festival

‘Discover Cherrydale’ Set for Saturday

By Ethan Rothstein

Discover Cherrydale logo(Updated at 7:10 p.m.) Arlington’s Cherrydale neighborhood — along Lee Highway from I-66 to N. Quincy Street — is throwing a celebration this weekend to celebrate its businesses and the undergrounding of the utility lines in the area.

This Saturday, from noon to 5:00 p.m., businesses along the corridor will open their doors for “Discover Cherrydale,” featuring — among other things — scavenger hunts, talks and readings with local authors and there will be tours of Cherrydale Fire Station. There will also be an unveiling of a Capital Bikeshare station, a fencing demonstration from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and live music throughout.

The empty storefront at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Lincoln Street will be open to the public to observe displays from local artists — it’s also where the book talks will be held — and there will be a community Zumba class from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Cherrydale (photo via Google Maps)The whole day will be kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the heart of Cherrydale to celebrate the undergrounding of utility lines.

“This is the 14-year project to underground utilities along Lee Highway in Cherrydale,” Cherrydale Civic Association President Maureen Ross told ARLnow.com in an email. “It was a constant construction mess. Now it’s done.”

Among the artists performing will be early/traditional musician Tina Chancey, a violinist and guitar duo from the Maywood neighborhood named Kitchen Gorilla and Cherrydale resident Ken Sick. The event will be going on rain or shine, and free and open to the public

Photo (top) courtesy Discover Cherrydale. Photo (bottom) via Google Maps

Testicle Festival Returns This Saturday

By Ethan Rothstein

Testicle Festival 2012 in Virginia SquareThe 10th annual Testicle Festival, a celebration revolving around Rocky Mountain Oysters and the state of Montana, will be held this Saturday evening in Arlington’s Virginia Square neighborhood.

Running from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post 139 (3445 Washington Blvd), “Testy Fest” will feature all-you-can-eat fried bull testicles prepared by Frank McGraw, “Montana’s most famous ball chef,” according to the festival’s organizer, the Montana State Society.

Testicle Festival 2014 logoTickets for the festival are $25 online and $30 at the door. In addition to the “oysters,” beer and Crown Royal whiskey will be served and there will be live country music performed by the Wil Gravatt Band.

Attendees must be 21 years or older. The first 100 in the door will get a free Testicle Festival T-shirt with this year’s theme, “Nuttin’ Better.” T-shirts will also be available for purchase.

“You’d be NUTS to miss this!” organizers said of the event.

File photo (above)

Taste of Arlington to Feature 46 Restaurants

By Ethan Rothstein

Crowds at Taste of Arlington 2012This Sunday’s Taste of Arlington festival in Ballston will fill the streets with food from 46 local restaurants.

The annual event will be held from noon to 5:00 p.m. Packets of 10 food and beverage tickets for are still on sale for $35.

Responding to high demand in previous years, Taste of Arlington will have a larger beer and wine pavilion this year. Located on Wilson between N. Randolph and Quincy Streets, the pavilion is billed as having “seating and plenty of space to dance.”

Aside from eating and drinking, Taste of Arlington will feature a number of different activities and entertainment option.

Three bands well-known to many Arlington residents will be performing on the main stage: Jumpin’ Jupiter from noon to 1:00 p.m., Gonzo’s Nose from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., and Burnt Sienna from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

A “KidZone” will feature a rock climbing wall, face-painting, carnival games, Washington Wizards and Capitals inflatable games, a teen band, a puppet show, a magic show and a dance performance. KidZone food, drink and game tickets are $20.

A “Bark Park” will provide a space for festival goers and their dogs, complete with pet supply vendors and a Corona beer station. For $10, dog owners can enter their pooch in a “World Pup tournament,” which features a 70-foot race track and a doggy-sized soccer goal.

Before the festival kicks off, organizers will be holding a Girls on the Run 5K race, described as “Northern Virginia’s most family friendly 5K.” A number of roads in the area will be closed from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. to accommodate the race.

There will be other traffic impacts in Ballston as a result of the festival. Wilson Blvd between N. Glebe Road and Quincy Street will be closed from midnight to 8:00 p.m. to accommodate the booths, as will N. Stuart Street between Wilson and 9th Street N. Parking will also be restricted in the area.

The full list of breweries and restaurants that will be serving at Taste of Arlington, after the jump. (more…)

ArtFest 2014 to Kick Off Friday

By Courtney Battle

Artfest 2014 (photo courtesy of Arlington Artists Alliance)The Arlington Artists Alliance is organizing a week of art appreciation starting this Friday.

