Events | ARLnow.com

Columbia Pike Blues Festival Returns Saturday

Published June 12, 2014 at 11:30AM | Updated June 12, 2014 at 11:58AM

(Updated at 12:00 p.m.) The 19th Annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival is this Saturday, headlined by a Serbian blues guitarist who brings a different type of blues to the Pike.

The Blues Festival runs from 1:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of the Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive by the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. There will be plenty of food and beer, but as Takis Karantonis, the executive director of the event organizer, the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, says, the food and drink are secondary to the music.

“We think the blues is the Pike’s music,” Karantonis told ARLnow.com yesterday. “It corresponds to the personality and flavor of the Pike. Our artists on Saturday, they’re such different personalities and they all converge on the platform of the blues.”

The headliner this year is Ana Popovic, who Karantonis describes as “more heavy-duty, modern blues” than previous artists at the Blues Festival, but one who comes with a national following, a point of emphasis in putting together the event.

Opening for Popovic will be Steve McWilliams and The Spectacles, Duffy Kane, Memphis Gold and Billy Thomson. Next to the stage will be the return of Art in Action, in which visitors can watch artists paint canvases that will be auctioned off during the festival.

Selling food at the festival will be Pike restaurants Mazagan, Cantina Mexicana, Rincome, the Salsa Room and Big Daddy’s Texas-style BBQ. Beer will be provided by Yuengling.

For the first time this year, there’s a second day to the festival, an event called “Little Bit A Blues” at the courtyard in front of Penrose Square (2503 Columbia Pike), on Friday starting at 6:00 p.m. While it’s a mini-event this year, Karantonis plans to expand the festival into a full two-day event for next year.

Last year, Karantonis estimates that the festival drew between 7,000 and 8,000 people last year. Although he said “we don’t talk about the weather” in CPRO’s office, the forecast calls for sunny skies and low-80s temperatures.

Arlington County produced a video with tips on how to get to the Blues Festival via transit.

Disclosure: CPRO is an ARLnow.com advertiser. File photo.

‘All American Bar Crawl’ Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published June 11, 2014 at 4:05PM

A bar crawl is promising to bring “a day full of Star Spangled shenanigans and bar-hopping” to Courthouse and Clarendon later this month.

The All American Bar Crawl will take place from 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Tickets are $15 now or $20 at the door.

Organizers say “thousands” of patriotic partiers are expected to flock to local watering holes like Clarendon Ballroom, Velocity Five, Bracket Room and Mad Rose Tavern, which are among the 14 participating bars announced so far for the event.

Participants — who are encouraged to dress in red, white and blue — receive specials at each bar, a “signature freedom mug,” “patriotic party beads,” $2 pizza slices at Bronx Pizza and raffle tickets.

This is not the first year for the All American Bar Crawl, which is being held in advance of the Fourth of July. The event was also held in Clarendon last year.

Arlington County policymakers are currently considering measures to impose additional restrictions or fees on bar crawls.

Shirlington Running Club Celebrates Five Years

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 10, 2014 at 12:00PM | Updated June 10, 2014 at 1:59PM

(Updated at 2:00 p.m.) The Shirlington Running Club turns 5 years old today, a milestone for the club that has grown from a handful of runners to more than 2,500 members today.

This evening, the running club is throwing its fifth anniversary party at its usual post-run watering hole, Bungalow Sports Grill (2766 S. Arlington Mill Drive). The club’s runners participate in its 5K runs on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., then heads to the restaurant for happy hour.

Mirentxu Meyer and Shirley Santos founded the running club when Santos was training for a triathlon, and, seeing as how they “hated to run,” they figured they would start a community group to make it a little more fun.

“Shirlington is a really young place with new families,” Meyer said. “We [saw] a lot of cuties out at the grocery store and we wanted to bring them out.”

The club was designed as a “not too intimidating and not too easy group,” and it’s grown exponentially as runners sign up to have their attendance tracked, earn free T-shirts with attendance milestones and enjoy a few beers with their running counterparts at Bungalow. Meyer said people “don’t have to be a runner” to join the club, and their attendance will still be taken.

Tonight, at 6:30 p.m. the party will include raffles with prizes like free tickets to a show at Shirlington’s Signature Theatre, a shoe fitting with New Balance and 10 vendors on hand to offer their wares to members both new and old.

There will be a rain date later this week — yet to be announced — if the run is cancelled due to the inclement weather in the forecast, but that won’t stop the carousing. Four years ago, at SRC’s first anniversary party, the skies opened up during the raffles, Meyer said.

“All of a sudden there was a big crack and there was a crazy downpour,” she said. “There was no power left, but the beer kept pouring.”

Photo via Shirlington Running Club. Morgan Fecto contributed to this report.

