Lake Anne Plaza is the place to be on Saturday (Sept. 22) at for the annual Reston Multicultural Festival.
The festival, which is organized by Reston Community Center, hosted by Lake Anne Plaza and cosponsored by Reston Association, aims to celebrate culture and honor diversity as one of Reston’s “greatest strengths,” according to organizers. Attendees are encouraged to wear attire representative of their cultural roots.
The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with remarks by local and state leaders, including state Sen. Janet Howell and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins. Remarks will be followed by a naturalization ceremony for the area’s newest citizens. The festival also features National Heritage Award fellows, arts and crafts activities, an “Art Mirrors Culture” 3D exhibit and family activities from around the world. The festival ends at 6 p.m. and will take place rain or shine.
Entertainment will be offered in three areas: the world stage, the global stage, and RCC Lake Anne. Other activities include a global cafe and a global market. The complete program and a map are available online.
Photo via Reston Community Center
Wrongful entry — A car crashed into a garage on the 11400 block of Summer House Court in Reston on Tuesday. The Car took out two columns. The driver was taken to the hospital for a check-up. No major injuries were reported. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]
Longtime CEO leaves Fairfax County Economic Development Authority — Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the FCEDA, will retire at the end of the year. He led the organization since 1987 and has been known for his efforts to diversify and build the county’s business community and economy. [FCEDA, The Washington Business Journal]
Take a Break concert tonight at 7 p.m. — Enjoy New Orleans jazz by listening to the New Line Brass Band play at Lake Anne Plaza. The event is free and open for all ages. Today’s event is the last “Take a Break” concert of the summer. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
An update of the century — The 36th annual Century is still on, even though organizers are aware of collapsed roads in Loudoun County. The road of the century will likely be re-rerouted. [Reston Bike Club]
Take a Break concert tonight — Catch New Orleans jazz in the weekly summer “Take a Break” concert series. The concert is free and open for all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Family splash tomorrow — Drop in for a night of family fun at the Terry Smith Aquatics Center at RCC Hunters Woods from 7-9 p.m. today. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Lake Anne Plaza will once again be lit up with an influx of jazz and blues tunes on September 1.
The 12th annual Lake Anne Jazz and Blues Festival will take place at Lake Anne Plaza from 2-9 p.m. The event is free and open for all ages.
The festival is hosted by Lake Anne Plaza and sponsored by Reston Community Center, Fola, Public Art Reston, and Foxes Music Company.
The New Line Brass Band will perform on August 30 at 7 p.m. for an unofficial kick off of the festival.
This year’s lineup includes the following:
- 2 p.m.: Shannon Gunn Quintet
- 3 p.m.: Revelator Hill
- 4 p.m.: Shacara Rogers
- 5 p.m.: Vaugh Ambrose Quintet
- 6 p.m. Gigi MacLaughlin Quartet
- 7 p.m.: Adrian Duke Project
For the latest updates, follow the Lake Anne Plaza Facebook page.
Photo via Lake Anne Plaza
Musical this weekend — NextStop Theatre Company is offering several shows this weekend of ‘Amour,’ a Broadway musical based on a classic French Fable. It follows the story of a simple working man who unexpectedly gains a new and mysterious power: walking through walls. [Maryland Theatre Guide]
Falling for fall — Reston Community Center has released its fall program guide, which offers a glimpse into upcoming events, aquatics, leisure and learning and other programs. [Reston Community Center]
‘Take a Break’ concert tonight — Enjoy Latin music by Mambo Combo at Lake Anne Plaza tonight from 7-9 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages. It will also include dance demonstrations and lessons. [Reston Community Center]
Nearby: Sketch of suspect who exposed himself released — Local police have released the sketch of a man they say exposed himself to a teenage girl in Fairfax County earlier this month. [WTOP]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Need a staycation — Jessica Bigger offers a dozen ideas on how to plan a staycation in Reston. [Reston Association]
Planning commission meeting tonight — As one county board supervisor recently said, development in Reston is “on fire.” Three major projects — including RTC West — are on the planning commission’s agenda tonight. [Fairfax County Government]
‘Take a Break’ concert tonight — Enjoy a breath of “Fresh Air,” a performance that will bring party dance hits to Lake Anne Plaza. The event is free and open to all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Photo via Fairfax County Handout
Lake Anne Plaza is turning a new leaf as iconic, quirky pharmacy icons that once served as advertisements for the Lakeside Pharmacy, a legacy Lake Anne Plaza store, were removed this week.
