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!

Monday, Feb. 7

• FCA Artist Cafe and Critique — Noon-2 p.m. at Falls Church Arts Gallery (700-B West Broad St.) — Join Falls Church Arts for its monthly discussion and critique group. Attendees must be fully vaccinated and wear a mask.

Tuesday, Feb. 8

• Make 3 Valentine Cards Take and Make — 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — Kids ages 3 to 6 can make and exchange Valentine’s Day cards all day.
• On Deck with Mercury — 6-7 p.m. at Foster’s Grille (138-A Maple Ave. W) — Per the Vienna Happenings newsletter, Town Manager Mercury Payton and the town’s finance staff will discuss the budget and fiscal forecast for the coming year at this monthly community forum.
• Black Falls Church & Fairfax County — 7-8 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library — Learn about local Black history from Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation founder and director Edwin Henderson. Registration is required.

Wednesday, Feb. 9

• Cary Morin, Jay Bird — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — A guitarist-singer-songwriter show features Morin’s Native Americana folk-rock and Bird’s Americana bents. Cost is $15. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 10

• Solace Outpost Trivia Night Thursdays! — 7-9 p.m. at Solace Outpost (444 W. Broad St.) — Pour House Trivia brings its Thursday night game to this Falls Church brewery. Repeats on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Friday, Feb. 11

• Epidemics of the Past — 10-11 a.m. at Historic Huntley (6918 Harrison Lane) — Learn about how past epidemics transformed society while taking in a scenic view from this 19th century villa in Huntley Meadows Park. Register in advance for the program, which costs $8.
• Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Live! — 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) — A one-man comedic performance, featuring theatre, stand-up and vignettes, embodies the differences between sexes. Tickets start at $64.

Saturday, Feb. 12

• Tysons Camp and Activities Expo — 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Rd.) — Families can find summer camp and activity options at this annual expo where they can meet staff from local and sleepaway programs. The free event will be set up in Fashion Court near Macy’s.
• Multigenerational Bingo — 3-4 p.m. at Dolley Madison Library (1244 Oak Ridge Ave.) — Kids, teens and adults can compete for prizes. Registration is highly recommended.

Sunday, Feb. 13

• Beau Soir Ensemble — 2 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A flute, viola and harp trio brings together classical and diverse sounds. Cost is $5 for MCC district residents and $10 for others.

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, Feb. 1

• Trivia Tuesdays — 7-9 p.m. at Audacious Aleworks Brewery & Taproom (110 E Fairfax Street) —  Bring your team together for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the brewery and more.

Wednesday, Feb. 2

• Sam Bush, Mike Marshall Edgar Meyer, George Meyer — 8 p.m. at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) at Wolf Trap — Bluegrass and classical musical acts merge in this special combination. Tickets start at $77. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The show repeats on Thursday.

Thursday, Feb. 3

• Brien Live — 8 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — Hip hop artist Brien, joined with alternative beats from Non Pareil, TJ the Artist and Keith Anthoni. Cost is $15. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 4

• Talk Back, Look Forward — 7:30-9 p.m. at McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Celebrate Black History Month with a discussion panel featuring the director and subjects of the “Traveling While Black” virtual reality experience, which looks at how racism has limited African Americans’ movement. The event is free, but registration is required.
• Ana Popović — 8 p.m. at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) at Wolf Trap — Bluegrass guitarist shares her fiery style that’s graced the stage with B.B. King, Gary Clark Jr. and many more. Tickets start at $30. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 5

• Lunar New Year Celebration — 1-3 p.m. at Fashion Court near Nordstrom’s at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — In celebration of Lunar New Year, which is Feb. 1, the mall is partnering with the Asian American Chamber of Commerce on this event, which will feature dance and musical performances as well as prizes.
• Mostly Hits and The Mrs. — 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) — Months after the Tysons venue announced their show, Country music stalwart Clint Black (“Killin’ Time,” “Same Old Train,” “When I Said I Do”) and his wife, fellow singer and actress Lisa Hartman Black, make their debut. Tickets start at $39.50. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 6

• The Music School Open Mic — 12 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — Show off your skills at this Vienna venue. Free.

The McLean Community Center has some notable names lined up for an upcoming panel to celebrate Black History Month, which has been recognized every February since 1976.

