The historic Prince George’s Bank building in Mount Rainier is slated to be converted to an inclusive arts education center.

Located at 3800 34th St. just off the Mount Rainier circle, the building is being restored by Compass Inc., a Beltsville-based nonprofit that supports people with developmental disabilities.

They are raising money to turn it into a center where people of all abilities can make art and share it with the public.

Built in 1922, the building is one of Route 1’s best surviving examples of neoclassical architecture from the early 20th century, along with the other Prince George’s Bank branch at 5124 Baltimore Ave. in Hyattsville.

The first “Raise the Roof” fundraiser for the arts center will be held at Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co. in Olney from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, featuring live music by Kat and the Curious.

The nonprofit is also looking for sponsors and individual donors.

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The City of College Park will host its signature event, College Park Day, on Saturday, Oct. 7, from noon to 6 p.m. at the College Park Aviation Museum and Airport.

The event features live music, food and drink vendors, a kids and family zone with a dedicated stage, attractions, games, free entry to the aviation museum, community exhibitors, and a helicopter fly-in.

Live entertainment on the main stage features performances by Laundry World, Starlight Anthem, So Fetch, and Black Masala.

This year will feature an even bigger kids and family area with a dedicated family stage with performances by Mad Science of Washington, The Great Zucchini Magic Show, Bridgette Childrens’ Music, Zig Zag Magic Show, and Silly Goose & Val.

New this year will be Big Wheel races for children 50 inches and under with various race times set throughout the day.  There will also be live performances by Gymkana, stilt walkers, jugglers and more.

Visitors are encouraged to check out fun activities, crafts like pumpkin painting, insect petting zoo, bounce houses and obstacle courses, games (for kids and adults), and giveaways from community groups as well.

College Park Day will feature more food and drink vendors than before. Food vendors this year include: Taqueria Habanero, Virtual X Kitchen, Jas & Fam Caribbean Flavor, Cocineros, London Chippy, Catalyst Hot Dogs, Maria’s Kitchen, Kona Ice, Tatak Pinoy, Aunt Titty’s, Jet Set BBQ, Cakelady Desserts, Lameera Ice Cream, and Thai Amity Kitchen.

Beer and wine options (for those 21+) offered by Streetcar 82 Brewing Co., Denizens Brewing Co., Maryland Meadworks, and Franklin’s Brewery.

Aviation enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy browsing the airport museum’s extensive exhibits, for free only on College Park Day.  There will even be a helicopter and plane fly-in.

This is a family-friendly event, but organizers ask that visitors leave pets at home.

The event will take place at the College Park Aviation Museum at 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. Free parking is available at nearby lots and the College Park-UMD Metro Garage. A free shuttle service will be available from the UMD Campus, City Hall (free parking will be available at the Downtown College Park Parking Garage), & CP-UMD Metro Garage. Bike racks will be available for those using local trails to get to the event.

Find more information at www.collegeparkday.org.

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The city of Hyattsville is using colorful art to improve pedestrian safety.

On Saturday, Baltimore-based Graham Projects will paint a series of colorful murals around the intersection of Church Place and Gallatin Street.

The asphalt art, which stretches from the sidewalk about the width of a car into the street, is designed to make the road feel narrower for drivers and focus their attention on the potential for foot traffic in the area.

Research from the Asphalt Art Initiative shows that these kinds of projects lead to a 50 percent decrease in the rate of crashes involving pedestrians, a 37 percent decrease in the rate of crashes that lead to injuries and a 17 percent decrease in overall crashes.

Drivers are asked to be careful when passing by the area on Saturday. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center will be holding a free art activity from 1 to 3 p.m. for families.

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A new all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant is aiming to take College Park’s Asian restaurant scene to the next level.

Located at 8503 Baltimore Ave., MeatUp Korean BBQ is located in the former home of Kangnam BBQ. Owner Lawrence Chen took over the space in May after buying it from the former owner.

Chen also runs Momo’s Cafe, which serves Taiwanese cuisine and Japanese bento boxes near George Washington University.

MeatUp’s main attraction is all-you-can-eat barbecue, in which customers cook their own thin slices of meat at the table, with a $20 lunch and $30 dinner option.  There’s also a ramen bar, a selection of hearty Korean stews, and chicken wings and other appetizers.

Chen is also adding a ghost kitchen — a space where food can be prepared for pickup and delivery — to be run by noted D.C.-area chef Peter Chang, who runs Chang Chang near Dupont Circle.

MeatUp joins another Route 1 corridor Korean barbecue restaurant, Iron Pig Korean BBQ, located in nearby Berwyn Heights.

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The New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt is raising money to address financial problems leftover from the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of a $10,000 fundraising campaign to keep the music venue and restaurant open, the member-owned not-for-profit that manages the cafe will hold a Masquer-AID the Cafe Ball on Oct. 14.

“We hope to capture the Halloween spirit, provide top-quality entertainment, and raise money for our music program with a costume ball,” says Katy Gaughan, co-chair of the event. “Get ready to don your favorite mask and dance the night away!”

The gala will feature music from popular local bans Just Stones and the Wild Anacostias along with other performances, finger foods and desserts throughout the evening and a champagne toast.

The New Deal Cafe is also seeking sponsors for the gala, who will receive tickets, limited-edition art prints and recognition on commemorative plaques. All proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales will go directly to the Cafe’s music and arts program.

“Your support will enable us to continue providing award-winning musical programming that brings people together and strengthens community bonds,” says Caitlin Gompf, the Cafe’s music director. “If you love the New Deal, if you love a masquerade, or if you just love rockin’ tunes, this is a night you simply can’t miss!”

Tickets, which cost $50 a person, can be purchased online here. For questions, contact Gaughan at katy@katygaughan.com or Gompf at music@newdealcafe.com.

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A Hyattsville retiree and working artist recently painted a new mural along the Metropolitan Branch Trail in D.C.

Elliott Hamilton, 63, was one of 16 artists chosen by the NoMa Business Improvement District as part of the D.C. Walls Festival to add a mural on the wall between the popular bike trail and the Red Line tracks.

His mural uses simple shapes and bright greens, reds and yellows to depict a family biking along the trail on a sunny day.

Hamilton, who worked in the tech community as a consultant, strategic planner and market researcher, had long made art as a hobby. But after retiring, he turned to art more seriously about four years ago.

“I have more time for my art,” he told the Hyattsville Wire.

He previously painted a mural at the miXt Food Hall in Brentwood, a traffic box covering in Riverdale Park and insect houses. The new mural is located next to Alethia Tanner Park in NoMa.

Hamilton’s art can also be seen on his website or Instagram page.

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The city of Hyattsville is working with University of Maryland researchers to improve the Emerson Street Food Forest.

Located at 4515 Emerson St., the food forest is a planned garden with a variety of herbs, shrubs, berries, fruit and nut trees available for the public to harvest and eat year-round, including pawpaws, which are currently in season.

The pesticide-free garden is already mostly self-sufficient, needling little irrigation and no fertilizer and just a little weeding and upkeep from volunteers every now and then.

But researchers with the Global FEWture Alliance plan to use money from a grant program to capture rainwater from a large metal roof on a nearby building and add compost bins to dispose of weeds and food waste.

They’ll also add some new features to make the park more usable as an outdoor classroom for University of Maryland students studying agriculture and the environment.

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