1: Invent the Future Expo
Visitors to this event at the Kid Museum in Bethesda can participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities. Inventions by middle school students—such as firefighting drones and water filtration systems—designed to solve environmental problems will be on display. Business leaders and entrepreneurs in science- and technology-related fields will discuss their proposals to make life better. The expo is free, but registration is required. kid-museum.org/programs/invent-the-future-expo
June 14: Suds & Soles 5K
Lace up your running shoes for this 3.1-mile course through Rockville Town Center and the surrounding neighborhoods. Then reward yourself with a beverage from a local brewery at this annual race that benefits the Rockville Youth Recreation Fund and youth and beginners running programs of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. The event is known for its after-race party, which features live music and refreshments. Runners 21 and older receive beverage samples with their registration. rockvillemd.gov/669/suds-soles-5k
June 28: SummerFest
Gaithersburg lights up the night at this annual festival at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. The free event features live musical performances, food trucks, beverages to purchase from local breweries and activities for kids. Fireworks start at dusk and are followed by a SummerGlo after-party with music and glow sticks. gaithersburgmd.gov/recreation/special-events/summerfest
June 29: Pride in the Plaza
Montgomery County’s celebration of LGBTQ+ communities takes over Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring with a resource fair, health screenings, musical and drag performances, and a pride ball. The free event also includes food and drinks from local vendors and family-friendly activities. liveinyourtruth.org/pride-in-the-plaza
Theater
May 28-June 22: King James
It’s the 2003-2004 NBA season and LeBron James is a rookie player with the Cleveland Cavaliers when basketball fans Shawn and Matt meet. This comedy at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre follows their relationship over the course of time and James’ career. On the surface, the play written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph is about sports, but underneath it’s about friendships and the things that divide people and bring them together. roundhousetheatre.org/on-stage
June 27-Aug. 17: The Lightning Thief
Based on the bestselling book by Rick Riordan, this musical opened on Broadway in 2019. The novel is the first in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, in which Percy tangles with Greek gods and other mythological creatures. Adventure Theatre-MTC’s version in Glen Echo makes the story accessible for younger audiences. adventuretheatre-mtc.org/shows/2024-2025-professional-shows
Dance/music
May 13: Bush
These British grunge rockers had a string of hits in the ’90s, including “Glycerine,” “Comedown” and “Machinehead.” Expect to hear those and more when they take the stage at The Fillmore Silver Spring on their “Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour.” Fellow rock band Filter opens the show. fillmoresilverspring.com/shows
May 16: Over My Head, I Hear Music in the Air
Bernice Johnson Reagon was a civil rights activist, composer and American history professor. A curator with the Smithsonian and founder of the Washington, D.C. all-Black female a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, she passed away last year at age 81. This event at The Music Center at Strathmore, curated by her daughter, musician Toshi Reagon, brings together singers, scholars and poets to celebrate and reflect on her life and work. strathmore.org
June 24: Los Lonely Boys
The band, made up of three brothers from Texas, won a Grammy Award for its debut single, “Heaven,” in 2005. Known for blending rock ’n’ roll, soul, country and Tejano music, the group is set to perform at The Fillmore Silver Spring. fillmoresilverspring.com/shows
June 27-28: Step Afrika!
Founded in 1994, this dance company blends stepping, a percussive dance form traditionally performed by African American fraternities and sororities, with African and contemporary dance styles. The group celebrates its 30th anniversary at The Music Center at Strathmore with performances that include the world premieres of two dances. strathmore.org
Art
May 23: Start of Summer Party
Swing by Compass Art Center in Kensington for artist demonstrations, a new exhibition in the Wheaton Arts Parade Gallery 2 and family-friendly arts activities. thecompassatelier.com/event-listings/startofsummer2025
Sports
Late May-July: Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League
Montgomery County is home to four teams that play in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League: the Bethesda Big Train, Gaithersburg Giants, Olney Cropdusters and Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. Last season, the Big Train won its 11th league championship after beating the Southern Maryland Senators. calripkenleague.org
This appears in the May/June 2025 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
