Northern Virginia: Arts, Culture & Entertainment Winners 2019

_{Illustration by Aldo Crusher}

Best Annual Charity Event

Bodies in Motion 5K/10K & Fun Run

52 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton, BodiesInMotionRace.com, 540-347-9298

Started as a way for Blue Ridge Orthopaedic & Spine Center and Blue Ridge Physical Therapy to give back to their communities, the Bodies in Motion race has raised $215,000 for local nonprofits in Fauquier, Culpeper, Prince William, Rappahannock, and Haymarket in just six years. “We need to do good deeds, and by doing so, we propel others forward to do the same,” says Jeff Hollis, CEO of Blue Ridge Orthopaedic & Spine Center and treasurer of its foundation.

second place: Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale, Leesburg, LadiesBoard.org, 703-771-2985

third place: Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend, Alexandria, CampagnaCenter.org/ScottishWalkWeekend, 703-549-0111

Best Art Event

Art on the Avenue

Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, ArtOnTheAvenue.org, 703-683-2570

Art on the Avenue is an established multicultural art show that hosts hundreds of artists every year. With multiple music stages and tons of food vendors, there is certainly entertainment for everyone. Consider participating in the pie-baking contest, where more than 40 pies are entered each year!

second place: Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, Reston, RestonArts.org, 703-471-9242

third place: One Love: Celebration of Life with the Arts, Manassas, OneLoveManassas.com, 703-361-6599

Best Art Gallery

Torpedo Factory Art Center

105 N. Union St., Alexandria, TorpedoFactory.org, 703-746-4570

Founded in 1974, the Torpedo Factory Art Center is home to 82 artists’ studios working in various media, such as painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, stained glass, fiber, printmaking, and sculpture. Located in an old munitions plant, this riverside Virginia landmark draws around 500,000 visitors annually.

second place: Arts Herndon, ArtSpaceHerndon.org, 703-956-6590

third place: Greater Reston Art Center, RestonArts.org, 703-471-9242

Best Charity

The Foundation of Blue Ridge Orthopaedics

52 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton, BROFoundation.org, 540-347-9220

The Foundation of Blue Ridge Orthopaedics was established in 2012 as Blue Ridge Orthopaedic Foundation and renamed in 2018. The foundation donates thousands of dollars every year to support nonprofits that better the communities served by Blue Ridge Orthopaedic & Spine Center. Over the last seven years, the foundation has raised more than $215,000 for local nonprofits.

second place: Cornerstones, Reston, CornerstonesVa.org, 571-323-9555

third place: The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, LadiesBoard.org, 703-771-2985

Best Family Entertainment

Paint Your Own Pottery

10417 Main St., Fairfax, CreateLikeCrazy.com, 703-218-2881

Known for bringing out the artist in everyone, this old-town Fairfax mainstay has seen three owners over the decades. Founded in 1984, Paint Your Own Pottery is family owned and family run. Parents who came here as children now bring their own children here to paint. In addition to ceramics, the studio offers hand-building and mosaic tile painting.

second place: Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas, HyltonCenter.org, 703-993-8794

third place: Uptown Alley, Manassas, UptownAlleyManassas.com, 571-719-3284

Best Food Festival

Taste of Reston

11900 Market St., Reston, RestonTaste.com, 703-707-9045

One of the largest outdoor food festivals in Virginia, Taste of Reston offers family-friendly activities in its Family Fun Zone, musicians in its Local and Live craft beer lounge, and culinary demonstrations from local chefs in its Wine ‘n Dine area. For 29 years, Taste of Reston has brought friends, businesses, and restaurants together for two days of fun, great food, and amazing live music.

second place: Taste of Arlington, BallstonBid.com, 703-664-1194

third place: Taste of Del Ray, Alexandria, VisitDelRay.com, 703-362-7582

Best Movie Theater

Angelika Film Center at Mosaic

2911 District Ave., Suite 200, Fairfax, AngelikaFilmCenter.com/Mosaic, 571-512-3300

Equipped with eight auditoriums, stadium seating, and 7.1 surround sound, the Angelika Film Center is a company of film lovers dedicated to delivering high-quality film experiences. In addition to traditional movie theater snacks, the center features gourmet menu items, such as the popular kimchi hotdog, all made in house.

second place: Alamo Drafthouse One Loudoun, Ashburn, Drafthouse.com/Ashburn, 571-293-6808

third place: Cinema Arts Theatre, Fairfax, CinemaArtsTheatre.com, 703-978-6991

Best Museum

National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly, AirAndSpace.si.edu, 703-572-4118

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is one museum with two locations. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center accommodates an extensive collection of aviation and space artifacts, including the space shuttle Discovery. The center features a glassed-in mezzanine where visitors can observe projects in the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hanger. Those who wish to experience the thrills of a space launch can “lift off” in one of the interactive flight simulators.

second place: Manassas City Museum, ManassasCity.org, 703-368-1873

third place: Reston Historic Trust Museum, RestonMuseum.org, 703-709-7700

Best Music Venue

The Birchmere

3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Birchmere.com, 703-549-7500

The Birchmere has been an independent business since April 1966, serving as one of the oldest venues in the country that is still operating under the same owner and name as when it was opened. Known for presenting concerts of a wide variety, this beautiful venue offers an intimate and attentive atmosphere where everyone can listen and enjoy the music.

second place: Wolf Trap National Park for thePerforming Arts, Vienna, WolfTrap.org, 703-255-1900

third place: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, LiveNation.com, 703-754-6400

Best Performing Arts Company

Hylton Performing Arts Center

10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, HyltonCenter.org, 703-993-8794

Dedicated to bringing a world-class performing arts venue to the Prince William region, the 85,000-square-foot Hylton Performing Arts Center is home to two unparalleled performance venues for local arts groups and performers from around the world, as well as university-related activities. The only building of its kind in the area, the Hylton Performing Arts Center has quickly become the cultural hub of Prince William County and the surrounding communities and is a shining example of civic collaboration and commitment to the arts.

second place: Signature Theatre, Arlington, SigTheatre.org, 571-527-1860

third place: Manassas Ballet Theatre, ManassasBallet.org, 703-257-1811

Best Special Event Venue

The Winery at Bull Run

15950 Lee Hwy., Centreville, WineryAtBullRun.com, 703-815-2233

Established in 2012, the Winery at Bull Run sits on 225 acres adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park. The first major battle of the Civil War was fought on the property, and the winery has incorporated this history into everything it provides, from the names of the wines to the murals adorning the walls. As the closest winery to Washington, D.C., Bull Run offers a rare escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, where you can relax in the countryside and sip delicious, award-winning Virginia wine.