Calendar

January 4 : Family Storytime at Connie Morella Library

These 25-30-minute programs are designed to delight children of all ages and are filled with diverse stories and activities that promote and develop language skills and imagination. These programs encourage children to develop a lifelong love of reading and learning and introduce them to the culture of reading.​ 

Space is limited! Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis at the Information desk on the morning of the program. The event runs from 10:30-11:00AM. Connie Morella Library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.

January 7 - January 28 : Toddler Storytime at Connie Morella Library

Get up and get moving at storytime! These 20-30-minute programs are full of a diverse collection of books, songs and fun activities. Space is limited! Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis at the Information desk on the morning of the program.​ Events are held Tuesday mornings at 10:30 and 11:15. Connie Morella Library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.

January 8 : Pajama Storytime at Connie Morella Library

Join us from 6:30 - 7 PM for an evening storytime where pajamas are encouraged but not required. Space is limited! Free tickets are available at the Information Desk 30 minutes before the start of the program.

January 8 - January 29 : LEGO Construction and Duplo Too!

Each Wednesday, join us in the meeting room from 4:00pm-5:00pm for a session of building with LEGO and Duplos! We supply the LEGO and Duplo pieces, and you supply the imagination! This program is for children ages 3 years old and up. Parents/caregivers MUST accompany children under the age of 8 during the program. Connie Morella Library is located at 7400 Arlington Road.

January 11 : Sensory-Friendly Concert Hall Tours

Young people with autism or sensory sensitivities are invited backstage at the Concert Hall for a small group tour. Play instruments on the stage, visit the artists’ dressing rooms, learn about how the lights and sound work, and more. Register Here.

January 15 : No Shelf Control: Book Club Grades 4-6

If you are in grades 4, 5 or 6 and love to read and have fun talking about books and characters, No Shelf Control is the place for you! In this month’s novel, “Lotería" by Karla Arenas Valenti, the characters Life and Death discover 11-year-old Clara in a town in southern Mexico and decide to play a game with her fate without her knowledge, even as she journeys into unfamiliar territory to search for her missing cousin. If you liked the Pixar movie, “Coco,” you will love “Lotería”. You can borrow a copy (with a specially prepared reading guide just for our group) from the Connie Morella Library; just ask at the Check Out or Information Desks for the January book for No Shelf Control. More Information.

January 17 : Winter Afternoon Games, Puzzles, and Crafts at Connie Morella Library

Bring friends, or make new friends, while you spend a winter afternoon with us at the library playing some favorite children's and family board games and card games: Checkers, Chess, Backgammon, Scrabble, Candy Land, Go Fish, Connect Four, Apples to Apples, Uno, Concentration, Battleship, Sorry, Trouble and more. Or work on desktop puzzles, floor puzzles, crafts or coloring stations. Children, teens and families welcome! More Information.

January 24 : Wonderland Books Presents: Meera Trehan, author of Snow

Meera Trehan, author of Snow, a middle-grade fantasy about an imprisoned princess who needs the help of a girl from the modern world to undue a wish gone wrong and save her snowy kingdom. Trehan will read from the book and answer questions, and will sign copies. Special bonus: treats for the audience! The event takes place from 6-7 PM.

January 25 : Lunar New Year 2025: Special Storytime, Sing-Along, and Craft

Lunar New Year is an important annual cultural festival celebrated by over 2 billion people around the world. Come join us at the Connie Morella Library for an informative and entertaining short program describing and explaining some of the customs and traditions associated with the chasing away of evil spirits and welcoming in a new year filled with happiness, prosperity and luck! We'll read some children's picture book stories, sing some New Year songs, and have a chance for you to make New Year lanterns, dragons, and snakes of your own! More Information.

January 7 - January 28 : Introduction to Art Journaling

In this class, students will learn how to combine writing (poetry, quotes, personal reflections, etc., with art materials to create an artistic visual journal. Each week, students will work with various art media (paints, collage, stencils, stamps and more) to create different journal spreads. At the end of the sessions, participants will feel comfortable with art techniques to continue with their art journal practice. Learn More & Register.

