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Potomac residents are gearing up for a fall filled with festivals and tours that have proven to be seasonal traditions. Among them are the Middle Eastern Bazaar at the Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Potomac Country House tour and the Potomac Barn Tour, and the traditions — both new and old — are sure to be crowd-pleasers this season.

The Potomac Barn Tour, now in its third year, is a fundraiser for the Potomac Hiking and Bridle Trails Association, a group that protects and preserves hiking and horse trails in the area. The self-guided tour is slated to take place from noon to 5 p.m., Sept. 26, and will open the doors of unique barns in Potomac and the Agricultural Reserve. This year, the tour will spotlight the wide spectrum of equine activities in the area. In Potomac, the tour will take participants to the Stoney Creek Saddle Club, featuring a 20-stall barn where a fundraising carnival for therapeutic riding will be underway. For an additional fee, children can take pony rides. In Poolesville, vaulting demonstrations will take place at Seneca Sport Horses, a full-service equine training and rehabilitation facility. Also in Poolesville, a premier hunter and jumper barn will be showcased at Centurion Farm, and in Beallsville, participants can check out a dressage demonstration at the Dutch Friesian breeding operation Wish Upon a Ster. Tickets are $20 per car.

"All of this money is going towards maintaining the bridle trails," said Elaine Jones, a board member for the Potomac Bridle and Hiking Trails Association. "I think [tour participants] will see horses in many different environments."

For more information about where to buy tickets, or to buy tickets online, visit www.pbhta.org/barn.html.

Also this fall, a Potomac tradition 54 years in the making will take residents through some of the most unique homes in the area. The Potomac Country House Tour, organized by St. Francis Episcopal Church, will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4. The tour, which is self-guided, will also this year feature nearly double the number of vendor boutiques at the church, located at 10033 River Road in Potomac. Residents can get a jump start on holiday shopping at the boutiques from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Both days, a gourmet lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and desserts will be served up or purchased to take home until 5 p.m. A live auction will kick off at 8:30 p.m., Oct. 2 at the church, and an online auction will also be offered. The tour will benefit numerous local and national charities and will take residents through homes including a town home, a tavern replica, a French provincial manor and a renovated family colonial. Tickets are $25 or $20 in advance. For information about ticket outlets, visit www.potomaccountryhousetour.org.

Just down River Road at the Sts. Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church, the 25th annual Middle Eastern Bazaar and Food Festival will be underway Oct. 16-18. The festival will feature shish kabob, gyros, marinated baked chicken, hummus, tabooley salad, falafel, kibbee, spinach pies and baklava, all served up within the halls of the Byzantine-style church. The festival will also offer live music Friday and Saturday evenings, along with arts and crafts; raffles; jewelry booths; international groceries; religious items; and children's activities. The festival will be underway from 11a.m. to 9 p.m., Oct. 16-18 at the church, located at 10620 River Road. For more information, call the church at 301-765-9188 or visit www.peterpaul.net.

Rock out for the arts

at Wootton

This October, support the arts at Thomas S. Wootton High School and rock out at the same time. At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, a concert will be held to benefit arts programs at the school, located at 2100 Wootton Parkway. The show will feature local high school and college bands including Pulse, Infinite Faze, FreQontrol, Throwing Season, The Sea Life, Breaking Borders and Metrophish. Doors will open at 7p.m. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

Goings-on at the Potomac United Methodist Church

The Potomac United Methodist Church is gearing up for its 2009-2010 Sunday School year. Sunday school classes kick off at 10 a.m., Sunday, and at 11 a.m. the Senior United Methodist Youth Fellowship will organize a car wash for the community.

From 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 25 at the Parish Center, the church will collect bikes for the charity Bikes for the World, which delivers bikes to people in developing countries so they can have reliable methods of transportation. The collection will be part of PUMC's Faith in Action weekend. The church is collecting sewing machines, cell phones and eyeglasses, and the day will include a bake sale and outreach activities for children. For more information about the church, visit www.potomac-umc.org.

Local chief,

national recognition

Congratulations to James P. Seavey Sr., chief of the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department, who was recently named Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year by Fire Chief Magazine. Seavey was honored with the award in Dallas. The award recognizes a volunteer fire chief who demonstrates outstanding leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public and contributes to the fire service as a whole.

Seavey has been fire chief since 1992, and according to fire department board members, he had been a tireless volunteer for the citizens of Bethesda and Potomac.

Golf outing

to benefit county needy

The sixth Annual Midas Automotive Golf Outing to benefit Interfaith Works, a county nonprofit, tees off at 11 a.m. Sept. 25, at Blue Mash Golf Course, 5821 Laytonsville Road, Laytonsville. The event helps to support Interfaith Works' programs that serve the community's most vulnerable residents. Proceeds go to interfaith programs. Interfaith Works, formerly Community Ministry of Montgomery County, is a non-sectarian interfaith coalition of more than 140 member and affiliated congregations representing more than 65,000 families that work together to meet the needs of the poor, according to the group's Web site.

For more information and to register, visit http://iwgolf.eventbrite.com

For more information on Interfaith Works, visit www.iworksmc.org or call 301-762-8682.

Let your voice be heard

County Executive Isiah Leggett is gearing up to host a town hall meeting at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Thomas W. Pyle Middle School, 6311 Wilson Lane in Bethesda.

The meeting is free and will be videotaped by County Cable 6, the County government channel. Sign language interpreter service will be provided upon request, but notice must be given at least 72 hours prior to the event. Contact 240-777-6507, TTY 240-777-6505 or e-mail a request to karen.falcon@montgomerycountymd.gov. For more information, call 240-777-6507.

Help a friend in need

Young people who would like to make a difference in the lives of homeless children are invited to join the County's Youth Advisory Committee's "Big Buddy, Little Buddy" program.

Mentors must attend Montgomery County public or private high schools, provide their own transportation and commit to three hours a week at the Greentree Shelter in Bethesda. Volunteers will qualify for student service learning credits.

Student mentors will assist their "buddies" with homework and arts and crafts projects, as well as play games and participate in sports activities with their mentees. Group activities are planned once a month off the premises.

Applications must be received by Friday. For more information, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec, or call 240-777-6985.

This column is for you. Send press releases, news tips and other information to Erin Donaghue by phone to 301-280-3007, by e-mail edonaghue@ gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.