The Lake Anne Plaza summer concert series is making a comeback after a five-year break.
Beginning on Wednesday, June 12, the community will host weekly music events every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. in the plaza until Aug. 12, per a press release. Before 2019, the concert series, known as “Sunset Concerts at Lake Anne Plaza,” had been held consistently for 20 years.
“We are delighted to bring a high-quality variety of musical styles to Lake Anne again,” Reston Community Center (RCC) Board Chair Beverly Cosham said in the release. “Lake Anne Plaza is where RCC’s summer concert series began. As we’ve branched out to some of Reston’s newest neighborhoods, it’s sweet to be back where we started in 2024.”
RCC has agreed to support Reston nonprofit events at Lake Anne Plaza by becoming an annual Community Sponsor.
This sponsorship will allow the the Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association (LARCA) to waive use fees for Reston nonprofits hosting events on the plaza. RCC will also have its concert series fees waived. Two sponsorships will be implemented this year: one for $12,000 covering plaza events in May and June, and another for $50,000 starting July 1, covering events until June 30, 2025.
“We are happy to host RCC-funded Reston area organized events on our property for the enjoyment of the greater Reston community, while at the same time ensuring the maintenance, cleaning, and insuring costs are not borne by the association,” President of LARCA George Hadjikyriakou said in the release. “We look forward to the continued partnership as it benefits everyone.”
The first event is scheduled for June 12, featuring a performance by the Mystic Warriors.
Reston founder Bob Simon Jr. will once again be the focus of celebrations next month during the annual Founder’s Day celebration.
The festivities are set to take place at Lake Anne Plaza (1609 Washington Plaza North) on April 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It began as a celebration of Simon’s 90th birthday in 2004, when artist Zachary Oxman unveiled a sculpture commemorating him.
Organizers say this year — which is the 20th anniversary of the event — is “extra special” for several reasons.
“Besides being the 20th anniversary of Founder’s Day, the event will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Reston documentary ‘Reston: Another Way of Living‘ and is in remembrance of what would have been Simon’s 110th birthday,” Reston Museum Executive Director Alexandra Campbell said.
The celebration will kick off at 11 a.m. with a community cleanup. The afternoon program features a reading of Reston’s 1966 dedication and remarks from local elected officials. Performances and exhibits are also planned.
It will also feature a book fair celebrating local authors, bookshops and community organizations. Authors in the “Pages on the Plaza” fair will speak at their booths, Reston Museum, Reston Community Center and Reston’s Used Book Shop.
“The addition of a Book Fair as a component of Founder’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate Reston’s living legacy and also April as National Poetry Month and National School Library Month,” Campbell said. “Featured in the program this year is Reston’s Used Book Shop, which has been at Lake Anne Plaza since the 1970s and is Reston’s oldest bookshop still here today.”
Between 2 and 4 p.m., attendees can also decorate a journal with Public Art Reston at Reston Art Gallery & Studios.
The event is presented by Reston Museum and Reston Community Center with support from Public Art Reston.
In the nearly 60 years since it was founded, Reston has become host to a variety of community and public entities with often blurred lines and responsibilities.
To provide clarity, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn wants Fairfax County to develop an inventory of Reston’s community-level services and infrastructure, including who is responsible for what services and infrastructure and how they are funded.
The move was approved with no fanfare at a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting today (Tuesday).
Alcorn said it is important to ensure that community-level services and infrastructure are sustainable.
“Last year, the Board of Supervisors approved the Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment that will help guide our community growth into the future,” Alcorn said in the board matter. “With that process now completed, the next step is Plan implementation, and a review of Reston’s community-level services and infrastructure is an important step in Plan implementation.”
In some cases, organizations have assumed responsibilities above and beyond state requirements, such as cutting grass in and along Virginia Department of Transportation-owned streets, Alcorn noted.
Organizations that will be part of the inventory include Reston Community Center, Reston Association, Reston Town Center Association and the Reston Planning & Zoning Committee.
“As you can imagine, roles and responsibilities of these organizations are not intuitive to many residents, even for residents who have lived in Reston for decades,” Alcorn said, describing the collection of groups serving Reston as an “alphabet soup.”
Below is the full directive from Alcorn, which was unanimously supported by the rest of the board.
Board Matter
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn
March 19, 2024Inventory of Reston Community-Level Services and Infrastructure
Background:
As our community approaches the 60th anniversary of the founding of Reston, the time is right to take stock of the community infrastructure that by many accounts, including a recent article in The Economist, has created a very successful community within Fairfax County. Reston currently has several important community organizations that are dedicated to creating a cohesive community experience. These organizations perform essential community-level services such as maintaining the trails and open space, providing camps for our kids, operating recreation facilities of all types, and hosting places for the community to gather. And in some cases, these organizations have assumed additional responsibilities as the Commonwealth of Virginia has devolved some of their responsibilities such as keeping the grass cut in and along VDOT rights of way.These organizations now form a veritable alphabet soup in Reston – nonprofits like RA, RTCA, the YMCA, and county operations like RCC, FCPA, and NCS. And this does not even include advocacy and advisory groups like RCA, Reston P&Z, and the CHCCAC. As you can imagine, roles and responsibilities of these organizations are not intuitive to many residents, even for residents who have lived in Reston for decades.
