Greenbelt Day commemorates the incorporation of Greenbelt, which officially became a municipality on June 1, 1937, when its city charter went into effect.
The city was originally built as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Program by the Resettlement Administration. Designed according to the principles of the Garden City Movement in England, Greenbelt was created to provide affordable housing for working families while generating employment during the Great Depression. Its incorporation in 1937 marked another milestone, as Greenbelt became the first city in Maryland to adopt the council-manager form of government.
For longtime resident and News Review Editor Mary Lou Williamson, Greenbelt Day serves as an important reminder of the city’s origins. “Greenbelt Day commemorates the day the governor signed the charter for the city of Greenbelt,” she said. “It’s a chance to reflect on our origins.”
Williamson has attended Greenbelt Day celebrations since its beginning and remembers when the event featured a wide range of activities for residents. “A great variety of things to do, tennis competitions that people could participate in, other athletic activities and the Greenbelt concert band,” Williamson recalled when describing her earliest memories of the celebration.
Today, Greenbelt Day is traditionally celebrated during the first weekend of June with music, arts and crafts, family activities and educational programs that honor the city’s history and enduring community spirit.
Williamson hopes younger residents will take the opportunity to learn about Greenbelt’s unique history as one of the nation’s early planned communities. “The special nature of Greenbelt in its early planning” is something she believes every resident should understand. She noted that the city was intentionally designed with pedestrian pathways, green spaces, parks and community facilities that encouraged both safety and neighborly interaction. Reflecting on Greenbelt’s early image, Williamson recalled scenes like those in the movie The City of “nicely dressed children riding bicycles through the streets of Greenbelt with a sunshiny place to play,” illustrating the vision of a community built to improve quality of life for families.
Greenbelt Day also offers an opportunity to remember the hardships faced by many Americans during the Great Depression.
“During the ’30s fathers couldn’t find jobs and families were broken up and sent to relatives who could take them in,” Williamson said. She added that those lessons remain relevant today. “In some regards, we are dealing with some of those problems today, though not as severe.”
Looking toward the future, Williamson hopes Greenbelt Day can continue growing and engaging residents of all generations. “I’d like to see it involve more people at different ages and different activities for different ages.”
Greenbelt Day Activities
Friday, June 5
Pride Flag Raising Ceremony, Municipal Building, 3 to 4 p.m.
Live Music with Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes, New Deal Café, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 6
Greenbelt Museum Bricks and Blocks Walking Tour, 10 a.m. to noon
Explore Greenbelt’s New Deal History through a guided tour highlighting the community’s distinctive domestic architecture. The tour focuses on the brick and block homes that make up much of the original planned community and teaches visitors how to “read” these historic homes. Participants will also visit sites of historical interest that have not been featured on previous walking tours. The tour begins at the Greenbelt Museum, 10-B Crescent Road, and lasts approximately two hours, including a screening of the Museum’s orientation film. Following the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the interior of the museum’s historic home. Space is limited to 12 participants. Reservations can be made through Eventbrite.
Greenbelt Rotary Club Greenbelt Garden Tour, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The tour features 12 gardens across Greenbelt. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/ucyf2n7a.
Greenbelt Jazz Festival, Roosevelt Center, 1 to 7 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon of outdoor live music with friends and neighbors. Featured performers include The Brother Bill Quintet, Marianna & the DC Jumpers, Scotch & Soda, The Rhythm Doctors featuring Valentina Maria and The Seth Kibel Quartet featuring Flo Anito.
Sunday, June 7
Greenbelt Museum Table at the Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Members of the Friends of the Greenbelt Museum Board of Directors will share information about Museum programs and the new Education and Visitors Center.
Exhibit Opening at Greenbelt Museum, 1 to 5 p.m., 10-B Crescent Road
Free opening of a special exhibit honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States. Spirit of ’76: Greenbelt at the Bicentennial invites viewers to explore the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary through the lens of the Bicentennial celebration of 1976. As guests experience the exhibit, they are encouraged to reflect on what has changed and what remains the same since the nation celebrated its 200th anniversary 50 years ago. Admission is free. The exhibit will remain on display through November. The exhibit is sponsored by the Friends of the Greenbelt Museum and the City of Greenbelt.
Greenbelt Concert Band, Community Center Gym, 3 to 4 p.m.
Celebrate Greenbelt’s birthday with a performance by the Greenbelt Concert Band and stay for a special Greenbelt City Council history presentation beginning at 4 p.m.
