Vienna’s 72nd Annual Halloween Parade tonight (Wednesday) will haunt Maple Avenue starting at 7 p.m.
The parade starts at the corner of Maple Avenue and Branch Road SE. It will proceed west along the street past a reviewing stand before ending at Center Street S. The streets surrounding Maple Avenue will be closed with traffic redirected along Church Street.
Expect a crowd for the popular, family-friendly parade. Attendees, however, are asked not to place blankets or chairs on the sidewalks, benches, or bus shelters.
Children are invited to walk in the parade in their costumes with no registration required but they must be accompanied by an adult. Those wishing to walk in the parade should meet in the parking lot at United Bank (374 Maple Ave. E).
The parade is also a contest, with participants judged in the following categories:
- Youth bands
- Floats with and without music
- Youth performers
- Antique/classic vehicles
Winners of the costume contest will be recognized by the Vienna Town Council at a meeting in November.
Spectators are asked to keep off the street and monitor any children they might bring. Merchants along Maple Avenue are asked not to put items on the street today and to keep the sidewalks clear so pedestrians can easily walk along the parade route.
For those who have never attended the parade, local realtor Laura Schwartz had a few tips for how to get the most out of the experience.
More from Vienna’s town government on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/138098266212749/posts/2014486968573860
https://www.facebook.com/TownofViennaVA/posts/2013359752019915?__xts__[0]=68.ARDaI9EfUEqJj3C37nDt0PXWzWllaDBbQOq0FtIKYT_5_D269Q9VqhGdurr6LpQCLMjQ4fi5u3fRp_2Gz5s1Cbkwo-kISZSdSpPgXUuVuSYWuseJjN6N3C-ruo7RYZcJvafkWoDIIEz2LiJNPcfDq5RRjKChSNjXjt3X3RmpqK4qLy2ln3yGi2NvHsbsEe5jaQhepdmIYKffRqz92zpQcqGvfOk&__tn__=-R
Auditing giant KPMG LLP will be bringing $30 million dollars and 500 new jobs in a sweeping expansion of its Tysons operations.
KPMG will be moving into seven floors of Boro Tower, part of a massive mixed-use development near the Greensboro Metro station, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced Wednesday morning.
The building, expected to open in early 2019, is a block away from the offices that KPMG currently occupies at 1676 International Drive. That building, in turn, is also set for a substantial renovation.
A $1 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund was approved by Northam as an economic incentive to facilitate the move. Virginia also offered a slew of other incentives, including a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for the new full-time jobs coming with the expansion and employee retraining activities provided by the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
“We’re committed to Fairfax County and are excited about the growth that we’re seeing here in world-class innovation and leading-edge technology — two areas that align with our own core services and strategic approach,” said Jerry Carlson, a KPMG managing partner, in a press release.
The expansion was also facilitated with local help from the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
“KPMG has been a major employer and corporate citizen in Fairfax County for years, and we are delighted to see that the company has chosen the county as a base to expand its audit, tax and advisory business significantly,” said Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the FCEDA, in a press release. “This coincides with the continued growth and diversification of the county economy and the increasing realization that this is a great draw for the workforce the company wants to attract and retain.”
“This illustrates our strength in the professional services sector that creates so many jobs here, and is a great vote of confidence in the kind of business community that we promote here,” a FCEDA spokesman added.
New McLean Residential Building Approved — “Hailed as a much-needed infusion of residential space in McLean’s Community Business Center (CBC), Benchmark Associates LP’s proposed 44-unit multi-family building received unanimous support Oct. 16 from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The structure will be located on 1.43 acres at 6707 Old Dominion Drive and feature six residential floors built atop at 3.5-level parking garage, with a total floor-area ratio of 1.99.” [InsideNova]
‘Gone with the Wind’ Is Fairfax’s Favorite Book — Fairfax County residents have selected the Civil War epic Gone with the Wind as their favorite book, besting runner up To Kill a Mockingbird by a 66 percent to 34 percent margin. [Facebook, Fairfax County]
Vienna Development Proposal Downsized — “With the Vienna Town Council set to decide the fate Oct. 29 of a proposed mixed-use development at 430-444 Maple Ave. W., the developer has offered a raft of changes to make the project more palatable to local residents… [offering] to decrease the project’s gross floor area by about 12,000 square feet and reduce the number of residential units from 160 to 151.” [InsideNova]
A two-vehicle crash closed Georgetown Pike in both directions during this morning’s rush hour.
