To have community events listed free in The Potomac Almanac, send e-mail to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Call 703-778-9412.
<cal1>Ongoing
<cal2>The Bethesda Farmers Market will be open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Veterans Park, corner of Norfold and Woodmont Avenues, through Oct. 31. Visit www.bethesda.org or 301-215-6660.
<cal1>Thursday/Sept. 17
<cal2>Blues Dance. 8:15 - 11:30 p.m. $8 admission. At the
Ballroom Annex of Glen Echo Park. Beginner class 8:15-9 p.m. Rotating DJs. Email: info@capitalblues.org
<cal1>Friday/Sept. 18
<cal2>Story/Stereo: An Evening with Words & Music with Suzanne Frischkorn, Neil Smith, and The Roofwalkers. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Poet Suzanne Frischkorn reads her book, Lit Windowpane. She is joined by Neil Smith, who reads from Bang Crunch. At The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda. 301-654-8664. www.writer.org
Salsa Dance. 8 p.m. to Midnight. $12 admission. Salsa lesson from 8-9 p.m., taught by Keith Givens, followed by dancing to recorded music. At the Bumper Car Pavilion of Glen Echo Park. Email: searchernet@comcast.net
Contra Dance. 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. $9 admission. There is a Contra dance lesson from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. followed by the called dance to live music from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Beginners are always welcome. This week Susan Petrick calls to the OpporTunists with Erik Hoffman on Guitar, Fiddle, Percussion; Alan Snyder on Fiddle, Piano; and Topher Gayle on Bass, Mandolin, Mandola, Guitar, and Percussion. At the Spanish Ballroom of Glen Echo Park. Contact Email: fndcontra@yahoo.com
La Divina Milonga Party. 8:30 p.m. to midnight. $15 admission. In addition to a warm-up time from 8:30 - 9 p.m., the evening will include two lessons from 9 - 9:30 p.m.: 1. Argentine Tango beginner and above - brush up exploring the foundation. 2. Absolute beginner's helper - learn and dance tonight! The lessons are followed by dancing to recorded music from 9:30 p.m. - Midnight with Teacher and DJ Fabio Bonini, playing Traditional Tango, Milongas, Waltz and Tango Nuevo. The $15 admission includes the warm-up, lessons and dancing. At the Ballroom Annex of Glen Echo Park. Email: Jennifer@foreverdancing.com
<cal1>Sept. 18-Nov. 8
<cal2>Go, Dog. Go! The production brings to life the delightful, colorful world of dogs through juggling, rhythmic music, and dance. Tickets can be purchased through the box office by calling 301-634-2270 or online at http://www.adventuretheatre.org. Tickets are $12 for children 12 and under and $15 for adults. Children under the age of 1 are free. At Adventure Theatre, 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, in the historic Glen Echo Park.
<cal1>Sept. 18-Oct. 11
<cal2>"Hansel and Gretel". 40 minutes. A marionette adaptation of Humperdink's children's opera, full of magic, music and dazzling special effects. Recommended for grades K-6. Thursdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. At the Puppet Co. Theater. Tickets are $10. Call 301-634-5380.
<cal1>Saturday, Sept. 19
<cal2>19th Annual PACC 5K Race. 8 a.m. To benefit the Poolesville area community. Starts at the Poolesville Baptist Church, West Willard Road, Poolesville. Pre-register at www.poolesvillechamber.com or in person at the Poolesville Baptist Church on Friday, Sept. 18 from 7-8 p.m. or on Saturday, Sept. 19 until 7:45 a.m. Visit www.poolesvillechamber.com or call 301-509-9232.
Swing Dance. 8 p.m. - Midnight. $14 admission. With Big Joe and the Dynaflows. At the Spanish Ballroom of Glen Echo Park. Email: wsdcvolunteer@hotmail.com
Minnie's Island Canoe Camping Trip. 4 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m. Enjoy the great outdoors with a canoe trip and a night of camping under the stars and wake up on this island in the Potomac. Outfitter Byron Bradley will lead the Saturday afternoon canoe trip that will start at Carderock Picnic Area and end on Minnie's Island (near Lock 8 on the C&O Canal). Bring your own camping gear, food, and water. Must RSVP to tricarico@potomac.org by Sept. 16. Bring your own canoe or if one is needed reserve one in your RSVP. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children. At the River Center at Lockhouse 8 at the River Center, 7906 Riverside Ave, Cabin John, MD. Contact Bridget Chapin, chapin@potomac.org, 301-608-1188, x206 or visit www.potomac.org/site/discover-rclh8/.
<cal1>Sunday/Sept. 20
<cal2>My Diva: 65 Gay Men and the Women Who Inspire Them. 2-4 p.m. Join editor Michael Montlack as he and selected authors published in this anthology read their essays. The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda. 301-654-8664. www.writer.org.
