Gateway Park

Rosslyn’s Annual Outdoor Film Fest Returns This Summer

By Anna Merod

Rosslyn’s annual outdoor film festival is returning to Gateway Park this June.

All of the screenings will begin at dusk, but moviegoers can attend events at 5 p.m. each screening evening and buy beer, wine, or sangria at a mobile pub. Local food trucks and popcorn will also be available for purchase.

The events at the park, at 1300 Lee Highway, are both kid and pet friendly. There will be kids activities before the movie begins on June 29, July 13, and August 17.

The festival, sponsored by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, will be screening the following dozen movies over the summer, every Friday from June 8-August 24.

  • June 8 – Legally Blonde
  • June 15 – Wonder
  • June 22 – The Fifth Element
  • June 29 – Ratatouille
  • July 6 – Bridesmaids
  • July 13 – Coco
  • July 20 – Amelie
  • July 27 – La La Land
  • August 3 – Argo
  • August 10 – Lethal Weapon
  • August 17 – The Lion King
  • August 24 – Four Weddings and a Funeral

Events will be cancelled if there is a chance of rain, with a Rosslyn website update by 3 p.m that day.

Photo courtesy of the Rosslyn BID

New Harvest Festival Highlights Rosslyn Fall Calendar

By Chris Teale

Central Place Plaza (1800 N. Lynn Street) in Rosslyn will host a harvest festival next month during Halloween weekend, the neighborhood’s first.

On Friday, October 27 from 4-10 p.m. and Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., more than 20 vendors will sell various crafts and gifts, while there will be live entertainment and activities including a pie eating contest, cornhole, a pumpkin toss, costumes contests for children and pets.

The event is part of a series of autumnal happenings in Rosslyn.

The neighborhood’s Business Improvement District is hosting Cinema & Pub in the Park at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) tonight — extending its summer film festival into September.

From 6-11 p.m. for the next three Fridays, beer, wine and sangria will be on offer, with food available from on-site food trucks. September 22 will be a family night, with activities beginning at 5 p.m.

The movie schedule is as follows:

  • September 15: “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”
  • September 22: “Lego Batman”
  • September 29: “Golden Eye”

On Tuesdays beginning September 19, Gateway Park will host Yoga in the Park, a yoga class for all experience levels from 6-7:30 p.m. The entire session of five classes costs $20 per person, and attendees should bring a yoga mat.

And on Thursday evenings from 6-8 p.m. starting September 21, Gateway Park will host Bonfire Concerts around its bonfire pit. Seasonal beers, ciders and wines will be available for purchase, with a different fashion truck on site each week as well as donuts from Mama’s Donut Bites and s’mores from Capital Candy Jar.

The following acts will perform:

Photos via Rosslyn BID.

March Against White Supremacy Will Rally in Rosslyn This Afternoon

By Chris Teale

A march from Charlottesville to D.C. against the “toxic ideology of white supremacy in our nation” is set to reach Arlington County this afternoon (Wednesday) before heading onto its final leg.

The March to Confront White Supremacy was organized by local religious leaders and social justice advocates. It began in Charlottesville on August 28 , following the death of Heather Heyer while protesting a white supremacist rally in the city.

Marchers are set to arrive at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) in Rosslyn at 3 p.m. today, then leave for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial for a 4 p.m. rally.

Arlington police said there are no planned road closures to accommodate the march, though ACPD and Virginia State Police will monitor it. Organizers said the march has attracted nearly 1,000 people for its final stages from Fairfax into D.C.

Since beginning in Charlottesville, organizers said they have overcome “inclement weather and threats to stop the march from state police,” on a route that took them 118 miles through “the largely white and rural Virginia countryside.” Today, the march is encountering rainy weather as it arrives at its destination.

In addition to countering the message of the white supremacists who rallied in Charlottesville, march organizers say they are calling “for the removal of President Trump and all other elected officials who embolden and support white supremacists and the end of white supremacist public policies.”

Rosslyn Jazz Fest Set For Early September

By Chris Teale
1/3

Several thousand people are expected to descend on Rosslyn’s Gateway Park on Saturday, September 9 for this year’s Rosslyn Jazz Fest.

