What’s Open, Closed In Bowie, PG County For Thanksgiving

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The week of Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means lots of travel, food, and closures.

The Thanksgiving tradition in America began with the pilgrims and Puritans who traveled from England in the 1600s. In 1621,pilgrims at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts had a feast after a good harvest, which they enjoyed with the local Native Americans who helped them pass the winter by giving them food when there were lean times.

Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday every year, which makes it a little more predictable compared to other holidays in terms of what's going to be open and what's going to be closed. Everything is closed on Thursday and usually Friday as well, but there is a little bit of ambiguity on Wednesday. Mondays and Tuesdays are typically normal days but some organizations simply take the whole week off.

Here's a look at what's open and what's closed in Prince George's County (according to a statement from the county):

Prince George's County government offices: Closed Thursday and Friday

Schools: Closed Wednesday through Friday

City of Bowie: Thursday and Friday are both city holidays (no refuse or recycling pickup on either day)

Other facilities:

Animal Services Facility
(3750 Brown Station Road)

Closed Thursday and Friday

Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill

Closed Thursday

Brown Station Road Public Convenience Center

Closed Thursday

Electronics Recycling Acceptance Site
(Located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill)

Closed Thursday

Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site
(Located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill)

Closed Thursday

Missouri Avenue Solid Waste Acceptance and Recycling Center

Closed Thursday

Prince George’s County Organics Composting Facility

Closed Thursday

Prince George’s County Materials Recycling Facility (1000 Ritchie Road)

Closed Thursday

Bulky Trash Collection
(By appointment only)

No Collection (Scheduled Collections resume
Dec. 2, 2019)

Trash Collection in County-Contracted Areas

Regular Collections Occur
Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27

*Collections for Thursday, Nov 28 occurs Friday, November 29 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

*Collections For Friday, Nov. 29 occurs
Saturday, Nov. 30 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

Regular Collections Occur
Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27

*Collections for Thursday, Nov 28 occurs Friday, November 29 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

*Collections For Friday, Nov. 29 occurs
Saturday, Nov. 30 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

Curbside Recycling Collection

Regular Collections Occur
Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27

*Collections for Thursday, Nov 28 occurs Friday, November 29 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

*Collections For Friday, Nov. 29 occurs
Saturday, Nov. 30 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

Regular Collections Occur
Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27

*Collections for Thursday, Nov 28 occurs Friday, November 29 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

*Collections For Friday, Nov. 29 occurs
Saturday, Nov. 30 (CHANGE IN SCHEDULE)

Residential Yard Trim Collections

Regular Collection occurs
Monday, Nov. 25

"TheBus, under the administration of the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T), will not operate service on Thursday, November 28, 2019. Regular operations of TheBus will resume on Friday, November 29, 2019 except for Route 51 serving County government buildings. Regular service on Route 51 will resume on Monday, December 2, 2019. The County’s Call-A-Bus service, including Senior Transportation Services and Dialysis Services will not operate on Thursday, November 28 or Friday, November 29, 2019. Regular operations for both services will resume on Monday, December 2, 2019.

"The Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29, 2019. Regular business hours will resume on Monday, December 2, 2019.

"Prince George’s CountyClick 3-1-1 will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29, 2019 and will return to regular operations on Monday, December 2, 2019; 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. However, residents can still submit service/issue requests online at www.countyclick311.com/."

Metro: On Thursday, the rail system will open at 8 a.m. and close at 11 p.m., and trains will operate on a Sunday schedule, which means every 15 minutes during the daytime. Off-peak fares will be in effect, and parking will be free at Metro stations. Metrobus will operate on a Sunday schedule. Metro will return to its regular weekday schedule and parking rates on Friday.

Travel tips:

According to John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic's public and government affairs manager, travel times could start to increase on the Sunday of Thanksgiving week. However, AAA Mid-Atlantic projects the busiest travel time will be the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 27. The peak travel time is expected between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. INRIX projects delays will be multiplied by 2.8 during this two-hour period.

Additional reporting by Emily Leayman/Patch