⭐ FEATURED THIS WEEK
THE SUMMER SOUL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
Sunday, September 6 | 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM 📍 Charles County Fairgrounds, 8440 Fairgrounds Road, La Plata 💵 Ticketed
Fifty years of Go-Go, four of the bands that actually built it, and it's happening in our backyard. Summer Sky Entertainment is bringing Rare Essence, Junkyard Band, Backyard Band, and Northeast Groovers to the Charles County Fairgrounds for what is easily the biggest thing on the calendar this weekend.
Doors open at noon and the music runs until 8. DJ Frisco and DJ Rico are handling the sets in between, SiriusVybe's Derrick and Scooby DaGodSon are hosting, and Billy Da Kid is on the bill too. Tents are available if you want shade, and the fairgrounds give you room to spread out.
Go-Go is a D.C. sound, but the crowd for these shows has always come from all over the DMV, and Charles County has been part of that story for decades. Getting four bands of this caliber on one stage, this close to home, is not something that happens most years.
And the timing is the whole point. It's Labor Day weekend, so there's no alarm clock Monday.
🏘️ COMMUNITY & SEASONAL PICKS
Labor Day weekend, and the county decided to go all out.
🏀 COURT PROGRAMS DROP-IN SESSIONS
Ongoing all week | Check link for the schedule 📍 Capital Clubhouse, 3033 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf 💵 See link
Soccer, volleyball, and basketball drop-ins run all week at the 90,000 square foot complex off Waldorf Market Place. All ages, scrimmages encouraged, and you don't need a team to show up. Pre-register online and you'll pay less than you would at the door.
🩺 HEAD TO TOE HEALTH EXPO
Saturday, September 5 | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM 📍 Indian Head Elementary School, 4200 Indian Head Highway, Indian Head 💵 See link
Screenings, wellness resources, and local health providers all under one roof in Indian Head. If you've been putting off getting something checked out, or you just want to know what services are actually available around here, this is a low-pressure way to find out.
🚂 LA PLATA TRAIN STATION MUSEUM OPENING
Saturday, September 5 | Multiple times, check link 📍 La Plata Train Station Museum, 101 Kent Avenue, La Plata 💵 See link
The Train Station Museum opens its doors for the day, and if you've driven past it on Kent Avenue wondering what's inside, here's your answer. It's a genuinely good look at how the railroad shaped La Plata into the town it is. Quick, easy, and simple to pair with the farmers market a few blocks away.
🌻 SOUTHERN MARYLAND SUNFLOWER FESTIVAL
Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 | Multiple times, check link 📍 Serenity Farm, 6932 Serenity Farms Road, Benedict 💵 See link
Six acres of pick-your-own sunflowers, hay rides, a petting farm, a local art show, and vendors, all benefiting the Farm Heritage Conservancy. This is the one that's going to fill your feed by Sunday night, and honestly, for good reason. Bring a camera and wear shoes you don't mind getting dusty.
🎵 LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
The last long weekend of summer, and nobody around here is going quietly.
📺 LOVE ISLAND REUNION WATCH PARTY
Monday, August 31 | 8:30 PM 📍 Bar 919, 2736 Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 See link
Watching the reunion alone is fine. Watching it in a room full of people who have opinions is better. Drinks, commentary, and a group of neighbors who care about this exactly as much as you do.
🍗 $1 WING SUMMER NIGHTS
Monday, August 31 | Evening 📍 3059 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf 💵 $1 wings
The Monday wing deal is still running, and this is the last one of August. Cheap, easy, and a perfectly good reason to not cook on the final night of the month.
🎣 FIRST FRIDAY LINE DANCE & FISH FRY
Friday, September 4 | 6:00 PM 📍 Grace's Event Center, 4045 Renner Road, Waldorf 💵 See link
Fish fry and a line dance floor, which is a combination that has been working in Waldorf for a long time now. Come hungry, wear shoes you can actually move in, and don't worry if you don't know the steps. Somebody will show you.
🍜 FUSION FRIDAY: KOREAN FOOD, SOJU & SAPPORO
Friday, September 4 | Evening 📍 3059 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf 💵 See link
Korean food with soju and Sapporo, which is not the usual Friday night lineup around here. If you've been wanting to eat something different without driving to the city, this is your window.
