It’s almost here!  Thank you all for registering (You haven’t?, Please do now: National Drive Electric Week Poolesville)!

So here are the answers to the Who, What, Where, When, and How:

Weather (as of 9am Sept 12): Weare a go for our National Drive Electric Week (#NDEW2018) Poolesville Day Event. Little impact is expected from Hurricane Florence for Saturday.  Rain expected on Friday, but only a small chance of a passing shower on Saturday. Saturday will be mostly cloudy, humid, in the 70s with a small chance of rain.

Update -12:30 pm Sept 12: Weather forecast keeps improving!

Drivers: We want to be flexible to your needs and your time, so you can arrive as early as 7:30 am (but I will put you to work helping with set up) or as late as 2:45 and stay as late as you want. The show times are officially from 10am – 4pm. Elgin Road is close to us from 10:15 am to 11:30 am to allow the parade to exit Fisher Ave. After that, it is closed to the public and will be used by us for Ride and Drives.

Parking: The parking field is in good shape, with no standing water. The grass is cut. The grass will be wet and slick, so drive slow, drive careful. Wet grass, feet may get wet, wear appropriate footwear and/or bring extra socks. If you are staying for only an hour or so, please park on the Anytime Parking lot if space is available. We are asking Tesla owners to enter into the fields behind Bassett’s from W Willard. If you have a non-Tesla, enter from Elgin Road at Wooten Ave. in to the Anytime parking lot.  Tesla Drivers: If the conditions are to bad or you do not feel comfortable parking on the field, follow the directions for the non-Tesla drivers (above).
I don’t want to park in the grass!: If the parking lot is full and you fear getting your car stuck in the grass (or you just want to protect the grass), you can also park at the Poolesville High School Parking Lot (on Wooton Ave, between W Willard and Elgin). Note: this is outside the event area, but in easy walking to the event.

The map above is showing the Town of Poolesville (click on for enlarged view) and how to get to our event around the closed roads. The National Drive Electric Week Poolesville Day Event is on the far left. The green lines depict way to enter the event and to bypass the closed roads (road blocks in Red). A closer up view of our event area is shown below.

Directions from Virginia: If you come from the Leesburg area, you can drive up Rt 15 to Whites Ferry (if it is not closed, as of Sept 13 it was closed, but Historic White’s Ferry says “We Expect to be open tomorrow”(Sept 14), get updates at https://www.facebook.com/pg/WhitesFerry/posts/, PS: This morning (Sept 14) it was still closed), exit the Ferry on Whites Ferry Road and drive to Poolesville. Warning: Watch for the Speed Camera before reaching Poolesville! Turn right on W Willard Road (see map above).  If the Ferry is closed (check Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/WhitesFerry/posts/): This adds about 35 minutes and 25 miles – continue on 15 across the bridge to Maryland. Turn right on to Rt 28 follow that, ends on Rt 85 (Rt 28), turn right onto Rt 28 and follow directions from Frederick (below).

Directions from Frederick: Drive down Rt 85 (turns into Rt 28), Warning: Watch for the Speed Camera, comes up fast, turn right on Rt 109, cross Rt 107 (Fisher Ave) to Elgin Rd.

Directions from Gaithersburg, Rockville, Washington DC and points east and south: Drive north on Rt 28, take the fork left onto Rt 107 (Whites Ferry). Follow that to the roadblock (Warning: Watch for the Speed Camera just before Poolesville). Turn left on Wooton Ave and right on Elgin Rd or continue to W Willard Rd and turn right, then right into the field.

Giving Ride and Drives: Some of you may want to provide rides to the public or allow the public to drive your cars. We think this is a great way for the public to understand why we are all so excited about electric vehicles. We will have special parking for you on the lot between the tent areas. Dealerships and Manufacturers can move and park their cars on Elgin Rd, once the parade ends around 11:15 am (but not until then!). Please note: giving rides or drives is totally up to you, we do not provide insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure that all drivers are licenced and are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The easiest route is “around the block”. Drive down Elgin, right on Wooton, right on W Willard, right on Fisher, right back on to Elgin.

