HEADLINER NAMED FOR COLUMBIA PIKE BLUES FESTIVAL: Critically acclaimed soul artist and New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bette Smith has been announced as the featured attraction at the 2024 Columbia Pike Blues Festival, which will highlight the work of women in blues.
The event will be held Saturday, June 15 from 1 to 8:30 p.m. It is jointly sponsored by the Columbia Pike Partnership and Arlington County government.
“Bring your whole family to this free event covering three blocks at the intersection of South Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike,” organizers said.
The 27th annual festival will feature all-women-fronted bands offering a full array of blues, R&B and funk performers of national and regional note .
For information and updates, see the Website at columbiapike.org.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY HOSTS SPRING BOOK SALE: Friends of the Arlington Library will host its annual spring book/media sale April 18-21 in the garage at Central Library.
Events begin with a members-only sale on Thursday, April 18 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Regular sales take place Friday and Saturday, April 19-20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. All items are half-off on Sunday.
Purchases can be paid for by cash or credit card. For general information, see the Website at https://arlingtonlibraryfriends.org.
Parking in and around Central Library could be challenging during the sale. Those attending should consider using Metro or alternate means of transportation.
Because of the sale, donations of books and other materials will not be accepted at county libraries from April 11-26.
ARTISTS’ COOPERATIVE TO HOST OPEN HOUSE: Columbia Pike Artists Studios will host an open house on Saturday, April 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 21 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Twenty participating artists, working in avariety of media, will be on hand to discuss their processes and answer questions. A group exhibition of member artists will be installed in the gallery and will be open during the event.
Participating artists include Karen Bland, Laura Bollettino, Rhys Conlon, Jaqui Falkenheim, Helen Ginberg, Anne Hancock, Paula Lantz, Sharon Malley, Joanne Mazarella, Susan Mcelhinney, Nan Morrison, Kimberley Murphy-Lyons, Bridget Murphy, Robbie Namy, Morgan Norwood, Marta Sewall, Margaret Stewart, Monica Stroik, Vladimir Zabavskiy and Ghada Zaytoun.
Located on the second floor of 932 South Walter Reed Drive, the cooperative has brought together artists since 1989.
Parking is available in the parking lot at the end of 9th Road South (behind McDonald’s) marked as “No Fringe Parking.” Attendees also can park at the Arlington Career Center.
For information, see the Website at www.columbiapikeartiststudios.org.
GLENCARLYN COMMUNITY GARDEN TO CELEBRATE SPRINGTIME: A spring celebration and plant sale will be held on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, 300 South Kensington St.
Events include tissue-paper crafts (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), an educational tree walk (1 p.m.) and sale of native and locally propagated plants. Members of Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will be on hand to assist in selections.
For information, e-mail glencarlynlibraygarden@gmail.com.
‘EARTH DAY EVERY DAY’ FESTIVAL ON HORIZON: The Langston Boulevard Alliance will present Earth Day Every Day, a community festival, on Sunday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in front of Lee Heights Shops, 4500 Cherry Hill Road.
Events will include musical performances, an art market, information booths and a raffle.
For information and a schedule of events, see the Website at earthdayonlangston.com.
AS SYNETIC HUNTS FOR HOME, TROUPE WILL PERFORM AT OLNEY IN 2025: The future of Synetic Theater remains a work in progress.
“Over the coming months we will have more exciting announcements about our ‘third era’ wherein Synetic will regularly appear in multiple incredible venues while remaining available to our longtime fans, supporters, and students,” the organization’s leadership said in an April 10 statement to supporters.
“We are also in early planning for a ‘headquarters’ that can support our incredible creation process, life-changing educational programs and more,” the note added.
Earlier this year, Synetic presented its last production in leased Crystal City space, and has been on the hunt for a year for a new performance venue.
“There’s a lot to do to achieve our vision, but we’re on our way,” leadership said.
Paata Tsikurishvili and his wife, Irina, founded Synetic in 2001, several years after coming to the U.S. from the country of Georgia. The troupe’s name combines “synthesis” and “kinetic” into “Synetic.”
As the wait for a future home continues, Synetic announced it would be hosted for a summer-of-2025 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Olney Theatre Center in Maryland.
The show was one of Synetic’s most acclaimed when originally produced, winning a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Resident Play.
The Maryland production is slated to run July 17 to Aug. 10, 2025. Tickets will go on sale this summer at www.olneytheatre.org.
For information on future developments with Synetic, see the Website at www.synetictheater.org.
