The Vision is Yours 2026: Placemaking Placekeeping Conference: Full Schedule

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8:00am EDT

Friday April 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT

College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

Staying at the College Park Marriott Hotel? Ride with NDC on our complimentary conference shuttle.
The shuttle will depart the hotel at 8:00 AM and arrive at Joe’s Movement Emporium in time to enjoy coffee, light breakfast, and registration before the morning plenary.

Friday April 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT
College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center 3501 University Blvd E, Hyattsville, MD 20783

Transportation & Walks

8:00am EDT

Welcome & Registration

Friday April 24, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Lobby

Start your day by checking in at Joe's Movement Emporium (Lobby), then join us across the street for coffee and light bites. Connect with fellow attendees in a lively outdoor networking space designed to spark conversation and inspiration before we dive into day 2!

Friday April 24, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Lobby

Celebrations & Networking

8:30am EDT

Resource Room

Friday April 24, 2026 8:30am - 12:30pm EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 1

A space designed for attendees to take a breather, connect, and engage on their own terms. Pop in to check out sponsor displays, share resources asynchronously with fellow participants, or settle in at touch-down tables to catch up on emails or prep for sessions. Whether you’re looking to collaborate, recharge, or just have a quiet moment between events, the Resource Room is yours to use as you need.

Friday April 24, 2026 8:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 1 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Celebrations & Networking

9:00am EDT

CANCELLED: Mapping Public Joy - A Workshop with Jay Pitter

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 3

This workshop has been canceled. We’ll share details after the event on how to sign up for Jay’s virtual office hours session.

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Based on Jay Pitter's Public Joy Framework, which positions public joy as civic, cultural, and spatial infrastructure, this introductory workshop exposes participants to key elements of a public joy mapping and analysis methodology. Participants will engage in a guided, participatory mapping exercise exploring how people, places, policies, practices, and everyday rituals contribute to or constrain public joy. Insights will be synthesized in real time, using participants’ own examples to surface patterns, gaps, and opportunities. The session is designed to offer a high-level understanding of how public joy can be assessed in practice, while introducing select components of the broader methodology. Participants will gain insight into how aspects of the mapping approach can be applied within their own contexts, with appropriate attribution, and how to begin interpreting findings through structural lenses such as policy, resources, governance, and place-based narratives.

Speakers

Jay Pitter

Founder, Jay Pitter Placemaking

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 3 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

9:00am EDT

Rooted in Community: The Berlin Farmers Market as a Model for Rural Placemaking

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 2

This session tells the story of how The Berlin Farmers Market turned quiet Sundays into the busiest day of the week. Panelists will discuss why a farmers market energizes downtown and creates a welcoming space that draws people in. Attendees will gain practical tools to create a farmers’ market that activates downtown and strengthens local identity.

Moderators

Ivy Wells

DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Town of Berlin Maryland

Ivy Wells is the Director of Economic and Community Development with the Town of Berlin with a passion for bringing people together, especially in downtown spaces.

She began her work in Sykesville, Maryland, where she launched the town’s Main Street program, added a full calendar of events, including the Sykesville Farmers Market. Building on that success, Ivy brought her expertise to Berlin, Maryland, where she She leads the Berlin Main Street... Read More →

Speakers

Michaela Eggers

Owner, Little Green Witch Apothecary, The Little Green Witch Apothecary

Michaela is a Clinical Herbalist and the owner and operator of The Little Green Witch Apothecary. She formulates and blends magical herbal teas and hand-crafted herbal body care products for her community in Berlin, MD.

Michaela got her start as a member of The Berlin Farmers Mark... Read More →

Sara Servin

Director, Farmers Markets and Food Access, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Hi! I'm Sara and I'm passionate about local food access, farmers markets, community gardens and herbalism. I have two little ones at home and also love connecting about families and cultivating more outdoor spaces for people of all ages!

