What defines Arlington? Perhaps it's the collection of small, distinct neighborhoods; each of which have their own flair, personality and history.
This weekend, the county is putting them on display for its annual Neighborhood Day festival on Saturday, May 12.
Neighborhood Day, currently in its 11th year in Arlington, is a chance for individual sections of the county to gather and celebrate their heritage and culture. The festival is also an opportunity for Arlington to come together for a parade that is always the highlight of Neighborhood Day.
The event was designed to be all-inclusive and has solidified itself as a rite of spring over the past decade.
"This is a great family event," Serena Ingre-Martinez, an Arlington County spokesperson, said. "It’s a community tradition."
NEIGHBORHOOD DAY was first conceived in 1997 by then-County Board Member Ellen Bozman as a way to recognize Arlington’s strong regional identities.
Distinct neighborhoods have always been an important part of the county dating back to its origins as a rural community in the late 19th century.
According to the Arlington County Web site, it wasn’t uncommon back then for each individual neighborhood to have its own school, its own library and its own post office.
Even though the county rapidly became more urban as the 20th century wore on, Arlington resisted homogenization by placing a strong emphasis on civic activism at the most local level.
Currently dozens of civic associations representing numerous neighborhoods, from Alcova to Yorktown, exist and most if not all have plans for Neighborhood Day.
THIS YEAR’S THEME for Neighborhood Day is "Neighborhoods Green & Fit." The county is encouraging the neighborhoods to hold events that highlight being physically and environmentally healthy.
Many areas, including the Penrose Neighborhood, the Arlington Heights Neighborhood, and the Douglas Park Neighborhood, are holding tree giveaways to encourage greenery and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Other areas are holding fitness-themed events. Tuckahoe Elementary School is hosting a Family Fitness Day while Patrick Henry Elementary School will be the site of a 5K run.
The Nauck neighborhood, located in south Arlington between Walter Reed Drive and Kenmore Street is a historic African-American district, home to many of the first black-owned businesses in the county.
It will be hosting a "Tribute to Moms." Arlingtonians are encouraged to tie green ribbons on a Mother’s Day Tribute Tree and to write stories about their respective mothers. A drawing will be held and an honorary "Prize Pack" will be given away.
The climax of Neighborhood Day is the annual Neighborhood Day Parade. This year’s parade will feature 76 different participants, including Bolivian folkloric dancers in full regalia.