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Falls Church and the surrounding region are heading into Memorial Day weekend with a full calendar of ceremonies, festivals, concerts, theater, films and exhibitions. The centerpiece is Falls Church City’s 44th annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival, while Harvey’s Summer Stomp, author talks and even alpaca happy hours add to the week’s lineup.

Falls Church marks Memorial Day

The Memorial Day Parade and Festival returns Monday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of City Hall, 300 Park Ave. The rain-or-shine gathering will combine remembrance with a day of family activities.

The free June and Mike Beyer Foundation 3K Fun Run begins at 9 a.m. at Great Falls and Little Falls streets and finishes at Park Avenue and Little Falls Street. Registration is not required, but bicycles, scooters and rollerblades are prohibited.

At 11 a.m., the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council will host a ceremony honoring fallen military service members at the Veterans Memorial outside the Community Center. Outgoing City Manager Wyatt Shields, who has served for 23 years, will deliver the keynote address.

The parade starts at 2 p.m. along Park Avenue between North West Street and Little Falls Street. The Quantico Marine Corps Band will lead the procession, joined by 2026 grand marshals Nan Hof, Shey Wakeley and Mary Jo West. “Best of” trophies will be presented afterward.

Festival attractions will run throughout the day, including live music, food trucks, pony rides, inflatables and more than 70 booths representing businesses, artisans and civic organizations. Road Street Avenue, a local pop cover band, is scheduled to perform at 9 a.m. and noon.

A new attraction commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary is the VA250 Mobile Museum. Its interactive “Out of Many, One” exhibition will be stationed in front of City Hall. An Inova blood drive will also operate outside the Community Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nearby streets will begin closing at 5 a.m., so visitors should review parking options and closures before arriving.

Summer Stomp supports adults with disabilities

Harvey’s Bar & Restaurant, 513 W. Broad St., will host its Summer Stomp from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21.

Nearly two dozen area organizations and businesses will offer displays, games and information for families. Participants include OSG, Acton Academy, Clay Cafe, Creative Cauldron, Dulin Preschool, Easter Seals Child Development Center, Founders Eye Care, KiPS Family Gymnastics, Kysela Imports, The Learning Quest, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Penzey’s Spices, ProHealth Medical, Scramble, Seven Corners Psychotherapy, Sylvan Learning Center, The Toy Nest and Tutor Smart.

Harvey’s will donate 10% of its proceeds for the entire day to OSG, a local nonprofit that helps adults with developmental disabilities obtain affordable housing, become part of their neighborhoods and live with greater choice and independence.

Owner Thomas Harvey said the event pairs the restaurant’s emphasis on food and community with an opportunity to connect Falls Church families and local businesses. OSG Executive Director Margot Greenlee said that community support advances the organization’s work on behalf of adults with developmental disabilities.

Music from Latin rock to Bach

The State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., will present two Latin-rock tribute acts Friday, May 22. Misil Stereo will perform the music of Argentine band Soda Stereo and Gustavo Cerati, while Zip Code will salute Hombres G and Enanitos Verdes. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8:30 p.m. Advance tickets cost $25 and day-of-show tickets are $30. Guests younger than 18 must attend with a parent or guardian.

DL FunkBand brings a blend of funk, R&B, go-go, hip-hop and rock to Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N. Washington St., at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23.

At Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, the Virginia Chamber Orchestra Brass Quintet will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24. Gil Hoffer and Philippe Brunet will play trumpet, with Amy Horn on French horn, Jeffrey Knutson on trombone and Jan Duga on tuba. The program ranges from “God Bless America” and the “Beer Barrel Polka” to music by Duke Ellington and international selections.

The concert is included with garden admission, which ranges from $5 to $9. Guests may bring blankets or chairs, but tents and outside food other than water are prohibited. The Korean Bell Garden is about an eight-minute walk from the Visitor Center, and weather may delay or cancel the performance.

Other musical options include The Reflex’s free 1980s tribute show at Old Town Square in Fairfax from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 22, and vocalist Clara Campbell’s free Take 5 jazz performance at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Kogod Courtyard from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21.

Orchestra Noir arrives at Washington’s Warner Theatre on Saturday, May 23, with its Culture 2000 Tour, which recasts early-2000s hip-hop and R&B through an orchestral sound. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. performance.

On Wednesday, May 27, pianist Simone Dinnerstein, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, oboist Katherine Needleman and Baroklyn will perform chamber music by J.S. Bach at the Library of Congress. The free, ticketed concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. A 6:30 p.m. preconcert discussion will examine the Library’s century-long history as a concert presenter.

