Annandale’s big event happens this Saturday: the annual Parade and Fall Festival
The biggest annual event in Annandale is just days away: The annual Fall Festival and Parade, sponsored by the Annandale Chamber of Commerce, takes place Saturday, Oct. 23. The parade runs along Columbia Pike, starting at 10 a.m. from the Annandale United Methodist Church parking lot near the Gallows Road intersection. It heads up Columbia Pike, turns right on Maple Place, right on Annandale Road, left on Markham Street, and ends up at the Safeway shopping center parking lot, 7414 Little River Turnpike, where the festival takes place, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The parade will include two large marching bands, local banks, service clubs, Kena Shriners (with their tiny cars), local schools, churches, Scout troops, Just Clowning Around, Jim Moyer Circus Club, D.C. National Guard, Virginia Defense Force, and numerous Bolivian dance groups. Many of the parade participants will hand out candy and treats to the spectators.
This year’s parade is dedicated to the senior citizens of Annandale, and Irv Denton, a long-time member of the Chamber of Commerce, will serve as the grand marshal.
Here are some highlights of the Annandale Festival:
Children’s games, taking place from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., include a rock climbing wall, bungee jump, bungee basketball, sticky wall, Adrenalin Rush, moon bounce, and the toddler-friendly Animal Land. There will be a small charge for these games. There is no general admission charge for the festival itself or other activities. Many of the vendors will sponsor free activities at their booths for children.
A puppet show takes place in the Reading Tent at 12:30 p.m. Children’s stories will be read before and after the puppet show in the Reading Tent.
You can pretend you’re a race car driver, with a Nationwide NASCAR car simulator, sponsored by Burke and Burke Insurance in Annandale, and take part in a treasure hunt, starting at the Kiwanis Club of Annandale tent.
Several 2011 cars will be on display, thanks to festival sponsors Bill Page Toyota, Bill Page Honda, and Radley Acura, also a festival sponsor will bring a 2011 Acura.
Double Dutch jump rope demonstrations and a workshop will begin around 1:30 p.m. and continue all afternoon.
About 80 vendors will be selling a wide variety of products and services, including handmade and fashion jewelry, ceramics, imported silks, hand-beaded bags, artwork, kitchen tools, giftware from major manufacturers, flameless candles, puppets and marionettes, toys, children’s books, and sand art.
Musical entertainment will be going on all day:
- 10:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m. – Reunion Music Brass Ensemble
- 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Crys Matthews
- 12-12:30 p.m. – Reunion Music Jazz Orchestra
- 12:30-12:50 p.m. – Fraternidad Cultural Los Quechuas Dance Group
- 1-1:30 p.m. – Evening Blue
- 1:30-2:30 p.m. – Taking Saturn
- 3-3:45 p.m. – Elementary
- 4:15-4:45 p.m. – Alisha Gardner Gospel and R and B
Food vendors include Jaguar Joe Coffee from Falls Church High School, featuring coffee roasted by Beanetics, Magill’s Restaurant, Flippin Pizza, Chick-fil-A, and Anita’s New Orleans Snow Balls. There will be Maryland crab cakes, popcorn shrimp, crab chowder, Southern pulled barbeque and ribs, fish and chips, fried chicken, Philadelphia steak and cheese, sausage and peppers, Japanese food, Chinese food, Thai food, Nigerian food, and funnel cakes.
Parking will be available at the bowling alley on Markham Street, as well as on side streets.
