live music

Met Park is hosting free jazz, movies and workouts all summer long

By Hallie LeTendre
1/6

Free, family-friendly events are happening this summer at the newly renovated Metropolitan Park in Pentagon City.

Now through August and September, there will be jazz performances, outdoor movie screenings and fitness classes at the base of Amazon’s new second headquarters, sponsored by the National Landing Business Improvement District and other partners, including Amazon.

Every Thursday through mid-August, people can enjoy live jazz at the park, located near the corner of S. Elm Street and 13th Street S. The next performance tomorrow (Thursday), will be by a jazz quartet led by New York City-based saxophonist Langston Hughes II. A free ticket is required to attend and attendees can start setting up at 4 p.m.

After a hiatus next week due to the Independence Day holiday, the weekly series will pick back up on July 13 with a D.C.-based quartet led by percussionist Julian Berkowitz, and continue through Aug. 10. The entire lineup for the series, co-sponsored by DC Jazz Festival, is online.

This Friday, meanwhile, the BID will be screening “Super Mario Bros” at 7 p.m. at the park as part of its weekly Movies @ Met series. Tickets are available online and more movie dates will be announced soon, per an event page.

There will be food trucks and the BID will be passing out complimentary blankets, the event page says, noting that attendees can bring lawn chairs and leashed pets.

Another Metropolitan Park event promises a workout before the start of work. The Fit @ Met series takes place Wednesday mornings from 8-9 a.m. at the park, through Sept. 27. The classes are instructor led and free with online registration.

Upcoming classes include:

  • July 5: Boxing from BASH Boxing
  • July 12: Karin from Pure Barre Pentagon City
  • July 19: Yoga from CorePower
  • July 26: HIIT from Orangetheory Fitness Pentagon City

Separately, for those looking to sweat after work, there will be free fitness classes on Mondays from 6-7 p.m. at a temporary park nearby (101 12th Street S.) dubbed “Gateway Green.” No experience is necessary to participate but attendees will need a free ticket.

“Gateway to Fitness” classes, led by instructors from gyms in the area, are running now through Sept. 25. The days and participating gyms are as follows. Equipment is not required — besides a yoga mat — when CorePower Yoga classes are taught.

The newly renovated Met Park, which Amazon paid for, is part of the tech company’s new HQ2, which was unveiled earlier this month after years of planning and construction.

The area is also home to numerous restaurants, cafes, and other storefronts, many of them newly opened on the ground floor of HQ2.

Rosslyn Jazz Fest to return in September for its 31st year

By Hallie LeTendre
1/4

The Rosslyn Jazz Fest is returning for its 31st year, with groups coming from as near as across the Potomac and as far as New Orleans.

The free outdoor event will take place on Sept. 9 from 1-7 p.m. in Gateway Park (1300 Landston Blvd).

Throughout the afternoon, performers will take the stage to play a variety of music styles, from R&B to soul and hip-hop to traditional jazz, a press release said. There will also be food trucks and games for attendees to enjoy.

Headlining the event is New Orleans-based quintet Galactic, which has performed with famous acts such as Dave Matthews Band and the Allman Brothers Band, and at high-profile venues, including Coachella.

Other groups include:

  • Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez
  • D.C.-based Oh He Dead, a six-piece group known for playing everything from soul to rock and putting on energetic live shows
  • DuPont Brass, a nine-person group that got its start playing in D.C. Metro stations

“Over the last three decades, Jazz Fest has become Arlington’s largest outdoor music festival that the community has come to know and love,” said Mary-Claire Burick, the president of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which co-sponsors the event. “Jazz Fest exemplifies the vibrancy of our region and this year’s diverse lineup of artists will fill Gateway Park and bring us together to enjoy an afternoon of great music and fun with family and friends.”

This year’s lineup will get audience members jazzed about the wide-ranging genre, according to Josh Stoltzfus, the director of the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division.

“Fueled by the deep creative well of jazz and its extensions, Jazz Fest is a showcase for artists who are inspired to take music in new directions,” he said in a statement. “From the Afro-Cuban jazz throughline of Pedrito Martinez, to Galactic’s fresh take on the musical mash-up of New Orleans traditions, to the soulful Oh He Dead, this year’s high-energy mix of genres will keep audiences on their feet.”

