Events | ARLnow.com

Church Holding Service for ‘Dark Side of the Holidays’

Published December 15, 2014 at 2:30PM

For many, the holiday season is a time of happiness, family and gifts. For others, it’s also a trying time and a reminder of recent losses.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (4444 Arlington Blvd) is holding a service this Sunday for those who experience what the church calls “the dark side of the holidays.”

“This time of year can be a stressful time for most, but it can be especially difficult for people who may have suffered a major loss or have had a major life-changing experience in the past year,” the church wrote in an email. “Even happy memories can bring pain during the holidays. And, today’s commercialization and idealized images of what our holidays should be like are standards and expectations enough to stress the most ardent among us.”

The service will be on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. and is open to all, but is not appropriate for young children, the church said. The service, called “Standing Outside the Season,” will be hosted by Rev. Aaron McEmrys. Childcare will be provided.

Arlington Agenda (Dec. 15-21)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 15, 2014 at 10:10AM

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

Defense Contractor Jobs Open House*
Crowne Plaza Hotel (1480 Crystal Drive)
Time: 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Jacobs Engineering is looking for engineers and analysts for their bid on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, for engineering services.

Wednesday

Clarendon Menorah Lighting*
Clarendon Central Park (3140 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Enjoy potato latkes, gelt and dreidel spinning as the Arlington-Alexandria Chabad hosts a 6-foot Menorah lighting in Clarendon. The event is free to attend and visitors will be entered to win a free Amazon Kindle.

Ugly Sweater Party
O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd)
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Hosted by the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, this party will have food and prize drawing, and 10 percent of proceeds will go toward organizing Relay for Life events in the area.

Thursday

Chanukah on Ice*
Pentagon Row Ice Rink (1201 S. Joyce Street)
Time: 6:00-8:30 p.m.

On the third night of Chanukah, Pentagon City hosts its annual Chanukah on Ice festival and Menorah lighting. The event is $10 in advance, $13 at the door and includes skate rental.

Saturday

Christmas Bird Count
Potomac Overlook Regional Park (2845 N. Marcey Road)
Time: 7:30 a.m.-noon

Join the Potomac Overlook naturalist and walk the park trails for the annual Christmas Bird Count to help see which birds have come to Arlington for the winter. Binoculars available, but limited.

Live Music: Bad Scooter
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 9:00 p.m.

Police tribute band A Thousand Rainy Days opens for cover band Bad Scooter, which plays rock, funk, blues, reggae and soul music, all with a groove to dance to. Tickets are $10 at the door.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

#Arlington Agenda

Arlington Agenda (Dec. 8-14)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 8, 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.

Monday

Business and Community Expo
Holiday Inn Rosslyn (1900 N. Ft. Myer Drive)
Time: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Hosted by The Biz Knows, the expo is $7 in advance for non-members. Featuring tips for small businesses, vendors and networking opportunities.

Thursday

Skiing Movie Screening
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:45 p.m. (also on Friday at 3:45 p.m.)

The Drafthouse hosts a screening of the 2014 ski movie, “No Turning Back.” Free lift ticket to Canaan Valley ski resort in West Virginia with purchase.

Friday

Live Opera: Frigga & the Mistletoe
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (4444 Arlington Blvd)
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

This one act opera incorporates “stories from several world traditions that include themes of wonder, fear and light.” The show is free.

Saturday

Arlington Holiday Bazaar*
Arlington Career Center (816 S. Walter Reed Drive)
Time: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

There will be pizza provided by RedRocks, more than 40 vendors, singers from the Wakefield High School choir and manicures from Career Center students.

Parents’ Night Out*
Pentagon Mixed Martial Arts (1041 S. Edgewood Street)
Time: 6:00-11:00 p.m.

Pentagon MMA gives parents a chance to go shopping, have dinner and drinks while kids 4 and up are entertained with games, pizza and supervised activities. $40 for students, $45 for non-students.

