Events

PUBLIC EVENTS

Yard Dramas partners with Penny's Puppets for

Waves of Tales: A Watershed Park Parade and Storytelling Extravaganza

July-November 2024 | Drop by when you can!

RSVP here to this free event!

Check here for more details about at-home activities!

Hyattsville has 5 wards, and we are engaging each of them!

  • Ward 5: Saturday, December 21 | 4:30- 6 PM | Amphitheater, At River Terrace Road & Little Branch Run

Past Dates

  • Ward 4: July 13 - Story for Water | 10 AM-11:30 AM | 33314 Lancer Drive, Hyattsville
  • Ward 2: July 20 - Story for Land | 10 AM-11:30 AM | 3922 Oliver Street, Hyattsville
  • Ward 3: November 16 - Story for People | 10 AM-11:30 AM | 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville
  • Ward 1: November 23 - Story for Change | 10 AM-11:30 AM | Emerson Food Forest, 4515 Emerson St, Hyattsville

Immerse yourself in an arts experience to learn about the Anacostia Watershed. Participate in a dazzling community parade featuring native animals of the region. Let enchanting tales transport you to different worlds to illuminate our region's climate change issues. This in-person event guarantees an unforgettable experience for all ages, blending art, culture, and nature in a wonderful celebration you won't want to miss!

Each of the five events kicks off in a Hyattsville neighbor's yard or a defined grassy area. We will be puppet-making, storytelling, and parading to/in a nearby park for a litter pickup. Participants and onlookers of the parade are encouraged to join the fun. We encourage you to bring work gloves. We will have bags and other supplies available.

Get Ready for the Experience

Check out this page to learn about event activities and stuff you can do at home to prepare!

PAST EVENTS

Yard Dramas partners with Takoma Park Library at Crossroads Market

Anne St. @ University Blvd E in Takoma Park

Next to the Mega Mart

Wednesdays, June 5-August 21, 2024 | 10:30 AM-12:30 PM | Drop by when you can!

Join us this summer for our engaging drop-in storytelling sessions at the market! This program is open to the market community of all ages. Sessions will promote multiliteracy, foster creativity, communication, and collaboration through theater skills, and support ongoing academic learning throughout the summer.

Keep an eye on this page where we will share exciting prompts and activities to spark your creativity and enhance your storytelling skills ahead of each session. Plus, look out for fun activities that you can enjoy at home!

Summer 2024 at Crossroads Market

Early Learners Fun Fridays

NW Branch of the Anacostia River at University Hills Duck Pond Park, 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville, MD 20783

Fridays, October 20-November 17 2023 | 10 AM-10:45 AM | Drop by when you can!

Let's experience the equinox together. Reflect. Shed. Let go. Transform, and move into our next stage - autumn. These drop-in sessions are open to the community and targeted at age 2 to grade 5.

By Wednesday evening of each week, we will update this page with any weather-related changes. We hold our meetings regardless of weather, but this approach makes us flexible.

Oct-Nov 2023

September Early Learners Fun Fridays

NW Branch of the Anacostia River at University Hills Duck Pond Park, 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville, MD 20783

Fridays, September 2023 | 10 AM-10:45 AM | Drop by when you can!

Let's experience the equinox together. Reflect. Shed. Let go. Transform, and move into our next stage - autumn. These drop-in sessions are open to the community and targeted at age 2 to grade 5.

Summer Monthly Earth Pageant

Puppet, Music, and Dance Processional for the Anacostia Watershed

NW Branch of the Anacostia River at University Hills Duck Pond Park, 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville, MD 20783

Fourth Saturdays, April-August 2023 | 10 AM-12 PM | Drop in when you can. Stay for 2 hours or 30 minutes!

  • 10-11 AM Artistic Engagement Listen to a story for inspiration and participate in age-appropriate activities for all levels to build puppets, costumes, and instruments.
  • 11 AM - Anacostia Watershed Processional Make noise for the Anacostia Watershed by participating in a parade featuring things you made.
  • 11:15 -12 PM Educational Segment Hear from an expert who leads a brief talk. Then participants will grab garbage bags and pick up litter.

JoinYard Dramas and Penny's Puppets for the Summer Monthly Earth Pageant every last Saturday (April-August 2023) at 10:00 AM in Hyattsville, MD. This in-person event will be held in the University Hills Duck Pond Park at 3400 Stanford Street, and it promises to be a fun-filled day for all attendees.

The Summer Monthly Earth Pageant is a celebration of all things nature, and we're excited to bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate our planet. There will be a variety of activities and performances, including interactive storytelling and a talk with an expert, and a processional or parade where we make noise for the Anacostia Watershed native plants and animals using costumes, puppets, instruments we build together, and perhaps even words and songs we write from the perspective of an animal!

Whether you're a nature lover, an environmentalist, or just looking for a fun day out with the family, the Summer Monthly Earth Pageant is the perfect event. So mark your calendars and join us for fun, learning, and celebration

Isn't it time you joined the movement to steward the natural environment of the Anacostia Watershed?

