🍦The most epic playground in Annapolis

Good morning, Annapolis. At dawn on this day in 1814, a 35-year-old Francis Scott Key was so amazed to see the American flag flying over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry after a vicious overnight British attack that he scribbled a poem he called The Defence of Fort M’Henry. You and I know it better as The Star-Spangled Banner. Another fun fact: Key is a graduate of St. John’s College (Class of 1796).

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Ryan Sneddon

Laser season is approaching, and HALO is one of the most talked-about laser treatments for skin rejuvenation. But not all HALO technology is the same. If you’re investing in your skin, it’s worth knowing which HALO you’re getting and who is performing your treatment.

At Current Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, we offer HALO TRIBRID, the most advanced HALO technology. While traditional HALO combines two wavelengths, TRIBRID adds a third, giving us more options to treat different depths and concerns in the same treatment.

This added flexibility allows us to more precisely target sun damage, brown spots, fine lines, texture, and signs of aging, with less discomfort and downtime.

The technology is only part of the equation. At Current Dermatology, every HALO TRIBRID treatment is planned and performed by a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in skin biology, laser safety, and selecting the right settings for your skin and your goals.

There’s a reason Current Dermatology has been voted Best Laser Skin Treatment by What’s Up? Annapolis for three years in a row.

If you’re considering HALO this laser season, make sure you’re getting the best. At Current Dermatology, you get the most advanced HALO technology backed by dermatologic expertise. Visit www.currentderm.com or call (410) 384-3045 to schedule your treatment.

Back in March, AACPS closed its oldest playground (the one at Studio 39) because it no longer met safety standards.

The school system then set aside ~$150k for a new playground but said it was open to community fundraising for something bigger and better. Needless to say, the community picked bigger and better.

A small but mighty group called Friends of Germantown Park began to make some moves and boy did they move. They’ve since partnered with the Peake Social Foundation, designed and budgeted a huge playground, and worked with State Delegate Dana Jones on state funding.

Now as my father-in-law likes to say, “let’s talk about the money.” Friends of Germantown Park is raising $450k to make this dream a reality. But it’s more attainable than that.

Their goal is to raise $200k by December. If they can do that, it’s likely they’ll get $100k–$150k in state funding. Right now (through 9/30), an anonymous donor is doubling every dollar donated up to $10k. Donations through the Peake Social Foundation are tax-deductible.

There’s also a fundraiser at Metropolitan on October 22. You can stay updated and get involved at friendsofgp.com.

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Team Naptown Scoop Coast 2 Coast 4 ALS progress: $13,273/$20,000

If it seems like all anyone ever talks about in this town is parking, that’s because it kinda is. Between March and June, 38% of all complaints that hit the city ombudsman’s office were about parking.

City Manager Yolanda Lewis stood up a Parking Reform Workgroup in June, and last Wednesday it published its first report. Twelve draft recommendations, most of them 12–18 months out. But two changes hit sooner:

Further down the list: one app for every garage and meter, free resident hours tied to your utility account instead of a promo code, police with handheld plate readers that check payment before writing a ticket, and a single vendor running all parking once the current contracts expire at the end of 2027.

P.S. There’s a 5-minute survey that will help the workgroup develop its action plan. As we like to say here at Scoop, if you don’t chime in now, you don’t get to complain later.

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If your lawn is thin, patchy, or stressed from summer, fall is the perfect time to reset and grow thick, green results you’ll be proud of. Lawn Doctor’s Patented Power Seeding delivers stronger roots and fuller grass where you need it most.

Why It Works:

In combination with our Bay Friendly Lawn Program, our patented Power Seeding process creates the ideal environment for seeds to thrive— achieving over 90% germination under proper growing conditions. That means more seeds take root, more grass grows, and your lawn becomes thicker, greener, and more resilient.

Our Fall Lawn Recovery Program is packed with extras to help your lawn get off to a stronger start:

🌱 10% OFF our Patented Power Seeding
🌿 FREE Starter Fertilizer Program Upgrade
🧪 FREE Soil Test
💰 PLUS get an additional 5% OFF when you prepay

Fall is the best time to strengthen and thicken your lawn — and appointments are limited.

📲 Get on the schedule before fall spots fill up!
💻 lawndoctor.com/annapolis-md
_{*Offer valid through 9/21/26}

🎶⛵ Tunesday: Danah Denice – Chronic Sailing’s free floating concert series continues on Back Creek with Danah Denice on a catamaran stage. Music starts 90 minutes before sunset. Watch from a boat, kayak, paddleboard, or the new dock at Ellen O. Moyer Park.

🎈🎡 Anne Arundel County Fair – Opening day of the fair’s five-day run in Crownsville, 5 to 10 PM. $10 for ages 10 and up, free for 9 and under, and gate admission covers parking, shows, and concerts. Unlimited rides are just $15 and there’s a rodeo too (separate ticket, advance sales only).

