The park comes alive

On a mild Saturday afternoon, May 2, the usually serene stretch of Sligo Creek Parkway spanning from Dennis Avenue to University Boulevard came alive with games, activities, and food trucks. The annual Sligo Creek Fest, sponsored by Montgomery County Parks, attracted a variety of families and neighborhood residents as it temporarily closed the parkway to cars. 

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Photo: Hundreds of neighborhood residents walk through the 1-mile stretch of Sligo Creek Parkway to participate in the various activities offered.

Hundreds of neighborhood residents walk through the 1-mile stretch of Sligo Creek Parkway to participate in the various activities offered. Photo courtesy of Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez for Montgomery Parks.

For many attendees, the closed road offered a new sense of security and peace. “I love that the streets are kind of closed off, so it's safe,” Neville Barbour, who brought his children to the fest for the first time after a friend tipped him off, said. “We're often chasing our kids around, so it just feels like if they run off, they're not going to run into the street.” Barbour, who admitted his original motivation was simply getting his kids' energy out on a Saturday, found more than what he had originally expected. “The vendors are great,” he said. “I love the variety. Obviously, the alcohol is very nice for parents. I appreciate that this happens, and I'm glad that I know about it. We're definitely going next year." 

For regular Sligo Creek enthusiasts like Nicole Sarinella, the festival was a chance to see the parkway in a new light. “I love that there are so many community resources and a lot of activities for kids,” Sarinella said. "I think it's great and I would definitely come back. I love how everyone showed up, and there are a lot of partner [organizations] and things going on.” 

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Photo: The festival offered many activities for children, including drawing, sports games, and a bubble machine.

The festival offered many activities for children, including drawing, sports games, and a bubble machine. Photo courtesy of Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez for Montgomery Parks.

One of many such community organizations was Montgomery Parks, headed by planning director Henry Coppola. Montgomery Parks used the event as an opportunity to hear directly from residents about what they want from their green spaces, including the Sligo Creek Parkway area. The festival doubles as a data collection effort, helping planners understand where resources are needed most. “A big part of our job is to understand what we have and where we have it and what we need and where we need it,” Coppola said. “This helps us know – do we need more playgrounds? Do we need more athletic fields? Do we need more trails?”

For Coppola, though, the day was as much about atmosphere as data. “It's just a lot of fun,” he said. “This is an opportunity to be out with other folks, your neighbors, and the community. There's lots of good food, and lots of good music, too.”

Environmental organizations also made the most of the foot traffic. Carrie Noel-Nosbaum of Friends of Sligo Creek, an environmental organization focused on protecting the creek’s nature, used the festival to educate passersby about the watershed. “Friends of Sligo Creek is a group of neighbors working to protect the creek,” she explained. "We do things like litter cleanups, water quality testing, educating everyone about the different flora and fauna in the Sligo Creek watershed, and how we can better protect it.” For Noel-Nosbaum, events like this are essential to that mission. “It's always great to get people out learning about their community, getting to know each other, and getting to know the area,” she said. 

Even larger administrative organizations, such as Montgomery Planning, staffed a booth to gather input on the Wheaton Master Plan, a sweeping 30-year vision that will shape zoning, bike lanes, parks, and traffic infrastructure across the area. Planner Maren Hill said the plan will affect nearly everyone who lives, works, or travels through Wheaton. “This plan will guide development for the future and will affect how you get around Wheaton and what Wheaton looks like in the future,” she said. Events like Sligo Fest are a rare chance to reach residents outside of formal civic settings. “A big part of a master plan is talking to residents,” she said. “Because Sligo Creek is right on the edge of our Wheaton plan, we figured this is a great place to connect with neighbors and people who might not want to come to a meeting at 7 p.m. on a weeknight, but are just out having fun and are willing to answer a few of our questions.”

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Photo: Passersby were able to talk with county and state organizations, such as Montgomery Parks and the city of Wheaton, to voice their concerns about the community.

Passersby were able to talk with county and state organizations, such as Montgomery Parks and the city of Wheaton, to voice their concerns about the community. Photo courtesy of Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez for Montgomery Parks.

From sponsored jump rope games to community surveys to food trucks and music, the Sligo Fest brought together an entire neighborhood. The usually car-filled street became, at least for one day, alive with vibrance.  “It's not often full of people,” Coppola of Montgomery Parks said of the parkway. “Often it's full of cars. So just the difference, I think, is really fun.”