Memorial Day Weekend: ViVa! Vienna! Kicks Off Summer Season

VIENNA, VA -- Memorial Day weekend is only a week away, and that means one of Vienna's biggest events is coming up. The 32nd annual ViVa! Vienna! will be held May 27-29 on the Town Green, along Church Street NE and up Dominion and Mill Streets NE. Over 30,000 visitors are expected.

The event is held with the historic Church Street Freeman House and the old Vienna Train Station in the backdrop. The event will offer a weekend full of carnival rides, good food, live entertainment and more activities. By the numbers, there will be 30 rides, 38 acts performing and over 300 booths. Admission is free, with ride tickets and wristbands that can be purchased.

Local vendors will serve up carnival favorites like pizza, barbecue, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, funnel cakes, sweet treats and more. Booths include artisans, retail vendors, political parties and candidates, professional groups and community organizations.

“The festival is a great celebration and an extension of the community,” Cristin Etheredge, the festival's publicity chair, said in the town's monthly newsletter. “It’s a reminder that even though the Northern Virginia area is full of 2.8 million people, you can still know your neighbor. I was amazed at how many people I knew and recognized last year."

The Rotary Club organizes the annual ViVa! Vienna! to raise local and global service organizations. “I really am proud to be part of ViVa! because of the money it raises and hearing how, even if it seems small to us, our donation can make a big difference to the organizations we support," said ViVa! Vienna! Chairperson Kathleen Miller.

Food and rides will be available all three days, while vendors will be there Saturday and Sunday. Hours for the event are 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday.

Parking will be available at James Madison High School and the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro Station with handicap-accessible shuttles to the festival. For those driving around town during the weekend, Church Street will be closed to traffic from Lawyers Road to Mill Street on Sunday and Monday.

For more information on the event, visit ViVa! Vienna's website.

Images courtesy of the Town of Vienna