Announced in a news release yesterday (Thursday), MCC’s panel discussion on Feb. 4 will tie into its “Traveling While Black” virtual reality exhibit that has been available to visitors at the 1234 Ingleside Avenue facility since Dec. 15.

Open until Feb. 12, the film explores how both racism and the past 60 years of civil rights activism have shaped African American communities through a conversation in the D.C. restaurant Ben’s Chili Bowl.

The “Talk Back, Look Forward” panel will feature several key figures from the movie:

• Director Roger Ross Williams, who became the first Black director to win an Academy Award in 2010 with the short film “Music by Prudence”
• Ben’s Chili Bowl founder and owner Virginia Ali
• Civil rights activist Courtland Cox, who helped organize student protests in D.C. during the 1960s
• Rev. Dr. Sandra Butler-Truesdale, a D.C. music historian and minister
• Tamir Rice Foundation founder and CEO Samaria Rice, whose son was killed by Cleveland police in 2014

Moderated by interactive media marketer Joshua Henry Jenkins, the discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. and include boxed meals from Ben’s Chili Bowl that participants can pick up starting at 6:30 p.m.

“Ben’s Chili Bowl has modeled what it means to be a community center by being a leader in creating a safe space for the African American community,” MCC Executive Director Daniel Singh said in a statement. “We are honored to have legendary civil rights leaders such as Mrs. Ali, Mr. Cox, and Ms. Rice join us, with the artistic vision of Mr. Williams connecting all of them.”

MCC says Williams and Rice will be participating remotely.

Admission is free for all, but advance registration is required, and the number of patrons will be limited to encourage social distancing and prevent crowding due to COVID-19.

As a Fairfax County government facility, MCC requires face masks for all visitors and staff. Hand-sanitizing stations have also been set up throughout the building.

MCC spokesperson Sabrina Anwah notes that the organization decided to go with boxed meals for this event so that participants can “carry them to locations throughout the building or take them home.”

Local Elected Officials React to Mask Lawsuit — Rep. Gerry Connolly (D) and Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn (D-31st) and Marcus Simon (D-53rd) were among the Congressional and General Assembly representatives who expressed support for the Fairfax County School Board’s lawsuit seeking to stop Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order prohibiting mask requirements in schools. [Twitter]

Metro Seeks Public Comment on New Budget — “The public comment period for Metro’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget is officially open, and Metro’s Board of Directors wants the public’s input. Metro is encouraging the public to share feedback before the comment period ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 15.” [WMATA]

Redistricting Committee Meets to Talk Name Changes — “Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Springfield and Sully Board of Supervisors’ Districts could be getting new names. The Redistricting Advisory Committee is meeting virtually on Tuesday, Jan. 25, to begin discussing these possible name changes.” [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]

Students Sought for MCC Governing Board — “If you are a high school student who lives or attends school in the Langley or McLean high school boundary areas and you’d like to gain leadership skills and serve your community, consider running for a seat on the McLean Community Center’s Governing Board.” [Fairfax County Government/YouTube]

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, Jan. 18

• Baby Lapsit Storytime — 10:30-11 a.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — Enjoy books, songs and bounces for children up to 18 months old.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

• “Traveling While Black” — noon-8 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A virtual reality movie shows participants’ part in the struggle for racial justice. One-hour appointments are available for the exhibit, which runs through Feb. 12.

Thursday, Jan. 20

• “Ballerina Boys” — 1 p.m. at The Alden (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A film shows a glimpse of an iconoclastic group, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, also known as The Trocks, a diverse all-male ballet company based in New York. Free, but registration is required.

Friday, Jan. 21

• “The Dinner Party” — 8-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St. Southeast) — The Vienna Theatre Company presents playwright Neil Simon’s one-act play, a comedy about marriage and divorce that centers around strangers gathering for an unorthodox dinner party. Tickets are $15. There are additional performances through Feb. 6.

Saturday, Jan. 22

• Albert Lee — 8 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — The British guitar legend behind “Country Boy” and part of Grammy Award-winning group performances with “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and “Cluster Pick” comes to Vienna with his full band. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20.

Sunday, Jan. 23

• D’DAT — 4 p.m. at McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A combination hip-hop and jazz group featured by NPR and TEDxABQ performs. Cost starts at $10 for McLean residents.

