Looking for summer fun and interesting things to do in and around Arlington? Roundups of free outdoor concerts and workouts, rooftop bars and pick-your-own farms can mean only one thing: June is officially here. The season brings oodles of Pride happenings and Juneteenth commemorations, plus visual and theater arts and adult book fairs.
Rescue Brew Photo Contest
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington and The Board Room Game Bar & Brewery have joined for an important paws—er, cause. Enter your pet for a chance to be the face of the brewery’s special summer limited-edition release and help AWLA raise $50,000 at the same time. Each entry costs $25, and birds, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits and reptiles are all eligible. (Sorry, no farm animals or exotic pets.) Anyone can vote starting June 1 at 8 a.m., and the polls close June 30 at noon.
Artist-Led Workshop: Sculpting Concrete and the Art Deco Legacy
Try your hand (pun intended) at sculpting by learning fun ways to manipulate concrete as a material, from body casting and rubber molds, to free hand sculpting. During this free workshop, June 2, 6-8 p.m., at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington’s Innovation Studio + Store, use various concrete mixes and additives to tease out organic and geometric forms popular in art deco concrete sculpture. 525 14th St., Arlington (National Landing)
The Piano Lesson
Tysons’ 1st Stage brings this Pulitzer Prize-winning play to life June 5-22. It tells the story of siblings in 1930s Pittsburgh who navigate their past and plan for their future with an heirloom piano at the center of it all. Tickets cost $15-$55. 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons
Cherrydale Neighborhood Yard Sale
Find your next treasure at this annual sale on June 7, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. More than 50 houses are signed up to sell items such as antiques, decor, and children’s and baby clothes, toys and furniture. 4012 17th St., N., Arlington (Cherrydale)
Paws on PenFed Plaza
Pack up your pet and head to Tysons Corner Center’s PenFed Plaza for some furball-friendly fun on June 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Pups can cool their heels at the splash pads in the dog park, paddle in a puppy pool and stop by the PenFed Credit Union ATM (automated treat machine). More than 20 vendors, including Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, Homeward Trails, Pet Wants Falls Church and the Woofbowl food truck for dogs, will be on hand. 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons
The Snow Queen
As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, the Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet will present this adaptation of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. Follow Gerda as she works to rescue her bestie, Kai, after the Snow Queen captures him. Tickets to the show—June 7 at 7:30 p.m. and June 8 at 2 p.m.—are $35 each. Meridian High School, 121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church
Taco Rock Comedy Tour
Like tacos? Like laughing? Head to Taco Rock in Rosslyn for a free show with your dinner June 7, 8 p.m. The stand-up comics will do bits best suited for adults 18 and up, but minors may attend with a parent. RSVP is a must for entry. 1501 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Rosslyn)
An Evening of Wine & Literacy
Read Early and Daily, which provides new, free, quality, culturally relevant books to babies and young children who need them the most is hosting a grown-up book fair at Whino on June 10, 5-8 p.m. Besides buying your next beach read, you can also pick up book-adjacent goodies such as bookmarks and candles. Tickets are $30 each and include a drink. 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, (Ballston)
Rosslyn LIVE: Mentalist
We see a fun show in your future. Kourosh Taie will take to the stage at Gateway Park to bring together comedy and illusion for a 90-minute performance. Tickets to the June 10, 6-8 p.m., show are $10.
Drawn to Travel
Join artist Marni Maree on June 11, 6-9 p.m., for the opening reception of her exhibit. It includes 58 of her favorite travel journal pages from 45 years of globe-trotting. Want to add your own work? Put it on the interactive wall. The exhibit will be on view through Aug. 3, with a second reception July 12, 6-9 p.m. Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton
Columbia Pike Blues Festival
This 30th annual event along Arlington’s most diverse corridor returns June 14 with live blues, soul, funk and R&B music, plus family-friendly activities, food, drink and local vendor booths. Catch a free performance by Rick Franklin, Little Red & The Renegades, and Anthony “Swampdog” Clark. This year’s headliner capping off the day’s events is D.C.’s own Everyday Everybody, a band blending funk, soul, jazz, and afrobeats. // South Walter Reed Drive from Columbia Pike to Ninth Street, S.