The building, which was vacated in 2014 after Larry Cohn, pharmacist and owner for 44 years, retired. Now, two new businesses — a hair salon and a cycling studio — will open up in the former pharmacy location, which remained vacant since September 2014.
The Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association donated the icons to the Reston Historic Trust & Museum this month. They will be placed in storage until they can be reinstalled at a new location in the plaza.
“New businesses are moving into the old pharmacy and because the icons do not reflect the new businesses coming in, it was determined that they would be removed with the idea that they would be preserved,” said Alexandra Campbell.
Liz Kamp, a Reston resident, hopes to open her indoor cycling studio, New Trail Cycling Studio, sometime in September in the former pharmacy pace.
Inspired by the original icons, Kamp said she’s in the process of seeking design approval for a new cycling-related icon similar to the old icons.
“I, too, loved the icons and would love to honor the history of the space,” Kamp said. She has lived in Reston for about a decade.
The icons were designed by Chermayeff and Geismar, a New York Graphic design firm known for creating logos for NBC and PBS. Locally, the firm designed many of the plaza’s original storefronts.
A new hair salon will also take up the other half of the old pharmacy location near the lakeside. The owner was not immediately available for comment.
Plans for the relocation of the icons are not final. The Reston Historic Trust & Museum plans to raise funds to help preserve the icons.
Photos by Charlotte Geary
Silver Line delays — Dreaded Red Line maintenance that will shut down two stations until September begins this weekend. The Silver Line will run every 26 minutes this weekend between Wiehle and Ballston only. [DCist]
Nearby: JBG Smith and Amazon — The company, which has several projects in Reston, has benefited from the company’s status as a “perceived frontrunner for Amazon.com Inc’s second headquarters.” So, naturally, unfounded rumors that Jeff Bezos wants to acquire the developer are abound. [The Washington Business Journal]
‘Take a Break’ concert tonight — A mix of a capella, Motown, doo-wop and soul will come to Lake Anne Plaza today from 7-9 p.m. The concert by Part Harmony is free for all ages. [Reston Community Center]
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
Six bands are on the lineup for the second annual Lake Anne Roots Music Festival.
The event, set for Saturday (July 14), will take place from 1-7 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza.
Event-goers will get to take advantage of a full day of bluegrass and contemporary roots music from around the region. A plaza-wide beer garden is also part of the event, which is free and open to all.
The schedule for the festival is below:
- 1 p.m.: Bobby Thompson
- 2 p.m.: Morgan, Finch & Young
- 3 p.m.: Jeff Welsch
- 4 p.m.: Snakehead Run
- 5 p.m.: Splitt String Soup
- 6 p.m.: The Jakobs Ferry Stragglers
Photo via Lake Anne Plaza
Reston’s 18th annual Multicultural Festival is set for Sept. 22 (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza.
The annual event aims to bring together Restonians in order to celebrate community and culture. The festival will include music, entertainment, dress, food and cultural gems from around the world.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in their cultural attire. The festival also includes a naturalization ceremony, arts and crafts, food and family activities.
RCC is seeking applications for arts vendors by July 6, food vendors by July 13, and community organizations by July 20.
The event is presented by Reston Community Center, hosted by Lake Anne Plaza and co-sponsored by the Reston Association, along with other Reston organizations and businesses.