Waltz Dance. 3-6 p.m. $8 admission. Beginner waltz lesson 3-3:30 p.m. Dancing from 3:30-6 p.m. to the music of Cabaret Sauvignon with Andrea Hoag (fiddle), Paul Oorts (everything from mandolin, bouzouki, or banjo to accordion), composer Dave Wiesler (piano, guitar) and Karen Ashbrook (hammered dulcimer, flute). At the Spanish Ballroom of Glen Echo Park. Email: info@waltztimedances.org
Family Dance. 3-5 p.m. $5 admission. Spend the afternoon dancing with your children. Each of the family dances features live music and dance calling from 3-5 p.m. in the Bumper Car Pavilion, Glen Echo Park.
Sunday Blues. 7-11 p.m. $12/dance only, $17/lesson and dance. Lesson from 7-8:30 p.m. Dance only from 8:15-11 p.m. The Glen Echo Park Partnership presents a Blues Dance with the Jamie Lynch Band playing a mix of traditional and contemporary blues music, including classic cover tunes going back through the history of blues music. At the Spanish Ballroom of Glen Echo Park.
Contra & Square Dance. 7-10:30 p.m. Welcome lesson at 7 p.m. followed by dances called by Susan Petrick with The Opportunists from 7:30-10:30 p.m. $12. Traditional American dancing with a focus on New England style contra dances, and including square dances, country mixers, waltzes and other couple dances. At the Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo Park.
<cal1>Monday/Sept. 21
<cal2>Swedish Folk Band, Vasen. 7:30 p.m. $20/advance, $25/door. Part of the Institute of Musical Traditions. At Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville. Call 301-754-3611 and visit www.imtfolk.org
<cal1>Tuesday/Sept. 22
<cal2>Norwood School Fair. 6-8 p.m. At Norwood School, grades K-8, located at 8821 River Road, Bethesda.
<cal1>Friday/Sept. 25
<cal2>Swing Dance. Beginner lesson 8-9 p.m. $14 admission. Dancing 9 p.m. to midnight. With the Boilermaker Jazz Band. This high-energy band performs authentic hot jazz, ragtime, & swing with an infectious beat & an enthusiasm that thrills dancers and makes an audience swing to classic jazz standards, ballads & blues. At the Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo Park, Md. Contact dbarker@glenechopark.org, call 301-634-2231, or go to www.DanceDC.com. The Glen Echo National Park is located at 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo.
<cal1>Saturday/Sept. 26
<cal2>Zydeco Dance Party. Introductory Zydeco Dance lesson from 8-9 p.m. Dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. With the band, the Junkyard Saints and instructors Michael Hart and Sharon Schiliro. Admission is $15. At the Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Call Michael Hart at 301-762-6730 or 301-634-2222, or go to www.DancingbytheBayou.com.
Novelist James Ellroy. 7 p.m. James Ellroy, author of L.A. Confidential and The Black Dahlia, will read from his most recent novel, Blood’s a Rover. This event is part of George Mason University’s Fall for the Book Festival. Free and Open to the public. At The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda. Call 301-654-8664 or visit www.writer.org.
Evening Open House. At Clara Barton National Historic Site. With the lights turned down low for period ambiance, visitors may explore the home’s open hallways, hidden closets, and "bandage material" construction. Learn how Miss Barton used this structure as her home, warehouse, and the first permanent headquarters of the American Red Cross. Free. Call 301-320-1410 or visit www.nps.gov/clba
"A Woman’s Perspective of Our Courts." 1 p.m. Ann Sundt, retired judge of the Montgomery County Circuit Court, will talk about "A Woman's Perspective of Our Courts." At Kensington Park Library, 4201 Knowles Ave. Call 240-773-9515.
Playhouse Puppetry Slam. 8 p.m. A "Slam" is a showcase of 3- to 10-minute vignettes aimed at mature audiences. Like a Poetry Slam, audiences at the "Playhouse Puppetry Slam" will see both amateurs and professionals alike performing edgy and provocative works that might not be seen in any other venue. Content ranges from the raunchy and risqué to the tender and tear-jerking, in a fast moving succession of both rough and polished acts. Every slam is different and lasts 2- to 2-and-a-half hours. At Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Tickets $10 at the door. Call 301-634-5380 or visit www.thepuppetco.org.
<cal1>Sept. 26-Nov. 1
<cal2>Ferdinand the Bull. Performances are 1:30 and 4 p.m. Cost: $10-$21. Charming musical based on the book and lyrics by Karen Zacarias, music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, based on the story by Munro Leaf. At Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. Go to www.imaginationstage.org or call 301-280-1660 for complete schedule and to purchase tickets.
<cal1>Sunday, Sept. 27
<cal2>Poetry and Prose Open Mic. 2 p.m. Open Mic. Sign-up begins at 1:30 p.m. Free and Open to the public. At The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda. Call 301-654-8664 or visit www.writer.org.
