All posts by Ryan Kelly

News, Takoma Park Newsletter

Step into the School Year with a Walking School Bus

What is a Walking Bus?

A Walking Bus involves a group of children walking to school together, led by adult volunteers, such as parents. Similar
to a traditional school bus, it follows a designated route and schedule, allowing children to meet at specified stops before walking to school under supervision.

Benefits of a Walking Bus
  • Promotes Physical Activity: Walking helps children meet their daily exercise needs, combating obesity and improving overall health.
  • Enhances Safety: Walking in a group increases visibility and safety. Adult leaders assist children with traffic navigation and safe crossing practices.
  • Builds Community: Fosters connections among families and neighbors, creating a sense of belonging and community spirit.
  • Benefits the Environment: Reduces car traffic and emissions, promoting a healthier environment.
  • Alleviates Traffic Congestion: Minimizes cars around school, making drop-off and pick-up times safer and less chaotic.
How to Start a Walking Bus
  1. Gather Interest: Connect with other parents to discuss forming a walking bus group.
  2.  Plan Your Route: Identify a safe route with sidewalks, crossing guards, and pedestrian crossings. Visit the City of Takoma Park’s “Map Your Route” page to find recommended and safe paths.
  3. Set a Schedule: Determine a pick-up and drop-off schedule that aligns with school hours.
  4. Recruit Volunteers: Find adults willing to supervise the walking bus. Adequate supervision is key to safety.
  5. Communicate with the School: Inform your school and the Special Project Coordinator Kaysi-Ann Webley (kaysiw@takomaparkmd.gov) about your walking bus plans, for additional resources, or for suggestions.
  6. Promote Your Walking Bus: Use flyers, or school newsletters to inform other parents and encourage participation.
  7. Hold an Orientation: Organize a session to explain the walking bus operation and address questions before the school year starts.
Pedestrian Road Safety Tips
  • Look Both Ways: Always look left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
  • Use Crosswalks: Cross streets only at designated crosswalks or intersections.
  • Stay Visible: Wear bright or reflective clothing to ensure drivers can see you.
Get Involved!

We invite you to consider launching a walking bus to your school. This initiative promotes health, safety, and community engagement. Takoma Park is committed to providing safe walking routes to all our schools. We encourage parents and students to visit our Safe Routes to School page. On that webpage, detailed maps outline the safest paths to each school in our Safe Route to School Program highlighting designated crosswalks, crossing guards, where sidewalks are missing, and routes that minimize exposure to vehicular traffic.

If interested or needing support, contact Kaysi-Ann Webley at kaysiw@takomaparkmd.gov or visit bit.ly/SRTSRoute for more resources.

Let’s work together to make this school year a safe, active, and enjoyable experience for our children!

This article appeared in the September Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.

News, Takoma Park Newsletter

Takoma Park Arts Returns with Free Performances

The Takoma Park Arts series will return this fall with more free arts events at the Takoma Park Community Center, including an art exhibition, concerts, and an improv musical.

Organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities division, the series features free events in the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium at 7500 Maple Ave. No tickets or reservations are required, but donations are accepted to support the performers.

“We’re very excited to share the arts with local residents and visitors in free performances,” the city’s Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith says. “We provide honorariums, extensive promotion, and a state-of-the-art venue to support artists and performers from across the D.C. area, which enhances Takoma Park’s well-earned reputation as an arts-friendly city.”

More than 1,500 people attended 13 Takoma Park Arts events during the 2023-24 season. There’s more info about our upcoming events here and at takomaparkmd.gov/arts, where you can sign up for the Takoma Park Arts e-newsletter.

Takoma ARTery Exhibition
Opening Reception

Friday, September 20, 7:30 p.m.

Artwork by local artists from the Takoma ARTery group will be featured in a group exhibition in the gallery spaces at the Takoma Park Community Center. The artwork branches across a wide range of mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media.

The Takoma ARTery is a local volunteer-run group of artists that organizes artwork displays at the Historic Takoma building, Olive Lounge, and other locations. Many of the artists’ work also is featured in an online artist directory at takomaartery.com.

D.C. Labor Chorus

Friday, October 18, 7:30 p.m.