ArtFest 2014 will be held at Fort C.F. Smith Park (2411 24th Street N.) and will run from March 28 to April 4. Festival-goers will be able to enjoy an ongoing art show and attend workshops and demos, according to the organization’s website. This marks the 12th year the Artists Alliance will hold ArtFest, which is free and open to the public.

The Hendry House, a historic 20th century mansion on the park grounds, will host the art show throughout the week. In addition, artists such as Jackie Afram and Fran Simms will conduct workshops on painting with oil bars and watercolor.

An opening reception will kick off the week on Friday, March 28th from 6-8 p.m., at which visitors can meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments.

Shirlington to Host Spring Beer Festival

By Ethan Rothstein

SpringFest 2014 PosterCapitol City Brewing Company plans to shut down the streets of Shirlington next month for an outdoor beer festival.

The event, the inaugural Springfest, is planned for Saturday, April 26 from noon to 7:00 p.m. Forty-five breweries, almost exclusively from Virginia, D.C. and Maryland, are expected to pour their brews at booths. According to Capitol City Director of Brewing Operations Kristi Griner, the format will be the same as Capitol City’s annual Octoberfest, but the event will be smaller.

Partygoers can pay $30, which will give them a wristband and 10 tasting tickets. Additional tickets are $1 apiece, but must be bought at least five at a time. The event will likely shut down Campbell Avenue in Shirlington Village, although specifics about road closures have not been determined.

In addition to the beer, Griner said she expects neighboring Shirlington restaurants, like Copperwood Tavern and Samuel Beckett’s to participate and offer food to the festival patrons. DJ Julius, who hosts Capitol City’s karaoke nights, will provide the music. The taps will be turned off at 6:00 p.m.

“We’re trying to do something to help stir up the first quarter,” Griner said. “But spring is here, and especially after this winter in particular, everybody is ready to get outside. It seemed like a good bookend to winter with our Oktoberfest.”

Capitol City’s annual Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest was most recently held in Shirlington on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

GW Parkway traffic (Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA)

More Homes Awaiting the Wrecking Ball — Another 11 homes are set to be torn down in Arlington, after applying for demolition permits in February. The group Preservation Arlington says three are located in historic districts. “The looming demolition of these houses and buildings represents an incredible loss of history, architecture, time, energy, and materials,” the group writes. “Many had the potential for renovation and additions, or, at a bare minimum, reclamation/reuse of building materials.” The group is currently seeking nominations for its annual “Most Endangered Historic Places” list. [Preservation Arlington]

Arlington Woman Turns 100 — Arlington resident Virginia Blake turned 100 last month. Blake, whose paternal grandmother lived to 111 years old, only moved out of her Military Road home and into a senior living facility last fall. [Sun Gazette]

Potomac Yard, Prior to Development — A photo from the 1990s shows the Arlington portion of Potomac Yard before apartment and office developments were built. [Twitter]

Teen Book Fest Comes to Arlington — Updated at 11:35 a.m. — The NoVaTeen Book Festival will take place at Washington-Lee High School on Saturday. NoVaTeen bills itself as “the first-ever festival celebrating Young Adult literature in the Northern Virginia/DC metro area.” [NoVaTeen Book Festival]

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Celtic Festival Coming To Shirlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Becketts Celtic Festival posterOne day in mid-September, the streets of Shirlington will be filled with bagpipes, dancers, men in kilts and pints of Guinness.

“Beckett’s Celtic Festival” will be held from noon to 7:00 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21 in Shirlington. During the festival, Campbell Avenue will be closed between S. Randolph Street and the Harris Teeter.

The event is being organized by Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub. Owner Mark Kirwan said he saw a dearth of Irish events in the area, and took it upon himself to organize the festival.

“I think I’ve looked around and there doesn’t seem to be anywhere in Arlington that celebrates not just Irish but the Celtic heritage,” Kirwan said. “We just wanted to try to acknowledge the relationship that the Celtic nations have had with the USA. It’s nice to come out and put your kilt on and celebrate your history here.”

Kirwan said there will be a stage set up for bands brought over from Ireland to perform. The U.S. Marshal Pipe Band and several Irish dancing schools will put on displays of traditional Irish music and performance. Vendors will be set up in tents selling Celtic crafts, and classic Irish dishes — like Shepherd’s Pie, bangers and mash, corned beef sandwiches and Irish curry — will be served.

Kirwan said there will be a 40-foot Guinness “gig rig” trailer dispensing beer. Wine will also be sold.

