Virginia’s new governor, Terry McAuliffe, will march in Falls Church’s annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, it was announced yesterday.
Betty Coll, chair of the City’s Democratic Committee, confirmed the report yesterday, saying that McAuliffe will be joined by members of the committee.
McAuliffe was inaugurated in January and Monday’s parade on Park Avenue and festival centered around City Hall will mark his first public appearance in the City of Falls Church as governor. The last time he was here was a year ago, when as a candidate he was the keynote speaker at the local Democratic Committee’s annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the Community Center on May 19, 2013.
The appearance by the energetic, high-profile governor is only one of a long list of significant attractions slated for the day, expected to attract over 10,000 from throughout the region. Attendees will enjoy near perfect weather conditions: partly-cloudy, 82 degrees, zero chance of rain (the forecast at press time).
The day will begin at 9 a.m. with the annual Don Beyer Automotive 3K Fun Run, with the starting line at Great Falls and Little Falls, as per tradition, and all participants to be rewarded with a colorful t-shirt.
At the same time, the sequence of live bands will begin at the event’s main stage in the intersection of Park and Little Falls, directly in front of City Hall, and behind City Hall in Cherry Hill Park, amusements for children, including pony and train rides, a moon bounce and more will also commence.
Booths with the offerings of a wide variety of civic groups, crafters and food providers will jam the City Hall parking lot and Little Falls St. between Park and Great Falls.
At 10 a.m. tours of the 164-year-old Cherry Hill Farmhouse will commence, and the centerpiece of the event, a Veterans Commemorative Ceremony will commence at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial between City Hall and the Community Center.
With over 60 entrants, the parade, kicking off at 2 p.m., culminates the day’s events, led this year by Grand Marshal Sgt. Steve Rau of the Falls Church Police Department and the parade king and queen, Matt Earman and Lilly Constance, both seniors at George Mason High School.
The Falls Church News-Press provides the official program for the day, included in all editions of the paper this week and also available at posts at the festival and along the parade route, including at the News-Press’ own booth, where persons entering the News-Press’ Wacky Hat contest will show up to have their hats judged.
The News-Press booth will also be the drop-off point for donations of non-perishable foods, the kick-off of a five-week annual food drive, co-sponsored by the News-Press and Diener and Associates, CPAs, to benefit the Food for Others program that provides free meals at 14 locations throughout the region every day. The drive will run through July 4 with drop-off locations around the City.