The crash happened at Dogue Hill Lane in McLean, just east of Langley High School. One person was hospitalized following the wreck, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.
Georgetown Pike was reported to be back open about 10-15 minutes after authorities first tweeted about the closure.
Units on scene of two car crash on Georgetown Pike at Dogue Hill Ln, in McLean area. One person being transported to area hospital for evaluation. Georgetown Pike closed in both directions. #traffic #vatraffic #news pic.twitter.com/qJ149iEzkQ
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) October 24, 2018
UPDATE: Georgetown Pike has reopened.
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) October 24, 2018
Map via Google Maps
The Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Tysons 2050 event tomorrow (Wednesday) will take a look at the challenges and opportunities that come with the title “America’s Next Great City.”
The second annual event, held at the at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner (7920 Jones Branch Drive), features discussions of emerging social and technological trends with a focus on how they will affect Tysons over the next 30 years.
The opening keynote speakers are Daniel Hoffman, a former station chief with the CIA, and Rodney Lusk, coordinator of the national marketing team for the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
The event will run from 4-8 p.m. Panels are scheduled to cover issues like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and education, with speakers from both national and local organizations. In addition to panels, an expo will be taking place throughout the event, allowing attendees to try out the futuristic technology.
Registration for Tysons 2050 is $50 for Chamber members and $75 for non-members. Pre-registration for the event closed last night, but on-site registration is available at an additional $10 fee.
Photo via Facebook
If you want to help make your community a better place, VolunteerFest 2018 is the place to get started.
VolunteerFest is an annual week of community service throughout Fairfax County and the Washington, D.C. area on Saturday, Oct. 27. Hundreds of volunteers are mobilized to help nonprofits on projects they would not have the time or resources to handle on their own.
In McLean, volunteers are requested to help plant hundreds of native plants at the Marie Butler Leven Preserve.
Over the last year, Buddhist-environmentalist group Earth Sangha has worked to remove invasive plants from the forest’s edge. Now, Earth Sangha is requesting help from volunteers to restore native plants that local wildlife relies on to survive.
The event runs from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The maximum number of volunteers for the effort is 25, with ten spaces remaining. Parking is available at the site but it is not Metro or wheelchair accessible.
Volunteers are asked to wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Work gloves and a bottle of drinking water are also encouraged. Earth Sangha will provide tools, gloves for those that don’t have them, a water cooler for refills and snacks.
In Tysons, volunteers are requested to beautify the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library. The event will run from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday.
Outside, volunteers will improve the outdoor landscape by trimming plants around the parking lot and doing general litter pick-up. Inside, volunteers will clean the meeting room tables and chairs.
Volunteers are requested to wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty and closed toe shoes.
Photo via Earth Sangha
Halloween is just over a week away and across the area little ghouls and goblins are preparing for their annual candy-gathering bonanza.
But if you’re new to the area, you might not know when the witching hour is in Fairfax County. So if you live in McLean, Vienna, Tysons or elsewhere in the county, when should the kids go out?
The general answer is that trick-or-treating starts just before sundown on Halloween itself. So this year, expect trick-or-treaters on local roads starting around 5:30-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Typically, the costumed crowds dissipate by 8 or 9 p.m.
Fairfax County does not designate an official day or time for trick-or-treating, and some private communities may have different rules.
“Some communities, cities and counties designate a day other than Oct. 31 for trick-or-treating. Fairfax County Government does NOT set a different date,” the county notes on its Halloween web page. “Your homeowners association or apartment complex may set times for events, but neighborhood trick-or-treating is generally the evening of Oct. 31.”
The county also has a number of Halloween safety guidelines for residents, below.
If your children are preparing to go trick-or-treating, take these safety precautions:
- Make sure all costumes are flame retardant. Most commercial costumes are made of flame-retardant material and you should ask your fabric shop for flame-retardant material if you make your own costume.
