Montgomery Parks

This , we're getting our feet a little wet while we meet the Eastern Newt.
When they get to adult age, these aquatic newts have a creamy yellow belly, olive-green or even a yellowish/brown backs with black spots around their body- some of the spots even have a little bit of red in the center.
The Eastern Newts tail is can be compared to a rudder as it is long and vertically flattened. These little newts grow anywhere between 2.2 to 4.75 inches.
Typically Eastern Nets can be found in vernal pools, marshes, small lakes, ponds and even the calm portions of streams.
For more information on the Eastern Newt, check out: https://mocoparks.org/49QBngp

This Friday is Juneteenth, a day of celebration for June 19,1865: the date when enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas finally learned of their freedom from slavery.

Here’s how you can celebrate Juneteenth in Montgomery Parks:

Juneteenth at Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Juneteenth at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival at Cabin John Regional Park, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

More info: https://mocoparks.org/4azMeOI

The forecast is calling for highs in fun and fitness this summer at Montgomery Parks!

Get grounded with yoga, push yourself with fitness, or put your dancing shoes on. Find a program for yourself or bring the family! Check out programs like:

Rise and Shine Flow Yoga: Set a positive tone for the day ahead with this invigorating yoga class for early risers. Series of 7 classes starting on June 17 | Kensington Cabin Local Park

Toddler and You Yoga: Families can share the mat together with stretching and singing that comes together in a joyful introduction to movement and mindfulness. Series of 7 classes starting on June 20 | Tilden Woods Local Park

Yoga for Body Positivity: A body-positive yoga class that combines mindful movement, breathwork, and supportive community to help you build confidence, honor your body, and reconnect with yourself at every level. Series of 6 classes starting on June 24 | Kensington Cabin Local Park

Summer Reset Yoga: A gentle midday yoga class that blends mindful movement and breathwork to build strength, ease tension, and provides a refreshing midweek reset. Series of 4 classes starting on July 1| Kensington Cabin Local Park

Yoga for Strength and Vitality (55+): Work on your strength and flexibility with this gentle and accessible course for older adults. Series of 8 classes starting on June 20 | Tilden Woods and Kensington Cabin Local Park

POUND Fitness: Rock out in a drumming-inspired cardio workout that uses lightly weighted Ripstix to combine music, movement, and stress relief into one unforgettable experience. Series of 8 classes starting on June 25 | Norbeck-Muncaster Mill Neighborhood Park

MitranDe Bhangra Dance: A high-energy Bhangra dance class that blends upbeat music and vibrant movement to boost cardio, coordination, and confidence in a fun, welcoming environment. Series of 4 classes starting on July 7 | Clarksburg Neighborhood Park

To learn more about these exciting programs, visit: mocoparks.org/park-academy

Looking to make the most out of your June? Take a look at some of the upcoming Montgomery Parks programs in this week’s newsletter:

- Shady Hike: Thursday, June 18 | 6 to 7:30 pm | Ages 6+ | $10 | Brookside Nature Center

- Trivia Nights in the Barn: Tuesday, June 23 | 6 to 8 pm | Ages 16+ | $15 | Agricultural History Farm Park

- Little Farm Explorers: Wednesday, June 17 | 10 to 11 am | Ages 0 to 5 | $7 | Agricultural History Farm Park

- Little Farm Friends – All About Pigs: Friday, June 26 | 10 to 11 am | Ages 0 to 5 | $10 | Agricultural History Farm Park

- Spring Forest Bathing: Saturday, June 20 | 10 am to 12 pm | Ages 18+ | $10 | Locust Grove Nature Center

- Early Morning Pontoon: Wednesday, June 24 | 8 to 10 am | Ages 18+ | $15 | Black Hill Discovery Center

- 55+ Early Morning Pontoon Cruise: Wednesday, June 17 | 9:30 to 11 am | Ages 55+ | $10 | Black Hill Discovery Center

- 55+ Lake Tour by Kayak: Sunday, June 28 | 10:30 am to 12:30 pm | Ages 55+ | $30 | Black Hill Discovery Center

Want more programs? Read and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here: https://mocoparks.org/4uCpnt2

On this day, Reverend Josiah Henson was born into slavery in Maryland in 1789. Over the course of his life, Henson endured unimaginable hardships. He was enslaved on the plantation property of Isaac Riley in what is now North Bethesda, Maryland, and the site of the Josiah Henson Museum and Park.