🍽️ Dinner Under the Stars – Outdoor dining and live music on the first block of West Street, 5 to 9 PM, free to wander.

🏃 Forward Run Club – Free 5K from Forward Brewing in Eastport at 6 PM, all paces welcome, drinks and dinner after.

🎭 CP presents Our Town by Thornton Wilder – Colonial Players opens the final weekend of Thornton Wilder’s classic at 8 PM, $26 ($21 students, seniors, military), with a closing matinee Sunday at 2.

🎈🎡 Anne Arundel County Fair – Day 2’s daytime session (9 AM–2 PM) is free for seniors 62+ and individuals with disabilities. Highlights include the dinosaur show, draft horse pull, and firefighter show. Kids 9 and under are free, too! Last night for $15 unlimited rides.

🎈🍽️ Food Truck Fridays – A dozen-plus trucks serving everything from tacos to oysters on Harry S. Truman Parkway, 4 to 8 PM, free.

🪕 Annapolis Baygrass Festival Kick-Off Party – Jammy Buffet plays two sets with Cumberland Honey opening at Maryland Hall. Doors 6:30, music 7 PM, $21.

🎈🎶 You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – Compass Rose Theater’s Peanuts musical at 7:30 PM, $15, with 2 PM matinees Saturday and Sunday.

🎈🎡 Anne Arundel County Fair – Kids day! Daytime (9 AM–2 PM) is $5 for everyone 10 and up; evening is $15. Kids 9 and under are always free. Highlights include some free rides on the Midway (11 AM–1 PM), the tractor pull, and a K-9 demo.

🪕🌊 BAYGRASS 2026: Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival – Two days of bluegrass and jamgrass on the beach at Sandy Point with Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and so many more.

🎈🎡 Anne Arundel County Fair – As usual, the best is saved for last. Highlights include the antique tractor pull, tug of war, eating contests, the cute kid contest, and local country star Luke Borchelt on stage!

🏃 Annapolis RUN for The Light House – Sunday’s half marathon starts at 8 AM ($90), the 5K at 8:45 ($50), and the 1.25-mile Dash for Donuts at 9 ($25), through Quiet Waters Park and Hillsmere Shores.

🩰 Ballet in the Garden – Intimate outdoor ballet at Hammond-Harwood House Saturday at 5 PM, $65, with a glass of wine and a preview of Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s season.

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🏛️ Order of business – The City Council meets tonight at 7 at City Hall, and the public hearing list is quite interesting: letting homeowners rent out individual rooms long term, and adding human rights, environmental stewardship, and public safety language to the city charter’s preamble. Council also takes a final vote on the Art in Public Places rewrite and first readers on much steeper short-term rental fines, permit-free sidewalk signs, and food trucks at Historic District events. Agenda and how to give testimony.

🏫 Capital ideas – The school board holds a public workshop on Superintendent Mark Bedell’s Fiscal Year 2028 capital budget tonight at 6 in the Parham Building board room, streaming on AACPS-TV and YouTube. It’s open to the public, but no testimony is taken – that comes Wednesday. Sign-ups to speak are live now.

🗳️ Budget Roadshow – Mayor Jared Littmann and the City Council are taking the budget on the road with several town halls. Wards 5 and 7 go first with Alds. Brooks Schandelmeier and Rob Savidge at Pip Moyer on Wednesday, September 16 from 6:30–8 PM. Register now. Other wards? Stay tuned.

🏈 Kicked in the teeth – Navy was the consensus preseason pick to win the American Conference. Saturday night it trailed Florida Atlantic 38–7 in the third quarter, scored the game’s final 23 points, and still lost 38–30. Starter Braxton Woodson left with an ankle injury, and backup Jackson Gutierrez, who had two career pass attempts, accounted for three touchdowns. The Mids (1–1) are off this week, then at UAB on Sept. 25.

🐾 Doggy paddle – Dogs get the city pool for one morning a year, and registration is open now. The Doggy Dive In is Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 AM to noon at the Kenneth R. Dunn pool in Truxtun Park, $10 per dog, with small dogs at 10, medium at 10:40, and large at 11:20. No walk-ins, one dog per handler, and bring vaccination records. Humans stay out of the water.

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79 🌡️ 61 | ☀️ | 2% ☔ | 💨 N 16 mph (14 knots)

76 🌡️ 64 | ☀️ | 0% ☔ | 💨 E 7 mph (6 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 80ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | 2nd Monday Songwriters Showcase | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Ray Weaver | 7–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | In The Vane of Billy Joel | 7 PM | Tickets

49 West | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 7–9:30 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Madisun Bailey | 7–10 PM
Brian Boru | Ray Weaver | 6–9 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
🌳🎵 Chronic Sailing | Danah Denice | 7 PM
Copper Creek | Jazz Jam | 8–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Kurt Gibbons | 6–9 PM
The Point | Aidan Ewald | 5–8 PM

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with the family who has the most epic play set in their backyard.