Ticketing for the festival will open on Aug. 1. Guests are not required to register for the event, however, it is encouraged in accordance with the park’s capacity limits, the festival webpage said.

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.”

Smokecraft in Clarendon feeling heat from county threat to revoke live entertainment permit

By Jo DeVoe
Smokecraft BBQ awards (courtesy photo)

A barbecue joint in Clarendon may have its occasional parties go up in smoke.

Arlington County says Smokecraft Modern Barbecue at 1051 N. Highland Street could lose its live entertainment permit because it does not comply with a local initiative requiring restaurants and bars to meet certain alcohol safety standards.

At issue: Since November, Clarendon venues with live entertainment permits need to comply with the Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI). One requirement is that establishments have certain written policies and procedures, which the award-winning, list-topping Smokecraft — which opened in 2020 — does not have.

The restaurant and its attorneys say they believe such written policies could make the restaurant vulnerable to litigation, meaning an increase in insurance costs of upwards of $10,000 a year.

“We are a safe establishment. We have been a safe establishment. We continue to plan to do so. Adopting these specific written policies isn’t going to change our commitment,” owner and pitmaster Andrew Darneille told the Board last night (Tuesday).

Further, he said, the live entertainment permit is not actively in use, all alcohol-serving staff are trained in how to serve safely, the restaurant has a “perfect alcohol safety record,” and alcohol only comprises 15% of sales.

Without compliance, the Arlington County Board says it will eventually revoke the live entertainment permit. In May, the county allowed Smokecraft to keep the permit and revisit the issue in a month while the parties cook up a solution.

Last night, the Board was poised to revoke the permit but instead voted to punt on the issue for one more month because negotiations are headed in the right direction.

Still, the patience of Board members appears to be wearing thin. Some seemed annoyed the issue had gotten to this point, where other restaurants found ways to make it work.

“I think you can get there without realizing the apocalypse your representatives see,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “For my purposes, each month that we continue in this dance is another month where you continue to enjoy a permit without adhering to ARI standards — a luxury that the other establishments haven’t had.”

Dorsey said Smokecraft has the flexibility to write policies that meet a “minimal bar for compliance” and work for the business.

“One of the beauties of this is that the policies are not proscriptive — they’re illustrative,” Dorsey said. “It’s not like it’s going to require you to upend your operations.”

In response to the argument that Smokecraft should be able to follow the lead of other businesses, Darneille said that is an unfair argument.

“I recognize 50 other restaurants signed onto this but I can’t speak to why they made decisions to do what they’ve done,” he continued. “We’ve raised a concern here that’s valid for us. We are working to try and resolve that concern.”

He shifted blame to the county for not promptly engaging with the restaurant when these concerns first were raised. Then, after a meeting last month, he said it took two weeks to receive responses from the county.

County Board members did not address this point. ARLnow has previously reported on restaurateurs and other business owners having trouble reaching staff in a timely manner.

(more…)

Princess to speak at special Netherlands Carillon concert Wednesday

By ARLnow.com
The Netherlands Carillon in 2021, near the end of its restoration (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Dutch ambassador, ballet dancers, a pair of expert bell ringers, and a princess.

All are among those set to be on hand for a special concert at the Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. The “one-of-a-kind event that celebrates friendship and freedom” is set to take place from 4-6 p.m.

“The second annual Freedom Concert is organized by the National Park Service and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in recognition of the Netherlands’ Liberation Day (May 5),” the Dutch embassy said in a press release. “Princess Margriet will deliver a keynote speech on the importance of celebrating freedom. The event also features carillonneurs Edward Nassor (United States) and Rosemarie Seuntiëns (the Netherlands) and a special performance by the Washington School of Ballet.”

The Netherlands Carillon, which wrapped up a two-year restoration project in 2021, features 53 bells and “serves as a reminder of the strong bond between the United States and the Netherlands,” the embassy notes. It was a gift from the Dutch people after World War II.

Princess Margriet, born in exile in Canada in 1943, counts President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a godparent.