The free event at the park at 1300 Lee Highway regularly draws more than 5,000 people for jazz music, local food trucks and a beer and wine garden from 1-7 p.m.

This year’s lineup, with timings, is as follows:

Food trucks Tacos Matadores, Rocklands BBQ, Mangia Tutti, Chix N Stix, Tapas Truck, Bon Bonni and Healthy Food Fool will be on site.

And for the second year, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District is partnering with neighborhood restaurants to offer discounts at to those attending this event. Customers must mention the code “Rosslyn Retail” at participating restaurants and receive 15 percent off their bill all day long.

The offer is available at Barley Mac, Bistro 360, Heavy Seas Alehouse, Kona Grill, Pancho Villa, Piola, Ben’s Chili Bowl, cityhouse, Key Bridge Terrace, Jimmy John’s, Continental Pool Lounge and The Perfect Pita.

Organizers said parking nearby will be limited. Public parking is available on N. Moore Street between 19th Street N. and Lee Highway for a $5 flat fee, while parking around Rosslyn will likely be limited too. Instead, organizers said they “strongly encourage” attendees to take Metro or bike to the festival, with the park a few blocks away from the Rosslyn Metro station.

Photos via Rosslyn BID.

Lineup Announced for 2017 Rosslyn Jazz Fest

By Kalina Newman
1/2

The lineup is set for the 27th annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest.

The free event is scheduled for Saturday, September 9 in Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway). It regularly draws over 5,000 music fans to the park for world-class jazz music along with local food trucks and a beer and wine garden.

The lineup this year consists of four different music groups:

New this year, a Spotify playlist is available to listen to the artists’ work before the festival. Timings will be set at a later date. The event is presented by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District and Arlington Arts.

Rosslyn To Host Day-Long Adventure Race Starting Friday

By Chris Teale

The 24-hour Questival Adventure Race will arrive in Rosslyn on Friday as part of its 2017 tour of the Mid-Atlantic.

The race begins at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway) at 7 p.m. on May 19. Teams of two to six will complete a series of challenges across 24 hours that could be about anything from fitness to food, with winning prizes worth up to $10,000.

Currently the quests are unknown and the challenge list will be sent out to teams 24 hours in advance.

“Whether it’s adventure & fitness, food, service, or teamwork, your quest will include challenges that push you out of your comfort zone,” the Questival website reads. “Anyone can do it, but only the slightly neurotic thrive.”

The race’s official website advises participants to bring gear such as swimsuits, tennis shoes and camping gear. Participants track their team’s challenge progress throughout the race on an app, where the judges will then decide on the winning teams.

Online registration is still open; entry costs $46 per person.

Photo via Questival. Kalina Newman contributed reporting.

Grammy-Winning Group to Headline Rosslyn Jazz Festival Next Weekend

By Adrian Cruz

Rosslyn Jazzfest 2015, photo courtesy Rosslyn BIDA Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz ensemble is slated to headline the 26th annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival next week.

The festival will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 10 at Gateway Park. Thousands of people are expected to attend the event, according to the Rosslyn BID, which helps organize the festival.

Grupo Fantasma, a Latin funk ensemble from Austin, Texas, is this year’s headlining act. The band’s 2010 album, “El Existentia,” won a Grammy for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album in 2011.

Other acts scheduled to perform in the festival include vocalist Akua Allrich, guitarist Vieux Farka Touré and the Glen David Andrews Band.

“The Rosslyn Jazz Festival has something for everyone in the community,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn BID. “The festival takes a very modern and accessible approach to jazz with musical groups that have a strong millennial following.”

Along with musical performances, this year’s festival will feature a special where kids can create their own musical instruments and an “art jam” session where attendees can draw, paint or write poems inspired by the festival.

The event will also have beer and wine from local bars and a variety of snacks from area food trucks.

The Arlington County Police Department says it will shut down some roads in the area, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., for the jazz festival. Those road closures include:

  • Eastbound lanes of Lee Hwy between Fort Myer Drive and Lynn Street
  • 19th Street N. between Fort Myer and N. Moore Street

“Heavy pedestrian traffic is anticipated between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.,” the police department said. “Be prepared for delays if you do not detour prior to Fort Myer Drive.”

