Weekend Buzz: April 17, 2025
So much to do this Easter weekend! Of course, Easter Sunday is on the 20th and Earth Day is on the 22nd, with Arbor Day just around the corner on the 25th. So, don't miss the City's Super Day Celebration of Arbor Day (collect your free tree sapling!), combined with an Easter Egg Hunt in Cherry Hill Park and Mulch Mania. We also threw in a few Easter dining options in Falls Church City. And there are so many creative shows – music, theater, visual arts, and even puppetry – to see nearby. Enjoy!
Super Saturday in the City
Arbor Day, Easter Egg Hunt, and Mulch Mania
Get ready for a Super Saturday in the City on April 19 with the Arbor Day Celebration, 2025 Annual Egg Hunt, and Mulch Mania.
Tree City USA and Arbor Day Celebration: The City of Falls Church has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 47th year in a row. The City will recognize the honor during the Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, April 19.
- 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Farmers Market Booth – Village Preservation & Improvement Society (VPIS).
- Stop by and collect your free tree sapling! Swamp Chesnut Oak, will be handed out, along with Chokeberry (Black), Eastern White Pine, Redbud, Swamp White Oak, Sweetbay Magnolia, Wafer Ash, and the White Dogwood. You can take the sapling home or join in the tree planting in Cherry Hill Park.
- 11 a.m.: Flag raising in front of City Hall
- Speakers: Charles Prince, City Arborist, Amy Crumpton, Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) Chair, and the Virginia State Forester (from VA Department of Forestry)
- Learn from experts in Urban Forestry about planting and care of trees.
- Speakers: Charles Prince, City Arborist, Amy Crumpton, Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) Chair, and the Virginia State Forester (from VA Department of Forestry)
- 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Join the City’s Arborist for tree planting in Cherry Hill Park.
The City of Falls Church Urban Forestry Commission selected the Swamp Chestnut Oak (quercus michauxii) as the 2025 Tree of the Year. This tree was selected for its adaptability to urban environments, the high value it provides our forests and environment, and its rarity in our City’s urban forest. Attendees are encouraged to walk or cycle to the event.
Egg Hunt
Hosted by the City's Recreation and Parks Department, the Egg Hunt will take place in Cherry Hill Park at 312 Park Ave. Along with the free egg hunt, families can enjoy free arts & crafts, games, face painting, and live music starting at 9:15 a.m.; the Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m.
Egg hunters are separated by age: zero to three, four to six, and seven to eleven. Children should bring a bag or basket. After the hunt, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny will be in attendance for pictures and a magic show featuring Drew Blue Shoes at 10:30 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to walk or cycle to the event.
In the event of rain, the Egg Hunt will be held on Monday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m. in Cherry Hill Park. More information can be found online at fallschurchva.gov/EggHunt.
Mulch Mania
Hosted by the City's Department of Public Works, Mulch Mania returns! While supplies last, pick up unlimited free mulch for your flower beds, vegetable patches, or landscaping projects!
Community members, local contractors, and the general public can help us reach our 100% recycled organic waste goal by participating in a limited-time mulch giveaway event from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every spring Saturday, starting Saturday, April 19. Mulch will be available at the City's operations yard at 217 Gordon Road.
More Easter Fun
Spring Egg Hunt
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 5400 Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Daily, April 1-30, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy a delightful Spring Egg Hunt adventure available daily, April 1-30, 2025, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.! Embark on a self-guided hunt through the gardens as you search for treasures – giant eggs! The fun is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!
- Start you quest at the Visitor Center where you’ll receive your Egg Fun Find Sheet, your key to unlocking the fun.
- Hop along winding paths through the Spring gardens. When you find a giant egg, draw its design on your Egg Hunt sheet.
- Once you have found all of the eggs, show your completed Egg Fun Find Sheet to our staff and receive an EGGcellent prize!
The Spring Egg Hunt is $8 per egg hunter which includes garden admission. Regular garden admission ($5-$8) or garden memberships apply to those accompanying the egg hunters. All fees are paid at the door. All ages are welcome.
For more info go here.