January 12 : Hyrox PFT at The St. James Performance Club

Discover your full potential with the HYROX Physical Fitness Test (P’F”T) when their global tour stops at The St. James Performance Club Bethesda on Sunday, January 12 from 10 AM to 12 PM. Whether you're a competitive athlete or just starting your fitness journey, the PFT provides an opportunity to challenge your limits and see what you're capable of achieving.

January 15 - January 29 : B-CC English Conversation Club

Join the B-CC English Conversation Club every Wednesday from 11 AM to 12:30PM for the opportunity to practice conversational English in small groups. Share your experiences and culture with other non-native English speakers in a friendly environment. No registration is required, and these events are free of charge! The club is held at the B-CC Regional Services Center at 4805 Edgemoor Lane. January will be held on January 8, 15, 22, and 29. For more information please view the flyer here.

January 21 - February 11 : Advanced Nonfiction

Master the craft of writing nonfiction. This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling. Learn More & Register.

January 21 : Pathway to Financial Success Workshop Series

Through this workshop, attendees will learn how to set SMART financial goals, create and maintain a budget, build a robust emergency fund, manage debt effectively, and save for the future. The workshop will also cover wise investment practices, asset protection, and the importance of regular financial reviews and adjustments to stay on track. More Information.

January 25 : The Role of Time in Your Story

Enrich your writing by revisiting the past through the protagonist's eyes in the present. Master the joy of interrupting narrative time with a triggered flashback. Learn how a character's "personal life" may be embedded in "public life." Practice using a timeline to visualize the significance of a milestone event--the stepping stones leading up to it and its consequences. Discover the difference between the zoomed-in time of a scene and the zoomed-out time of a summary. Learn More & Register.

January 3 : BSO: The Princess Bridge in Concert

Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles... Experience one of the most beloved films of all time as never before... with the power of the BSO performing the entire musical score live-to-picture. Buy Tickets Here.

January 11 : BSO: The Planets with Heyward

From the quicksilver charms of Mercury to the mystical stillness of Neptune, The Planets of Gustav Holst offer an immersive tour of the vast solar system. Composer in Residence James Lee III peers through the open roof of a festive sukkah and beholds the even greater distance to Orion’s Nebula, a nursery for newborn stars in the constellation that has captivated humans for millennia. Anna Clyne’s saxophone concerto takes us out of the ordinary world and into a fantastical realm ruled by a wailing banshee. Buy Tickets Here.

January 19 : Be'la Dona Brunch

Washington DC is the birthplace of this exciting and diverse All Female Band. Be’la Dona is so unique in their musical presentation that they have branded their style as “Sensual Crank”. They have the ability to play any music genre from Rock, R&B, Gospel, Pop, Jazz and of course their hometown music Go-Go. Buy Tickets.

January 23 : Yamato: The Drummers of Japan

Japanese Taiko drums are known for their lively, dramatic sounds that swell in excitement with every beat. With an impressive array of 40 drums on stage, the globally recognized Taiko drumming group Yamato showcases the power of humanity and its mastery over technology through its incredible musicianship. Buy Tickets Here.

January 24 : BSO: Dancing in the Street: The Music of Motown

Experience the magic of MOTOWN! Byron Stripling returns for a program featuring smash hits made famous by artists like Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, The Temptations and the one and only Stevie Wonder. Songs include "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough," "Reach Out I’ll Be There," "Dancing in the Street," "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," "My Girl," "Superstition," and more. Buy Tickets Here.

January 30 : Heloísa Fernandes Quartet

Heloísa Fernandes is a Brazilian pianist and composer whose musical talents have exported the culture and traditions of her native country to music halls around the world. Together with her quartet, Fernandes blends tradition and modernity to stimulate spontaneous creation. More Information & Tickets.

January 7 : Griffin McElroy Author Talk at Connie Morella Library

Do you like Dungeons & Dragons? Do you like graphic novels? Do you like podcasts? This is the best of all worlds! Come listen to one of your favorite podcasters read from the best-selling graphic novel adaptation of The Adventure Zone Dungeons and Dragons podcast! Join us to hear Griffin McElroy read from the latest installment of the series. Book sales and signing will follow the reading and remarks. Registration is required for this event, and will open on December 23, 2024. Register Here.

