Show of force
May 12
As television series like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett continue to expand the epic world of the Star Wars saga, sometimes it’s nice going back to where it all started a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. At Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert, fans of the space adventure can see the third of the classic Star Wars movies on the big screen in the Music Center at Strathmore, accompanied by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams’ legendary Oscar-nominated score.
8 p.m., $44-$94, The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, strathmore.org
Art mart
May 14-15
Get your art fix in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle during the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, handcrafted jewelry and other original works of art and crafts by more than 100 artists will be on display and for sale. The free outdoor festival features live music from local bands and food for sale from Bethesda restaurants.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, free, Norfolk, Del Ray and Auburn avenues, Bethesda, bethesda.org
One for the books
May 21
Buzzworthy novelists, children’s authors, poets and journalists are all on the schedule of this year’s Gaithersburg Book Festival. After two years of virtual programming, the event is back in person with author talks, Q&As, book signings, writing workshops and children’s activities. Highlights include fiction writers Jabari Asim (Yonder) and Katherine Heiny (Early Morning Riser); memoirists Kathryn Schulz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and Fiona Hill, a foreign affairs specialist; and children’s authors Angela Dominguez (Stella Diaz series) and Carole Lindstrom (We Are Water Protectors).
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free, Bohrer Park, Gaithersburg, gaithersburgbookfestival.org
Hooray for Nollywood
June 8 through July 3
Set in the 1990s in the early days of Nigeria’s booming movie industry, the romantic comedy Nollywood Dreams follows main character Ayamma, who works at her family’s Lagos travel agency but fantasizes about becoming a movie star. She hopes to get her chance when she lands an audition with a big-time director. The play by Jocelyn Bioh, who also wrote School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play, is a send-up of Nigeria’s film industry and the allure of celebrity and American culture.
$41-$78, Round House Theatre, Bethesda, roundhousetheatre.org
Strawberry fests forever
June 11-12
Forty years ago, a group of Sandy Spring neighbors decided to organize the first Strawberry Festival as a fundraiser for a museum to preserve the community’s history. Today, the Sandy Spring Museum sits on 7 acres and serves as a community arts and cultural center. The festival became a tradition, and this year will mark its 40th anniversary with musical performances, pony rides, games, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks and all-you-can-eat strawberry shortcake.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; $5 per person, $20 per family, $15 unlimited play wristband; Sandy Spring Museum, sandyspringmuseum.org
No wonder
June 25
Acclaimed composer and pianist Mark G. Meadows honors a musical legend in his Tribute to Stevie Wonder concert. Expect to hear Stevie Wonder favorites, including “Superstition,” “Higher Ground” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You” at this outdoor lawn concert by Meadows, a Strathmore Artist in Residence alumnus, and his band. The concert is part of Strathmore’s Bloom Community Events series, which is designed to expand access to the arts by providing free and low-cost events. Guests are welcome to bring picnics and chairs or blankets. RSVP online.
5 p.m., free, Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center, Silver Spring, strathmore.org
Living history
June 25-26
Discover how Montgomery County residents lived through different periods in history during Heritage Days. Parks and historic sites around the region will host special events, demonstrations, musical performances and kids activities during the two-day festival. Learn about pre-Civil War-era farming, historic African American communities and stops on the Underground Railroad at some of the 40-plus heritage sites in the county, including farms, schoolhouses and museums. Visit the event website for details on venues and activities.
Various times and locations, heritagemontgomery.org