As Arlington’s Park and Recreation Commission considers the possibility of creating a nonprofit foundation for Arlington parks, Paul Gilbert, executive director of NOVA Parks, urged members to consider his organization’s experiences.
Marc Howard, standing, discusses the Frederick Douglass Project (photo by Amy Meehan, Arlington County Sheriff's Office)
A new program at the Arlington County jail is attempting to bridge divides between people in custody and the general public.
An event hosted through the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice last week was the first of its kind in Virginia, attempting to give community members a glimpse of “the common humanity of incarcerated people” at the Arlington County Detention Facility.
This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Carolanne Korolowicz, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Carolanne in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach her directly at [email protected].
2026 Arlington County Fair Logo
The Arlington County Fair has always been the unofficial ode to summer. Funnel cakes and flashing lights act as the bridge between the memories of summer and the anticipation of the school year ahead. From early-morning trips with my family as a child to staying until curfew as a teen, the “urban fair” has been a tradition for myself and most every Arlingtonian I know.
This year marks the fair’s golden jubilee. For five decades, the fair has been one of the East Coast’s largest free events. The mission of the fair has always been to bring premier entertainment for everyone and to highlight the diverse makeup of the county. Community involvement has always been the backbone of pulling off this one-of-a-kind fair.
Photo Courtesy of The Arlington Historical Society
In 1976, the local garden program wanted to show off the fruits of their labor at a “Harvest Day”. As the event planning started, the idea to expand to include more community members led to the county fair concept. The inaugural fair was immediately praised by Arlington residents and local press. An old-school, rural-style event situated amongst an urban area was intriguing. The Washington Post previewed the fair stating, “Where can an exceptional chrysanthemum raised on the tenth-floor balcony of the Crystal House apartment complex in Arlington receive its just due? Until this week, nowhere. However, if entered before 9 a.m. Friday it could be a blue-ribbon winner in the First Annual Arlington County Fair.”
On Friday, August 28, 1976, the ceremonial ribbon was cut and Arlingtonians were given the opportunity to showcase their crafts, hobbies and talents. Ranging from eggplants to bundt cakes, many of the competitive exhibits were similar to the ones residents still enter today. The event’s pioneers also brought in livestock from the Loudoun County 4-H Club, keeping with the traditional elements of a fair. By the early 1980s, the exhibit and vendor applications skyrocketed. Live entertainment, including a barbershop quartet, Hungarian folk musicians, and even a ventriloquist, was added to the docket. Eventually, livestock appearances started to fade, but the midway rides we know today were added.
In recent years, the volunteer-driven Arlington County Fair Board has continued to include entertainment, vendors and spaces for all residents (and all 150,000 visitors in attendance). Additions have included cuisine outside of the traditional candied apple and hot dog, featuring local businesses that reflect the area’s diverse food scene. A beer garden, featuring Solace Brewing Company’s libations, now makes for a great space to sit down and appreciate the performances. And as a toddler mom, I personally appreciate the recently established sensory-friendly hours during the opening hours on Saturday & Sunday.
The week leading up to it, Thomas Jefferson Community Center starts its transformation from soccer fields to fairground. Driving down 2nd St. South acts as a sneak peek at the fun ahead. Though the fair continues to expand outwards, there is still a comfort and nostalgia, year after year, walking the same route around the fair. Whether you beeline for the Zipper, or skip over to the ring toss, or make sure to sample the food trucks first — you know exactly where to find it.
