Around Town

The local weather may be cooling down, but Tysons Corner Center’s events calendar is heating up this month.

The mall will usher in a new season with its third annual Fall Festival, which will bring food, shopping, live entertainment and more to the Plaza from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.


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Two new sculptures were installed last Thursday (Aug. 22) along Richmond Highway, kicking off a public art campaign aimed at boosting community pride and enhancing the corridor’s visual appeal.

Positioned at Mount Vernon Plaza on Fordson Road and outside the North Hill Residences in Hybla Valley, respectively, the “Liquid Sunshine” and “Beacon” installations represent the first steps taken by the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) to revitalize a 7 mile stretch from Ft. Belvoir to the Capital Parkway.


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With extensive construction on the horizon for Richmond Highway, Fairfax County has been handed a roadmap to help manage the impact, preserve the area’s heritage, support local businesses and keep the community engaged.

Last week, the nonprofit consulting group Urban Land Institute (ULI) released a report with a blueprint for redevelopment along the upcoming 7.4-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route from the Huntington Metro Station to Fort Belvoir.


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The McLean Community Center (MCC) is inviting local artists to undertake two public art projects to commemorate its 50th anniversary next year.

One of the commissioned pieces is a mural planned for the rear wall of the Old Firehouse Center at 1440 Chain Bridge Road. The second installation is a sculpture targeted for the rear plaza of the community center, located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue.


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The McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) could potentially get a financial assist from Fairfax County for its campaign to turn a long-vacant retail space into a new arts center.

The Board of Supervisors directed staff on Tuesday (June 25) to evaluate whether the MPA Downtown project might be eligible for a public investment from the county’s Economic Opportunity Reserve (EOR), which can be used to support “economic development activities of strategic importance,” along with capital development projects and real estate purchases.


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Fairfax County hardly needs fire to keep warm this summer, but Herndon hopes to bring people together over a symbolic flame nonetheless.

An 8-foot-tall metal sculpture dubbed the “Herndon Torch” will travel through the town this July and August to mark the Summer Olympics and forge community connections.


Around Town

Two local families, bonded by a love of tea, recently opened a shop on the edge of downtown McLean to share their passion with the community.

ArTeA TeaShop quietly began serving customers at 6635 Old Dominion Drive on May 1, tweaking the menu and continuing to train staff before a more formal launch — and the addition of delivery options — last Tuesday (June 11).


Around Town

The creative works of Fairfax County students will be on display as part of a special exhibition opening this weekend at the Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art in Reston.

“Emerging Visions” opens Saturday (June 15) with a public reception from 4 to 6 p.m. at the institute’s main gallery (12001 Market Street, Suite 103) and will feature artworks hand selected by Tephra’s staff.


Around Town

The Town of Herndon will hold its first-ever Pride event this Saturday (June 8). The family-friendly festival is free and will feature music, crafts, food, drag performers and more.

The event, called HerndonPRIDE, will be hosted by Arts Herndon, an organization focused on artistic and educational opportunities for artists and performers.


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George Mason University is planning a new look and name for its Center for the Arts.

The GMU College of Visual and Performing Arts announced today (Monday) that it has received a $5 million gift to support a “reimagining” of the performing arts venue (4373 Mason Pond Drive) at its Fairfax campus. The donor was the Peterson Family Foundation, a regular supporter of the college and recipient of this year’s Jinx Hazel Award from ArtsFairfax.


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