Friday will mark the first of five Foodie Fridays Speaker Series events hosted by the Montgomery Parks Community Gardens program, which will give people the opportunity to engage in conversations with different guest speakers about a variety of food-related topics, according to a press release.
These events will be held on the fourth Friday of each month from June to October and will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Josiah Henson Museum and Park located at 11410 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda.
Registration is required and costs $10. Light refreshments will be provided, as well as one alcoholic beverage for adults 21 and older with identification. Guests will also receive a ticket to the Josiah Henson Museum that is redeemable during regular museum hours, according to the press release.
Each month will feature different farmers, educators, community organizers, food lovers, etc. The schedule is below:
June 23 – Cultivating Traditions
Local farmers Tanya Doka-Spandhla and Nia Nyamweya will discuss how their farming practices are influenced by their ancestral heritage and history. Underground Railroad expert and Button Farm Living History Center operator Anthony Cohen will join them.
July 28 – The Bee’s Knees
Local beekeeping expert Phil Frank will talk about the important role that honeybees have in food production.
Aug. 25 – The People’s Medicine
Local herbalist Rhiannon Smith will discuss how plants have been used in medicine and still are today, as 40% of prescription drugs in the western world have plants in them.
Sept. 22 – Saving Seeds and Stories
Cultivate the City founder Niraj Ray will talk about the significance of saving seeds from culturally important and hard-to-find crops.
Oct. 27 – Food is Freedom
Susan Cook, a senior exhibit specialist for the Montgomery County Parks Department, will talk about how the ability to produce food helped her fourth great aunt Alethia Tanner move to freedom from enslavement. Gardener and activist Vanessa Pierre will join to discuss how gardening can empower communities.
The venue has limited parking, but there is general parking available at the Kennedy Shriver Aquatic Center located at 5900 Executive Blvd in North Bethesda. More information on the events can be found here.
Can't attend this Friday's Foodie Fridays speaker series at Josiah Henson Museum & Park? Check out the full line-up to plan to attend a future event. This series runs on the fourth Friday of the month, every month June through October, 2023: https://t.co/ixYH1M3m1g pic.twitter.com/gYexsNB9RC
— Montgomery Parks (@MontgomeryParks) June 20, 2023
Feature photo courtesy of Montgomery Parks.