More on the free concert, below, from another embassy press release.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the George Washington Memorial Parkway of the National Park Service present the 2nd annual Freedom Concert at 4 p.m. May 10 at the Netherlands Carillon.

The Netherlands Carillon is a 127-foot-tall musical monument and a symbol of peace and freedom. It was presented to President Truman in 1952 by Queen Juliana as a gift from the Dutch people to the American people as token of gratitude for their help during and after World War II.

The Freedom Concert is held in recognition of the Netherlands’ Liberation Day which is celebrated on May 5.

Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, the featured guest speaker, will give remarks on the importance of celebrating freedom. Her Royal Highness was born in 1943 in Canada during World War II. The Royal Family returned to the Netherlands once it was liberated by Allied Forces in 1945.

Carillonneurs Edward Nassor of the United States and Rosemarie Seuntiëns from the Netherlands will play a selection of modern and classical music, and students from the Washington School of Ballet will perform a dance choreographed by Mimmo Miccolis specifically for the concert.

At the event, the media will have the opportunity to interview Dutch Ambassador André Haspels, Christine Smith, Deputy Superintendent of the National Park Service – George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the carillonneurs and dancers from the Washington School of Ballet.

The Columbia Pike Blues Festival is returning in June

By Matt Blitz
17th Annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival (photo courtesy Columbia Pike Documentary Project)

The Columbia Pike Blues Festival is returning this summer for its 26th edition.

The annual summer music festival is set to take place on June 17 this year and will span several Columbia Pike blocks. It will feature a collection of performances, local food, beer, and family-friendly activities, as it usually does.

This year’s headliner is Judith Hill, a singer and songwriter featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” She’s performed and worked with John Legend, Josh Groban, Prince, and Michael Jackson and has self-produced several of her own albums.

Also playing at the festival are Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers, local blues guitarist Bobby Thompson, Gayle Harrod Band, and Spice Cake Blues.

A number of local restaurants will be providing food and drinks, including New District Brewing. As co-owner Mike Katrivanos told ARLnow last month, the Green Valley-based brewery will be serving beer at the festival again this year despite the fact they may be without a home come June.

Another now-shuttered business, Rincome Thai, is still set to curate the wine list for the Blues Festival.

There will also be a kids activity area, while 9th Rd. S. will be transformed into an “art alley” where the Arlington Art Truck is set to have interactive exhibits, activities, and an exhibit from the Columbia Pike Documentary Project.

More programming and activities are still expected to be added to the line-up this year, Arlington Arts marketing director Jim Byers told ARLnow. Those additions will be announced via social media as it gets closer to the festival.

Arlington Arts co-produces the event with the Columbia Pike Partnership.

About 7,000 people are expected to come to the festival this year, though that depends on the weather, Byers said. In 2022, it’s estimated about 8,000 people attended, as the festival returned to being fully in-person for the first time in three years. It was also the festival’s 25th anniversary.  

The Columbia Pike Blues Festival started in 1995 and, according to organizers, it is considered the largest music festival of its kind in the D.C. area.

‘Pink in the Park’ rescheduled for April 30

By ARLnow.com
Pink in the Park promotional image (photo courtesy National Landing BID)

A big event postponed due to the April 1 wind storm has been rescheduled.

Pink in the Park, organized by the National Landing Business Improvement District, will now be held from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Tickets, available for free online, are required.

“Located at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center, Pink in the Park will feature an exciting musical lineup of DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley,” a BID spokesperson wrote. “With a cashless beverage garden, food trucks, immersive, cherry blossom-inspired art installations, Instagrammable moments and more, Pink in the Park is the can’t-miss finale to cherry blossom season!”

The event will be hosted by Orlando Jones of MADtv and 7Up spokesman fame.

More below, from a press release.

Pink isn’t just a color, it’s a vibe. Celebrate the end of cherry blossom season and pump up the pink at Pink in the Park, presented by Amazon and produced by the National Landing Business Improvement District at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center in National Landing.

From 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, adults can enjoy unforgettable music and entertainment with special guest and celebrity host Orlando Jones, and performances by DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley. Enjoy a  spring-themed cashless beverage garden, food trucks, immersive, cherry blossom-inspired art installations, Instagrammable moments, and much more.

