The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Sept. 21)

• Indigo Girls with Ani DiFranco at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at the Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — Joined by feminist singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco, the Grammy Award-winning folk-rock duo returns once again to Wolf Trap park. Proof of a vaccination or negative test for COVID-19 is required. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and tickets start at $45.50.

Wednesday (Sept. 22)

• Bo-Nita — 8-9:30 p.m. at Boro Park (8350 Broad St.) — Tysons theater company 1st Stage continues its run of its latest play, which runs through Sunday (Sept. 26). The show follows the story of a 13-year-old girl and her mother trying to survive. Tickets start at $20, with discounts for military members and students.

Thursday (Sept. 23)

• The Avett Brothers at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at the Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — The indie folk band, a Wolf Trap favorite, comes back to the park its knows-no-bounds sound ranging from bluegrass to acoustic rock. Proof of a vaccination or negative test for COVID-19 is required. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and tickets start at $50. Another performance is scheduled for Friday.
• (Not) Strictly Painting — 7-8 p.m. at McLean Project for the Arts (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — The opening reception for a juried art exhibit kicks off. Works from over three dozen artists will be featured.

Friday (Sept. 24)

• Sunset Cinema — 7:45-10 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave.) — Falls Church City’s fall outdoor movie series continues with “Cars.” Visitors are encouraged to grab blankets, bring picnics, and/or enjoy snacks, drinks, and popcorn for sale.
• Parmalee — 6:30 p.m. at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — Closing out a September concert series is country music band Parmalee, known for its No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Carolina.” Doors open at 5 p.m.

Saturday (Sept. 25)

• Teens on the Green — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Vienna Town Green (144 Maple Ave. East) — The Town of Vienna highlights teenage artists with a free concert open to the public.
• Harvest Happenings — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Celebrate fall with this indoor and outdoor festival that features a petting zoo, entertainment, crafts, and games. Pumpkins will be available for purchase. Registration is required.
• Fall Festival — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Mosaic District (2910 District Ave.) — This two-day outdoor festival features crafts, a beer garden, kids activities, live entertainment from local artists Pop Stereo and Groovalicious, and more.
• Fall Fest — 12-4 p.m. at The Boro (8350 Broad St.) — The Tysons development ushers in fall with a family-friendly event featuring games, seasonal beverages, doughnut decorating, a hayride photo booth, and more.

Sunday (Sept. 26)

• The Blue Monster — 1:30-2:30 p.m. at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — Middle school students with the Tysons-based Traveling Players Ensemble will take the stage to perform the family-friendly fairy tale, Carlo Gozzi’s twist on the “Beauty and the Beast” story.
• Pimmit Hills Day — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Olney Park (1840 Olney Road) — Led by the Pimmit Hills Citizens’ Association, a neighborhood celebration brings together entertainment, food, and kids-friendly activities, including a moon bounce obstacle course.

McLean Drivers: Expect Delays on Georgetown Pike Starting Monday — “Georgetown Pike (Route 193) between Swinks Mill Road and I-495 (Capital Beltway) will have one lane of alternating traffic in each direction via flagging, weather permitting, Monday, July 26 through Wednesday, July 28 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day to replace a stormwater pipe at the Saigon Road intersection, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.” [VDOT]

Founders Row II Proposal Modified — Developer Mill Creek presented revised plans for a second phase of its Founders Row project to the Falls Church City Council on Monday (July 19). Changes since it was first proposed in March include reductions of the height and number of rental residential units and the addition of “more street-level retail and amenities to please its neighbors.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Former Container Store to Host Tysons Block Party — The Celebrate Fairfax! Festival has been canceled for a second consecutive year, but the nonprofit that organizes it is returning next Friday (July 30) with a block party to kick off its 40th Anniversary Series. The event will go from 3-7 p.m. outside the former Container Store at 8508 Leesburg Pike with live entertainment, refreshments from Caboose Brewing Company, and more. [Celebrate Fairfax/Facebook]

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (July 13)

• Kids on the Green — 10 a.m. at the Vienna Town Green (144 Maple Ave. E) — Vienna’s annual kids’ summer program presents a demonstration of Japanese Taiko drumming featuring performer Mark Rooney. The event is part of the final Liberty Amendments Month week celebrating the 19th Amendment, which extended voting rights to women.

