Olney Days Updates & History
2020 was a year everyone will remember. Unfortunately it will be remembered for the pandemic which caused the closing of schools, businesses, and events like Olney Days. All of the 2020 Olney Days events were cancelled, and in 2021 only the Free Paper Shred event was held. The entire community was excited to celebrate in 2022 and every event had record attendance.
Each year we build upon our successes. Here are some highlights for 2023:
Olney Days started over 40 years ago with a parade along Georgia Avenue. It has grown each year to now cover three days of family friendly events for all ages, drawing over 15,000 attendees from Olney and surrounding areas. Planning begins in the fall with the Olney Days Planning Committee. It takes approximately 100 adult and 300 student volunteers and dozens of corporate sponsors each year to make it a success. When you see the "Proud Olney Days Sponsor" sticker in a business's window, please thank them for supporting our community.
Olney Civic Fund raises money to support Olney area non-profits AND to fund community events like the annual Olney Days celebration, Barrel Aged Beer Event, and Oktoberfestival. Past grant award winners include Project Change, Our House, Olney Help, First Generation College Bound, Olney Theatre, and Olney Farmers and Artists Market.
- The Free Paper Shred Event will continue to include an exchange of lightbulbs (incandescent to LEDS) AND it will collect clothes and shoes AND include collections for Terracycle - essentially all the things you wish would be able to be recycled (make up jars/tubes, office supplies like pens, markers, pencils, food storage containers including #6 plastic and squeezable containers, toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers)
- First Annual Rec Regatta - race a boat made from CARDBOARD. Must be able to hold 2 people. Google cardboard boat races. This is be a super fun event. Make your boat today to bring to the swim center.
- The Party in the Park will have local bands and demonstrations ON TWO STAGES thanks to The Karen Rollings Team and MedStar Health, the beer & wine garden, food trucks, carnival games, a GIANT slingshot, free fun on the field activities (soccer, frisbee, base run, archery, tug of war contests), free moon bounce thanks to Kang's Black Belt Academy, and evening ends with FIREWORKS.
- Martin's Sedan and Limousine and Winter Growth will provide FREE shuttle service to Olney Manor Park from the ICC Commuter Lot on Georgia Ave. ALL parking in Olney Manor Park will be paid parking after 2:30.
- Parking at Oakdale Church this year will be by Parking Pass only - get yours free by visiting one of our participating sponsors. No purchase necessary and only one per person/family group.
- The Community Clean Up on Sunday morning will start at Olney Manor Park. Groups (formal and informal) can also sign up to clean up an area of Olney of their own choosing. Olney Civic Fund will arrange with the county to provide bags and pick up of the trash.
- After the Parade, food trucks will be in the St John's School parking lot - walk over to enjoy some yummy choices.
Olney Days started over 40 years ago with a parade along Georgia Avenue. It has grown each year to now cover three days of family friendly events for all ages, drawing over 15,000 attendees from Olney and surrounding areas. Planning begins in the fall with the Olney Days Planning Committee. It takes approximately 100 adult and 300 student volunteers and dozens of corporate sponsors each year to make it a success. When you see the "Proud Olney Days Sponsor" sticker in a business's window, please thank them for supporting our community.
Olney Civic Fund raises money to support Olney area non-profits AND to fund community events like the annual Olney Days celebration, Barrel Aged Beer Event, and Oktoberfestival. Past grant award winners include Project Change, Our House, Olney Help, First Generation College Bound, Olney Theatre, and Olney Farmers and Artists Market.
How did Olney Days start?
From Helene Rosenheim:
I was living in Olney 37 years ago, but hadn't discovered Olney Days yet. It was really mostly just a parade then and few activities those first few years started by Graham and Kathy Little, the dynamic, visionary couple who began many great Olney traditions - Graham lead the Olney Chamber of Commerce then, and Kathy was the director of Longwood and the parade was their idea because they knew the importance of building a sense of place. And once I discovered it, I knew it was a community tradition that needed to be preserved. So, when the Chamber decided they were not able to coordinate it any longer, I knew the Greater Olney Civic Association had to keep it going, and make this celebration of our community continue to grow. That lead to the creation of the Olney Civic Fund, intended largely to coordinate Olney Days, but to provide financial support to lots of other groups and organizations that are a part of what makes Olney Olney. It has been great fun watching and helping the parade grow into this weekend-long celebration that has played an important role in building memories and traditions that make Olney the special place it is.
I was living in Olney 37 years ago, but hadn't discovered Olney Days yet. It was really mostly just a parade then and few activities those first few years started by Graham and Kathy Little, the dynamic, visionary couple who began many great Olney traditions - Graham lead the Olney Chamber of Commerce then, and Kathy was the director of Longwood and the parade was their idea because they knew the importance of building a sense of place. And once I discovered it, I knew it was a community tradition that needed to be preserved. So, when the Chamber decided they were not able to coordinate it any longer, I knew the Greater Olney Civic Association had to keep it going, and make this celebration of our community continue to grow. That lead to the creation of the Olney Civic Fund, intended largely to coordinate Olney Days, but to provide financial support to lots of other groups and organizations that are a part of what makes Olney Olney. It has been great fun watching and helping the parade grow into this weekend-long celebration that has played an important role in building memories and traditions that make Olney the special place it is.
From Barbara Falcigno:
When people ask me why I help coordinate Olney Days, I usually ask why if they contribute to a charity or school that they attended. If they do, the answer is usually they feel a connection, or they are proud of where they once belonged. If they feel no connection, they do not contribute. To me Olney Days is about building those connections in the community and when you feel connected to the people and businesses in your town, you feel like it is YOUR town. There's a sense of ownership, a sense you belong. For example, if you are out walking and see trash on the ground, you pick it up because it is YOUR street in YOUR town. If you don't feel any ownership, then why bother to pick up the trash because someone else can do it. After the past two years with the pandemic, I think we all need to feel connected. Afterall, Olney is OUR town and there are not many places like it.
When people ask me why I help coordinate Olney Days, I usually ask why if they contribute to a charity or school that they attended. If they do, the answer is usually they feel a connection, or they are proud of where they once belonged. If they feel no connection, they do not contribute. To me Olney Days is about building those connections in the community and when you feel connected to the people and businesses in your town, you feel like it is YOUR town. There's a sense of ownership, a sense you belong. For example, if you are out walking and see trash on the ground, you pick it up because it is YOUR street in YOUR town. If you don't feel any ownership, then why bother to pick up the trash because someone else can do it. After the past two years with the pandemic, I think we all need to feel connected. Afterall, Olney is OUR town and there are not many places like it.