Events

‘Vampire Diaries’ cast resurrected for Arlington convention

By James Jarvis
1/2

Vampires will be descending on Crystal City next month.

It won’t be self-professed real vampires, known to haunt New Orleans and Atlanta, but rather the cast of the hit TV show “Vampire Diaries.”

Members of the cast will journey to Arlington for a three-day convention next month, offering fans a deep dive into its supernatural world. The “Vampire Fan Weekend” by Creation Entertainment is set to take place at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, at 1700 Richmond Hwy, from Friday, Sept. 15 to Sunday, Sept. 17.

“Vampire Diaries” is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia and follows Elena Gilbert, portrayed by Nina Dobrev, who falls in love with 162-year-old vampire Stefan Salvatore, played by Paul Wesley.

The plot thickens when Stefan’s mysterious older brother, Damon Salvatore, portrayed by Ian Somerhalder, returns to town. His mission? To resurrect Katherine Pierce, whom both brothers loved and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Elena.

After 171 episodes spanning eight seasons on The CW network, the show concluded on March 10, 2017, cultivating a passionate fan base along the way.

During the conference, fans can nab autographs and photo opportunities and attend a celebration concert and panel with the actors.

General admission tickets start at $60, while the Gold Weekend Package is priced at $1,350.

The Gold package guarantees reserved front-row seats in the main theater throughout the event, an exclusive panel on Sunday, priority for autographs, special credentials, and complimentary autographs from stars including Somerhalder and Wesley.

Otherwise, autographs range from $30 to $85, photos cost $45 to $149 and the celebration concert is $35.

Autographs and photo opportunities with Somerhalder have sold out, according to Creation Entertainment’s website.

In addition to Somerhalder and Wesley, cast members set to attend include: Daniel Gillies, Candice King, Michael Malarkey, Riley Voelkel, Nathaniel Buzolic, Chris Lee, Quincy Fouse, Ben Levin, Chase Coleman, Zane Phillips and Micah Parker.

Dobrev, who left the cast after the show’s sixth season, is not currently listed as expected to attend.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A window washer at work in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More on Goodwill Proposal — “The latest rezoning and site plan applications, filed Aug. 21 with the county planning department, indicate the proposal is proceeding apace, reflecting an ‘even deeper social mission,’ AHC spokesperson Jennifer Smith said in an email. When Goodwill and AHC first announced the project, they sought to build around 100 units. The latest filings outline a plan for 128 units, all with rents capped at levels targeting various lower-income tranches for a period of 30 years. Those units will be housed in the upper five floors of a seven-story building, with the bottom two floors reserved for a new Goodwill retail store, donation center and child care center.” [Washington Business Journal]

Housing Voucher Lottery Planned — “Arlington will add 5,000 households to its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program waitlist through a special application and lottery process in September. Opening the waitlist gives people a chance to apply for the federally funded rental assistance program for the first time in over a decade. Once the application period closes, a lottery will be conducted to select 5,000 applicants to go on the HCV program waitlist.” [Arlington County]

Suspects Run from Pentagon Police — From Dave Statter: “Two people running from @PFPAOfficial on S. Eads Street at Army Navy last night just before 8:00. Apparently connected to a stolen vehicle stopped on or near the Pentagon. One was caught near 11th & Eads.” [Twitter]

Arlington Sees Job Growth — “Employment within Arlington stood at 173,100 at the end of the first quarter of 2023, according to new federal data, a year-over-year increase of 2.6 percent. That puts the county slightly higher than the national increase of 2.5 percent during the same period, according to figures reported Aug. 23 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.” [Gazette Leader]

Notable ACPD Retirement — From the Arlington County Police Department: “On Tuesday, family, friends & colleagues gathered to celebrate the retirement of Sgt. A. Queen. Sgt. Queen served in several units in the department during his tenure including the Patrol Division, School Resource Officer Unit & the Youth Outreach Unit… We thank Sgt. Queen for his 21 years of service & his unwavering dedication to community policing.” [Twitter]

Marymount Dean Stepping Down — “The dean of Marymount University’s College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology is stepping down to join a local venture capital firm full-time. Jonathan Aberman, a well-known Greater Washington entrepreneur and investor, is set to join D.C.-area VC firm Ruxton Ventures as a partner later this year, he announced Thursday. Aberman… said that given the ‘enormous amount of opportunity’ in startups today, he decided to return to the venture capital sector.” [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Friday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 90 degrees. The wind will initially be from the south at 7-9 mph, shifting to the west in the afternoon. On Friday night, the chance of precipitation decreases to 30%, mainly before 8pm. The night is expected to be partly cloudy with a low temperature of around 72 degrees and a northwest wind at 6 mph. [Weather.gov]

Sponsored

Biz Talk: DC Startup & Tech Week turns 10 and celebrates in Arlington at Amazon HQ2

By Business Investment Group

 

This article is sponsored by the Arlington Economic Development Business Investment Group.

This month, DC Startup & Tech Week (DCSTW) marks its 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of entrepreneurship, collaboration and innovation across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia tech ecosystem. The annual event, running Oct. 20–24, 2025, will once again unite thousands of founders, investors and innovators for a week of sessions, workshops and networking opportunities.

