Community Corner

Falls Church Guide to 'Watch Night' New Year's Eve: Ringing in 2014

Live music, entertainment, activities for all ages on tap.

Are you ready for the 16th annual Watch Night New Year's Eve Celebration taking place Tuesday night in Falls Church?

Get your party hat on, this community event draws thousands and promises plenty of free, family-friendly fun for everyone in and around the crossroads of Broad and Washington streets in the City of Falls Church.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 31 from 7 p.m. to midnight

On tap: Live entertainment, children's activities, arts and crafts, refreshments and food.

Outdoor Food Stations: 
This New Year's Eve celebrants will be greeted by the welcoming fragrance of outdoor cooking — like the hot Kettle Korn being prepared in a huge cauldron near the Watch Night Welcome Tent. 

Other treats as well will be offered at that location. In the Grand FunAlley in a food truck next to the New Year's Eve specialties vendor, Larry Robertson's tent, Mary O'Donnell will be selling Camitas Taquitos with poblano crema, quesadillas (baby spinach, salsa and cheese) and chips with salsa; sharing Bonita Woods' food truck where Bonita offers specialty snacks and gluten-free baked goods. 

Outdoors on the new patio/deck Dogwood Tavern will offer grilled hot dogs, chili, and mulled wine and hot cider near the Grand FunAlley.

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Free freshly popped popcorn will be available outside at Karl's Kafe (drinks and more also available at Karl’s) at the Municipal Park, and at the Village Preservation and Improvement Society venue at the Falls Church Presbyterian Church

Ireland's Four Provinces will offer free hot chocolate and potato soup (owner Colm Dillon recreates his mom’s special recipe). The soup and hot chocolate will be offered outside, to the right of the main entrance in the early evening hours while supplies last. 

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The Local Market will offer hot mulled cider for those who visit.

Nothing like the smell and feel of a warm fire: Sislers Stone is donating and delivering two outdoor brick fireplaces, fire pits and firewood to warm things up.

This year's event will feature a new sound system that will be provided and managed by Jim Hodges, Sky Jewels Events. Additional speakers will enhance the music from the Main Stage, and quieter diesel generators, powered by portable power distribution boxes, aka "Spider Boxes" will be used to power the amusements versus gas generators.

Puppet Shows: No matter what the weather the wonderful indoor venues will be offering a wide variety of entertainment. Puppet shows at Weight Watchers at 101 W. Broad St., will take place from 7:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. 

Moon Bounce, Acoustic Music, Scavenger Hunt: Family Medicine in Falls Church and Falls Church Foot & Ankle Center medical complex (shuttle stop #6) will host a scavenger hunt for children ages 10 and younger. Prizes, hot chocolate and snacks will be provided along with a Tiger Belly Moon Bounce in the back parking lot. Judo Chop will provide acoustic music from a balcony.

Music, Refreshments, Face Painters: The large Cultural Hall of Falls Church Presbyterian Church, 225 E. Broad St., will hold this year’s indoor festivities, beginning at 7 p.m. with Cowboy Hay entertaining everyone with his fun banter and songs, including performing some tunes on his antique instruments. A caricature artist, face painters and balloon artists will be on hand, starting at 7 p.m. Northern Lights, a big band orchestra, will begin performing at 8:30 p.m. Free popcorn, cider and cookies will be available.

Music Performance: The Falls Church Episcopal Church (Shuttle Stop #5) has donated space for the special program by Andrew Acosta and The New Old-Time String Band. This group features fiddle legend Speedy Tolliver, John Kaparakis on guitars and vocals, Bill Taylor on bass, Harold Richmond doing vocals, Rosser Clark on guitar. Andrew’s group will also feature The Stewart Sisters, Sherry and Valeria performing their original compositions and classic folk songs.  Special guest Marcy Cochran on violin will also join the musicians at The Historic Falls Church on South Washington Street, beginning at 8 p.m. Special tours of The Historic Church will be offered from 7 to 8 p.m.

The Unity Club, 116 W. Broad St., has lots of volunteers helping at Watch Night and DJ "Dr. Paul" will spin popular dance tunes and play special requests in the Club’s upstairs “dance hall” beginning at 10 p.m. 

Besides the restaurants that are open for the evening, Clay Cafe Studios, a longtime creative centerpiece in downtown Falls Church on N. Maple Avenue at stop #3, offers free studio time to enjoy making something special and creating a holiday tradition together.

Main Stage acts include two high school bands: Greater Effects will open the evening and Fourth in Line will follow. Members come from George Mason High School and McLean High School.  The very popular Lu and The Blues Crew will return for their third Watch Night appearance, and the closing act will be locally renowned and very popular songwriter, performer Justin Trawick.  Justin hosts the popular PodCast-The Circus Life, Justin Trawick and The Common Good are sponsored by Tori McKinney – Rock Star Realtor.  

Major Sponsors include The City of Falls Church, The Falls Church Economic Development Authority, The Little City C.A.T.C.H. Foundation - City of Arts, Theatre,Culture and History, The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, The Village Preservation and Improvement Society, The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, and The Falls Church News Press and Atlantic Realty. 

Other sponsors are from all parts of the business and professional community and can be seen on the WatchNightFallsChurch.org website. The City Departments of Public Works, The Department of Recreation and Parks, The City Police Department, The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department and the Department of Planning help in the preparation and throughout the event joined by volunteers from the various businesses, community groups, churches, and many citizens who support Watch Night with monetary, in-kind donations and volunteering time to blow up balloons, preparing and serving refreshments, helping at venues, and the Watch Night Information Tent.

For more details on the entertainment times and locations; bandmembers; volunteer opportunities; maps; shuttle bus times and stop locations, visit www.WatchNightFallsChurch.org. or call (703) 248-5077.  

Watch Night is still looking for volunteers and request that those wishing to volunteer email: WatchNightFallsChurch@gmail.com. See the latest posts and even more details on Facebook by checking Watch Night New Year’s Eve Party Falls Church.

Free Parking is available at The Falls Church Presbyterian Church lot on N. Fairfax (Shuttle Stop #7) and E. Broad Street and The Falls Church Episcopal on E. Broad and the third level of Kaiser Permanente (Shuttle Stop #2) on the 100 block of Park Avenue off of North Washington Street and on street parking areas where legal.


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