Thursday, July 24, 2008

Film Fest in Bethesda

Hollywood comes to town this week with the fourth annual Bethesda Outdoor Movies: Stars on the Avenue five-day event. The Bethesda Urban Partnership will present a different free movie at 9 each night: 1939's "Wizard of Oz" on Tuesday, 2006's "An Inconvenient Truth" on Wednesday, 1977's "Annie Hall" next Thursday, 2007's "Hairspray" on Aug. 1 and 1996's "Mission Impossible" on Aug. 2. Arrive early and bring a lawn chair. Seating will be limited. Nearby restaurants, ice cream and coffee shops will be open before showtime. The screenings will be at Woodmont Triangle, at Norfolk and Auburn avenues in Bethesda. Parking is available at the adjacent Del Ray/Auburn Avenue garage. 301-215-6660, http://www.bethesda.org.

Gaithersburg's seventh annual One Act Festival opens tomorrow, featuring eight one-act performances over two weekends. Hosted by the city and Montgomery Playhouse, the festival includes some adult-theme content and is not recommended for people younger than 16. The festival features performances of plays by David Ives, Louise Bryant, Mary Miller, Robert Anderson, Keith J. Powell, Donald Steele, Brian Vaughan and Rick Starkweather. It will run at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday and Aug. 1-2 at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd., Gaithersburg. $14; Gaithersburg residents, $12. Performance schedule varies. 301-258-6394, http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn.

Animal and farm lovers are invited to celebrate county agricultural heritage this weekend with the 19th annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. Visitors can pet farm animals, pick seasonal produce, see an alpaca breeding farm, take a hayride, enjoy crafts, experience historical reenactments and sites, meet a beekeeper, taste local wine and ride ponies. The tour will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 14 farms in Boyds, Dickerson, Germantown, Laytonsville, Mount Airy, Poolesville, Rockville and Silver Spring. Most events are free; prices vary at some locations. Some farms will participate only on Saturday. 301-590-2823, http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/farmtour.