Events in Frederick County 2026

Join us at any or all of the events below.

April 24–27: City Nature Challenge

Find an event or observe on your own anytime during this time period.

Check back, as more events will be added.

Plus, the Maryland Biodiversity Project will be in town.

During the City Nature Challenge

April 24 — Friday

Tree Walk with the Frederick Forestry Board at Gambrill State Park

12:00 pm at Gambrill State Park Trail System Parking Lot on Gambrill State Park Road after Rock Run area. (Detailed directions at registration)

Join this guided walk on the Red trail to learn about differences in forest ecosystems, succession, and tree ID. Plus, we will record wild plants, animals, and fungi using iNaturalist along the way.

Registration is preferred. See the bottom of this page for more details.

April 24 - Friday

Bennett Creek Bioblitz in Adamstown

2-6:00 pm, Address to be provided after registration

Document the wildlife that lives here in this wooded area separated by a creek. This property is on the path of the proposed 70 mile electrical transmission line for the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, which, if approved, will cut through waterways, prime wilderness, farms, and other cultural properties in Frederick County. The purpose of the MPRP project is to enhance the electric grid managed by PJM, which would benefit mostly data centers in Virginia. Please note that this property does not have established paths and we will be fanning out through the property and toward the creek.

Registration is required.

April 24 — Friday

Creek Exploring at Catoctin Creek Nature Center

4–6:00 pm at Catoctin Creek Nature Center, 2929 Sumantown Road, Middletown

Join in for a walk to explore Catoctin Creek. We will search for creek critters and help each other with identifying every living thing we can find! Children welcome with adult supervision. Park in the Catoctin Creek Nature Center parking lot. Meet at Shelter #2 near the playground.

April 24 — Friday

Backyard Bioblitz with Park Rangers in Urbana

6–8:00 pm, Urbana District Park, 3805 Urbana Pike, Urbana, Meet at Shelter 3

Join us for a family‑friendly Bioblitz at Urbana District Park in support of the 2026 City Nature Challenge! Explore the park alongside a Park Ranger as we search for and identify the many plants, animals, and insects that call our backyard home. During this hands‑on nature adventure, families will learn how to observe wildlife, use identification tools, and document their findings to contribute to real community science. Every discovery—big or small—helps us better understand and protect the biodiversity in our local environment.

April 25 — Saturday

Frederick Bird Club Early Migrants and Spring Arrivals

8:30–10:30 am at C&O Canal at Lander Road and Point of Rocks

Join us along the canal to look for early early migrants and spring arrivals.
Register: by contacting Anir Bhat at frederickbirdclub@yahoo.com.

Meeting location and other details will be sent to registered participants.

April 25 — Saturday

Bird City Brunswick

9–11:00 am at Brunswick Crossing Welcome Center

1000 Potomac View Parkway, Brunswick

Please join us for our first ever bioblitz to identify wild living animals and plants and record (photo or sound) the data using iNaturalist. We’ll explore a pond, stream, and the woods. Open to families. Bring binoculars (if you have them), a smart phone (if you want to learn how to record). You can download the iNaturalist app for free.

Contact Barb Kemerer, bkemerer1@aol.com for questions or to RSVP.

April 25 — Saturday

ThorpeWood City Nature Challenge

9am–12 pm at ThorpeWood, 12805-A Mink Farm Road, Thurmont

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: become a community scientist for the day at Thorpewood, photographing local wildlife and plants to document nature’s hidden wonders and showcase our region’s biodiversity. You’ll also compete on behalf of the Frederick/DC Metro team to record the most observations in the world!

April 25 — Saturday

Villages of Urbana (VOU) Family Fun Day

12–3:00 pm Now indoors at Stone Barn Community Center due to weather

Come learn about the wild things that we live with in Urbana, and how the community supports wildlife habitat and the environment. If the rain clears up, we will take a stroll and look for wildlife at the edges of Stone Barn. In partnership with the VOU Grounds and Social Committees and Green Team Urbana.

April 25 — Saturday - Cancelled

Nature Walk at Worman's Mill Park

2–3:00 pm at Worman's Mill 39.459012, -77.381804

This event has been postponed until June on account of the weather.

April 25 - Saturday

Earth Day Celebration at Morris Orchard Natural Burial

2-4:00 pm at 9489 Pear Lane Frederick

Join Michael Judd and Mobilize Frederick for a free afternoon gathering at Morris Orchard. We'll explore the principles of agroforestry — designing farms and landscapes that work with nature rather than against it. Learn from Michael and watch a live grafting demonstration that will leave you with new eyes for the trees around you. You are welcome to observe wildlife and upload photographs in iNaturalist, while attending this event.
RSVP here for the address.

