Events

Grand Opening Planned for Henry Wright Park

By ARLnow.com

 

A grand opening is planned for one of Arlington’s newest public parks.

Henry Wright Park, located at 4350 4th Street N. in the Buckingham neighborhood, is holding a grand opening celebration from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 24. The free event will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony and a moon bounce and face painting for the kids.

Construction on the park, named after the chief architect of the Buckingham Village I garden apartments, began late last year. The oval-shaped park has a fenced-in playground for two to 12-year-olds, picnic and game tables, two grassy areas, a number of benches, and a sign commemorating the history of the Buckingham Village Garden Apartments.

Audition Tapes Sought for ‘Arlington’s Got Talent’

By ARLnow.com

Arlington is getting its very own talent show.

The Young Professionals Program of Leadership Arlington is currently accepting audition videos for “Arlington’s Got Talent,” a talent show scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 27.

The event will showcase Arlingtonians who can sing, dance, play a musical instrument, do stand-up comedy or show off any other type of entertaining, family-friendly talent. Links to audition videos can be sent to [email protected] or mailed to the address listed on this Facebook page. The submission deadline is Friday, Nov. 2. Participants must be at least 21 years old.

The talent show will take place at the Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) starting at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Tickets are on sale online for $30. Proceeds will benefit the Leadership Arlington Young Professionals Program Scholarship Fund.

Local Roads, Highways to Close for Army Ten Miler

By ARLnow.com

A number of local roads and highways in south Arlington will be closed Sunday morning for the running of the 28th annual Army Ten-Miler race.

The race starts and ends near the Pentagon but the course also takes participants into the District. More than 30,000 runners are expected to participate. Runners and spectators are being encouraged to take Metro to get to the race.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department will close several streets near the Pentagon on Sunday, October 21, 2012, for the 28th Annual Army 10-Miler race. The race begins at 8:00 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Potomac River into the District of Columbia, returns to the Commonwealth via the I-395 HOV lane and ends in the Pentagon north parking lot.

The following roads in Arlington will be impacted:

  • Route 110 between Rosslyn and Crystal City will be closed in both directions at 5:00 a.m. (motorists should use the George Washington Memorial Parkway as an alternative.)
  • I-395 HOV northbound from Crystal City to the 14th Street Bridge will be closed at 6:00 a.m.
  • S. Eads Street from Army Navy Drive into the Pentagon and northbound I-395 HOV lanes will be closed at 5:00 a.m.
  • I-395 southbound HOV exit to S. Eads Street and the Pentagon south parking lot will be closed at 5:00 a.m.

All of the roads should be reopened by noon.

In addition, access to the Pentagon north parking lot will be restricted to “Authorized Vehicles Only” from 4:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Parking for Pentagon employees and Pentagon Memorial patrons will be available in the south parking lot via Columbia Pike and S. Fern Street.

Runners, spectators and support personnel are encouraged to use Metro, as parking is limited. The Pentagon and Pentagon City stations on the Blue and Yellow Lines are located within walking distance of the start and finish lines.

Art Project: Wacky But True Historical Markers

By ARLnow.com

A failed restaurant. An impressive drain pipe. A popular home renovation.

These are some of the humorous and true observations of extremely local history that artist Timothy Thompson has turned in to a series of historical markers in and around the Arlington Arts Center (3550 Wilson Blvd) in Virginia Square.

Thompson’s historical markers are part of the Arlington Arts Center’s 2012 Fall Solos exhibition, which opened on Oct. 3 and features works by seven regional artists. The exhibit is set to hold its opening reception on Saturday (Oct. 20) from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Four of Thompson’s markers are located inside the gallery. Two are within two blocks of the center on N. Lincoln Street. Another is adjacent to the center along Wilson Boulevard.

Thompson will be leading a walking tour of his historical markers from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1. The Fall Solos exhibit will be in place through Dec. 23.

1/6

Halloween Goes to the Dogs in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) Halloween is just over two weeks away. If you have kids, that means it’s probably time to start picking out their costume for the big day. If you have a dog (or dogs) — well, you should probably start picking out their costume, too.

At least three events are planned in Arlington for those who want to celebrate Halloween with their favorite four-legged friend.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, Arlington-based Doorways for Women and Families will hold its 2nd annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Walk for the Homeless. The event is being held at Big Walnut Park (1915 N. Harrison Street).