- Make sure your children can see and be seen. Expand the eye holes in commercial masks to improve peripheral vision. Add reflective tape to costumes to make them more visible to motorists.
- Ensure that each trick-or-treater has a working flashlight.
- Tell the children to remove their masks and look both ways before they cross a street.
- Never let a group of children trick-or-treat alone. Adult supervision is a safety “must” during Halloween.
- Tell kids to stay away from candles and jack-o’-lanterns that may be on steps and porches. Their costumes could catch fire if they get too close.
- Kids should never carry candles when they are trick-or-treating. Always use a flashlight, flameless candle, or light stick.
- Tell kids to let you know right away if they see other kids playing with matches or lighters.
McLean HS Student Struck By Elderly Driver — “A female McLean High School student was injured Oct. 12 after being struck by a vehicle on Westmoreland Street in McLean, Fairfax County police said. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. as the student was using a crosswalk to cross Westmoreland Street near Old Chesterbrook Road.” [InsideNova]
Secret Sleigh Project Accepting Applications — “Does your child have a medical diagnosis that limits their ability to get outside, especially during winter months? Do they enjoy seeing Santa Claus (and perhaps Mrs. Claus, elves, and carolers?) Contact us for an application to have Santa come to your home and visit your child before Christmas.” [Facebook]
Big Donation for McLean Private School — “The Potomac School’s upcoming Center for Athletics and Community has garnered one of the largest gifts in school history. The Spangler family made the $12 million donation… for the new athletic center.” [Patch]
ARTSFAIRFAX Disability Workshop — Local arts group ARTSFAIRFAX is holding a free workshop on Nov. 1 to discuss how to best serve audiences with disabilities. The event is being held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1st Stage in Tysons. [McLean Connection, ARTSFAIRFAX]
Fairfax County is looking to turn the forests around the Beltway-Arlington Boulevard interchange into Merrifield’s newest urban center.
The Merrifield Suburban Center Task Force meets for the first time tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 7 p.m. in the Inova Conference Center at 3225 Gallows Road. The group is tasked with developing recommendations for the land surrounding the interchange on three sides.
At the July 31 meeting, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors initiated a process to review land use for 203 acres of land in the vicinity. Mixed-use office, hotel, and residential are all being considered as potential choices for development.
The portion of the site to the northeast of the interchange is Fairview Park North, a parcel of land mostly wooded except for a Northrop Grumman headquarters and a few other office buildings.
Fairview Park South, across Arlington Boulevard, is the smallest parcel of land and is mostly unused land north of the Falls Church Marriott. The southwest parcel is a wooded area surrounding the Inova Center for Personalized Health, which will remain on site.
At tomorrow’s meeting, the Task Force is scheduled to review the existing conditions of the site. Transportation issues is the topic for a subsequent meeting scheduled for Nov. 13. A full schedule meetings is available online.
The group is expected to deliver a final recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on April 23, 2019.
Photos via Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning
Bootique will return to Merrifield this Thursday (Oct. 25) night, offering an evening of deals and treats.
The Mosaic District’s annual Halloween event will take place from 5-7 p.m, during which time local stores will be giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. At 7 p.m., attendees are invited to settle in at Strawberry Park for a screening of Monsters Vs. Aliens on the large screen outside the Angelika Film Center.
Maps will be available and stores will have signs saying if they are giving out candy. The following stores are confirmed to be trick-or-treating candy stops:
- Cheestique
- District Dumplings
- Mint Nail Lounge
- Tiny Dancers
- Muse Paint Bar
- Neiman Marcus Last Call
- Caboose
- Scout and Molly
- Undeniable Boutique
- Oath Pizza
- Jinya Ramen
- The Shade Store
- Fair Trade Winds
- lululemon athletica
- Lather
- Nook
- Le Pain Quotidien
- Puree
- Lou Lou
- Matchbox
- Kendra Scott
- Ted’s Bulletin
- Arielle Shoshana
- Williams Sonoma
- 520 Ice Cream
Photo via Facebook
