Events

Civic Federation Debate to Kick Off Fall Election Season Next Month

By Airey
1/5

The Arlington County Civic Federation is set to hold its annual candidate forum next month.

On Tuesday, September 3, residents will be able to hear the candidates for local office answer questions from the public and make the case for why they should be elected or re-elected.

The event is taking place at Virginia Hospital Center’s Hazel conference center at 1701 N. George Mason Drive. A reception with the candidates will kick off the evening at 6:30 p.m., following by the forum starting at 7 p.m. Both events are free.

The Civic Federation’s forum marks the unofficial start of the fall campaign season for the November 5 general election.

Several candidates running for office this year will attend the event, including Arlington County Board members Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey, both of whom faced no opposition in the Democratic primary.

The Board members will be joined by their independent challengers, Audrey Clement and Arron O’Dell, who hope to oust the incumbents based on a more aggressive pursuit of affordable housing and opposition to the Board’s salary raise, among other issues.

Also slated to attend is Del. Alfonso Lopez who defeated Democratic challenger J.D. Spain, Sr. in the June primary with 77% percent of the vote after amassing a sizable warchest and a number of campaign endorsements.

Lopez is now being challenged by independent candidate Terry Modglin, who opposed the delegate’s recent legislation intended to expand access to abortion, but did agree with his stance on gun reform.

The candidates running for the 32nd Virginia Senate district, incumbent Democrat Janet Howell and Republican challenger Arthur Purves, are also expected to participate. The seven-term state senator ran unopposed in this year’s Democratic primary and previously told ARLnow that her top accomplishments this year included budget bumps to foster care, affordable housing, and teacher pay.

The event will be recorded by local cable access and community radio station, Arlington Independent Media.

Arlington Agenda: August 19-25

By Ashley Hopko

(Updated at 11:40 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, Aug. 19

1st Time Home Buyer Seminar *
Keri Shull Team (1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 202)
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

This event will teach new potential homeowners to save thousands of dollars and avoid mistakes. Attendees will receive special perks like a credit towards a new home. This event is free.

Tuesday, Aug. 20

Make It Tuesday: Leaf Print Tote Bag
The Connection: Crystal City Pop-Up Library (2100 Crystal Drive)
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

The library invites patrons to come craft and relax while making a tote bag. This event is free for library patrons.

Thursday, Aug. 22

Our Shared Street Pop-Up on Columbia Pike
Outdoor Intersection (4601 S. Four Mile Run Drive)
Time: 5-7 p.m. 

This annual event invites the community to learn about different methods of transportation in the area. It is free and there will be games, food, giveaways.

Saturday, Aug. 24

Steve Dangle: Russian Machine Never Breaks
One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street #101)
Time: 2-4 p.m. 

Local hockey blog Russian Machine Never Breaks is bringing Canadian hockey blogger Steve (Dangle) Glynn to the area. He will be at the bookstore signing copies of his new book and talking about how he fell in love with hockey.

Wags n’ Whiskers
Village at Shirlington (4280 Campbell Avenue)
Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

This dog-friendly festival will feature adoptable pets, live music and family activities. Dog experts will be on-site.


Arlington “Bat Fest”
Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road)
Time: 6:30- 9 p.m. 

This event will feature live bats and help educate the community on the local creatures. Registration is required and costs $5.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Arlington to Host “Bat Fest” Event Later This Month

By Airey

Arlington will host an all-things-bat event later this month for families looking to learn more about the nocturnal mammals.

Next Saturday, August 24, people can check out the festival at the Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road) from 6:30-9 p.m. The event will include a live bat show as well as games, crafts, and a walk to teach participants more about bat habitats.

The bat shows are led by Leslie Sturges, who runs the Save Lucy Campaign conservation program. Sturges is a former Smithsonian zookeeper who founded a Virginia bat rescue center called Bat World NOVA.

Sturges also wrote a book called “Lucy’s Story,” which follows the life of an imaginary little brown bat named Lucy as bats nationwide struggle with a deadly fungus that’s decimating many bat populations.

Animal Control Chief Jennifer Toussaint previously told ARLnow that the epidemic has hit the county hard, and asked residents’ help in saving any of the remaining ones.

“Eight years ago as an officer I would periodically bring in little brown bats,” she said. “I haven’t seen one in about two years.”

Organizers for the Arlington festival wrote in the Facebook event description that the event is a chance, “enjoy a thoroughly batty evening and add to your knowledge of local night life.”

Registration is required for the festival, and costs $5. Anyone interested in attending can sign up on the county’s website, or by calling the Nature Center at 703-228-3403.

Image via Flickr/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Shirlington Pet Festival “Wags n’ Whiskers” to Return Next Weekend

By Airey

Shirlington’s annual pet-friendly street festival “Wags n’ Whiskers” is returning next week.

