Taste of Annandale gains widespread community support
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| Left to right: Officer Brendan Murphy, Lucy Caldwell of FCPD, Supervisor Penny Gross, Norma Lopez of Neighborhood and Community Services, Steve Lee, Lambros Magiafas, Rev. Clarence Brown, and Maj. Gunn Lee. |
The Taste of Annandale will bring the community together,
highlighting the cooperative spirit among local businesses and residents in an
atmosphere of fun and fellowship.
highlighting the cooperative spirit among local businesses and residents in an
atmosphere of fun and fellowship.
That’s the message the organizers of the event stressed at a
press briefing April 16, officially announcing the first-ever Taste of Annandale, which
will take place June 13, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., on Tom Davis Drive. Admission is free to the public.
press briefing April 16, officially announcing the first-ever Taste of Annandale, which
will take place June 13, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., on Tom Davis Drive. Admission is free to the public.
The Taste of Annandale will offer an opportunity to try food
from a variety of cuisines. In recent days, the Jerusalem restaurant and the
Springfield Market & Deli have committed to participate, joining Duck
Chang’s, Food Corner Kabob, Honey Pig, Jan Won Ban Jum, Palace, Pho Hai Duong, and Siroo. The James Lee
Community Center is hosting a fish fry, and many other restaurants are expected
to sign up.
The top sponsor of the Taste of Annandale is Lambros Goldsmith. Other sponsors
and venders include Mpras Law Offices, Annandale United Methodist Church, Anthem
Health Insurance, PR Performance
Fitness, The
Parliaments Apartments, South Baylo University,
Annandale Rotary
Club, and the Annandale campus of Northern
Virginia Community College. The newly formed Korean American Chamber of
Commerce of Virginia, which represents restaurant and business owners in
Annandale, is co-hosting the event.
and venders include Mpras Law Offices, Annandale United Methodist Church, Anthem
Health Insurance, PR Performance
Fitness, The
Parliaments Apartments, South Baylo University,
Annandale Rotary
Club, and the Annandale campus of Northern
Virginia Community College. The newly formed Korean American Chamber of
Commerce of Virginia, which represents restaurant and business owners in
Annandale, is co-hosting the event.
In addition to food, the Taste of Annandale will feature multicultural
entertainment, a chili cook-off pitting Fairfax County police officers against
firefighters; cooking demonstrations; and a children’s corner with games, crafts,
and storytelling.
entertainment, a chili cook-off pitting Fairfax County police officers against
firefighters; cooking demonstrations; and a children’s corner with games, crafts,
and storytelling.
Proceeds from the Taste of Annandale will support the newly
created Annandale Youth Fund.
created Annandale Youth Fund.
“I
am delighted to support the first annual Taste of Annandale,” says Mason
District Supervisor, Penny Gross. “This first-ever event will bring together
many diverse neighbors who call Annandale ‘home’ for a fun-filled day celebrating
cooperation and collaboration throughout the entire community.”
am delighted to support the first annual Taste of Annandale,” says Mason
District Supervisor, Penny Gross. “This first-ever event will bring together
many diverse neighbors who call Annandale ‘home’ for a fun-filled day celebrating
cooperation and collaboration throughout the entire community.”
The Taste of
Annandale “promises to be an outstanding event, proving once again that
Annandale is a great place to live, work, play, learn, and
worship,” Gross says.
Annandale “promises to be an outstanding event, proving once again that
Annandale is a great place to live, work, play, learn, and
worship,” Gross says.
Rev. Clarence Brown of Annandale United Methodist Church, the
chair of the Taste of Annandale Steering
Committee, says, “over the years of my residence here, I have grown to enjoy
living in Annandale. The vibrancy, the diversity, and the opportunities for
engagement have been more than I have experienced in many other communities.”
chair of the Taste of Annandale Steering
Committee, says, “over the years of my residence here, I have grown to enjoy
living in Annandale. The vibrancy, the diversity, and the opportunities for
engagement have been more than I have experienced in many other communities.”
“I have also been impressed with the many ways that the
Annandale community has sought to strengthen the ties that bind us together:
the cooperative spirit that exists among the business, civic, government,
police, and faith communities sitting together at the table to consider how to
make Annandale even better,” Brown says.
Annandale community has sought to strengthen the ties that bind us together:
the cooperative spirit that exists among the business, civic, government,
police, and faith communities sitting together at the table to consider how to
make Annandale even better,” Brown says.
It was in that spirit, that a group of
local stakeholders came up with the idea to create the Taste of Annandale,
which will not only provide a fun way to bring the community together, he says, but also
to “generate resources for helping local youths contribute to the community
through arts and service.”
“The Taste of Annandale is long overdue,” says Lambros
Magiafas, who hopes it will become an annual event. “Throughout the years, it has been suggested to me that I
move Lambros Goldsmith to McLean or
Arlington,” he says. “I believe that Annandale deserves nice things. I started
my business in Annandale 30 years ago, and I will finish in Annandale.”
Magiafas, who hopes it will become an annual event. “Throughout the years, it has been suggested to me that I
move Lambros Goldsmith to McLean or
Arlington,” he says. “I believe that Annandale deserves nice things. I started
my business in Annandale 30 years ago, and I will finish in Annandale.”
“I am pleased to see that what started as a series of
diversity dialogues held in Annandale by the Fairfax County Police Department
and Department of Neighborhood and Community Services has evolved into a
community-led and community-driven event both showcasing local restaurants and
benefiting students from Annandale,” says Maj. Gunn Lee, head of the FDPC Resource Management Bureau and former commander
of the Mason Police District.
diversity dialogues held in Annandale by the Fairfax County Police Department
and Department of Neighborhood and Community Services has evolved into a
community-led and community-driven event both showcasing local restaurants and
benefiting students from Annandale,” says Maj. Gunn Lee, head of the FDPC Resource Management Bureau and former commander
of the Mason Police District.
FCPD “recognizes that in order to be truly effective, we
must have the active support of local residents,” Lee says. “We are part of
your community. We not only have an obligation to engage the community in the
Taste of Annandale, but we are committed to helping to ensure that this event
is a success.”
must have the active support of local residents,” Lee says. “We are part of
your community. We not only have an obligation to engage the community in the
Taste of Annandale, but we are committed to helping to ensure that this event
is a success.”
Restaurant owners who want to participate in the Taste of
Annandale, as well as anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities or
volunteering, should contact Event Organizer Glenda Olmeda, 703-946-4087, [email protected].
Annandale, as well as anyone interested in sponsorship opportunities or
volunteering, should contact Event Organizer Glenda Olmeda, 703-946-4087, [email protected].
Members of the public are welcome to attend the next meeting of the Taste of Annandale Planning Committee, May 11, 7 p.m., at the Mason Government Center.
7 responses to “Taste of Annandale gains widespread community support”
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My calendar is marked!! Looking forward to tasting all of the wonderful food and just having fun. Thank you, Planning Committee!
I'm sorry the money raised can't be used to support/continue the Annandale Adult Day Care Center on Columbia Pike.
Its about time this community did something positive instead of wine about all of its proclaimed injustices!
Looking forward to it, than you Annandale blog.
Watch out Penny as always is going to swoop in and take credit for the entire event.
Where are you getting that she is taking credit for the entire event?
That is what she always does. She is already making sure she gets in the pictures. Next she will be at the event giving a speech on what a great event she helped to organize. Just wait!
Great idea! Can't wait!