Featuring singers from Takoma Park and other communities, the D.C. Labor Chorus will lead an audience sing-along of some favorite civil rights and peace and justice songs.

Led by director Elise Bryant, the chorus includes about 25 members of various ages, races, and faith traditions who have performed at concerts, rallies, demonstrations, and picket lines. Some of the singers are current or former union members, and every member actively supports the principles of liberty and justice for all.

iMusical Improv Musical

Friday, November 15, 7:30 p.m.

What’s going to happen during the iMusical performance? No one is sure yet, including the actors since they will be improvising a live musical on the spot.

Based at the Washington Improv Theater, iMusical has performed at the Kennedy Center, theater spaces, and comedy festivals on the East Coast. Founding director Travis Ploeger created the improv group in 2006 after moving to D.C. from New York City.

At the beginning of a performance, the group of about six actors takes suggestions from the audience for the theme of the show and then creates a musical with completely improvised scenes, lyrics, and music with piano accompaniment.

“I wanted to create an improvised musical not to satirize the genre but to celebrate it, having warmth and poignancy as well as comedy,” Ploeger says.

News Alert, Public Notices

TKPK Receives $220,000 Grant from US Department of Transportation to Improve Roadway Safety

The City has been awarded $220,000 from the US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program.

We are one of 354 local, regional, and tribal communities receiving funding to improve roadway safety and prevent deaths and serious injuries on America’s rural and urban roads.

This planning and demonstration grant will result in a comprehensive safety action plan, including two demonstration projects to test methods of protecting pedestrians and reducing vehicular crashes:

  • The first demonstration project will test a mid‐block crosswalk and pedestrian refuge island at one bus stop.
  • The second demonstration project will test the hardening of left turn lanes, temporary curb extensions, and other measures at four intersections.

Stay tuned for more information about the city project here. For further details about the US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program grant program, check out:

News Alert, Public Notices

What Tenant Protections Exist in Takoma Park?

Takoma Park has been at the forefront of renter protections in the State of Maryland, through the implementation of a number of policies. We will briefly go over a few of the policies and programs that exist to help renters in Takoma Park.

  • Rent Stabilization provides limits on the amount rents can be raised annually which allows renters to continue to live in the City.
  • The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Law (TOPL) which gives tenants the first right to purchase their rental home or assign their rights if it is being sold. We also provide financial assistance for tenants exploring purchasing their building to help them exercise their rights.
  • The Commission on Landlord Tenant Affairs (COLTA) provides a quasi-judicial forum to adjudicate landlord-tenant disputes instead of Court. The Commission is made up of community members who rule on cases.
  •  A Community Engagement Specialist who assists with referrals to legal aid groups and county agencies as well as provides mediation between landlords and tenants. In FY 2024 our office handled roughly 800 cases.
  • The Emergency Assistance Program provides funds up to $3,600 for households who are facing an eviction due to rent owed or facing a foreclosure and $1,400 for renters or homeowners who have received a disconnection notice from a utility provider.
  •  Annual or Biannual inspections of all rental units to proactively find and correct issues as part of the City’s Rental Licensing Program. Most of our rental units are inspected annually while some rental units are allowed to be inspected biannually (if they have five or fewer minor violations).
  • A Tenant Displacement Ordinance to require landlords to house and compensate renters if their unit is severely damaged through no fault of their own.
  • A County law to notice and potentially compensate tenants who may be displaced due to redevelopment or condominium conversion.
  •  In FY 2025, there is additional funding for a Renters Insurance Incentive Program Pilot to encourage renters to sign up for renter’s insurance as well as funding for tenant legal counseling and organizing. HCD Is working on these programs and will be releasing more information soon!

HCD also has put together a housing resources guide which has contacts at community agencies, and providers who can meet the housing, legal services, utilities assistance, and social service needs. The guide is in English, Amharic, and Spanish.

What more could be done?

The two most impactful policies that could be implemented require state level changes. The first is a ‘good cause’ eviction. Current state law allows landlords to provide a two-month, no cause notice to evict a tenant. A good cause eviction would require the landlord to provide a reason before issuing an eviction notice. The second policy would be a right to counsel law. Currently, there is no right for tenants to have representation at eviction hearings. This puts tenants often at a disadvantage to landlords who are usually represented.

