Hollywood comes to Alexandria
Bringing a little taste of Hollywood to Old Town, the seventh annual Alexandria Film Festival kicks off Nov. 7.
It might be Patti North's favorite time of year, but it's certainly one of the most stressful. As chair of the Alexandria Film Festival, North has spent moths preparing for this year's event, pulling together movies ranging from a few minutes to an hour or more in length from around the world and helping to line up Q&A sessions with as many filmmakers as possible during the festivals' four-day run.
An Artistic Evening Like No Other
“ARTS by George!” returns to George Mason stage.
With an open invitation to the community, the George Mason University College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is holding its eighth annual "ARTS by George!" event. It has quickly become one of the premiere arts events in Northern Virginia. The mission of "ARTS by George!" is to showcase and support Mason students in a wide range of artistic fields including arts, dance, music, theater, computer game design, film and video studies and arts management. The gala raises funds to provide for student scholarships. It is capped off this year by the headliner performance of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti.
An Insider's Guide to the Arts in Northern Virginia
A selection of upcoming arts productions, happening right where you live.
There are more artists of every stripe making art in Northern Virginia than you may realize. Populating the bedroom communities, small towns, growing cities and metropolitan areas of Fairfax County, Arlington and Alexandria are your pick of dance, theatre, choral, symphonic, visual and performance, music and fill-in-the-blank groups. Look beyond Wolf Trap and Jammin' Java to the Torpedo Art Factory, the Workhouse Arts Center, and smaller, quality groups like ArtSpace Herndon and McLean Project for the Arts to cast their creative spell (that's only to name a few). Delve in and, we dare you, let your stereotypes of an artless string of suburbs dissolve. In place you'll get something much better than stereotypes: some culture.
A Year in Fairfax County
A sampling of some of the cherished, annual events of the county.
Upcoming events in the county.
Concerts from Kirkwood Kicks Off New Season
On Oct. 25, 2003, Concerts from Kirkwood presented its first concert in the sanctuary of Kirkwood Presbyterian Church in Springfield and has presented a collection of world-class performances every year since except for one year, during which the venue was being renovated. On Sept. 21, of this year, 10 years later, the tradition will continue with the first of four concerts for the 2013–2014 season featuring a debut performance of the Milan Piano Trio. The trio will present a program with a Latin theme beginning at 3 p.m. in the church sanctuary at 8336 Carrleigh Parkway, Springfield.
The New Filmmakers of Fairfax
Clifton Film Fest selections reveal creative class in the county.
The latest short films of independent filmmakers producing and directing in the county drew a crowd to the Clifton Film Fest, held on the Workhouse quad in Lorton Saturday, July 20.
Evenings on the Ellipse Concerts Begin
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, in partnership with the Fairfax County Park Authority, will host a series of free summer concerts, Evenings on the Ellipse, at the Fairfax County Government Center every Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Summer Reading Starts in Vienna, Oakton Libraries
Children encouraged to enjoy books as leisure.
For many years, The Fairfax County Summer Reading Program has encouraged students to continuing reading through summer vacation.
Delightful Evenings at Kate’s
Springfield Irish Pub hosts Open Mic Night on Wednesdays.
For about six years, Jim Bellas, 65, of the district, has organized the Open Mic Night on Wednesdays at Kate’s Irish Pub in Springfield’s Concorde Shopping Center. Anyone can sign up to play for free on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 to 11 p.m. The sets usually last between 10-15 minutes and include three to five songs.
Local Author Wins Book Award
The Nautilus Book Award has named its 2013 Gold Winner in Religion/spirituality: “Faith Beyond Belief: Stories of Good People Who Left Their Church Behind.” Author Margaret Placentra Johnston holds degrees from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (BS, OD 1982), and the Catholic University of America (BA, 1973. MA, 1974.) From 1983 to 2003 she operated her own private optometric practice in Springfield and currently sees patients part-time in Alexandria and Georgetown.
Week in Springfield
Look at 'the Other Side of the Wall'
“From the Other Side of the Wall,” a presentation by Palestinian farmer and Director of Tent of Nations Daoud Nassar, will take place June 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church, 7434 Bath Street in Springfield. Tent of Nations, a peace center located on the Nassar family farm near Bethlehem, emphasizes building bridges of understanding, reconciliation and peace in a region torn by conflict. Contact: Mill Olver, 703-569-3099 or beveolv@aol.com.
Rock the Pink at Occoquan
The two day event featured over one hundred teams, with hundreds of players participating in the fundraiser. The goal was to raise $50,000 for breast cancer research.
Local Schools Win Seven Cappie Awards
Robinson captures five, including Best Musical.
Not only did Robinson Secondary win five of the eight Cappies awards for which it was nominated, but it took home the prize for Best Musical for its production of “Hairspray.” It was honored Sunday night, June 9, at the 14th annual Cappies Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
And the Winners Are …
Cappies Gala on Sunday, June 9, at Kennedy Center.
The 14th Annual Cappies Gala will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, in the 2,400-seat Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Summer Fun in Fairfax
The Herndon Festival, Relay for Life and Springfield Days/Party in the Park are only a few of the events taking place in the summer of 2013.