The Second Annual Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival will take place on Sunday, September 23. The parade starts at 10 am on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton, followed by the festival, which runs until 5pm at Wheaton Veterans Urban Park on Fern Street.

More than 45 artists, marching bands, dance companies, arts floats, and costumed performers will March for Art, traveling north on Georgia Avenue from Prichard Street to Price Avenue. People are encouraged to watch from the east side of Georgia Avenue.

The Parade leads to an Arts Festival featuring three stages of local performers, musicians, dancers, students and artists from around the world, food from local restaurants, and a local film and literary tent featuring live podcasts, storytellers and poets. This year’s entertainment includes performances from two Strathmore Artists-in-Residence, Olney Theatre Center, MoCo’s Got Talent winners, local high schools and more.

More than 50 artists and arts organizations will be displaying and selling their work in a tented exhibition area.  In addition, community organizations and government departments promote their art-related programs. Artists will be offering interactive demonstrations and their works for sale.  Interactive artist demonstrations include silk screening, printmaking, bookbinding, mosaics and green screen weather reporting. Children and families are invited for fun activities including face painting, balloon art, and making their own robot.

Wheaton is one of three Maryland Arts and Entertainment Districts in Montgomery County.  The Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival celebrates the arts and cultural diversity of the community and is supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery Council, Westfield Wheaton, Montgomery County Department of Recreation, Montgomery Parks and Planning and numerous local businesses and community organizations.

For more info visit www.wheatonartsparade.org