Wednesday (July 14)

• Stargazing 101 — 6 p.m. — Office tenants at The Boro can join University of Maine professor Shawn Laatsch for an evening of stargazing. The family event is perfect to learn about star gazing before any summer camping trips. Register online ahead of time.

Thursday (July 15)

• Summer Live Music Series: Deanna Dove — 5:30-8 p.m. on the Upper Promenade near Boro Park (8350 Broad St.) — This week’s live music performance at The Boro features multi-genre artist Deanna Dove. RSVP for more information.
• Films in the Park: Grease — 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Strawberry Park (2910 District Ave.) — The Mosaic District’s Films in the Park series continues with Grease starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The film is rated PG and will run for one hour and fifty minutes. Grab your picnic blanket and join your neighbors at Strawberry Park for a movie night!
• Concerts in the Park: Andrew Acosta — 7-9 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave.) — This week’s Concert in the Park in Falls Church features Andrew Acosta, a Falls Church native who is bringing his guitar to serenade his home town. Email [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Friday (July 16)

• Cinderella/Sāvitri in Concert — 8 p.m. at Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — Wolf Trap pairs Pauline Viardot’s one-act take on “Cinderella” with Gustav Holst’s chamber opera “Savitri” for a concert featuring a chamber orchestra led by Kelly Kuo. Tickets will be sold in socially distanced pods for two to eight people with no single tickets available. Questions can be directed to Wolf Trap’s patron services at 703-255-1868 or email [email protected].

Saturday (July 17)

• Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — Wolf Trap will host the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which has been a staple of New Orleans music for over 50 years. Tickets will be sold in socially distanced pods for two to eight people.
• Vienna Multicultural Festival — 2-7 p.m. on Church Street — Vienna’s 2021 Multicultural Festival closes out the inaugural Liberty Amendment Month with a day-long festival celebrating the diverse cultures and communities across Northern Virginia. The event will offer food vendors, crafts, interactive activities, and a variety of musical performances.

Sunday (July 18)

• Summer Sunday Concert — 5 p.m. at McLean Central Park Gazebo (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd.) — Next up in McLean’s Summer Concert Series is The Sensational Soul Cruisers: A Tribute to Motown. The 11 horn players and four vocalists pay homage to the best of the 60s, 70s and 80s.
• Big Tony and Trouble Funk — 8 p.m. at Filene Center (1551 Trap Road) — Wolf Trap presents Big Tony and Trouble Funk and their worldwide famous go-go music. Tickets will be sold in socially distanced pods for two to eight people.
• Grind Day — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Colvin Run Mill (10017 Colvin Run Road) — The Colvin Run Mill will be up and running as it did in 1811 for guests to come see it operate and learn about its history. The program runs on the hour, and the cost is $60 per family. Guests should register in advance. For more information on this event, call 703-759-2771.

Photo via Preservation Hall Jazz Band/Facebook

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (June 29)

• Planet Art: The Crossroads of Nature, Culture and Design (Online) — 7 p.m. — Join Creative Cauldron sets and costumes designer Margie Jervis for this encore crafts presentation that explores Indonesian art forms, including textile design, puppetry, theater, dance, and architecture. Email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

Thursday (July 1)

• Fifty Years Together: A Celebration of Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at Filene Center (1551 Trap Rd.) — Join Wolf Trap and the National Symphony Orchestra in celebrating 50 years since Wolf Trap opened its doors. The musical evening will recall Wolf Trap’s historic opening and pay homage to the park’s founder, Catherine Filene Shouse. Tickets start at $47 and advance registration is required.
• Summer Live Music Featuring Justin Trawick — 5:30-8 p.m. at The Boro (8350 Broad St.) — This week’s live music series at The Boro features local musician Justin Trawick. RSVP to receive more information.
• Films in the Park — 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Strawberry Park (2910 District Ave.) — The Mosaic District continues its Films in the Park series this Thursday with Footloose, the 1984 classic starring Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer. Grab your picnic blanket and join your neighbors at Strawberry Park for a movie night!
• Concerts in the Park: Flowerbomb — 7-9 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave.) — This week’s Concert in the Park in Falls Church features D.C. four-piece band Flowerbomb. They’ll be playing songs from their debut album “Pretty Dark,” which was released in December 2020. Email [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Friday (July 2)

• Sweeney Todd at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at the Filene Center (1551 Trap Rd.) — Wolf Trap Opera’s second in-person show of the season is Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” which also has a Saturday performance. Tickets will be sold in socially distanced pods of 2 to 8 tickets. No single tickets are available. Listen to the pre-show lecture or read the insider guide for more information.

