Mother’s Day Traditions and Celebrations throughout Montgomery County
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood have been held for centuries. In fact, the ancient Greeks and Romans held festivals in honor of the mother goddess. The clearest precedent for today’s Mother’s Day celebrations can be traced to an early Christian festival called “Mothering Sunday.”
In 1914, Mother’s Day became an official holiday in the United States. At that time, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure recognizing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. In his first Mother’s Day proclamation, Wilson stated that the holiday offered a chance to express “our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”
Today, a wide variety of Mother’s Day observances can be found worldwide. In Thailand, August 12 marks the combined celebration of motherhood and the queen’s birthday. The first day of spring, March 21, is the annual celebration of motherhood in Egypt. In the United Kingdom, Mother’s Day is celebrated exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday.
In the United States, Mother’s Day traditionally involves showering moms with cards, gifts, flowers, and a meal at a nice restaurant. Families also celebrate by giving moms a “day off’ from activities like cooking or household chores.
Here are some ways you can celebrate Mother’s Day with your loved ones in and around Montgomery County this year:
Celebrate Mother’s Day with music. The Asian Cultural Symphony of the US and local performers will present a series of classical symphonies and opera selections at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville. The concert will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2018 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Explore the culture of Cuba. For the next two weeks, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will host Artes de Cuba: From the Island to the World. The festival celebrates the artistic richness of Cuba by bringing together Cuban and Cuban-American artists in the areas of music, dance, theater, film, fashion, design, and more.
Get back to nature. Surround yourself with hundreds of brilliant, live butterflies from North America, Costa Rica, Africa, and Asia at Brookside Garden’s Wings of Fancy living exhibit. Visitors learn about a butterfly’s amazing metamorphosis, the vital role they play in healthy ecosystems, and how to attract butterflies to backyard gardens.
Ride on a historic carousel. The historic Dentzel Carousel is open for the season at Glen Echo Park. The carousel, installed in 1921, is a classic example of hand woodcarving popular during the early 1900s. The carousel was loving restored from 1983 through 2003 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Take Mom to brunch. Many Rockville area restaurants are offering special brunch menus on Sunday, May 13. Here is a comprehensive list of eateries around the Rockville area.
Visit 15th Annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival. This two-day festival brings together over 120 artists from across the country to showcase their original painting, drawing, photography, furniture, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics and more. The event, held in downtown Bethesda, also included live entertainment and children’s activities.
No matter how you chose to celebrate the holiday, all of us at Noahs’ Preferred Properties wish you a very happy Mother’s Day!
