Suspect in Mount Vernon Fatal Shooting Arrested — Fairfax County police arrested Kyjuan Omar Braxton Trott-McLean, of Mount Vernon in the 3800 block of Colonial Avenue yesterday after a brief vehicle pursuit. The search for Trott-McLean took nearly two months after police identified him as “a suspect in the Oct. 2 killing of Brandon Wims, 31, of Maryland.” [The Washington Post]
Lego Discovery Center Groundbreaking Soon — “A new Lego Discovery Center is set to open in Springfield Town Center in Summer 2023. Officials from PREIT (the parent company of Springfield Town Center) and Merlin Entertainments will break ground on the project next week, with a ceremonial brick drop to signify the beginning of the new space.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Zoë’s Kitchen Has Closed in Vienna — “A sign posted at the restaurant notified customers of the closure as of Nov. 30. Zoës Kitchen, which was acquired by CAVA in 2018, has one remaining Northern Virginia restaurant in Ashburn. CAVA has a Vienna location down the road from the closed Zoës Kitchen.” [Patch]
Mount Vernon HS Football Coach Steps Down — “Monty Fritts, who coached the varsity football team at Mount Vernon High School for the past seven seasons, officially ended his coaching career Nov. 16…[Fritts] will continue serving in his role as assistant director of student activities at Mount Vernon” [On the MoVe]
Virginia Reports Season’s First Flu Death — “Sadly, a child (5-12 years old) in Virginia’s Southwest region died from complications associated with influenza. To protect the family’s privacy, VDH will not provide any further information regarding this death.” [VDH]
Annandale Skate Park Renovation Completed — “The newly refurbished and expanded Wakefield Skate Park is open to the public. The site is open daily from dawn until 10 p.m. and is already bringing out loads of skateboarders eager to enjoy the new amenities.” [Fairfax County Park Authority]
McLean Cybersecurity Company to Go Public — “McLean cybersecurity solutions firm Cycurion Inc. is going public early next year via a merger with the special purpose acquisition company Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. Cycurion…expects to raise about $113 million in the deal and intends to use the proceeds to acquire smaller companies and eventually triple its headcount.” [DC Inno]
Winter Market Showcases Local Small Businesses — “On Fridays, December 2nd, 9th and 16th, the Winter Market will be held from 4:30pm-8pm. On Saturdays, December 3rd, 10th and 17th, the Winter Market will run from 12pm-5pm. The Winter Market series will be held at Celebrate Fairfax’s community hub, The PARC at Tysons…The venue hosts over 10,000 square feet of indoor space transformed into a winter wonderland and offers free parking.” [Celebrate Fairfax]
GMU Partners with Amazon Web Services — “Amazon Web Services, which bases its east coast operations in Herndon, is working with Fairfax-based George Mason University on developing a new project-based curriculum and coursework focused on data centers for engineering students…The curriculum will officially launch through its bachelor’s degree programs in electrical and mechanical engineering in 2023 at the school’s main Fairfax campus.” [FCEDA]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 49 and low of 30. Sunrise at 7:11 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
With the 2022 elections now in the rearview mirror, five Fairfax County supervisors have already confirmed that they will be seeking re-election in 2023.
All 10 Board of Supervisors seats will be on the ballot come Nov. 7, 2023, along with the entire school board, General Assembly members, and other local elected offices.
While individuals can’t submit paperwork to the county’s office of elections until after Jan. 1 to make their candidacy official, a number of incumbents have already confirmed their plans.
Seeking Reelection
Board Chairman Jeff McKay intends to run for reelection next year, a spokesperson told FFXnow.
“His campaign will make an announcement soon,” the spokesperson said.
First elected to the position in 2019, McKay previously represented Lee District, which is now known as Franconia District. He has been a vocal advocate for local authority, and in recent months, he has clashed with the state on abortion-related protests and policies limiting transgender student rights.
Over the summer, Rodney Lusk announced he will seek a second term in McKay’s former seat. In 2019, he became the first African American man elected to the Board of Supervisors, per his website.
He told FFXnow at the time that his second-term priorities will be similar to his first term, when he emphasized access to affordable housing, school funding, pedestrian and bicycle safety, criminal justice reform, and food insecurity.