You can explore other policies to assist tenants from The National Housing Law Project’s National Tenant Bill of Rights.

Helpful Links
News, Public Notices, Takoma Park Newsletter

City of Takoma Park Election for Mayor and City Council

Notice of Meeting to Nominate Candidates for the November 5, 2024 , City Election
  • Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
  • Takoma Park Community Center (Auditorium)

The Takoma Park Nominating Caucus is a public meeting that will convene at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 , in the Takoma Park Community Center Auditorium, 7500 Maple Ave. The purpose of the meeting is to accept nominations of candidates for mayor and city councilmember. Only registered voters of the city present at the meeting (or on Zoom) may nominate or second the nomination of a candidate. If not yet registered to vote, residents may register up until 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

Nomination of each candidate for city councilmember may be made on motion of any voter of the ward, and if such nomination is seconded, the person so nominated will be considered a candidate. Nominations of candidates for mayor may be made on motion of any voter of the city, and if such a nomination is seconded, the person nominated will be considered a candidate. A person may only accept a nomination for one city office. The name of each person nominated for the offi ce of mayor and city councilmember will be placed upon the official ballot for the November 5, 2024 , City Election unless the person declines the nomination or does not meet the qualifications for office.

City Election: Tuesday, November 5, 2024

2024 is an election year in Takoma Park. City voters will be electing a mayor and all six city councilmembers to two-year terms. The Nominating Caucus is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Election day is Tuesday, November 5.

The Election will be conducted by mail! For those who need to vote in person, there will be voting at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave) on Election Day.

Information About Candidates.

The October issue of the Takoma Park Newsletter will include names, photos, and 150-word statements from all candidates. Watch for information about candidate forums and events to educate yourself about your choices.

Voter Registration for the City of Takoma Park Election (and for the Presidential Election).

Most voter registration is handled by the Montgomery County Board of Elections. The most important action you can take to prepare for these two elections is to confirm that you are
registered at your current address in Takoma Park. If nothing has changed, and you have voted before at your address, you should be fine. If you have any doubt, or if you have moved in the past few years, confirm or update your registration right away.

Information on how to check your registration is available on the city website or by contacting the city clerk.

If you are not registered, register now. Don’t wait!

If you are 16 years old and a U.S. citizen, you may register with the Montgomery County Board of Elections, even though you will not yet be able to vote in the presidential election. You will be able to vote in the City election.

Residents who are not U.S. citizens, or who do not wish to register with the State of Maryland, may register with the City of Takoma Park to vote only in City elections for mayor and city council.

For the City of Takoma Park election for mayor and city council, registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail. There is no need to request a ballot. However, if you will be out of town in October, request that an absentee ballot be sent to you at your out-of-town address.

For the presidential, state, and county election, voters must request a mail-in ballot from the Montgomery County Board of Elections if they do not wish to vote in person. For more information, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/elections.

For additional information about the city election, visit the City Website.

This article appeared in the September Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.

News Alert, Public Notices, Takoma Park Newsletter

City Council Considering New Tax Credits for Housing Development

To help spur investment and reinvestment in housing in Takoma Park, the city council is considering a proposal to offer tax credits for construction, preservation , and reinvestment in housing.

The program involves four separate tax credits—which still must be passed by the city council—that implement the city’s Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan. The plan was passed in 2019 and aims to preserve the city’s existing affordable housing, produce new housing as well as provide new homeownership opportunities, and protect current residents from displacement.

The Housing and Economic Development Plan was adopted after more than three years of in-depth research, staff facilitation, community engagement, and council deliberation. The resolution is a comprehensive plan that outlines the Council’s strategic vision for guiding the city’s growth and development over the next decade.

“We did this work to get a housing and economic plan that sets the strategies from 2019 to 2030,” said Housing Manager Devin McNally . “Part of that was recognizing we need more housing of all kinds. This is aimed at implementing that high-level strategy by investing in our existing housing and preserving the housing for our most vulnerable residents. It’s trying to move the needle in three different directions, choice, stability , and quality.”