Family Arts Day. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Exciting performances, interactive classes and demos, a book signing, live music and more. Enjoy readings, book signings, and craft-making throughout the day with Irene Zevgolis, author of the new children’s book, "The Dreamer and the Moon." Guests will also have the opportunity to experience a series of authentic Chinese dragon performances by Ken Pham and students of Dark Lotus Combat Martial Arts. Sponsored by the American Dance Institute. American Dance Institute is at 1570 East Jefferson Street in Rockville. Call 301-984-3003 or visit www.americandance.org.
Family Arts Day. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Action-packed afternoon with exciting performances, interactive classes and demos, a book signing, live music and more. At the American Dance Institute, 1570 East Jefferson Street, Rockville. Call 301-984-3003 or visit www.americandance.org.
<cal1>Monday/Sept. 28
<cal2>Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa. 7:30 p.m. $20/advance, $25/door. Traditional African instruments – koras, kalimbas, adungus, endongos, ngonis, drums – blend with guitars and keyboards, drawing on influences from around the globe. Part of the Institute of Musical Traditions. At Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville. Call 301-754-3611 and visit www.imtfolk.org
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 2
<cal2>Blues and Swing Dance. Swing lesson from 8-9 p.m. Dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. With the Clarence Turner Band and instructors Donna Barker and Mike Marcotte. At the Bumper Car Pavilion, Glen Echo Park. Go to www.CapitalBlues.org or call Donna Barker at 301-634-2231.
Bob Brown Puppets. 10:30 a.m. The "World on a String" program will take audiences on a rollicking trip to Australia, China, Ireland, the Congo, England, France, Japan, Russia, Ukraine and back to the U.S.A. At Potomac Library, 10101 Glenolden Dr., Potomac.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 3
<cal2>Swing Dance. Swing lesson from 8-9 p.m. Dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. With the Barbara Morrison band and instructors Donna Barker and Mike Marcotte. At the Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo park. Go to www.CapitalBlues.org or call Donna Barker at 301-634-2231
<cal1>Oct. 3-4
<cal2>Homes tour. Potomac Country House Tour & Vendor Boutiques will be held Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 10033 River Road, Potomac. This 54th annual event benefits local and national charities. Tour four spectacular homes, shop with 20 fabulous vendors, and enjoy a delicious lunch and dessert cafe. Free admission to the Boutiques and ala carte lunch. Home Tour tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Call 301-365-2055 or visit www.potomaccountryhousetour.org
<cal1>Sunday/Oct. 4
<cal2>Slow Blues and Swing Dance. Slow Blues lesson from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Dancing from 8:30-11:30 p.m. With the Kim Massie and Daryl Davis Band and instructors Donna Barker and Mike Marcotte. At the Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park. The Glen Echo National Park is located at 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo. Go to www.CapitalBlues.org or call Donna Barker at 301-634-2231.
Voices of the River: Glen Echoes. 2:45-3:45 p.m. Come listen to the Glen Echoes "ring a chord" as this barbershop quartet sings in close harmony with the flow of the river on the porch of the River Center. The Glen Echoes are an a capella quartet with Charlie Sheridan, singing Bass, Richard Cook, singing Lead, Mike Holmes, singing Tenor, and Ken Sleeman, singing Baritone. At the River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal National Historical Park, 7906 Riverside Ave., Cabin John, Md.
Mushrooms Along the Potomac. 1-2:30 p.m. Join the Conservancy for a walk along the C&O Canal to learn about mushrooms with mushroom enthusiast Buddy Kilpatrick. At River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&O Canal National Historical Park, 7906 Riverside Ave., Cabin John, Md. Contact Bridget Chapin, chapin@potomac.org, 301-608-1188, x206, or visit www.potomac.org.
<cal1>Monday/Oct. 5
<cal2>Scottish Fiddling With Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas. 8 p.m. At the IMT/Kroeger Theater Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, 6125 Montrose Rd, Rockville. Tickets: $20 advance/ $25 door. Call 301-754-3611 and visit www.imtfolk.org. Go to www.alasdairfraser.com, www.nataliehass.com.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 10
<cal2>Mathemagical Design: Geometry in Textiles with Jennifer Moore. 10 a.m. to noon. Free. Sponsored by the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild. At the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac. Go to www.potomaccraftsmenguild.org
<cal1>Sunday/Oct. 11
<cal2>The Hayman Celebration. 3-10 p.m. A mini-folk festival tribute to the late Vic Heyman and his wife Reba. To benefit the Heyman Folk Scholarship Fund. Dr. Vic Heyman, who died on Jan. 6, 2009, of Parkinson's, was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in the 1960s who later started a direct-mail company in Rockville, Md., and became a noted figure in area folk music circles as a concert presenter. Tickets for the show range from $25 to $125. At the Historic Olney Theatre. Go to www.heymancelebration.org or call Sherry Panzer at 301-580-9401.