๐Ÿบ Pints, Pork Belly & Patios โ˜€๏ธ

Plus: ๐Ÿ“š๏ธ Spring Into a Good Book

Happy Monday!
Let's pop into the good stuff.

โ˜•๏ธ Rise and shine, Arlingtonians!

๐Ÿ‘€ In todayโ€™s bubble:

  • Street Food, On Tap: ARLโ€™s New Beer Garden

  • Fresh Picks, Live Tunes: Ballston Market Returns

  • Mic Check, Plans Set: ARLโ€™s Week Ahead

Your Arlington cheat sheet starts now โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“ฐ News Bites 
Quick local updates

๐Ÿ“April County Board Meetings move to Central Library due to a burst pipe. Key topics: Hotel Pentagon redevelopment and the FY26 budget vote.

๐Ÿ“‹ APS audit reveals major HR gaps. Only 25% of HR staff feel properly trained. School leaders promise corrective action, culture change, and oversight after survey reveals widespread employee dissatisfaction.

๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Spring Races Hit Arlington! Run for a cause at the Bunny Hop 5K or the Marymount 5K, and donโ€™t miss the Rescue Dog Day Run in Bluemont Park this May!

๐Ÿ“š Spring Book Sale! Thousands of books, great deals, and half-price Sunday. April 3โ€“6 at Central Library garage. FOAL member night kicks things off Thursday.

๐ŸŽจ Spring Artful Weekend at Fort C.F. Smith Park! Join the annual spring art fair featuring artworks from 40 Arlington Artist Alliance members, happening all weekend.

๐ŸŒฝ Ballstonโ€™s farmers market returns! FRESHFARM reopens April 3 at Welburn Square, Thursdays 3โ€“7 p.m. through November. Donโ€™t miss Mega Market days with live music and a beer garden!

๐ŸŒค๏ธ Spring = patio season: From dog-friendly bierhalls to waterfront pizza bars, ARLโ€™s al fresco scene is blooming. Hereโ€™s 9 spots to sip, snack, and soak up the sun.

๐Ÿป New beer garden alert! Scapegoat Beer Garden is bringing pan-Asian street food, local brews, and a massive patio to Crystal City this summer. Think crackling pork belly and on-tap cocktails.

๐ŸŽ’ Mini News Bites
Updates for the Kiddos

๐ŸŽ“Ivy dreams, tough odds. Even in high-achieving Arlington, getting into the Ivies is no easy feat. See how many local grads made the cut from 2020โ€“2024 here.

๐Ÿ™๏ธ This Week in Arlington 

Today  

๐ŸŽฎ Video Game Social at Mason Square! Grab a controller and jump into Nintendo favorites like Mario Kart, Just Dance, and Super Smash Bros. 5:30-7:30 PM. 

๐Ÿง˜ Cozy Mindful Monday at Courthouse Library! Relax with warm drinks, snacks, and a quiet reading time, followed by a short guided meditation. 6-8 PM.

๐Ÿ“š Second Chances Book Chat at Cherrydale Library! Join us for a lively discussion on the most popular books of 2024. Hear about the plot, characters, and themes to help you plan your reading. 6:30-7:30 PM.

Tuesday

๐Ÿ“š High School TAB at Central Library! Join our award-winning book club for high school students, enjoy pizza and snacks, and share what you've been reading. 5-5:45 PM.

๐Ÿน April Mules Day at Whino! Kick back with your favorite mule cocktails, including $11 Titoโ€™s Mules and Campfire Mules. Celebrate and sip your way through this flavorful day from 4 PM to close.

๐ŸŽจ Mindful Art at Courthouse Library! Explore mindfulness through creativity and engage in guided activities to nurture your self-expression and reflection from 6-7:30 PM.

๐Ÿ’ƒ Latin Dance Lessons at Glencarlyn! Join Herencia Latina dance team for beginner salsa lessons โ€“ no partner or experience needed! 6-7 PM outside in the parking lot.

Hump Day ๐Ÿซ 

๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™€๏ธ Fit @ Met at Metropolitan Park! Join DC Fray and National Landing for free, instructor-led fitness classes every Wednesday from 8-9 AM.

๐ŸŽจ Intuitive Art Making at The Innovation Studio! Tap into your creativity and explore art-making in a free-flowing, intuitive way. Join us for a therapeutic, hands-on art session from 6:30 - 7:30 PM.

๐ŸŒฑ Garden Talks: Plan it Right: Seeds, Seedlings and More at Central Library! Learn from experts how to plant and grow your seeds and seedlings for a thriving garden. 6:30-7:30 PM.