“It’s going to be very much a family-oriented day out,” Kirwan said. The festival will be free for all to enter. “It should be a great day.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Fireworks trailer on Columbia Pike

Instagram Has Video Filter Called ‘Clarendon’ — Updated at 2:25 p.m. –Yesterday, Facebook-owned photo app Instagram rolled out a feature that allows users to record video. As with photos, users can apply filters to the video. One of those filters is called “Clarendon,” but it turns out it was named after a street in San Francisco, not the Arlington neighborhood. [Instagram, All Things D]

Abingdon Book Bus Returns — After a successful summer of book distribution last year, the Abingdon Elementary book bus will return on July 9. The book bus is one of several summer reading initiatives for Arlington students this year. [Arlington Public Schools]

Road Closure For Art Festival — A road closure is planned for the inaugural Arlington Festival of the Arts in Clarendon. N. Highland Street will be closed between Washington Blvd and N. Hartford Street. Wilson and Clarendon Blvds will remain open during the festival, which runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. [ArtFestival.com]

Pike Sculpture Honored — Echo, the sculpture on display at Penrose Square on Columbia Pike, has been honored as a “top 50” public art project for 2013. The sculpture “provides a modern interpretation of Arlington’s significant contribution to the history of communication.” [Arlington County]

Disclosure: Art festival promoter Howard Alan Events is an ARLnow.com advertiser. Hat tips (Instagram item) to @reddusfoximus and @jeffchin21.

New Shirlington Music Fest Starts Next Week

By ARLnow.com

Shirlala Music Festival logoThe Village at Shirlington will be hosting a new summer music festival starting next week.

The “Shirlala Music Festival” will include 10 weeks of live music from various genres, plus wine tastings from Shirlington’s Cheesetique store. The festival is an outgrowth of the former Shirlington jazz festival.

The event is free and open to the public, but the wine tasting is $5. It will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday, from June 13 to August 22 (except July 4).

This year’s musical lineup includes:

  • June 13 — Jeff Carmella Band (Rock)
  • June 20 — MARS 4-tet (Jazz)
  • June 27 — King Teddy (Swing)
  • July 11 — Dan Haas Trio (Pop Rock)
  • July 18 — Lloyd Dobler Effect (80s & 90s Covers)
  • July 25 — The Shack Band (Rock & Funk)
  • August 1 — Ewabo (Steel Tropical Drums)
  • August 8 — Taylor Carson (Acoustic Rock)
  • August 15 — The Morrison Brothers (Southern Rock)
  • August 22 — Beach Bumz (Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band)

Art, Acoustic Music Festivals Coming to Clarendon Next Month

By ARLnow.com

Clarendon MetroShoppers and passersby will be treated to acoustic music and art in Clarendon starting next month.

On the weekend of June 22 and 23, national art show promoter Howard Alan Events will hold the inaugural “Arlington Festival of the Arts,” a “two-day juried outdoor gallery style art exhibit” featuring various works from “100 of the finest artists in the country.”

The festival is free and will take place each day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on N. Highland Street near the Clarendon Metro station.

“Festival patrons can expect to see bold and vibrant paintings, contemporary and whimsical art, life-size sculptures, photography, handcrafted jewelry and much more,” said a press release. “A food festival hosted by the Clarendon Alliance will be located adjacent to the Metro Station stop on Clarendon Boulevard and Highland Street. Admission to the art show is free and open to the public.”

Market Common at twilightIn addition to viewing art, festival-goers will, of course, also be able to purchase art. Prices will range from $25 to $30,000, according to organizers.

Also in June, the Market Common Clarendon shopping center (2700 Clarendon Blvd) will kick off a summer-long acoustic music festival. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or lawn chairs to the free concerts, in the Market Common Clarendon courtyard.

The concerts will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday nights. The scheduled artist lineup is as follows.

This Year’s Testicle Festival Theme: ‘A Royal Ball’

By ARLnow.com

2013 Testicle Festival logoThe annual Montana State Society Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival, better known as the Testicle Festival, has a regal new theme this year.

The event’s 2013 moniker: “A Royal Ball.”

Now in its 9th year, the Testicle Festival will again be held at the Arlington American Legion Post in Virginia Square (3445 N. Washington Blvd), from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are $25 online or $30 at the door. Attendees must be at least 21 year of age.

The price of admission will buy you “all the Rocky Mountain Oysters, beer and Crown Royal you can handle,” organizers say. Entertainment will be provided by the Will Gravatt Band, while the testicles will be fried by Frank McGraw, who’s billed as “Montana’s most famous ball chef.”

“Coming to us straight from the original Rocky Mountain Testy Fest at Rock Creek Lodge outside of Missoula, Frank’s tasty recipe has an authentic zest that helped set a record last year for most pounds consumed,” according to the Montana State Society website.

Last year festival-goers in Arlington consumed 110 pounds of bull and bison testicles, 84 liters of Crown Royal and 1,500 cans of beer. The 2012 theme was “Legends of the Ball.”

View More Stories