For Reston to be the success the next 60 years it has been in its first 60, these community-level services and infrastructure must be sustainable – including financially. Last year, the Board of Supervisors approved the Reston Comprehensive Plan Amendment that will help guide our community growth into the future. With that process now completed, the next step is Plan implementation, and a review of Reston’s community-level services and infrastructure is an important step in Plan implementation.
Motion:
Therefore, I move that the Board of Supervisors direct the County Executive’s office to coordinate with the Hunter Mill District office to develop an inventory of Reston community-level services and infrastructure including those noted above, and to include who is responsible for those services and infrastructure, and how they are funded.
A giveaway for formal and prom dresses will return to Reston Community Center on March 16.
RCC is hosting the 22nd annual Diva Central Formal and Prom Dress Giveaway at its Lake Anne facility (1609-A Washington Plaza North). Middle and high school students can select an outfit from a collection of dresses, shoes and accessories.
The event is intended to make prom attendance more inclusive for students, particularly those under financial strain.
“When we started this program more than two decades ago, RCC was the only local organization offering such an event,” RCC Board Chair Beverly Cosham said. “Since then, we’ve been joined by several other similar offerings for young people. We are delighted it has proven to be such a success.”
The collection features items donated by community members throughout February. Mannequins styled in donated dresses and accessories were placed in area schools and RCC facilities to help market the event.
“Embracing sustainability, the Diva Central Dress Giveaway underscores our collective responsibility to promote the reuse and repurposing of clothing, fostering a more eco-conscious approach to fashion that resonates with our shared values and commitment to environmental stewardship,” the community center said in a press release.
All items are free, and shoppers can choose up to two outfits. Volunteers are on hand to help teens with their selections, share makeup tips, and offer door prizes and swag bags.
Registration is encouraged online prior to the event.
Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes two hours late tomorrow (Tuesday) in case there’s snow.
No weather alerts have been issued for the county yet, but the National Weather Service’s current forecast indicates that rain is expected to continue through tonight, potentially turning into snow early in the morning.
“New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible,” the NWS says.
According to the Capital Weather Gang, weather models suggest the rain could turn into snow around 6-9 a.m., with the heaviest snowfall coming around 7-10 a.m.
Reston Community Center has already canceled all programs tomorrow, but its pool will open at 9 a.m.
❄️ WEATHER ALERT FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2024
All Fairfax County public schools and school offices will open two hours late. Central Office employees may report two hours later than their regular scheduled time, but no later than 10 a.m.Details: https://t.co/VFiNkAE0qP pic.twitter.com/K0AIJFB78W
— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) February 13, 2024
All RCC programs canceled for Tuesday, February 13. Pool opens at 9 a.m. For current status, call 703-476-4500. For RCC Weather Policy, click here: https://t.co/NhQwxBnNeV pic.twitter.com/yHwnyM4Hx0
— Reston Community Center (@RestonRCC) February 13, 2024
Image via VDOT
Several Reston organizations are partnering once again for an annual Thanksgiving food drive.
Reston Community Center, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Cornerstones are collecting donations of non-perishable food and other items through Nov. 20.
Items that are needed include the following:
- Grocery store gift cards
- heavy duty clear plastic bins
- toilet paper
- baby wipes
- hygiene items
- cooking oil
- flour
- sugar
- condiments
- dried beans
- canned fruits
- canned meats
- bagged or boxed rice
- quinoa
- cereal
- oatmeal
- coffee
- tea
- shelf-stable milk
Drop-off locations are listed online. They include RCC’s Lake Anne (1609-A Washington Plaza) and Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road) facilities, the Hunter Mill District office at 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, and other options throughout the community.
The community center is also looking for volunteers to help sort and load the donated food on Nov. 23.
In its annual hunger report released in September, the Capital Area Food Bank found that 24% of Fairfax County residents are food-insecure — a rate unchanged from last year.
Reston Community Center has officially released a new website that aims to improve access to information and overall usability.
The website, which was created by United Experts, includes new design elements, compatibility with different screen sizes and devices, and a more user-friendly navigation menu.
“We devoted a year to research, designing a comprehensive [request for proposals] and issuing that solicitation,” RCC Executive Director Leila Gordon said. “We received about a dozen proposals and analyzed them for how well they understood both RCC and our community, as well as how beautifully and functionally they addressed our challenges.”