Sunday

Chamber Ensemble Holiday Concert*
Spectrum Theatre (1611 N. Kent Street)
Time: 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Holiday concert for the National Chamber Ensemble includes children’s performances, carol sing-alongs, plus “Sleighride” and pieces by Dvorak, Strauss and Tchaikovsky.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

#Arlington Agenda

Mobile Development Conference Coming to Rosslyn This Month

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 2, 2014 at 5:00PM

ModevCon, a conference for people interested in designing software for mobile platforms, is coming to Arlington next week.

Starting at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) will host hundreds of developers attending dozens of lectures, workshops and sponsors over a two-day event. The conference is described as “the East Coast’s premier mobile development event.”

Among the speakers on the ModevCon agenda are executives for Netflix, Capital One, Microsoft and Amazon. There will also be the founders of tech firms like Mobile Posse, Social Driver and Swiftype.

The schedule also includes networking events and sessions on developing for iOS and Android, design, cross-platform technology and marketing. Panels include topics like “Women in Mobile Development” and monetizing apps.

The event is still open for registration. For two full days the conference costs $595 — it’s $395 for Thursday only and $295 for Friday only. Registration is still open here.

Arlington County’s economic development office, which runs Artisphere, is listed as a platinum-level sponsor of the event.

Holiday Events in Arlington This Month

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 1, 2014 at 3:35PM | Updated December 2, 2014 at 10:59AM

(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) December is here, and with it comes a month-long celebration of the holiday season.

There are numerous events around the county this month, from holiday markets to ice skating “winter spectaculars.”

Here’s a selection of some of the more notable events in the area:

Shirlie Lights Up the Village, an annual tree lighting event with live music, carriage rides and a visit from Santa Claus, will take place in Shirlington Village on Dec. 3 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
This Friday, Dec. 5, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Miracle on 23rd Street is back for another year. At the Linden Resources at 750 23rd Street S., Santa Claus will ride through on an Arlington County Fire Department truck, kicking off an evening of children’s activities and holiday music.
On Dec. 5 and 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Rosslyn Business Improvement is bringing back the Rosslyn Holiday Market for another year. More than 35 vendors with products as diverse as soaps, gourmet popcorn, metalworks and French macarons will be on hand to offer shoppers heaps of gift options. After Friday’s market closes, the BID will hold a ceremony lighting up Rosslyn’s skyline.
Pentagon Row is hosting “Let It Row,” a winter event at its ice rink, on Saturday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is free and features a DJ and a “s’mores bar.”
For the first time, Penrose Square on Columbia Pike is hosting its own “Winter Wonderland” event, on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. They will have their own Santa Claus available for pictures, plus carolers, hot chocolate and cookies from Giant and ornament decoration stations. The event will close with a tree lighting ceremony in the breezeway outside Giant.
Market Common Clarendon, at the intersection of Clarendon Blvd and N. Edgewood Street, is hosting a “Winter Wonderland,” on Saturday Dec. 13. This free event is replete with Santa Clause on a fire truck at noon, ice carvings and characters in life-size snow globes.
The Arlington Career Center, at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive, will host this year’s Arlington Holiday Bazaar on Dec. 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be pizza provided by RedRocks, more than 40 vendors, singers from the Wakefield High School choir and manicures from Career Center students.

Photo courtesy Linden Resources. Disclosure: Rosslyn BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Arlington Agenda (Dec. 1-7)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 1, 2014 at 10:00AM | Updated December 1, 2014 at 3:25PM

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

IOTA Open Mic Night
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00 p.m.

IOTA’s free weekly open mic night holds its first December showcase. The event is free and signups are at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m. Steve Siekkenen is the night’s featured performer.

Thursday

The True Cost of Parenting
Arlington Mill Commmunity Center (909 S. Dinwiddie Street)
Time: 11:00-11:45 a.m.

This talk, as part of the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s personal finance empowerment programs, aims to help parents budget and manage their expenses while raising a family.

Saturday

Washington-Lee Holiday Bazaar
Washington-Lee High School (1301 N. Stafford Street)
Time: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

W-L hosts a holiday market with more than 70 artisans plying their wares, including jewelry, ceramics and pet goods. “Multiethnic” food will be served and student musical groups will perform throughout.