250th Celebration of Washington Taking Command
As we approach America’s 250th birthday, George Washington’s old stomping grounds are getting the party started. Head to Mount Vernon on June 14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. to enjoy patriotic music, a boat parade along the Potomac River and a presentation with Washington’s horses. All of that is included with regular admission, which is $28 for adults and $15 for kids ages 6-11. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon
3coFest
Three Collective, a flexidential community developed from former office buildings, is hosting a free event that includes pet portraits and a maker’s market. Head out June 14, noon-3 p.m., to check out Woofbowl, which sells dog treats and DIY snuggle mats. The company is partnering with Operation Paws for Homes to showcase adoptable dogs and lead a donation drive. Bring Fifi and Fido and pose for professional pics by Happy Paws Photography. Maker’s market artisans include Saphrina Splendors, Baltic Pine Studio beeswax candles, Papazian Design jewelry, Crescent Clay, Sophie Blake jewelry, Penaura Plush Toys and Black Roots, which makes African-print accessories. 5205 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church
Jason Robert Brown & Friends
The three-time Tony Award-winning composer will perform June 14, 7 p.m., at The Alden in McLean. Known for Parade, The Bridges of Madison County, The Last Five Years and Honeymoon in Vegas, he’ll share anecdotes and be joined on stage by his longtime trio and friends. Tickets are $35-$50. 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean
Summer Boozy Book Fair
Shop for books with a twist—and we aren’t just talking plots. This One More Page Books event isn’t your kindergartner’s book fair. Rather than squeeze through school library stacks, sip locally brewed beer at Audacious Aleworks while you find a new-to-you author and munch on light bites from Preservation Biscuit on June 18, 5:30-8 p.m. 110 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church
2nd Annual Juneteenth Community Day
The 21-year-old organization will host “a family-friendly celebration of African American culture, heritage, and the historic emancipation of enslaved Africans” through live music, cultural performances, food and activities for all ages. In partnership with the Arlington Coalition of Black Clergy, Arlington Historical Society, Black Heritage Museum of Arlington and NAACP Arlington Branch, the free event will take place June 19, 4-7 p.m. 1330 S. Fair St., Arlington (National Landing)
Juneteenth Celebration at the Tinner Hill Historic Site
With a theme of freedom, community and unity, this June 19, noon, event will include a performance of the Cole-Harris Journey, a historical musical by the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center’s Linda Harris and David Cole. 106 Tinner Hill Road, Falls Church
Concerts in the Park Series
The Falls Church Concert Band will perform Lift Every Voice and Sing at a June 19, 7 p.m., show that’s part of The Little City’s annual summer concert series. (Find more outdoor concerts here.) Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave., Falls Church
Philippine Independence Day Festival
Mosaic District will host its second annual Philippine Independence Day Festival on June 21 and 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (The Philippines declared independence from Spain on June 12.) The free festival will include speeches by representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, two entertainment stages, food vendors selling Filipino street food, arts and crafts, and karaoke. 2910 District Ave., Fairfax (Mosaic District)
Sunrise of Arlington’s 40th Birthday
The senior living center is celebrating 40 years of care on June 21, noon-3 p.m., with a family-friendly block party. Free and open to the public, the event will have a DJ, bounce house, dunk tank, petting zoo, yard games and barbecue. Come by between 1 and 2 to catch an Arlington Fire Department fire truck. 2000 N. Glebe Road, Arlington (Glebewood)
Copa Tysons
Love soccer? Kick off summer with this Tysons Community Alliance event with the goal of having fun June 21, 1-7 p.m. Highlights include playing in the inaugural COPA Tysons Soccer Fest 4-v-4 small-sided co-ed tournament. It’s open to male and female players ages 18 and up at a cost of $200 per team. Also find soccer stations with instructors, photo ops with the Washington Spirit mascot and a DJ. Ken Lawrence Park, 8008 Jones Branch Drive, Tysons
Yacht Party at The Village at Shirlington
Break out your boating finest—those would be linens, florals, boat shoes—and listen to music by Yot Rox, a yacht rock band. Village retailers and restaurants will have exclusive specials during the event, which happens June 21, 5-7 p.m. 2700 S. Quincy St., Arlington (Shirlington)
Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle
Get fired up for the 33rd annual battle on June 21, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and June 22, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Be one of about 100,000 people to try delicious smoked meats, catch live performances by go-go dancers, learn about the food and beverage industry from a panel of chefs including Colada Shop’s Daniella Senior, and play boardwalk games such as Skee-Ball. Tickets start at $20. Pennsylvania Avenue, between Third and Seventh streets N.W., Washington, D.C.
Pilates in the Park at Westpost
An instructor from Club Pilates will lead a free outdoor mat class at West Point Plaza on June 27, 5 p.m. All levels are welcome. Bring a water bottle and mat. Book your spot through the app, or call/email us to sign up. Bring a mat, a water bottle, and a friend! 1201 S. Joyce St., Arlington (National Landing)
Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience
This traveling exhibit is in D.C. through Jan. 4, 2026, inviting visitors to move through fantastical, interactive landscapes ripe for your next Instagram reel. Wander through a bubble bath ball pit, an undersea LED room and an ocean of pink balloons. “Bubble Planet’s colors, lasers, moving lights and bubbles of all kinds seamlessly integrate with 360-degree projection technology and a soaring virtual reality interactive,” according to a press release. Ticket prices vary by day. The Rhode Island Center, 524 Rhode Island Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C.