Events | ARLnow.com

Arlington Agenda Oct. 26-Nov. 1

Published October 26, 2015 at 3:45PM

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

A Conversation on Arts and Mental Health
GMU Founders Hall Auditorium
Time: 6-7 p.m.

GMU’s Arts Management Program is hosting a conversation on mental health. The discussion will explore contemporary mental healthcare trends, available resources and the use of art to promote well-being.

Wednesday

Chiefs vs. Chefs
Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Chiefs vs. Chefs returns for another fiery foray into foodie fandom! Watch three of the area’s best restaurant chefs go toe-to-toe with three of Arlington’s firehouse cooks in a three-course throw-down- using only food found in AFAC’s pantry!

1776 Crystal City Grand Opening
2231 Crystal Dr #1000
Time: 7-10 p.m.

After months of construction and design, 1776’s new space is ready. Join us in toasting innovative entrepreneurship, and network across the 1776 community. Come celebrate the new space and enjoy food, drinks, music and merriment.

Thursday

A Very Steampunk Halloween*
Tech Shop DC-Arlington (2100 Crystal Drive)
Time: 4-9 p.m.

Tech Shop is having party with Steampunk-themed costume and jack-o-lantern contests. Use some of Tech Shop’s gadgets and enjoy food and drink. Tickets for adult non-members are $15 and are available online. Children under 10 not permitted.

PAVE Halloween Carnival*
Top of the Town (1400 N. 14th St.)
Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Join Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment for our 1st annual Halloween Carnival and the launch of ‪#‎ConsentIs‬! The Consent Is campaign is focused on consent, respect and healthy relationships. Tickets are available online and are $65 each.

Friday

Carrie the Musical
Gunston Arts Center (2700 S. Lang Street)
Time: Starts at 8 p.m.

Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel, the musical of Carrie hasn’t been seen since its 1988 Broadway production. Tickets are $25, and there are performances on Halloween and next weekend. Synopsis and details available online.

Saturday

Trick or Treat with the Arlington Historical Society
Arlington Historical Museum
Time: 4-6 p.m.

This Halloween, the Arlington Historical Society is hosting our first trick-or-treat event at the Arlington Historical Museum! In addition to candy, we’ll have a Halloween-themed story time (appropriate for young children) and coloring activities.

2015 Halloween Movie Festival
Arlington Cinema and Draft House
Time: Starts at 5 p.m.

Three Halloween films for $8. The Goonies starts at 5 p.m., Ghostbusters is at 7:30, The Exorcist is at 9:45. Restaurant fare and table service is available. Show up in your Halloween costume (more than a mask) to win a free pass to a future movie!

Sunday

Pre-Election Day 5K: Halloween Fun Run*
Hayes Park (1415 North Lincoln St.)
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Break out your Halloween costume for a fun run along the Custis Trail! Information about the upcoming election will be available at the start and finish of the race. This event is part of efforts to mobilize young voters in the area for the 2015 Virginia elections.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

Va. Square Church to Hold Cultural Series

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 23, 2015 at 3:45PM

A Catholic church near Clarendon is holding a series of films, dances and concerts as part of a new cultural series called Forum Arlington.

Every Friday, the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (3304 Washington Blvd) will hold either a music concert, dance class or film screening. The Forum kicked off last week with a performance by Marie Miller and will hold a film screening tonight.

All events start at 7 p.m. with a happy hour followed by the film, concert or dance class at 8 p.m. Tickets can either be purchased online or at the door, depending on the event.

Forum Arlington also has a photography exhibition about South America from Oct. 16 to Dec. 18.

The idea for the cultural series came from the church’s pastor, Father Donald Planty, who wanted to do more cultural outreach, said Terrence McKeegan, the head of Arlington Forum.

“He had this idea to have a cultural series that is a cultural outreach program for Arlington residents,” McKeegan said.

McKeegan has helped organize multiple cultural events, including large music festivals, and realized he and the pastor had the same vision. Together, they worked to find different acts and films, drawing from McKeegan’s wide network, he said.

“We try to pick bands or films or dance instructors and types of dances that appealing to widest range,” McKeegan said.

The events are held in the church’s gym, which McKeegan and church staff spruced up to make it look more like an event space instead of a typical gym, he said.

The concerts, dances and films will continue through the winter. For the spring, Arlington Forum will introduce a lecture series in addition to the concerts. McKeegan did not know at this time if the films and dance classes would resume in the spring.

Forum Arlington is open to the entire Arlington community, McKeegan said.

“The target audience is the entire community,” he said. “It’s not all the parishioners or an age demographic.”

Race to Be Held in Honor of Arlington Mom Killed By Truck

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 21, 2015 at 6:00PM

A foundation created in honor of Jennifer Lawson, the Arlington mom who was struck and killed by a dump truck in front of Nottingham Elementary School, is holding a race in her memory.

