Today (September 15, 2013) is a fascinating day in Silver
Spring.
Purely by happenstance two events are going that on the surface
have nothing in common. Yet, these two simultaneous events offer an amazing
juxtaposing of the old and the new in Silver Spring.
The Silver Theatre turned 75 years young yesterday,
September 14th. Through the
years this theatre has provided the Silver Spring community a gathering place
like no other. To understand what movie houses meant to America in 1938 when
the Silver Theatre opened its doors is to capture an essential sentiment that –
in part – shaped the ‘Greatest Generation’ a few years later. Movie houses were
where you went to refresh your body and mind. The news-reels provided that
visual mind-imprint that we now take for granted; but back then it was more
than novelty. It was innovative, chick, hip, and all those cliché words that
say: “interesting and fun.”
Oh, if the Silver Theatre could talk!... How many of today’s
Silver Spring residents dreamed up their ideas for this community as they sat there
watching movies during their youth!?... How many activists concocted their
actions at watering holes after attending a great premier there!?... And, how
many film enthusiasts lamented the decline that accompanied its decay before
the American Film Institute came to the rescue barely a decade ago?
Today the AFI is celebrating the Silver Theatre’s 75
Anniversary as this great Institution enters its second decade in the heart of
Silver Spring. There will be free showing of the same movie that was shown when
the Theatre first opened, Warner Bros.’s Four Daughters. The showing will be
accompanied by the same news-reel and cartoons that were shown before the
movie. More info:
Today in downtown Silver Spring we also come together to
celebrate with our Ethiopian community in the third Ethiopian Festival.
No successful urban place in the USA remains static over the
years. For an urban place to be relevant, economically viable, and socially
vibrant, it must change with the realities of the times. Successful urban
places embrace change and weave it into the fabric that defines the community.
In Silver Spring today, the presence of the Ethiopian community is a tremendous
asset to our economic and social fabric.
We are fortunate to have one of the most successful public
spaces where our community gathers to celebrate, Veterans Plaza. Today, this
wonderful public realm will be transformed into a joyous festival where we can
come together to partake of ‘all things Ethiopian’ in a uniquely Silver Spring
way. More info:
For beautiful pictures of last year’s event, visit;
This juxtaposing of the old and the new in Silver Spring
truly bodes well for our community. As we celebrate our heritage and our past today
while looking forward to a vibrant future, I wonder with awe how in 2088 we
will look back 75 years (to today) in Silver Spring; what will be our memories;
what will be our stories?... Somehow, I have a good feeling about this!
enJoy today in Silver Spring!
Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area
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