Events

Signature Theatre Cabaret Series to Return With 16-Act Lineup

By Melanie Pincus
1/7

Signature Theatre’s annual Sizzlin’ Summer Nights cabaret series will return tomorrow (Thursday) in Shirlington with a performance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.

Cabarets run for approximately one hour. Tickets for individual performances are $35 and all-access passes are available for $175.

The first ten cabarets are listed below. The full schedule may be found on Signature Theatre’s website, and performances run through Aug. 4.

  • July 19 (8 p.m.) — The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.: It Takes Two
  • July 20 (7 p.m.) — Rochelle Rice: American Remix
  • July 20 (9 p.m.) — Mason Cabaret: An Evening with Stephen Sondheim
  • July 21 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) — Bob McDonald: Best of Bob
  • July 22 (5 p.m.) — Monumental Theatre: Flip Flop, A Miscast Cabaret
  • July 22 (7 p.m.) — Nova Y. Payton and Mark G. Meadows: Hotter than July
  • July 24 (8 p.m.) — Awa Sal Secka: Soul Divas
  • July 25 (8 p.m.) — Nova Y. Payton and Mark G. Meadows: Hotter than July
  • July 26 (8 p.m.) — Erin Driscoll: Ladies’ Night

The Washington Post has noted Signature Theatre’s cabaret series for lending the stage to out-of-town performers and promoting cabaret in the D.C. area. The Signature Theatre’s productions are routinely recognized as among the region’s best — they have won 107 Helen Hayes Awards and received 411 nominations.

Photos courtesy Signature Theatre

VDOT Looks for Innovative Transportation Ideas at Hackathon

By Melanie Pincus

The Virginia Department of Transportation is looking to “developers, planners, futurists, big data lovers and problem solvers” to help address the state’s biggest transportation questions.

Today (July 17) and tomorrow, participants in VDOT’s second SmarterRoads Hackathon and Idea Jam Series will gather at startup incubator 1776’s Crystal City campus. They will use VDOT’s open data sets and SmarterRoads portal to develop projects.

Last year’s event, held in Virginia Beach, produced a mobile app capable of providing real-time traffic signal information and a system to optimize road pavement schedules, among other concepts.

Winners receive cash prizes up to $1,000 and some successful entrants will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas at a future workshop.

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine will deliver a speech tomorrow afternoon, before the event wraps up with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m.

File photo

Arlington Agenda: July 16-22

By Melanie Pincus

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, July 17

Adult Game Night
Westover Branch Library (1644 N. McKinley Road)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Classic games like Life, Pictionary and Taboo will be available for a night full of friendly competition at the Westover Branch Library. No registration necessary.

Wednesday, July 18

History Talk: Julia Rhinehart: WWI Navy Yeomanette
Aurora Hills Library Branch (735 18th Street S.)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Come learn about the life of Julia Rhinehart, a Glencarlyn resident who was one of the first women to enlist in U.S. Navy as a yeomanette during World War I. The event is free.

Thursday, July 19

Gentle Fitness in the Garden
Glencarlyn Branch Library (300 S. Kensington Street)
Time: 10-10:45 a.m.

Registered nurse and certified fitness trainer Kathleen Bardo will lead the fourth and final installment in this exercise series for older adults. Register here.

Friday, July 20

Columbia Pike Movie Nights: Toy Story
Arlington Mill Community Center (909 S. Dinwiddie Street)
Time: 8:30-10:30 p.m.

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization’s summer movie series continues this week with Toy Story. In case of inclement weather, check Facebook or Twitter for any cancellation announcement.

Saturday, July 21

Crystal City Twilighter 5K*
2121 Crystal Drive
Time: 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Race through the streets of Crystal City while avoiding daytime heat. Registration is open through race day, though there is a discount available through Wednesday.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

‘Art Attack’ Planned for Lubber Run Community Center Ahead of Its Demolition

By Melanie Pincus
1/4

Arlington’s first purpose-built community center will receive an art-heavy send-off from 5-9 p.m. tonight (Thursday).

Lubber Run Community Center (300 N. Park Drive), built in 1956, will be demolished to pave the way for an updated facility.

But before all that, community members will have the chance to say goodbye with art activities like paint bombs, life-size silhouette painting and a group mural, paired with a live DJ and food trucks, at an event dubbed “Art Attack.”

The center closed to the public on July 6, but will reopen for this evening’s festivities. The county projects that construction on the new center begin later this year and be wrapped up by 2020.

Photo via Arlington County

Police Plan First Community Outreach Meetings Under Restructuring Plan

By Alex Koma

Arlington County police are planning a new round of community outreach meetings starting tonight (Thursday), the first quarterly gatherings under a restructuring plan designed to roll back some of the department’s services.

