Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass to host Pride Month events in June

Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass (D - At-Large) will once again host or appear at a series of Pride Month events in June. This will be the fifth year Glass will perform this leadership role. The events will include Rockville Pride, an annual event hosted by the City of Rockville at Rockville Town Square, which will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2023 this year. 

June 11 will be Takoma Park Pride Day. Bethesda's Big Train baseball club will also hold a Pride Night on June 17. Pride in the Plaza will take place at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring on June 25. Events will kick off with the raising of the Pride Flag at the Montgomery County Executive Building on June 1. 

“I’m excited to host Montgomery County’s fifth annual LGBTQ+ Pride month events,” Glass said in a statement. “This is a time for celebration, reflection and unity. Today, the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans are under relentless attack. Members of the LGBTQ+ community — especially people of color and trans people — continue to face discrimination and efforts to undermine their human rights. As we continue our struggle for greater civil rights and liberties, Pride Month is a time to not only reflect on our progress but to focus on the work ahead.”

Assault at Rockville Town Square

Rockville City police were called to Rockville Town Square after an assault was reported there early Friday evening, May 12, 2023. The assault was reported on Maryland Avenue at 6:08 PM.

Paris Baguette opens in Rockville

Paris Baguette has opened at 101-A Gibbs Street at Rockville Town Square. Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton, City Councilmember Monique Ashton, representatives from Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), and employees participated in a ribbon cutting outside the bakery. Paris Baguette is a chain founded in South Korea, and you will find some Asian treats alongside classic French pastries. It has opened 3 new U.S. locations this week alone, including the Rockville store.

Photo courtesy REDI

HalfSmoke closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

HalfSmoke has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its kiosk in the Dining Terrace food court has been totally cleared out, and signage removed. How this didn't work is a mystery, as they had a short but great menu. This venture opening and closing in the time since a long-delayed Rockville Town Square location of HalfSmoke was first announced does not bode well for that larger restaurant coming to fruition. No construction activity has been observed at the Rockville HalfSmoke space since "coming soon" signage was installed over the windows in November 2020(!!).

Paris Baguette "coming soon" to Rockville Town Square

Paris Baguette has posted "coming soon" signage at its future space at 101-A Gibbs Street at Rockville Town Square. The "neighborhood bakery cafe" chain sells a variety of breads, cakes, sandwiches, salads, coffee and tea. They'll go head-to-head with Fresh Baguette, located a few blocks north at 804 Hungerford Drive. When it opens, look for Paris Baguette next to El Mercat Bar de Tapas.

St. Patrick's Day event at Finnegan's Wake in Rockville today

Keep the celebration of St. Patrick's Day going all weekend at Rockville Town Square. Irish pub Finnegan's Wake at 100 Gibbs Street will be hosting a special event today, March 18, 2023. Start with a St. Patrick's brunch at 10:00 AM. Then enjoy live music, face painting and a balloon twister from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM.

Police respond to disorderly conduct at Rockville Town Square

Rockville City police were called to Rockville Town Square Thursday night to respond to an incident of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Officers were called to the 100 block of Gibbs Street at 11:38 PM on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Some residents of the apartments upstairs at the development have complained on social media of the frequency of such incidents during the night and early morning on Gibbs Street.

Another assault at Rockville Town Square

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Rockville Town Square on Friday afternoon, March 3, 2023. The assault was reported in the unit block of Maryland Avenue, between Beall Avenue and E. Middle Lane, at 2:15 PM. It follows a February 25 aggravated assault at the Town Square, and a middle-of-the-night brawl two days later on Gibbs Street.

Police respond to fight at Rockville Town Square

Twenty-four hours after an aggravated assault was reported at Rockville Town Square, police were back at the property after a fight broke out on Gibbs Street around 2:00 AM Sunday morning, February 27, 2023. Twitter user @Trellis_DMV captured video footage of officers at the scene. "This is a sample of the nightly BS that goes on around 2am that the police make zero efforts to respond to in spite of nightly noise complaints," he tweeted.

Photo courtesy @Trellis_DMV via Twitter

Aggravated assault at Rockville Town Square

Rockville City police responded to a report of an aggravated assault at Rockville Town Square early yesterday morning, February 25, 2023. The assault was reported in a parking area on the Gibbs Street/N. Washington Street side of the development at 2:42 AM Saturday morning.

HalfSmoke at Rockville Town Square - is this happening? (Photos)

One of the great mysteries of our times - at least since September 2020 - has been, "When is HalfSmoke opening at Rockville Town Square?" There have been no official answers, and it's been impossible to know what is going on inside the space at 36-A Maryland Avenue, as the windows have been tightly covered for most of this time. Little activity has been seen at the space, and the lights inside are usually off. But they were suddenly on this week, and a small area of one of the window coverings apparently came loose, and we are getting our first look inside since 2020.

The good news is that the lights are on. The bad news is that HalfSmoke won't be opening anytime soon, from what you can see here. The worst news at the moment is that the rear wall with the diamond shapes, the blue right interior wall, and the black texture on the front of the bar...those are not newly installed, but are left over from previous tenant Pandora Seafood House & Bar, as you can verify in my photos from the opening of that restaurant. In the center of the floor, which appears to still be Pandora's old flooring, is a pallet stacked with Sheetrock.