This Saturday (Dec. 3), Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck is set to launch his own re-election campaign. He’s running for his third term on the board after first getting elected in 2015 following a stint on the Fairfax County School Board.
On his website, he highlights as achievements his work to reduce crime, the opening of a number of new county facilities in the Mount Vernon District, the continued revitalization of the Richmond Highway Corridor, and the saving of River Farm.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn told FFXnow in an email that he’s been raising campaign funds and does “intend to run for re-election in 2023,” as suggested by his newly updated campaign website.
This would be Alcorn’s second term. He was first elected in 2019 after serving on the county’s planning commission.
During his first three years in office, he has opposed development of Reston National Golf Course, supported affordable housing initiatives and, perhaps most notably, helped get the Silver Line Phase II on track to opening as the chair of the board’s transportation committee.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw also confirmed that he will be seeking a second term next year:
Serving on the Board of Supervisors is an incredible honor. We’ve accomplished a lot in the last three years. We navigated a global pandemic, created new community-building events like our children’s concert series and Braddock Bark festival, sent hundreds of editions of our email newsletters, and helped answer questions and solve problems for thousands of constituents. I look forward to taking that record of responsive, collaborative leadership to the voters in 2023.
Stepping Down
In August, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust announced he will step down after 16 years when his term ends on Dec. 31, 2023. During his tenure, he oversaw the creation of a plan to revitalize downtown McLean and advocated for the widening of Route 7.
In a new statement to FFXnow, Foust said it was a “very difficult” decision not to seek re-election but ultimately decided this was what was best for him:
I have loved serving my community on the Board of Supervisors for the past 15 years, and I especially enjoy working with the current Chairman and Board members. I decided, however, that there were other things I want to do at this time. While I enjoy working on the very broad range of a Supervisor’s responsibilities, going forward I am looking forward to focusing my efforts more specifically on some of the causes I care about most. And I am very much looking forward to having more time for my family, friends, and travel.
As of this moment, no one has announced their candidacy for Foust’s seat.
Undeclared
Long-time Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said she will declare her intentions by the end of 2022. She’s served on the Board for 27 years, since 1995, and is now in her seventh term.
“It’s a little early for planning for 2023,” she told FFXnow. “But I anticipate making an announcement sometime in December.”
Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith, Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, and Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity all said they plan to make campaign announcements early next year.
Herrity already has a potential challenger in the Springfield District. Local tech entrepreneur Albert Vega announced in September that he will run in the Democratic primary in June 2023.
The Fairfax County Police Department is investigating a “cash for gold robbery scheme” involving three Maryland residents who forced a driver on the Capital Beltway (I-495) to give them money for jewelry that was likely fake.
The driver encountered the three individuals while driving home on Oct. 29 near the exit to Bethesda, where he saw them standing on the side of I-495, police said in a news release published today.
The victim stopped to provide aid. A woman said the stranded group needed money to continue their travels. She showed the victim a watch and gold jewelry. She requested cash in exchange for the items. The woman convinced the victim to drive to an ATM. Two men in a black SUV followed the victim and woman. The victim began driving and quickly realized this was likely a scam. The victim stopped in a parking lot and exited his car. One of the men from the other vehicle exited their car and told the victim to sit in the driver’s seat while he drove the victim to obtain money.
The man was driven to four locations around the Tysons area, where the trio forced the man “through intimidation” to withdraw money until his bank accounts were empty, according to the police.
Once the trio left him, the man called 911.
The FCPD says the perpetrators of the scam were identified as 39-year-old Magdalena Mazil, 36-year-old Hagi Voinescu, and 23-year-old Romeo Voinescu — all Baltimore residents — after an officer came across them in a gray Chevrolet Tahoe that “appeared to be disabled” on the Dulles Toll Road near Route 7 in Tysons on Nov. 3.
The officer searched the vehicle and found “large amounts of fake gold jewelry,” police said.
Mazil and Hagi Voinescu were arrested by Baltimore City detectives on Nov. 22, but Romeo Voinescu remains “outstanding,” according to police.
All three individuals are facing charges of abduction and four counts of robbery. The FCPD also obtained warrants for Hagi Voinescu for preventing a person from calling 911.
