The annual Town of Vienna 4th of July festival takes over Cherry Street, the community center and the ball fields. In the evening, the town presents a fireworks display at Southside Park. Photo by Donna Manz.
If you live in Vienna, you’ll have fun, fun, fun, long after your daddy takes your T-bird away. From concerts on the Town Green to sprinklers on the Town Green, from festivals and fireworks to book sales and live theatre, day camps to teen excursion camps, there’s something for every age, every interest.
The Department of Parks and Recreation even sells theme park tickets to Busch Gardens and King’s Dominion.
Go to www.viennava.gov for details of Town of Vienna community events and activities.
Vienna Rotary’s ViVa! Vienna! kicked off the summer over Memorial Day weekend with its annual three-day festival. There’s still lots of fun things to do once school ends.
Concerts on the Green kick off May 30
The installation of a new roof over the stage delayed the launch of the 2014 Town of Vienna Concerts on the Green. Concerts start at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Concert season kicks off on May 30 with Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band. Fat Chance, a popular Vienna rock group, performs June 1, followed by Vienna Idol finals on June 6.
For the younger kids, there’s Rocknoceros, kiddie-pop favorites, on Wednesday, June 18. Networking for the Arts Foundation presents programming on June 25.
HVI Used Book Sale, June 7 and 8
It has no food for sale, no live entertainment, no amusement rides, yet, it is one of June’s most-anticipated events … it’s the annual Historic Vienna, Inc. mega-used book sale. Thousands and thousands of books from every genre are organized by category in the gym of the Vienna Community Center for two days, June 7 and 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Net proceeds benefit Historic Vienna, Inc. and its yearly programming and special events. For HVI members, there is a preview night on June 6. That in itself is worth joining HVI. For details, go to www.historicviennainc.org.
Town of Vienna Department of Parks and Recreation:
Sports camps for children, preschool to 18 years old begins when Fairfax County schools close for the summer. Camps run weekly and cost varies. Sports camps include specific training, such as lacrosse or tennis, or “all-sports.”
Teen Excursion Camp
From June 23 to Aug. 4, Parks and Rec offers a weekly five-day agenda for kids 11 to 15 years old. Kids try their hands at white-water tubing, ropes, hiking and visit to theme parks. Excursion camp runs 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $250 for residents, $300 for non-residents, for the five-day camp.Call 703-255-6360 for information.
Summer Stories and Sprinklers
Young kids love to run through water sprinklers on the grass. The Town of Vienna needs to water the lawn of the Town Green. Parks and Recreation merged the two and came up with stories and sprinkler time on the Town Green. Under a shade tree at the Little Library, a storyteller reads to the kids at 1 p.m. Then, at 1:30 p.m., the sprinklers are turned on for the kids to run through. Wear a bathing suit and bring a towel. Thursday afternoons, from June 26 to Aug. 7.
July 4th Festival and Fireworks Display
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 4th of July, the Town of Vienna turns its fields, the community center and Cherry Street over to its annual festival honoring Independence Day. There’s inflatables for young kids, carnival food and beer sold throughout the day, live music performed by the rockin’ Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band, crafts, antique and classic car show, arts and crafts for sale, and the swoon-worthy Pooches on Parade (registration for dogs at 10:30 a.m.) Costumed dogs march at 11 a.m. Stuffed dogs permitted.
New this year is the Old Bay Circus Show, a one-ring presentation showcasing aerialists, unicyles, juggling and stunts. The circus performs at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.
But wait! There’s more … Over at Yeonas Park, Fat Chance plays, starting at 7 p.m. The live entertainment is followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. next door at Southside Park. Vienna Little League opens its concession stand for the evening.
Culinaria Cooking School
Whether you’re a grown-up or a kid, there’s a cooking clas at Culinaria Cooking School that is fun and illuminating. However, if you are an elementary school student or a teen, you can have fun for a full week at Culinaria’s summer camps for kids that run throughout the summer. Kids and teens learn knife skills, food safety, and how to prepare different kid-approved dishes every day. Campers get a tee shirt and a certificate upon completion of camp. Many kids do multiple weeks of camp there. Cooking camp at Culinaria is $375/week per camper. Children aged 9-12 are eligible for Kids’ Camp. Teens aged 13-17 are eligible for Teens Camp. Children and teens must be 9 or 13, respectively, by the start of camp in order to attend.
For registration, themes and menus, go to http://www.culinariacookingschool.com/classes/summer-camp-2014/.
Vienna Youth Players
Talented youngsters from the Vienna area audition for the summer production of “Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?”on June 6, 6:30 p.m. or June 8, noon to 3 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center. The musical plays on Aug. 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and on Aug. 10 at 1 p.m. Tickets, priced at $14 per guest, go on sale on July 9 at the front desk of the Vienna Community Center.
Kids Adventure Race
Vienna Parks and Recreation is hosting a kids adventure obstacle race at Southside Park, off Ross Drive, on Saturday, Aug. 16, 10 a.m. to noon. Preregistration required; charge of $7 per child to participate. Kids maneuver over and through obstacles and get a t-shirt for participating. Light refreshments included. To register and pay, sign up at front desk of Community Center or register online. Note activity number 110701-A1.