Events/Things To Do

Get your green on at City Ridge’s two-day Earth Day Weekend Festival, featuring URBNmarket, DC’s premier artisan pop-up event. On April 22 and 23 from 11:00AM to 6:00PM, shop sustainably from more than 50 handpicked, local vendors selling one-of-a-kind items on City Ridge’s iconic Great Lawn. Plus, experience nature through earth-themed, family-friendly activities like terracotta pot decorating, a children’s book reading and a pet rock adoption center. Families and friends can also enjoy live music, food trucks, glitter tattoos, face painting, and bubble art. You can even take home seeds from City Ridge’s Seed Library to start a thriving garden of your own!

WHEN: Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23 from 11:00AM to 6:00PM

WHERE: City Ridge (14 Ridge Square NW Washington, DC 20016). Hourly parking is available on-site.

HOW: This event is FREE and open to the public. More details are available here.

ABOUT CITY RIDGE: City Ridge is a new community located along Wisconsin Avenue, with 690 apartment residences, CAVA’s new corporate headquarters, and Wegmans and Tatte Bakery & Cafe. For more information on City Ridge and its incoming retailers, click here.

Co-hosted by NBC4 News Anchors, Jim Handly and Jummy Olabanji, WTEF’s 2023 Annual Share the Love Gala, will be held on Saturday, May 6th from 6:00pm – 11:00pm at the Waldorf Astoria in DC. WTEF’s largest annual fundraising event, the gala helps enable the continuance of their important work of Building Life Champions through tennis and education.

The gala features a cocktail reception and open bar, three-course gala wine dinner, a live musical performance by DC’s own The “Original” Moonlighters, and their signature “Bid It to Win It” silent auction fundraiser.

Port City Brewery’s Pop-Up Spring Makers’ Market with over 30 Artists, Creators, and Makers
Saturday, May 20, 2023
12-5 p.m. – Rain or Shine

3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria, VA 22304
Port City Brewing Company in partnership with Made in ALX announced a Spring Pop-Up Market, featuring local artisans and makers showcasing their handcrafted products, perfect for providing a spring refresh for the home as we welcome the upcoming season and kick-off summer. The event will feature over 30 artists displaying their crafts in a diverse family-friendly local pop-up market that will take place in Port City’s parking lot.  Items available range from jewelry, home décor, woodcrafts, candles, wellness items, children’s play and much more, providing a variety of handmade goods to jumpstart your summer and officially shake off the winter blues. For a full slate of artisans scheduled to participate in the pop-up visit, MadeInALX.com. This year, the first 100 people will receive a free, limited-edition Spring Makers’ Market tote bag for their shopping. Additionally, the first 50 kids at the event will receive a free coloring book with art and activities created by Alexandria artists.

Presented in advance of the FREE Old Town Festival of Speed & Style on Saturday, the High-Octane Ball presented by Alexandria-based Yates Automotive, will celebrate with a formal social gathering, highlighting the “Style” element of Speed & Style from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 20^th.

Tickets are now on sale for this all-inclusive ticketed dress-up event in which partygoers can enjoy food, wine, libation, live music, and a live auction. Ticket Link

Tysons Corner Center invites you to a special CELEBRATE VIRGINIA day on Saturday, September 16th on The Plaza from 11am – 4pm, rain or shine. Bring the family and have some fun outdoors celebrating the talent of Virginia as you enjoy live music & entertainment, shop local artisans’ wares, indulge in Virginia Beer Tasting, VIP Wine Tasting, mural painting, giveaways, and more! Celebrate Virginia is offered in partnership with Visit Fairfax and Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).

GENERAL ADMISSION: Shop the Made in Fairfax local Artisan Market, enjoy live music from three Virginia based musicians, sample beer from five state breweries, and take part in painting a community mural with Loudon-based artist Kevin Bednarz. Participants will also get a chance to Spin the Tysons Wheel for limited edition “Virginia is for Shopping Lovers” custom merchandise including t-shirts, picnic blankets, beanie hats and more! The event is open to the public and FREE to attend.

“We are excited to bring the community together at our inaugural Celebrate Virginia event, which highlights everything that makes our home state special,” says Jesse Benites, Director of Property Management. “We will be showcasing small Virginia-based businesses, artists, and talent and are thrilled with the support and collaboration from our public officials and community partners.”

“Virginia’s artisan, craft beer, and wine industries have become important drivers of Virginia’s tourism economy, making the Commonwealth an ideal destination for travelers who are seeking authentic, experiential attractions. This event will provide an excellent locally made experience of everything Virginia has to offer firsthand,” said Andrew Cothern, Director of Communications for VTC.

“Fairfax County is home to so many talented artisans, makers and musicians and Visit Fairfax is thrilled to be a part of celebrating them all, as well as the great Commonwealth of Virginia, at Tysons Corner Center’s exciting new event. We hope residents and visitors alike will come out to see what this amazing destination is all about and even take home a unique piece of Virginia.”  – Barry Biggar, President & CEO of Visit Fairfax.

Saturday, September 16th on The Plaza from 11am-4pm, rain or shine.

U.S. Dream Academy’s POWER OF A DREAM GALA – Celebrating 25 Years of Cultivating Dreams

Monday, October 2

5:30-10:30P p.m.

Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC

Link
The U.S. Dream Academy, a Maryland based, 501(c)3 nonprofit that inspires and invests in the lives of children of incarcerated parents, will host its Annual “Power of A Dream” Gala in honor of the charity’s 25th Anniversary on Monday, October 2nd at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, presented by Amway. In celebrating its 25th year, the U.S. Dream Academy gala is held to benefit our nationally recognized after-school programs for children. The event attracts some of Hollywood’s top celebrities, corporate executives, and VIPs, as well as political and community leaders, who support and invest in the future of those children most at risk. The annual event also honors those who are making a difference in young people’s lives with their philanthropic efforts.

Alumni Keynote Speaker: Withney Simons Entertainment: Jennifer Holliday, GRAMMY and TONY Award winning Broadway Actress, Recording Artist and Gospel Singer

Special Performance: Wintley Phipps, GRAMMY nominated Gospel Singer, and Founder and CEO of U.S. Dream Academy, with the Takoma Academy Chorale

The U.S. Dream Academy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that inspires and invests in the lives of children of incarcerated parents, will host its Annual “Power of A Dream” celebration in honor of the charity’s 25th Anniversary on Monday, October 2nd at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, presented by Amway. The Black Tie Optional Event will commence with a Sponsor Reception at 5:30pm, followed by the Program at 7:00pm, hosted by NBC4 News Anchor Shawn Yancy. Celebration tickets are available for purchase.

Event Details:

In celebrating its 25th year, the U.S. Dream Academy has set a fundraising goal of $1 million for the 450 attending guests and honorees. The event will take place in the Gathering Room on the top floor of the Museum of The Bible, with sweeping views of Washington, DC. Attendees will be treated to a red carpet experience, VIP reception, an impactful Power of A Dream 25th Anniversary program, an After-Glow dessert reception, and entertainment by Grammy and Tony Award winning artist Jennifer Holliday.

“For a quarter of a century, our nonprofit has been the driving force behind positive change, impacting countless lives,” says Dr. Wintley Phipps, U.S. Dream Academy Founder and CEO. “As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we renew our commitment to our mission and look forward to the next 25 years of making a difference in the world.”

EVENING HIGHLIGHTS

Alumni Keynote Speaker: Withney Simons, U.S. Dream Academy Alum, Entrepreneur and Head Image Consultant at Conassauier Paris

Entertainment: Jennifer Holliday, GRAMMY and TONY Award winning Broadway Actress, Recording Artist and Gospel Singer

Special Performances & Appearances: Wintley Phipps, GRAMMY nominated Gospel Singer, and Founder and CEO of U.S. Dream Academy, Award Winning Takoma Academy Chorale

Mentor of The Year Award (sponsored by QTS): DANIEL GUERRERO

After a round of nominations from each of the U.S. Dream Academy Learning Centers across the United States, and a rigorous review by a specially selected group of QTS employees, we are thrilled to announce our mentor of the year from Salt Lake City: Daniel Guerrero.

Daniel has been in the mentorship program since March of 2022. Not only is he a mentor at U.S. Dream Academy, but he is a mentor coach and agent manager at PlusOne Company, a sales center that specializes in direct response. Although he has worked for the company for eight years, Daniel decided to go back to school to finish his associates degree. One of his courses required him to mentor in the community. He researched several other programs, and ultimately, he believed the U.S. Dream Academy mission and vision aligned most strongly with his own.

Growing up, Daniel lived in a single parent household with three other siblings. Looking back at his time in Mexico, Daniel says he “wasn’t on the right path” even at a young age. He believes without a doubt, had he been there longer, the trajectory of his life would have been much different. Looking at the parallels of his life in comparison, Daniel understands the importance of having a program to impact kids in a positive way.

Amway serves as the Presenting Sponsor of the Power of a Dream Gala. Additional sponsors this year include: QTS, Centera Transport, Inc.,Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, David McDonald, Giant Food, Markerman Productions, IBOAI, NFL Foundation, and the Antoine Bethea Family Family Foundation.

Since 2001, the annual Power of a Dream Gala has raised more than $20 million to assist with the provision of high-quality after-school programs specifically tailored for children living in high-risk communities.

Today, there are more than 850 young people (DreamKids) in seven communities (Dream Cities) nationwide who benefit each day from evidence-based comprehensive youth development programming delivered through Dream Academy Learning Centers in: Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, and Washington, DC. During the pandemic, the U.S. Dream Academy developed a safe, secure “Virtual Village” online platform for our young people and mentors to maintain connection; it has now become one of our more popular ways for our mentors to connect with their mentee from anywhere in the world.

DC DreamKids are active in the annual Power of a Dream Gala, and love to engage in community outreach supporting the local shelters for people experiencing homelessness through a partnership with Giant Food.

Congressional Host Committee:

The Honorable John A. Boehner, Former Speaker, United States House of Representatives

Senator Ben Cardin, D-MD

Senator Diane Feinstein, D-CA

Congressman Pete Aguilar, D-CA

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, D-TX

Congressman Kwesi Mfume, D-MD

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC

Congressman Bobby Scott, D-VA

Congressman David Trone, D-MD

Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour

Saturday, October 28
11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tysons Corner Center Plaza

Barbie is living the dream and cruising to Tysons Corner Center! Come check out the new Dreamhouse Living Tour with exclusive merch only available on the Barbie Truck Tour