DETAILS SET FOR 9/11 REMEMBRANCE IN GREAT FALLS: The annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony will be held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial on Monday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m., honoring the six Great Falls residents and others who lost their lives and suffered in the 2001 attacks and their aftermath.
The event will feature patriotic songs, a Boy Scout color guard, a candlelight vigil and a keynote speech by Great Falls native Vitale Christy.
The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. Parking is available in the library parking lot.
The ceremony is open to all. Limited seating and shelter will be provided; attendees are encouraged to bring portable chairs.
In case of rain, the ceremony will move to the nearby Great Falls Grange.
Updates to the schedule will be posted at www.gffreedom.org.
MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 30 YEARS: Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church will host its 30th annual Middle Eastern Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2-3, at the church, 8501 Lewinsville Road in McLean.
The festival will feature authentic Middle Eastern food, pastries, music and dancing, as well as vendors, church tours, and activities for both children and adults.
Events will run Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sept. 3 from 12:30 from 5 p.m.
“Smell the aromas from the outdoor grills, partake of kibbeh, chicken shish kabob, roast lamb, falafel, hummus, stuffed grape leaves and tabouleh, or any number of other delicious menu choices,” organizers said. “Be sure to save room for dessert and coffee. Some of the mouth-watering Arabic pastries include baklawa, maamoul, namoura and ghraybeh. There also is atayef, a pancake-like dessert stuffed with a delicious pistachio mixture and rose-water simple syrup.”
For children, there will be a moon bounce, 18-foot slide, face painting, petting zoo and many games going on throughout the festival day.
A highlight of the event is the Saturday-night “hafli” (“party” in Arabic) that will feature live music and dancing.
“Join us and learn to dance the dabke, a traditional folk line dance,” organizers said.
The festival will be held rain or shine. Admission and parking are free. For information, including how to order in advance, see the Website at www.MiddleEasternFoodFestival.com.
Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church is the local parish of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, Mass. “Melkite”refers to those Catholics whose ancestry is Middle Eastern and who follow the Byzantine tradition in worship, theology and spirituality.
MUSICAL LINEUP SET FOR ‘MPA ARTFEST’: McLean Project for the Arts has released the lineup and programming for MPAartfest 2023, set for Oct. 1 at McLean Central Park.
“Featuring everything from nu jazz/progressive soul to a female blues supergroup and a 15-piece youth swing big band, the MPAartfest Music Stage schedule offers something for every age and musical interest,” organizers said.
Blues Alley Youth Orchestra will kick off the day at 10 a.m., followed by jazz/progressive soul singer Alison Crockett at 11 a.m.
Folk-blues singer-songwriter Bobby Thompson will perform at noon, while at 1 p.m., blues, zydeco, funk, gospel and more are blended and distilled into the unique sounds of Little Red & The Renegades.
The Honey Larks will take the stage at 2 p.m., performing roots music with strong vocal harmonies. Taisha Estrada will close out the music stage at 3 p.m., performing Latin music and jazz.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 1, with McLean Central Park transformed into a lively landscape of mini art galleries showcasing and offering for sale the work of acclaimed artists from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
MPAartfest 2023 is presented by the McLean Project for the Arts, with the help of lead community sponsor, McLean Community Center, and through partnership with Fairfax County Park Authority. Mars is the presenting corporate sponsor.
Admission is free. For information, see the Website at www.mpaart.org.