Lester Johnson plays guitar in Rosslyn while his wife watches (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Another Residential Conversion — “JBG Smith Properties has pitched two new office-to-residential conversions in National Landing, replacing an earlier plan to build new office. The Bethesda developer filed an adaptive reuse site plan application Monday with Arlington County, outlining a proposal to transform the 11- to 12-story office towers at 1800 and 1901 S. Bell St. into multifamily over retail buildings comprising a total of 315 units.” [WBJ]
Big Raise for Defense Firm — “Rune Technologies, an Arlington-based developer of AI predictive software used for military logistics, said on Monday it has raised $24 million in a round of funding, led by Human Capital.” [Potomac Tech Wire, WBJ]
More Tech Tenants for GMU — “Three more tenants have moved into George Mason University’s state-of-the-art Fuse building at Mason Square in the Rosslyn-Ballston Innovation Corridor of Arlington, Virginia. JSI, Corvex, and Oasis Hill strengthen Fuse as a center for collaboration between industry leaders, government, university researchers, and students.” [GMU]
First Pitch for Fudd — “UConn Huskies women’s basketball star Azzi Fudd is having herself an excellent couple of days. Last week, she announced her new podcast Fudd Around And Find Out, co-produced with Steph Curry’s Unanimous Media. And on Monday, the Arlington, Virginia, native threw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ game vs. the Cincinnati Reds.” [Sports Illustrated]
Assault on Officer in P.C. — “An officer inside the Pentagon City Metro Station stopped the male suspect for fare evasion. The suspect began to act disorderly, ignore the officer’s commands and struck the officer. With the assistance of additional officers in the area, the suspect was taken into custody. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]
VRE’s Vision for 2050 — The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission approved the VRE System Plan 2050, aiming for $1.4 billion in capital improvements, including potential expansions, though challenges remain. The plan is flexible and will adapt to economic and demographic shifts, with funding discussions set to follow. [FFXnow]
Bikeshare Costs Rising — Price increases to some Capital Bikeshare services, including a 26% hike on annual memberships, go into effect next Friday, Aug. 1. Thirty-day passes are increasing from $20 to $25 and low-income members’ free e-bike rides will now cost 10 cents per minute, among other changes. The hikes are intended to “ensure Capital Bikeshare remains an affordable transportation option” as the service experiences record-high ridership. –-Katie Taranto
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 87 degrees, accompanied by a calm wind that will shift to the southeast at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. On Wednesday night, the skies will be mostly clear as the temperature drops to around 69 degrees, with a south wind of 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]
Wine & Food Tasting Event at Arrowine, Saturday, August 15, 1- 4 p.m.
Summer adventures are calling — whether you’re packing up for the Beach, escaping to the Shenandoah Mountains, planning a picnic, or heading out for a romantic night of music at Wolf Trap. And if you want those moments to be stress‑free, delicious, and perfectly paired, we’ve got just the tasting for you.
1101 S Joyce St B26, Arlington, Arlington County, VA 22202
The above establishment is applying to
the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a
Restaurant – Wine, Beer and Mixed Beverages On and Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.
Jie Ding, Member
NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
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Meet representatives from AmaWaterways, Collette, Oceania Cruises and Premier World Discovery. Hear informative presentations, ask questions, explore exciting vacation possibilities and discover which travel experience may be the perfect fit for you.
ORDER OF PUBLICATION Commonwealth of Virginia VA. CODE § 8.01-316
ARLINGTON GENERAL DISTRICT COURT – CIVIL
Case No.: GV25003973-00
Commonwealth of Virginia, in re:
TAMARA E GRIGORYEVA
v.
IRVA DARABRINA DENT
The object of this suit is to: CIVIL CLAIM FOR MONEY
It is ORDERED that the defendant IRVA DARABRINA DENT appear at the above-named court and protect his or her interests on or before August 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM.
Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 87 degrees, accompanied by a calm wind that will shift to the southeast at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. On Wednesday night, the skies will be mostly clear as the temperature drops to around 69 degrees, with a south wind of 5 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
The Key Bridge Marriott demolition site at 1401 Langston Blvd (staff photo by Ryan Cole)
The site plan to redevelop Rosslyn’s former Key Bridge Marriott has expired, raising even more questions for the future of the Langston Blvd property.
Plans for a renovated hotel and two 16-story residential buildings at 1401 Langston Blvd expired on July 1, county spokesperson Rachel LaPiana told ARLnow.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks at a press conference in April 2023 (courtesy photo)
New data showing a continued increase in Virginia’s unemployment claims is providing ammunition to Arlington’s Democratic leaders at both the state and national level.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) pounced on figures that the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics released on Friday, which showed that Virginia was the only state to record a statistically significant increase in its jobless rate from May to June.
Rendering of Melwood site redevelopment proposal (via Melwood and Wesley Housing)
A County Board member has pledged that neither elected officials nor staff will try an end-around to raze the existing Melwood site for redevelopment until the historic-preservation process plays itself out.
“We have already implemented measures to ensure that no [demolition or use] permits are issued” before any decision by the County Board takes place, County Board member Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., said at the July 16 meeting of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB).
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