Easter Dining
Godfrey’s Bakery & Cafe for Easter Meals & Treats
4P’S Easter Sunday Brunch Buffet
Ireland’s Four Provinces, 105 West Broad St., Falls Church. Sunday, April 20, 9 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
HOP TO IT! The 4P's Easter Brunch is one No-Bunny wants to miss! Enjoy all your holiday brunch favorites: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Virginia Ham, Roast Beef, Irish Oak Smoked Salmon, Fresh Omelet Bar, Bacon & Eggs, Homemade Waffles, Fresh Fruit & Cream, Shepherd's Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables, Seafood Pasta, Assorted Salads & Desserts, Make-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar, & Much More! Call for Reservations TODAY!
For more info go here.
Local Art Instruction
Birth Art with Amoula the Doula
Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave. Saturday, April 19, 2-3:00 p.m. Lower Level Conference Room. Adults (18+).
Join Amoula the Doula at the library! Whether you're trying to conceive, expectant parents, parents, or have had experience with birth or pregnancy loss, you are invited to participate in some birth art!
Birth Art is a journey that takes you from external understanding to deeper, inner knowing. In this session, we explore self-discovery through art, using non-verbal practices to express the emotions surrounding pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Creating art slows down fleeting thoughts and images, allowing you to truly see and connect with your feelings. We return to the simplicity of childhood, when you first picked up a pen and drew what came from your mind and heart. No prior art or drawing experience is required!
Amal Hammoudeh, also known as Amoula the Doula, is a bilingual doula (Arabic and English), whose philosophy centers on empowering her clients to trust their own bodies and intuition. Amal trained with Birthing Advocacy to become a Full-Spectrum Doula and Childbirth Educator. Additionally, she pursued further training with Birthing from Within, Spinning Babies, and others. You can read more about her on www.amoulathedoula.com.
To register, go here.
Register for a Local Arts Course at Artworks Fine Art Studios
See our recent article about Artworks Fine Art Studios on West Broad Street, here:
Christopher Jones
Local Visual Arts
"Faces & Figures": Meet the Artists Reception and Show
Falls Church Arts continues its support of arts in the community through its upcoming exhibit "Faces & Figures."
The recently juried exhibition showcases a vibrant collection of works that capture the human form through a diverse range of expressions and materials. Featuring folk art, naive, and primitive styles alongside striking photography, figure drawings and emotive sculpture, the show highlights the raw creativity and emotional depth of its artists. From bold, unrefined lines to unexpected textures, this exhibition celebrates the power of individuality and storytelling through art.
Faces & Figures will run from April 19 to June 1, 2025. The exhibit will open Saturday, April 19 with a meet-the-artists reception at the gallery of Falls Church Arts from 7 - 9:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The Juror’s Choice Award will be announced at the reception.
Juror Teresa Oaxaca is an American-born artist currently based in Washington, D.C. She's a full-time painter whose works can be seen in collections and galleries throughout the United States and internationally. Her talent has been recognized and rewarded by museums and institutions such as the American Museum of the Cowboy, the former Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Art Renewal Center, the Elisabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Posey Foundation, and the Portrait Society of America, as well as the Museu Europeu D’Art Modern in Barcelona.
Oaxaca's training includes a four-year diploma at the Angel Academy of Art (Florence, Italy), graduate studies at the Florence Academy, an apprenticeship with Odd Nerdrum in Norway, and studies at the The Art League (Alexandria, Va.), where she trained with Robert Liberace and Paul Lucchesi and took many other courses. She teaches workshops around the United States and in Europe.
Artworks will be on display at the gallery of Falls Church Arts at 700-B West Broad St. (Route 7), Falls Church, Va. Admission is free. The gallery is open Tuesdays–Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Artworks will also be available online at https://www.fallschurcharts.org. All pieces are offered for sale and can be purchased at the gallery or on the website.
For more information, please email info@fallschurcharts.org.
"City Stories:" Steven John Fuchs
Fred Schnider Gallery, 888 N. Quincy St., #102, Arlington. Through April 26.
Closing Event with Steven John Fuchs on Saturday, April 26, 5-7:00 p.m. at Fred Schnider Gallery.
Joshua Challen Ice: Something to Do With My Hands
Museum of Contemporary Art, Arlington, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Through May 25.
