*NOTE: This class will be held in the Japanese Tea House, located in the Gude Garden. No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size limited to 25 people.

Instructor: Charles Votaw

Tai Chi is an ancient, Chinese form of exercise perfect for adults seeking stress reduction while strengthening muscles, improving balance, and increasing flexibility. The Forms are repetitive patterns that emphasize slow, flowing motions and controlled movements. Classes will help beginners to learn the Forms while providing regular practitioners the guidance of an experienced instructor.

*NOTE: This class will be held in the Japanese Tea House, located in the Gude Garden. No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size limited to 25 people.

Instructor: Sherry Weber

These series of classes feature foundational yoga poses that are designed to support better breathing, walking, and space orientation. Yoga movements help build muscle, bone density and core strength while improving balance, posture, and flexibility. Mats are not included.

*NOTE: This class will be held in the Japanese Tea House, located in the Gude Garden. No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size limited to 25 people.

Instructor: Tanory Ateek

Enjoy yoga held in a peaceful setting under the cover of the Japanese Tea House. Designed to increase flexibility and physical strength and to cultivate mental focus, these classes are a beautiful and relaxing way to begin your weekend. Mats are not included.

Meet at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Brookside Nature Center (1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902)

Brookside Nature Center & Brookside Gardens staff

Celebrate National Pollinator Week as we wander through an open meadow of beautiful perennials swarming with pollinators. Learn about mid-Atlantic native plants you can plant to help support beneficial insects while adding beauty.

Drag Story Hour is just what it sounds like! Drag performers reading stories to kids. DSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, children can see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish and where dress up is real.

Drag Story Hour at Brookside Gardens with Mx. Bella is a free program supported by Drag Story Hour DMV and Brookside Gardens to provide social connection, celebrate the cultural contributions of the LGBTQ+ community and share stories of inclusion. Community organizations will be on site with LGBTQ+ affirming resources for participants which will be available to the public after each performance.

Advanced registration is required for this event. All children must register and may be accompanied by up to 1 adult. Adults who are not accompanying a registered child will not be granted admission to the program at the Visitor Center auditorium.

NOTE: Tuesday's performance has been POSTPONED due to the extreme heat advisory. The raindate for the performance is scheduled for Thursday, July 11 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Please check this webpage back for updates.

Delight in an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream where rom-com antics meet supernatural magic. Follow four couples through the human and fairy realms where true love is tested by Puck’s mischievous ploys. Picnics are welcome. There will not be a food truck onsite for the rescheduled date.

For more information, please visit: https://montgomeryparks.org/event/shakespeare-in-the-garden/

Join us each Tuesday evening in June for a series of musical performances set in the beauty of the Gardens! Admission is free, and no registration is required. Bring your friends and family, and don’t forget your chairs, blankets, and picnics (allowed in the Gardens on concert evenings only). Food trucks will also be available for your dining pleasure. No registration required.

NOTE: Address and parking logistics will be sent after registration.

Tour Guide: Rochelle Bartolomei, native plant program manager, Pope Farm

Enjoy this behind-the-scenes tour of the Montgomery Parks’ production facility that grows over 60,000 native plants annually. See how staff responsibly collect seed from over 200 native ecotype plants and then clean, prepare and store for future growing. Learn how these plants benefit important initiatives ranging from habitat restoration projects to local plant sales.

Meet at Visitor Center Entrance | Reúnase en la entrada del Centro de visitantes

* Tour given in English and Spanish. | Visita guiada en inglés y español.

Tour guide: Alonso Abugattas, Natural Resources Manager, Arlington County and Founder, Capital Naturalist

Discover the hidden flora and fauna of Brookside Gardens and the neighboring forest with award winning naturalist, storyteller, and environmental educator Alonso Abugattas. Learn more about the fascinating relationships between plants and wildlife as you discover the local ecosystems that can exist in your own backyard. This guided tour will help you see the natural world of Brookside Gardens in a whole new light!

