Rockville Loop

February 25, 2026

🌿 Croydon Creek Gets a Glow Up

Good morning, Rockvillian!

Strathmore is hosting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra this weekend. At this point, we're the symphony capital of America.

In today's Rockville Loop,

- Heritage Trail closes for creek restoration

- Black History Month Family Day at Josiah Henson Museum

- Allman Brothers & Grateful Dead al night at Washington Rockville Elks

Let's Loop.

🗞️ The Local Lowdown

🌳 Heritage Trail Closes for Croydon Creek Restoration

City of Rockville

If you've walked the trails at Civic Center Park lately, you've probably noticed the erosion along Croydon Creek -- steep eroding banks, debris jams near the dam, and channels that have widened and enlarged far past their natural size. After nearly a decade of planning, the City of Rockville is finally doing something about it.

Construction kicked off this week on the Croydon Creek and Calvin Park Tributary Stream Restoration, a $5.25 million project covering about 4,000 linear feet of degraded stream. The State of Maryland pitched in $2 million through its Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, covering a healthy chunk of the total cost.

The work touches three tributaries, each getting its own treatment. Croydon Creek will have its existing dam removed and a natural channel re-established. The SHA Tributary gets a Regenerative Storm Conveyance system with riffle steps and pools designed to slow water flow. And the Calvin Tributary will receive riffle weirs with minimal grading to save as many trees as possible.

New vernal pools along the way will give local frogs and amphibians some prime seasonal real estate.

One thing to know: the Heritage Trail is closed through September 2026, with construction traffic on Avery Road, so plan your walks around it.

See full project details here

🚨 A Cogir caregiver is charged with murder. Maurquise James, 22, a medication technician at Cogir of Potomac, faces first-degree murder charges in the Valentine's Day shooting death of 87-year-old resident Robert Fuller Jr., a retired attorney and Navy Reserve officer found shot in his apartment. Read the full story [NBC Washington]

✍️ Two local writers take top honors. Rockville's Joyce Siegel won first place in essays and Wootton High's Eve Browne took top poetry honors at the Bethesda Urban Partnership's 2026 Local Writer's Showcase, with free public readings on March 13 and 18. See the full winners list

🏕️ Maryland's new park booking system goes live. Maryland State Parks relaunched its reservation system on February 24, covering campsites, cabins, and pavilions across 37 parks (old accounts won't carry over, so you'll need a new one). Book a campsite

🍜 Last call for Savor Bethesda Restaurant Week. Savor Bethesda Restaurant Week runs through Sunday, March 1, with lunches and dinners at $10, $20, and $35 price points across downtown spots covering everything from ramen to Ukrainian cuisine. See participating restaurants

🗓️ The Social Calendar

Support the Loop by mentioning it when you attend.

Fri · Feb 27

Rockville Estate Sale

10am · 6933 Race Horse Lane

10am-3pm Friday through Sunday

Gaithersburg Estate Sale

10am · 730 Turtle Pond Lane

Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Protect Yourself: Fraud & Scam Prevention

11am-12:30pm · The Preston of Rockville

Montgomery County Police break down the latest scam tactics and online-shopping traps at a free session with Q&A and light refreshments (they'll also name the three household devices most likely to compromise your security). Register in link

Victorian Lyric Opera Company: "The Elixir of Love"

8pm · F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre

The Victorian Lyric Opera Company performs Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, a comic opera about a lovesick farmer, a traveling quack, and a very suspicious bottle of Bordeaux. Tickets in link for shows Fri-Sun over next two weekends only

Old Hollywood Mambo: A Mambo Society Social

9pm · Italiamo Kitchen

The Mambo Society brings their signature On2 salsa night to Italiamo Kitchen with a class led by JJ Shaban and DJ Stephen Greene spinning mambo all evening. Tickets in link

Sat · Feb 28

Free Climbing Day

8am · Movement Rockville

Movement and The North Face open the gym for a full day of complimentary climbing, yoga, and fitness classes, with no experience or membership required to participate.

Lens & Legacy

8:30am · Glenview Mansion

The City of Rockville is marking Glenview Mansion's 100th anniversary by opening the historic mansion and cottage to professional photographers for one free day of unrestricted interior shooting. Register for your timeslot

Black History Month Family Day

10am · Josiah Henson Museum & Park

Step into the world of Dawn Settlement through hands-on activities at the Josiah Henson Museum, exploring what childhood looked like in the freedom community Reverend Henson built after leading his family to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Admission is $6-7, free for kids with a paid adult.

Artifact Identification Workshop

10am · Needwood Mansion

Montgomery Parks archaeologists walk you through how to spot and distinguish the common artifacts turning up in Mid-Atlantic soil in a hands-on skills session open to curious minds of all experience levels. Tickets in link

Brewery Yoga with Table 2 Mat

10am · Silver Branch Brewing

Lara Lattman of Table 2 Mat leads an all-levels mindful flow session, with craft beer and non-alcoholic drinks waiting for you on the other side. Bring your own yoga mat

Customer Appreciation Day

12pm-11pm · The Baked Bear at Pike & Rose

The Baked Bear is handing out one free scoop per customer, and anyone who wants the full experience can upgrade to an ice cream sandwich by adding two cookies.

Coil Building Workshop

1:30pm · The Clay Co-Op

The Clay Co-Op walks you through coil building as a serious handbuilding technique, one that unlocks textured surfaces, sculptural forms, and vessel shapes that wheel throwing simply cannot replicate. Register in link

Let's Talk About Osteoporosis

3pm · Rockville Memorial Library

An expert walks you through the causes, risks, and treatment options for osteoporosis and takes your questions in a no-jargon, open conversation. Register in link

Princes, Queens and Demons

7:30pm · Bender JCC of Greater Washington

Bel Cantanti Opera singers and The Four Season Dancers perform a rare triple-bill of 19th-century Russian opera, spotlighting Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame, Borodin's Prince Igor, and Rubinstein's Demon in a single concert evening. Tickets in link

Sun · Mar 1

Mansion Wedding Open House

11am · Strathmore

Strathmore throws open the doors of its historic mansion so engaged couples can walk the actual ceremony and reception spaces, ask the events team real questions, and picture their wedding day with some architectural grandeur as the backdrop.

👉 See every Rockville event on our full calendar 👈

Adopt Don't Shop

Hudson

Hudson is an 8 month old, 11 pound Frenchy (French Bulldog) , black and white and beautiful and sweet. He likes other dogs, people of all ages, children, car rides , toys and cuddling. He is neutered, fully vetted, microchipped and lovely. This small boy is an adorable gem!

Meet Hudson →

FOACAS

🎷 Live & Local-ish Music

Fri

Dave & Sabrina
Windridge Vineyards · 5pm

The Poor Ellen Smith Band
Hank Dietle's · 5:30pm

Selena Raj & Friends
King's Craft Beer Wine & Deli · 6pm

Jake Askarina
Java Nation North Bethesda · 6:30pm

Blues Night with Vadim & Friends
That's Amore Bar · 6:30pm

OMG Band
That's Amore Banquet Room · 7pm

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Music Center at Strathmore · 7:30pm · TIX

Kingpin featuring Keith Grimes
Hank Dietle's · 9pm