Petersen Asks Youngkin to Support Dominion Bill — Chap Petersen, who represents Vienna as the state senator for the 34th District, called on new Gov. Glenn Youngkin to join an effort to limit Dominion Energy’s influence in the General Assembly. He has introduced a bill that would prohibit political candidates and committees from accepting campaign contributions from public utilities. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Fire Department Sees Uptick in Calls — “It was a busy year for your Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) firefighters and paramedics! An increase of over 11,000 calls from the 96,934 total calls in 2020. 298 responses to medical calls, fires, rescues, car crashes, etc., on average each day during 2021!” [FCFRD]

Route 7 Traffic Changes Start Today — “Drivers on eastbound Route 7 will experience a lane shift to the north (towards the median) between Lyons Street and Lewinsville Road. Temporary traffic changes on side streets will be in place while crews continue the construction along Route 7.” [VDOT]

MCC Calls for New Board Candidates — The McLean Community Center is seeking candidates for three adult and two youth positions that will open up on its board of governors for the June 2022 to May 2023 term. Candidate petition packets will be available at 1234 Ingleside Avenue starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 19), and early voting will begin in March. [MCC]

Fairfax County Redistricting Plan Certified — “The Virginia attorney general recently certified that there is no objection to Fairfax County’s redistricting plan that the Board of Supervisors adopted on Dec. 7, 2021. The attorney general’s ‘certification of no objection’ means that the county may now implement its new local election districts as adopted.” [Fairfax County Government]

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!

Monday, Jan. 10

• Amateur Art! — 6-8 p.m. at Dolley Madison Library (1244 Oak Ridge Ave.) — Explore your creativity. Supplies provided. Registration required.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

• The Overtones — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave East) — An a cappella group tied to James Madison University performs music worthy of Hollywood and Nashville. Cost is $15. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

• Chair & Mat Yoga Class — 10-11 a.m. virtually — Traditional yoga incorporates a chair as part of a relaxing meditation.

Thursday, Jan. 13

• Virtual Storytime Fun (Online) — 10:30-11 a.m. — The Dolley Madison Library children’s librarians bring songs, activities, and stories to your home.

Friday, Jan. 14

• The Daryl Davis Band — 7 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Pianist Daryl Davis kick off a weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. events, which includes Davis speaking at 2 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 16). Cost starts at $20.
• Make Me Happy — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Falls Church Arts Gallery (700-B W. Broad St.) — Check out the works of three dozen artists, centered on works that make people smile. Free. Continues through Jan. 30.

Saturday, Jan. 15

• Mosaic Polar Plunge 2022 — 1:15 p.m. at Strawberry Park — Help fundraise for Special Olympics Virginia with this frigid and fun water plunging event at the Mosaic District.

Sunday, Jan. 16

• “Traveling While Black” — noon-6 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A virtual reality movie shows participants’ part in the struggle for racial justice. One-hour appointments are available for the exhibit, which runs through Feb. 12.

The McLean Community Center is bringing back in-person festivities for its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration.

After limiting last year’s celebration to online activities, MCC will expand it this year across two separate days with a pair of events led by musician and activist Daryl Davis, who is known for befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan and convincing them to leave the hate group.

“Our anchor staff members have been instrumental in celebrating the legacy of Dr. King for over 15 years at our center,” MCC Director Daniel Singh said in a statement. “In many ways, their pioneering work anticipated the trajectory of awareness and need for dialogue around our country’s troubled founding and current systemic disparities around race. Our MLK celebrations also closely align with our board of directors’ commitment to diversity in the McLean community.”

The weekend will start with the Daryl Davis Band performing at 7 p.m. on Jan. 14. Concert tickets will cost $20 for MCC district residents and $30 for other community members.

Davis will then return to MCC’s Alden Theatre at 2 p.m. on Jan. 16 to discuss his experiences talking to KKK members as a Black man. Tickets for the speech are $5 for district residents and $10 for the rest of the public.

Here is more on Davis from the community center’s news release:

Davis is a boogie-woogie pianist who has played with the likes of B. B. King, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. On Friday, he and his band will kick off MCC’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with an evening of R&B and blues. This is the music that opened the door for Klansmen to befriend Davis, a Black man, and eventually, hang up their robes.