🎸 LIBRARY AFTER HOURS: LIVE MUSIC WITH HOMETOWN BAND
Friday, September 4 | 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM 📍 CCPL La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Avenue, La Plata 💵 Free
The library stays open late and hands the room over to the Hometown Band. It's free, it's family-friendly, and it's one of the more charming things on this week's calendar. Also the last library event before every branch closes for the holiday.
🥂 THE BREAKFAST CLUB: GROWN & SEXY BRUNCH
Saturday, September 5 | 9:00 AM 📍 Shark Bar and Seafood House, 2056 Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 See link
A grown-folks brunch with music, food, and enough of a scene that you'll want to put on real clothes. Starts the holiday weekend off at the right pace.
📼 BE KIND & REWIND
Saturday, September 5 | 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM 📍 Port Tobacco Restaurant and Marina, 7536 Shirley Blvd, Port Tobacco 💵 See link
The Ultimate 90s Experience takes the stage at Port Tobacco Restaurant and Marina, and they are asking you to dress in your 90s best. Four hours of the hits, on the water, on Labor Day weekend. If that doesn't close out summer properly, nothing will.
🎤 REACTION & NEW IMPRESSIONZ
Saturday, September 5 | 8:00 PM 📍 Shark Bar and Seafood House, 2056 Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 See link
Two bands, one Saturday night, right on Crain Highway. Consider it the warm-up act for Sunday's festival, or the main event if you can't make the fairgrounds.
🎨 ARTS, WELLNESS & CREATIVE EXPERIENCES
Make something with your hands before the week gets away from you.
🧶 HAPPY HOUR CROCHET & KNITTING
Monday, August 31 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM 📍 CCPL Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Drive, Indian Head (and online) 💵 Free
Bring your yarn and sit with people who are all somewhere different on the learning curve. Beginners and longtime crafters in the same room, which is exactly how you get better. Join in person or hop on virtually if you'd rather stay home.
🖨️ CRAFT AND LISTEN: LINOCUT STAMP MAKING
Tuesday, September 1 | 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM 📍 Cup of Sugar Tea Lounge, 12540 Mattawoman Drive, Waldorf 💵 Free
Carve your own linocut stamp while an audiobook plays in the background, this month "What You Are Looking For Is In The Library" by Michiko Aoyama. It's a CCPL program hosted at one of the coziest spots in Waldorf, which is a pairing that just works.
🪵 RUSTIC COTTAGE FARMHOUSE SIGN
Wednesday, September 2 | 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM 📍 CCPL P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village Street, Waldorf 💵 Free
Take a reclaimed plank of wood home as an actual piece of decor. All the fun of a paint night without the price tag attached, which is the library quietly doing what it does best. Registration required and these fill up.
🍸 HAPPY HOUR: BAR OPEN, COME ON IN
Thursday, September 3 | Evening 📍 AR Workshop La Plata, 317 Charles Street, Suite A, La Plata 💵 See link
No project required, no signup, no commitment. The AR Workshop bar is open, you grab a drink, and you get to see what everyone else is building. Nice low-stakes way to figure out if you want to book a workshop later.
🛋️ COZY FRIDAYS: CHUNKY KNIT BLANKET WORKSHOP
Friday, September 4 | Evening 📍 AR Workshop La Plata, 317 Charles Street, Suite A, La Plata 💵 See link
Arm-knit a chunky blanket start to finish in one sitting. Fall is about six weeks out and this is one of those projects you'll actually use instead of stashing in a closet.
🖌️ ANIME DAY AT PAINT N SIP
Saturday, September 5 | 12:00 PM 📍 Paint N Sip, 11110 Mall Circle, Waldorf 💵 See link
Paint your favorite character with the Paint N Sip team walking you through it. Cosplay is encouraged, talent is optional, and nobody is grading you.
👨👩👧 KIDS & FAMILY
School is back, but the weekend still belongs to them.
🍿 ANIME CLUB
Tuesday, September 1 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM 📍 CCPL Waldorf West Branch, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
Whether your teen has been watching for years or just started last month, this is a low-key way to find their people. No pressure, no quiz on the canon.
⚖️ STEM CLUB AT LA PLATA: BALANCE AND STABILITY
Wednesday, September 2 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 CCPL La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Avenue, La Plata 💵 Free
This month's physics lesson is balance and stability, which mostly means kids build things and then knock them over on purpose. Hands-on, a little chaotic, and they'll remember it.