This milestone year carries special significance for Arlington. On Thursday, Oct. 23, for the second time, DCSTW will host a full day of programming in Arlington. This year will take place at Amazon’s HQ2 in Arlington’s National Landing — a symbolic nod to the region’s rise as a global innovation hub.

The day is sponsored by Arlington Economic Development (AED), which worked with DCSTW to bring programming to Arlington. The partnership underscores Arlington’s growing role as a magnet for startups, investors and enterprises driving the future of technology, defense and artificial intelligence.

“Celebrating our 10th anniversary at Amazon HQ2 in Arlington is a defining moment that showcases the DMV’s transformation into a thriving epicenter of innovation globally — and this is only the beginning,” said Rachel Koretsky, co-founder and co-chair of DCSTW. “By bringing together the brightest entrepreneurs, boldest investors, and most passionate builders from across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, we’re proving that when our region unites, we don’t just compete with other ecosystems — we redefine what’s possible.”

Thursday at Amazon HQ2: Panels that Define the DMV Advantage

Thursday’s sessions at HQ2 will spotlight why the DMV has become one of the nation’s most dynamic places to build and scale a company.

At 10:10 a.m., the first panel, held on the Merlin Large Main Stage, will explore why founders are choosing to build and grow in the DMV region. Moderated by Matt Gittleman of VC in DC, the discussion will feature Gerald Kierce of Trustible, Ivan Jackson of WriteHuman.ai, and Haley Bryant of Hustle Fund. Together, they’ll examine what sets the region apart for startups — from its deep talent pool and access to federal partners to a growing network of investors and accelerators.

At 1:45 p.m., don’t miss “The $100B Defense Tech Opportunity: Why AI & Autonomous Startups Are Winning in the DMV.” Moderated by AWS Defense, the discussion will feature Blake Souter of AeroVironment, Christian Seifert of Forterra and Dr. Jenny McArdle of Helsing, among others. The session will examine how the DMV’s defense and intelligence ecosystem is fueling breakthroughs in AI, autonomy and dual-use technologies.

Arlington’s Moment

For Arlington, hosting DCSTW’s 10th anniversary reflects its growing influence in the region’s innovation economy. We hope you’ll join us as Arlington takes center stage during D.C.’s biggest week for entrepreneurs.

Tickets for DC Startup & Tech Week are available at dcstw.com. Attendees can receive 20% off with the promo code AED20OFF.

Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Aug 24, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 24, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

⛈️ Friday’s forecast

There is a likelihood for showers and possible thunderstorms in the morning before 8am, with chances for further showers and storms throughout the day. Gradual clearing is expected, leading to mostly sunny skies and a high of 88°F, accompanied by a 9 mph south wind. Precipitation chances are at 60%, with rainfall amounting to a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Friday night holds a 30% chance of showers and storms before 8pm, with partly cloudy skies and a low of 72°F, and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
– Henry Ford

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Announcement

Thinking of Downsizing? Join Our Free Online Workshop!

By Long & Foster

Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting an online workshop on the topic of “down-sizing” Wednesday, March 24 from 5-6:30 p.m. Every great endeavor begins with a great plan. This workshop will give you the tools to design your plan. We have created a workbook with an extensive planning guide to enable you to design a personalized written plan for your move, and more than twenty pages of resources specific to Northern Virginia to help you along the way!

These resources will help you to find the best people to assist you in your move, and help you get the belongings that won’t move with you into the hands of people who will value them. The workshop format is a “guided group discussion” of the workbook, with a chance for the participants to ask their own questions, and special guest presenter Alexandra Fry of Orchestrated Moves will be joining us to share her many years of expertise in organization and moving.

Go to Thinking of Downsizing? Join Our Free Online Workshop! Read more
Around Town

Most and least expensive townhouses sold in Arlington (July 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive townhouses sold last month (July 2023).

Most expensive townhouses sold

  1. 1519 N Colonial Ct — Rosslyn — $1,402,000 (3 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,512 sq. ft.)
  2. 435 N George Mason Dr — Ballston — $1,155,000 (4 beds | 4.5 baths | 2,374 sq. ft.)
  3. 5713 10th Rd N Unit 119 — Westover Village — $1,150,000 (4 beds | 4.5 baths | 2,352 sq. ft.)

Least expensive townhouses sold*

  1. 1300 S Cleveland St Unit 369 — Columbia Heights-Arlington — $330,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 840 sq. ft.)
  2. 1021 S Barton St Unit 110 — Columbia Heights-Arlington — $470,000 (2 beds | 1 baths | 1,086 sq. ft.)
  3. 3087 S Woodrow St — Fairlington — $485,000 (2 beds | 2 baths | 1,383 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

Announcement

Drop By For Art Supplies!

By Art House 7

Art House 7 has a new art supply store, right next to its studio. Our Winsor-Newton oil paints are 35-40% off list price! In addition to oils, we have acrylics, watercolors, gouache, paper, painting accessories and drawing supplies. Our prices beat Michaels and are comparable to Blick Art and Plaza Arts.

We’re located near the Lee Harrison Shopping Center, in the commercial townhouse strip immediately past the new drive-thru Starbucks, as you head west on Lee Highway. The store entry is at 5535 Lee Highway — to the right of Art House 7’s studio. Free parking is outside the door. We limit entry to one family unit at a time due to COVID. Masks are required. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. arthouseseven.com/supply-store 703-402-5017

Go to Drop By For Art Supplies! Read more
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