๐ŸŽจ Paint Party at Detour Coffee! Unleash your creativity and enjoy a fun, relaxing evening of painting with friends. 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

Thursday

๐ŸŒธ Pink in the Park: Pink Beats! Celebrate cherry blossom season with live music, spring-inspired food, and drinks at the Water Park. 5 PM-8 PM. RSVP here.

๐Ÿ“š Friends of the Arlington Public Library Book Sale at Central Library! Get early access to a wide selection of books during FOAL member night. 3-7:45 PM.

๐Ÿพ Kids Care Club: Wildlife Helpers at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington! Learn how we help injured or baby wild animals get back to nature from 5:30 - 6:30 PM.

๐ŸŽ‰ Family Night at Carver Community Center! Enjoy inflatables, open game rooms, and creative crafts from 6-8 PM.

๐ŸŽน Hadestown: Teen Edition! Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate! Experience this 8-time Tony Award-winning musical at W-L High School Theater. Show runs Thursday through Saturday at 7:00 PM.

๐ŸŽญ Yorktown Performing Arts Presents: Anything Goes! Set sail on the S.S. American in this classic musical. Enjoy tap dancing, romance, and comedy. Show runs Thursday through Saturday at 7 PM.

Friday

๐ŸŒฑ Memorial Arboretum Spring Native Plant Tour! Explore native plants, rain gardens, and urban trees at Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Arboretum. 10 AM-Noon.

๐ŸŽจ Family Art PAUSE! Celebrate National Poetry Month by creating your own section of "The Poetry Fence" to take home. Join at Studio PAUSE Pike from 5:30-6:30 PM.

๐Ÿท Spring Sips Socials: Cherry Blossom Celebration! Celebrate the beauty of spring and cherry blossoms with a delightful evening of drinks, music, and good company from 6-8 PM.

๐Ÿ‘ถ Parent's Night Out at Lubber Run Community Center! Enjoy an evening off while your kids (ages 5-10) have fun with games and activities at this drop-off program. 6-10 PM; $35 per child.

๐Ÿ˜‚ Improv Comedy Night! Get ready for a night full of spontaneous and hilarious sketches performed live. 6:30-9 PM at UPSIDE on Moore.

๐ŸŽจ ClayDate at Trade Roots Coffee & Wine Bar! Unleash your creativity while enjoying a fun and relaxed atmosphere. 6:30-9 PM EDT. 

๐ŸŽฌ Cinema on the Plaza! Grab your lawn chairs and picnic blankets for a free outdoor movie night. 7 PM for a teaser performance of Legally Blonde by The Arlington Players, followed by the film and a digital BINGO game at 8 PM.

๐ŸŽฌ Reel Rock 19 at Arlington Drafthouse! Experience three inspiring climbing stories, from second chances to epic first ascents. 7 PM show on Friday & Saturday (doors open at 6 PM).

๐ŸŽถ VOCE Herstory Concert at Unitarian Universalist Church! Celebrate the work of female composers across the centuries, including a world premiere by Emily Mason, from 7:30 PM.

๐Ÿ“ฃ Bubble Up Your Brand! 

๐Ÿš€ Local biz, meet your new megaphone. The Arlington Bubble is ready to blast your message to hungry readers. Small space, big impact. Advertise now before we pop! ๐Ÿ’ฅ If youโ€™re interested, reach out to us at [email protected]

๐ŸŽท Live Music Lineup
Where to find your groove

๐Ÿ“ The Renegade
Tonight: Latin Night โ€“ Lessons at 7:30 PM, Live Band at 8:30 PM
Wednesday: Country Music Night at 8:00 PM
Friday: Uncle Jesse at 9:30 PM
Saturday: Chaotic Blonde at 8 PM

๐Ÿ“ Westover Market & Beer Garden
Wednesday: Westover Jam at 6:00 PM
Friday: Sean Tracy & Don Zientara at 6:00 PM
Saturday: Six Feet Apart at 5:00 PM

๐Ÿ“ Three Whistles
Friday: Dylan Pfaff at 8 PM
Saturday: Open Mic at 8 PM

๐Ÿ“ Ragtime
Friday: Matt Burridge at 9:30 PM
Saturday: Scott Erickson at 9:30 PM

Know a great local music venue? Share your picks at [email protected]โ€”we love featuring your Arlington favorites!

๐Ÿ™ Thanks for reading!

๐Ÿ’ƒ Keep up with us @arlbubble on IG. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] 

Have a great day, Arlingtonians!