Rental Housing Tax Credit

The first of the four proposed tax credits is to encourage the creation of new rental housing. It will be a by-right 15-year tax credit for any property constructing 10 or more net new residential units. After a property is developed, it will have an increased tax assessment, and the credit would be for the additional value created by the project. For the first 10 years, the property would only pay the property tax they had been paying before they built the new housing. The property tax would then increase over fi ve years until the credit expires. There are currently 390 parcels in the city zoned for multi-family development.

In cases of redevelopment—in which the property owner adds additional units to a building—the tax credit would be scaled to only provide incentives for new units created. So if a 90-unit building is redeveloped into a 100-unit building, the adjustment would be the net number of new units (10) divided by the project size (100) for a credit that would be 10% of what it could be.

“Our multi-family buildings are all aging, and most are 50 years old,” said McNally. “We’re hoping for 200 additional rental homes in the city over the next 10 years. It takes time for these projects to get going, so we’re hoping people start looking at the city for new, high quality development.”

Missing Middle Housing Construction Credit

The second tax credit is a Missing Middle Housing Construction Credit, meant to incentivize smaller scale, multi-unit ownership opportunities.

These credits are for smaller units, like townhomes, duplexes , and cottage courts—typically five to 20 units around a common area.

“The idea is that we want to encourage things like duplexes, triplexes, townhomes,” McNally said. “Instead of building a McMansion, we’re encouraging smaller scale homeownership opportunities.”

Affordable Housing Preservation Credit

The third tax credit is an Affordable Housing Preservation Credit meant to safeguard the current provision of difficult-to-provide housing types, like those for extremely low-income, seniors, individuals with disability, and people who need transitional housing.

“This is for deed-restricted housing. These are houses that have a contract with the government for affordable housing,” said McNally. “These are mostly operated by nonprofits offering affordable housing. ”

Housing Reinvestment Credit

The final credit is a Housing Reinvestment Credit meant to encourage proactive investment and upgrades in multifamily buildings.

This will be a competitive credit for multifamily properties that invest at least $6,500 per unit in substantial upgrades and do not displace any residents. Allocations would be based on affordability level, proposed scope, and history of citations/ violations.

The city chose to propose tax credits for a number of reasons, including that they provide predictable financial support; the credit value is proportional with private investment; tax credits allow for higher subsidies than the city could provide with a grant or loan; and that Housing Reserve Fund and General Fund Dollars are limited and are required up front.

Helpful Links

This article appeared in the September Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.

News, Takoma Park Newsletter

Spotlight on Frontline Police: Choosing Service to the Community Above All Else

For Takoma Park’s frontline police officers, knowing the community they serve is one of the most important parts of the job.

“The officers know very well where they work with Takoma Park being a diverse and politically active environment,” said Lieutenant Matt Muzzatti, Takoma Park’s patrol operations commander. “They are what the public sees first hand of the government. Most scenarios, officers are arriving because something happened and people need assistance. Officers understand today’s political climate and that it’s their responsibility to maintain public trust.”

Takoma Park is unique from other jurisdictions of its size in having its own police department and not relying on the Montgomery County police to patrol its streets.

“We’re a very special area surrounded by three very different jurisdictions,” said Muzzatti. “We’re a full-service department so
we don’t rely on Montgomery County, but we have a relationship with them as well as Prince George’s County and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department. That comes with all the nuances that all the jurisdictional lines bring.”

Muzzatti says understanding the diverse make-up of Takoma Park is integral to being able to keep the community safe.

“We know very well that Takoma Park has a large immigrant community,” said Muzzatti. “Some may not be here legally, so we try to stress as best as we can that calling the police will never call into question on their legal status. What concerns us is keeping the community safe. Most of our teams have one to two Spanish speaking officers. They are very happy to see us for the most part.”

Muzzatti also says the Takoma Park police department is always looking to the future to guide its policies, even leading the nation on reforms to address community concerns.

“The residents hold our agency to a very high standard,” he said. “We definitely want to meet their concerns. Takoma Park police is an experiment on how policing can look in the 21st century, and we look to see what’s the next evolution. Our department was fully fitted with body cameras before most others were even thinking of it. We also had restrictions on chokeholds well before the George Floyd incident.”