Saturday (July 3)

• 15th Amendment Concert & Festival — 6-8 p.m. at Vienna Town Green (144 Maple Ave.) — The Town of Vienna and the Vienna Presbyterian Church host a showcase of community musicians performing justice-themed songs. There will also be food, booths, voter registration and more for guests to enjoy!

Sunday (July 4)

• July 4th Drive-Thru Ice Cream Celebration — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Celebrate Independence Day with the McLean Community Center! In-district residents are invited to enjoy music, free ice cream, and patriotic giveaways with their neighbors. Residents are asked to sign up for a morning, midday or afternoon timeslot before they arrive.
• Declaration Celebration Scavenger Hunt — 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. — The City of Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department is hosting a city-wide scavenger hunt to celebrate Independence Day. Find 13 historical markers throughout the city and win a free “Declaration Celebration” t-shirt by turning in your Scavenger Hunt Form at Cherry Hill Park or the community center, or emailing [email protected]. There will also be live music from Sudden M Pac Band from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Cherry Hill Park. Due to construction at Meridian High School, there are no fireworks this year.
• Vienna July 4th Celebration — 7-9 p.m. at Yeonas Park (1319 Ross Dr. SW) — The Town of Vienna invites all residents to come out to celebrate July 4th! Music, food and drinks will be available, but guests are asked to leave their pets at home.

Photo via Sheri Hooley on Unsplash

A festival celebrating southern cuisine — from beer to bacon and biscuits — is returning to Tysons for a fifth year.

“This 5th Annual affair offers up all those pleasures that true Southerners live by — Beer, Bourbon, Barbecue, Boots, Bacon, Biscuits, Bluegrass, and Smoked Beasts,” the festival’s website advertises. “It’s a great day of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’.”

Admission to the festival is $49 for a three-hour window on Saturday, May 22. Admission comes with a souvenir tasting glass and an all-you-can-taste sampling of beer and bourbon.

A $79 ticket offers a four hour window at the festival along with a BBQ dinner platter.

This year, the festival will be held at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road).

The festival site advises attendees to bring cash, as many vendors will not accept credit cards, and there might be lines at the ATM. Guests are also allowed to bring their own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.

No pets are allowed at the festival and service animals must be registered in advance. No weapons or outside alcohol are allowed either.

A full list of beer and bourbon vendors at the site is available online.

Photo via Beer, Bourbon, BBQ/Facebook

After a year off due to COVID-19, ViVa Vienna is coming back — but planners warned that it will still be a little different than past years as pandemic precautions linger.

ViVa Vienna, a festival hosted by the Rotary Club of Vienna, is still scheduled to host around 550 visitors and 160 vendors. But planner AJ Oskuie said at a Vienna Town Council meeting last night (Monday) that the Rotary Club is trying to keep awareness of the festival fairly low-key.

“We’re not advertising beyond Vienna,” Oskuie said. “We want it to be Vienna-centric.”

There was previously some discussion about postponing the festival, which is typically held on Memorial Day weekend, depending on the state of the pandemic and Virginia’s COVID-19 rules on crowd sizes, but the event now appears to be scheduled for May 29-31, according to its website.

Given that the pandemic has left some folks a little stir crazy and hungry for public events, Oskuie told the town council on Monday that the Rotary Club is trying to prevent folks from swarming the event.

“Information is key to this,” Oskuie said. “Trying to get in front of this to create awareness so we don’t have issues, particularly on the safety end. We don’t want people showing up, bottlenecking, trying to get into the rides. That’s probably our biggest point of concern right now.”