Hyattsville PorchFest

Stories and Songs for Families

Saturday, September 10 | 2-6 PM

Join Jennifer & Penny at 3917 Madison Street at 5 PM!

An afternoon of music and fun. Each porch marked on this map is host to different performers. You can visit one, two, or all of the porches listed—it’s up to you. BYOS (Bring Your Own Stuff—food, beverage, something to sit on), but don't forget to pick up after yourself. Have fun and enjoy the incredible talent we have here in Hyattsville!

Hyattsville Porchfest Image
Stories and Songs for Families!

Wondrous Watershed Wellness ** Maravilloso Bienestarde la Cuenca

un program comunitario gratuito ** a free community program

Saturdays, June 25-Aug 27 | 9:30 AM ** Sábados, Junio 25-Aug 27 | 9:30 AM

For all ages, babies to elders! ** Para todas las edades, desde bebés hasta mayores!

Download a Program Flyer! ** ¡Descargue un folleto del programa! HERE/AQUÍ

University Hills Duck Pond Park

3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville

¿Qué podemos cultivar? ** What can we grow?

Tap into the individual wisdom & collective creativity of residents of all ages. Let's grow wellness, land stewardship, and transformation through the stories we tell. Bring your voice to this creative process as we develop Hyattsville's next big thing!

Aproveche la sabiduría individual y la creatividad colectiva de los residentes de todas las edades. Cultivemos el bienestar, la administración de la tierra y la transformación a través de las historias que contamos. ¡Traiga su voz a este proceso creativo a medida que desarrollamos la próxima gran cosa de Hyattsville!

Summer Early Learners Program

Wednesdays, July 13-August 31

9:30 AM-10:15 AM

*Also starting a Saturday morning program for all ages!

University Hills Duck Pond Park

3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville

Our Summer Program in Hyattsville's Ward 3 runs for 9-weeks. These drop-in sessions are open to the community and targeted at age 2 to grade 2.

This page will be updated each Sunday night with the upcoming week's announced day. While we meet in all kinds of weather, having a little bit of flexibility allows us to take into account the weather.

  • Week 1: July 13
  • Week 2: July 20
  • Week 3: July 27
  • Week 4: August 3
  • Week 5: August 10
  • Week 6: August 17
  • Week 7: August 23
  • Week 8: August 31
  • Week 9: September 7
Espirales Montessori Bilingual Logo

Spring Program

March 30-May 25 (best weather day of the week)

10:30-11AM

University Hills Duck Pond Park

3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville

Our Spring Program in Hyattsville's Ward 3 runs for 9-weeks. These drop-in sessions are open to the community and targeted at babies to grade 2.

This page will be updated each Sunday night with the upcoming week's announced day. While we meet in all kinds of weather, having a little bit of flexibility allows us to take into account the weather.

  • Week 1: Wednesday, March 30
  • Week 2: Friday, April 6
  • Week 3: Wednesday, April 13
  • Week 4: Wednesday, April 20
  • Week 5: Wednesday, April 27
  • Week 6: Wednesday, May 4
  • Week 7: Wednesday, May 11
  • Week 8: Wednesday, May 18
  • Week 9: Wednesday, May 25
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Winter Program

Feb 1-March 11 (best weather day of the week)

10:30-11AM

University Hills Duck Pond Park

3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville

Our Winter Program in Hyattsville's Ward 3 runs for 6-weeks. These drop-in sessions are open to the community and targeted at babies to grade 2.

This page will be updated each Sunday night with the upcoming week's announced day. While we meet in all kinds of weather, having a little bit of flexibility allows us to take into account the weather.

  • Week 1: Wednesday, February 2
  • Week 2: Wednesday, February 9
  • Week 3: Wednesday, February 16
  • Week 4: Wednesday, February 23
  • Week 5: Wednesday, March 2
  • Week 6: Tuesday, March 8
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Creative Minds

Tuesdays: 9/21, 10/5, 10/19, 11/2, 11/16

10:30-11:30AM

David C. Driskell Community Park

Jennifer partnered with the families in Hyattsville's Creative Minds programs. The program took place in Driskell Park.

City of Hyattsville Logo

Cheverly Community Market

Saturdays: 8/14, 8/28, 9/25, 10/23, 11/20, 12/11

10-10:30AM

Cheverly Community Market

6401 Forest Road, Cheverly

Penny Russell and Jennifer Ridgway told stories with community participation from market patrons. Stories were focused on food and the environment.

Cheverly Community Market Logo

Summer 2021 Yard Dramas Challenge

Check out the 2021 schedule of parks.

Tell us what parks we missed, so that we can be sure to visit them in the future!

It's Time For A Transformation: #PG30Parks30Days

In 2021 we visited 30 Prince George's neighborhood parks with our interactive storytelling program. In this free program, we used theatre, puppetry, music and dance to help families and individuals of all ages re-connect and re-imagine!

Thank you to PGAHC for their support of #PG30Parks30Days!

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