He says they department takes public sentiment very seriously and that they are well aware of the concerns of the public, especially after the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I don’t think any officer wants to become the next St. Louis or Ferguson,” he said. “We don’t want to end up on the news or be known as a department that operates in that manner.”

While Takoma Park is relatively safer than its neighbors, Muzzatti says a lot of that has to do with how quickly they’re able to respond to issues that may come up.

“I’d say we’re absolutely an outlier in Takoma Park regarding crime rates,” he said. “Takoma Park is like a fish bowl and all these officers are circling the outside, so we keep a lot of crime out of the city. We’re constantly keeping crime out. With Takoma Park, potential criminals don’t know that the officer could be responding from just a  block away. We have success in reducing crime in the city when it comes to comparing the agencies.”

The city currently has nearly 40 officers who patrol the streets in 12-hour-long shifts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“I used to work the night shift,” Muzzatti said. “I was working from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. I’d check emails to see what occurred during the daytime, conduct a roll call with my officers, and from there we go out on patrol—and for 12 hours we’re patrolling the city.”

Muzzatti says it takes a special type to become a police officer in Takoma Park, with officers choosing service to the community above everything else.

“The average law enforcement officer chose to work this job, not because it pays well or has great benefits,” he said. “I think a lot of these guys choose to work in law enforcement because it’s an interesting job and very rewarding. It comes with a lot of job satisfaction, but it’s a hard job.”

Muzzatti says the city is always recruiting new officers with entry-level salaries starting at $65,090 and going up to $87,476, based on years in service. For more information, visit the City of Takoma Park Police Webpage.

The Takoma Park newsletter will be doing profiles on some of the city’s frontline police officers over the next months. If you have a story you’d like to share about how a city police officer helped you, email seang@takomaparkmd.gov.

This article appeared in the September Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.

News, Public Notices

What are Impact Fees & How does New Development pay for its Impacts?

One question many residents have is how does new development offset its impact on the community. As a note, projects are proposed, reviewed and approved through the County, you can see a detailed guide here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/public-notices/developing-land-in-montgomery-county-city-of-takoma-park-edition/

New construction and substantial renovation typically require the development to provide:

  1. A payment of impact fees for roads and schools and
  2. The provision of public benefits.
Public Benefits

Any large project proposed – evaluated based on the proposed building and the size of the property – is required to include public benefits, implemented through a points system developed by the County Planning Department. When public benefits are mandated, the process is known as the optional method of Development. This mandates the project provide a number of public benefits (the amount depends on the size of the project), such as sidewalks, public parks, and other community needs.

Impact Fees

Any new project would be assessed Impact Fees, known as Development Impact Taxes in Montgomery County. Development Impact Taxes are set by the Montgomery County Council and assessed on new residential and commercial buildings and additions to commercial buildings in the county to fund, in part, the improvements necessary to increase the transportation or public-school systems capacity, thereby allowing development to proceed.

In addition to Impact Taxes development may be assessed a Local Area Transportation Improvement Policy fee (LATIP) depending on the location. The County Department of Permitting Services is charged with collection of Development Impact Taxes.

Helpful Links
News Alert, Public Notices

What are Tax Credits?

 

Like most local governments, Takoma Park is funded through taxes on the value of private property in the City. The value of a property is assessed by the State of Maryland every 3 years. When a property is reassessed, any new construction would be included in the increased assessment of a property.

  • For example, if a property owner built a new apartment building that cost $1,000,000 to build, the new assessed value would increase by close to that amount (with some adjustments based on the price similar buildings in the area have sold for recently).
  • The incremental assessment would be the difference between the previous assessment and the new assessment.

A tax credit is a reduction in the tax bill. Other names include a tax abatement, PILOT, or tax rebate. The credit is added to the annual property tax bill and reduces the amount the property owner owes the City. The City is proposing 2 tax credits which would forgo the increased tax revenue (the incremental assessment discussed above) created by a property owner’s investment in their property as part of the City’s Proposed Housing Tax Credits.