This year, Oskuie said most of the acts lined up will be children and family-friendly. Vendors will also be set up with social distancing in mind, providing at least 10 feet of space between tents to give folks space to pass each other. The food court that’s accompanied the festival in the past will also be absent this year.

“We’re pleased with where Rotary has gone with this,” Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman said. “We’re confident this event can be held safely.”

Photo via ViVa Vienna/Facebook

(Updated at 11:15 a.m. on 4/5/2021) Springfest is coming to Caboose Commons (2918 Eskridge Road) in Merrifield, rain or shine.

Caboose Brewing Company will host the event at its Mosaic District venue on April 17. This year’s lineup of local breweries includes Alewerks, Right Proper, Väsen, Honor, Sinistral, and Rocket Frog.

This is Caboose’s second attempt at organizing a spring beer festival after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down what was supposed to be the inaugural Springfest last year.

Caboose instead put together a socially distanced Hop Harvest Festival in September based on feedback from customers about how to create a safe festival experience.

“We had a great time bringing breweries together with beer lovers and got some great feedback to make Springfest even more successful,” Caboose Brewing Director of Marketing and Events Courtney Beazell said.

Building off its experience with the fall festival, Caboose is expanding Springfest with a take-home option as well as more options for tasting at Caboose Commons, including more table sizes and different seating times.

Guests comfortable attending in-person can reserve two-hour time blocks starting at 12 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. Reservations can be made for tables of four (for $200) or eight (for $360) people. Each seating will include “14 beer tastings per person and exclusive presentations with representatives from each brewery,” according to Caboose Commons.

Along with the beer tasting, Caboose Brewing is hosting its second annual Community Hops Project, which lets customers grow their own hops from April through September.

The harvested hops are then brought back to Caboose Commons and brewed into a Community Hops Pale Ale that is returned in cans to the customer. There will be a virtual instruction series about how to care for the hops plants.

For $25, Caboose is offering one hop rhizome, access to the virtual instruction series, and a four-pack of the Community Pale Ale. Packages can be purchased through the brewery’s website.

“Our Community Hops project invites everyone to participate in the creation of one of our beers. It is educational and unique, and way more fun than making sourdough!” Beazell told Tysons Reporter.

Photo courtesy Caboose Brewing Company

The Town of Vienna is leading the way in Virginia with a newly conceived celebration of four amendments to the U.S. Constitution that enshrined the rights of people of color and women.

The town announced on Friday (March 12) that planning for the inaugural Liberty Amendments Month celebration is officially underway, and community organizations, businesses and individuals are encouraged to help shape the four weeks of festivities.

Liberty Amendments Month is the brainchild of Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton, and the Vienna Town Council adopted a resolution on Dec. 7 to officially recognize the occasion. It has since been ratified by the Virginia General Assembly as well.

“We all can celebrate these amendments that ensure rights and liberties for each of us,” Payton said.

Patrons of the now-passed bill included Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna) and state Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton), who was one of Payton’s professors at Hampton University, Inside NOVA reports.

“I’m so proud that the Town of Vienna is leading the way in initiating this holiday and month-long commemoration of these fundamental rights that we all cherish,” Mayor Linda Colbert said. “I’m especially proud that Town Manager Mercury Payton came up with the idea and has worked hard to see it become a reality.”

In the wake of last summer’s racial justice protests, Payton conceived of Liberty Amendments Month as a celebration of the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Constitutional amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the U.S., and extended voting rights to all citizens regardless of race and gender.

Liberty Amendments Month will begin on June 19 — also known as Juneteenth — with an educational event that will “offer a thoughtful reflection on the liberties assured by these four amendments to the U.S. Constitution,” according to the town.

Each of the next four weeks will be dedicated to one of the four liberty amendments with contests, lectures, classes, themed restaurant specials, walks, art exhibits, films, and performances.

The celebration will culminate on July 19 with a multicultural festival featuring food, drinks, crafts, and entertainment from around the world. The Vienna Town Council has designated that day as Liberty Amendments Day, replacing Columbus Day on its list of official holidays.

“There’s lots to celebrate here,” Councilmember Chuck Anderson said. “This is going to be a people’s event just as the Constitution is the people’s document.”

