Entertainment

Great Falls School of Art Students Exhibit at Artists’ Atelier Gallery

Students of the Great Falls School of Art will showcase their work during the month of January at The Artists’ Atelier Gallery.

Fairfax Symphony Announces String Competition

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) announces dates for the 2013 Dorothy Farnham Feuer Memorial String Competition.

Ireland’s Embassy Hosts Wild West Irish Tours and Dervish’s Cathy Jordan

Kevin Conmy, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Ireland welcomed guests at a reception held on Thursday, Dec. 13 to highlight The Gathering, a community-led initiative that encourages overseas visitors who are Irish-born, Irish-bred or Irish in spirit to join Irish people for family reunions and cultural, sporting and other events during 2013, and which is being promoted by the Springfield-based tour company Wild West Irish Tours.

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Names President/CEO

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) Board of Directors appointed Debra Harrison as its president/CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2013. Her appointment comes following the unanimous recommendation of the search committee chaired by board member John Lockhart following a four-month national search.

Robinson Grad Is in Sully’s Comedy Show

Sully’s Restaurant is the place to be on Friday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m., when Robinson Secondary grad Matt Mero joins headlining comedian Rob Maher in an evening of comedy. Sully’s is at 14511 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway in Chantilly; cover charge is $5.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday celebration to Highlight Community Service

Reston Community Center will hold the 28th Annual Reston Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration on Jan. 19 and 20, 2013. The focus of this year's celebration will be on community service. 2013 Keynote Speaker: Julian Bond, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, RCC Hunters Woods, at 1 p.m.

Celebrating Christmas on 12-12-12

Cooper Middle School Chorus & Orchestra performs in the Great Falls Historical Society event.

The Great Falls Historical Society delighted in the Christmas Carols sung and played by Cooper Middle School students at our Old Fashioned Christmas held at the historic Great Falls Grange on Dec. 12. The energetic and spirited music teachers and talented students filled the hall with warm holiday cheer and good tidings.

Bob Gilbert Exhibits at Great Falls Library

Great Falls artist Bob Gilbert is exhibiting in the Great Falls Library from Jan. 2 to Feb. 1. He will be displaying over 30 original oil paintings of Manhattan. The paintings range in size from 11x16 to 36x72 inches. Most of them will be 24x30 and 24x36. All of them will be for sale at Gilbert’s solo exhibit.

Readers of the Pack

What Fairfax County residents read in 2012.

According to Mary Mulrenen, spokesperson for the Fairfax County Public Library, Fairfax County readers selected many of the same fiction and non-fiction favorites that caught the attention of book-lovers nationwide. Dr. Seuss, science-fiction and, once again, lawyers (John Grisham’s 25th legal thriller) topped the charts.

Cappies Review: ‘Cabaret’ at CVHS

What do Nazis, dancing girls, and sexy gorillas all have in common? They were all a part of Centreville High School's production of "Cabaret."

Artistic Talent on Display

Members of the Art Guild of Clifton, in cooperation with the Clifton Betterment Association, held an art show and sale, Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Clifton Town Meeting Hall.

Paco Peña 'Flamenco Vivo' at GMU

Flamenco guitar legend appears with The Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company.

Named the “Best Flamenco Guitarist” by America’s Guitar magazine for five consecutive years, Paco Peña brings his troupe of flamenco singers, musicians and dancers to George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 at 8 p.m. for a tour through the history of flamenco.

Capturing 50 Years of Christmas History

Springfield resident Al Nielsen has photographed the National Christmas Tree every year since 1963.

In December 1963, Al Nielsen drove his wife and four children to Washington, D.C. to see the National Christmas Tree, a red spruce from West Virginia. That year, the lighting of the tree was delayed due to the mourning period following the assassination of President Kennedy. Being without a tripod, Nielsen placed his camera atop his car and captured the first photo of what would become a long-standing annual tradition. Now 90-years-old, Nielsen recently photographed the 2012 National Christmas Tree, making this the 50th consecutive year that he has captured history in the nation’s capital.

An Alexandria Homecoming at the 9:30 Club

Two bands with T.C. Williams roots to celebrate the world still spinning this weekend.

Two Alexandria-based bands are joining forces for what's bound to be a feel-good show at the 9:30 Club this weekend. Virginia Coalition, a group of guys that have been making the rounds in rock clubs since their high school days at T.C. Williams and better known to their fans as VACO, are hosting Rock-A-Pocalypse on Saturday, Dec. 22.

The Way We Were

A look back at 2012.

Dominated by a hard-fought City Council race and the ongoing battle over the waterfront, Alexandria citizens had no shortage of topics to debate over the last year.

The Connection