“Two additional warrants for preventing a telephone call were obtained for Magdalena. An additional warrant for driver failing to report an accident was issued for Romeo,” police said.
Police believe the trio may be connected to other crimes in the area.
“We’re asking anyone with information about the suspects or who may have encountered the suspects to contact us,” the FCPD said.
Detectives can be contacted at 703-691-2131. The department also accepts anonymous tips by phone (1-866-411-TIPS), text (type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411) and online through Crime Solvers.
The FCPD offers cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 to tipsters who provide information that leads to an arrest.
Closed sign (via Tim Mossholder/Unsplash)
With a high office and commercial vacancy rate and over 1,000 locals experiencing homelessness, Fairfax County is considering a zoning change that could use one problem to help solve the other.
The proposal would allow unused commercial spaces, including office and hotel space, to be used as emergency shelters for those experiencing homelessness.
The new zoning would let private entities — namely nonprofits that work with those experiencing homelessness — operate emergency shelters in vacant or underutilized commercial or industrial properties.
“Special exception use would permit repurposing of a commercial building in a commercial, Industrial, or in some Planned Districts with approval by the Board,” a staff report on the change said. “Commercial building includes buildings designed or used for office, hotel, retail, institutional, or industrial purposes.”
In a presentation to the Board of Supervisors housing committee on Nov. 22, staff said there is currently no “emergency shelter” use in the county zoning code.
In addition to creating an emergency shelter use, the zoning change would add a “permanent supportive housing” use for housing that provides assistance and supportive services, like transportation and training, to residents. Supportive housing is reserved in the zoning ordinance for those making below 60% of the area median income.
The presentation didn’t include information on incentives to get private property owners to open their space up for use used as emergency shelter, but board members still expressed enthusiasm for the idea.
“We’ve had similar conversations to this before, but I think we’re in a different situation right now,” said County Board Chair Jeff McKay, “not only with what we know about homelessness but that we also, unfortunately, have a higher number of vacancies because of Covid. I think it’s time to have a conversation about adaptive reuse.”
The proposed changes are part of a general push by the county to reevaluate how it tackles homelessness, particularly by increasing the availability of permanent and supportive housing instead of relying on temporary shelters.
The last point-in-time count, conducted on Jan. 26, found 1,191 people experiencing homelessness in the county, a decrease from 2021 but higher than the numbers reported in the most recent years preceding the pandemic. About 50% of the individuals counted were Black, even though only 10% of the county’s population falls in that demographic.
During the initial months of the pandemic, the county enlisted hotels as temporary shelter for individuals who were experiencing homelessness or otherwise lacked space needed for isolating or quarantining due to Covid.
Photo via Tim Mossholder/Unsplash
Fairfax County Public Schools failed to give needed educational services to “thousands” of students with disabilities when it pivoted to virtual learning due to COVID-19 in 2020, federal officials say.
FCPS must compensate all affected students for the lost services as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, which was investigating reports that the school system had violated students’ right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE).
“I am relieved that the more than 25,000 students with disabilities in Fairfax County will now receive services federal law promises to them, even during a pandemic, to ensure their equal access to education,” Education Department Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon said in a news release announcing the agreement yesterday.
FCPS said in a statement that it will convene meetings with all current and former students who attended during the “pandemic period” from April 14, 2020 to June 16, 2022 to discuss their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Section 504 plans.
IEPs are written plans that establish services and academic goals for students in special education. Section 504 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that get federal funding and requires public school districts to provide a FAPE.
The education department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) opened investigations into FCPS and districts in Indiana, Seattle and Los Angeles in January 2021, citing local news reports where parents said schools delayed or neglected to deliver the specialized services their kids need.
While acknowledging the pandemic’s “unique challenges,” which prompted widespread school closures in an effort to limit Covid’s spread, OCR says that doesn’t relieve schools of their responsibility to educate students in accordance with their specific needs.
After going fully virtual in spring 2020, FCPS started reintroducing in-person classes that October, but it didn’t bring back all students, five days a week, until August 2021.
