Events

Second-ever Arlington Pride Festival expanded to entire weekend

By Hallie LeTendre
1/3

After its debut last year, the Arlington Pride Festival is back — this time, with a whole weekend of events.

The inaugural festival in 2022 lasted one day, with thousands of attendees, according to the festival’s website. Now, it will run Friday, June 23, through that Sunday.

“Our goal is for The Arlington Pride Festival to grow year after year,” according to the event’s website. “For 2023, we have decided to expand Arlington Pride to an entire weekend of celebration!”

Before the 2022 festival, Arlingtonians celebrated LGBTQ pride with independent events throughout the county. Now, festival organizers say they expect more than 7,000 attendees next weekend — building on the unexpected turnout for its inaugural festival.

Arlington Pride Weekend 2023 promotion (photo via arlvapride.com)

“In 2022, we anticipated ~3,000 attendees for The Arlington Pride Festival,” organizers said. “However, Arlington really came out to show [their] pride, and we ended up welcoming over 5,000 attendees throughout the day!”

The pride weekend will begin on Friday at 8 p.m. with a drag pageant at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City hotel near Reagan National Airport. Tickets, which range from $20 to $160, are required to attend the event and can be found on Eventbrite.

“This event will be full of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent from our contestant, and an abundance of drag entertainment as we determine who takes the crown for 2023,” the event description says. “This is a family friendly event that is taking place at Arlington Pride’s host hotel.”

Saturday will kick off with a free hour-long fitness class in Gateway Park (1300 Langston Blvd) at 10:30 a.m. Organizers encourage registration as space is limited.

From 12-7 p.m., the park will host vendors, live entertainment, a DJ, photo stations, games and prizes, per an event page. The evening will conclude with an after-party.

On Sunday, a drag-themed brunch held at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (1660 Crystal Drive) will go from 12-3 p.m., with a $20 ticket required for entry. The movie theater is concurrently showing movies about the LGBTQ experience, through June 25.

Advance general admission ticket sales and spot reservations for the pride fest are scheduled to end tomorrow (Friday).

Around Town

Clarendon’s B Live to have more karaoke, shift away from hosting original acts

By Matt Blitz
1/3

B Live “has decided to pivot” to having live band karaoke for most of the weekend, decreasing the number of live original acts the local music venue will be hosting going forward.

Co-owner Christal Bramson tells ARLnow that the restaurant and live music venue, at 2854 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon, is shifting away from hosting a full slate of original musical acts all week long and towards more live karaoke.

The reason, Bramson said, is that Thursday night’s karaoke has proven to be so popular and has garnered so much “positive feedback” that it made sense for B Live to lean into it.

“We will still have live bands, but will have more nights of live karaoke,” she wrote. “Our Thursday evenings, we have received a lot of positive feedback on the live karaoke band.”

Bramson said B Live is “responding to demand” since there is no other dedicated live karaoke venue in Clarendon.

It’s unclear when this shift in programming might happen. The June calendar still has a number of weekend shows listed to appear later this month. Bramson said her team is “currently working on the calendar”

B Live, owned by wife and husband team of Christal and Mike Bramson, opened just over a year ago in the long-time space of Whitlow’s — which has since moved to the District — with a promise of allowing guests to “engage with the local music scene.”

In an interview last June, Mike Bramson told ARLnow that they wanted to open B Live in Clarendon because of the neighborhood’s long history of being home to live music venues. With several closing in recent years, including the beloved Iota Club in 2017, the hope was to fill that live music void for locals.

B Live is also making several other changes in the coming weeks. This coming weekend, the venue is opening an outdoor/lawn space complete with a “launch party.”

And, by the end of the month, a restaurant pop-up will be launching out of B Live. Wicked Buns from local chef Nacho Olivera, who also has worked at Detour Coffee and the Rebel Taco food truck at the Lot, will  be serving double-patty burgers, kobe beef hot dogs, and fried chicken sandwiches at the venue.