Photo courtesy Rosslyn BID

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunrise over Route 50 (Flickr pool photo by David Giambarresi(

New Invasive Species Found in Arlington — A county contractor has found Wavyleaf Basketgrass, a particularly prolific invasive species, in Donaldson Run Park. The plant was removed but the county is now on the lookout for more. [Arlington County]

Murky Coffee Owner Still Owes County — Nicholas Cho, the proprietor of Murky Coffee, which closed six years ago in Clarendon, recently repaid his tax debts to the District of Columbia but still owes Arlington more than $84,000 in unpaid meals taxes and interest. [Washington Post]

‘Pub in the Park’ Coming to a Close — Rosslyn’s Friday evening Pub in the Park event series, which includes a mobile bar offering beer and wine, is ending for the season tonight. [Twitter]

Lyft Sees Lift in Arlington Corporate Customers — For some reason ride hailing service Lyft is seeing a relatively large increase in business from corporate customers in Arlington. [Pymnts]

Flickr pool photo by David Giambarresi

Hundreds to Participate in Parkour Festival in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Gateway Park in Rosslyn will be converted into a 20,000 square foot parkour park later this month for a festival called Beast Coast.

The event, from May 28-30, is being organized by the D.C.-based group American Parkour, which promotes the running, jumping and climbing exercise discipline.

Beast Coast graphic“Beast Coast is the world’s largest annual parkour event,” the organization claims.

“Our parkour park will be the stuff legends are made of. Design and construction has already started on our one of a kind playground. If you were there last year you know the scale, this year will be bigger with some fun new challenges and lots of new obstacles. With challenges for all skill levels and a kids area it’s shaping up to be the best year yet!”

The event will feature more than 450 parkour athletes from as far away as Switzerland. There will also be a DJ, sponsors, giveaways, seminars, a film festival and a “nature day.”

The event is $10 to attend as a spectator. Ticket prices are higher for participants.

Those who are in town Memorial Day weekend might also see parkour participants jumping around in Crystal City. The event’s official hotel is the Courtyard Arlington Crystal City/Reagan National Airport.

Rosslyn Summer Film Fest to Kick Off June 3

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival (file photo)Rosslyn’s annual summer movie festival will kick off on Friday, June 3 with the theme “Incredible Journeys.”

The movies start just after sundown Friday nights on the lawn at at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Hwy). Admission is free.

This year’s film festival will feature new food, beer and wine options.

“Food will be available for purchase from food trucks and local restaurants and from 5 p.m. until the film starts, grab a glass of beer or wine at our Mobile Bar in partnership with the Alexandria Aces and Mobile Event Bars,” said the Rosslyn BID, which is organizing the festival.

This year, June 10, July 15 and Aug. 5 are designated as special family movie nights, with kids’ activities and story time before the movies.

The full movie lineup is below.

  • June 3 – E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
  • June 10 – Beethoven 2
  • June 17 – Eat, Pray, Love
  • June 24 – Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • July 1 – Coming to America
  • July 8 – Dirty Dancing
  • July 15 – Finding Nemo
  • July 22 – Casablanca
  • July 29 – Top Gun
  • August 5 – Up
  • August 12 – Roman Holiday
  • August 19 – Casino Royale (2006)
  • August 26 – The Notebook

File photo

Rosslyn’s Gateway Park Gets a Sandbox

By Heather Mongilio
1/4

(Updated Sept. 1 at 5:45 p.m.) The Rosslyn Business Improvement District and Arlington County have turned an unused fountain at Gateway Park into a new sandbox.

The sandbox will officially open on Sept. 12 during the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. There will also be kids activities, including face painting and sidewalk chalk drawing.

Located on the western edge of the park, by Lee Highway, the sandbox features the work of local artists Evelyn Powers and Patrick Kirwin, who have painted the edges of the sandbox with flowers, insects and other critters.  The artists will also paint stone bunnies, turtles, frogs and other creatures that will be placed around the sandbox, according to a press release.

The former fountain now has a main sand area reachable by stairs, surrounded by a sand-filled moat.

“Once an unmemorable part of the park, we hope it will become a place where children and their caregivers can go to relax and have fun,” the Rosslyn BID said in a statement.

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