Though FCPS attempted to address learning losses with expanded summer programs, OCR reports that the school system “inappropriately reduced and limited services” to students with disabilities, failed to “accurately or sufficiently” track the services it was providing, and “refused even to entertain compensatory education for services it did not or could not provide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The evidence strongly suggests that appropriate remedial services still remain unavailable, as a practical matter, to the many thousands of students with disabilities in the Division who may need them,” OCR said in a letter to Superintendent Michelle Reid.
As of this past February, FCPS had only provided recovery services to 1,070 students with IEPs and eight students with Section 504 plans, OCR said. 15.5% of the over 180,000 students who attend FCPS this school year have disabilities, according to state data.
Under the agreement, FCPS must get OCR’s approval for plans to compensate students, appoint an administrator to implement those plans, notify parents and guardians, and develop an electronic system by Jan. 17 to track which students need additional services and what accommodations are provided.
“As we emerge from the global pandemic, FCPS remains committed to working diligently to provide the support needed to ensure each and every student recovers from learning loss,” the school system said. “FCPS has and will continue to leverage resources to ensure students with the greatest need receive prioritized support for enhanced outcomes.”
This isn’t the first criticism FCPS has faced for its treatment of special education students. A lawsuit over its use of seclusion and restraints led to a long-awaited ban on those practices in March, and a report completed in October found that students with disabilities, especially Black and Hispanic students, are disproportionately disciplined.
Parents filed a lawsuit against the Fairfax County School Board and Virginia Department of Education in September, alleging that the hearing process for addressing complaints about IEP plans is biased against families.
Shatter the Silence Fairfax County Public Schools, a nonprofit that says it’s dedicated to fighting abuse, discrimination and sexual harassment, said in a news release that the OCR findings suggest the school system “has a systematic problem with how it treats disabled students,” noting that FCPS has entered into 14 agreements over civil rights complaints since 2014.
“While we applaud OCR for these findings, we express concern that without accountability toward individual administrators, FCPS school bureaucrats will just view this settlement as a ‘slap on the wrist’ and nothing will change,” a Shatter the Silence spokesperson said.
FCPS is currently developing a three-year plan to improve its special education program based on the October review by the consultant American Institute for Research (AIR).
(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) One person was killed this morning in a multi-vehicle crash on the Capital Beltway (I-495) in Tysons.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department had reported that one person had sustained injuries considered life-threatening, but the fatality wasn’t confirmed until just after 10 a.m. by the Virginia State Police.
VSP said it responded to the crash in the northbound lanes of I-495 near the exit for Route 267 at 6:52 a.m.
According to VSP, the driver of a 2019 Ford F-150 pickup — identified as Robert A. Blakely, 71, from D.C. — was “ejected from his vehicle” and died at the scene. A passenger in another vehicle received treatment for minor injuries.
The crash shut down the northbound Express Lanes and multiple general lanes on I-495 at the Dulles Access Road for hours during this morning’s rush hour, prompting vehicles in the toll lanes to be diverted at Route 7.
By 9 a.m., traffic backups extended approximately 9.8 miles to the end of the Express Lanes in North Springfield, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras.
This is the second major crash on the Beltway in as many days. During yesterday’s evening rush hour, a man died after being struck by an SUV near the Braddock Road exit. He had gotten out of the tractor-trailer he was driving following a collision with a sedan.