The inaugural Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation Memorial 5K and Family Fun Day will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Knights of Columbus at 5115 Little Falls Road, the same road on which Lawson was hit last year.

The 5K starts at 8 a.m., followed by the kids run at 9:30 a.m. After the races, the foundation will hold a family fun day, with music, food trucks and a beer garden. There will also be kids activities, including face painting, a moon bounce and balloon animals.

Registration for the race is still open. It costs $40 to run the 5K and $10 to participate in the kids run. All proceeds go to the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation, a memorial fund started by Lawson’s husband Neal to help provide pre- and postnatal care for families in need of financial assistance.

Lawson died on February 24, 2014, after being struck by a dump truck while loading her two-year-old daughter into her minivan. Her two sons were in class, across the street at Nottingham Elementary. After her death, a family friend created a memorial fund to help the family. He aimed to raise $5,000 and ended up raising more than $17,000.

Firefighters Take On Local Chefs in Annual Cooking Competition

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 19, 2015 at 6:45PM

Three firefighters will see if they can handle the heat in the kitchen as they take on three local chefs in an annual cooking competition and fundraiser in Clarendon.

The Chiefs v. Chefs 4: Too Hot to Handle challenges chefs and firefighters to cook three courses using ingredients found in the Arlington Food Assistance Center’s pantry. The competition will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) on Oct. 28.

“Pick your favorite team and watch three of the area’s most scintillating chefs go toe-to-toe with three of Arlington’s hottest firehouse cooks in a three-course throw-down! This infamous on-stage battle is on fire as each team tries to impress our panel of judges and set their taste buds ablaze,” AFAC said in a press release.

This year, Chef Josu Zubikarai of SER Restaurant, Chef Tom Madrecki of Chez le Commis and Chef Jesus Guzman from the U.S. Navy will take on three different firefighters. The competitors will battle to impress judges Chef George Pagonis of Kapnos Taverna, Becky Krystal from the Washington Post and Scott Brodbeck of ARLnow.com to win the “Golden Eggplant.”

“This competition is going to be a challenge, but it’s nothing like the one faced every day by hundreds of Arlington residents. It’s on us to raise awareness and help AFAC continue to deliver positive results in our local community. As a chef, what better way to do that than to show the judges how you can transform commonplace ingredients into something interesting, complex and unique,” Madrecki said in a statement. “It’s going to be an uphill battle against the chiefs, but no matter the results, the real winner will be Arlington families who need greater access to nutritious food.”

Tickets for the competition start at $100, with a package of two tickets selling for $175. Proceeds will go to helping AFAC feed Arlington families.

Arlington Agenda: Oct. 19-25

By Eleanor Greene

Published October 19, 2015 at 12:40PM

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

NextGenNow & Crystal City BID Fall Networking Social*
Highline RxR (2010 Crystal Drive)
Time: 5:30-8:00 pm

Join the members of NextGenNow, a young professionals organization. Learn about what makes Crystal City an innovative, active, artful, accessible and green destination. There will be refreshments and a cash bar.

Friday

Continental Beer Garden
Plaza on 19th (1901 N Fort Myer Drive)
Time: 4-8 p.m.

Join Rosslyn’s Continental for two fall beer gardens at the Plaza on 19th. Enjoy craft beer, delicious food from Urban Poutine food truck, and a live D.J. Adults 21 and older only. There is no cover charge.

Saturday

Arlington CROP Hunger Walk
First Presbyterian Church (601 N. Vermont St.)
Time: 8:15-11:45 a.m.

This all-ages event raises funds for the Arlington Food Assistance Center and for disaster relief and refugee assistance around the world. Walk the 5k or 10k routes as part of a team or create one.

Big Yard Sale at St. Peter’s Church*
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (4250 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will be hosting a giant yard sale. Items include clothing, toys, books, household goods, furniture, kitchen appliances, decorations and more. Walker Chapel United Methodist Church, will be hosting a sale across the street.

FALLOWEEN at Market Common Clarendon
Market Common Clarendon (2700 Clarendon Blvd)
Time: 12-4 p.m.

Market Common Clarendon will host the annual FALLOWEEN event for a day of fun the entire family can enjoy. There will be a live music, a petting zoo, face painters, pumpkin decorating, a photo opportunity and trick-or-treating. Admission is free.

Sunday

Marine Corps Marathon Finish Festival
Along Meade Street in Rosslyn
Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Celebrate the post-race activities alongside the runners and fans. Essential services, food, including a Restaurant Row, live music, entertainment and giveaways await runners and spectators as they continue down Meade Street from the finish area.

