festival

Festival to Celebrate African American History and Culture

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington, Virginia logo (small)Arlington is celebrating Black History Month with dancing, food and art at the 21st Annual Feel the Heritage Festival next month. The event will take place at the Langston-Brown Community Center (2121 N. Culpeper Street) from noon-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9.

Avon Dews will provide live music and the Soul in Motion Players will offer an African dance and drumming performance. Kids can enjoy face painting, balloon art and making art projects while adults check out the vendors.

Anyone interested in taking in the history of the High View Park neighborhood can join in a cultural walk starting at 2:30 p.m. The group will stop at significant locations along the route, where walkers will be encouraged to share memories about the neighborhood, its residents and its traditions.

There will be a raffle during the event and the winner will receive two round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in Africa that Ethiopian Airlines flies. The $5 tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the event.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn Jazz Fest to Be Held on Saturday — The annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival will be held at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. The musical lineup includes groups and artists like Afro Blue, Rene Marie, Don Byron and Joshua Redman. Some surrounding roadways will be closed for most of the day. Planned street closures for the event include westbound Lee Highway from Lynn Street to Fort Myer Drive, and one lane each on eastbound Lee Highway and North Lynn Street. [Rosslyn BID]

Duncan to Visit Arlington Traditional School — U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will announce the 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools in Arlington this morning. The announcement is scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m. at Arlington Traditional Elementary School (855 N. Edison Street). Duncan is expected to be joined by Rep. Jim Moran (D) and Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy. [Department of Education]

APS Still Processing Appeals — Arlington Public Schools has received 450 formal appeals from parents of children denied bus service this year. The school system is continuing to respond to those appeals “as rapidly as possible.” At a school board meeting last night, however, APS officials showed no sign of backing down from their controversial new busing policy, despite strong words from a dozen or so parents who spoke. [Sun Gazette, Arlington Mercury]

No West Nile Virus in Arlington — Updated at 9:30 a.m. — D.C. officials revealed this week that an elderly man has died from West Nile virus. So far this year, 21 cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Maryland and five confirmed cases have been reported in Virginia. No cases have been reported in Arlington, a spokesman for the county’s Department of Human Services tells ARLnow.com.

Clarendon Day Approaches, Expands Offerings

By Katie Pyzyk

The event dubbed “Arlington’s oldest street festival” is just a couple of weeks away. The 15th Annual Clarendon Day is approaching, and has added some new features this year.

Clarendon Day will run from 11:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on September 22, near the Clarendon Metro. Admission is free to attend the event, which will take place rain or shine.

The morning begins with the fourth annual 10K/5K/Kids Dash, which begins in front of Whitlow’s on Wilson (Kids Dash in front of Market Common) and takes runners on a course along the Orange Line corridor. Registration can be completed online.

This is the first year the event will include the “Clarendon Alliance Battle of the Bands.” The music lineup hasn’t yet been announced, but should be listed on the event website as the day grows near.

There will also be more activities for kids this year. From face painting to jugglers to climbing activities, the little ones should have plenty to keep them occupied.

More than a dozen local restaurants will serve up food and drinks, including Delhi Club, Lyon Hall, Northside Social, Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza and District Taco. Dozens of other exhibitors will be set up to satisfy attendees’ shopping cravings.

There will be a number of street closures for Clarendon Day. Clarendon Blvd and Wilson Blvd will be closed between Washington Blvd and Highland Street by 5:00 a.m. Wilson Blvd between Highland Street and Lynn Street will be closed from 8:00–9:30 a.m. to accommodate the race. Route 110 southbound will be closed from 8:00–10:30 a.m. Additional closures may be announced as the event approaches.

Crystal City Wine Festival Returns in September

By ARLnow.com

The 6th annual Vintage Crystal wine festival in Crystal City is less than a month away.

Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will be held in the parking lot outside 220 20th Street S.

The $20 cost of admission will get you a tasting glass, sips of tequila and various types of Spanish and South American wine, and tapas dishes from local restaurants. There’s also a $10 food-only option.

In addition to the food and drink, the event also features salsa dancing lessons, Latin jazz, and wine tasting classes.

Crystal City is also hosting weekly “Wine in the Water Park” events, at the public “water” park at 1750 Crystal Drive. The events are held on Fridays, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., through Sept. 28.

Disclosure: Crystal City Business Improvement District is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Library May Set Summer Reading Record — Arlington Public Library is tantalizingly close to setting a new record for participation in its summer reading program. Last year a record 7,371 students participated in the program. This year the library is “just a handful away” from reaching that number. [Sun Gazette]

Road Closures for Buckingham Festival — The Arlington County Police Department will be assisting with traffic control for the Buckingham Festival this weekend. From about 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, N. Pershing Drive will be closed between N. Glebe Road and N. Thomas Street. [Arlington County Police]

Arlington Mag Taking ‘Best Of’ Votes — Arlington Magazine has started taking votes for its inaugural ‘Best of Arlington’ poll. Among the dozens of individual categories are Best Restaurant, Best Realtor, Best Dog Park and Best Cosmetic Surgeon. [Arlington Magazine]

Photo courtesy Peter Roof

Rosslyn Jazz Festival Lineup Released

By Aaron Kraut

The 22nd annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 8 at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway).

This year’s event, co-sponsored by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) and the Arlington Cultural Affairs division, will run from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free. The festival will feature “Afro Blue,” the Howard University a cappella group that made the 2011 finals of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”

From the press release:

Afro Blue was named be The Washington City Paper as 2011 Jazz Artist of the Year, received a WAMMIE for best A Cappella Group and best video (Nature Boy), and an honorable mention in the Critics Poll, a professional vocal group category by JAZZ TIMES.