🐕 CUTE AND COURTEOUS CANINES
Thursday, September 3 | 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM 📍 CCPL La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Avenue, La Plata 💵 Free
Certified therapy dogs from Southern Maryland Pets on Wheels come to the La Plata Branch and kids get to read to them. If you have a reluctant reader, this is one of the better tricks in the book. If you have a dog-obsessed kid, it's just a good morning.
🌊 STEM CLUB AT WALDORF WEST: EROSION BOX
Thursday, September 3 | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 CCPL Waldorf West Branch, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
Build an erosion box and watch water reshape a whole landscape in about twenty minutes. Messy in the way good science usually is.
🌳 HOMESCHOOL RECESS AT PISGAH PARK
Friday, September 4 | 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 Pisgah Park, with the CCPL Mobile Library 💵 Free
The Mobile Library pulls up at the park and homeschool families get unstructured play plus book browsing. Recess is underrated and this one comes with a library attached.
🃏 WALDORF SPORTS CARD, POKÉMON & HOBBY EVENT
Saturday, September 5 | 9:00 AM 📍 Old Waldorf School, 3074 Crain Highway, Waldorf 💵 See link
Buy, sell, and trade with local vendors and collectors who take this seriously. Bring the binder, bring the kid who's been asking about it, and set a budget before you walk in.
💥 TEEN TITANS #1 LAUNCH SIGNING WITH KYLE HIGGINS
Saturday, September 5 | Daytime, check link 📍 12522 Mattawoman Drive, Waldorf 💵 See link
Kyle Higgins is signing the launch issue of Teen Titans #1 right here in Waldorf, which is a real get for a local shop. If there's a comic reader in your house, this is worth rearranging the morning for.
🍔 MWPHGLMD ANNUAL CHILDREN'S DAY COOKOUT
Saturday, September 5 | 12:00 PM 📍 4400 Livingston Road, Indian Head 💵 See link
The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland hosts its annual Children's Day cookout in Indian Head. Food, games, and family activities, and it's been on the calendar for years for a reason.
📚 LIBRARY & LEARNING
Get your library week in early, because every branch closes Saturday.
⚠️ HEADS UP: ALL CCPL LOCATIONS CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY
Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7 📍 All Charles County Public Library branches
Every branch is closed for the holiday weekend. Grab your holds before Friday evening and plan your returns accordingly, because the drop boxes fill up fast over a three-day close.
🫀 CPR/BLS CERTIFICATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Tuesday, September 1 | 10:00 AM 📍 AllCPR Training Waldorf, 3261 Old Washington Road, Waldorf 💵 See link
American Heart Association CPR and Basic Life Support certification, the version healthcare employers actually accept. If your credential is coming up for renewal, this saves you a trip up 210.
📖 BEHIND THE STORY: AUTHOR TALK WITH DAVID O. STEWART
Tuesday, September 1 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 Online, via CCPL 💵 Free
Historian David O. Stewart joins CCPL's Virtual Author Speaker Series to talk about why the ideas that built this country still matter. Virtual, so you can listen while you fold laundry.
🤖 IDENTIFYING AI-GENERATED CONTENT
Tuesday, September 1 | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 CCPL P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village Street, Waldorf 💵 Free
Did a bot make that? Practical ways to spot AI-generated images, text, and video, which is turning into a genuinely useful life skill. Bring the relative who forwards you everything.
🎖️ VETERANS RESOURCE VISITS AT POTOMAC
Thursday, September 3 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 CCPL Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Drive, Indian Head 💵 Free
A Disabled Veterans Outreach Specialist and a Local Veterans Employment Representative from the Maryland Department of Labor are on site for employment and benefits questions. No appointment, just walk in. Pass this one along if you know someone who needs it.
📕 2026 ONE MARYLAND ONE BOOK VIRTUAL KICK-OFF
Thursday, September 3 | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 Online, with Maryland Humanities 💵 Free
The statewide read kicks off and you find out what the whole state is reading this fall. Good excuse to get ahead of the hold list before everyone else does.
🎱 1ST FRIDAY BINGO
Friday, September 4 | 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM 📍 CCPL Waldorf West Branch, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf 💵 Free
Games, prizes, and good company on the first Friday of the month. Free, an hour long, and a nice thing to do before the holiday weekend swallows everything.
🏛️ LOCAL GOVERNMENT & CIVIC MEETINGS
Tuesday is a big night at 200 Baltimore Street. Two hearings, one room, real money on the table.