“Bring your dogs dressed in their ‘Howl-O-Ween’ finest for a mini-walk to support Doorways for Women and Families,” the organization said of the event. “All human participants will help Doorways to reach our walker goal for the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon, while our animal participants will get the chance to compete for prizes from local pet store merchants, including Unleashed by Petco, Weber’s Pet Supermarket, Kissable Canine and Dogma Bakery! Treats (both canine and human) will be provided for all attendees!”

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., PetMAC in Virginia Square (822 N. Kenmore Street) will be holding a “Doggy Halloween Party.” The event will feature “treats (for our 2 and 4 legged friends) and other refreshments, games, photos, costume contests and special store discounts,” according to the pet store.

Also on Oct. 30, Dogma Bakery and Boutique (2772 S. Arlington Mill Drive) will be hosting its annual Dog Trick or Treat through Shirlington Village. The trick or treating will take place from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Photo via Doorways for Women and Families

Fire Station Open House to Include Fire, K-9 Demos

By ARLnow.com

Among the eight fire station open houses in Arlington being held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, the open house at Fire Station No. 6 may be the county’s most elaborate.

Located on the Arlington-Falls Church border at 555 N. Washington Street, the station’s open house will include a mock structure fire demonstration, an auto extraction demonstration and a K-9 demonstration.

From a press release:

The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department (FCVFD) and the Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) will co-host its annual Fire Prevention Week open house on Sat, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. All activities will take place at Fire Station No. 6, located at 555 North Washington Street (VA Route 29) on the Arlington-Falls Church border.

This is the Department’s largest public education and fire prevention event of the year, focused on providing the citizens of the community with important safety information. Hundreds of citizens, including many local families, attend the event yearly to learn about the department’s operations, training, and equipment, as well as to learn how to take steps to prevent fires and other hazards.

A silent auction with donated items from local businesses will be held during the open house. Proceeds of the silent auction will go towards training and equipment for FCVFD personnel.

Fire Prevention Week is an American tradition inspired by the Great Chicago Fire, which occurred during the second week of October in 1871. Each year, the National Fire Protection Association and its members promote a special fire safety message. This year’s theme is “Have 2 Ways Out!”

Several activities are planned which will include both FCVFD and ACFD personnel:

  • Station Tours
  • EMS Demos (Advanced and Basic Life Support)
  • Engine/Truck/Aerial Demo
  • Mock Structure Fire Demo
  • Auto Extrication Demo
  • K-9 Demo

(more…)

Streets to Close in Va. Square, Clarendon for 8K Race

By ARLnow.com

A number of streets in the Virginia Square and Clarendon areas will be closed Sunday morning for the Acumen Solutions Run for the Cause 8K race.

The race, organized by Potomac River Running, raises money for a number of good causes. Last year, sponsors say the race raised $125,000 for ten non-profits.

The starting gun is scheduled to sound at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Arlington County Police will be closing the following streets during the race:

  • North Quincy Street from Glebe Road to Wilson Boulevard will be closed from 5:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
  • Wilson Boulevard Eastbound from Quincy Street to North 10th Street will be closed from 7:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
  • North 10th Street Eastbound to Washington Boulevard will be closed from 7:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
  • Washington Boulevard Southbound from North 10th Street to Rt. 244 will be closed from 7:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Street parking restrictions will also be in place. Vehicles parked in temporary no parking zones will be ticketed and towed.’

Photo via Facebook

Fmr VP Cheney to Attend Fundraiser Tonight at Clarendon Ballroom

By ARLnow.com

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Ben Romney, the son of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, are scheduled to attend a fundraiser at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) tonight.

The private fundraiser will start at 6:15 p.m. tonight (Thursday) and is being held in advance of the vice presidential debate, which airs at 9:00 p.m. The event includes a roundtable meeting, a VIP photo reception, and a general reception that starts at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the fundraiser range in price from $100 to $5,000 and benefit the Romney campaign.

“Come meet a former vice president before watching the future vice president!” said an invitation to the event, which was organized by Young Professionals for Romney.