“Davis’ piano work impresses with his winning combination of technique and abandon, and his vocals are strong and assured – black rock’n’roll lives!” — Living Blues Magazine

On Sunday, Davis will share his captivating journey to untangle racism, one civil conversation at a time. He was playing in a country band when he met and became friends with a Ku Klux Klan member. Over the last 30 years, he has continued to befriend Klansmen and collect their robes after they leave the organization. He is the author of “Klan-Destine Relationships,” a book that details his encounters.

Like other Fairfax County government facilities, MCC still requires face masks for everyone inside its building at 1234 Ingleside Avenue.

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!

Monday, Jan. 3

• 2022 Legislative Session Preview (Online) — 7:30-9 p.m. — Delegates Mark Keam and Ken Plum, who represent the 35th and 36th districts, respectively, discuss critical issues facing the Virginia General Assembly, which will convene for its new session on Jan. 12. Register in advance to get the Zoom link.

Tuesday, Jan. 4

• Weird, Wonderful History for Kids (Online) — 4:30-5:15 p.m. — Learn strange and bizarre facts about the origins of comic books from the Dolley Madison Library staff. This teaching series for kids ages 6 through 12 relies on art, games, stories, and skill-building exercises. Registration is required.

Wednesday, Jan. 5

• Bilingual Hindi/English Storytime (Online) — 10:30-11 a.m. — An event geared for kids ages 3 to 5 will feature songs, rhymes and stories in both Hindi and English. Registration required.

Thursday, Jan. 6

• Wesley Stace — 7:30 p.m at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — Previously known as John Wesley Harding, this folk-pop singer-songwriter featured on the soundtrack of the movie “High Fidelity” is now performing under his given name. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The show also features The Late Style Band.

Friday, Jan. 7

• ‘Make Me Happy’ — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Falls Church Arts Gallery (700-B W. Broad St.) — Check out the works of three dozen artists, centered on works that make people smile. Free. Continues through Jan. 30.

Saturday, Jan. 8

• MCC Winter Block Party — 1-5 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — Enjoy some outdoor and indoor activities, including ice skating and arts and crafts. There will be hot dogs, smores, and hot cocoa.

Sunday, Jan. 9

• Fortune Feimster — 7 p.m. at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road) — Comedian Emily Fortune Feimster, who has appeared on shows from “The Mindy Project” to Comedy Central’s “This Is Not Happening,” comes to audiences live, following her 2020 Netflix special. Tickets start at $29.50.

McLean House Fire Results in $1M in Damages — The fire that burned down former Virginia governor Chuck Robb’s house in McLean last week produced about $1.6 million in damages, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department estimates. Robb and his wife Lynda Johnson Robb were alerted to the fire by working smoke alarms, but a cause is still under investigation. [FCFRD/Twitter]

Metro Halts Return of Railcars — “Metro abruptly halted its phased return of 7000-series railcars to service Thursday afternoon, after deciding the trains needed a more stringent inspection schedule than initially planned. Metro’s 748 railcars in the 7000 series have been off the tracks since October, following a derailment caused by faulty wheel assemblies.” [DCist]

Freedom Bank of Virginia Considers Tysons for New NoVA Branch — “The bank has looked at Tysons, Loudoun County, Arlington, Alexandria and Manassas as options. ‘We’re not in Tysons Corner and we view that as kind of the business hub of Northern Virginia, so that’s been a goal of ours,’ [president and CEO Joseph] Thomas said, though he declined to identify where the branch will be located.” [Washington Business Journal]

Tysons Company Involved in International Space Station Flight — “Tysons-based Space Adventures, a space tourism company, brokered the spacecraft flight that returned to Earth on Dec. 19 carrying a Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin along with two Japanese private astronauts Yusaku “MZ” Maezawa and Yozo Hirano. The three launched to the station on Dec. 8, SpaceNews reported.” [Fairfax County EDA]

The Alden to Host Talks on Virginia’s Native American Tribes — “The Alden Theatre of the McLean Community Center will host a five-part discussion-group series online starting in early January to reinforce information about Virginia Native American tribes. The series will use the Pocahantas Project as a guide, and will be co-facilitated by a member of the Rappahannock tribe and members of the Alden’s staff.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]