McLean Community Center

Published May 6, 2026 at 9:15AM | Updated May 6, 2026 at 9:13PM

Entrance to McLean Day 2025 (courtesy McLean Community Center)

McLean Day is always highly anticipated by local residents, drawing more than 10,000 attendees annually. But this year, the celebration will take on an extra-patriotic tenor with nods to the U.S.’s 250th birthday.

Set to return to Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road) on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the annual festival will open its 111th year with a performance by the McLean Community Players — possibly a preview of their upcoming summer production of “1776,” the musical retelling of the Second Continental Congress and signing of the Declaration of Independence.

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Public invited to help paint mural celebrating McLean Community Center’s 50th anniversary

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 2, 2025 at 11:45AM

The design for the McLean Community Center's 50th anniversary mural, painted by artist Jeremy Jarvis (courtesy McLean Community Center)

A new mural is taking shape in McLean.

Jeremy Jarvis, an Ohio-based artist whose works have been displayed around the world, has been commissioned by the McLean Community Center to transform an exterior wall of the Old Firehouse Center (1440 Chain Bridge Road) into a celebration of its 50th anniversary.

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Upcoming Juneteenth events shine light on Fairfax County’s Black history

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 18, 2025 at 3:45PM

Juneteenth procession to the Harris Family Cemetery site at Bull Run Regional Park (courtesy NOVA Parks)

Juneteenth is tomorrow (Thursday), marking the 160th anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation in the state.

While some festivities took place last weekend, including Vienna’s Liberty Amendments Month kick-off and Fairfax City’s celebration, Fairfax County will still play host to a number of events commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. and showcasing the historical and cultural contributions of African Americans.

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McLean Day festival returns this month to salute 110th birthday

By Vernon Miles

Published May 5, 2025 at 2:45PM | Updated May 5, 2025 at 3:04PM

McLean Day 2023 attendees enjoy a carnival ride (courtesy McLean Community Center)

The McLean Community Center’s annual McLean Day festival is returning later this month with food trucks, carnival rides, a petting zoo and more to celebrate the event’s 110th birthday.

The festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road).

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McLean Community Center solidifies ballot for 2025 board elections

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 31, 2025 at 2:30PM | Updated March 31, 2025 at 2:54PM

The adult candidates in the 2025 election for the McLean Community Center governing board, starting from the top left, are Kim Anderson, Nam Tiam, Anna Bartosiewicz, Liz Lawson, Chris Roberts and Ron Kessing (headshots courtesy McLean Community Center)

Competition for seats on the McLean Community Center’s Governing Board remains strong.

After fielding a dozen candidates for four adult seats and two youth seats last year, the MCC announced last Thursday (March 27) that 15 residents — six adults and nine teens — have qualified for the 2025 board elections.

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McLean Community Center to open 50th year with celebration this weekend

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 3, 2025 at 2:30PM

The McLean Community Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025 (courtesy MCC)

The McLean Community Center (MCC) is now old enough to qualify for its own “Seniors in Action” program.

The community center will start celebrating 50 years of providing events, cultural enrichment, classes and other services with a special event tomorrow (Saturday) at 7 p.m. in the Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Avenue), kicking off a full year of festivities.

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The Alden in McLean announces new season of music, magic and theater

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 15, 2024 at 3:00PM

The Alden theater in McLean will host the Dia de los Muertos-themed musical "Sugar Skull!" on Oct. 30, 2024 (photo by Dave Titensor)

The schedule for The Alden’s next season has arrived.

Highlights of the McLean performing arts theater’s 2024-2025 Professional Series will include the world premiere of “The Remember Balloons,” a hybrid dance/theater production based on a picture book of the same name.

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Artists wanted to help McLean Community Center celebrate 50th anniversary

By James Jarvis

Published July 9, 2024 at 1:30PM

The McLean Community Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

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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Summer Sunday concerts return to McLean in new location

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 12, 2024 at 11:30AM

Singer-songwriter Justin Trawick will close out The Alden's 2024 summer concert series on July 28 (photo by Martin Radigan)

Lewinsville Park will soon come alive with the sound of music, as The Alden kicks off its Summer Sunday Concerts in the Park this Sunday (June 16).

Typically held at McLean Central Park, the annual free concert series has moved south to the park at 1659 Chain Bridge Road this year to accommodate ongoing construction at its usual location, according to the McLean Community Center, which operates The Alden.

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Original ‘Hairspray’ actors to put on show at McLean’s Alden Theatre

By Melanie Pincus

Published May 29, 2024 at 2:30PM

Original Broadway cast members Marissa Jaret Winokur, Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy will perform at the Alden Theatre in a show celebrating the anniversary of "Hairspray" (courtesy McLean Community Center)

Three Tony Award honorees are coming to the Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Avenue) in McLean next Saturday (June 8).

At the 7 p.m. event, three members of the original cast of the musical “Hairspray” will mark more than 20 years since the musical debuted on Broadway in the summer of 2002.