Communities in the northern half of the county will get a chance to meet with a police outreach team at the Bozman Government Center (2100 Clarendon Blvd) at 7 p.m. Thursday night. Anyone living in the southern sections of Arlington will have a similar opportunity this coming Wednesday (July 18) at the Fairlington Community Center (3308 S. Stafford Street).

The county once had enough officers to attend regular meetings with individual civic associations to discuss community concerns. But the department’s staffing challenges have forced Chief M. Jay Farr to cut back on some services as he tries to recruit new officers, and, starting in mid-May, Farr is devoting officers only to squads covering the northern and southern halves of the county.

They’ll now hold quarterly meetings with community members, like the ones planned for this month, instead of the more frequent check-ins. In a release, the department said the July meetings will also include a presentation on fraud prevention and “how you can protect yourself as a consumer.”

Police have contact information for the outreach teams available on the county’s website.

If you’re unsure about which meeting to attend, the county also has a tool available where you can enter your address and see if you should speak with the northern or southern outreach team.

Photo courtesy of Blake Tippens

Arlington Agenda: July 9-15

By Melanie Pincus

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, July 9

Comedy Night at Galaxy Hut
2711 Wilson Blvd.
Time: 8:30-11:30 p.m.

This event features stand-up comedy and live music for a $5 entry fee. Host Reid Clark will guide the night. A comedy night is also scheduled at Galaxy Hut for the second Monday in August.

Tuesday, July 10

Delicious Food and The Arts at Palette 22*
4053 Campbell Avenue
Time: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.

15 percent of proceeds from patrons who bring the attached flyer to Palette 22 will go to Embracing Arts Arlington as it fundraises to increase artist visiblity through an ARLnow press release subscription package.

Teddy Bear Picnic Day
2800 Clarendon Blvd.
Time: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Celebrate National Teddy Bear Picnic Day in The Loop at Market Common Clarendon. Event features free ice cream, story time, singing and dancing.

Wednesday, July 11

Complimentary Wine Tasting
Osteria da Nino Cucina Italiana & Bar (2900 S. Quincy Street)
Time: 5-7 p.m.

July’s complimentary wine tasting will offer five options. Wines, like the 2016 Chateau Mouinat Bordeaux Rouge AOC, will also be available for purchase at discount prices.

Thursday, July 12

Breakfast Connection: Small Business Focus
Holiday Inn Rosslyn (1900 N. Fort Myer Drive)
Time: 7:30-9 a.m.

Special Guest Tara Palacios, the director of BizLaunch, will discuss small business resources in Arlington. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and promote their businesses.

From the Skies of Ft. Myer to the Skies of Europe
Marymount University (2807 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

Former president of the World War One Historical Association Steve Suddaby will discuss how the Great War accelerated the development of the airplane among the European powers.

Friday, July 13

Ballston Park Food Truck Festival
3919 5th Street N.
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Five food trucks with at least a four-star rating will gather in the parking lot behind 3919 5th Street N., rain or shine. Most trucks will accept cash and credit.

Saturday, July 14

New District National Ice Cream Day Celebration
New District Brewing Company (2709 S. Oakland Street)
Time: 1-4 p.m.

New District is partnering with Ben & Jerry’s to celebrate National Ice Cream Day. $20 tickets are worth one New District Flight plus four mini-cups of Ben & Jerry’s.

Sunday, July 15

Outdoor Concert: Rocknoceros
Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 5-7 p.m.

This family-friendly outdoor concert will feature bouncy houses and arts and crafts, with music starting at 6 p.m. Food will be available from Fava Pot and Pacific Twist food trucks.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Arlington Agenda: July 2-8

By Melanie Pincus

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.

Wednesday, July 4

Barcroft 4th of July Parade*
800 S. Buchanan Street
Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

The parade route will start and end at Barcroft Community House. Attendees are encouraged to dress festively, and there will be a picnic and family show beginning at 10:45 a.m.

Ball-Sellers House Special July 4 Opening
Ball-Sellers House (5620 3rd Street S.)
Time: 1-4 p.m.

Learn about the life of John Ball and his family with a free guided tour of this colonial-era home, built three decades before the Declaration of Independence was written.

Thursday, July 5

Piano Fight Club
Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street)
Time: 9 p.m. (in past appearances)

Philadelphia musicians Eric Henkels and Pat Smith will return to Clarendon Grill to duel, presenting another edition of Piano Fight Club.

Friday, July 6

Creative Coffee: Sketch Sea Creatures: Shark
2117 Clarendon Plaza Arcade
Time: 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join the Crystal City Library for its weekly casual creatives’ meet-up. All skill levels are welcome. RSVP for an event reminder; attendance is first-come, first-served.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

International Soccer Skills Challenge Aims to Test Local Talent

By Melanie Pincus

(Updated 7/2 at 12:05 pm) Aspiring Arlington soccer stars will soon have the opportunity to show off their dribbling, shooting, juggling and passing skills.