“Let it Row” Winter Spectacular
Pentagon Row Ice Rink (1101 S. Joyce Street)
Time: 5:00-8:00 p.m.

This free event gives participants the chance to ice skate to the music of DJ Saucee, enjoy a s’mores station and see fireworks.

Sunday

Alternative Gift Fair*
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 12:30-3:00 p.m.

“Fair trade and handcrafted items from artisans around the world. Jewelry, textiles, sandals, coffees & teas, home décor and more.” The event is free and a complete list of vendors can be found here.

Children’s Book Signing*
Arlington Central Library Auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street)
Time: 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Arlington Public Schools teacher Mary-Hannah Klontz reads from her children’s Christmas book, “There’s Noel in Rat.” Books cost $10, and each purchase will send $5 to A-SPANand entitle purchaser to a free kid’s ice cream from Carvel.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

#Arlington Agenda

Turkey Trot Race to Close Roads in Lyon Park Tomorrow

By Ethan Rothstein

Published November 26, 2014 at 3:30PM

The annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K returns tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., and motorists hoping for an early Thanksgiving drive should avoid Lyon Park.

The race is organized by, and starts at, Christ Church of Arlington at 3020 N. Pershing Drive. The course takes runners west on Pershing Drive, turning around on 5th Street N. before heading back west on Pershing Drive. Runners will then turn left on N. Fillmore Street and right on 9th Street N. before turning on the southbound lanes of Washington Blvd.

The course goes along Washington Blvd until runners turn right at the intersection with Arlington Blvd. They will turn right on N. Bedford Street and continue until it turns into Brookside Drive and intersects again with Washington Blvd. Runners will turn off Washington on 3rd Street, turn right on Fillmore and end at the church on Pershing.

Roads are expected to close all morning in the area. There is no word from the Arlington County Police Department if the northbound lanes of Washington Blvd will be open to either one or both directions of traffic.

Michael Wardian, Arlington’s own champion distance runner, will both officiate and participate in the 5K, according to the race website.

More than 3,000 runners are expected to participate, and registration is full. Proceeds from the race will go to benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Doorways for Women and Families and the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless.

Arlington Agenda (Nov. 17-23)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published November 17, 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

The Invisible Women in Arlington
Patrick Henry Elementary School Library (701 S. Highland Street)
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

An informative program about homeless women in the county, with speeches by the executive directors of A-SPAN and Doorways. The free event is sponsored by Arlington Branch of American Association of University Women.

Thursday

Rock Spring Garden Club Floral Design Event*
National Rural Electric Cooperative Building (4301 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Designers from Company Flowers will be demonstrating easy techniques for beautiful displays, with door prizes and gift shopping. Tickets are $25. For more info, tickets, and registration, contact Renee Bayes at 703 241-2651.

Saturday

Live Music: Free Concert*
Rock Spring Congregational Church of Christ (5010 Little Falls Road)
Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.

The IBIS chamber orchestra performs a free concert of Andre Caplet’s Conte Fantastique. The chamber features a harp, strings and Soprano Elizabeth Kluegel. Concert is free, but donations are encouraged.

Live Music: Hollertown
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (444 Arlington Blvd)
Time: 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Bluegrass band Hollertown plays a benefit show for Little Friends for Peace. Tickets are $10 to see the band that plays everything from bluegrass standards to Lady Gaga perform.

Sunday

Girls on the Run 5K*
1121 19th Street N.
Time: 8:30-11:00 a.m.

This family friendly 5K takes the participants along the Potomac River, starting and ending in Rosslyn. The event is aimed at girls, ages 8-13, to foster “self-respect” and healthy living. Register here.

Kinhaven 5k and Fun Run*
Bluemont Park South Shelter (325 N. Manchester Street)
Time: 9:00 a.m.-noon

A 5K and a 1K fun run to benefit the students of Kinhaven Preschool. The race goes along the W&OD trail with the families of Kinhaven cheering the runners on the whole way. Register here.

