Tag: community events
Annandale’s Oak Hill: Lots of history, no ghosts
Members of the public got a chance to tour Annandale’s oldest house and explore the property’s 275-year-old boxwood grove on Oak Hill Day on Sept. 25. The owners of Oak Hill, currently Joe and Laura Braceland, are required to open the home to the public once a year as required by a county easement. … Continued
Arts scene emerges in Mason District
By James Albright, chair of the Mason District Arts Council A healthy arts scene is emerging here in Annandale, as the Mason District Arts Council is attracting and supporting new collaborations and events. One of the goals of the Arts Council is to encourage more art and cultural activities in the community by committing to … Continued
Culmore residents celebrate Hispanic Heritage
With the immigrant community in Culmore going through hard times, a festival on Sept. 15 brought residents of all ages outside to celebrate Hispanic culture and arts. That was the focus of Culmore Day on Sept. 19 in Bailey’s Crossroads, held in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month. Residents are on edge, and many are spending … Continued
Mason District roars into fall with numerous art offerings
By James Albright, chair of the Mason District Arts Council The art landscape continues to expand across Annandale and Mason District with a number of exciting opportunities and some new players on the scene. Following the success of the Mason Arts 250 initiative, the Mason District Arts Council has plans for a festival, some shared … Continued
George Mason Regional Library will close Oct. 23 for renovations
George Mason Regional Library is scheduled to close next month for a two-year renovation project. The library’s last day will be Oct. 23. In advance of the closure, the shelves will become increasingly bare as staff transfer books to storage or other libraries. George Mason Friends will host its annual Fall Book Sale Sept. 24-27, … Continued
Culmore families come together for Unity in the Community
Free toys for kids, resources for adults, and free food for everyone: that’s the concept of the Unity in the Community event in Culmore. George Mason University’s Place-Based Initiative and the Mason Police District sponsored the event, which took place on Aug. 10 just a few hours after an ICE raid in Culmore. The Unity … Continued
Annandale celebrates National Night Out
The National Night Out celebration at the Annandale Shopping Center on Columbia Pike on Aug. 4 drew crowds of people for food, raffle prizes, entertainment, and a chance to learn about fire safety from the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department. The event, hosted by the Annandale Chamber of Commerce, featured giveaways from local businesses, free food … Continued
Registration open for Mason District Art Festival
By James Albright Interested in showing your art for an appreciative audience right here in Annandale? For the second year, the Mason District Arts Council is hosting a hometown Art Festival, and they are looking for artists who want to participate in this unique activity. Last year’s Art Festival featured 28 artists and a full … Continued
Asian Night Market draws crowds to Annandale
The fourth DMV Asian Night Market in Annandale this summer drew crowds of visitors, some from D.C. and Maryland, to the parking lot at 7200 Columbia Pike on Saturday, June 27. The dozens of food vendors were the main attraction, but there were also craft vendors, a Thai massage demonstration, and a blind tea tasting … Continued
Above the beltway, protestors call for fair elections
By Julia Key If you drove on the beltway under the pedestrian bridge in Annandale near the Audrey Moore Rec Center on Sunday afternoon, you would have seen American flags and signs calling for free and fair elections. This event, organized by local chapters of Indivisible and members of the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, was … Continued
Pride celebration is all about love, visibility, and community
By Julia Key Rainbow flags, bags, shirts, and shoes took over the Mosaic District in Merrifield for its fifth annual Pride Celebration on Saturday. Strawberry Park was filled with Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton music, as over a hundred people danced and cheered for Pride Month. Drag Queen Tara Hoot took to the stage to … Continued
Annandale Rotary Club hosts Flags for Our Heroes June 14-July 4
Community members are invited to participate in the Annandale Rotary Club’s Flags for Our Heroes project. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the club will install 250 full-size American flags in downtown Annandale from Flag Day, June 14, to the Fourth of July. “This is an opportunity to bring our community … Continued
An annual ceremony commemorates a tragedy at Howrey Park
By Julia Key On Monday, the fifth annual memorial ceremony was held at Howrey Field in Annandale to commemorate the 58th anniversary of a tragic accident that claimed the lives of six soldiers. The soldiers, from the 77th Port Construction Engineer Company at Fort Belvoir, were developing what is now Howrey Field Park as a … Continued
Braddock Bark connects humans with dogs
By Julia Key Barking could be heard from the entrance of Accotink Park on Saturday as people and their dogs gathered for the annual Braddock Bark on a sunny 78-degree day. The event was hosted by Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Celebrate Fairfax, and the Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. Braddock Bark … Continued
A Songkran Festival is celebrated in Annandale
Community members celebrated the Thai Songkran (New Year’s) Festival in Annandale on May 30 with food, dance, music, a ritual ceremony, a beauty contest, a fashion show, and a Muay Thai demonstration. The event, at the ACCA Child Development Center parking lot at 7200 Columbia Pike, was hosted by the Thai American Association of Washington … Continued