NEED TO KNOW: Week of Sept. 29

Sep. 29—REMEMBER BROOD X?

Elizabeth Holtry's solo exhibit "Savage Beauty" at Mount St. Mary's University might give you a whole new perspective of the insect that took the Mid-Atlantic region by storm last year. She typically works in paint, but when the cicadas came through, she collected hundreds of their wings and later pieced them together to form intricate, shimmering collages in organic and geometric patterns. Each one exudes a natural elegance and grace ... and calm, giving us a new experience of the insects. The work is displayed at the Williams Gallery, on the second floor of the Delaplaine Fine Arts Center at MSM, through Oct. 6.

FIRST SATURDAY — AND FIRST SUNDAY

In the early aughts, Frederick's First Saturday events were called First Saturday Gallery Walk and showcased art galleries, exhibit openings and receptions, and often live music at those venues and throughout the sidewalks downtown. As more restaurants and shops took residence downtown, Downtown Frederick Partnership, the organization that hosts First Saturday, wanted to highlight all the facets of the scene, not just our arts community — hence dropping the "Gallery Walk" portion of the name. But in September, DFP launched First Sunday Artwalk, a time reserved for art talks, demonstrations, studio visits and hands-on projects from noon to 4 p.m. Check downtownfrederick.org/gallerytour for monthly updates on which venues and artists are participating before heading out to see our art scene thriving.

CLOSE OUT THE SUMMER SEASON

Fall has come swiftly this year, which marks an end to a lot of those summer festivals and concert series we love. Is this as bittersweet for you as it is for us? Well, you can get in one last hurrah if you stop by Carroll Creek Linear Park in downtown Frederick on Sept. 29 to see the last Alive@Five concert of the season. Special Delivery will take the stage to perform live classic rock and dance music during the happy hour, which, of course, starts at 5 p.m.

THEATER SEASON BEGINS

And, as summer festivals close out, theater season begins. The Maryland Ensemble Theatre opens its 25th anniversary season this weekend with "The Lifespan of a Fact," a play that examines truths we accept, journalistic integrity and the lengths we are willing to go to tell a good story. Olney Theatre Center also kicks off its season this weekend with Clare Barron's hit "Dance Nation," and Rep Stage, at Howard Community College, is just one week into the run of its first show, "Songs for a New World." As the days get chilly, get inside a theater — maybe sit back and get comfy in those new seats the MET just installed at its renovated blackbox space — and take in some art.

ONE MARYLAND ONE BOOK

Be sure to check out the Frederick leg of Maryland Humanities' One Maryland One Book tour, when Naima Coster, the selected author of the year, gives a book talk about her novel "What's Mine and Yours" and answers questions from the audience on Oct. 3 at Frederick Community College. If you miss her there, you'll have one more chance to see her in our area when she makes a stop at Urbana Regional Library on Oct. 19. Both events are free and open to the public.

BE GERMAN FOR A DAY (OR TWO)

Frederick Oktoberfest, in its 25th year, will once again celebrate all things German with two days of festivities, food, music and, obviously, German beer at the Frederick Fairgrounds. Hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Frederick County, the event has raised over a million dollars for local charities throughout its 25 years in existence. Prost!