PBS show will tour Town of Vienna houses, landmarks on Monday

The Town of Vienna has a chance to make the nation envious with its upcoming appearance on the PBS TV show “If You Lived Here.”

The D.C. area house-hunting series will take its hosts, Washingtonians John Begeny and Christine Louise, on a tour of Vienna’s history, landmarks and residential real estate offerings in an episode set to air Monday (Feb. 13).

While the show is now in its third season, the producers say Vienna has long been on their radar as a potential destination.

“We have folks on our film crew that live in Vienna, so they were thrilled to see it on our list for Season 3,” executive producer Jeffrey Eagle said. “It’s also a place that’s often mentioned as being wonderful for families and a community that’s connected through outdoor spaces, local events and a Main Street that feels both cozy and historic.”

Launched in February 2021, “If You Lived Here” brings its hosts together with local realtors to guess the list prices of local houses and visit attractions in neighborhoods around the D.C. region.

The show’s team researches each location extensively before visiting, according to series producer Paige Smith Lee, who cites local news outlets like the Washington Post and DCist as good resources. They also often get stories and tips once they start contacting interview subjects.

“Each individual area…has a history to share and a great community spirit,” Louise said in a statement. “When we tour the individual homes, we are digging even deeper into specific neighborhoods learning what makes each special from the folks who live there and work in each.”

Vienna is ready for its close-up! Monday, Feb. 13 at 9 p.m. is a must-see TV moment for the Town of Vienna! That's when the town will be featured on the popular @PBS program #IfYouLivedHere on @wetatvfm channel 26. Click here for more details: https://t.co/uBsd4d4Xo9. pic.twitter.com/weLzrzISZr

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) February 8, 2023

For Vienna, the team wanted to highlight the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, since the tracks — now the W&OD Trail — ran through the heart of the town. The train will give the show a way to discuss how the local population has grown and changed over the years, Eagle says.

“The Freeman Store and Museum was an easy choice to make as one of our stories,” Eagle said. “The conversion of those tracks to the W&OD walking and bike trails also meant the chance to see residents on the go, exercising and in their daily lives.”

Led by local real estate agent Lex Lianos, the episode will feature tours of three houses: a “fixer-upper” in Stonewall Manor, a renovated home sitting on an acre lot, and a modern home built in 2020, according to WETA.

The old train depot, the Vienna Town Green, popular bar and concert venue Jammin’ Java and Mayor Linda Colbert will also get moments in the spotlight.

Not everything filmed during the show’s three-day shoot last spring made it into the final cut. Smith Lee says she found the history of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department “really interesting,” but it didn’t fit into the episode’s 28-minute runtime.

The episode will air at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro. It will also be available to stream on the PBS app.

“If You Lived Here” will return to Fairfax County for its penultimate episode this season, which will focus on Annandale and air on March 6.

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