Don Beyer 3K Fun Run Kicks off Memorial Day Festivities

May 31, 2010

Come on Downtown — It’s Memorial Day!

May 31, 2010

The City of Falls Church hosts its 29th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Falls Church City Hall grounds,  300 Park Avenue.

The day’s events begin with the Don Beyer 3K Fun Run at 9 a.m.

Those who have served in the armed forces will be honored at a Veterans Ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Falls Church City Community Center, 223 Little Falls St.

The Memorial Day Parade steps off at 2 p.m. under the direction of this year’s Grand Marshal, Edna Frady. A resident since 1947, Ms. Frady saw the town of Falls Church become a City. Ms. Frady has been an active member of the Falls Church community, having participated in the Woman’s Club of Falls Church, Village Preservation and Improvement Society, Citizens for a Better City, and the Falls Church Democratic Committee. She is the daughter of the late Donald S. Frady, who was the City’s longtime Director of Public Works.

Throughout the day, festival-goers will enjoy amusement rides, pony rides, arts and crafts, food, civic and business booths, public safety tips, stage entertainment, and more.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition, Big Tow, the City of Falls Church Concert Band, and Judo Chop.

The Memorial Day Parade and Festival is sponsored by the City of Falls Church Recreation & Parks Division.

MEMORIAL DAY 5/31: Parade, Music, Fun Run, Food, Pony Rides (And Did We Mention FOOD?)

The City of Falls Church will host its 29th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival on Monday, May 31. The event will be held rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Falls Church City Hall grounds, located at 300 Park Avenue.

Those who have served in the armed forces will be honored at a Veterans Ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Falls Church City Community Center, 223 Little Falls St.

The day also features a Don Beyer 3K Fun Run at 9 a.m.

The Memorial Day Parade steps off at 2 p.m. under the direction of this year’s Grand Marshal, Edna Frady. A resident since 1947, Ms. Frady saw the town of Falls Church become a City. Ms. Frady has been an active member of the Falls Church community, having participated in the Woman’s Club of Falls Church, Village Preservation and Improvement Society, Citizens for a Better City, and the Falls Church Democratic Committee. She is the daughter of the late Donald S. Frady, who was the City’s longtime Director of Public Works.

Throughout the day, festival-goers will enjoy amusement rides, pony rides, arts and crafts, food, civic and business booths, public safety tips, stage entertainment, and more.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition, Big Tow, the City of Falls Church Concert Band, and Judo Chop.

The Memorial Day Parade and Festival is sponsored by the City of Falls Church Recreation & Parks Division. For more information, call 703-248-5178 (TTY 711).

WEEKENDS 6/3-5, 11-13: ‘Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White,’ Original Theater Production

Creative Cauldron, in collaboration with the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation (THHF), will premiere “Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White,” an original work of theater based on the stories of local Falls Church civil rights pioneers.

It was created over a year-long development process through funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Arts Council of Fairfax County.

Working closely with Nikki Graves Henderson and Edwin B. Henderson from THHF, Creative Cauldron Producing Director Laura Connors Hull and veteran theater artist Oran Sandel researched oral histories and documents from African American residents of Falls Church.

Lisa Hill-Corley and Jennifer Goldsmith, two MFA candidates in George Mason University’s Creative Writing Program, were tasked with creating a final performance script inspired by the material.

“Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White” will play at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Avenue, from June 3 through 13. The second weekend of performances will be held in conjunction with the Tinner Hill Blues Festival in the City of Falls Church. Press Night is Saturday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors.

This new work explores the history of Falls Church, as seen through the lens of some of its most influential African Americans. Through a series of monologues, dramatized scenes and blues-inspired music, we are taken on an inspiring journey of resistance and resilience that began before the Civil War and that continues to the present day.

We encounter a community where free people of color and enslaved people and their descendants become significant Falls Church property owners, merchants, and even serve on the town Council; in short, a community where blacks and whites live and work side by side in relative harmony, despite the charged political climate that embroiled the nation in the aftermath of the Civil War.

We also encounter the swinging pendulum of race relations and the persistent efforts of town segregationists. Throughout the play, we explore a history that doesn’t appear in official textbooks, and come to better understand the experience of being an African American in the early days of a growing and changing Virginia community.

“Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White” is the last offering this season in Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater series. An ensemble of professional actors will be featured in a cast that also includes student and community performers.