Howl-O-Ween Party & Costume Contest
James Hunter Park (1299 N Herndon Street)
Time: 3-5 p.m.

Join Clarendon Animal Care and Canine Performance for a Howl-O-Ween Party & Costume Contest. There will be pet games and goodies, a costume contest and pet photo booth. This is a free event that is open to everyone in the community.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

TechShop Planning ‘A Very Steampunk Halloween’

By ARLnow.com

Published October 15, 2015 at 10:35AM | Updated October 15, 2015 at 11:20AM

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) TechShop in Crystal City is planning a steampunk-themed Halloween party later this month.

The event is planned for Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6-9 p.m. It will include a jack-o’-lantern contest and a steampunk costume contest.

“Break out your petticoats and top hats, don your driving goggles, and adorn yourself with gears of all shapes and sizes, because the winners of these contests will score awesome prizes!” TechShop said in an event page.

In terms of food and drink, the party will feature a Good Stuff Eatery milkshake bar, a kids candy bar and a “haunted cocktail bar.”

Tickets are $15 for adults who aren’t TechShop members, $10 for members, $5 for those under 21.

A family-friendly “Hack Your Halloween” meetup, featuring a workshop on laser etching a pumpkin, will be held from 4-6 p.m. Tickets for children ages 10-14 attending the meetup are $10 and there are additional charges for the pumpkin etching.

TechShop Arlington is located at 2110 Crystal Drive and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for major holidays.

Arlington Nonprofit Looking to Help Older Residents Age in Place

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 12, 2015 at 7:00PM

Arlington Neighborhood Villages (ANV), a nonprofit helping older residents stay in their homes, is looking for volunteers and members.

Arlington Neighborhood Villages is holding an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 6-8 p.m. to inform people about the services it provides for older Arlington residents, as well as the volunteer opportunities it has.

The event will be held at National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (4301 Wilson Blvd).

“Celebrate ANV’s growth and bring your friends and neighbors to learn how they can continue to live in their homes and communities as they age,” the nonprofit, which launched a year and a half ago, said on the event page.

There will be light refreshments and a raffle. Members and volunteers can win a $25 gift card by bringing a friend who then joins ANV.

ANV helps Arlington residents, ages 55 and up, stay in their homes by providing them with social and educational outings, transportation and daily check-in calls. The organization relies on volunteers to help provide the transportation, run errands for older residents, do house check ups while people are away and perform household tasks, such as changing light bulbs or smoke detector batteries.

#nonprofit

Arlington Agenda Oct. 12-18

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 12, 2015 at 2:45PM

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

Crystal Screen Presents “Scream”
S. Bell Street between 18th Street S. and 20th Street S.
Time: Approximately 6:34 p.m.

The Crystal City Business Improvement District with Vornado/Charles E. Smith is showing a series of scary movies each week in October, leading up to Halloween. This week is 1996 horror flick “Scream.”

Tuesday

Watch the First Democratic Presidential Debate at GMU
GMU Arlington Campus (3351 Fairfax Drive)
Time: 8:30-11:00 pm

Come watch Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders vie for the presidential nomination in the first Democratic debate. The debate starts at 9 p.m. on CNN. Please RSVP to Robert Guttman, director of the Center for Politics and Foreign Relations.

Friday

Stuart Little*
Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Wakefield Theatre presents the classic tale of a little mouse and his adventures in the big city. Tickets are $5 at the door. There is also a chance to meet the characters at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. showing of the play.

Saturday

Arlington Host Lions – White Cane Day*
Harrison Street Safeway (2500 N. Harrison Street)
Westover Market (5863 Washington Blvd)
Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Arlington Host Lions Club will be collecting donations to help train people with eyesight disabilities to use white canes. Funds will also go to raising awareness of issues facing the blind.

A Reforming Church Sings: A Hymn Festival for Reformation*
Resurrection Lutheran Church (6201 Washington Blvd)
Time: 3-5 p.m.

Join the Resurrection Lutheran Church in singing a set of hymns led by pianist and composer David Cherwien. Public worship scholars Gail Ramshaw and Gordon Lathrop will provide reflections on each of the hymns performed.

Sunday

Kinhaven 5K (plus 1K and Toddler Dash)
Bluemont Park (601 Manchester Street)
Time: 9-11 a.m.

Help benefit the Kinhaven Preschool in Ballston by running a 5K, 1K or Toddler Dash. The 5K will take runners on a trail through Bluemont Park. Participants can register online for the 5K, which costs $30, or the fun run for kids 12 and younger, which costs $5.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

Market Common Clarendon to Host Trick-or-Treating for Kids and Dogs

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 8, 2015 at 4:30PM

Halloween is coming a week early at the Market Common Clarendon (2700 Clarendon Blvd), with the return of Falloween and Howl-O-Ween on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Howl-O-Ween, the annual trick-or-treating dog walking event, kicks off the morning at 9:30 a.m.