The 12th annual pet expo is popping back up on Campbell Avenue next Saturday, August 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., outside the Village at Shirlington, and usually draws hundreds of attendees. This year’s festival will feature adoptable pets, live music, and activities like face-painting and balloon art.

About 65 local businesses and organizations will host booths along the street advertising pet wares and offering “treats and gift bags,” according to a recent press release. Veterinarians and dog trainers will also be attending to answer practice advice questions.

Singer songwriter Taylor Carson and pop rock cover band Dan Haas Trio will both perform during the weekend event.

Scenes from Wags n' Whiskers! Come join us!

Posted by The Village at Shirlington on Saturday, August 24, 2013

During the event, attendees can get pictures taken of their pets (for $5) or get a caricature drawn of them and their pet. Attendees will also have a chance to enter to win a $100 gift certificate to the nearby Dogma Bakery.

Event organizers noted in the press release that water stations will be stationed throughout the street to keep pets hydrated and cool.

(more…)

Shelter to Host Kitten Yoga Event with Adoptable Felines

By Airey

If you like kittens and yoga, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington has an event for you.

The shelter is hosting a yoga event this week for participants to get some exercise — and some feline playtime. Together with Arlington-based vinyasa yoga instructor Beth A. Wolfe, the shelter will host two yoga sessions this Thursday, August 15, where participants can do yoga while kittens romp around them.

“We will enjoy a casual yoga practice at the shelter while kittens roam among us,” organizers wrote on the event’s webpage. “There will be plenty of time allotted for kitten snuggling and photos.”

The event is for people ages 10 and up, and is designed to help find homes for the kittens, which will all be adoptable. Classes will be held at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. this Thursday at the shelter’s offices on 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive.

Tickets sell for $35 each. Attendees are asked to bring their own yoga mat.

Wolfe is also leading the Arlington County Fair’s goat yoga sessions this week.

Image via Flickr/Quinn Dombrowski

Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K Returning Next Month

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Arlington public safety personnel are again organizing a 5K race for a good cause, in memory of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

The 18th annual Arlington Police, Fire and Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K will be held on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 7. This year, the race will raise money for two organizations:

  • HEROES, which is “dedicated to aid families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.”
  • The Pentagon Memorial Fund, which is working to build a new visitor center.

The race will be held at 6 p.m. on Sept. 7, with a start and finish near the DoubleTree Hotel in Pentagon City (300 Army Navy Drive) and a course that winds around the Pentagon. Registration is $40 through Sept. 4.

“Since its inception, the Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial Race has had over 40,000 runners cross its finish line and has raised over $800,000 for 9/11-related charities,” the race’s website says. “Our goal is to donate over 1 million dollars and to host the 20th Anniversary 9/11 Race on Saturday, September 11, 2021.”

The post-race festival, in front of the DoubleTree Hotel, includes music and free food and drink for participants.

Arlington Agenda: August 12-18

By Ashley Hopko

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, Aug. 13

Genealogy for Beginners
Shirlington Library (4200 Campbell Ave)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Jessica Kaplan of the Arlington Historical Society will teach attendees how to create an accurate family tree using various techniques. This event is free

Wednesday, Aug. 14

Arlington County Fair
Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 2nd Street S.)
Time: 5-10 p.m. and other times during the week

This year’s events will feature LOVE art, a butterfly experience, rides, live music and goat yoga along with the classic favorites. There is a shuttle bus available since there is no public parking.

Thursday, Aug. 15

Business After Business
Arlington Community Federal Credit Union (5666 Columbia Pike)
 Time: 5-7 p.m.

This allows attendees to network while enjoying beer, wine and other beverages. Registration is required. There will be door prizes and cash jackpots for members.

Friday, Aug. 16

Fridays at the Fountain
Crystal City Water Park (1601 Crystal Drive)
Time: 5-9 p.m.

Fridays at the Fountain is Crystal City’s seasonal pop-up beer garden, featuring food from The Stand’s rotating lineup of vendors, beverage selections and live music.

National Bookstore Romance Day! Author signings, wine tasting, board games, & more!
One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street #101)
Time: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Join One More Page Books for a day of celebration. They will kick off the day with mimosas, then have a treasure hunt and other activities.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Arlington Holding Transportation “Block Party” Along Columbia Pike

By Airey

A “block party” style event with a transportation theme is set for later this month along Columbia Pike.

Arlington County is hosting its third annual “Our Shared Street Pop-Up” on Thursday, August 22, in the parking lot at the intersection of S. Four Mile Run Drive and the Pike. The event will run from 5-7 p.m. that night, and will feature booths from transportation organizations with activities and answers to transportation questions.

