America's National Independence Day Parade

America's National Independence Day Parade takes place annually on July 4th at 11:45 am in Washington, D.C., on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Street before a street audience of hundreds of thousands of spectators. The Parade consists of invited bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military and specialty units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams, VIP's, national dignitaries, and celebrity participants. The Parade is a major national event which seeks to draw the attention of Americans to the real meaning for the holiday. It is a patriotic, flag-waving, red white and blue celebration of America's birthday!

The Parade is co-hosted by the National Park Service and produced by Diversified Events, which is under contract to the National Park Service.

The Nation's Capital offers unlimited excitement on July 4th in addition to the parade. A National Folklife Festival on the Mall features different cultures in the Americas and a variety of ethnic groups. That evening, parade participants are all part of the audience of the PBS Concert at the Capitol Building featuring the National Symphony Orchestra and one of the country's largest fireworks displays. There is no greater location displaying greater excitement on America's birthday than in our nation's capital!



DC Jazz Festival 2012 - Washington DC

The DC Jazz Festival is an annual event that features more than 100 jazz performances at concert venues and clubs throughout Washington, DC. The festival presents major jazz artists from around the world and introduces emerging artists. Celebrating musical styles from Bebop and Blues to Swing, Soul, Latin and World music, the DC Jazz festival includes performances at several museums, clubs, restaurants, and hotels.  Dates: June 1-10, 2012

 

Highlights of the 2012 DC Jazz Festival

•June 4 - Jazz Meets the Classics, co-presented by the Kennedy Center, will feature an all-star lineup performing unique and exciting jazz interpretations of works by Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. Headlining the concert is the Classical Jazz Quartet, with NEA Jazz Masters bassist Ron Carter and pianist Kenny Barron, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and drummer Lewis Nash. Also headlining is NEA Jazz Master and 10-time Grammy Award-winner Paquito D'Rivera, joined by Spain’s Pepe Rivero Trio, Michael Phillip Mossman and Pernell Saturnino.



•June 2-3 - Jazz ‘n’ Families Fun Days - The free event at The Phillips Collection is geared towards families with performances from the finest jazz musicians from around the region who improvise pieces inspired by paintings in museum’s intimate galleries. Children can participate in a variety of fun-filled activities to introduce them to the rich traditions of jazz and art, including an instrument petting zoo, storytelling and hands-on art workshops where they can create their own jazz-inspired artwork.

DizzyFest!

A Big Green Egg Cooking Event

 The semi-annual DizzyFest on June 9th, 2012 in Manassas, VA. is an Eggfest put on by long time Big Green Egg® enthusiasts at the Dizzy Pig Barbecue Company. Sticking with what folks have come to expect from an Eggfest, they will be pre-selling demo Eggs® at generously discounted rates. They'll also be offering 10% off everything they sell in the Dizzy Pig BBQ retail store.

 

 Special cooking guests include:

 Lee Anne Whippen, Mike Schweitzer, and several members of the Dizzy Pig BBQ Competition Team. The Dizzy Pig BBQ Competition team has brought home 11 Grand Championships on the professional KCBS barbecue circuit. In addition, up to 50 passionate cooks will be cooking their specialties on our demo Eggs. There will be live music and cornhole games set-up on the side.

Registration for the second Eggfest is limited to 300 people. Register soon to guarantee your spot.

What is an Eggfest??

An Eggfest is a gathering of Big Green Egg fans and enthusiasts where many experienced Egg cooks showcase their skills and talents. And its the perfect place for those that are interested in owning a Big Green Egg to sample the amazing food coming off the Eggs and learn all the different cooking possibilities and techniques used. It's a lot of fun, and usually feels like a big party.

 



Atlantis WaterPark

ATLANTIS WATERPARK

Bull Run Regional Park is open all year for picnicking, hiking and family camping. Bull Run Public Shooting Center is also open all year. Group Camping is open daily January 8 though November 13. Disc golf is open April through October.

WATER PARK HOURS

May 26 – 28
Memorial Day Weekend:    11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

May 29 - June 15
Monday – Friday: Closed
Weekends:     11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

June 16 – August 19
Daily:     11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
July 4:     11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

August 20 – August 31
Monday – Friday:    11:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays:     11:00 PM – 7:00 PM

September 1 – September 3Labor Day Weekend:     11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Gatehouse: Open weekends & holidays only, 8 hours per day.
March 19 – October 16. Hours may vary.