The long-planned “tropical glam” bar coming to B Live’s rooftop is also planning a much-anticipated debut next month. Coco B’s, as the rooftop venue will be called, is described by  Christal Bramson as the “female version” of B Live.

“We are awaiting a couple more inspections,” Bramson said. “But anticipate an early July opening date.”

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

WaPo: Arlington restaurant has one of the best burgers in the area

By ARLnow.com
1/3

(Updated at noon) It’s not even the highlight of the Arlington eatery’s menu, but the burger at Sloppy Mama’s has been named one of the best in the D.C. area.

That’s according to Washington Post food critic Tim Carman, who sampled 45 burgers around the region and compiled a list of the top 10. Many of the top burgers were at restaurants in the District which specialize in burgers.

But not Sloppy Mama’s, the barbecue joint at 5731 Langston Blvd.

The $6 cheeseburger is a recent addition to a menu that’s more focused on brisket than burgers. Nonetheless, it placed No. 3 on Carman’s list.

“The first time I tried the cheeseburger at Sloppy Mama’s, it was during the pandemic,” Carman wrote. “I had ordered a variety of smoked meats for takeaway — back when we were keeping the world at arm’s length — and owners Joe and Mandy Neuman tossed in a couple of burgers as a thank you. They had just put the burgers on the menu, one more hedge against an uncertain future for restaurants at the time. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d even try one.”

But the burger blew him away, perhaps due to the meat that’s used.

“[Joe Neuman’s] patties are made with the trimmings from prime briskets,” Carman noted, adding that the taste “probably boils down to animal fat, and lots of it. These burgers are not afraid to revel in the richness that can only come from good beef.”

Only one other Arlington restaurant was mentioned in the article, as an honorable mention: Bob and Edith’s Diner and its B&E burger.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
The US Air Force Memorial, under construction, pictured through a fisheye lens (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Last Days of School — Today is the last day of school for Arlington Public Schools middle schoolers. Yesterday was the last day for high schoolers and tomorrow is the last day for elementary students. Summer break for K-12 students will run through the first day of school on Aug. 28. [YouTube]

DCA Bill Picking Up Support — From Jake Sherman: “NEWS in @PunchbowlNews Midday CRUZ, CANTWELL discussing deal to ease DCA perimeter restriction. Would be a win for @Delta.” [Twitter]

GOP Voting in Dem Primary? — “Because Virginia does not register voters by political affiliation, any registered voter is eligible to cast a ballot in the June 20 race. The Arlington County Republican Committee chairman has cautioned members of his committee from doing so, but anecdotal evidence suggests some may be taking part in an effort to dislodge Dehghani-Tafti, who has held the post for four years.” [Gazette Leader]

Board Candidates Talk to TV Station — “Maureen Coffey, Susan Cunningham and Jonathan Dromgoole, three candidates running for the Democratic nomination for two seats on the Arlington County Board, explained to 7News where they stand on some of the county’s biggest issues. This includes the recently passed ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes.” [WJLA]

Delegate Candidate Preps for Office — “McClure goes into next week’s Democratic primary as one of two names on the ballot for the new 2nd District House of Delegates seat. Her opponent, Kevin Saucedo-Broach, dropped out after ballots had been prepared, meaning the primary goes on but voters will be notified that he is no longer running… At the present time, no Republicans or independents have filed for the seat.” [Gazette Leader]

Elevated Algae Levels in River — “If your tap water has an unusually earthy or musty taste and smell, algae living in the Potomac River may be to blame. According to officials with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, residents in parts of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County may notice the change…  In the District and Arlington County, drinking water comes from the Potomac, but is treated separately from the water in Maryland.” [DCist]

Legion Post Baseball Team Undefeated — “With a strong and busy 7-0 start to the 2023 American Legion late spring and summer baseball season and an experienced roster, Arlington Post 139 is in position to continue its recent trend as a top team in District 17.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph. At night: A slight chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. [Weather.gov]

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