Tag: culture
Local parks offer music on summer nights
The Vietnamese-American Youth String Orchestra. The Vietnamese-American Youth String Orchestra performed classical and popular music at Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Night at Ossian Hall Park on Saturday evening. The group offers young musicians an opportunity to play in a professional-level ensemble. It is open to students age 18 and under from all cultural backgrounds who play … Continued
Ossian Hall Park showcases music and dance of Peru
The show opened with a marinera dance. The musical traditions of Peru came alive at Ossian Hall Park in Annandale July 8. Centro Cultural Peru presented dances from different regions of the country at Peruvian Cultural Heritage Night, featuring performers ranging from very young students to competition-winning professionals. Centro Cultural Peru, a nonprofit organization based … Continued
Fairfax Symphony launches new series with Cuban collaboration
Simone Dinnerstein (center in white) in Cuba with the Havana Lyceum Orchestra during their recording of “Mozart in Havana.” [Arianna Dominguez/courtesy of Fairfax Symphony Orchestra] By David Siegel The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra has launched a new series, “FSO: Presents,” in honor of its upcoming 60th anniversary and the 275th anniversary of Fairfax County, “The new … Continued
Summer concert series starts in June
A summer concert at Mason District Park. The lineup has been set for the free Spotlight by Starlight concerts at Mason District Park and Ossian Hall Park. The shows are part of the summer entertainment series in parks throughout Fairfax County. The concerts in the amphitheater in Mason District Park are on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 7 p.m. … Continued
Improvements slated for Jewish Community Center
This old house will be transformed into an arts and culture center. The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia is expanding. A groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 25 ushered in the start of a project to transform the old white house in front of the center on Little River Turnpike into an arts and culture arts center. … Continued
Traditional Bulgarian music featured at Ossian Hall Park
Lyuti Churhki performs traditional Bulgarian music. The Annandale community got a taste of Bulgaria Saturday evening as the group Lyuti Chushki performed at Bulgarian Cultural Night at Ossian Hall Park. Lyuti Chushki means “hot peppers” in Bulgarian, and as a handout from the group says, “you can’t have a feast without them.” The group has … Continued
Free summer concerts start June 1
The amphitheater at Mason District Park. Mason District’s Spotlight by Starlight summer concerts start Wednesday, June 1, 7:30 p.m., with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys (American roots) at Mason District Park on Columbia Pike in Annandale. The first of the 2016 series of international shows at Ossian Hall Park is Saturday, June 4, 7:30 p.m., … Continued
Day of the Dead celebrated in Culmore
The Culmore community celebrated the Day of the Dead Nov. 1 with an altar, lights, food, and decorations with a skeleton motif. The Day of the Dead is when Mexicans and Latin Americans remember, pray for, and connect with the spirit of loved ones who have died. The celebration, in the parking lot on Glen … Continued
Moon Festival at Eden Center features lion dance, eating contest
A cold, rainy day didn’t stop the Vietnamese community from celebrating the annual Moon Festival at Eden Center in Seven Corners Saturday afternoon. Five women and one man compete to see who can eat two moon cakes, including all the crumbs, the fastest. The eating contest resulted in a tie. Falls Church Mayor David Tarter … Continued
Dan Sheehy, of Mason District, honored by National Endowment of the Arts
Sheehy Bailey’s Crossroads resident Dan Sheehy has been named one of 11 2015 National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The award honors individuals for their artistic excellence and supports their continuing contribution to the nation’s traditional arts heritage. Sheehy, a specialist in mariachi and Latino music, is also the recipient … Continued
Tibetan monks perform healing ceremony in Annandale park
The monks in Luria Park. Tibetan Buddhist monks chanted, blew extremely long horns, and poured sand from a mandala sand painting into Holmes Run in Annandale Sunday afternoon. The ceremony at Luria Park was the culmination of a mandala project, which had the theme of healing. After spending a week creating a mandala painting from … Continued
Free concerts in Annandale continue through the end of August
Polka time with the Continentals at Ossian Hall Park. Polka and waltz music was on tap at Ossian Hall Park in Annandale Saturday evening as the Continentals played old-world favorites on accordion, sax, and drums, including songs in German and Polish. The Continentals was founded in 1972 as a German oom-pah band by Mike Surratt, … Continued
Bengalis celebrate New Year’s at Mason District Park
Hundreds of people converged on Mason District Park Saturday for the Bangladesh New Year’s festival known as Boaishakhi Mela. There was music, dancing, and lots of vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and food. There are about 30,000 Bengalis in Northern Virginia, most of them in Arlington, says Shafi Delwar Kajol, editor of News-Bangla. The actual Bangladesh … Continued
Eden Center celebrates 30th anniversary
In the foreground at the ribbon-cutting for Good Fortune are, from the left, Quan Guo Yang, general manager of Good Fortune, Falls Church Mayor David Tarter, Eden Center Vice President Alan Frank, and Mr. Xia of Good Fortune. The Eden Center celebrated its 30th anniversary Dec. 9 featured a lion and dance plus a ribbon-cutting ceremony for … Continued
Korean cultural heritage celebrated in Annandale
Hundreds of people converged on Ossian Hall Park in Annandale Aug. 9 for Korean Cultural Heritage Night, featuring music, dance, drumming, a martial arts demonstration, and food. It was also an early celebration of Korean Independence Day on Aug. 15, which commemorates Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule. The International New Praise Academy youth orchestra, based … Continued