Hillary Clinton to Sign Books at Pentagon City Costco

By ARLnow.com

Published June 9, 2014 at 10:15AM

Former Secretary of State and expected 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will be in Arlington on Saturday, signing copies of her new memoir.

Hard Choices will go on sale on Tuesday. The book chronicles Clinton’s four years as Secretary of State and the “crises, choices, and challenges she faced.”

Clinton will be signing copies of the book at the Pentagon City Costco store from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on June 14.

Following Hillary to the signing will be a large tour bus paid for by Ready for Hillary, the Arlington-based political action committee that’s supporting Clinton in her expected 2016 presidential run.

Arlington Agenda (June 9-15)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 9, 2014 at 5:00AM

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County.

If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form. Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Tuesday

Live Music: Laura Baron
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:30 p.m.

Soft blues/easy listening solo artist Laura Baron performs at IOTA. Opening for Baron will be acoustic duo Australis and “soulfolk” singer Lea. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Thursday

Garden of the Year
Little Falls Presbyterian Church (6025 Little Falls Road)
Time: 11:00 a.m.-noon

Rock Spring Garden Club announces top three finishers in the Arlington garden of the year competition. Maps will be provided for a self-guided tour after the program.

Friday

Little Bit A Blues*
Penrose Square (2503 Columbia Pike)
Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.

On the eve of Columbia Pike’s blues festival, Back Porch Blues featuring Eleanor Ellis and
“Little Bit A Blues” featuring Warner Williams and Jay Summerour perform.

Bowen McCauley Dance Company
Synetic Theater (1800 S. Bell Street)
Time: 8:00-10:00 p.m.

BMD Company presents Victory Road, inspired by the music of country rockers Jason and The Scorchers. Tickets are $20.

Saturday

Columbia Pike Blues Festival*
Columbia Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive
Time: 1:00-8:30 p.m.

The 19th Pike Blues Festival, free to enter, includes a lineup of six artists, culminating in a performance by slide guitarist Ana Popovic at 6:30 p.m.

Mozart Meets Metal*
Spectrum Theatre (1611 N. Kent Street)
Time: 7:30-9:30 p.m.

The Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia presents a concert that mixes Mozart concertos with indie rock, pop and other genres. Tickets are $15 online and $10 for students and seniors, $20 and $15 at the door.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event.

Clarendon Roads to Close Saturday for Cycling Classic

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 4, 2014 at 3:30PM

Parts of Wilson, Clarendon and Washington Boulevards in Clarendon will be closed most of the day Saturday for the Air Force Association Cycling Classic.

Roads will close starting at 4:30 a.m. Saturday and re-open at 5:00 p.m. to accommodate the Clarendon Cup portion of the Cycling Classic, which also features races in Crystal City and along Route 110 on Sunday.

Registration is closed for the Cycling Classic, which is part of USA Cycling’s National Criterium Calendar, but spectators are invited to watch and visit booths at the expo on Clarendon Blvd. The Clarendon Cup, according to the Cycling Classic’s website, is “known as one of the most difficult criterium races in the U.S. due to technical demands of the course and the quality of the participants.”

Here are the closures that will take effect on Saturday from 4:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.:

Wilson Boulevard will be closed from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Boulevard
Clarendon Boulevard will be closed from Washington Boulevard to N. Fillmore Street
Washington Boulevard will be closed from Wilson Boulevard to N. Highland Street
N. Highland Street will be closed from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard
N. Garfield Street/N. Fillmore Street will be closed from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard

File photo. The Air Force Cycling Classic is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

ANC to Host 150th Anniversary Event

By ARLnow.com

Published June 4, 2014 at 10:00AM

Arlington National Cemetery will host a concert and observance next Friday in honor of the cemetery’s 150th anniversary.

The event, starting at 8:00 p.m. on June 13, is free and open to the public. It will be the first-ever evening event held at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater, according to organizers.

“‘Arlington at 150’ is an hour-long live military show featuring musical performances by ‘The President’s Own,’ U.S. Marine Band and a Joint Chorus made up with singers from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force; a wreath ceremony and historical vignettes that showcase how military conflicts have shaped our nation and the cemetery,” according to a press release.

“Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the amphitheater,” the release continued. “Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure access and should plan to be seated no later than 8:00 p.m.”

The Arlington Cemetery Metro station will remain open until 11:00 p.m. to accommodate the event.

Arlington at 150 is one of a number of special events taking place over a 5 week commemoration of the cemetery’s sesquicentennial.

Arlington Church Hosts ‘Walk to Church Sunday’

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 3, 2014 at 1:30PM | Updated June 3, 2014 at 1:47PM

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) Grace Community Church is holding its first ever “Walk to Church Sunday” event this month, asking its members to get out of their cars on their way to service.