Arlington Bus Tour*
1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road
Time: 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

A bus tour of the sites of Arlington, including the Air Force Memorial, the Nauck neighborhood, the West Boundary Stone and the Ball-Sellers House. Tickets are $40 and are available online.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

#Arlington Agenda

Arlington Nonprofit to Donate 100,000th Bicycle

By Ethan Rothstein

Published November 14, 2014 at 1:30PM

Arlington-based charity Bikes for the World, which takes used bikes and ships them to underprivileged communities around the world, will donate its 100,000th bicycle tomorrow.

The charity will send the bike as part of a shipment of 500 bicycles to Costa Rica, to be distributed to workers who use the bikes as part of their jobs in their rural economy, according to a Bikes of the World press release.

Bikes of the World has been sending bikes around the world, to places like the Philippines, Ghana and Afghanistan. The bikes help children get to school and help families climb out of poverty by providing reliable transportation. The bikes also provide jobs for people in the receiving countries, who get work reconditioning the bicycles once they arrive.

The 100,000th bike will be loaded into a shipping container tomorrow at noon at 1420 S. Eads Street as part of America Recycles Day. All of the bikes the nonprofit ships are donated by Americans in eight states and D.C., and recycled for their use internationally.

Image via Bikes for the World

‘B.F.F.’ Happy Hour to Raise Funds for Breast Cancer

By Ethan Rothstein

Published November 13, 2014 at 11:15AM | Updated September 3, 2018 at 10:14PM

An Arlington County breast cancer charity is organizing a “B.F.F.” — “Breast Friends Forever” — fundraiser in Rosslyn next week.

The Sharon McGowan Breast Health Fund is holding the happy hour fundraiser at the ÜberOffices coworking space, at 1400 Key Blvd, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20.

Beer and appetizers will be served, The event is free to register for, but a donation is highly encouraged.

Proceeds from the event help the fund pay for “free mammograms, sonograms, biopsies, medical devices, and [breast cancer] medications” for uninsured men and women in Arlington and Falls Church.

McGowan was an Arlington resident and mother of seven children who succumbed to breast cancer in 1997. Her niece, Jaimie, will be at the happy hour — which doubles as a young professional networking event — encouraging those in attendance to find a “breast friend” to “buddy up with and remind each other to get annual mammographies.”

Moran, Guas to Hand Out Turkeys at AFAC

By Ethan Rothstein

Published November 10, 2014 at 11:00AM

Bayou Bakery chef and owner David Guas will join retiring Rep. Jim Moran next Monday, Nov. 17, to pass out turkeys to families in need at the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

The annual drive will provide Thanksgiving meals to a growing number of families that are relying on AFAC to supplement their food purchases. This year, AFAC is seeing record demand for its services and spent beyond its allocated food budget to provide food to all its clients.

In June, AFAC Executive Director Charles Meng told ARLnow.com that AFAC was serving 40 percent more families than the year before, a surge he attributed to cuts from federal food stamp programs. This year, AFAC has purchased 2,200 turkeys to give out next week.

Guas and Moran will kick off the giving at about 10:15 a.m. next Monday, according to AFAC spokeswoman Claire McIntyre. AFAC will be conducting turkey drives from 10:00 a.m. to noon from Monday through Friday, Nov. 21, to provide the centerpiece of Thanksgiving meals for its clients.

This year, for the first time, Bayou Bakery, at 1515 N. Courthouse Road, will be donating a pie to AFAC for every dozen it sells. The Louisiana-themed bakery and restaurant is offering sweet potato, pecan, bourbon chocolate chip, Virginia peanut, apple crumble and bacon cayenne pies.

“This is the first year we’ve partnered with [Guas] for that,” McIntyre said. “Because the pie purchasing happens during the holiday season, he can’t bring all the pies at once to us. We still wanted him to be a part of the day. It was really exciting that we got to pair him and Congressman Moran together to hand out the turkeys.”

File photos