🌮 Tacos, Tunes & Tequila 🍻

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

☕️ Rise and shine, Arlingtonians! May we tempt you? You asked for more time to plan ahead (we heard you!), so we pulled together a curated list of 60+ events happening around Arlington this May. Think of this as your personal spring playbook—packed with markets, outdoor concerts, wine tastings, and community fests. Let’s make this month one to remember.

🫧 Heads up: We’ll keep dropping new events every week in the newsletter—so you’re always in the loop.

👀 In today’s bubble:

📰 News Bites: Quick hits on what’s happening in ARL
🎉 Weekend Plans: Your go-to guide for what to do in ARL
🎷 Live Music Lineup: Where to catch a groove

Your Arlington cheat sheet starts now ⬇️

📰 News Bites 
Quick local updates

🎉 Cinco de Mayo, ARL style! From salsa dancing to tequila tastings, here are 15 local spots bringing the fiesta with tacos, margs, music, games, and street parties all weekend long.

🌮 Taste the flavors of Latin America! Latin Restaurant Weeks kicks off May 2 in the DMV, serving up delicious deals and spotlighting Latinx-owned eateries. It’s the perfect time to try something new—¡buen provecho!

🍴La Posada brings new Latin flavors coming to Crystal City! A new Mexican restaurant rooted in love, heritage, and Latin American celebration is opening soon—serving up festive vibes, family recipes, and the warmth of a true posada.

🍰 Filipino flavors coming to Pentagon City! Beloved bakery Gwenie’s Pastries is opening its first Arlington location this May, bringing ube treats and family-made desserts to a new home in Pentagon City.

📚 The Very Asian Foundation brought its May Book Project to Carlin Springs Elementary, donating diverse books to help students see themselves—and each other—reflected in school libraries.

🇻🇳 From Saigon to Clarendon: A powerful Washington Post story recounts how Vietnamese refugees built a vibrant community in Arlington after fleeing war—turning Clarendon into a cultural and entrepreneurial hub.

🚌 Big bucks for safer buses and roads! A $13.7M state proposal could fund ART bus upgrades, a microtransit pilot, and a major fix to Arlington Blvd’s (Route 50) interchange with Washington Blvd.

🚗 Driving into ANC? Bring REAL ID. Starting May 7, anyone over 18 entering Arlington National Cemetery by vehicle must show REAL ID or approved federal ID at the gate.

📣 Bubble Up Your Brand! 

🚀 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! 💥 If you’re interested, reach out to us at [email protected]

🎒 Mini News Bites
Updates for the Kiddos

🎨 Paint with inspiration this May! Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month with a Yayoi Kusama-inspired art kit from Family Art Lab. Pick up your box May 12–16 at Fairlington Community Center and create from home.

🥳 This Weekend in Arlington
Weekend Happenings

Today 🌇 

🌳 Turf and Trees of Arlington National Cemetery, Free, 9 - 11 AM

🚲 Bike Safety Checks at Conte's Bike Shop, Register for free time slots, 10 AM - 12 PM

💃 Zumba Power Hour at Mason Square, Free, 5:30 - 6:30 PM 

🎉 Family Night at Carver Community Center! Enjoy inflatables, open game rooms, and creative crafts, Free, 6-8 PM

🎶 Friday Night Concert Series Featuring Deanna Dove at Water Park, Free, 6 - 8:30 PM

💬 Unfiltered: Body Image, Self-Talk, and Mental Health for Teens at Arlington Mill Community Center, Free with registration for Ages 12 - 18, 6 - 7:30 PM

❤️ Singles Party at Astro Shirlington, $27, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

😂 Improv Comedy Night at UPSIDE on Moore, Free admission with registration, 6:30 - 9 PM

Saturday 🪩

🛍️ Arlington Civitan Open Air Market at 4001 15th St North, Free, 7 AM - 1 PM

🛒 Bluemont Spring Community Yard Sale, Free, 8 AM - 1 PM

📚 Rosslyn Reads Book Sale & Spring Market at Central Place Plaza, Free, 10 AM - 4 P

👓 Arlington Historical Museum Re-Opening at 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Free, 10 AM - 4PM

🖼️ LAC Studios Spring Show and Sale, Free, 10 AM - 4 PM

🎨 Arts Festival at Water Park, $0 for admission / $25 for paint & sip session, 11 AM - 2 PM.

🎉 Guapo’s 2025 Cinco de Mayo Outdoor Festival, Guapos Shirlington (and all other locations!), 11 AM - 9 PM

🌷Flourish: A Spring Market at MoCA, Free, 12 - 3 PM

✌️ I Love ASL at Glencarlyn Library for Elementary & Middle Schoolers, Free, 1 - 2 PM

🍷 Rosé Fest at Pentagon City Wine Merchant, $35 - 60, 2 - 4 PM

💃 Dance Across Oceans: Pacific and South Asian Heritage at Columbia Pike Library, Free but registration recommended, 2 - 3 PM

🍫 Chocolate Making Class at UPSIDE on Moore, $50, 3 - 5 PM

🎉 Margarita Fest at Clarendon Ballroom, Free, 3 - 9 PM

✨ Adult Magic Class at UPSIDE on Moore, $20, 7 - 8 PM

Sunday 💫

🍅 Fairlington Farmers Market Opening Day, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Free, 9 AM - 1 PM

🌸 MoCA on the Move: Celebrating Spring Family Fun Series at Met Park! Create adorable baby animal portraits with Margaret Jacobson while enjoying music from Power Child, Free, 10 AM-1 PM 

🎭The Tragedy of Hamlet at Avant Bard Theatre Premiers! $20-40, 2 PM with shows through May 24

🪴Good Soil Book Event: Jeff Chu in Conversation with Elizabeth Dias at Rock Spring Congregational Church, Free, 3 - 4 PM

🖌️🍷Paint and Sip at Water Park, $30, 6 - 8 PM

🎷 Live Music Lineup
Where to find your groove

📍 The Renegade
Tonight: A Night to Forget at 9:30 PM
Saturday: Fearless Era's - Taylor Swift Tribute at 9:30 PM

📍 Three Whistles
Tonight: Veronneau at 8 PM
Saturday: Veronneau & Friends at 8 PM

📍 Ragtime
Tonight: Secondhand Chaos Duo at 9:30 PM
Saturday: Rob Hornfeck at 9:30 PM

📍 Westover Market & Beer Garden
Saturday: Wilbur's Redemption at 5 PM

📍 Galaxy Hut
Sunday: Mercy Alliance at 9 PM

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

🙏 Thanks for reading! If you’ve been enjoying The Arlington Bubble, send it to a friend who’d love it too!

💃 Keep up with us @arlbubble on IG. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] 

Have a great day, Arlingtonians!