Directions:

To reach Bull Run, take I-66 to Exit 52 (Route 29) at Centreville, drive 2 miles south, turn left onto Bull Run Post Office Road and follow the signs to the park entrance.

 

Hungry after a great day at Atlantis Waterpark?

Not to worry! You’ll find everything you need to fill up and cool off at Neptune’s Reef Cafe!

Located inside Atlantis Waterpark, Neptune’s Reef offers great fun foods like personal deep dish pizzas, nachos, corn dogs, chips, cookies and more!

Straight from our grill, Atlantis features all beef hot dogs, burgers, cheeseburgers and chicken fingers. And of course, no trip to Atlantis would be complete without our own Original Beach Fries!

When your done, wash it all down with a fountain soda, water or Gatorade. Have an even bigger thirst? Then grab our awesome souvenir sports mug for just $6.50, with refills for just a dollar!

And don’t forget the great sweets – including cold treats like Dippin’ Dots and Good Humor ice cream, and of course, our famous funnel cakes!

Ben Lomond Historic Site

Ben Lomond Historic Site

Built in 1837 and a prime example of Federal style architecture, this house sits within five miles of the site of the First and Second Battles of Manassas. The main house was used as a Confederate hospital during and after the Battle of First Manassas. Union soldiers, campaigning through the area in 1862 left graffiti on the walls of the home.

Site contains the main house, slave quarter, dairy and smokehouse. There is also an antique Rose Garden containing many rare and historic varieties of roses. Programs and special events are offered periodically throughout the year. The site is open for tours from May - October, Thursday - Sunday, 11am - 4pm or by appointment.

*Admission Fee: $5.00

 Address
Ben Lomond Historic Site
10311 Sudley Manor Drive
Manassas VA 20109

Date(s)/Time:
Thursday, May 24, 2012 (6:00 PM-7:00 PM)

Phone: (703) 367-7872

www.pwcgov.org/historicsites

National Memorial Day Parade

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. pays tribute to the pride, sacrifice and service of America's Veterans. Memorial Day, which was originally known as Decoration Day, has a history stretching back to the Civil War and serves as an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country.

The parade returned to Washington D.C. in 2004 after a nearly 70-year absence, coinciding with the dedication of the World War II Memorial. This outpouring of appreciation to the veterans of World War II spilled over to veterans of the more recent conflicts as well. The National Memorial Day Parade is now an annual event organized by the American Veterans Center and Music Celebrations International.

The three-hour parade passes alongside the National Mall on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets. The event is a magnificent salute to America's Veterans and in honor of those who died in defense of our country — from the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The parade consists of outstanding marching bands from many of the 50 states and veterans units honoring World War I, War World II, The Korean and Vietnam Conflicts, Desert Storm, and the liberation of Grenada, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. Large patriotic floats and helium-filled balloons are also part of procession. More than 10,000 participants take part in the parade annually.

A Great Place to Experience History

Fairfax Station Railroad Museum

11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039

• Take a step back in time and discover the Fairfax Station Museum and the role it played during the Civil War.
• Find out about the Orange and Alexandria Railroad and its importance to both the supply and medical evacuation effort.
• Learn about the humanitarian efforts begun here by Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.
• Visit our caboose and hear about the vital role of the caboose in early railroad operations. The Fairfax Station Museum is a great place to view model train displays. Come explore Civil War history, railroading, and the fascinating story of our local community.
• The museum and gift shop are open to the public on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. except on major holidays.
• For special events like the Labor Day and Holiday train shows, the museum will be open an additional day of the weekend.
• At this time, the Museum can only accept cash or checks.
• The Civil War Trails Marker at the entrance to the train station museum commemorates Clara Barton’s efforts here in late August – early September, 1862. During the 2nd Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas) on August 28-31, 1862 and the Battle of Ox Hill (or Chantilly)) on September 1, 1862, over 3,000 wounded Union soldiers were brought from these battlefields to the train station to await rail shipment to the hospitals in Alexandria and Washington. It took several days to load all of the wounded. While waiting, Clara Barton became “The Angel of the Battlefield” as she worked long and hard until all the wounded were safely removed. This was the second time she had come to aid the sick and wounded. Her first outing had been two weeks earlier on August 8 -9 at the Cedar Mountain Battlefield just south of Culpeper.
  
