Founders Week 2016 is working towards its big finish this weekend. Here’s what is on tap as Reston continues celebrating the life of its late founder Robert E. Simon Jr.:
Friday, April 8
The Rhythmic Circus at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 9
Founders Day Celebration, Lake Anne Plaza, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join the Reston Historic Trust and Museum to celebrate Robert E. Simon and the community. Founder’s Day will feature a 50-foot Ferris wheel sponsored by Reston Association (RA); children’s activities; children’s art projects in cooperation with the Initiative for Public Art – Reston (IPAR); musical entertainment for all ages provided by local artists and schools; guided walks around Lake Anne Plaza in cooperation with IPAR and RA; and remarks by local elected officials. Read More
Founders Week continues today with one of Reston’s biggest events of the year — the 25th Annual Best of Reston Awards Gala.
The awards honor Reston individuals and businesses for their commitment to community service. The gala is also the largest fundraiser of the year for Cornerstones, which has a goal of raising $500,000 from this year’s event.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. gala at the Hyatt Regency Reston may still be available. Individual seats start at $200.
Here are this year’s awardees:
Individual Community Leaders, Reston Association Tennis Coach Jim Elder and Reston Community Center Executive Director Leila Gordon.
Small Business Leaders, Beloved Yoga and Wiygul Automotive Clinic
Corporate Business Leaders, Bechtel and Google
Civic Community Organization, Friends of Reston for Community Projects
Vade Bolton-Anne Rodriguez Legacy Award, Amy’s Amigos
See more on the honorees in this previous post.
Reston is honoring founder Robert E. Simon all this week. Simon, who died in September, would have been 1o2 on April 10. See more Founders Week info and events.
Photo: Best of Reston 2015/Credit: Chip McRea
Reston’s Founders Week continues on Wednesday with this seminar:
The Future of the American Suburb: Lessons from Reston by Patrick Phillips, CEO of Urban Land Institute (ULI) at RCC Lake Anne, 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6. Free.
People who attend will hear about the impact Reston has had on suburban development. Phillips will discuss the special characteristics of Reston that have been influential in shaping other suburban communities across the U.S.
Organizers such as Reston Association, The Reston Historic Trust and Reston Community Center have expanded Reston’s traditional Founders Day into Founders Week for 2016. Reston founder Robert E. Simon died in September at age 101, and holding a whole week of tributes and events is a great way to honor him, organizers said.
Simon would have turned 102 on April 10.
See the entire Founders Week schedule.
Photo: Robert E. Simon/file photo
Restonians will be honoring Reston founder Robert E. Simon with activities all this week.
Here is today’s featured event:
Documentary Screening: Levitated Mass By Doug Pray at RCC Hunters Woods, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 5. Free. This is the story of how a work of public art captivated Los Angeles in 2012. IPAR developed this documentary film. Check out this summary on Reston Community Center’s website to learn more.
See the entire Founders Week schedule.
Meanwhile, have you seen the “Wooden Horse” public art at Lake Anne Plaza? (See photo above).
The public artwork is a recreation of a piece that was built for the plaza in the 1960s.
It was removed years ago due to deterioration, but this recreation was done by South Lakes High School art teacher and Reston native Marco Rando. It’s a recreation of “Wooden Horse,” which was created for the Plaza in 1965 but eventually deteriorated. Visitors are welcome to climb on the new piece.
The public art is located at the far end of Washington Plaza West (past Heron House).
Reston’s Founders Day has expanded to be Founders Week in 2016 — and it begins today.
The Reston Historic Trust, the Initiative for Public Art Reston, Reston Community Center are teaming up to properly honor Reston founder Robert E. Simon, who died in September at age 101. His 102nd birthday would have been April 10, 2016.
The celebrations will be a combo of art exhibits, films, and the traditional party on the plaza.
The community Founders Day celebration on April 9 will feature a little (and a big) something extra — the addition of a ferris wheel and a recreation of a historical piece of Reston public art.
Read this previous Reston Now story to see the full slate of events running from April 3 to 10. There will still be a big Founders Day celebration — featuring a 50-foot ferris wheel — at Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, here is Monday’s special event:
Reston: From New Town to Metro at Greater Reston Arts Center, 12001 Market Street at Reston Town Center at at 7:30 p.m.
Join Roger K. Lewis for a lecture and champagne/dessert reception from Red Velvet Cupcakery. $10 suggested donation.
Lewis, architect and professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Maryland, will deliver a lecture exploring Reston’s place in the New Town movement.