Next Saturday (July 7) from 4-8 p.m., the International Champions Cup Skills Challenge comes to Williamsburg Middle School.

The competition is divided into male and female divisions, which are each broken up by age (U12, U16 and open). Competitors receive a 45-minute time slot to navigate a dribbling course, score goals, juggle for as long as possible and quickly complete difficult passes.

The top entrant in each category will receive two free tickets to the Aug. 4 Juventus v. Real Madrid ICC match at FedEx Field and be recognized on the field during halftime.

Those interested can register online. Participation is free.

Photo via Facebook

Virginia Wine Festival Coming to Rosslyn This Fall

By Melanie Pincus

Arlington wine lovers can sample wineries from across the state without traveling far from home this fall.

From Oct. 13-14, Gateway Park in Rosslyn will host the 43rd annual Virginia Wine Festival. The event promises to offer over 200 wines plus “dozens” of ciders.

Those in attendance can also enjoy food vendors, live music and an oyster pavilion serving oysters from the Chesapeake region, according to the festival’s website.

Two-day general admission passes are available for $55. General admission grants attendees a tasting glass, unlimited wine tasting and access to concessions and music.

The 2017 festival took place in Alexandria’s Oronoco Bay Park, and was met with criticism from Visit Alexandria, the city’s tourism booster, for being “inadequately planned,” leading to “crowding and unacceptably long lines.”

Gateway Park does not lack experience in hosting large events — the sizable Rosslyn Jazz Festival, which drew more than 10,000 attendees last September, has called the venue home for the past 28 years.

Photo via Twitter

Arlington Historians Plan Event to Mark World War I’s Centennial

By Melanie Pincus

November will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, and Arlington will take some time to mark the occasion this week.

Arlington’s World War I Commemoration Task Force and the Arlington Historical Society will host an educational event tomorrow (Thursday) at the Navy League Atrium (2300 Wilson Blvd.) to commemorate the centennial of the conflict’s conclusion.

The event, entitled “Arlington Remembers the Great War,” will include a performance of period music from Opera NOVA, a video on the war produced by Arlington Independent Media and a keynote address on the war’s effect on Arlington from Mark Benbow, the director of the Arlington Historical Museum.

Admission is free, though the hosts encourage attendees to support the event and future World War I education efforts by donating online, by check or by purchasing commemorative coins for $25 each.

More information and instructions on how to RSVP to the event are available on the Arlington Historical Society’s website.

Arlington Agenda: June 25-July 1

By Melanie Pincus

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, June 25

Home Buying Seminar*
Optime Realty (1600 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

This free event will provide a detailed overview of the home-purchasing process. Wine and cheese will be provided, and attendees are encouraged to bring questions.

Summer Solstice Wine Dinner at Twisted Vines!*
Twisted Vines Bistro and Bottleshop (2803 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

Enjoy summer wines paired with summer foods at this five-course six-wine event. $85 plus tax or $75 plus tax for wine club members.

Bricks and Brews
O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3201 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Adults aged 18+ can come to O’Sullivan’s pub to build with Legos provided by the Arlington Public Library. RSVP for an event reminder. This event takes place the fourth Monday of every month.

Tuesday, June 26

Estate Planning for Pet Owners
Animal Welfare League of Arlington (2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive)
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Learn how to guarantee a secure future for your pets through estate planning at this event with attorney Lauren Keenan Rote of Bean, Kinney & Korman.

Wednesday, June 27

Small Business Roundtable
Arlington Chamber of Commerce (2009 14th Street N.)
Time: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.

This month’s small business roundtable will cover effective communication in a global market with Tianlu Redmon of Tianlu Chinese Language and Culture. Free admission for chamber members.

Thursday, June 28

State of the County and Public Safety Awards
Crowne Plaza Washington National Airport (1480 Crystal Drive)
Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol will discuss the economic status of Arlington and public safety personnel and first responders will be honored at this breakfast event. $45/chamber member, $65/prospective member.

Friday, June 29

Columbia Pike Movie Nights: Batman (1989)
Arlington Mill Community Center (909 South Dinwiddie Street)
Time: 8:30-10:30 p.m.

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization’s summer movie series continues this week with Batman. In case of inclement weather, check Facebook or Twitter for any cancellation announcement.

Saturday, June 30

Smartphone Photography Walking Tour: Crystal City & Pentagon City
Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive)
Time: 4-7 p.m.

WalkArlington and local artist Jason Horowitz partner to present a trip full of smartphone photography tips. The event is free, but registration is required.

Rosé All Day Party with Hannah Ferrier from Bravo’s Below Deck
Quinn’s On The Corner (1776 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 4-10 p.m.

This event offers 40 ounce bottles of Rosé, old school hip hop music and the opportunity to meet Hannah Ferrier of Bravo’s Below Deck.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

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