Experimental Gallery
Joshua Challen Ice creates sculpture, kinetic, and light-based installation art to explore ideas related to architecture and philosophy. Drawing on his background in lighting design and technology for the stage, he creates fully immersive works. In Something to Do With My Hands, Ice presents a new installation created for SOLOS 2025 that explores issues of care, maintenance, and creation. The installation takes the form of a “surreal construction site,” as the artist describes it, which has seemingly been abandoned by its maker. In the space, three frames represent different moments in a workspace where, it appears, a laborer was building a simple chair. On closer inspection, the components of the space, plans on the wall, and tools scattered around complicate this simple narrative, evoking questions about the nature of labor and the tension between fine art and more practical forms of craftsmanship.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 12– 5 p.m.
For more info go here.
Spring Solos
McLean Project for the Arts, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Through June 14. Opening Exhibition Reception: Thursday, April 17, 7-9 p.m.
Featuring work by Jackie Hoysted, Emon Surakitkoson, and Heidi Fowler.
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 10, 11:00 a.m. Tea & Talk: Wednesday, June 4, 11 a.m.
In the exhibition “Detrimorphose,” Heidi Fowler depicts the power of brokenness and redemption through mixed media paintings. The artists bring together discarded materials (junk mail, plastic, rustic pieces, and old computer parts) in assemblages to inspire a greater consciousness and creativity towards the paraphernalia we would otherwise discard; exploring the tension between the beauty of creation and the priorities of man.
Jackie Hoysted’s Rudimental is an interactive immersive installation that evokes ideas of nature in interconnectedness. Using simple geometrical elements to generate imagery, and meditative sounds the installation harks back to undervalued ancestral connections with the land, the planet, the universe. It is a call for mutual respect, reciprocity and recognition of our minuteness in the universe.
Crossing Culture features two recent bodies of work by Thai-American artist Emon Surakitkoson, a culmination of her professional journey over the past five years. Using multiple conjoined canvases and wood panel, Emon created works that use shape and composition to convey unity among their unique contributing parts. The individual pieces take on new meaning and value when seen as part of a collective. With her sculptural work Emon translates her voice into a new visual language. This collection as a whole is born from Emon’s personal and artistic growth, as she embraces the complexities of her cultural identity as an immigrant from Thailand in the United States.
For more info go here.
A Life in Art: The Work of Sandra C. Dovberg
The Reston Art Gallery, 11400 Washington Plaza West, Reston. April 5-28. Meet the Artist: April 13 & 27, 2-4:00 p.m.
For more info go here.
Matriculture
Tephra Institute of the Arts, 12001 Market St., #103, Reston. Through May 18.
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) presents MATRICULTURE, the 2025 Mary B. Howard Invitational exhibition.
The Mary B. Howard Invitational is a biennial group exhibition featuring the work of regional contemporary artists. For each iteration of the show, Tephra ICA works with a guest curator to produce the exhibition through an open call for artists. This program values exhibition-making as a meaningful collaboration between artist and curator and a generative process that feeds the development and public presentation of innovative new work. The Invitational is named in memory of Mary B. Howard, an artist, long-time board member, and staunch supporter of Tephra ICA.
MATRICULTURE is supported in part by Reston Town Center Association and presented in conjunction with the RTC Earth Day Celebration taking place on Saturday, April 26.
Guest curated by Liz Ensz, MATRICULTURE features new work by two regional contemporary artists exploring notions of craft, maternal relationships, and nurturing. Devin Harclerode addresses public and private forms of reproductive labor via hand-made silk and SCOBI curtains. Braided steel sculptures, drawings, and animations by Nadia Nazar consider the relationship to her mother, grandmothers, and her motherland, filling the gap of her diasporic experience. Diverse in material, the exhibition is unified by a collective exploration of nurturing and troubling the boundary between compassion and resistance.
For more info go here.
Marie B. Gauthiez: We Dwell in Between
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, 11805 Freedom Dr., Reston, Va. Now through June 29.