Dogs and their owners will make their way around the Market Common Clarendon loop, while stopping at local businesses to trick-or-treat. Each year, owners compete to have the best costume for their furry friends.

The event benefits local nonprofits Homeward Trails Animal Rescue and Doorways for Women and Families.

Kelly Spafford, a spokeswoman for Doorways, recommends owners use “originality, creativity and humorous/clever costumes” to win the costume contest.

“Consider combining your dog’s costume with your own (dressing up isn’t mandatory, but there will be prizes!),” Spafford said in an email. “Remember to make sure your dog feels safe and comfortable in their costume.”

In addition to trick-or-treating and the costume contest, dogs will have the ability to show off their skills on an agility course.

Howl-O-Ween is dog and human friendly, Spafford said.

“It’s a way to get your kids involved in charity work, [as] volunteering is typically unavailable to them for confidentiality, insurance or other reasons at most human service nonprofits, so this is a way to get them connected to the importance of helping others early, so bring the whole family,” she said.

Howl-O-Ween is a charity event, and costs $30 for adults and $20 for children. All proceeds go to helping women and dogs that are victims of abuse.

Immediately after Howl-O-Ween, the Market Common Clarendon will host its annual family-oriented Falloween event from noon to 4 p.m.

There will be live music from children’s entertainer Mr. Knick Knack from noon to 2 p.m., followed by Rainbow Rock Band, from 2-4 p.m.

The free event will also have a petting zoo, face painting and pumpkin decorating. Kids will have the opportunity to go trick-or-treating at local businesses from 1-3:30 p.m.

Nighttime Bike Rides to Explore Arlington Neighborhood ‘Secrets’

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 8, 2015 at 10:30AM | Updated October 8, 2015 at 11:43AM

Groups of cyclists will get to explore the “secrets” of three Arlington neighborhoods this month.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is organizing the 5-6 mile evening rides with Bike Arlington.

First up tonight is the Secrets of Crystal City. The ride will start tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Crystal City Water Park, on the 1700 block of Crystal Drive, and end just down the street at TechShop around 8 p.m.

“On our ‘Secrets of Crystal City’ ride, we’ll open your eyes to a whole new side of one of Arlington’s signature neighborhoods,” WABA said on the event’s website.

The rides continue weekly, with a tour of Shirlington on Oct. 14 and a ride through Ballston on Oct. 28. Another ride will take cyclists across the river on a haunted ghost ride on Capitol Hill in D.C. on Oct. 23.

Reservations for each tour costs $10, but it’s half off for WABA members and free for Capital Bikeshare members. Participants must provide their own bikes and helmets. The rides are open to anyone over 14 years old.

The tour is also accepting walk-ups depending on the amount of available space in the tour group. Walk-up riders can participate for free.

‘Floral Frenzy’ Plant Give-Away Returning to Crystal City

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 6, 2015 at 1:30PM | Updated October 6, 2015 at 2:47PM

(Updated at 1:50 p.m.) There will be a “frenzy” at the Crystal City Farmer’s Market next week, as the Crystal City Business Improvement District gives away tropical plants ahead of the cold weather months.

Prospective adoptive plant owners can stop by the Crystal City BID’s tent to pick up a fern, palm tree or other tropical flora at 3 p.m. next Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Crystal City FreshFarm Farmer’s Market.

The BID gets the plants for its “Floral Frenzy-Tropical Storm” event through a partnership with Vornado/Charles E. Smith, said BID president Angie Fox. Vornado removes the tropical plants in its planters around Crystal City to replace them with evergreen trees for the winter — the BID then gives away the old plants.

“Tropical Storm allows community residents and workers to rescue tropical ferns and other plants that would otherwise be thrown into the compost pile,” the BID said on its website.

The palm trees given away can grow up to 7 or 8 feet tall, can live year-round inside and are not difficult to keep alive, Fox said.

“We bring them out and Vornado brings planters, and people just grab [plants] and walk down the street,” she said.

The event, which is part of the BID’s Crystal Green program, is well attended and plants are usually gone within 30 minutes, Fox said.

“Tropical Storm is a great way for Crystal City residents and workers to adopt plants and support sustainable landscaping practices within our community,” Fox said in a statement. “The Floral Frenzy program provides hundreds of plants for re-use annually while celebrating Crystal City’s beautifully landscaped streetscapes and open spaces.”

The farmers market takes place on Tuesdays from 3-7 p.m. on Crystal Drive, between 18th and 20th streets. The market’s last day of the year is Nov. 24.

Photo courtesy of the Crystal City BID. Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.