In 1830, Henson escaped with his wife and children to Canada. Henson’s became an influential author, abolitionist, and public speaker. He helped establish Dawn Settlement, a community inhabited by former American slaves and he repeatedly returned to the United States to guide 118 others to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Henson’s 1849 autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s landmark anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Stowe’s novel broke all sales records of the time, and many believe the novel helped to propel the Civil War.

Learn more about Henson's legacy by visiting Josiah Henson Museum and Park on Juneteenth: https://mocoparks.org/4uEyj17

It’s back! Join us for more live music in the parks with the every Thursday from 6 to 8pm starting July 16 through August 13. Explore parks across the county with incredible performances by local artists and delicious on-site food options. Bring your chairs and blankets and get ready for a fantastic close to summer festivities!

- The 19th Street Band: Thursday, July 16 @ Black Hill Regional Park

- WJ Dance & Entertainment: Thursday, July 23 @ Rock Creek Regional Park

- 8 Ohms Band: Thursday, July 30 @ Black Hill Regional Park

- Special Delivery: Thursday, August 6 @ Rock Creek Regional Park

- Enslow: Thursday, August 13 @ Cabin John Regional Park

To learn more, visit https://mocoparks.org/SummerConcertSeries

Step through history and learn the historical context and techniques that Freedom Seekers used to navigate their way North to freedom, including the challenges and opportunities that nighttime travel presented.

Travel with the help of stars, moonlight, and learn all about the helpful plants along the way.

Twilight Treks
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
6:30 pm – June 27, July 25, August 29

Register: https://mocoparks.org/4vbBjTM

This time of year, you might hear this week’s pretty often, meet the cicada.

Cicadas are a large insect with a mouthpart that sucks -- literally! They use this to feed on water and mineral transporting tissue called xylem from trees and shrubs. Adults will have prominent bulging eyes, a straw-like mouthpart (sucking!) and transparent wings. The adults can vary in size and color according to the type of cicada, two of which are found in the eastern United States. One type is the dog-day or annual cicada, Neotibicen spp., which emerges every summer (June through August). The other is the periodical cicada, Magicicada spp., which emerges every 13 or 17 years depending on the species.

Cicada nymphs live underground and emerge from the soil during the spring or summer. Once they molt into adults, they fly to nearby vertical structures, especially shrubs and trees, where the males will start their droning mating song to attract females. They create their songs through vibrating membranes located on the sides of the insect beneath their wings. Once the adults mate, the

females deposit eggs in batches of 20-30 eggs within pencil-thin branches of more than 200 kinds of woody plants. After about six weeks, the eggs hatch and the nymphs drop into the ground and burrow into the soil. While they’re in the soil, they feed on the sap of tree roots.

Nymphs resemble wingless adults, with tan-brown stout bodies, and strong front legs specialized for digging and tunneling in the soil. They undergo four molts (growth spurts) while underground.

Cicadas pose no health threats to people or pets, although pets should not consume large amounts. The only damage cicadas can cause to plants results from their egg laying habits as females use an appendage called an ovipositor to gouge slits into the twigs to deposit the eggs. Adults do not feed on the leaves of plants.

Want to learn more about cicadas? Visit University of Maryland Extension: https://mocoparks.org/4v2G3uF

Sip, sip, hooray! Join us on Saturday, July 11 from 2 to 4 pm for an afternoon of posi-tea-ve vibes at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday. This event is a part of a quarterly series that educates guests about a variety of topics while being immersed in the comfort of a historic American home.

Alongside a cup of tea, there will be tas-tea English Tea sandwiches, assorted pastries, and fresh fruit from Clarksville Caterers.

This event is appropriate for ages 12+.

Ready to steep in? Purchase tickets: https://mocoparks.org/4xm0HYf