04 FRIDAY 9 AM Ivy Wells Presentation pdf

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 2 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Panel

9:00am EDT

Water Shapes Place: Creative, Community-Led Resilience

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Main Theater

This panel will showcase local leaders and designers championing and implementing stormwater and climate resilience projects in their communities.

Panelists will explore the intersection of stormwater management and placemaking and discuss ideas surrounding implementation, funding, community involvement, incorporating art and more.

Moderators

Lindsay Brugger

Vice President, Urban Resilience, ULI

Speakers

Rod Barnes

Town Administrator, The Town of Edmonston

Rod Barnes, currently serves as the Town Administrator for Edmonston, Maryland. Edmonston is a small community of 1,545 residents in the Washington DC metro region. Rod holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Benedictine College in Business Administration. He has a Master of Public Administration... Read More →

Celina Benitez

Mayor, The City of Mount Rainier

Jenny Smeltzer

Landscape Design Project Manager, The Neighborhood Design Center

Water Shapes Place Slide Presentation pdf

Friday April 24, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Main Theater 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Panel

10:45am EDT

Big Changes in a Small Town: How a Community Garden Sparked Change

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 2

Explore how a grassroots community garden became a catalyst for broader civic engagement and neighborhood transformation in a small rural community. Through creative partnerships, resident-led ideas, and strategic use of limited resources, a simple space grew into a catalyst for connection, pride, and momentum. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas, tools, and adaptable strategies for doing meaningful placemaking work at any scale — regardless of budget size!

Moderators

Alexandra Brooks

Chief Operating Officer of Community Impact, Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Speakers

Taylor Dardick

Prevention Education Specialist, Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 2 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

10:45am EDT

Capturing the Story of Place: Video Strategies and Tools for Community Momentum

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 3

Video storytelling can make a powerful difference for community placemaking organizations by building trust, visibility, and engagement. This hands-on workshop shares practical, accessible tips for capturing and editing meaningful story moments using low-cost tools like smartphones. After a brief grounding in trauma-informed and ethical storytelling, participants break into small groups to practice simple filming and interviewing techniques.

Speakers

Taylor Kampia

CEO, Make A Scene Media

Taylor Kampia (she/her) is an award-winning video strategist, producer, and advocate who helps nonprofits and mission-driven organizations communicate with clarity, heart, and impact. As founder and CEO of Make A Scene Media, she leads a production company that creates strategic... Read More →

Heather Hutt

Chief Creative Officer, Make a Scene Media

Heather Hutt is the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Make A Scene Media, where she leads impact-driven storytelling for affordable housing organizations and community builders. Collaborating with partners such as True Ground Housing Partners and St. Mary’s Communities, her work... Read More →

Capturing the Story of Place Video Strategies and Tools for Community Momentum.pptx pdf

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Studio 3 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

10:45am EDT

Inclusive Placemaking for Health: Bridging Design, Government, and Community Wellness

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Main Theater

This panel brings together designers, public agencies, wellness practitioners, and emerging professionals to explore how community health and wellness can be intentionally embedded into placemaking. Through three case studies spanning campus wellbeing initiatives, disability- and neurodiversity-centered design, and nature-based wellness programming, panelists share practical strategies for moving beyond aspirational language to real, inclusive outcomes. The session emphasizes replicable approaches for designing, resourcing, and sustaining public spaces that support mental health, access, and belonging.

Moderators

MacKenzie Twardus

Associate Principal | Planner + Landscape Architect, Hanbury Design

MacKenzie is a creative planner, community advocate, and urban designer with 13 years of experience on projects across the East Coast, ranging from two-block developments to 1,000-acre master plans. Her work spans master planning, transit-oriented development, mixed-use and real estate... Read More →

Speakers

Gabrielle Gilliam

Wellness and Advancement Program Specialist, Brookside Gardens

Elliott Kenney

Student, University of Maryland

Tom Zeigenfuss

Principal, Hanbury

260424 InclusivePlacemakingforHealth Final (1) pdf

Friday April 24, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Main Theater 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Panel

12:15pm EDT

Transportation & Guided Walks

Friday April 24, 2026 12:15pm - 12:45pm EDT

Joe's Movement Emporium - Parking Lot

Following the morning sessions at Joe's Movement Emporium, attendees are invited to join us at Mount Rainier Nature Center for lunch and hands-on build day activities.

