If you’re looking to get in the Christmas spirit, good news: there are holiday events aplenty around Arlington. There are so many events, in fact, that one is bound to bring a smile to the face of even the most ardent Grinch.
A few of the entries in our recently-updated Events Calendar:
Now in its third year, the event will feature “runway shows, local DJs, open bar, free snacks, free makeovers from makeup artists and hair stylists – and more,” according to organizers.
In a big change, however, Couture will be changing locations — from a formerly vacant storefront, now occupied by Buffalo Wild Wings, to the abandoned food court at 1750 Crystal Drive.
Expect parking to be at a premium in Clarendon Saturday afternoon as the Market Common shopping center holds its 10th annual Winter Wonderland event.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in attendance from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and there will be entertainment and activities for all ages.
Arlington is preparing to demolish the old Arlington Mill Community Center to make way for a brand new community center in 2013.
Due to some expected minor disruptions, Arlington County staff will be presenting information about the demolition plan at a public meeting next week. Update at 1/3 — The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 4 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Greenbrier Baptist Church (5401 7th Road South).
It’s a plot straight from a Tom Clancy novel — except it’s real.
In 1974, the CIA embarked on an outlandish, secret $350 million project to salvage a sunken Soviet ballistic missile submarine from three miles below the North Pacific. Under the cover of an undersea mining operation sponsored by the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, some of the country’s best and brightest were given the task of figuring out how to raise millions of pounds of steel from a nearly unreachable depth.
The GW Parkway Classic will be held on the morning of Sunday, April 10 in Alexandria. There is a 10 mile course and a 5K course, which start at either Mt. Vernon Estates or Belle Haven Park and end at Oronoco Bay Park in Old Town.
The 2011 race calendar kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 13, with the annual Love The Run You’re With 5K, a Valentine’s Day-themed race for couples and singles alike. The run starts and ends at Pentagon Row, followed by a post-race party.
The forum will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Arlington Central Library’s auditorium (1015 North Quincy Street).
As we reported earlier, Donnellan has said that her recommended budget will likely not include any further cuts for county parks or libraries, but it will include sizable cuts in other areas.
At 6:31 p.m., TBD-TV anchor Morris Jones will throw a giant switch, turning on the rooftop LED lights that give the Rosslyn skyline a festive glow this time of year. Rosslyn building owners started decorating their rooftops for the inaugural Light Up Rosslyn event in 1993.
Before the switch is thrown, there will be free food, drinks and music for anyone who wants to stop by. Santa Fe Cafe is providing chili and hot cocoa, while Monday Properties is providing cookies and hot cider. The Potomac Harmony Chorus and Beltway Brass will perform.
MacDonald, who is playing IOTA Club (2832 Wilson Blvd) tonight with two fellow Strathmore Artists in Residence, seems destined for bigger things. A five-time Washington Area Music Award winner, MacDonald received “a little bit” of national recognition in the past year, when her self-funded album, Walls, made a list of possible GRAMMY nominees for Best Album of the Year.
Walls was actually the teen’s third album. Her first came out when she was 12, about three years after she started classic opera training. During her young career, MacDonald has veered from very folk-oriented to “completely hard rock” to what she now describes as “pop acoustic rock with a bit of a world influence.”
The lighting will now take place Thursday at 6:30 p.m. It will be followed by horse and carriage rides, photos with Santa, Victorian carolers and free giveaways. Shirlington stores and restaurants will also have free samples, activities and special deals.
See the Shirlington Village web site for more information, and the unofficial Shirlington Village Blog for a photo of the tree.
Dominion is holding a public meeting from 5:00 to 8:00 tonight to discuss a major project that will run a new underground transmission line from Pentagon City to Clarendon.
The meeting will be held at the Lyon Park Community Center (414 North Fillmore Street).
The event, being held on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will feature arts and cultural performances, culminating in “a large public display of affection by people from all walks of life.”
“We expect 300-500 people to attend, including many straight allies,” the event’s Facebook invitation reads. “A YouTube video will be produced from live footage recorded at the event… Our video will be premiered at the Artisphere Dome Theatre on December 20th along with an opening reception and will then be posted on YouTube.”
