Twenty years ago, Wheaton was known mostly for Wheaton Mall, Chuck Levin’s, two standout high schools, and a Kenny’s. Today, step onto Wheaton’s Triangle and you’ll see murals climbing stairways, sculptures catching the sunlight, and a vibrant summertime scene. Where did Wheaton’s transformation come from?
If you read the first post of this blog series, you’ll know about Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts (AEDs). Every year, areas across Maryland can apply for AED designation, which offers tax breaks for artists and encourages economic development. Wheaton, Silver Spring, and Bethesda all earned AED status in the early 2000s. The difference? Silver Spring and Bethesda have local governments. Wheaton does not.
Without a local government to help, Wheaton’s arts organizations must work through the county and organize their own events and operations.
How it Started
By 2016, Wheaton’s AED future looked uncertain. The area lacked art galleries, studios, and performance spaces. That’s when resident and Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee member Dan Thompson proposed an arts parade to bring art directly to the community. Partnering with actor Jim Epstein, the two launched the first Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival in 2017. Its success helped convince county leaders that Wheaton deserved an arts and cultural center.
The parade began with Dan’s idea. Freshly retired from government work, he heard about Cleveland, Ohio’s Parade the Circle. One road trip later, he was convinced Wheaton could pull it off too, one challenge at a time. Step one: create a nonprofit to apply for grants.
When asked, “Why a parade and festival? Why Wheaton?” Dan’s answer was simple: “Kensington has a parade, Olney has a parade, Silver Spring has a parade. Why not Wheaton?”
Permits and Community and Floats…Oh my!
A parade requires funding, floats, and plenty of permits. Dan pitched the idea to the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Thanks to a new cultural grants program, WAP received startup funds. The Wheaton Urban District helped cut through red tape and coordinate with transportation officials, police, and other partners.
Courtesy: Wheaton Arts Parade
But where would the art come from? Dan reached out to Albert Einstein High School’s VAPA Program director Tricia Gooley-Rarick, resulting in floats created by teachers and students and music from the Titans marching band. A Facebook page and meet-up group gathered more artists. Local members of the recently disbanded Latino Artists of Greater DC also joined in, proving the concept to the Arts and Humanities Council and helping secure additional grant funding.
Securing permits was only half the battle—funding was still needed to pay for police and road closures. Businesses and residents across Wheaton stepped up, and thanks to their generosity, the first parade was on.
At first, there were just three floats: two from Einstein and one Dan built himself. Soon, more artists joined. Puerto Rican artist Sandra Pérez-Ramos, co-founder of the Latino Arts League of Greater Washington, D.C., rallied local Latinx artists to create a float inspired by Frida Kahlo.
A visit to the annual DMV art event Artomatic brought in artist Paige Friedeman and many others. Wheaton Arts Parade also launched “Fourth Sundays of Summer,” monthly workshops where community members built floats together. Jim Epstein took on festival organizing.
“I always imagined the parade would end with a party,” Dan said. “I wanted citizens to rub elbows with artists, see the talent around them, and for artists to feel seen and connected. Our mission became bringing the community together through art. Not to do everything ourselves, but to find funding, support good ideas, and bring them to Wheaton.”
Nine years later, Wheaton Arts Parade is still going strong, celebrating art, artists, and the community.
-
- Courtesy: Wheaton Arts Parade
-
- Courtesy: Wheaton Arts Parade
-
- Courtesy: Wheaton Arts Parade
Parading into the Future
The nonprofit now hosts free monthly events, alternating between Arts & Crafts Sundays at Wheaton Library and Yarn Bomb installations. Families explore mosaics, crochet, jewelry making, collage, sticker art, scratch-off art, and more. Yarn Bomb, started by Felisa Federman and Edith Salazar and now led by Mary Stickles, decorates Wheaton Triangle’s lamp posts with colorful yarn. Last year, Yarn Bomb even created a community tapestry.
Dan and Paige can also be found at other Montgomery County events, like the Kensington Labor Day Parade and Kensington Day of the Book. Wheaton Arts Parade’s summer kicks off with Taste of Wheaton in June and wraps up with its signature festival and parade each September.
Courtesy: Wheaton Arts Parade
Beyond events, Wheaton Arts Parade also sponsors murals and public art projects across Wheaton. Thanks to the Montgomery County Council, County Executive, and Montgomery Housing Partnership, the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center is officially moving forward.
The vision and dedication Dan and Paige have keep Wheaton’s arts scene alive. Their energy and persistence make it all possible, and their belief in community speaks for itself.
What’s next for Wheaton? I, for one, can’t wait.
The parade and festival return on Sept. 28, and you can be part of it! With more than 20 floats, Wheaton Arts Parade is looking for volunteers to help pull them. Visit the Wheaton Arts Parade website for details.
For more information or to get involved:
Wheaton Arts Parade: Yarn Bomb