Units on scene of a multi-vehicle crash on I495 NB at Dulles Access Rd in Mclean area. One life-threatening injury. NB Express Lanes and multiple lanes of I495 NB closed for unknown duration. Expect delays. Seek alternate route. View Map: https://t.co/ooNN1smrhc #FCFRD #traffic pic.twitter.com/AQysAWs8dn
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 1, 2022
ICYMI: Man Killed in Crash on Capital Beltway — A tractor-trailer driver exited his vehicle after colliding with a sedan that ended up on the Beltway’s left shoulder near Braddock Road. While running over to the sedan, the man got hit by an SUV in the I-495 Express Lanes and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. [FFXnow]
Reward Offered for Suspect in Mount Vernon Murder — “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Victims’ Rights Foundation have partnered to offer $5,000 each to be used as a combined reward with Crime Solvers for information that leads to the arrest of the Kyjuan Omar Braxton Trott-McLean,” who is wanted for allegedly shooting and killing Maryland resident Brandon Wims on Oct. 2. [FCPD]
Hypothermia Program Launches Today — “Since 2005, the Hypothermia Prevention Program has prevented death and serious injuries among Fairfax County’s most vulnerable residents by ensuring that no one must sleep outside during the winter months. The program is available to any adult in need of immediate shelter.” [Hunter Mill District News]
Last Chance to Weigh in on Sex Ed Changes — The deadline to comment on proposed changes to Fairfax County Public Schools’ Family Life Education curriculum is 4:30 p.m. today. Possible revisions include co-ed classes and language that’s more inclusive of different genders and sexual orientations, suggestions that were raised last year but delayed by the school board. [FCPS]
Grant of $20K Approved for Fort Belvoir Park Project — “The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) Board approved a Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Funds Grant to help fund a project to construct a concession/restroom building at McNaughton Fields Park…It is anticipated that this new building will enhance the experience of hundreds of players and spectators participating in baseball games and practices.” [FCPA]
Fairfax City to Assess Stream Water Quality — “Fairfax City Stormwater Management Division staff will assess the main stem of Accotink Creek and all of its tributaries starting in December. Residents may observe staff wearing fluorescent safety vests as they document and rate conditions in the stream corridors. The stream condition assessment is expected to conclude in April 2023.” [City of Fairfax]
Local Police Collect Toy Donations for Santa — “Before the annual Santa’s Ride delivers toys to local charities and area hospitals, donations can be made through the Vienna Police Department and other locations. During Santa’s Run, police officers on motorcycles pick up donated toys from local government buildings and schools and deliver them to Inova Fairfax Hospital, Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center and local children in need.” [Patch]
Madison and Fairfax Football Teams Advance to States — “The James Madison High School football team defeated Centreville, 22-7, on Nov. 26 to become the 2022 6D North Region football champion and move on to state competition against Fairfax High School.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 45 and low of 33. Sunrise at 7:10 am and sunset at 4:48 pm. [Weather.gov]
Mellow Mushroom is officially coming to the Town of Vienna.
The Atlanta, Georgia-based pizza restaurant has signed a franchise agreement to open a new location at 444 Maple Avenue, the four-story, mixed-use development replacing the now-demolished Vienna Wolf Trap Hotel and Tequila Grande at the corner of Nutley Street.
FFXnow’s sister site, Tysons Reporter, noted early this year that Mellow Mushroom was featured as a leased tenant in a property brochure for the project, but the business didn’t confirm that the location until Monday (Nov. 28).
“We are extremely excited to bring the Mellow Mushroom brand to Vienna,” franchise owner Jay Shah said in the press release. “The support of this community and the Mellow Mushroom team have helped us grow four successful Mellow Mushroom restaurants.”
The restaurant will be operated by the franchisee Vienna Pizza LLC, whose owners also have Mellow Mushrooms in Short Pump, Chantilly, Virginia Beach and Fredericksburg.
Founded in Atlanta in 1974, Mellow Mushroom now has locations in 21 states, including restaurants in Herndon and Chantilly. In addition to pizza, it sells calzones, hoagies and other sandwiches, burgers, salads, and both cocktails and “mocktails”:
Each Mellow Mushroom is unique in its design and décor and frequently captures unique aspects of the local community. The cornerstone of the Mellow Mushroom menu is stone-baked pizzas featuring a crust made from five simple ingredients, including water from Appalachian Mountain springs. Other menu highlights are freshly made salads, handcrafted cocktails, and a wide selection of beers, many of them local.
Mellow Mushroom didn’t return an inquiry about a possible opening timeframe by press time.
The vacated hotel and Tequila Grande buildings were razed this spring, but nothing appears to have been built on the 2.79-acre site yet. Developer Hekemian & Co. estimated in February that construction would take 18 to 20 months.
The 444 Maple project will consist of a four-story, 151-unit residential building with approximately 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, supported by plazas and two levels of parking.
In addition to Mellow Mushroom, Hekemian’s marketing brochure indicates that space has been leased to the restaurant Tom Yum Thai and Gloss Nails salon. There are still three available commercial suites.
Fairfax County hopes to increase the availability of bicycle parking spaces by establishing a tiered system that sets minimum requirements for developers.
