Park and Recreation - Prince Georges County MD

Hidden Spaces Tour
2026-05-10 15:30 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Learning about architecture and history, active engagement, walking, and staying fit.

Black Birders Week 2026
2026-05-23 - 2026-05-30
Founded in 2020, Black Birders Week is an annual celebration that highlights the intersection of birds, people, and environmental justice. The annual event celebrates Black birders, naturalists, scientists, and outdoor enthusiasts, and advocates for the inclusion, safety, and visibility of Black people in birding and outdoor spaces.

This year’s theme, Flyways & Freedom: Advocacy, Action, and the Future, honors the pathways birds have always followed and the freedom of movement they represent. It asks us this important question: what could freedom look like if we moved through the world without barriers?

Join us in May for a week of birding programs that explore this idea through learning, community, and exploration!

FREE, but space is limited. Registration required.

1. Black Birders Week Kickoff Talk & Boat Tour

Bladensburg Waterfront Park

Saturday, May 23, 8-9:30 am

Learn about Black Birders Week, then take a boat tour on the Anacostia River.

2. Birding Kayak Tour

Bladensburg Waterfront Park

Wednesday, May 27, 6-7:30 pm

Join a park naturalist for a birdy-ful evening paddle through wetlands and tributaries along the Anacostia River.

3. Beaks, Feet, & Feathers Boat Tour

Bladensburg Waterfront Park

Saturday, May 30, 2-3 pm

Board our pontoon boat to explore common birds in the Anacostia Watershed.

4. Bird Research: M.A.P.S

Patuxent River Park

Saturday, May 30, 9-10 am

Join hands‑on bird research with wildlife experts working to protect breeding bird populations along the Patuxent River.

5. Wings of Watkins

Watkins Nature Center

Saturday, May 30, 1-1:45 pm

Learn about raptors during a live training and flight demonstration.

Contact Info:

Bladensburg Waterfront ParkEmail: Bladensburgwp@pgparks.comCall: 301-779-0371

Black Birders Week: Kickoff Talk & Tour
2026-05-23 08:00 - 09:30
As part of the Black Birders Week series celebrating and uplifting Black birders, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts, participants will join a park naturalist for a discussion on the history and significance of the movement. The presentation is followed by a bird‑themed pontoon boat tour along the Anacostia River. All attendees must register.

From Wright "B" to F-4 Phantom II: Fighter Combat in Vietnam Living History Tour
2026-05-23 11:00 - 11:45
Experience the thrill of being a combat pilot and walk in the footsteps of those who flew from 1909 to 1970. Led by a military historian clad in authentic, Vietnam War-era flight gear, discover the stories of the people and events that led from College Park Airport to Southeast Asia, from the early age of flight to the age of jet propulsion. In the face of challenges, learn about the evolution of flight, and the people who were involved. Explore how the Tuskegee Experience opened the doors to a desegregated military, which led to integrated skies. Registration required. Includes museum admission.

Souls Seeking Freedom Walking Tour: The Untold Story of Enslavement and Resistance at Montpelier
2026-05-23 14:00 - 15:00
Health and wellness, fostering community engagement, building trust, and learning diverse perspectives and inclusive history.

Black Birders Week: Beaks, Feet, & Feathers Boat Tour
2026-05-30 14:00 - 15:00
As part of Black Birders Week, this event celebrates and uplifts Black birders, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. Join a naturalist aboard the park pontoon boat to explore the birdlife of the Anacostia River while cruising downstream. All attendees must register.

The African Odyssey Exhibition
2026-06-11 10:00 - 2026-11-01 16:00
This exhibition is only open Thursdays-Sundays each week. It is closed on Mondays-Wednesdays

Montpelier is honored to present, in collaboration with the Braxton Institute, Dr. Joanne Braxton’s moving photography of her odyssey to Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. The exhibit explores an unexpected, very personal story and an encounter with ancestral memory. As a descendant of African people enslaved at Montpelier, she hopes that you will see and feel some of what she saw and felt as she journeyed to discover the meaning of the words of her grandmother, Emma Harrison, “My father always said that we have a home over there.” Through her photography, she honors her enslaved great-grandfather, William Harrison, and “diasporic Africans, unwilling immigrants to the Chesapeake in the 17th and 18th centuries.”

This exhibition is produced in collaboration with the Braxton Institute for Sustainability, Resiliency and Joy.

A Legacy of Integration: The African American Citizen-Soldier and the Continental Army by Noel Poirier
2026-06-11 19:00 - 20:00
This lecture explores the often-overlooked contributions of African American soldiers in the Continental Army and reframes the narrative of the Revolutionary War by emphasizing the courage, sacrifice, and significance of African American citizen-soldiers in shaping America’s first integrated military force. Lecture with Question & Answer Session. To register, call the museum.

Revolution, Rebellion, Treason: A Slice of History Discussion Series
2026-06-24 00:00
What are the differences between revolutions, rebellions, and acts of treason? Join the Surratt Historic Site & Museum as we take a long view of sparking change in American history, beginning with the Declaration of Independence and concluding with our present day. Intended for our youngest and soon-to-be leaders, this program will facilitate a shared understanding of what it means to be an engaged citizen in 2026 and beyond.

18th-Century Cooking Demos with the Kitchen Guild
2026-07-12 11:00 - 15:00
Join the Riversdale Kitchen Guild over the open hearth as they highlight recipes using 18th-century techniques.

Women’s Rights and the American Revolution by Dr. Richard Bell
2026-09-10 19:00 - 20:00
In the decade leading up to American independence, white women took on crucial roles in a series of boycotts, petitions, and protests that allowed them to assert themselves as political actors as never before. The lecture examines the struggle to define white women’s place in politics, voting, and public leadership. Lecture with Question & Answer Session. To register, call the museum.

Untold Stories of the American Revolution by Dr. Richard Bell
2026-10-08 19:00 - 20:00
Most people know something about the American Revolution and about the Founding Fathers. But the full story of the Revolution requires us to look beyond their lives and expand its cast of characters. This lecture examines four other revolutionary lives: an immigrant propagandist, a female soldier, a fugitive from slavery, and the grieving widow who became the most important Native American leader during the war. Virtual lecture with Q&A session. To register, call the museum.
