I can’t believe that it’s time for Art on the Avenue already! Every year Mount Vernon Avenue closes down to traffic and is filled with amazing artists, good venders and performers during this wonderful celebration on the arts. This is a great festival for the kids not only because it’s right here in Del Ray but also because there is lots of fun geared towards the kids. There is a Children’s Stage filled with fun entertainment that the kids will love. On the line up are magic shows, puppet shows, martial art demonstrations and dance performances. The Kids Stage is located on the east side of Mt. Vernon Avenue between Del Ray and Custis Avenues.

Local artists and non-profit groups provide the following fun activities at the Kids Art Korner located on the field at Mt. Vernon Community School right next to the Food Court:

Bag Decorating
Tambourines
Make a Boat
Sock puppets
Cut out/pop up cards
Creating Flower Pots & Planting
Face Painting
Bubble Art
Balloons
Tissue Paper Flower/ Animals
Tiny Titans Mural
Reusable Items for Open-Ended Creativity
Scarecrows
Pumpkin Decorating

In addition to the activities at the Kids Art Korner there will also be Spin Art in front of Forum One Communications at 2200 Mt. Vernon Ave. and Sand Painting in the parking lot by the Del Ray Artisans Gallery.

Don’t miss Mount Vernon Community School’s booth set up on the avenue in front of the school entrance on Mount Vernon Ave. that will feature artwork by students and will proudly be showcasing young artists in action from MVCS. Stop by and learn more about the school and support our student artists!

Local business Purple Goose will have pumpkin painting and their in-house monogram shop is having a special during the festival of 20% off a monogram or any custom tees or outfits. Bellies and Babies will also have a booth set up featuring artists that make the fabulous creations that you can purchase in their store during the year.

This weekend you don’t want to miss an exciting new children’s festival that is part of the fall Kaleidoscope arts celebration throughout the City called Kaleidoscope for Kids Arts Festival. The children’s festival will be this weekend, Sept.29 & 30th at the Durant Center for the Arts, Alexandria’s multicultural center for the performing and visual arts located in Old Town at 1605 Cameron Street.

The inaugural event is geared specifically for children of all ages and their families complete with an amazing line-up of nationally and critically acclaimed artists and performers and plenty of hands-on activities. Acclaimed artists and performance groups that are participating in the festival include urban dance company Urban Artistry, Arlington based Synetic Theatre, national Latino performing arts center the GALA Hispanic Theatre, and national renowned children’s songwriting program Kid Pan Alley. The festival will offer plenty to see, hear, and do for children and families from a kaleidoscope making workshop, an origami workshop, a puppet parade, art car painting, to a bookmaking workshop with Family Legends, strolling artist and Bolivian dancers. Festival goers can enjoy lunch or grab a snack from local area food trucks in the picnic area or walk to nearby King Street restaurants.

Events begin at 10 a.m. each day.  Tickets are $30 for a day unlimited events pass; $10 for single performance. Children must be ticketed–accompanying adults are free. For more information about the event or artists visit the website at http://www.artskaleidoscope.org/kaleidoscopeforkids.html

Kaleidoscope for Kids is an event part of the bigger Fall arts celebration called Kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscope, now in its second season, is an initiative designed to focus interest on the thriving visual and performing arts in and around the City of Alexandria. A collaboration of the Alexandria Arts Forum and Access through the Arts, that focuses on visual and performing arts in Alexandria from Labor Day to Halloween. Visitors can enjoy theater, music and dance performances as well as art exhibitions throughout the city.

This is going to be such a fun weekend with the beautiful weather and another fun festival.

Please join us for a celebration of diversity with your family and friends this Saturday, September 15, 2012, 11-5, at Four Mile Run Center, located at 4109 Mt. Vernon Avenue.

We’re celebrating Alexandria’s diversity and multicultural flavor with live music, food vendors, kid’s games and cultural activities. There’s lots of fun to be had!!

Visit the Facebook Page to get more information and a full line up of performers.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Alexandria mom, Kristin Brennan Matheis, who owns Preschool Palettes. I must say, I really loved what she does!

My oldest is now seven and my youngest is five. Every year I struggle with what to do with all of the adorable art work that they bring home. Here’s where Kristin’s business steps in. You collect that work, select the items that you deem to be sentimental or artistically worthy and then you bring it all to Kristin. The next step…she hands you back an excellent, perfect-bound book capturing your child’s year in art! That’s it. It’s really that simple.

Kristin can put a picture of your kid in the front of the album with an age, school name or date. If you’re really ambitious you can include a caption for each image, but it really can be as simple as turning over the artwork and waiting patiently for the outcome!

Kristin uses a combination of scanning and photographing to capture the art work in the best quality possible. She offers different book size options from small books (that would make perfect grandma brag books) to large scale portfolio size (coffee table book anyone?). Kristin says her own two kids love to flip through their books sitting in their home!

You can opt to go with a full color cover, a book jacket or classic linen cover.

Kristin accepts orders by private appointment and during previously scheduled public events (listed on her website). She can also be reach on her website or through her facebook page. She sets up many of her appointments at spaces like St. Elmos Coffee Shop and is available for booking at home parties.

Enjoy a family friendly day of free fun this coming Saturday in Old Town. The 2012 Irish Festival will take place on August 11, at Waterfront Park, on the Potomac River between King and Prince Streets. The festival will run from 11:00am to 7:00pm, and will be a rain or shine event.

Festival proceeds help cover the cost of staging the annual Alexandria Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Come down to the festival with your family and friends and support the parade by enjoying a frosty beverage.

Come out for a day of fun and music, featuring Pat Garvey, Brook Yoder, Pat Carroll, the City of Alexandria Pipes & Drums, the Washington Scottish Pipes & Drums, and the Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums. There will also be performances by the Boyle School of Irish Dance, the Culkin School of Irish Dance, the O’Neill-James School of Irish Dance, and the Celtic Rhythm School of Irish Dance.

Great vendors will have a variety of Irish items for purchase including arts & crafts, and traditional festival foods.

Festival organizers suggest using Metro (King Street Station) and the King Street Trolley to access the festival. Lawn chairs are welcome. Coolers are prohibited at the festival.