Upcoming City events
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Laurel Boys & Girls Club Clean-up Day – Tomorrow, Saturday, April 26 starting at 9 a.m., LBGC will hosting a clean-up day to help their building get tidied up for the many activities hosted. And all students can receive service credit hours for lending a helping hand.
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Laurel Historical Society Annual Gala – Sunday, May 4 from 5 - 9 p.m. at the Savage Mill Great Room, help support the preservation of Laurel History plus enjoy the fun of Disco while marking the Society’s 50-year anniversary. Tickets available online.
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Laurel Volunteer Fair – April is National Volunteer Month and the City is hosting a fair on Wednesday, April 30 from 6 - 8 p.m. where local non-profits plus the City volunteer openings will be gathered to share with you their work. If you’ve been thinking about connecting or getting involved in some way, this is a great opportunity! (plus there’s door prizes and refreshments) 😉
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Shred old sensitive documents you need to get rid of (you can even stand & watch if you want to see it happen)
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Recycle electronics like TVs, computers, game systems, stereos, and similar
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Donate lightly used home goods (save yourself a trip)
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Safely dispose of old paints/ stains (this one handled by Yuck Old Paint and not free: $5 per container [quart, 1-gallon] or $10 [5-gallon]).
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Eggstravaganza, Saturday, April 12 at 12 p.m. at Gude Park
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Farmers Market, Thursdays from May 1 to Oct 16 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Quill Lot on Main Street
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Lakefest, Saturday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gude Park (Laurel Lakes)
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Main Street Festival, Saturday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street
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Music at the Mansion, Friday, May 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Gude Mansion (21+)
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Kids Bike Decorating Parade, Wednesday, June 4 at 6 p.m. at the Laurel Armory
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Juneteenth, Saturday, June 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Gude Park
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Fourth of July, Saturday, July 5 - various events over course of day with fireworks after nightfall from Gude Park
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Music at the Mansion, Friday, July 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Gude Mansion (21+)
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Touch-A-Truck, Tuesday, July 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Emancipation Park
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Doggie Dip Day, Saturday, September 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Greenview Pool
- LVRS at 14910 Bowie Road
- LVFD at 7411 Cherry Lane
LBGC Cleanup Day // Historical Society Gala // Volunteer Fair + Other Upcoming Events
It’s that time of year and the calendar is stacked with so many great events – three happening over this coming week are:
So don’t hesitate to jump on these or many of the many other opportunities happening around town in the coming weeks!
Electronics Recycling & Paper Shredding this Sat, Apr 19
This a super helpful event our Department of Public Works puts on a couple times a year for City residents & businesses – An opportunity for you to:
So come on by anytime between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to DPW’s facility at 305 First Street, and be sure to have your ID/ address verification ready to streamline.
Additional details on the DPW event page, and thanks DPW for coordinating!
Key Spring & Summer Dates around Laurel
As good weather finally starts to emerge, so too do all the great marquee spring and summer events that happen around Laurel! Here are some key ones to mark down on your calendar to be sure not to miss:
Hope you find opportunity to enjoy at least a few of above in the coming months, and please don’t hesitate to come up and say “hi” at any of these or other events we happen to be at! 👋🏼 😃
Free Income Tax Prep at Laurel Armory
Sponsored by AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, free tax preparation is being offered in-person at the Laurel Armory on Wednesdays through April 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
An appointment is required, so be sure to call 240-473-2955. And you can choose between having an IRS-certified volunteer prepare your taxes, or provide you coaching so you can prepare them yourself.
Tax assistance is free of charge to anyone, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income; You don’t need to be an AARP member to use the service.
See graphic below for more info, and certainly avail of this resource if helpful to you! 😀
Laurel Women's History Month celebration *this Sat*, Mar 8
Come on out to the Laurel Multiservice Center this Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to celebrate Women’s History Month – There’ll be a keynote address by Shauna F. King, entertainment, mentoring organizations, and more. Councilwoman Christine Johnson has selected the theme of “Women Educating & Inspiring Generations” with a focus on honoring, celebrating, and connecting with mentors for all ages.
It’ll be a good opportunity to see what’s available, connect with neighbors from around town, and enjoy some fun, so come on out! 🎉
Resources for Adversely Impacted Federal Workers Tonight, Mar 6
If you’ve been impacted by the major shifts in the federal workforce this past few weeks, you may find the special Community Conversation via Zoom this evening hosted by PG County Councilman Tom Dernoga with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen very helpful. He plans to provide an update from Capitol Hill, answer submitted questions, and share resources and information about the path forward.