Professional cast includes: Azania Dungee, Ayesis Clay, Kevin Ray Johnson, Kofi Owusu, Oran Sandel, Ryan Walker and Talmach White. Scenic and costume design is being provided Margie Jervis with contributions from Falls Church Arts scenic painter and collage artist David Barr and watercolor artist Bill Abel. Together they will create an installation that explores the cultural and political landscape of the production.

Creative Cauldron is a non-profit arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community. It has been operating in Northern Virginia since 2002, and in June of 2009 acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, performances and exhibits.

The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation (THHF), established in 1997, is a non-profit tax-exempt organization, founded to support a variety of activities that preserve, present, and interpret the Falls Church area’s rich African-American heritage and legacy. The mission of the Foundation features, as an identified and primary goal, the ground-breaking efforts of pioneering African Americans who sought and fought for their rights in myriad ways and at various times in the City’s and the country’s history. THHF also recognizes the achievements of special individuals and groups who champion equality; and promotes understanding and respect for all people through educational and cultural programs and activities.

Tickets for “Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White” can be purchased at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 571-239-5288.

Performance & Event Schedule:

Previews: June 3 & 4* at 7:30 p.m. and June 5 at 2 p.m.

Press Opening is June 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Additional performances: June 6 at 4 p.m., June 11** & 12** at 7:30 p.m., June 12** at 2 p.m., June 13** at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

*FIRSTfriday of Falls Church Gallery Reception at 6:30 p.m. with Falls Church Arts.

**Performed in conjunction with the city wide Tinner Hill Blues Festival. For more info log on to www.tinnerhill.org

Got Pictures?

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

May 30, 2010

You got ‘em, the Falls Church Times wants ‘em!  Snap a picture of your favorite scene from Memorial Day in the Little City, and send them to contact@fallschurchtimes.com.  We’ll run them all week, showcasing how Falls Church City celebrates the “unofficial” start of summer.

NOTE: Only photos with captions and the full name and contact information of the photographer will be posted. Please do not embed the photo in a document.

FRIDAY 6/4: 10 Tips for a Stress-Free Home? Sign Me Up!

The Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School PTA and the Falls Church Elementary PTA have a great deal for those looking for a free night out — and who would love to kick off the summer with some tips on creating a stress-free, calmer home.

Friday, June 4,  from 7 – 9 p.m. at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, nationally recognized parenting expert Kirk Martin will  present “10 Secrets to A Stress-Free Home: A Workshop for Moms, Dads (& Teachers, too).” The event is free.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Create a calm home—eliminate yelling and arguing.
• Improve focus, attention and behavior in school.
• Create stress-free mornings and homework time.
• Relieve anxiety, meltdowns and sensory issues.
• Eliminate defiance and disrespect.

What’s not to like? Mr. Martin has trained more than 100,000 parents and has a web site, www.CelebrateCALM.com, to learn more.

Although walk-ins are welcome, registration will help the PTA ensure adequate space and handouts. Please take a few seconds to sign up at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/57CZL32

SATURDAY 6/5: Jazz in June Benefit at the Spectrum Features Vocalist Ericka Ovette, Food, and Raffles

The Falls Church Community Service Council is holding a Jazz in June fundraiser to support its services to the poor and less fortunate in the Falls Church area. FCS operates a local food pantry and provides emergency rent, utility, and food subsidies, as well as furniture and clothing.

Jazz in June will be June 5 at the Spectrum Building in Falls Church. It will feature jazz music by vocalist Ericka Ovette and the band Stolen Moments, and “mini entrees” donated by some of the area’s best restaurants, including Present Vietnamese, Peking Gourmet, Open Kitchen Bistro and Raaga Indian. Luscious desserts will be provided by Lazy Sundae, Cookie Zen and Natalia’s Elegant Creations.

A raffle will also be held featuring a 22” flat screen TV donated by local Realtor JD Callander, and restaurant gift certificates from Argia’s and Lebanese Taverna. For more information visit Jazz in June on the web or call Robin Fetsch at 703-919-9461.

Saturday, June 5
Spectrum Building
440 West Broad St.
Cost: $45 per person

TUESDAY 6/8: GOP Primary Election

The Republican Party Primary Election will be held Tuesday, June 8.  In-person absentee voting is available at the at City Hall in the Office of Voter Registration & Elections, 300 Park Avenue, Room 101E, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additional information is available at the Office of Voter Registration & Elections, 703-248-5085,  www.fallschurchva.gov/vote.

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