In the time since this location of HalfSmoke was announced, the chain's owners have opened two eateries at Westfield Montgomery Mall, including a HalfSmoke kiosk in the Dining Terrace food court. That revived questions about what in the world is going on at the Rockville location, which have since died down again. Is it time to start getting excited about HalfSmoke at Rockville Town Square again? Stay tuned!

Christmas tree at Rockville Town Square (Photos)

Here is a look at the Christmas tree at Rockville Town Square for 2022. The tree was officially lit last month with city officials on hand, and with performances by King Teddy, the Richard Montgomery High School Choir, and students from the Dawn Crafton Dance Connection school of dance, which is located in the Town Square development. Santa Claus also made an appearance. This year's tree has a green, blue and white color scheme. 

Rockville Town Square tree lighting 6:00-8:00 PM tonight, November 18, 2022

The annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockville Town Square will be held tonight, Friday, November 18, 2022, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Free to attend, the event will include ice skating on the outdoor rink in the town square, live music, crafts, and appearances by Rockville City officials and Santa Claus himself! For safety purposes, Maryland Avenue will be closed to automobile traffic from noon until 10:30 PM tonight. Parking garage access from Maryland and Beall Avenue will be maintained throughout the day, however.

Assembly of ice rink underway at Rockville Town Square (Photos)

Ice skating season is nearly upon us. That's driven home by the team of workers now busy assembling the ice rink at Rockville Town Square. The annual attraction in the town square has become so popular, it's even earned a listing on the Virginia tourism website under "Northern Virginia." Maybe we'll see a red fleece vested-Gov. Glenn Youngkin testing the ice for a White House run here this winter.

Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival today in Rockville

The Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival will be held today, Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Rockville Town Square. Hosted by Taiwan Sister Cities, the event will feature food, live music, cultural performances, games, and - of course - bubble tea. Maryland Avenue between E. Middle Lane and Beall Avenue will be closed off for the event from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM for the event. 

Rockville "Goes Purple" for opioid addiction awareness: "Protect Them" art installation opens tonight

"Protect Them," a mobile shipping container art installation, has arrived at Rockville Town Square. It will open to the public tonight, September 8, 2022, from 5:00 - 9:00 PM. The exhibit will also be open from 2:00 - 5:00 PM on September 9, 10, 16 and 17, and on the evening of September 22 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

Bethesda artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg created the exhibit after her research into patterns of drug addiction revealed that a lack of mental health support, childhood trauma and heightened environmental sensitivity were often consistent factors. The installation is constructed from the many items parents use to protect their children, such as child safety seats, bike helmets, or water wings, and questions what parents and our society are doing to keep children "psychologically safe?"

The installation is one of many events in the city this month, as "Rockville Goes Purple." The campaign is designed to raise awareness of opioid addiction, and will officially begin today at 4:30 PM with a speech by Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton at Rockville Town Square, followed by remarks by Firstenberg and Judge Karla Smith. VisArts will host a "Behind the Mask" art project on the town square stage afterward from 5:00 to 8:50 PM. Rockville City police responded to 35 reports of heroin or opioid overdoses in 2021, a 52% increase from 2020, and three reports of heroin or opioid possession, a 66% decrease. Look for the Empty Fix shipping container on the town square.

Pickpocket strikes at Rockville restaurant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a pickpocket incident at a restaurant at Rockville Town Square late Saturday night, August 13, 2022. The theft was reported at a restaurant in the 100 block of Gibbs Street at 11:59 AM. An attempt to use a stolen credit card from the wallet was detected following the incident. Watch your wallet!

Victim assaulted at Rockville bar

Rockville City police were called to a bar at Rockville Town Square early yesterday morning after an assault was reported there. The assault was reported at a bar in the 100 block of Gibbs Street at 1:30 AM.

Assault at Rockville Town Square

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Rockville Town Square yesterday afternoon, August 6, 2022. The assault was reported in the 100 block of Gibbs Street at 3:24 PM Saturday.

Èkó House grand opening weekend in Rockville

Èkó House, the new pan-African restaurant at 150 Gibbs Street at Rockville Town Square, will host a grand opening celebration this weekend. A ribbon-cutting will be held this afternoon at 5:00 PM. Guests at the ribbon-cutting will include Will Jawando, Montgomery County Council Member; Marji Graf, President & CEO, Rockville Chamber of Commerce; Ricky Barker, Director, Community Planning and Development Services; and Cindy Rivarde, Director, Rockville Economic Development Inc., among others.  

The main event will be Saturday night, July 30, 2022 with live performances by Afropop star Simi, Isaac Gerald, and the Ayo Band between 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Tickets start at $75 and can be purchased in advance online.  “As one of the few Nigerian restaurants in the DMV, we are excited to share the richness of Nigeria’s culture and cuisine with the Rockville community,” Yomi Ajao, co-founder, Èkó House said in a statement. “We want the community and the greater region to experience Èkó (Lagos), here in Rockville, Maryland. Rockville Town Square offers an array of culinary offerings, and we are thrilled that Èkó House is now an option.”