Full performance lineup includes:

Adult beverages, including beer and wine, will be provided by #FrayLife Bar, Crystal City Wine Shop, Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique, Drunk Fruit, Lost Boy Cider and more. Guests can also sample flavors of National Landing restaurants and food trucks including:

“We are excited to announce a new date for Pink in Park and to bring all the pink energy across the river in National Landing on Sunday, April 30 as we close out the National Cherry Blossom Festival,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “We’re proud to highlight the festival in our neighborhood’s signature park in collaboration with our sponsors and vibrant National Landing businesses and look forward to being part of our region’s storied cherry blossom celebration.”

“Amazon is thrilled to partner with the National Landing BID and the National Cherry Blossom Festival to bring the joy of the cherry blossoms to National Landing,” said Patrick Phillippi, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. “Pink in the Park will be one of the largest National Cherry Blossom Festival events ever in Virginia and we are excited to celebrate spring with our community.”

Please stay tuned for updates and more community programming by visiting nationallanding.org or following the BID on Instagram @nationallanding.

WHEN: Sunday, April 30 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center; 333 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington, Virginia

HOW: FREE festival tickets are available at NationalLanding.org/Pink. Tickets are required.

EXCLUSIVE: Builders and business owners say Arlington’s new permit system is lagging

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

(Updated 4:45 p.m. on 3/14/23) Builders and entrepreneurs tell ARLnow they are waiting up to twice as long as they used to for Arlington County to issue permits, costing them thousands — if not hundreds of thousands — of dollars.

Permits that used to be issued the same day now take 1-3 weeks while those that took 2-3 months take double that time, they say. Meanwhile, the Arlington Permit Office’s limited hours of operation compound the delays and the high permitting fees exacerbate the costs incurred from waiting.

The apparent degradation of the county’s permit operation — corroborated by a number of sources, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals — follows the years-long development of a new online permitting system dubbed Permit Arlington.

The online system was touted by the county as a solution for long-standing problems with the former, more antiquated paper system.

“They have completely destroyed the system. They are slowing progress. The new system still doesn’t work nearly two years later,” a local custom home builder said. “Builders’ and developers’ holding costs are staggering.”

The Arlington Chamber of Commerce concurs.

“Some of our members may accept paying more for a quality permit service, but the timeframe and process must improve in order to justify the costs,” spokesman John Musso said. “We encourage the County to continue to recognize businesses as customers seeking a service, in this case permits.”

The complaints come as Arlington County continues transferring all permitting processes to its online system. The county has tied delays to the migration of permits into the system but has maintained that the overall wait time has not changed.

“With the phased launches of Permit Arlington, we are moving from a system with 1990 technology to a modern system,” said Dept. of Community Housing, Planning and Development spokeswoman Erika Moore. “This type of technological transition is complex and presents a learning curve for both staff and customers as all users adjust to using a new system.”

As part of the migration process, which started in 2019, Certificate of Occupancy permits moved online last week and last summer, nearly 10,000 active applications for building, trade and land disturbing activity permits moved online.

In response to customer inquiries, Moore said the Permit Arlington team is actively working through issues, has increased the size of the help desk team, has added numerous “how-to” documents and is making permanent fixes to prevent issues that caused earlier delays.

“The team will continue to work through these fixes until all the issues are resolved,” she said.

She says the Permit Arlington team applied lessons learned from the launch last summer to improve the implementation process for Certificates of Occupancy, “which launched smoothly two weeks ago.”

Musso counters there were still some issues.

“We have had several members note pain points with the transition of Certificates of Occupancy to Permit Arlington, resulting in confusion and uncertainty,” he said.

Concurrently, the county is requesting feedback about the permit process from recent applicants.

“We have heard from 250 people, but we want to provide enough time for people to respond,” Moore said. “Once it is closed, we will analyze the feedback and identify any potential action items.”

Meanwhile, the feedback was rolling into ARLnow.

Another home designer and builder was frustrated with office hours, which are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Every third Thursday, the office closes at noon. The Permit Office re-opened for in-person service in September after being completely virtual due to the pandemic.

