Many families leave town for the long Memorial Day weekend, but this year simply "jumping the fence" to Rockville will suffice for music, food, games and family fun at the 19th Annual Hometown Holidays Event, May 26-28.
"It’s here and it’s local. If you don’t go out of town it’s the perfect way to spend a weekend," said John Deem, owner of Armand’s Pizzeria of Rockville, a restaurant that has participated in the Hometown Holidays event for the past 20 years.
The weekend, which takes place in the Rockville Town Center and surrounding area, is free and includes live music, children’s events and games, a Taste of Rockville, and on Monday, the 63rd Annual Memorial Day Parade.
"It’s a celebration of Rockville to promote and showcase everything the city has to offer," said Andrew Klee, special events manager for the City of Rockville. "Monday is the annual Memorial Day parade, which is one of the oldest parades in the state."
The concerts throughout the weekend include local and national performers who range from Eric Scott, performing on one of the side stages on Saturday, to KC and the Sunshine Band, headlining on the main stage Sunday night.
"There really is something for everyone. [Saturday] we have Augustana with Jimmy’s Chicken Shack opening for them. That’s for the younger crowd," Klee said of the weekend’s music, "[Sunday] we went a little retro with KC and the Sunshine Band."
TASTE OF ROCKVILLE will offer up food from restaurants throughout Rockville including Armand’s Pizzeria, Hard Times Cafe and many more.
"All the restaurants bring their own signature dish. We are going to have some really great food," said Debbie Liverpool the President of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce who organizes the Taste of Rockville each year.
"Its restaurants from all over Rockville from Indian food to chili; we even have a few supermarkets coming," said Klee.
Tasting all the food from these restaurant isn’t free. Hungry event goers will need to purchase tickets for $1.25 which in turn can be exchanged for food at a restaurant's tent, which will be grouped together on one of the main roads at Rockville Town Center. Vendors aren’t getting all the money though.
"Some of the vendors are donating their money back to the community," said Liverpool.
"We are giving to the Community Ministries of Montgomery County," said Deem, "They do a lot of good work for the entire community."
MEMORIAL DAY and a long weekend aren’t the only reasons Rockville is celebrating. This will be the first year that the new Rockville Town Square will be open for the event.
"We’re really showing off the new Rockville Town Square. There’s a courtyard plaza open for events and we’re trying to give the event more of a street festival feel," said Klee.
The new area has been an ongoing project in Rockville for many years and is nearing completion. Included are a new public library, restaurant, apartments and condominiums, and most importantly the town square plaza which the City of Rockville hopes to make a sort of city center with artwork, events and shows taking place year-round.
"Hometown Holidays is really a chance for Rockville to showcase what we have to offer. We are really excited about the opening of the New Town Center," Klee said.
THE NEW TOWN Square may also mean that this is the last year that Home Town Holidays is presented in this format.
"We shut down the whole parking lot in front of Regal Cinemas for the stage and kids area but there is a chance for future development there so this may be the last year for a big concert like this. Of course we’ve been saying that for years, but this year it’s closer to becoming true," said Klee.
Deem says he’s seen the event change over the years too. "The Taste of Rockville wasn’t always called that. The event has evolved over the years as the space allowed," he noted. "Either way it’s a nice event and always a great party."