File photo

‘Old-Fashioned Fun’ at Gulf Branch Fall Heritage Fest

By ARLnow.com

The Gulf Branch Nature Center at 3608 Military Road will be hosting its annual Fall Heritage Festival on Saturday.

The festival will feature live music and family-friendly autumn activities. Admission is $5 per person, though children under three may attend for free.

The nature center issued the following promotional blurb about the event.

On Saturday, October 13 from 1 to 5 p.m., visit Gulf Branch Nature Center for old-timey fun for the whole family. This is a beloved community event that has been attracting hundreds of Arlingtonians for over a dozen years. “We’re starting to see the second generation now – young families coming whose parents remember making cider here when they were little.” said Jennifer Soles, staff naturalist. Last year, two more activity stations were added: pumpkin-painting and scarecrow making, so bring old clothes! Families can also participate in activities such as butter-churning, candle-dipping, cornhusk doll-making and LOTS more. “Everyone always wants a chance to explore the log cabin when they visit” reports naturalist Marty Pross. The Blacksmithing Guild of the Potomac has ongoing demonstrations in the forge. “Kids love to see the sparks – but the dads are the ones who often have to be dragged away” smith Curt Welch remembers. Festival goers enjoy music by Andrew Acosta & the New Old-Time String Band too! Summing up, 4-year old Mason Schnell says of the whole festival “It’s my favorite!”

For details, please call (703) 228-3403. Gulf Branch Nature Center is located at 3608 Military Rd, Arlington, VA 22207. $5 per person (children under three enter for free). Parking lot is closed for the event. On-street parking available on Military Road and 36th Road North.

County to Collect Hazardous and Unwanted Items

By Katie Pyzyk

This weekend may be the perfect time to rid your house of unwanted items. Arlington County will hold its biannual Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) on Saturday to allow for the safe disposal of hazardous household items.

Residents can drop of materials at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) on Saturday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Commercial and business waste will not be accepted.

An ID is required as proof of Arlington residency in order to drop off materials. There is no smoking allowed at the drop off site. A list of hazardous items that will be collected is listed below:

Acceptable Chemical Materials:

  • Paint Products (25 can limit)
  • Lawn & Garden Chemicals
  • Fuels/Petroleum Products
  • Flammable Solvents
  • Corrosives (acids/caustics)
  • Poisons (pesticides)
  • Automotive Fluids and Batteries
  • Car Care Products
  • Photographic Chemicals
  • Household Cleaners
  • Mercury
  • Propane Tanks
  • Fluorescent Lamps and Tubes
  • Fire Extinguishers
  • Household Hazardous Materials

Unacceptable Chemical Materials:

  • Asbestos
  • Explosives and Ammunition
  • Freon
  • Compressed Gas Cylinders
  • Radioactive Materials
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Medical Waste

Mercury:

  • Covanta Energy will be providing a $5 gift card to all residents who drop off household devices containing mercury (thermostats, thermometers, sphygmomanometers, manometers, barometers, hygrometers and liquid mercury). Arlington County will be collecting CFLs at E-CARE, but they are excluded from Covanta’s $5 rebate offer.

For a full list of other items that will be accepted — including bicycles, electronics, clothing, eyeglasses and hearing aids — log on to the E-CARE website.

A representative with Boy Scout Troop 505 tells ARLnow.com that boy scouts will be at the E-CARE event from 8:30 a.m. until noon to collect unusable American flags for retirement and proper disposal at a ceremony later this month.

Festivities Begin for NOVA Fashion Week

By Katie Pyzyk

Get ready, fashionistas, because NOVA Fashion Week begins tonight.

Although much smaller than fashion weeks in style hubs such as New York and Paris, the event brings both established and up-and-coming designers to Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) to show off their collections and to give a peek at emerging fashion trends.

Festivities technically kick off tonight (Wednesday) with a VIP cocktail reception, but public availability for tickets to that event will be very limited. The main draws are the fashion shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the free networking event on Saturday afternoon.

Thursday’s fashion show will benefit foster care non-profit Blessed Haven. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show, and tickets start at $25. Tickets for the shows on Friday and Saturday start at $25 and begin at 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., respectively. Tickets are required for all festivities, including Saturday’s free networking session, and can be purchased online.

More information can be found on the NOVA Fashion Week website, or through updates on Facebook and Twitter.

View More Stories