Comedy and dance in Tysons and Glen Echo

An Asian Comedy Showcase comes to The Vault at Capital One Hall in Tysons on Friday, May 22, as part of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Nationally touring comedian Andre Kim headlines a lineup featuring Justin Um, Shelley Kim and Joe Richard Saunders. Their credits include Netflix, NBC, CBS, PBS, the DC Improv and performances alongside nationally known comedians.

Glen Echo’s Spanish Ballroom will host a social Viennese waltz workshop from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 23. Todd and Migle of DanceSport Endurance will teach the lesson and oversee assisted dancing. General admission is $20, with a $10 rate for full-time students.

Outdoor movies return

Sunset Cinema at The Wharf begins its Wednesday-night season May 27 with “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Movies start at 7:30 p.m. at Transit Pier, 970 Wharf St. SW.

The season continues with “Shrek 2” on June 3, “Hairspray” on June 10, “Sinners” on June 17, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” on July 1 and “Hamilton” on July 8. Later selections include “A League of Their Own,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Apollo 13,” “Roman Holiday,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “F1” and “Project Hail Mary.” A Sept. 2 double feature pairs “When Harry Met Sally” with “First Wives Club.”

A limited number of Adirondack chairs will be available at 7 p.m., and viewers may bring blankets or folding chairs. Leashed dogs are welcome. Food from Wharf restaurants is permitted, but outside beverages are not.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens will screen Jeremy Workman’s 2024 documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” on Wednesday, May 27. The film recounts how eight Rhode Islanders secretly created and occupied an apartment inside a busy mall for four years beginning in 2003. Visitors may explore Hillwood from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the screening from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $12 for members and $7 for students.

The National Gallery of Art will show the restored gospel documentary “Say Amen, Somebody” from 2 to 3:45 p.m. Saturday, May 23. The 1982 film features Thomas A. Dorsey, Willie Mae Ford Smith, the Barrett Sisters and the O’Neal Twins.

A busy theater calendar

Creative Cauldron’s “Little Women: The Musical” continues through June 7 at 127 E. Broad St. The adaptation follows Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up during the Civil War era. Laura Connors Hull directs, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and a book by Allen Knee. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets range from $25 to $50.

Wendell Pierce stars as Othello in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s extended production of “Othello,” running through June 28 at Harman Hall. Simon Godwin directs the tragedy, with Ben Turner as Iago. The production lasts approximately three hours, including intermission.

Signature Theatre’s “Pippin” continues through July 26 in Arlington. Matthew Gardiner directs Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson’s musical about Charlemagne’s restless heir and his search for an extraordinary life. The approximately two-hour, 15-minute production contains mature themes, sexual content, strong language, drug use, violence, war, death and discussion of suicide.

“The Drowsy Chaperone,” a five-time Tony Award winner that affectionately parodies Golden Age musicals, runs through June 6 at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Reserved seats cost $36.

Constellation Theatre Company presents Liz Duffy Adams’ “OR,” through June 7 on 14th Street NW. The 90-minute farce follows playwright and spy Aphra Behn through a chaotic night of writing, espionage and romance in 1660s England. The production is recommended for ages 13 and older.

The national tour of “The Great Gatsby” closes Sunday, May 24, at Washington’s National Theatre. The Tony Award-winning musical adapts F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story of wealth, longing and tragedy, with direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Dominique Kelley.

Arena Stage’s “The Motion,” written by Christopher Chen and directed by Hana S. Sharif, runs through June 14. The play follows four scholars whose intellectual debate gives way to an exploration of memory, identity, morality and belief. The production runs about one hour and 45 minutes without an intermission.

“I & You: The Musical” concludes May 24 at Olney Theatre Center. The adaptation centers on two students brought together by an assignment about Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” J. Antonio Rodriguez and Alex De Bard star, with music and lyrics by Ari Afsar.

GALA Hispanic Theatre’s “Aguardiente: Where Magic Transcends Borders” also closes May 24. The musical follows two New York writers from Colombia and Puerto Rico as they reconnect with Caribbean heritage through cumbia, bomba, currulao and magical realism.

NextStop Theatre Company opens “Once” in Herndon on May 21 for a run through June 21. The musical follows an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant whose shared love of music creates an intense friendship and collaboration over one week in Dublin.

Exhibitions span the region

Falls Church Arts is showing “250 and Counting,” an exhibition of 66 multimedia works reflecting on American life since the Declaration of Independence. At Rare Bird Coffee Roasters, Loida Velilla’s free “Slices of Life” exhibition continues through Aug. 2, featuring colorful abstract and impressionistic work.