At a land use committee meeting last week, the Board of Supervisors received an update on the county’s Parking Reimagined project, a comprehensive overhaul of the county’s three-decade-old parking requirements.
One goal is to increase bicycle parking availability, potentially by setting minimum requirements for any new construction, change in use of a building, or expansion of an already-existing development. The requirement would vary based on density — essentially the inverse of the tiered system proposed for car parking, which the county hopes to reduce in high-density, transit-oriented areas.
“The minimum bicycle parking requirement increases as auto parking minimums decrease within the tiered framework, reflecting enhanced abilities to use this mode of transportation within higher density and intensity development areas,” county staff said in a white paper. “Overall, minimum bicycle parking requirements are expected to encourage more biking as the community will begin to expect these parking facilities to be [placed] at their destinations.”
At a minimum, any new construction will have to provide two bicycle parking spaces. From there, the number of required spaces will depend on the type of construction, location, and number of vehicle parking spaces.
A bicycle parking space is defined as an outdoor rack or a built storage facility.
Most developments — from apartment buildings and other multifamily dwellings to museums — would need to match 5% to 15% of the provided car parking spots. The denser an area is, the higher the percentage it will be required to meet.
For example, a community swim club located in the Tysons Urban Center would need bicycle spots equal to 15% of the number of car parking spots. If there are 20 spots for cars or other motorized vehicles, there has to be at least three spots for bicycles.
A shopping center in a suburban neighborhood along the Richmond Highway Corridor would face a 10% minimum. So, if there are 100 vehicle parking spots, there needs to be 10 available for bikes.
The potential for increased availability of parking in the county has been met with strong support from local bicycling advocates.
The Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling has followed the Parking Reimagined initiative closely since it launched last year and has advocated for bicycle parking requirements from the beginning. While not perfect, FABB President Bruce Wright believes “they are a start.”
“Creating more space for secure bike parking encourages greener transportation, frees up land for housing or green space, and most importantly, is more equitable,” Wright said in a statement to FFXnow. “Requiring bike parking in the zoning ordinance is a major accomplishment.”
However, he said the requirements remain “insufficient” and believe that demand, especially in multifamily dwellings, will far outweigh supply if developers only meet the proposed minimum.
More public hearings and engagement opportunities on the plan will be scheduled for the remainder of this year and into early January.
County staff plan to bring a final Parking Reimagined draft plan incorporating public feedback back to the Board of Supervisors sometime in early 2023.
This Saturday, December 3 Wolf Trap’s Holiday Sing-A-Long returns to the Filene Center after two years of virtual performances!
Guests are invited to take part in this free tradition that dates back to 1968.
This Washington-area holiday mainstay features “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and local choristers from the metropolitan area performing a variety of Christmas carols, Hanukkah songs, and seasonal ballads. Audience members will be invited to sing-a-long to holiday favorites, and can expect jolly appearances from special guests.
There will also be a “Jingle-A-Long,” during the singing of “Jingle Bells,” and attendees are encouraged to bring their own bells to ring along with the merriment. The event concludes with audience exiting the Filene Center in a candlelight processional during the last verse of “Silent Night.” Attendees are asked to bring their own candles (LED preferred) for this portion of the program.
Concessions will be open with warm seasonal drinks, but guests who choose to sit on the lawn can also bring their own picnics and make this a fun, family outing! Parking is free, but limited, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early for parking and bag check. The Wolf Trap Shuttle will not run for this event.
Wolf Trap’s Holiday Sing-A-Long started in 1968, when local choirs were invited to Wolf Trap founder Catherine Filene Shouse’s farmhouse to share in holiday mirth. A few years later, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and audiences were invited to the Filene Center and the concert took its current form.
Generations of holiday concertgoers have gathered since in celebration, and audiences have performed many of the same traditional songs throughout the event’s 50+ year history.
Prior to the start of the celebration, Wolf Trap will be participating in Toys for Tots, a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. New, unwrapped toys will be collected at the entrance to the Filene Center. Donations are voluntary and not required.
Wolf Trap Holiday Sing-A-Long will take place on Saturday, December 3, at 4 p.m. Admission for the event is free and no tickets are necessary.
Make sure to follow Wolf Trap on Facebook, Instagram, and @Wolf_Trap on Twitter for the latest news and information!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