“I would be willing to say that the eight hours a week are just not enough and that the threat of Covid is no longer there,” said home designer and builder Leonard Matthews. “How odd it is that Arlington County Schools are [fully] open but the permit office is not?”

(more…)

Arlington could scrub ‘dance halls’ from its county code books

By Jo DeVoe
The revamped and reopened Clarendon Ballroom (photo courtesy of Albert Ting/B Social Hospitality)

Arlington County code could soon no longer reference “public dance halls” and the dizzying disco the term evokes.

That would mean live entertainment venue operators would be cut loose from paying for a $600 permit annually.

This weekend, the Arlington County Board is slated to hear a request to advertise a public hearing on whether to repeal a section of the county code governing dance halls. If a hearing is approved, the Board could authorize the change next month.

The section of code in question was adopted in 1969, when people were doing the “Funky Chicken.” That year, a state law allowed localities to issue licenses for public dance halls to “regulate and mitigate the land use impacts associated with establishments where dancing occurred,” per a county report.

A Northern Virginia Sun article from the time notes that the first dancing allowed by the permit took place at the Windjammer Lounge of the Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel, the first lodging establishment opened by the now-international hotel chain.

Northern Virginia Sun article on first dance hall permit (via Library of Virginia)

But Arlington County says this regulation is redundant and burdensome for today’s venues hosting DJs remixing Bad Bunny beats.

That’s because four years after the 1969 code was adopted, the county began requiring business owners to obtain a County Board-approved special exception use permit to provide “live entertainment” — a broad category that includes dancing. Anyone looking to allow dancing specifically still needed the dance hall permit.

“These parallel processes effectively result in the Zoning Ordinance being the primary regulatory mechanism for public dance halls with the County Code assuming an administrative function,” according to a county report.

To ease up on live entertainment venues, the county is looking to simplify permitting processes.

Repealing the code, per the report, “both reduces regulatory burdens for small businesses and eliminates unnecessary regulatory processes without adverse impacts to standing policies and practices related to the regulation of live entertainment and public dance halls.”

The county will still regulate live entertainment venues, given the “land use impacts” associated with live venues, such as noise, disorderly guests or frequent police visits. That means there will still be public hearings, when the community can seek redress for potential impacts a venue may have, such as modified hours of operation.

“It is not just that they may be upsetting to neighbors; they are considered impacts because they are potentially ordinance violations,” said Erika Moore, a spokeswoman with the Department of Community, Planning and Development. “For example, music being played would have to violate the Noise Ordinance for it to be considered a land use impact.”

For instance, Arlington had to revoke the live entertainment permits of Pines of Italy and the Purple Lounge, both of which operated from the same building on Columbia Pike, over health and Alcoholic Beverage Control Board violations.

In proposing the change, county staff noted the dwindling number of places seeking dancing permits. For instance, the Salsa Room moved from Columbia Pike to the current Palladium space at 1524 Spring Hill Road in Tysons in March 2020.

“The current number of public dance hall permits represents a reduction of 60% in the total number of public dance halls over the past 5 years,” the report said.

The Zoning Division issued 10 public dance hall permits in the past 12 months, per the county. They were for:

  • Darna (946 N. Jackson Street)
  • Pike Bolivian Pizza (4111 Columbia Pike)
  • O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd.)
  • Restaurante El Salvador (4805 Columbia Pike)
  • Spider Kelly’s (3181 Wilson Blvd)
  • DoubleTree Crystal City Skydome (300 Army Navy Drive)
  • Clarendon Pop-Up (3185 Wilson Blvd)
  • Sushi Rock (1900 Clarendon Blvd)
  • Top of the Town (1400 14th Street N.)
  • Renegade Coffee & Kitchen (3100 Clarendon Blvd)

But that doesn’t mean live entertainment died during the pandemic. Two shuttered venues in Clarendon — Whitlow’s on Wilson and Clarendon Ballroom — have since reopened under new ownership.

In the Whitlow’s space, local restaurateurs Christal and Mike Bramson, who are behind The Lot beer garden, opened B Live and are working to open Coco B’s this fall.