Gauthiez uses the house as a metaphor for the subconscious. The surfaces of her relief paintings are inspired by walls that show evolution, wear, and tear. Each wall is a chapter of a story with surfaces marking distinctive moments in time. Her mixed media drawings, grid paintings, brick-sized wall fragments, and an immersive plaster wall installation demonstrate the possibility of the medium escaping their containers and pushing against contained surfaces or fixed boarders. These elements, while transient and somewhat elusive, are held together by color, shape, form, and texture. Her work honors what came before and shares new layers.
For more info go here.
Pamela Huffman's "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature"
Be sure to visit Rare Bird Coffee Roasters in downtown Falls Church to see Pamela Huffman's solo exhibition: "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature,' now through June 15.
See our recent article about the show here:
Christopher Jones
A Brighter Light: An Alliance Member-Juried Show
Arlington Artists Alliance, 2700 Clarendon Blvd. Suite R 330, Arlington, Now through May 4.
Alliance Gallery is pleased to present A Brighter Light, an Arlington Artists Alliance member-juried show exploring themes of hope, clarity, renewal, and optimism. The exhibition seeks to present light in a new way through artists’ use of color, shadow, and texture to convey emotions of optimism during times of uncertainty or darkness. How can light change our perspective? A Brighter Light aims to celebrate resilience and beauty in everyday life.
For more info go here.
Puppet Show
The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen
Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., April 17-20, 24-27. Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
The Puppet Co. Mainstage Guest artist Applause Unlimited celebrates one of the 19th century’s greatest storytellers with their award-winning show, The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen. Sometimes serious and heartwarming, sometimes downright silly, but always fun, the show features storytelling and song as well as over twenty hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes in three of Andersen’s best-loved tales: The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and The Emperor’s New Clothes. Filled with humor and messages suitable for all ages, this show presents the stories that grandparents will recognize, parents will love to share, and every child will long remember.
Recommended for ages 4+. Approximately 60 minutes.
For ticket info go here
Local Music
COLORS OF SPRING, with Reception Following
Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, 4915 East Campus Drive, Alexandria. Saturday, April 19. All Ages.
An evening of orchestral magic, featuring the music of Brahms, Koussevitsky and Ellington. By The Reunion Music Society.
Welcome to the Colors of Spring concert! NOVA Symphony Orchestra is featuring the music of Brahms, Koussebitsky and Ellington on Sat, April 19, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall. Let's embrace the beauty of spring together with a live performance and reception after. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience an evening of orchestral magic this spring. See you there!
For more info go here.
Everyone Asked About You
The Atlantis, 2047 9th St., NW. Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.
Everyone Asked About You sprung forth from Little Rock, Arkansas’ vibrant mid-90’s DIY punk and emo scene in 1996. High school friends Collins Kilgore, Chris Sheppard, and Lee Buford would jam at Buford’s family home between sessions of MarioKart64 and Goldeneye. As actual songs began coming to fruition, Hannah Vogan joined on vocals. The first practice room was too small for any other members so the band progressed without a bass player, and the first three singles were written and recorded as a four piece. In 1998 Matt Bradley joined the band on bass; John Beachboard joined a year later on synth and keyboard. The Let’s Be Enemies LP and subsequent tour in 1999 were a product of the six piece band.
Steeped in the sounds of Midwest emo and 90’s indie rock, EAAY wrote and recorded music that reflect the straightforward and intense feeling of a teenager experiencing adult emotions for the first time. Longing, first love, self-realization, the drudgery of getting older were all fodder for these teens. In 2022 The Numero Group managed to wrangle the far-flung members of Everyone Asked About You in order to remaster and reissue their remarkably rare catalog both digitally and physically.
For more info go here.
Local Theater
In the Heights
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Through May 4.
The joyous Tony Award-winning triumph by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Quiara Alegría Hudes (Daphne’s Dive).
Lights up on Washington Heights, NYC where the streets are full of music, and everybody’s got a dream. With the neighborhood on the brink of gentrification, and a life-changing winning lottery ticket somewhere in their midst, the vibrant inhabitants share hope, loss and love as they plan their futures while cherishing their home.
Latin rhythms and hip-hop lyrics infuse “96,000,” “Paciencia y Fe,” “Carnaval del Barrio” and the title song as this breathtaking celebration of community and culture energetically bursts off the stage with Signature’s trademark immersive style.
