Taste of Annandale: a celebration of diversity
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| The Taste of Annandale opening ceremony featured, from the left: Rep. Gerry Connolly, state Sen. Dave Marsden, Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Supervisor Penny Gross, and Rev. Clarence Brown. |
A diverse crowd of people – of all ages from a variety of
backgrounds – dined on food from a mix of countries (Thai, Salvadoran, Korean, Middle
Eastern, Chinese, Peruvian, American), while enjoying a multicultural array of entertainment
(from China, India, Latin America, Polynesia, West Africa).
backgrounds – dined on food from a mix of countries (Thai, Salvadoran, Korean, Middle
Eastern, Chinese, Peruvian, American), while enjoying a multicultural array of entertainment
(from China, India, Latin America, Polynesia, West Africa).
That’s the essence of the Taste of Annandale, the all-day festival
June 13 that sought to bring the community together through food, music, and
fun.
June 13 that sought to bring the community together through food, music, and
fun.
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| The Taste of Annandale offered a wide variety of menu options from barbecue to pupusas, from falafel to egg rolls. |
Annandale is “vibrant and it’s changing and we are one community,”
said Rep. Gerry Connolly at the opening ceremony.
said Rep. Gerry Connolly at the opening ceremony.
“We are here because
we care so much about the Annandale community,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chair
Sharon Bulova. “What is the taste of Annandale? The taste of Annandale is very
diverse and it’s awesome. This is a place where you have many cultures, many
cuisines.”
we care so much about the Annandale community,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chair
Sharon Bulova. “What is the taste of Annandale? The taste of Annandale is very
diverse and it’s awesome. This is a place where you have many cultures, many
cuisines.”
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| A young performer with the Alice Gu-Zheng Ensemble. |
State Sen. Dave Marsden told the audience Annandale has
totally changed since he grew up here and attended the first
Woodburn Elementary School on Woodburn Road. “The first ‘taste of Annandale’
was really Shirkey’s Drug Store, where Han Gang is now, and if you could catch
them open, you could get a hamburger,” he told the audience.
totally changed since he grew up here and attended the first
Woodburn Elementary School on Woodburn Road. “The first ‘taste of Annandale’
was really Shirkey’s Drug Store, where Han Gang is now, and if you could catch
them open, you could get a hamburger,” he told the audience.
“But look at Annandale today. It is the crossroads of the
world. It is a place where we are learning how the whole world can live
together, work together, play together,” Marsden said. “This is a great community.”
world. It is a place where we are learning how the whole world can live
together, work together, play together,” Marsden said. “This is a great community.”
Mason Supervisor Penny Gross urged the audience to “get to
know your neighbors. That’s what this is all about.”
know your neighbors. That’s what this is all about.”
“Diversity is a bedrock in Annandale and in Fairfax County
because we have welcomed so many people from so many different walks of life,
from so many countries across the world – and we’ve made it work,” Gross said.
because we have welcomed so many people from so many different walks of life,
from so many countries across the world – and we’ve made it work,” Gross said.
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| Members of a Peruvian dance group. |
The Taste of Annandale, said Rev. Clarence Brown of
Annandale United Methodist Church and the chair of the Taste of Annandale
steering committee, “was the brainchild, the heart child, of many people in
this community who came together and asked what we can do to provide an
opportunity for our people to come out, for neighbor to meet neighbor, for us
to see all of the different elements of our community in one place at one time.”
Annandale United Methodist Church and the chair of the Taste of Annandale
steering committee, “was the brainchild, the heart child, of many people in
this community who came together and asked what we can do to provide an
opportunity for our people to come out, for neighbor to meet neighbor, for us
to see all of the different elements of our community in one place at one time.”
The concept, Brown said, was to bring people together to
work for “the betterment of a thriving Annandale” and “that took many, many,
many hands.” Among those he cited for making the Taste of Annandale possible: title
sponsor Lambros Magiafas of Lambros Goldsmiths, all the other sponsors and
vendors, and the other members of the steering committee, including Steve Lee, Glenda
Olmeda, Norma Lopez, and Brendan Murphy.
work for “the betterment of a thriving Annandale” and “that took many, many,
many hands.” Among those he cited for making the Taste of Annandale possible: title
sponsor Lambros Magiafas of Lambros Goldsmiths, all the other sponsors and
vendors, and the other members of the steering committee, including Steve Lee, Glenda
Olmeda, Norma Lopez, and Brendan Murphy.
“It’s great to have our first Taste of Annandale but it’s
not our last,” Connolly said. “We’re going to grow bigger and better every
year.”
not our last,” Connolly said. “We’re going to grow bigger and better every
year.”
There are more photos from the Taste of Annandale on the Annandale VA blog Facebook page.