Check In: Everyone must check in at the “Check In” Tent when they arrive, even if you have pre-registered (If you have not, please do: https://poolesville.green/NDEW. We will ask for your email (for next year’s event) and you will get a “Swag Bag”, an event T-Shirt and raffle tickets. If you have not claimed your shirt by 3pm, we may no longer have it or at least one in your requested size.

Vendors, VIP Visitors, Media, Manufacturers and Dealerships:

Non-EV Parking: We have a limited number of easy access parking spots for non-electric vehicles. Please contact me on how many spots you will need and for what time periods. Trucks and additional Non-EV parking will be available at the High School (at the end of Elgin Rd, across Wootton Ave).
Setup: You can set up as early as Friday evening, but there will be no overnight security. Staff will be on site by 7:30 am and able to direct where to go. The first cars are expected by 9:30 am and the event begins at 10 am.
Access: You can unload cars and trucks on the site up to 9:45 am. No non-EV access will be granted after 10 am.
Breakdown: The event officially ends at 4 pm. Staff will be on hand and will let you know if breakdown can be done earlier.

What is Expected of You: Please be polite at all times! There are many in our area that disagree with the EVolution, inform, but please do not argue with them. You can always let them know the Classic Car show is at the other end of town. Any problems please refer to our volunteers and staff. There is a lot to see and enjoy in Poolesville.

What Should I Bring?: Bring yourself, bring your friends. If you bring pets, they must be well behaved with people and other pets, must be on leashes and you have to clean up after them. Bring rain gear, boots, a change of clothes maybe, shoes. You can bring chairs, coolers, snacks, if you like. Dare I say, Sunblock!  Do NOT bring alcohol (although there are 3 bars in town and a nearby outside bar tent, but you cannot take drinks outside those areas). Do not bring firearms or lethal weapons of any kind (in other words us common sense).

Free Raffle Drawings: There will be two drawings. an open to the general public (and you all) at 2:30 pm and a registered drivers only at 3:30 pm. You will not need to be present to win any of the major prizes, but if you win and you are not there , you may need to come by Poolesville at an arranged date and time to pick it up or pay for shipping (or you can donate your prize back to Poolesville Green).

Need Charging?:

Other Activities: Poolesville Day! The National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) is only part of this extravaganza. Route 107 (Fisher Ave is closed to traffic for more than a 1/2 mile south our event and is filled with 10-15,000 people enjoying all kinds of activities. We partner with the town and work as part of the Poolesville Day Committee. So, take a break for the NDEW activities and enjoy what’s around you. At the far end is the Classic Car Show and right next store, Bassett’s is doing a lot to help us continue to have fun well into the night. So have fun, be responsible :). You have the best parking spot for the biggest event of the year.

Photos and Videos: If you have a Google account, I setup a shared site to upload photos and videos. These maybe used in social or print media to promote our event today and in the future. I will try to give the credit/byline when possible and practical. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3kRVo9EFP4CWZbeA8 (you can see last year’s at https://photos.app.goo.gl/fzlhu63eD6AMMhOE2).

Other Events in the Area:  We support other National Drive Electric Week events in our area and hope you will too. Here are some (that don’t conflict with our event).  For more details go to https://driveelectricweek.org/ and click on search  (upper right corner of the page).  

• September 8th – Hyattsville, MD, 11am-4pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1206
• September 8th – Clarksville, MD, 2pm – 5pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1297
• September 9th – Annapolis, MD, 11am – 4pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1274
• September 14th – Milton, DE, 3pm – 6pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1353
• September 14th – MOMs Frederick, MD, 4pm – 8pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1426
• September 15th – Poolesville, MD, 10am – 4pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1203
• September 16th – 7th St NW Washington, DC, 10am – 3pm .  https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1476

Don’t forget to thank all of our great 2018 Sponsors!

Sugarloaf / Platinum Level Sponsors

                       

                                        

Monocacy / Gold Level Sponsors

                                   

Seneca / Silver Level Sponsors

                       

       

               

Sycamore Landing / Bronze Level Sponsors

                      
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Become a Sponsor or Donor for our 2018 event at https://poolesville.green/support-us/ (and/or click on “Contact” the organizers of this event near the top of this page).