  
  

Sunday, May 20, 2012, 1 – 4 pmNorthern Virginia NTRAK Display

Sunday, June 10, 2012, 1-4 pm Northern Virginia NTRAK Display

Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, (Father’s Day Weekend) Northern Virginia NTRAK

DisplaSaturday, 12 – 5 and Sunday, 1 – 4  Northern Virginia NTRAK
 



Youth Arts Celebration

Youth Arts Celebration

 

The Workhouse Arts Center, in cooperation with the Occoquan Regional Park and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, is proud to host a full day of activities celebrating the diversity of the cultural arts in our region. One of the features of the Youth Arts Celebration will be demonstrations by Workhouse artists. Up and down the artist's studios along the campus, families will get an up close look at how artists make their works - and in some cases kids will get a "hands on" opportunity to assist the artists. Scheduled demos will feature works with fiber, clay, glass, and other fine art.

Free shuttle bus service will be available between Occoquan Regional Park and the Workhouse Arts Center.
Featured activities include:
•Performance stage featuring shows by local children as well as professional dancers and musicians., Professional performers leading interactive entertainment throughout the day, Multi-cultural programs showcasing our area's great diversity,Arts and crafts, Food!


This event is free, however, a donation of $5 is suggested and greatly appreciated. Stay a little longer and enjoy an Indian/Nepalese Bazaar and Indian Food Demonstration from 5 – 7:15 pm, followed by the Bollywood film classic Om Shanti Om at 7:30pm in the W-3 Theatre. Tickets for film screening are $10.  Date(s): 5/19/2012 Time: 11:00am to 5:00pm Venue: Campus-wide Ticket Required: No



Europe Week 2012 in Washington, DC

Cultural Events Celebrating the European Union

Europe Week is a week of cultural events in Washington, DC that includes speeches, seminars and workshops on issues; film screenings, concerts and cultural events related to the European Union. Universities, think tanks, other non-governmental organizations and the Embassies and Consulates of EU Member States around the United States will take part in Europe Week, hosting events designed to create a better understanding of the European Union. The week is a part of Passport DC, a city-wide event that highlights international culture throughout the month of May.

Dates: May 6-12, 2012



The highlight of Europe Week is the European Union Open House on Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The Embassies of the European Union and the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States open their doors to the public, offering a rare look at the diverse EU cultures. Additional programs are held throughout the week. For a complete listing of events, visit www.eurunion.org

Participating Embassies: Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic European Union Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Latvia  Lithuania Poland Portugal Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain SwedenUnited Kingdom

Alexandria Black History Museum

Alexandria Black History Museum

902 Wythe StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314Phone: 703.746.4356

Museum Hours: Tuesday - Saturday-10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission - $2.00

The mission of the Black History Museum is to enrich the lives of Alexandria's residents and visitors, to foster tolerance and understanding among all cultures and to stimulate appreciation of the diversity of the African American experience. The institutional complex is composed of the Museum, the Watson Reading Room, and the Alexandria African American Heritage Park.

•Alexandria Black History Museum: The Museum, devoted to exhibiting local and regional history, incorporates the Robert H. Robinson Library as one of two exhibition galleries. The Robert H. Robinson Library was originally constructed in 1940 following a sit-in at the segregated Alexandria Library.

•Watson Reading Room: The Reading Room, established in 1995, provides an environment for learning about the diversity of African American cultural traditions.

•African American Heritage Park: A nine-acre green space and wetland, the Park offers a place for celebration, commemoration and quiet reflection.

Current News and Information

•Movies with a Mission Film Series -- The museum offers free movies on the second Saturday of the month that explore themes relating to Africa and the African Diaspora.

May 12 – “Slavery by Another Name”

June 9 – “Banished: An Investigation into Ethnic Cleansing in Post-Reconstruction America”



Washington by Water Monuments Cruise

Cruise features highlights such as the Jefferson Memorial, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Washington Monument, Memorial Bridge, and the14th St. Bridge.

April 03, 2012 to October 28, 2012 (Every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

$2.00 discount for Round trip tickets purchased online only.

(Discount NOT valid for cruises departing Friday – Sunday & Holidays. Discount does not include departures from National Harbor or Gaylord Hotel).

Cruise along the Potomac River to George and Martha Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. The self-guided tour of the estate includes George Washington’s tomb, an interpretive Pioneer farm, new Museum and Education Center and so much more.