Walking Route
NDC staff will lead brief, 20-minute guided walks to the Nature Center. Walks will depart from outside Joe's Movement Emporium.

Transportation
The Mount Rainier Nature Center van will also provide return transportation and will run on a continuous loop until all guests have been accommodated.

Friday April 24, 2026 12:15pm - 12:45pm EDT
Joe's Movement Emporium - Parking Lot 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, to the right of the building

Transportation & Walks

12:30pm EDT

Lunch

Friday April 24, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Take a break and enjoy a boxed lunch at the Mount Rainier Nature Center, provided by Mix’t Food Hall.

Friday April 24, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Celebrations & Networking

1:30pm EDT

From Soil to Soul: Food as Placemaking, Power, and Possibility

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room

An interactive workshop that explores how food systems function as critical community infrastructure -- beyond farmers markets. Grounded in real-world examples, participants engage in hands-on activities to understand how food, land, and culture intersect to shape neighborhood identity, economic opportunity, and community-led development.

Speakers

Ashley Drakeford

The Capital Market

Ruth Tyson

The Capital Market

Kennedy Brooks

Climate and Food Justice Fellow, The Capital Market

Kennedy Brooks is the Climate and Food Justice Fellow for The Capital Market, assisting with green community development strategies throughout Prince George's County.

Brittney Drakeford

Co-Founder, Director of Community-led Research & Futures, The Capital Market

Brittney Drakeford is a believer in FATE – the practice of combining faith, arts, andtechnology to energize communities to create equitable places for generations todayand tomorrow. She is a current PhD candidate in the Urban and Regional Planning and Design Program at the University... Read More →

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

1:30pm EDT

Hands-On Mural Implementation with Mas Paz (1 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd)

Join us at the Mount Rainier Nature Center for a hands-on mural painting experience led by artist Mas Paz. In this one-hour session, participants will contribute directly to a mural inspired by the flora, fauna, and fungi that define this local ecosystem.

Grounded in observations and stories shared by Nature Center staff and community members, the mural design reflects native species integral to the local landscape and ecology.

Participants will have the opportunity to paint alongside Mas Paz, learning about the artistic process while advancing the Nature Center’s broader vision for ecological and cultural stewardship.

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Participants will gather at the entrance to the Nature Center parking lot at the intersection of Arundel Rd and 31st Street. Click here for the meeting point on Google Maps.

Moderators

Federico Mas Paz, Inc

Artist

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd) 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

1:30pm EDT

Planting Workshop with NDC! (1 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Join NDC’s Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, Laura Robinson, for a hands-on workshop planting a native pollinator meadow at the Mount Rainier Nature Center.

You’ll learn:

Preparation and planning tips for a natural garden
How to plant perennials
Ecologically sensitive maintenance techniques
Best practices for planting community maintained sites
How to choose native plants for various site conditions and a changing climate

Location: From the main entrance take the path to the right and walk toward the community garden. The planting workshop will occur next to the community garden and the outdoor classroom.

Speakers

Laura Robinson

Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, The Neighborhood Design Center

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

1:30pm EDT

The M-NCPPC Placemaking Container: Lessons from a Mobile Placemaking Resource (Part 1)

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Parking Lot

Step inside a real-life placemaking toolbox! During this hands-on session, participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at the M-NCPPC placemaking container, and have the opportunity to dig in, ask questions, and learn directly from the team what it takes to operate and steward a mobile placemaking resource. During the second half of the session, participants will be invited to get creative and play a hands-on role activating lighting, seating, and other components in the Mount Rainier Nature Center parking lot.

Speakers

Adam Dodgshon

Planning Supervisor, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

Adam has been supervisor of the Placemaking Section since May 2019. He has 30 years' experience as a planner, at first in England and now here in the US. Adam loves working with his team and the community to make the county a happier place.

