Resolutionize Greenbelt
Making a resolution in 2026 to find your neighbors
If you are in resolution land, and if the snow (and ice!) slowed you down, then this post is for you! I’m writing this as I participate in a Group Hug one-hour zoom session, on one of my favorite places on substack. Literally, it’s a group of people that meets online once a month for an hour to get a thing done to build their community. Call it body doubling for our neurospicy neighbors, or just call it carving out holy time to build community. I’ve been trying to write this blog for a good month after I attended a dinner party and heard from a new neighbor that it was so hard to find people in Greenbelt. The February Group Hug session finally gave me the opportunity to do it. Want to join a Group HUG session to plan to do something in Greenbelt? RSVP to join the next one.
This year, I hope you will join me in making a resolution to CONNECT with your community and that’s what this blog post is about: finding each other in Greenbelt through all of the neighbor-led groups that are free to participate in and open to all. Because this is true: neighbors who know each other PROTECT each other, CREATE with each other, HELP each other and SOLVE problems together. Let’s all inject some three -dimensional neighbors into our lives.
How do you meet your neighbors? It can be as simple as introducing yourself to a neighbor you don’t know, starting a text thread for your apartment floor, it can be about connecting with any of our neighbor-led groups (see below!), or it can be about you jumping on a GROUP HUG session to take an hour each month to plan out how you can plug in and get engaged (Need ideas? Here’s 50 ways to connect with your neighbors!).
Where Do You Find Community Events?
The Community notes section published every week in the Greenbelt News Review is a great way to learn about what’s happening but it is not exhaustive. You can also find a list of groups recognized by the City of Greenbelt which makes them eligible to reserve space for free at City facilities, including the Greenbelt Community Center. Folks organize in all kinds of ways including on Facebook and publicize through the Greenbelters group but the algorithms can make meet-ups sometimes difficult to find. This post is intended to share free regularly occurring meet-ups in one place that I have found that aren’t always publicized or aggregated. Make a resolution to join one of them this year!
Groups to Move:
Haraka Wednesday Walks:
Every Wednesday at 5:30PM, Prince George’s County’s ONLY running store in Hyattsville hosts a walk/run meet-up at Bus Boys & Poets to run or walk the Trolley trail locally at 6PM. Sign up here.
Greenbelt 100/10KM:
Move anyway you want for 10 weeks to get to 100KM. A group of women created this Strava group to cheer each other on while moving in seasonal challenges and make connections with other women who wanted to move together in our community.
Social Bike Rides:
Are you a cyclist or cycle-curious? Proteus bike shop is a Greenbelter-owned business that in addition to selling bikes, hosts a series of social rides at ALL levels throughout the week. Check out their calendar online for free clinics, potlucks, and ride schedules! Note: One of my biggest Greenbelt ambitions is to attend and cheer on Greenbelt’s competitive Tour de France-like races held at Greenbelt Park with a cowbell (races happen Wednesday nights from May-June).
ParkRun:
Free timed 5Ks (walk or run) happen weekly in College Park on Saturdays at 9AM that are totally led by volunteers in the area. Folks come from all over the region because this walk is so fun and inclusive. Register for free to get a bar code to track your time and work up to getting “sashed” when you participate in 50 park runs! I am not a runner but I can attest—it is FUN to do ParkRun.
Groups to Read and Write Together:
Greenbelt Book Club:
The Greenbelt Book Club was started by two Greenbelters in 2022 who wanted to share their love of books and expand their book horizons with neighbors. Every month on a Saturday at 1PM at a revolving location around Greenbelt, the club meets to pick 2-3 books across genres. Members read as many or as little of these picks as they are inclined or able. Check out their Facebook page for more details, or feel free to reach out to co-founder Casey Stoyell-Mulholland at stoyellmulholland@gmail.com to find out more details.
PG Silent Book Club:
Looking for a place you can read in peace (together, silently)? Perfect for Greenbelt and local introverts, the PG County Silent Book Reading Club chapter meets the second Sundays of every month at Denizen’s and does just that. Bring a book and plop down to meet and neighbor and then just shut up and read. Sounds like heaven!
Greenbelt Writer’s Club:
Maybe you want to write that novel that you’ve been writing in your head? Meet other writers in Greenbelt with the Greenbelt Writer’s Club. The club meets monthly every third Friday at 7PM at the Community Center March - November. Contact Barbara Ford at barb.ford@comcast.net to learn more.
Groups to Eat Together:
Reel & Meal:
Every third Monday since September 2007, the New Deal Cafe has hosted Reel & Meal, documentary films or theatre performances that dig into issues of social justice, the environment, and animal rights. Most evenings feature a guest speaker, a lively group discussion, and concrete action steps for the audience. Vegan meals can be purchased separately!
Community Gathering:
Monthly community devotional (non-denominational) gatherings are hosted in the Community Center and include food (please feel welcome to share or just bring yourself) to discuss prompts about how to build community and support resiliency and spirit. This is a truly-heart centered group that meets the third Saturday of every month from 3-5PM.
Coming to the Table:
Monthly dinner and real connections are made with our local Coming to the Table chapter occur the second Tuesday of every month in the Greenbelt Community Center to share food, understanding, and vulnerabilities to support racial healing. Donations to offset dinner costs or a dish to share are welcome. To attend, register by emailing Nancy Joy Allchin at njallchin@gmail.com.
Groups to Play & Create Together:
The SPACE Lounge:
Play video games, board games, do yoga, learn how to use a 3D printer, make art, learn to sew, and more! Welcome to the SPACE’s weekly, free program series where you can learn to make and do almost ANYTHING! Programs are listed on their website and hosted out of Beltway Plaza. Drop on by and meet someone new!
Weekly Open Mic:
Every Tuesday! Our own American Idol happens weekly right here in Greenbelt!! You can sign up to grab the mic and sing every Tuesday at 6:00PM at the New Deal Cafe to sing (two songs) to your heart’s content.
Pub Quiz Night:
Every third Wednesday from 7-9PM, we have In Real Life jeopardy in town at the New Deal Cafe. Come with a team or find one to join when you show up!
Yarn and Darn:
Meets every Wednesday from 7-9PM in the Greenbelt Community Center. Bring your fiber arts, painting, or really anything you are working on with a needle and thread to make and create together with your neighbors.
DMV Spades:
Locally, you can meet up on the second Saturday of every month to meet your neighbors at local restaurants and play spades! There are over 5000 member in the DMV area! All skill level accepted and no partner needed. Head over to their Meet-up group to find out more.
Drum Circles:
Greenbelt would not be Greenbelt without a monthly Drum Circle. This group meets the second Saturday of the month at 3:30PM to drum together at the New Deal Cafe.
Groups to Learn Together:
Star Parties:
Greenbelt’s Astronomy Club hosts monthly star parties when the weather and skies are suitable at Greenbelt’s only observatory at Northway Fields. Check out their calendar to plan a date with the stars and your neighbors!
Greenbelt Biota:
Want to learn more about the flora and fauna in Greenbelt? We have a group for that! Greenbelt Biota meets to talk about what’s living and growing in Greenbelt and surrounding natural areas. The group meets every second Tuesday to plan trips and adventures in the area.