You can use this link to register for the Zoom call and to also submit any questions you have and would like to see answered.
Related: The State of Maryland recently launched a resource page for impacted federal workers, including a link to state job listings and private sector job listings.
Help Alleviate Homelessness at LARS -No Address- Movie Premiere, Feb 27
‘A day before its nationwide release, Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services (LARS) will be hosting a movie premiere, red carpet event for No Address right here at the Laurel Regal Theaters. The powerful film, produced by Robert Craig Films, sheds light on the experiences of those facing homelessness and inspires viewers to take action to support local nonprofits.’
50% of the net profits will be shared with nonprofits addressing homelessness, including LARS – Right now LARS helps administer 50 rental units throughout northern PG County providing permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals and families, plus later this year will be overseeing the new transitional housing units at the Laurel Multiservice Center.
So come on out, support a good cause, walk the red carpet, and let’s all help to alleviate homelessness and lift up those in need right around us.
More details in the graphic below, tickets can be purchased online, and be sure also visit the LARS No Address page for additional information.
Join L4P Neighborhood Litter Clean-up this Sat, Feb 15
Hello neighbors! – Extending an invitation to the Laurel for the Patuxent’s ‘Neighborhood Litter Clean-up’ morning at McCullough field tomorrow, Saturday, February 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.. Details from the event page:
Help clean up the areas surrounding McCullough Field! We’ll meet at 8th St. at the pavilion across from the library playground.
Please bring gloves. We will provide trash bags and a limited number of trash picker devices.
Students can get Service Hours Credit for helping with the clean-up. To receive credit, you must bring a Service Form with your name filled in to the clean-up. We cannot complete credit forms after the event.
So come enjoy being outdoors while helping enhance the natural beauty of our neighborhood and connecting with neighbors!
FREE screening of The Six Triple Eight movie on Feb 12
As part of honoring Black History Month, the Greenbelt Cinema will be hosting a special screening of “The Six Triple Eight,” a film about the historic battalion of all-female, African American soldiers who, despite discrimination and war-time conditions, sorted over 17 million pieces of mail to restore morale to service members and families.
The FREE event will take place on Wednesday, February 12th, the 80th anniversary of the 6888th unit landing in Birmingham, England to begin their assignment. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie begins at 7:00 p.m.
And as an added bonus, Retired Master Sergeant Elizabeth Anne Helm-Frazier is a local expert on the history and significance of the 6888th unit and will hold a Q&A after the film with several other 6888th special guests.
More information can be found on the cinema’s movie page, and it looks to be a great event!
UPDATE 11 Feb 2025: Due to the anticipated inclement weather for tomorrow, we have POSTPONED “The Six Triple Eight” event to Wednesday, February 19th at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm.) We apologize for any inconvenience, and we hope to have you join us next week for this wonderful event! (Use same link above for information for the new date.)
Mayor's Town Hall Listening Session tomorrow, Thu, Feb 6
Mayor Sydnor extends an invitation to all residents to come to a Town Hall Listening Session tomorrow, Thursday, February 6 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Municipal Center. And if you’re unable to attend in person, it will be broadcast live through the normal LaurelTV streams (see my Council Meeting post for all the normal links).
The Mayor and members of Council will share some highlights, but the focus is for residents to share their questions, ideas, concerns, suggestions, and more. (It can even be a first opportunity to share thoughts about the full re-write of the City election laws being decided by Council this month.)
Note that the Mayor has structured the event as listening session, so all present will be invited to speak and share their thoughts, but no replies will be given on the spot. Instead, the Mayor will ask members of his administration to compile replies in a report to be issued within sixty days. (I’ll plan to post that report here once it’s released.)
I plan to arrive early and stay late at the session, so please don’t hesitate to come up and introduce yourself and directly share your thoughts and ideas as well – I’m happy to answer any questions I can for you and to follow-up with you on any I don’t know right away. Also feel free email me if you’re unable to make in person – hearing from residents is critical to me in being able to know what’s helpful to make our City even better.
So come on out, if only to meet neighbors and hear what others have to say, but also to add your voice to helping make Laurel a great city to live, work, and play!
Master Plan Committee 1st Meeting on Wed, Jan 29
The loosely year-and-half-long process of the Master Plan Committee kicks off tonight at the Municipal Center at 6 p.m. — The Master Plan is what guides the City, developers, and other stakeholders in a vision for how the City can grow and develop towards a bright future, and is updated every 10 years.
