Falls Church will be hosting another sip-and-stroll program this weekend, looking to build on the success of a concept that debuted in June.
The city’s second Little City Sips event will take place on Saturday from 5-10 p.m. in an area bounded by W. Broad Street, Park Avenue, Little Falls Street and N. Washington Street.
“We’ve gotten a lot more people interested than we had last time — let’s all hope for a sunny, sunny, warm, spectacular day,” said Sarah Swinton-Nussbaum, a marketing specialist for the city government.
The upcoming event will be held in the same boundary area as the one in June. At the Aug. 17 meeting of the city’s Economic Development Authority, extensive and sometimes passionate comments centered on moving the festivities around in the future.
In the end, leaders tabled a proposal from several commission members to consider using a different area of the city for the next planned Little City Sips in October. City staff suggested that the logistics of a last-minute change would be complicated.
It seems likely the October event will be in the same area as the first two. Another will be held in the same vicinity as part of Falls Church’s “Watch Night” celebration on New Year’s Eve.
Come 2027, the festival should be rotated to other areas of the community, commission members seemed to agree.
“We really want that April one in a different location,” Economic Development Authority member Jim Coyle said.
To make that happen will require buy-in from Virginia ABC, business owners and several city departments, including the police.
For the Aug. 22 event, adults 21 and older will be able to purchase drinks at the following locations:
- Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N. Washington Street
- Dogwood Tavern, 132 W. Broad Street
- Ireland’s Four Provinces, 105 W. Broad Street
- Lucky Thai, 240 W. Broad Street
- Maneki Neko Japanese Restaurant, 238 W. Broad Street
- Northside Social, 205 Park Avenue
- Pho 88, 232 W. Broad Street
- Stratford Garden, 300 W. Broad Street
Individuals will be able to imbibe anywhere within the boundaries of the festival zone, but will not be able to bring drinks from one establishment into another. No outside alcohol is permitted.
Beyond the establishments serving drinks, the following will have special promotions or otherwise be open for the five-hour event:
- Action Music – 111 Park Avenue
- Clay Café – 101 N. Maple Avenue
- CVS Pharmacy – 134 W. Broad Street
- Falls Church Antique Center – 250 W. Broad Street
- Father & Son Barber Shop – 242 W. Broad Street
- Paisano’s Pizza – 244 W. Broad Street
- Zoya’s Atelier – 260 W. Broad Street
Entertainment will be presented at Mr. Brown’s Park, Dogwood Tavern, Stratford Garden and Clare & Don’s Beach Shack.
Little City Sips will be held on the second day of the inaugural Falls Church Summer Restaurant Week, which begins tomorrow (Friday) and continues through Sunday, Aug. 30.
About 80 restaurants are participating, up about 30% from participation during past city restaurant weeks held during the winter.
“It’s doing amazing,” said Swinton-Nussbaum, citing participation by nearly 30 eateries at the Eden Center as one reason for the increase in options.