The City has focused on tax credits for several reasons:
  1. Tax Credits are specifically mentioned in the Housing & Economic Development Strategic Plan as a policy recommendation.
    • Housing and Community Development agrees with this recommendation because, with limited annual revenues but high per property assessments, tax credits represent the best avenue for the City to realize more immediate gains in housing priorities with lower up-front cost.
  2. Furthermore, the proposed credits provide predictable financial support that can be used in obtaining financing from lenders.
  3. Additionally, the value of the credit is based on the value of the investment in the City, which means that higher quality housing will be rewarded with a higher credit.

In other municipalities, incentives such as increasing the speed of review, reducing parking or other requirements, and allowing more units have been implemented as incentives to encourage housing production. The City is in a unique position because we do not have the ability to change these policies since they are controlled by the County. Furthermore, the City has a significant amount of affordable housing (roughly 40% of the City’s rental homes are deed-restricted Affordable Housing). This necessitates different tools than other jurisdictions.

Helpful links:
Public Notices, Takoma Park Newsletter

Celebrate the End of Summer with the Takoma Park Folk Festival on Sunday, September 8

For many people in Takoma Park, the annual Folk Festival marks the official end to summer and the beginning of the fall—with a day of music and community as we prepare to knuckle down at school and work.

Traditionally held on the second Sunday in September, this year’s Takoma Park Folk Festival falls on Sunday, September 9—from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Takoma Park Middle School once again.

Following the renovation on Lee Jordan field, the Field stage has been moved to the basketball court, but still honors Takoma Park hero Lee Jordan as the Jordan Court stage. This year introduces the Tom Prasada-Rao Memorial stage in honor of the Takoma Park singer-songwriter legend, who passed away in June of this year. Late
Takoma Park Mayor Sam Abbott, the driving force behind the first Folk Festival in 1978, is honored once again with the Abbott stage. Other stages coming back this year are the Silk Road, Grove, and Crossroads stages.

The festival offers an array of musical experiences—Americana, folk pop, country blues, klezmer-fusion, soulful lounge, indie rock, ska, and more—44 acts across six stages.

From its beginning, the Folk Festival has taken a broad approach to the term “folk music,” which became pigeon-holed by the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s.

“It could really be any kind of music from any place,” says Candice Broda, Folk Festival publicity chair. “The programming group has really worked hard to make a diverse lineup so that it’s not your grandpa’s folk music. They want it to be more diverse and have younger people, too. They’ve picked a few that they’re calling emerging artists—we have four of them.

“They don’t want to have the same performers year after year,” continues Broda, “so if you’ve performed one year, they won’t choose you for the following year. You can apply and be chosen the next year. But they try to not have the same exact lineup every year just to give other people a chance to come in and show what they can do.”

“We have so much talent in our region; it’s great to be able to share that with people,” says Robin Stearn, Folk Festival chair, “But it’s so much more than music—there are lots of things to do all day long.”

Broda reminds residents that the festival will also feature “food from all over the world—food trucks and coffee, and sweets. And there’s also a juried craft show, with amazing pottery, soap, jewelry, artwork, everything you can imagine. And we’re kind of ramping that up children’s activities this year.” Broda also points to the community tables as an important tradition of the folk festival, with the opportunity for festival-goers to connect with local groups and initiatives.

The first Folk Festival was held in 1978 with one stage, organized to raise money to save the Takoma Theatrer, on 4th Street in Takoma D.C., from being demolished by a developer. That first festival set the tradition of a yearly gathering to celebrate live, local music, entirely organized by volunteers.

“I’ve been volunteering with TPFF since 2017,” says Joy Markowitz, Folk Festival secretary. “It’s a lot of work to pull off a big festival, but the satisfaction of seeing a diverse group of people enjoying music,
crafts, and community is very uplifting. I’ve been introduced to new music that I continue to listen to regularly, and I’ve made some new friends along the way.”

“The festival is a volunteer-run event, so we are constantly looking for people to help produce the festival to help out,” says Broda. Potential volunteers can visit the festival’s website or send an email to volunteer@tpff.org.

Check tpff.org to see the line-up and for information
about the crafts and other details.

This article appeared in the August Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.