April 25 — Saturday

Backyard and Bug Bioblitz with Park Rangers at Othello Park

7–10:00 pm at Otehllo Park, 1901A Jefferson Pike, Knoxville, meet at equestrian trail parking area

Join us for a family‑friendly Bioblitz at Othello Park in support of the 2026 City Nature Challenge! Explore the park with a Park Ranger as we search for and identify the many plants and animals that call our backyard home. Families will learn how to observe nature closely, use simple identification tools, and contribute real data to community science. As the sun goes down, the adventure continues. We’ll set up special nighttime equipment to attract and observe nocturnal insects and other creatures that come alive after dark. From moths to beetles and everything in between, you’ll get a chance to see what hidden wildlife emerges when the park gets quiet.

April 26 — Sunday

Frederick Bird Club Warblers & Wildflowers at Catoctin Mountain Park

8–11:00 am address provided upon registration

Celebrate the magic of spring on a guided hike that blends birding and botany.

Meeting location and other details will be sent to registered participants.

April 26 — Sunday

Fountain Rock Frolic with the Frederick County Nature Council

10 am–12:00 pm at 8511 Nature Center Place, Walkersville

Join the Master Naturalists of Frederick County at Fountain Rock Park and Nature Center as we explore the variety of habitats located within the park in search of plants, insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fungi! Meet us in front of the Nature Center.

All participants under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information and to register, email dana.collingwood@gmail.com. Walk-ins welcome.

April 26 - Sunday

Urban Oasis at the Pearl Street Garden with Wild Ones

11 am-1:00 pm at Pearl Street, Frederick

Help create an inventory of the wildlife that depends on this garden in the middle of Frederick City. Explore 5,000 square feet of native plants and trees. Plus, learn how to create your own "place" and biodiversity map.

Registration required: https://forms.gle/9Z7gcb3vnyU8DgRi8.

April 26 — Sunday

Celebrate Citizen & Community Science Month with the Brunswick Green Team

2-3:00 pm at Brunswick Branch Library, 915 North Maple Avenue, Brunswick

This program for adults introduces the City Nature Challenge. Learn more about local wildlife and discover how your observations can contribute to real scientific projects. Participants will receive a guided introduction to iNaturalist, the free app used by community scientists to identify species and record findings. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or brand new to the science community, this program will show you how simple it is to get involved.

April 26 — Sunday

Bioblitz and Aquatic Exploration with Park Rangers at Pinecliff Park

6–8:00 pm at Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick, Meet at the boat ramp

Join us for a family‑friendly Bioblitz at Pinecliff Park in support of the 2026 City Nature Challenge! Head out with a Park Ranger to explore the park’s diverse habitats and help identify the many plants and animals that call this area home. Families will learn how to observe nature up close, use simple identification tools, and contribute their findings to community science efforts. During this Bioblitz, we’ll spend extra time around Pinecliff’s streams, ponds, and the Monocacy River, discovering the life that thrives in and around our waterways. From frogs and fish to aquatic insects, riparian plants, and the wildlife that depend on clean water, there’s always something new to uncover along the shoreline.

April 27 - Monday

The Biodiversity of Moon Valley Farm in Woodsboro

2-5 pm, 9700 Gravel Hill Road, Woodsboro

Let us know if you would like to join: email carey.murphy@mobilizefrederick.org

April 27 - Monday

Bioblitz in Waterford Park - Special focus on trees with Cooler Neighborhoods program

4-6:00 pm at Waterford Park, 199 Meadowdale Ln, Frederick

Join Mobilize Frederick, Friends of Waterford Park, and Hood College students to document the wildlife in Waterford Park! Pay close attention to the bugs, birds, and critters that are supported by different species of trees.

To inquire about registration, email kylie.baker@mobilizefrederick.org

Available in ASL

April 27 — Monday

Backyard Bioblitz with Park Rangers at Utica District Park

6–8:00 pm at Utica District Park, 10200B Old Frederick Road, Frederick, Meet at Snook Family Agriculture Farm

Join us for a family‑friendly Bioblitz at Utica District Park in support of the 2026 City Nature Challenge! Explore the park alongside a Park Ranger as we search for and identify the many plants, animals, and insects that call our backyard home. During this hands‑on nature adventure, families will learn how to observe wildlife, use identification tools, and document their findings to contribute to real community science. Every discovery—big or small—helps us better understand and protect the biodiversity in our local environment.

After the Challenge

April 28

Virtual Identification Training with DC Metro Team