January 7 : Griffin McElroy Author Talk

Do you like Dungeons & Dragons? Do you like graphic novels? Do you like podcasts? This is the best of all worlds! Come listen to one of your favorite podcasters read from the best-selling graphic novel adaptation of The Adventure Zone Dungeons and Dragons podcast! Registration is required.

January 9 : Bethesda Reads Book Discussion Club at Connie Morella Library

The Book Club meets the second Thursday of each month from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm, meeting room 2. We'll talk over the book "48 Clues Into the Disappearance of My Sister" by Joyce Carol Oates. Copies of this book are available at the check out desk, while supplies last.

January 14 : Meet the Author: Varun Garai

Meet local author, Varun Gauri, as he discusses his debut novel For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus! Varun was born in India and raised in the American Midwest. After studying philosophy in college and public policy in graduate school, he worked for more than two decades on global poverty and human rights, publishing academic articles and books on development economics and behavioral economics. He now teaches at Princeton University and lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland. His short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in Best American Nonrequired Reading. Varun will discuss his book, answer questions, and sign copies of For the Blessings. More Information.

January 15 : Wonderland Books Presents: A Discussion With Neha Ruch

Neha Ruch, the author of The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids--and Come Back Stronger Than Ever, will be in conversation with Rebecca Gale and Amy Joyce about career breaks and downshifts for family life, offering women more options and helping them return to the workforce with less penalty. This is a ticketed event. Registration here.

January 16 : Poet Ori Z. Soltes Reading at The Writer's Center

The Writer’s Center welcomes Ori Z. Soltes for a reading from his new collection of poems, My Life as a Dog: Poppy Poems. Funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, the collection of 25 poems (accompanied by a smaller number of drawings) responds to, reflects on, resonates from, and reconsiders the poet’s small dog and their morning walks throughout the year, with its changing seasons and activities and diverse sources of human and canine rumination.

FREE & open to the public. RSVP here.

January 25 : Essayists Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers & Adrienne Su at The Writer's Center

The Writer’s Center welcomes essayists Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers and Adrienne Su for a reading and discussion of their new essay collections, moderated by Sandra Beasley. Book signing and light reception to follow.

FREE & open to the public. Register here.

January 29 : Wonderland Books Presents: Jamie Metzl, author of Superconvergence

Jamie Metzl will talk about his new book, Superconvergence: How the Genetics, Biotech, and AI Revolutions Will Transform our Lives, Work, and World, which explores how artificial intelligence, genome sequencing, gene editing, and other revolutionary technologies are transforming our lives, world, and future. These accelerating and increasingly interconnected technologies have the potential to improve our health, feed billions of people, supercharge our economies, store essential information for millions of years, and save our planet, but they can also―if we are not careful―do immeasurable harm. The event will take place from 6:30 - 8 PM.

January 1 - February 8 : Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood

Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood updates the classic tale, sending the plucky heroine—now a red-robed little duck—and her ‘fraidy cat friend Te Jean on a perilous journey through the bayou. Along the way the pair tangle with a Big Bad Gator. Petite is no sitting duck, though, and leads her nemesis on a merry Mardi Gras chase through New Orleans. A chorus of swamp dwellers sings backup to the Zydeco-driven score in this foot-stomping musical. Buy Tickets Here.

January 1 - January 12 : Gallery B Presents: Unraveling Narratives a Dialogue in Toile

Gallery B welcomes artists Kate Norris and Jennifer McBrien from December 6 – January 12, 2025. The exhibition aims to foster a visual conversation that highlights the interplay between tearing, collaging, and the rhythmic motion of needle and thread. The dynamic placement of larger-scale pieces alongside multi-dimensional suspended artworks showcases their distinct perspectives while inviting viewers to explore the connections and parallels that exist between their creations. Gallery hours are Fridays – Saturdays from 12:00 to 5:00pm, and Sundays from 11:00am to 2:00pm.  On Saturday, December 7th an opening reception will be held from 4-6 PM. Gallery B is located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda, MD.