Groups interested in sponsoring, participating in, or hosting events can apply online by April 1.

The town is advising planners to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions and social-distancing guidelines, which could still be in place this summer.

Planning meetings will be held at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Interested organizations can contact [email protected] for a Zoom link to the meetings or more details.

Photo via Town of Vienna

The McLean Community Center’s annual Holiday Art & Crafts Festival is officially virtual this season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The festival will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6. 

Admission to the festival is free. However, participants are required to register in advance, according to an MCC press release. 

This year’s festival will feature traditional handcrafted works by established and seasoned artisans, alongside innovative exhibits by new artists. According to the release, pottery, glass, jewelry, holiday decorations, mixed media, fashion accessories, wood, fine art, artisanal foods and more will be on display and for sale. 

According to the MCC Special Events Manager Catherine Nesbitt, the live show will also provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the participating artists craft their products.

“During our in-person event, we require the artists to be onsite, which allows attendees to meet them, but in some ways, the virtual show allows for an even more intimate experience of how these artists are inspired to create their masterpieces,” Nesbitt said. “In addition, the format will allow attendees to ask the artists questions in real time.”

The Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild will help provide show management. NVHG is a non-profit community-based organization with a mission to help artists and craftspeople show and sell their work and promote the development and education of arts and crafts in the community, according to the release. 

Image via McLean Community Center

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

This list will look different from last year’s list, where we were blissfully unaware of overcrowding and social distancing.

Lucky for us, if you’re still looking for that Fall Festival feeling, some of the great farms around us are still trying to pull something together for everyone to enjoy. If you go to any of these places, please report back! You can comment below or DM me on Instagram (@LauraSchwartzRealtor).

Cox Farms — Centreville, Virginia
September 25 — November 2, Hours Vary, Close Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Instead of piling into their hayride, this year they’re offering a self-driven hayride through the fields. Don’t worry — that treacherous puddle we all drive through is only 2 inches deep. Must buy tickets in advance. At the end, there’s an opportunity to get out of the car and takes pictures, do curbside pickup for food/pumpkins at their market.

Great County Farms — Bluemont, Virginia
September 28 — October 31
Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival featuring pick your own pumpkins (also apples), wagon rides, marshmallow roasting, cider pressing, live music, 5-acre play area, donuts and their market.

Pumpkin Village at Leesburg Animal Park — Leesburg, Virginia
September 19 — November 3, Closed on Mondays
Festival activities scavenger hunt, animal barn, live performers, and treats. Purchase tickets online in advance.

Reston Farm Fall Fest — Reston, Virginia
Friday, Saturday and Sunday — now through November 1
Weekends feature a pumpkin moon bounces, moon bounce slides, corn maze moon bounce, train rides, farm animals, balloon artist, face painter and caricature portrait artist! Buy tickets online.

City of Fairfax Fall Festival — Open Virtually Only
Month of October
The festival will be virtual for the entire month of October. No details currently provided, but check the website for more information.

Whitehall Farms — Fairfax, Virginia
Weekends through October 31
Wagon rides, nature trails, lawn games, animals and fields of pumpkins. Bonus: their menu is prepared by local favorite The Fermented Pig. Make sure you buy tickets online.

Wayside Farm — Berryville, Virginia
Fridays — Mondays, through November 1
Amazing Corn Maze (that reads: Wayside Farm Fun Thanks Our Everyday Heroes), pig races, pumpkin patch, farm animals, slides, play area, jumping pillows and more. Buy tickets online.

Don’t Forget

Town of Vienna has Halloween in a Bag available for purchase. Each bag includes: 2 pie size pumpkins, 2 cape kits, pumpkin decorating kits, pumpkin scoop, various Halloween theme toys, candy, activity packet and more. Buy online here.

Vienna Halloween Parade this year is now coming to you! The floats will drive through the Town on October 31 starting at 10 a.m. Read more here.

McLean Fall Scavenger Hunt — Offered through the McLean Community Center through December 7. The hunt includes 75 challenges both indoors and outdoors, such as take specific photos, geocaching, or completing specific tasks. For teams of 4-10.