POOLESVILLLE, Md. (DC News Now) — Hundreds of Montgomery County residents prepared Friday for the 32nd Poolesville Day Festival.
The day-long day event is considered to be the town’s “largest and best event ever” by several locals and will focus on community engagement, according to planners.
“I think people are looking for the small-town vibe. They’re tired of being in the city and not connecting with neighbors and friends,” said Kathy Bassett, co-chair of the Poolesville Day Committee.
The event will feature a 5K charity run, local musical performances and several amusement rides, organizers told DC News now. Over 12,000 individuals are expected to come to the small town neighboring the county’s agricultural reserve.
“[There will be] positive energy all over with the farm animals here, the parade, all the people having booths,” said Kevin Schramm, a Poolesville native and co-chair of the event. “The whole town’s involved and the whole county. We get a lot of booths from Rockville, Gaithersburg, Potomac, Bethesda, [and] Takoma Park.”
According to organizers, the annual event will welcome hundreds of vendors that will line the historic downtown commons with a wide range of food, crafts, and family activities.
A parade featuring U.S. Senate candidates Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan for Maryland is scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. with several floats.
“The headliners are going to be Larry Hogan and his crew and Alsobrooks and her group are going to be in the parade, among all of our local organizations,” Schramm said.
The festival will also feature an electric vehicle (EV) show where over 200 EV drivers are expected to come and show their cars.
“We’re going to do ride drives. We actually can get into the car – actually feel what it’s like – you can do that with an owner or with the dealerships,” said JD Taylor with Poolesville Greene, a local non-profit focusing on promoting alternative energy sources that’s expected to hold public discussions on EV’s at the event.
Saturday’s festival kicks off at 10 am and runs until 4 pm.
“We also work very hard to display as many different makes and models as we can,” said Joyce Briener, executive director and co-founder of Poolesville Greene.