Eduard Krakhmalnikov

Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction

Sam McCrory

Placemaking Planner II, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

David Moore

Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

Rachel Murphy

Placemaking Planner, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Parking Lot 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity, Build Day Session

1:30pm EDT

Catalyzing Community Good through Building Material Reuse

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

How can the waste stream be turned into a resource stream for local communities? Held at Community Forklift's Reuse Center, the organization will share about the social, economic, and environmental justice impacts on providing equitable access to reusable materials for community organizations and households with limited resources. This interactive session will include a guided tour of the warehouse, an overview of Community Forklift's programs that provide free materials to community organizations and neighbors in need, and explore ideas and resources for participants to craft their own projects with reusable materials.

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Note: This mobile workshop will take place off-site at Community Forklift’s Reuse Center and includes transportation via bus to and from the venue. By registering, participants acknowledge and accept responsibility for traveling with the group.

The session includes a guided tour of warehouse spaces, some of which are not climate-controlled. Participants are strongly encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes for safety and comfort.

Speakers

Katy Kutzner

Director of Development, Community Forklift

Friday April 24, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Mobile Workshop

2:45pm EDT

Rooted in Place: Forest Bathing + Community Science at the Mount Rainier Nature Center

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room

Join Nature Center Director Serenella Linares and Ana Ka'ahanui for a guided tour and immersive forest bathing experience at the Mount Rainier Nature Center. While slowing down and tuning into the landscape, you’ll take part in the City Nature Challenge by documenting plants and wildlife on-site, adding your observations to the iNaturalist database and supporting community-powered science.

For an in-depth iNaturalist training, consider joining the Mount Rainier Nature Center for a virtual learning session on Tuesday, April 14th from 7-8:30 PM. Register here!

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You can check out the Mount Rainier Nature Center iNaturalist Database here!

Speakers

Ana Ka'ahanui

Co-Founder & Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Capital Nature

Ana is passionate about connecting people to nature through forest bathing, naturalist, and citizen science programs. She has been a forest bathing guide since 2020 through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and is devoted to sharing the practice, needed... Read More →

Serenella Linares

Facility Director, Mount Rainier Nature Center/MNCPPC

Serenella Linares is the Facility Director at Mount Rainier Nature Center, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Co-founder of the Naturally Latinos Conference and Programs Chair of the Board of the Mycological Association of Washington DC. As former Director of... Read More →

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

2:45pm EDT

Hands-On Mural Implementation with Mas Paz (2 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd)

Moderators

Federico Mas Paz, Inc

Artist

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd) 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

2:45pm EDT

Planting Workshop with NDC! (2 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Join NDC’s Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, Laura Robinson, for a hands-on workshop planting a native pollinator meadow at the Mount Rainier Nature Center.

You’ll learn:

Preparation and planning tips for a natural garden
How to plant perennials
Ecologically sensitive maintenance techniques
Best practices for planting community maintained sites
How to choose native plants for various site conditions and a changing climate

Location: From the main entrance take the path to the right and walk toward the community garden. The planting workshop will occur next to the community garden and the outdoor classroom.

Speakers

Laura Robinson

Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, The Neighborhood Design Center

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

2:45pm EDT

The M-NCPPC Placemaking Container: Lessons from a Mobile Placemaking Resource (Part 2)

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Parking Lot

Speakers

Adam Dodgshon

Planning Supervisor, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

Eduard Krakhmalnikov

Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction

Sam McCrory

Placemaking Planner II, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

David Moore

Placemaking Planner III, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking Section

Rachel Murphy

Placemaking Planner, The Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Placemaking sEction

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Parking Lot 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity, Build Day Session

2:45pm EDT

Drop-In Creative Placemaking Demonstration with The University of Maryland

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Join the University of Maryland Architecture Creative Placemaking Studio in conversation about how to connect children and nature through prototyped projects produced in partnership with the Neighborhood Design Center and the Mount Rainier Nature Center.

