At its July meeting this week, the City of Falls Church’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) was upbeat in its evaluation of the recent “Little City Sips” sip-and-stroll pilot event that drew over 4,300 citizens to a two-and-a-half hour event in the City’s downtown last month.
“It was the perfect amount of people and had a very positive outcome,” said EDA Chair Ross Litkenhous. At its peak around 8 p.m. on June 13, the event attracted 2,800 people into the narrow area of downtown bounded by N. Washington, W. Broad, Maple Street, and Park Avenue. In that area, participants could carry their beverages outside and walk from participating business to business.
Its resounding success led to a focus on planning the next one and perhaps expanding the boundary, as well.
The pilot allowed adults 21 and older to purchase alcoholic beverages and enjoy them on the go within the designated event boundaries along W. Broad Street and Park Avenue. Participants purchased drinks from local restaurants and walked the downtown area while carrying their beverages in official, branded Little City Sips cups.
The pilot included nine participating restaurants and venues, with neighborhood staples like Ireland’s Four Provinces, Pho 88, and the new Stratford Garden serving up libations. The event was a massive draw not only for the food but for the community vibe, featuring six live bands and entertainment spread throughout the downtown gathering spaces.
To navigate the event, participants used a color-coded window cling system to understand which establishments were involved. A green “Sold Here” sign indicated the business was actively serving the branded alcoholic beverages, while a blue “Welcome” sign indicated the establishment allowed guests to carry their drinks inside while browsing or taking a break from the crowds. Many local spots saw this as a massive win for foot traffic and local business exposure. For instance, Audacious Aleworks on West Broad Street encouraged attendees to take a break from the sidewalk strolls and step inside to sit down, enjoy a pint, and watch sports.
The pilot represented a shift in how Falls Church handles public open containers, designed to boost the local economy, increase pedestrian walkability, and create a vibrant, communal nightlife atmosphere. By allowing patrons to seamlessly move between shops, streets, and community hubs with a drink in hand, the event mimicked successful “social district” concepts seen in other metropolitan areas. Because it was a pilot, the city is measuring the success of the evening by evaluating crowds, safety, and participant feedback to determine if the Little City Sips concept will become a recurring, seasonal fixture.
In this context, the evaluation has been overwhelmingly favorable, and will lead not only to more events like it, but to other more visible downtown Falls Church celebrations, it was noted at this week’s meeting.
Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi was present and chipped in enthusiastically about the pilot event and prospects for more.
There was concern by some that the event not get too big too fast, risking becoming unruly and thereby undermining its charm.
Attendance at the June 13 pilot was evaluated, and it was determined that meals were up about 20 percent in the participating restaurants and beer sales were up 12 percent.
The enthusiasm expressed at this week’s meeting will spill over into other events already set for the Little City in the coming months, including the rescheduled Civic Jam moved from July 3 to July 24 because of the weather last weekend, the summer Restaurant Week now set to run from Aug. 21 to Aug. 30, Halloween weekend in late October, the Holiday Market set for the end of November, and Watch Night, which regained City funding to expand on W. Broad on New Year’s Eve.
This week’s EDA meeting was attended by two of its new student representatives, Liliane Bonnefant and Margot Pennypacker.