Hometown Holidays is Rockville, Maryland’s annual street festival celebrating Memorial Day. The three-day event features dozens of entertainers performing on seven stages, children's rides, teen activities, VisArts Fine Arts Festival, an environmental expo, the Taste of Rockville, and the Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade. The parade -- one of the longest-running in the capital region -- started in the early 20th century with the tradition of a regional homecoming picnic and parade on Washington Street, organized by Rockville's African American community.

The Memorial Day ceremony includes music by the Rockville Concert Band and Chorus, a wreath laying led by American Legion Post 86, and 21-gun salute and presentation of colors by American Legion Post 86 Color Guard. The Memorial Day Parade includes drill teams, marching bands, community groups, military units, and more.

See Photos of the Parade

Dates: May 23 - 25, 2015

Location

Hometown Holidays is located in Rockville Town Center and is walking distance from the Rockville Metro Station.

Parking

Free parking is available at the Council Office Building on Fleet Street, Metro lots, City Hall lots, and the lots north of Beall Avenue. Paid parking is available for a flat fee of $5 in the Rockville Town Square Route 355 and North Washington Street garages from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, and 7 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, May 25.

Hometown Holidays Schedule

Saturday, May 23, and Sunday May 24, 2-10 p.m. Market Place, Taste of Rockville, Kids Activities, Live Entertainment.

Monday, May, 25, 2015
9 a.m. Rockville Concert Band & Chorus
9:30 a.m. Memorial Day Ceremony
10:30 a.m. Memorial Day Parade

Ceremony and Parade Viewing Location: Courthouse Square at Martins Lane and North Washington Street.

The parade route begins on Martins Lane, turns south onto North Washington Street, then turns east onto Beall Avenue, south onto Maryland Avenue through Rockville Town Center and east onto East Montgomery Avenue. 

Musical Performances Throughout the Weekend

Dirty Dozen Brass Band, from New Orleans, will headline the festival at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 23 on the Bud Light Beach Stage. Festival favorites returning this year include Kelly Bell Band, The Nighthawks, Lloyd Dobler Effect and Jah Works. New acts include Emily Hearn, a folk-pop artist from Georgia; Driven to Clarity, an acoustic/rock/funk band; and Fiction 20 Down, a Maryland reggae/ska group.

Taste of Rockville

Participating restaurants include Ambrosia Restaurant, American Tap Room, Armand's Pizzeria & Grille, The Bean Bag Deli & Catering, Bon Chon Chicken, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carmen's Italian Ice, Dawson's Market, The Fresh Market, La Tasca, Oro Pomodoro, Nantucket's Reef, Potomac Pizza, Ring of Fire Grill & Tavern, Rockland BBQ & Grilling Company, Seasons 52, Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant, Spice Xing and Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar. Tickets for food will be $1.25 each, with most menu items costing between one and four tickets each.

For a more detailed schedule of entertainment, see the Rockville, Maryland website