Through hands-on engagement with demonstration projects and research materials, you’ll have the opportunity to respond to student ideas, ask questions, and offer feedback that will help shape the direction of these projects in real time. UMD Faculty and NDC’s Community Design Works project manager will be on hand to share insights into the collaborative process, from early research through concept development.

Drop in anytime over the course of the session to share your perspective, test ideas, and be part of a live feedback loop that centers learning, iteration, and co-creation.Join the University of Maryland School of Architecture & Community Planning Creative Placemaking Studio for a hands-on demonstration project produced in partnership with the Neighborhood Design Center and the Mount Rainier Nature Center.

Student Designers include:
Alexander Bayer
Giovani Boursiquot
Katie Briller
Quinten Cazares
Jennifer Chacon
Travon Chaney
Daisy Cisneros
Corson Durst
Aiden Flynt
Nicholas Murray
Veronica Sinsky

Moderators

Ronit Eisenbach

Professor & Director Creative Placemaking Minor, The University of Maryland

Friday April 24, 2026 2:45pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

4:00pm EDT

Assessing Needs and Mapping Power: Bridging the Gap Between Ideas and Implementation

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room

Grounded in the role the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC) plays as a connector and facilitator between local communities and the agencies, organizations, and partners they work with, this workshop will demonstrate practical approaches to mapping power and identifying resource gaps. Using a three-year AmeriCorps VISTA research project as a model, participants will learn about the methods used to investigate access, influence, and collaboration across community networks. The session will include an interactive component that invites participants to apply strategies for building partnerships and identifying potential collaborators in real time.

Speakers

Kamaiya Johnson

The Neighborhood Design Center, Community Engagement Coordinator

Kamaiya is an architectural and multidisciplinary designer originally from Prince George’s county, Maryland. She recently returned home after receiving her Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. Before that they received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree... Read More →

Todd Ferry

Architect, Pendulum

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Recreation Room 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Breakout Session, Learning Lab

4:00pm EDT

Hands-On Mural Implementation with Mas Paz (3 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd)

Moderators

Federico Mas Paz, Inc

Artist

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center Entrance (31st & Arundel Rd) 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

4:00pm EDT

Planting Workshop with NDC! (3 of 3)

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Join NDC’s Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, Laura Robinson, for a hands-on workshop planting a native pollinator meadow at the Mount Rainier Nature Center.

You’ll learn:

Preparation and planning tips for a natural garden
How to plant perennials
Ecologically sensitive maintenance techniques
Best practices for planting community maintained sites
How to choose native plants for various site conditions and a changing climate

Location: From the main entrance take the path to the right and walk toward the community garden. The planting workshop will occur next to the community garden and the outdoor classroom.

Speakers

Laura Robinson

Landscape Design and Environmental Resilience Director, The Neighborhood Design Center

Friday April 24, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Build Day Activity

5:00pm EDT

The Vision is Yours: Closing Celebration!

Friday April 24, 2026 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Join us for a block party–style send-off featuring local music, bites from neighborhood vendors, movement and dance workshops led by talented local creatives, and interactive experiences from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission placemaking container.

We’ll kick things off with brief remarks at 5 PM and take a moment to celebrate the creative placemaking projects completed during the forum.

Come celebrate with us—everyone’s welcome!

This closing celebration is made possible through the generous support of GCS Sigal.

Friday April 24, 2026 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

Celebrations & Networking

7:00pm EDT

Evening Shuttle

Friday April 24, 2026 7:00pm - 7:30pm EDT

Mount Rainier Nature Center

Headed back to the College Park Marriott Hotel, or need a ride back to Joe’s Movement Emporium? Hop on the NDC conference shuttle at the end of the day.

The shuttle will depart Mount Rainier Nature Center at 7:00 PM, following the close of programming, with drop-offs available at Joe’s Movement Emporium, the College Park Marriott Hotel, and other preferred parking locations.

Friday April 24, 2026 7:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
Mount Rainier Nature Center 4701 31st Pl, Mt Rainier, MD 20712, USA

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