January 5 - February 1 : Mystic Forest by Jasmin I. Smith at Waverly Street Gallery

The Mystic Forest is a series of paintings inspired by Smith's childhood memories of growing up in a tropical paradise amidst exotic flora and fauna and visits to the mangrove forests. Smith has also been inspired by the French post impressionist painter Henri Rousseau who painted dreamlike exotic scenes with a primitive yet sophisticated style. The opening reception will be January 10, 6-8PM. There will be an artist talk on January 12, from 2-4PM. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, 1-6PM.

January 7 - February 16 : Jane Kell: Skyline at Amy Kaslow Gallery

Jane Kell is back at Amy Kaslow Gallery this winter with a dreamy body of work called "Skyline." The ten-piece collection showcases end-of-day variegated blues and grays, and sunset oranges atop deeply hued treelines. Kell is well known as an evocative abstract landscape painter with a colorist approach, with a penchant for waterways and wild brush along coastlines. Stop by the Gallery Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6pm to immerse yourself in Jane Kell's exploration of space, light, and form. 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD.

January 10 - January 12 : Tuck Everlasting

What would you do if you had all eternity? Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck Family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tuck’s unending youth, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life. As her adventure unfolds, Winnie faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life, or continue with the Tucks on their infinite journey. Buy Tickets Here.

January 11 - February 16 : Paper Dreams

This charming and dreamy dance-based performance imagines two friends who live inside a wastepaper basket! Together they discover what imaginative ideas might unfold from a crumpled piece of paper–can mistakes inspire our greatest ideas? Because the show is non-verbal, it can be enjoyed by people speaking all languages and of any age. DC Theatre Arts called Paper Dreams “an enchanting production that...educates and entertains and sparks inquiry into the creative process for young and old alike.” Buy Tickets Here.

January 15 - February 16 : What the Constitution Means to Me

As a teenager, Heidi Schreck traveled across America, earning her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions. Now, as an Obie Award-winning playwright, she takes a closer look at the Constitution and its effects on four generation of women in her family. Both poignant and hilarious, What the Constitution Means to Me is a profoundly personal look at our nation’s most debated document and how it could evolve to fit our modern times. One of the most popular and beloved plays in America, this “electrifyingly topical and eye-opening” (The New York Times) Pulitzer Prize finalist has never been more relevant, urgent, or needed. Learn More & Buy Tickets.

January 18 : An Evening With Swan Lake

Experience the world’s most in-demand ballet, Swan Lake, presented by Classical Arts Entertainment and performed by the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine. Buy Tickets Here.

January 25 : Sasha Velour's The Big Reveal

Known for her emotional, thoughtful, and crowd-shaking reveals, critically acclaimed, gender-fluid drag queen, artist, and author Sasha Velour takes things to a whole new level in The Big Reveal Live Show. Buy Tickets Here.

January 30 : Moms Unhinged Comedy Show

Join us for a night of laughter as we explore everything from motherhood, midlife crisis, marriage, divorce, online dating, and other things that irritate us. Men are welcome to the show, too. Buy Tickets.

January 1 - January 29 : Music Bingo at Caddies on Cordell

Every Wednesday at 7:30 PM

Dropping Beats, Not Balls!!

Name that tune, get bingo, win prizes.

Happy Hour till Close! Plus, 10 for $10 Wings!

January 7 - January 28 : Trivia Night at Caddies on Cordell

Every Tuesday at 7:30 PM. Free to play! Gift Card Prizes: 1st – $40, 2nd – $25, 3rd – $15. Happy Hour 3-10 PM, and 1/2 off pizza all day!

January 9 - January 30 : Capital Blues at Glen Echo Park

On Thursday nights dancers converge upon the Back Room at Glen Echo Park for the best in DJ’ed Blues dances in the Washington, D.C. area. Admission is $10 per person at the door via cash or credit. Enjoy a 45-minute lesson followed by 2.5 hours of dancing with fantastic DJs! The lesson begins at 8:15PM.

January 11 : Bumper Car Squares at Glen Echo Park

Join us for square dancing in the Bumper Car Pavilion! After a lesson for all skill levels, caller Dave Hauver will lead a rousing square dance along with live music by Rhys Jones, Jay White, Richard Osban and Dan Klingsberg! Tickets: $15/adult, $5/teen, FREE for ages 12 and under. Cash, Check, and Credit Card accepted at the door. The lesson begins at 7PM and the dance goes from 7:30-10:30PM.