The website is divided into three primary content categories: things to do, information, and facilities.
It also includes a new notification system that allows RCC to publish time-sensitive announcements easily. Digitized documents and publication archives are now fully searchable, and a help center is available for additional resources.
The website still connects with RCC’s two main platforms for purchases — myRCC, where users can look and register for the community center’s programs, and ETix, where users can buy tickets.
“RCC users gave us invaluable feedback,” board chair Beverly Cosham. “The outcome is as much a function of their input as of ours.”
Three members were appointed to Reston Community Center’s Board of Governors this week.
As requested by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, incumbents Paul William Penniman and Vicky Wingert and newcomer Paul Berry were formally appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at its meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
The board members were selected by residents of the RCC tax district through this year’s preference poll, which took place between Sept. 8 and 29. Their terms begin on Nov. 6.
Berry — who campaigned for the Virginia House of Delegates’ District 7 seat — works as a teacher and served on former governor Ralph Northam’s Virginia Latino Advisory Board.
Pennimen, who has sat on the board since 2006, is an active member of Reston Planning and Zoning Committee and the Sierra Club. Wingert has served on the board since 2011 and is the founder of Friends of Reston, the nonprofit that supports Reston Association.
The Reston Multicultural Festival — which was set for this Saturday (Sept. 23) at Reston Town Center — has been canceled due to inclement weather.
The annual festival, which is organized by Reston Community Center, will not be rescheduled. With a tropical storm projected to make landfall in the mid-Atlantic, high winds, cool temperatures and heavy rain are expected from around 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday morning.
“With artists, vendors, community organizations, and event staff and volunteers coming from various areas affected by this tropical storm, organizers do not want to put people at risk of injury in trying to reach or attend the festival,” RCC said in a statement. “People are urged to stay off the roads on Saturday. This annual event is cherished by the community, and event planners appreciate everyone’s understanding that people’s safety is their highest priority.”
RCC said it was thankful to Reston Town Center Association and host BXP for their help in coordinating the event. Reston Association also provided support.
This year would have been the organization’s largest festival to date, with additional performance stages and strategic partnerships with national organizations.
“The partnership among these civic, nonprofit and business organizations allowed for the most ambitious Reston Multicultural Festival plan ever. All partners are looking forward to 2024 and doing it again under sunnier skies,” the organization wrote.
A Darden and Friends concert will still take place as scheduled at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) in the Pavilion at Reston Town Center, according to RCC.
The Reston Multicultural Festival will return to Reston Town Center on Sept. 23 with expanded entertainment options.
The festival — which is organized by Reston Community Center, the Reston Town Center Association and Boston Properties (BXP) — will have three stages instead of its usual one. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a lineup of entertainment and activities.
“Due to an expanded entertainment lineup and more participating artisans, our cohost, BXP generously extended us the opportunity to enlarge the Festival footprint up Market Street to the Pavilion providing for more performance space,” Lorna Clarke, RCC’s communications director, said.
Beverly Cosham, who chairs RCC’s Board of Governors, said that the festival has embodied the spirit of Reston for more than 20 years.
“Our diversity is our greatest strength,” Cosham said. “We present the Reston Multicultural Festival each year to share the incredible sights, sounds and joyful energy of people who come from all over the world to be here. Bob Simon established Reston as a place where everyone could feel a sense of belonging and discovery.
The festival is also made possible by a partnership with the National Council of Traditional Arts (NCTA). This year’s lineup will feature multiple National Endowment of Arts Heritage fellows. The program recognizes individuals in folk and traditional art.
A breakdown of the fellows is below.
Roen Hufford, Kapa Maker, 2023 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Waimea, Hawaii
Of Native Hawaiian descent, Roen Halley Kahalewai McDonald Hufford carries on the tradition of ka hana kapa (making bark-cloth) and is a leading figure in the reclamation of this nearly lost art.The Legendary Ingramettes, Gospel Artists, 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Richmond, Virginia
The Legendary Ingramettes are widely considered Richmond’s “First Family of Gospel,” uplifting audiences for over six decades while becoming beloved cultural icons in the community.Wayne Henderson, Luthier, 1995 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
Henderson was born, raised and still lives in Rugby, near the North Carolina border. He has taken first place 13 times at the Galax Fiddlers’ Convention guitar competition.Tsering Wangmo Satho, Tibetan Opera Singer and Dancer, 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Richmond, California
Tsering Wangmo Satho was born in a refugee settlement in southern India in 1967. Her elders served as living examples of their traditions and language. Satho trained at the Tibetan Institute of the Arts (TIPA), founded by the Dalai Lama. TIPA serves as a critical response to the threats to Tibetan culture.
More than 20 performances will light up the Park, Market Street and Pavilion stages. The festival will also feature more than 30 arts and crafts vendors with from around the world.
The complete schedule is available online.