Photo via Reston Community Center
A planning problem — As Fairfax County officials mull plans to increase Reston’s population density cap, a former member of the Fairfax County Planning Commission writes that Reston has a planning problem that must be addressed as new developments move forward. [The Washington Post]
Love says goodbye — Today is the last day that Virginia’s LOVE letters will be on display at Lake Anne Plaza. The display was installed on June 7. [Lake Anne Plaza]
VY to celebrate grand opening — VY, a new development on Sunrise Valley Drive, will hold its grand opening celebration tomorrow. The event features light fare from Reston Kabob and a sushi display from PassionFish Reston. [On Tap Magazine]
Nearby: To the rescue — Can the Silver Line save Loudoun County’s office market? Several sites once slated for office developments are being re-evaluated as possible data center sights. [Bisnow]
Flickr pool photo via vantagehill
Artists, professionals and amateurs alike, descended onto Lake Anne Plaza over the weekend for Public Art Reston‘s annual “Chalk on the Water” event.
During the two-day street art festivals, participants created drawings on the plaza. Proceeds from the event benefit Public Art Reston, a non-profit organization that aims to promote the arts in Reston.
More than 180 people participated in the event, which drew roughly 1,725 attendees.
“The event went extremely well despite the weather forecast. Artists in all categories created amazing chalk drawings. Most artists came prepared with a sketch or image they planned to realize in chalk,” said Anne Delaney, executive director of Public Art Reston.
The winners for three categories — professional artists, amateur artists and families and kids — are below and pictured above:
Professional Artist
- 1st Place: Penny Hauffe
- 2nd Place: Erica Fallin
- 3rd Place: Brianna Camp
Amateur Artist
- 1st Place: Maxine Prudhomme & Samantha Burgess
- 2nd Place: Jennifer Griffith
- 3rd Place: Tongman Yang
Families & Kids
- 1st Place: Faisal Chaudry
- 2nd Place: John Byron
- 3rd Place: Elia Jarrett
All of the artwork from the weekend’s festival will remain visible on the plaza until it wears off naturally, which could happen today given the forecast of rain.
Photos by Public Art Reston
A new home — Global construction firm Bechtel Corp. will move its headquarters from San Francisco to Reston by the end of the year, bidding farewell to its base of operations for the first time in more than 100 years. [The Washington Post]
Fifth annual ‘Chalk on the Water’ festival is this weekend — “Public Art Reston, in collaboration with Friends of Lake Anne, will present Chalk on the Water at Lake Anne, the annual chalk festival at Lake Anne Plaza. Public Art Reston is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its founding.” [Reston Community Center]
Beauty for all the senses — Reston Chorale showcased five gardens of distinction in four local neighborhoods during the annual Gardens of Note event. [The Connection]
Fired up about fireworks — Lake Fairfax Park will host its annual fireworks show on June 30. As soon as the skies darken, fireworks will light up the sky. [Fairfax County Parks Authority]
PassionFish reopens — After temporarily closing for renovations, the restaurant in Reston Town Center is now open. [PassionFish]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
The “Take a Break” summer concert series at Lake Anne plaza will feature shows every Thursday night through Aug. 30.
The concert series is presented by Reston Community Center in cooperated with MSE Productions, Inc. Four of the nights are designated as “dance nights” that will feature dance demonstrations and instruction to match the music.
The complete line-up is below.
- June 7: Dance Night: Radio King Orchestra
- June 14: Mystic Warriors
- June 21: The Crawdaddies
- June 28: Dance Night – Cheick Hamala Diabate
- July 5: Squeeze Bayou
- July 12: Bad Influence
- July 19: Part Harmony
- July 26: Dance Night – Fresh Air
- August 2: IONA
- August 9: Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet
- August 16: Dance Night – Mambo Combo
- August 23: Texas Chainsaw Horns
- August 30: New Line Brass Band
Each concert is scheduled for 7-9 p.m.
Gun violence awareness — Supporters of gun violence awareness day congregated at the Wiehle-Reston East Station on Saturday to participate in the fourth annual “Wear Orange Gun Violence Prevention Rally in Old Town Alexandria. [Twitter]
Herndon stabbing under investigation — Denis Hernandez, 21, was arrested in connecting with a stabbing late last week. The victim, who has not been identified, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. [Local DVM]
Dabbling in pickleball — Pickleball is becoming a paddle sport for some Reston Association members. This video offers a basic overview of the sport (yes, sport!). [Reston Today]
Photo by Ruth Sievers