This first meeting is to provide brief introductions, discussion of what a Master Plan is, and an overview of the process, among other items. Throughout the process there will be surveys and inputs sought from all interested parties, but be aware that the first meeting won’t have a “Public Hearing” section but focus more on sharing the first round of basic information.
More about the Committee and a schedule of meeting dates can be found on the Master Plan Committee page, and I encourage everyone to stay tuned to developments and be sure to provide your insights as the process unfolds.
Laurel High School College & Career Fair on Jan 16
This Thursday, Jan 16 from 6 - 8 p.m., Laurel High School will be holding its first College, Career, and Community Resource Fair. It’s free to the public and designed to help all high school students (whether going to LHS or other) to explore colleges, careers, and resources (like applying for scholarships) specially designed for them as they discern their path approaching the new chapters of their life.
I was pleased to play a small role last fall in the planning at the time I was a member of the City’s Education Advisory Committee (including some great new apprenticeship and other career resources), and it was great to see the energy and enthusiasm of the LHS staff members putting on the event, including Mrs. Rachel Mitchell.
Please be sure to pass word to any high school students in the area to encourage them to attend as I can guarantee they’ll come across something of interest or help to them – It’s often experiences like these that can help make a contact or discover something new that really makes a difference in a student finding a great path ahead!
Head Outdoors for a First Day Hike on Jan 1
An emerging tradition on New Year’s Day are “First Day Hikes”, a chance to get outside, get some fresh air, and start the year off on a great foot!
From Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources:
First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks that encourages all 50 states to offer outdoor hiking opportunities on the first day of the new year! Join us in Maryland on January 1st for a hike at a state park near you.
For 2025, there will be three types of hikes available:
Ranger-led hikes: These hikes will be led by a Park Ranger, have specific start times, and many require pre-registration. Please read the details provided below carefully.
Self-guided hikes: These hikes will be available throughout the weekend on well-marked trails. Park staff and volunteers may be available to get you started but will not be joining you on the hike itself. Please read the details provided below carefully.
AllTrails-Guided: Maryland DNR has partnered with the AllTrails Public Lands Program to help Marylanders discover and navigate trails across our parks. Use AllTrails to navigate your hike and easily share your adventure on social!
First Day Hike “I Hiked” Stickers will be available at select locations while supplies last!
And of course, First Day Hikes can be taken wherever you preferred outdoor spot is as well. :)
You can check out Maryland DNR First Day Hike page for additional info and have some fun outdoors on January 1!
Join in to help "Laurel Winter Shelter" Jan 5 to Mar 31
It gets quite cold in a Maryland winter, and the thought of being outside overnight is harrowing.
Starting decades ago, churches in our community banded together to help provide a space for homeless in the winter months to avoid the dangerous overnight conditions, supported by volunteers from their congregations and in spaces the churches had. Called “Winter Haven”, this program has served hundreds over the years, and is now being facilitated at the Laurel Multiservice Center under the name “Laurel Winter Shelter” – BUT, it still relies exclusively on caring people in our community stepping forward to volunteer for evening check-in (7:30 - 10 p.m.) and/or overnight (10 p.m. to 8 a.m.).
Having done shifts at Winter Haven in the past, I can tell you, the lost sleep is hard - but it is truly worthwhile when compared to being able to provide a warm space folks can sleep for the night. There’s no special skills or training you need, food is already being taken care of separately, it’s really just each night a small band of people are needed to ensure we can keep this caring tradition going here in Laurel.
Please consider if there’s a night (or two) that you might spare between Jan 5 and Mar 31, and shoot an email to “[email protected]” where Phillip Ott and the team at the Laurel non-profit Taking Care of Our Neighbors, Inc. will welcome you as a much-needed helping hand to join with.
Thank you!
Help LVFD & LVRS Fill-A-Truck with Christmas Cheer!
Christmas is a wonderful season of giving! It’s true shopping can be wearisome, but perhaps there’s no purer antidote than helping give to someone you may never meet. 🙂
The crews at Laurel Volunteer Fire Department at Station 10 and Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad Company 49 are challenging Laurel to help them Fill-A-Truck. Monetary or gift card donations are accepted, as well as traditional items like new toys, all sizes of new clothing, and non-perishable foods. Just stop by either station in Laurel anytime to drop off:
Questions can be directed to Clyde Williams of LVRS at 301-346-1839 or clydelvrs49 @aol.com.