The National Gallery of Art will offer a 90-minute “Finding Awe” session centered on Chakaia Booker’s monumental rubber sculptures beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23. On Sunday, May 24, Aden Kumler delivers the final A.W. Mellon Lecture in the Fine Arts, examining suffering, patience and transformation in medieval Christian art.

“Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting” remains on view at the National Museum of the American Indian. More than 50 works by over 40 artists trace the expansion of Native painting after World War I and the efforts of Native artists to define their own field.

George Mason University presents Kevin Jones’ “Reflections in Black and White” through June 20. His large-scale drawings reinterpret classical masterworks through science fiction, comics, anime and Afro-Futurism while confronting Black erasure.

“Within Reach: Artists & the Built Environment” closes May 24 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington. Works by Gerardo Camargo, Megan Mueller and Nicholas Wisniewski explore construction, housing, urban infrastructure and the emotional and financial meanings attached to built spaces.

At the Kreeger Museum, D.C. artist Imar Lyman’s “Echo/Location: Exploring the Extra-Sensory” continues through July 11. The exhibition combines collage, painting, sculpture and printmaking in conversation with work by Sam Gilliam and Frank Stella.

The National Museum of African Art presents “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art” through Aug. 23. Nearly 60 works foreground LGBTQ+ artists from Africa and its global diaspora and address identity, history, family, spirituality, belonging and joy.

An exhibition marking 100 years since Mary Cassatt’s death is open through Aug. 30 at the National Gallery. About 40 paintings, drawings and prints examine the artist’s independent life and modern approach.

The Rubell Museum’s “Material Witness,” running through fall 2026, brings together 30 artists using unconventional substances ranging from squid ink and Coca-Cola to ostrich eggs, lipstick, metal and animal hides. The museum is also presenting four monumental quilts in “Basil Kincaid: Spirit in the Gift.”

“Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms,” at the National Museum of Asian Art through July 26, gathers 48 paintings made for Hindu rulers between the 1620s and 1830s.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s free “Nick Cave: Mammoth” continues through Jan. 3, 2027. The immersive installation uses crafted mammoth remains, video and transformed objects to explore family history, landscape, loss and imagination.

Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art in Reston pairs recent work by Janet Loren Hill and Andrew Casto through July 25. Hill’s shaped paintings examine labor and coercion, while Casto’s ceramic and mixed-media vessels connect geological change with disruptions in daily life.

“Miró and the United States,” at the Phillips Collection through July 5, includes 75 works by more than 30 artists. The exhibition considers Joan Miró’s exchanges with Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler and other American artists.

The National Portrait Gallery is displaying work by 19 finalists in its 2025 Teen Portrait Competition through Aug. 30. Winners Matilda Myers and Kate Stermer were selected from more than 1,100 submissions representing 48 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and Washington.

At the National Museum of Asian Art, “Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean” reunites the surviving pieces of a nearly 20-foot Cambodian bronze sculpture for the first time in centuries. The exhibition runs through Sept. 7.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts presents approximately 80 works by nearly 70 artists in “Making Their Mark” through July 26. The exhibition challenges conventional divisions between art and craft and explores abstraction, identity, power and material experimentation.

McLean Project for the Arts is showing “Yasmine C. Iskander: Life Through the Power of Color” through June 7. Iskander, who lived from 1998 to 2024, used vivid abstract painting to express joy, medical hardship and her experience as a Deaf artist.

“Best Laid Plans,” at the Archives of American Art’s Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery through Oct. 18, examines artworks, publications and exhibitions that were proposed but never completed.

Trivia, volleyball and alpacas

Commons Park at West Falls is hosting free trivia from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday through June 11. Outdoor Barre3 classes are scheduled for 9 a.m. every second Saturday, with admission priced at $10.

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack also hosts a weekly Thursday pub quiz from 7 to 9 p.m. Club Volo’s Friday beach-volleyball league continues in National Landing through June 5, with games scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m.

Mini alpacas return to Peruvian Brothers, 1450 South Eads St., for happy hours from 5 to 7 p.m. May 21 and May 28. Food and drink specials will be available during the visits.

Geraldine Brooks and Walter Isaacson visit Washington area

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Geraldine Brooks will appear at the Library of Congress from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28. Brooks, the 2025 recipient of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, will speak with critic Ron Charles about her novels and her memoir, “Memorial Days,” which recounts her grief after the sudden death of her husband. A book signing will follow the free, ticketed event.

Historian Walter Isaacson will discuss his new book, “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written,” at Mount Vernon from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 27. The book examines the history and continued significance of a celebrated sentence in American history.

In-person admission costs $72 for the public and $62 for members and includes a copy of the book, followed by a signing and reception. Virtual tickets are $20 for the public and $15 for members.