After being home to a series of pop-up bars by the Bramsons, Clarendon Ballroom, was revamped and opened by Michael Darby, a local developer, reality star and former restaurant owner.

Rosslyn Jazz Fest returns this week with pre-festival performances

By Jo DeVoe
Rosslyn Jazz Fest crowd shot (via Rosslyn Business Improvement District)

Rosslyn’s long-running jazz festival returns this weekend, and the festivities leading up to it will include a roving band in an open-air bus.

The 30th annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest, set for this Saturday, will bring the international sounds and rhythms of jazz to Gateway Park at 1300 Langston Blvd.

From 1-7 p.m., attendees can vibe to performances by the headliner, Cuban funk musician Cimafunk, as well as these acts:

There will be food trucks and yard games, and attendees can browse tables selling merchandise and representing community organizations.

Registration is encouraged due to the park’s capacity limit.

But the jazz party is already getting started, with happy-hour performances this evening and tomorrow. And, for the first time, jazz artists will serenade strollers from an open-top bus rolling through the neighborhood this Thursday.

Tonight (Tuesday), Stickman Band will play from 6-8 p.m. at the outdoor patio of Assembly, located in Rosslyn City Center (1700 N Moore Street).

Tomorrow (Wednesday), Blue Dot Jazz Troupe will accompany shoppers at the Freshfarm Farmers Market and happy hour event from 5-7 p.m.

BroadSound Band will perform a mix of jazz and pop hits from an open-top bus between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday.

More on that from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which organizes the annual festival:

Rosslyn’s first ever Rosslyn Rolling Concert is here in celebration of our 30th Rosslyn Jazz Fest! On Thursday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. an open-top bus will hit the streets through the Rosslyn neighborhood (and beyond) with the BroadSound Band performing a mix of jazz and pop hits!

At each stop, we’ll have Rosslyn swag giveaways for those out in the neighborhood. The bus will stop at designated locations (listed below) for performances, starting and ending at Central Place Plaza. Get rolling into the weekend with this final jazz performance before the festival!

If you can’t make the rolling concert, tune in for live updates on our Instagram story!

ROSSLYN ROLLING CONCERT SCHEDULE

  • (A) 11:00 a.m. – Central Place Plaza
  • (B) 11:30 a.m. – Corner of N. Oak St. and Wilson Blvd. (by Hot Lola’s and the Parklet)
  • (C) 12:00 p.m. – HB Woodlawn Secondary School
  • (D) 12:30 p.m. – 1425 N. Courthouse Rd. (by the Arlington County Justice Center)
  • (E) 1:00 p.m. – 1400 14th St. N. Arlington
  • (F) 1:15 p.m. – Dark Star Park
  • (G) 1:30 p.m. – Central Place Plaza

Latin American festival coming to Rosslyn next month

By Mavis Chan
A poster for the ¡Viva Cultura! Festival (courtesy of Centro de Apoyo Familiar)

A festival to showcase Latin American music, folk dance, art and food is coming to Rosslyn next month.

The ¡Viva Cultura! Festival is scheduled for Saturday, August 13, at Gateway Park (1300 Langston Blvd), which is a five-minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro station. The event is set to begin at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Centro de Apoyo Familiar is organizing the family-friendly event and plans to provide live music, dance performances, exhibitions and food, according to the festival’s website. Folk dance groups representing countries like Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico are expected to perform their traditional dances in traditional costumes as well.

As for the exhibition, Centro de Apoyo Familiar plans to have artisans from the Caribbean as well as Central and South America offering handcrafted items. Exhibitors include a Colombian handmade jewelry store and organizations like the League of United Latin American Citizens. The deadline for becoming an exhibitor is Sunday, July 31, according to the online registration form.

An art exhibition for Latino artists in Arlington is also set. However, registration for it has yet to open, according to the event’s website.

The event will feature a number of activities catered to kids, including face painting, clowns, musical chairs and other games, according to the website. Food trucks selling cuisines from different countries are also expected. Registration for food vendors is still open.

CAF is a nonprofit working in D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts and Virginia to provide housing counseling to low-income Latino and immigrant families, according to its website.

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