Thank you to Clyde and the entire teams at both LVFD and LVRS! (And of course, keep your eye out for Santa coming around on a fire truck near you – check out LVFD’s Facebook page for the latest updates on where he’s making an appearance night-to-night.)
Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Tomorrow, Dec 7!
Don’t forget that tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 7 is the annual City Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting!
The parade kicks off at 3:45 p.m. from the Municipal Center on Sandy Spring Road, will wrap around onto Montgomery Street, then end at the Laurel Amory at 4th & Montgomery. (Rumor has it that City Council has mini-candy canes for kids, so come see us on the parade route for your Christmas sugar boost!) 😉
And the tree lighting/ Armory illumination will happen at 5:15 p.m., marking the official start to the season for Laurel! :) But you’ll want to definitely take part in the photos with Santa, Christmas music, kids games, treats and more – so stick around for a spell and soak up some Christmas magic. 🎄✨
More details below and from Laurel Parks & Rec – See you there! 🎅
Nominate Your Neighbors for Christmas Decorating Contest!
We all love homes that go all-out decorating for Christmas 🎄✨🎅🦌– Let’s show them our love by submitting their name to Laurel Parks & Rec so they’ll be entered for some recognition! :)
Notice a great-looking house as you drive or walk by? – Then send an email to [email protected] or give a ring to 301-725-7800. And no need to be a Grinch – nominate as many folks as you see & like! 😀 (Note: They do need to be within the City limits.)
More details below, and remember – get those nominations in before Dec 13 to be in time for the judging!
Grab hot drink + Small Business Passport this Saturday!
Come on out to Laurel’s Quill Lot (378 Main Street) this Saturday to grab a hot drink, some snacks, and most importantly: your Small Business Passport book!
Say “hi” to neighbors while enjoying this holiday weekend, then over the course of the coming weeks, stop in at Laurel small businesses for your shopping (Christmas or other) and get your passport book stamped. Collect enough stamps and you can submit for a prize – And in the process, discover some new gems we have here in town!
It’s a great way to celebrate the shops that make Laurel unique, to let them know we value what they bring to our town, and to support them so they can stay and be a part of the fabric that is our community – So stop by and I’ll see you there! 😀
(And thank you to Laurel’s Economic and Community Development team for making this possible + all the participating Laurel retail businesses!)
Stretch those legs at the LARS Turkey Trot this Thursday!
What would Thanksgiving be without a jaunt for the Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) annual Turkey Trot – Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year! You can run, you can walk, and you’ll get a special commemorative 20th anniversary finisher medal (sure to be a collectible). 🏅😀
So head on over to the LARS Turkey Trot registration page, get yourself registered, and start the day off right on Thanksgiving helping others in need – it’s guaranteed to enhance the flavor your turkey and gravy when you sit down to dinner later in the day. 🦃🍗
The race starts at 8 a.m. at the McCullough Field in Old Town and afterwards you can even pop on over to Ragamuffins Coffee House on Main Street for a FREE drip coffee for showing your race bib ☕ – Now can’t beat that!
Spread Thanksgiving Blessings with Blessing Baskets
Thanksgiving is approaching quickly and is a great time of year to reflect on all the many true blessings we have that are so easy to forget in the hustle-and-bustle of day-to-day – things like food, shelter, family, community, health, freedom, faith, and more.
From that well of thankfulness, it’s only natural to want to give and share – The original Thanksgiving itself was in its ideal form a coming together of peoples to share what they had in the common fellowship of life. Your church and many of our Laurel-based non-profits have great outlets to link arms with community to do so, and I also wanted to share about a newer one organized by Mike Mondy and The Moving in Maryland Group of Keller Williams Realty: Laurel Blessing Baskets.
The Laurel Blessing Baskets drive encourages folks to assemble a laundry basket of goods for a Thanksgiving meal (and optionally, some helpful home items) to help families in need. You can assemble and/or drop-off your basket of goods on Wednesday, Nov 20 from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. at KB Karnival Hall located at 555 Main Street (drive around to the backside off Main Street) where others will also be mingling. And if you’re unable to make it but still want to be a part, you can also contribute to the drive’s GoFundMe campaign.
“A thankful heart is a happy heart” ❤️ - I guarantee finding a way, small or big, to bless someone this Thanksgiving will help make your family’s Thanksgiving all the more full as well. 🙂🦃
