Montgomery County Heritage Days Feature New ‘Local Gems’

Participants in the 2013 “Heritage Days” festival in Rockville.

It’s a time to reminisce and learn from the past as Heritage Montgomery holds their annual “Heritage Days” this weekend to educate the public about the historic landmarks in Montgomery County.

The annual two-day event at the end of June gives visitors the opportunity to discover 40 different venues from Silver Spring to Poolesville, Bethesda to Clarksburg and everywhere in between.

“My hope is that everyone in Montgomery County and the surrounding area can travel to one of these sites over the weekend and take time to learn and pass on the rich history we have right here in our County,” said Heritage Montgomery Executive Director Sarah Rogers.

The festival, which takes place on June 28 and 29 from noon to 4 p.m., features informational sessions about the history of dairy farming, railroads and trolleys, African-American communities, astronomy, local arts & culture, and outdoor recreation including hikes and walking tours.

In its 17th year, the event brings together four themed “clusters” of sites for visitors including African American and Quaker history, the Historic Technology Path, Farming History, and the newest “Local Gems” cluster.

“There’s a lot of new features this year,” Rogers said. “Our ‘Local Gems’ cluster is something we really saw as bringing something new and exciting to the already successful program.”

The new cluster brings together sites that might be overlooked and that Heritage Montgomery wants to bring attention to during their biggest festival of the year. The “Local Gems” sites include Glen Echo Park, the Latvian Museum, and the DC Radio Control Club featuring model aircraft demonstrations.

Find more information about the “Heritage Days” festival through the Heritage Montgomery website here.

About Valerie Bonk

Valerie Bonk is a multimedia reporter and community engagement specialist with Montgomery Community Media (MCM).

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