🗳️ COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING
Tuesday, September 1 | Daytime, check agenda 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, and virtual 💵 Free
💰 PUBLIC HEARING: 2026 BOND ISSUE
Tuesday, September 1 | Evening 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, and virtual 💵 Free
This is the one to pay attention to. The county is taking public comment on a proposed $100 million bond sale covering water and sewer work, school construction, government facilities, parks, roads, and environmental projects. In-person speaker sign-up opens 30 minutes before the hearing. To speak virtually, call 240-776-6709 between 8 AM and 4 PM on September 1 to register.
🏬 PUBLIC HEARING: ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT #26-190
Tuesday, September 1 | 6:00 PM 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata 💵 Free
The amendment covers retail over 100,000 square feet and the parking requirements that come with it. Translation: this is the big-box development conversation. If you have thoughts about what goes up along our commercial corridors, this is the room to be in.
📐 TOWN OF LA PLATA PLANNING COMMISSION
Tuesday, September 1 | 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 📍 La Plata Town Hall, 305 Queen Anne Street, La Plata 💵 Free
Development and land use items inside town limits. Smaller room, shorter meeting, and often where the decisions that change your daily drive actually get made.
🐾 ANIMAL MATTERS HEARING BOARD
Wednesday, September 2 | 6:00 PM 📍 Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata 💵 Free
The county board that hears animal-related cases and appeals. Open to the public, and more interesting than it sounds.
How to Watch: Can't make it in person? Charles County Government TV (CCGTV) streams most public meetings live and archives them afterward. Check charlescountymd.gov for the viewing schedule.
🛍️ SHOP LOCAL & POP-UPS
Peak produce season, and four markets to prove it.
🥕 WALDORF FARMERS' MARKET
Saturday, September 5 | 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 2935 Crain Highway, Waldorf, next to Burn Box Pizza 💵 Free to browse
Producers-only, which means the person selling you the tomatoes is the person who grew them. Early September is when this market is at its best, so go for the peppers, the late corn, and whatever's left of the peaches. Runs Saturdays through November.
🌽 LA PLATA FARMERS MARKET
Saturday, September 5 | 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Downtown La Plata 💵 Free to browse
The Saturday market regularly sells out its vendor tables, which tells you what you need to know. Produce, meats, baked goods, and crafts right in the middle of town. Pair it with the Train Station Museum opening a few blocks away and you've got a whole morning.
🏪 POP-UP & GROW WEEKEND MARKET
Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 | 10:00 AM 📍 Shops at Waldorf Center, 2925 Festival Way, Waldorf 💵 Free to browse
Local vendors, artisans, and small business owners set up here every Saturday and Sunday, and the lineup rotates. Worth walking through even if you were there last weekend, because it's genuinely different people each time.
🚜 BRYANS ROAD FARMERS MARKET
Sunday, September 6 | 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM 📍 Ace Hardware, 3060 Livingston Road at Route 210, Bryans Road 💵 Free admission and parking, EBT accepted
Farmers, food trucks, cottage food producers, artists, and crafters in the Ace Hardware lot every Sunday through October 25. Free parking, EBT accepted, and the easiest low-key Sunday morning stop in west county.
🧠 Quick Reminders
🎤 Sunday is the Go-Go festival. Four bands, noon to 8, Charles County Fairgrounds. Buy tickets before you go.
🌻 Sunflowers are only up this weekend. Serenity Farm in Benedict, Saturday and Sunday, six acres of pick-your-own.
📚 Every library branch closes Saturday through Monday. Grab your holds by Friday evening.
💰 Tuesday's $100 million bond hearing is your one shot to weigh in. Call 240-776-6709 by 4 PM that day to speak virtually.
🌽 Four farmers markets this weekend. Waldorf and La Plata Saturday, Bryans Road Sunday, Pop-Up & Grow both days.
🎸 Free live music at the La Plata library Friday night. Hometown Band, 7 PM, all ages.
🚗 Check before you drive to the car show. September 5 is only the rain date for the August 29 event.
⚾ No Blue Crabs home games this week. They're at Lancaster through Sunday. Home again September 8.
Know a hidden local business?
Got a favorite spot that deserves more love? A new restaurant, boutique, artist, or service that your neighbors should know about? You can nominate one for a future issue → Here
That’s it for this week.
Before you go,
If you make it out to the fairgrounds Sunday or the sunflower fields at Serenity Farm, hit reply and tell me how it went. I want to know if the Go-Go crowd showed up the way I think it will. And if you spot something happening around the county that I missed, send it my way for next week.
That's the week.
From one local to another
— Candace