Warrenton native Rene Marie will also perform:

Rene Marie, the award-winning, Warrenton, VA-born singer whose style incorporates elements of jazz, soul, blues and gospel, is a heroine to many. Given an ultimatum by an abusive husband, she began her professional career after 40, leaving a 23-year marriage. Since her debut recording, Renaissance, the singer has evolved into one of the most intriguing vocalists of our time. With her latest release Voice of My Beautiful County (Motema Music), listeners will hear her trademark vocals but will also be struck by the wide variety of songs that she interprets — from Motown to Tin Pan Alley to “America the Beautiful.” The CD is a celebration of America’s cultural diversity.

The lineup also includes clarinetist and saxophonist Don Byron and two-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist Joshua Redman.

Photo courtesy Rosslyn BID

Photos: Columbia Pike Blues Festival

By ARLnow.com

Organizers say attendance was up significantly at this year’s Columbia Pike Blue Festival.

The annual street festival was held on Saturday, along S. Walter Reed Drive. Some 7,000 people attended this year, according to Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization Executive Director Takis Karantonis. That’s up from about 5,000 people last year.

The festival’s food, drink and craft vendors were happy with the increased attendance, said Karantonis. The beer and wine vendors were especially pleased — they sold about 20 percent more than last year, according to Karantonis.

“All vendors sold significantly more,” he said. “They were all very satisfied with the Blues Fest.”

Karantonis said the Blues Festival is increasingly drawing more of a regional crowd, including attendees from all around Arlington — not just the Columbia Pike area. That should allow improvements to the festival next year, including healthier food options and a new “food court” made up exclusively of booths from local Columbia Pike restaurants.

Disclosure: CPRO is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

1/30

Columbia Pike Blues Fest Coming This Saturday

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) The 17th annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival will be held this weekend.

The Blues Fest will feature performances from local and nationally-known blues musicians. There will also be numerous food, drink and craft vendors; kid’s activities; a raffle; and booths set up by local community groups.

Thousands are expected to attend the event, which will be held from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, on S. Walter Reed Drive near the intersection with Columbia Pike. Weather for the day is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high of 80 degrees.

Among the blues artists scheduled to perform are:

  • 1:00 p.m. — Karl Stoll & The Danger Zone, a “high-energy houserockin’ blues band featuring veterans of the DC circuit.”
  • 2:00 p.m. — Moondog Medicine Show, a “hard driving, funky blues band that hails from Western Maryland.”
  • 3:30 p.m. — Danny Blew and the Blues Crew, a band that plays a “stylish blend of traditional Mississippi Delta and Chicago blues.”
  • 5:00 p.m. — Chris Polk, who “describes his style as Texas, Memphis and Chicago blues style with a soul twist.”
  • 6:30 p.m. — Peter Karp and Sue Foley, an acclaimed blues duo that tours nationally.

The Blues Festival will close several streets from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., according to Arlington County Police. The closures include Walter Reed Drive between Columbia Pike and S. 9th Street, S. 9th Road from S. Garfield Street to Walter Reed Drive, and S. 9th Street from S. Highland Street to Walter Reed Drive.

Disclosure: The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, organizer of the Columbia Pike Blues Festival, is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Festival-Goers Consume 110 Pounds of Testicles

By ARLnow.com

The Montana State Society’s Testicle Festival in Virginia Square was a rousing success this year.

Festival-goers consumed 110 pounds of bull and bison testicles, 84 liters of Crown Royal and 1,500 cans of beer this year, according to event organizer and Society president Jed Link. All three were records for the event, now in its eighth year.

Organizers estimate that nearly 600 people attended the Testicle Festival, which was held at the American Legion post at 3445 Washington Boulevard. Even though the event didn’t start until 6:00 on Saturday evening, Link said a line started to form at 4:30 p.m.

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Testicle Festival Returns to Va. Square

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Exotic food lovers should enjoy an event taking place at the Arlington American Legion (3445 N. Washington Blvd) in Virginia Square on Saturday, May 19. The Montana State Society’s Eighth Annual Testicle Festival, dubbed “Legends of the Ball,” will be testing visitors’ gag reflexes.

The event lets attendees sample unlimited amounts of bull testicles, also called Rocky Mountain oysters. Like last year, there will be all-you-can-drink beer and Crown Royal to wash it down.

In a press release, organizers touted the event as a “unique western tradition.”

“While in D.C. people celebrate spring by posting pictures of cherry blossoms on Facebook, Montanans have a pretty unique tradition of our own,” said Montana State Society President Jed Link. “Spring is calving season out West, and that means something special in the pot come chow time.”

There will be live country music at the festival, which runs from 6:00-10:00 p.m. The first 200 people to arrive will also get a commemorative t-shirt.

Tickets can be purchased online for $25, or at the door for $30. Attendees must be at least 21.

Artisphere to Host U.S.-French Hip-Hop Dance Battle

By Katie Pyzyk

Dance crews are revving up for a transatlantic battle set to take place at Artisphere. French dancers will be flying in to join the locals in a dance competition on May 25.

The “Battle of the Dance Crews” show ends a week of events in the D.C. area for a transatlantic hip-hop festival. The Urban Corps Festival will feature dancers from the United States, France and Senegal, who are trained in a variety of techniques such as contemporary dance, Brazilian capoeira, karate and gymnastics.

Performances will highlight the dancers’ interpretations of hip-hop culture through urban dance. The festival website says this type of artistic event “serves as proof that urban issues are not only local, but mutually influenced on both sides of the Atlantic and across the globe.”

The festival is presented in collaboration with Alliance Française, a French cultural organization.

Tickets for the event are $5. Music, drinks and mingling with the dancers will begin at 9:00 p.m., and the performance runs from 10:00-11:00 p.m. After that, the dance floor will be open until midnight to anyone who wants to bust a move.

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