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The Taste of Laurel returns to the Laurel Museum on Sunday afternoon and will feature samples from a number of local food vendors, including the Main Street Sports Bar and Grill, Mango's Grill, Red, Hot & Blue, Daily Bread Grill, Toucan Tacos and Fruit Flowers.
The event, sponsored by Main Street Pharmacy, is free and open to the public.
Lindsey Baker, executive director of the Laurel Historical Society, said attendees will earn tickets for the food samples by completing museum activities, such as a scavenger hunt.
The historical society decided to launch Taste of Laurel last year to tie in with a museum exhibit that included local businesses.
"We really liked giving those businesses the opportunity to meet the local community," Baker said of last year's event.
Taste of Laurel runs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at 817 Main St. Call the Laurel Historical Society at 301-725-7975 for more information.
Laurel High School mascot returns for homecoming
After a seven-year absence, "Sparky Spartan" made its return as the Laurel High School mascot at the homecoming pep rally and football game on Oct. 24. Barbara Weidman, president of the Laurel High School PTSA, said the $3,500 costume was jointly funded by the school, the PTSA and a donation from the 2008 senior class.
Scotchtown Hills collecting for Kids Helping Kids drive
Scotchtown Hills Elementary School is nearing the end of a two-week effort to collect canned and boxed food for the Maryland Food Bank in Prince George's County. Students have collected 21 boxes of food so far.
Carol von der Linden, a counselor at the school and one of the staff members leading the project, said she has been pleasantly surprised at how well the drive has gone.
"It's wonderful that people are willing to give what they've given in this economy," she said.
The food drive coincided with Scotchtown Hills' participation in an Oct. 12 walk for the homeless that raised $615, von der Linden said. Teachers also gave a lesson on homelessness and how students can help alleviate the problem.
The food drive ends Friday. Members of the public are welcome to drop off canned or boxed items at the school, located at 15950 Dorset Road. Call 301-497-3994 for more information.
Harvest Moon event set for Friday
The Laurel Department of Parks and Recreation will host its annual Harvest Moon hayride and bonfire Friday evening.
Parking, hayride admission and wagon loading will take place at the Laurel Police Station, located at 350 Municipal Square. Hayrides begin at 6 p.m. and the last ride will return at 8:45 p.m. Cost is $3.50 for ages 2 and older. Call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 301-725-7800 for more information.
Boy Scouts plan weekend pancake breakfast
Boy Scout Venture Crew 1250 will host a pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 15 in the Breen Room at St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church, 114 St. Mary's Place in Laurel. The meal, which supports the activities of the Laurel Venture Crew, includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit and a beverage. The cost is $5 for a regular size meal and $3 for a small portion. Contact Rush Kester, venture crew adviser, at 301-490-1310 for more information.
Come out and enjoy the blues
The D.C. Blues Society will host the College Park Blues Festival on Saturday at Ritchie Coliseum in College Park.
The festival will be held from 7 to 11:30 p.m. at the arena, which is located near the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Rossborough Drive. Admission is free, and food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Scheduled acts include the Mississippi-based teenage trio Homemade Jamz' Blues Band, the D.C. Blues Society Band and Big Boy Little, winner of the DCBS Battle of the Bands. The festival will raise funds to send Big Boy Little to the International Blue Challenge in January in Memphis, Tenn.
For more information, visit http://www.dcblues.org.
Vansville Elementary students honored by school
Twenty-six students at Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville were honored by the school in accordance with its Character Education word of the month program.
The school's word of the month for September was "responsibility," and the winners were selected by their teachers for exhibiting responsible behavior. The students each received a certificate and pencil.
Winners for September were HeadStart student Aderinsola Jibodu; pre-kindergartners Dawgmawi Getachew and Morgan Beck; kindergartners Alison Kunzwiler, Aryan Kalathiya, Makayla Cunningham and Kayti Palacios; first-graders Iman Abdi, Ianna Anotado, Angelo Salvador and Tiffany Whitlock; second-graders Alexis London, Ashley Nguyen, Samantha Bailor and Amanda Huyn; third-graders Jade Thompson, George Kuzhikat, Darshan Patel and Brittany Okeke; fourth-graders Brenda LaTorre, Nylaya Cherichel, Kenechukwu Azinge and Aryba Qureshi; fifth-grader Cederick Lassiter and sixth-graders Kevin Nguyen and Oluchi Ike.
County's dog park holds fair and canine carnival
The Heurich Dog Park in Hyattsville opened in September, but will hold a grand opening fair and canine carnival from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the park at corner of Ager Road and Nicholson Street. Dog rescue groups, trainers, contests and dog demonstrations will be part of the festivities. To volunteer, e-mail sara@his.com.
Elvis is back to raise money for Sons of American Legion
Join Sons of American Legion Squadron 136, Elvis impersonator Johnny Seaton and his band in raising money for SAL youth programs at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at the American Legion Post 136 on 6900 Greenbelt Road.
Seaton will perform as Elvis to raise money for organizations that SAL supports, such as Maryland Special Olympics, Greenbelt Little League Baseball, Toys for Tots, Fisher House and Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.
Preparing for the festival of lights and holiday market
The Riverdale Park Festival of Lights and Holiday Market will be from noon to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Riverdale Park Town Center at 6200 Rhode Island Ave. Organizers are taking applications from interested craft vendors and volunteers. Volunteers are needed to help decorate the indoor venue, dress as singing elves for trolley tours, compete in a bake-off and other tasks. Contact Jim Coleman at 301-332-6528 or e-mail jcolema3@aol.com.
County couple collecting donations for veterans
A local couple is collecting donations for a Christmas delivery to wards at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
The McGehees of Hyattsville have been making the donation runs for four years. They are looking for donations of disposal cameras, shampoo, shaving cream, razors, calendars, puzzle notebooks and other items for wounded veterans and their families. Call Milton McGehee at 301-559-0864.