“Our Shared Street is a block party where you can get to know your neighbors and local transportation options,” says the event’s website. “There are also tons of great giveaways happening and fun activities.”‘

The goal of the event is to share information about commuting by bike, rail, bus, car, or feet in the county. The county-run Arlington Transportation Partners is organizing the event along with Capital Bikeshare, BikeArlington, and WalkArlington, and Arlington’s Car-Free Diet.

What’s not yet certain is whether ride-hailing or e-scooter companies like Uber and Lyft will be present during the late August event — as they were for last year’s event. (The county’s e-scooter program was recently extended, but has seen a slight uptick in crashes and injuries.)

Tickets to the pop-up event are free, but attendees are encouraged to register in advance online.

Image via Twitter/Arlington Transportation Partners

Pies and Butterflies Joining Arlington County Fair This Month

By Airey

The Arlington County Fair is adding more events to its lineup this year, including a pie-eating contest and a butterfly exhibition.

Fair-goers can get up close to butterflies later this month thanks to a traveling enclosure for the creatures from Florida-based company The Butterfly Enclosure. Tickets are $3 a piece.

“Children and adults alike will enjoy the wonder of being surrounded by nature’s most delicate, beautiful creatures,” fair organizers wrote on the event page.

The exhibition will be open every day of the fair:

  • Wednesday, August 14, from 5-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, August 15 from 5-8 p.m.
  • Friday, August 16 from 2-8 p.m.
  • Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 18 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

The county fair itself will be open from Aug. 14-18 and will feature carnival games, food trucks, and live music, in addition to goat yoga and a new beer garden. The fair’s full schedule has not yet been published on its website.

This year the fair will also host a pie-eating contest. On Saturday, Aug. 17 participants will chow down on blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry pie, and everyone will receive a “Arlington County Fair Pie Eating Championship” t-shirt.

Pre-registration for the event, which is free, is sold out. However, fair organizers noted on the event page that there will be space for some same-day signups. The contest begins at 1:30 p.m. and participants are asked to stop by at 1 p.m. to register and check in.

Contestants will compete based on their age category:

  • Ages 2-4
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 9-12
  • Ages 13-16
  • Ages 17-109.5

The event is organized together with local bakery Living the Pie Life and young adult event organization Arlington Jaycees.

Several carnival ride favorites are set to return to the fair this year, including the Zipper, the Heart Flip, and the Rainbow from the Cole Shows Amusement Company.

The fair is free to attend but ticket prices for amusements range from $1 for a single ticket to $20 for 24 tickets.

Photos courtesy Dennis Dimick

Grammy-Nominees Headline Rosslyn Jazz Festival’s Return

By Vernon Miles

The Rosslyn Jazz Festival is coming back with some Grammy-nominated artists headlining the event.

The free festival is planned for Saturday, Sept. 7 from 1-7 p.m. at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway).

This year, the annual festival will feature:

The festival will also include food trucks, a pop-up beer and wine garden, and a visit from the Arlington Art Truck, according to its organizer, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District.

The focus of this year’s musical selections is art and music from the Gulf Coast, the BID said in a press release.

Attendees are encouraged to take the Metro to the Rosslyn station — a five-minute walk from the park — as parking at the festival will be limited.

Photo via Rosslyn BID

Arlington Agenda: August 5-11

By Ashley Hopko

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, Aug. 5

1st Time Home Buyer Seminar *
Keri Shull Team (1600 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 101)
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

This event will teach first time home buyers how to avoid mistakes while also educating them on tools and resources. Registration can be found online for this free event.

Disney’s Frozen Jr. Auditions
Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Road) 
Time: 5 p.m. and August 6 at 7 p.m. 

Encore Stage & Studio invites kids ages nine to 18 to audition for the upcoming production. Backstage helpers are also needed, including kids ages 12 to 18. No experience is needed.

Wednesday, Aug. 7

Yarn Swap
Connection: Crystal City Library (2100 Crystal Drive) 
Time: 6-7 p.m. 

Anyone with unwanted yarn may bring it to this event and swap with someone else, or simply donate it to library programming. This event is free.

Saturday, Aug. 10

Cocktails By Robert Taylor Featuring Tito’s Vodka
Fyve Restaurant Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton (1250 S. Hayes Street)
Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. 

Head mixologist Robert Taylor will teach attendees how to create special cocktails. Guest will receive a Tito’s branded takeaway gift and food will be provided. Tickets are $35.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — A Crash Of Fate by Zoraida Córdova
One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street #101)
Time: 3-4 p.m. 

Young adult author  Zoraida Córdova will discuss her upcoming Star Wars book “Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate.” The epic adventure takes place over the course of a single day on Batuu.

Sunday, Aug. 11

Aikido in the park
Glencarlyn Park (301 S. Harrison Street)
Time: 10- 11:30 a.m. 

This monthly aiki-weapons class will be followed by a cookout. Attendees can wear street clothes and extra gear will be provided.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

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