Silver Spring Borders to hold grand opening celebration

Borders has announced they are holding an event in celebration of their recent store opening in downtown Silver Spring. The event is free and open to the public and will be from 10:30 a.m. to the late evening on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The ceremony is to begin with a ribbon cutting by Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan and Montgomery County Council Chair Steve Silverman. After the event's opening musicians Fink and Marcy Marxer are to perform from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The group sings songs aimed to educate younger audiences and were awarded with the 2004 Grammy for Children's Music, as well as nine past Grammy nominations.

Other musicians set to perform are Brazilian jazz ensemble Origem and the Gospel group Patrick Lundy and the Ministers of Music.

The Washington Post book critic and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Dirda is also slated to appear at the event and read from his recently published book, Readings: Essays and Literary Entertainments. Two-time Los Angeles Book Award recipient George Pelecanos is also lined up to show at the event and read from his novel Hard Revolution, which is partially set in Silver Spring during the years 1959 and 1968.

Poets Michael Glaser, who was honored as Poet Laureate of Maryland on Aug. 2, 2004, and Etan Thomas are also scheduled to make appearances. Additionally, there will be readings from members of WriterCorps, a program created for high school writers and poets.

The ceremony's closing performance will be by Blair alum Marcus Johnson and will occur at 7:30 p.m.

Borders is located on 8518 Fenton Street. For more information call 301-585-0550.