“When this musical erupts in one of its expressions of collective joy, the energy it gives off could light up the George Washington Bridge for a year or two.” -- The New York Times
For more info go here.
Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing"
The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., Alexandria. Through April 19.
Written by William Shakespeare. Produced by Margaret Chapman and Christine Tankersly. Directed by Joey Pierce.
Set against the jazzy streets and festive vibes of modern-day New Orleans, William Shakespeare’s timeless Rom-Com comes to life. “There is a merry war” between the sharp-tongued Beatrice and Benedick, whose playful banter masks their growing affection for each other while their friends conspire to bring them together. Meanwhile, the earnest Claudio and Hero’s romance is put to the test by a series of deceptions. With vibrant characters, clever plot twists, and a delightful mix of love and laughter, this romantic comedy promises an exhilarating ride from start to finish. Get ready for a fantastical romp filled with clever quips, spirited antics, and a heartwarming finale!
Estimated time: two hours with an intermission. All ages. All must have a ticket to attend. Thursdays – Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. Sunday Matinees at 2:00 p.m. (Please note our new matinee time.) Tickets: $26, Reserved Seating.
For ticket info go here.
Annie
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, D.C. Through April 20.
Back by Popular Demand! Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production – just as you remember it and just when we need it most.
Annie, directed by Jenn Thompson, features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way.
Children under age 4 will not be admitted. The show runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission.
Bad Books
Roundhouse Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Md. Now through April 27.
By: Sharyn Rothstein
Directed by: Ryan Rilette
Featuring: Kate Eastwood Norris and Holly Twyford
A National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere
When a troubled teen is given a controversial book, his mother visits the local library to discuss “appropriate” reading material with the librarian. However, their reasonable discussion quickly turns into a heated confrontation, sparking a dramatic chain reaction of unexpected consequences. With both heartbreak and humor, Sharyn Rothstein offers compassion and empathy as an antidote to the deep debates that divide us. Staged in the round, this brilliant world premiere challenges us to see past our political divisions and first impressions, and asks us what it truly means to care for our children. Part of the Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival.
Bad Books is produced at Round House Theatre as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other Partner Theaters are Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, Florida), Curious Theatre Company (Denver, Colorado), and Williamston Theatre (Williamston, Michigan). For more information, please visit nnpn.org.
For more info go here.
The Gulf
Nova Nightsky Theatre, 225 E. Broad St., Falls Church. Through April 19.
By Audrey Cefaly. Directed By Elyse R. Smith. Hannah Ruth Blackwell as Kendra. Sarah Baczewski as Betty.
One quiet summer evening in the Alabama Delta, Kendra, and Betty head out to the flats searching for redfish. But when Betty starts critiquing Kendra’s stagnant life with career suggestions from What Color is Your Parachute?, their familiar fishing trip spirals into unexpected conflict—winner of the 2018 Lammy Award for LGBTQ Drama.
For more info go here.
The Immigrant @ Theater J, Washington, DC
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili
Synetic Theater / Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. April 11-27.
Theater J presents Synetic Theatre’s The Immigrant, a new project from Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili adapted from the classic 1917 silent comedy originally directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. A simple, comedic story about the arrival of a new immigrant in turn of the 20th-century New York transforms into the odyssey of the American Dream – arrival, love, family, success, failure, and redemption all told in the heartfelt comedic style of the great silent classics.
As a theater founded, led, and populated by immigrant artists, Synetic considers this the perfect time and opportunity to develop its own version of this story, bringing Synetic’s innovative style and great heart to the legacy of this cinema classic.
Content Disclosure: This performance will include flashing lights, haze effects, and Nazi imagery including depictions of Nazi soldiers.
For more info go here.
Legally Blonde: The Musical
The Arlington Players, Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre, 125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington. April 18, 19, 7:30 p.m. April 20, 3:30 p.m.
Music and Lyrics by Book by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin Heather Hach. Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture. Directed by Sabrina McAllister.
A fabulously fun, award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde: The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!
Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.
For more info go here.
By Christopher Jones
Member discussion