Walk to Church day will be June 22, but those who want to participate can pick up T-shirts and pedometers next Sunday, June 15 in the lobby of the church’s building — it rents space in Thomas Jefferson Middle School, at 125 S. Old Glebe Road — before or after their service.

Building on the success of events like Walk and Bike to School Day, the church is promoting its event as “National Walk 2 Church Day.” While it’s trying to encourage other houses of worship to participate, it’s unclear whether any have joined in on the cause.

The church is asking those not within walking distance to park their cars 15-20 minutes away and walk the rest of the distance.

“Walking is beneficial to your overall health,” the church said in a press release. “This is a great way to get out and get moving and see how many of your church friends and neighbors you spot. We encourage other churches to join us in Walk to Church Sunday.”

Grace Community Church plans for this to be an annual event on the fourth Sunday of June. Churchgoers can walk for either the 9:30 or 11:00 a.m. services.

Arlington Agenda (June 2-8)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 2, 2014 at 5:00AM | Updated June 2, 2014 at 10:38AM

(Updated at 10:35 a.m.)Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County.

If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form. Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Monday

Underage Drinking Panel*
Lyon Village Community Center (1920 N. Highland Street)
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Arlington READY Coalition sponsors this presentation, called “HAZE: Drinking to Belong,” aimed at parents and high school students. The event is free for the public.

Wednesday

Toastmasters Open House*
MBC (1401 S. Clark Street, Suite 600)
Time: Noon-1:00 p.m.

Arlington’s chapter of Toastmasters International hosts an open house to encourage those who want to become better public speakers to join the group.

Thursday

Live Music: The Dawn Drapes
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:30 p.m.

The Dawn Drapes stop by IOTA in the middle of their summer tour, accompanied by Up The Chain and Humble Fire. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Friday

Art Show Fundraiser
Gallery Underground (2100 Crystal Drive)
Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.

A transgender former Navy SEAL is putting her art on display as part of a fundraiser to help veterans returning from combat struggling with PTSD. Tickets are $15.

Live Comedy: Lisa Landry
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 10:00 p.m.

Comedian Lisa Landry, who has appeared on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and had a half-hour special on Comedy Central, performs Friday and Saturday night. Tickets are $22.

Saturday

Opera “Comic Double Bill”*
Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00-9:30 p.m.

UrbanArias presents two operas in 90 minutes. Bastianello and Lucrezia, American operas written in 2008 and sung in English, will be directed by Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Alan Paul. Tickets are $25.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

#Arlington Agenda

‘Discover Cherrydale’ Set for Saturday

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 29, 2014 at 3:35PM | Updated May 29, 2014 at 7:09PM

(Updated at 7:10 p.m.) Arlington’s Cherrydale neighborhood — along Lee Highway from I-66 to N. Quincy Street — is throwing a celebration this weekend to celebrate its businesses and the undergrounding of the utility lines in the area.

This Saturday, from noon to 5:00 p.m., businesses along the corridor will open their doors for “Discover Cherrydale,” featuring — among other things — scavenger hunts, talks and readings with local authors and there will be tours of Cherrydale Fire Station. There will also be an unveiling of a Capital Bikeshare station, a fencing demonstration from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and live music throughout.

The empty storefront at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Lincoln Street will be open to the public to observe displays from local artists — it’s also where the book talks will be held — and there will be a community Zumba class from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The whole day will be kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the heart of Cherrydale to celebrate the undergrounding of utility lines.

“This is the 14-year project to underground utilities along Lee Highway in Cherrydale,” Cherrydale Civic Association President Maureen Ross told ARLnow.com in an email. “It was a constant construction mess. Now it’s done.”

Among the artists performing will be early/traditional musician Tina Chancey, a violinist and guitar duo from the Maywood neighborhood named Kitchen Gorilla and Cherrydale resident Ken Sick. The event will be going on rain or shine, and free and open to the public

Photo (top) courtesy Discover Cherrydale. Photo (bottom) via Google Maps

Testicle Festival Returns This Saturday

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 28, 2014 at 11:00AM

The 10th annual Testicle Festival, a celebration revolving around Rocky Mountain Oysters and the state of Montana, will be held this Saturday evening in Arlington’s Virginia Square neighborhood.

Running from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post 139 (3445 Washington Blvd), “Testy Fest” will feature all-you-can-eat fried bull testicles prepared by Frank McGraw, “Montana’s most famous ball chef,” according to the festival’s organizer, the Montana State Society.

Tickets for the festival are $25 online and $30 at the door. In addition to the “oysters,” beer and Crown Royal whiskey will be served and there will be live country music performed by the Wil Gravatt Band.

Attendees must be 21 years or older. The first 100 in the door will get a free Testicle Festival T-shirt with this year’s theme, “Nuttin’ Better.” T-shirts will also be available for purchase.

“You’d be NUTS to miss this!” organizers said of the event.

File photo (above)