Guía: Alonso Abugattas, gerente de Recursos Naturales, Condado de Arlington y fundador, Capital Naturalist

Descubra la flora y fauna ocultas de Brookside Gardens y el bosque vecino con el galardonado naturalista, narrador y educador ambiental Alonso Abugattas. Obtenga más información sobre las fascinantes relaciones entre las plantas y la vida silvestre mientras descubre los ecosistemas locales que pueden existir en su propio patio trasero. ¡Esta visita guiada le ayudará a ver el mundo natural de Brookside Gardens desde otra perspectiva!

NOTE: This is an in-person program, meeting in the Adult Classroom, with an optional garden tour after. We will be sampling authentic West African food from local restaurant Mansa Kunda!

Instructor: Thomas Crawley and Angelus Bullock, Brookside Gardens staff

Expand your gardening and cooking palette with unique vegetables from West Africa. We’ll explore traditional agricultural practices and the cultural history of each crop. Learn where to source the seeds and plants locally, as well as cultivation techniques and even a few recipes to liven up your cuisine. Class includes a garden tour where you can see plant specimens up close.

Instructor: Marilyn B. Spenadel, LCPC, ACS

This self-care workshop will blend meditative practices in nature with art therapy and group discussion to build holistic wellness. Explore mindfulness skills to create your heart-felt resiliency routine for handling stress and providing peace of mind and body. Learn nurturing techniques that help build internal resources for spiritual and emotional health.

Music! Prose! Poetry! Come out to Brookside Gardens’ Poetry and Music Open Mic that highlights writers, poets, and musicians with disabilities, although all writers/musicians are welcome to perform! This is a FREE event, light refreshments will be provided.

For those interested in reading/performing please get in touch with [email protected] by August 5, 2024.

There is nothing like being at a campfire under the stars. Join a naturalist for themed songs, stories, games, and of course, s’mores around a fire. Bring a blanket if it’s chilly. Meet at the campfire area by Shelter F on Parking Lot 3, in Black Hill Regional Park. Registration required for all attending. FOBH $6

Fishing is fun for the whole family and for all abilities! We'll show you how to set up a simple bobber rig, bait your hook, and give you some tips on casting. We'll provide the bait and rigging supplies; you just need to catch the fish! We have fishing poles you can borrow, but if you have your own bring it along. Anglers of all abilities are welcome. All registrants 16 and over must have a current MD fishing license. Meet at the pontoon boat dock by the boat rentals. Registration required. Please register only those planning to fish. FOBH $13

Want to watch wildlife or just enjoy a peaceful paddle? Then join us for a leisurely kayak tour of Little Seneca Lake. We could see beaver, herons, maybe even a bald eagle. We'll supply boats, paddles, and PFD's, but you can bring your own PFD (Type III or V) if you have one. And don’t forget to bring water, sunscreen, and extra shoes to change into after. You can expect to get your feet wet and your clothes a bit damp. Basic paddling experience is necessary (this is not a lesson). Meet in front of the gazebo by the pontoon boat dock and boat rental area. Registration required. FOBH $29

Join us for a sunset cruise aboard the pontoon boat. We'll search for beaver lodges and feeding sites, and hopefully see some beavers! As the sun sets, we'll use our bat detector to help us find feeding bats. Please register and pay for all participants. You may want to bring a jacket or sweater as it is often cooler on the boat. Meet at the pontoon boat dock, by the boat rentals. Registration required. FOBH $7

Come play in our backyard! Dance and run through sprinklers. Make bubbles with giant bubble wands. Splash in water play stations designed for the littlest of revelers. This is what summer is all about! Bring sunscreen, a towel and a change of clothes.

Join us and the Historical Society of Boyds to take a pontoon trip back in history. We’ll cruise the lake, visiting spots to learn the history of the area from local experts. We'll also take some time to see what creatures are stirring around the lake. It could be chilly on the water so dress accordingly. Please register and pay for all participants. Meet at the pontoon boat dock, by the boat rentals. FOBH $7