There are a few new stop signs ready to direct traffic around Ballston Quarter. They’re not found at intersections, or meant to stop your car in its tracks. Instead, they’re just beneath your feet, pasted in front of participating restaurants, ready to guide your experience through Ballston’s inaugural Quarterfest on May 18 and 19.
The event, in recent years, was known as Taste of Arlington. In the past, it welcomed over 25,000 guests to the city looking to sip, savor, snack and shop in the area. It has now evolved into Quarterfest, an event promoting the new developments happening in Ballston.
With a packed two-day schedule from noon to 6 p.m., rain or shine, Quarterfest will have 12 total hours of free live music from bands such as His Dream of Lions, Lost in Paris, Broke Royals and Jumpin’ Jupiter. The 100-foot StreetPub will serve craft beer and shaken cocktails from Belle Isle Moonshine, and tastings of Absolut, Jameson, Ketel One Botanicals and Crafters Union wine.
As guests get hungry, restaurants in the area will feature “tastes,” to guests with purchased wristbands, including everything from skinny-dipper mussels to fried chicken.
If a full course meal is more your style, a lined alley of food trucks including Captain Cookie and the Milk Man, Red Hook Lobster Pound and Curbside Kitchen’s food truck will be ready to serve you, no matter what you’re craving.
Quarterfest will also celebrate the 2018 Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals, who practice at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex on the top level of Ballston Quarter, by giving away two tickets to a 2019-2020 season game, two exclusive Etihad lounge passes in Capital One Arena and autographed Capitals gear to a lucky winner who turns in a fully stamped Quarterfest map on May 18.
The event is free and open to the public. Drink tickets can be purchased for $5 each online and on site, as well as in bundles with VIP passes and Quarterfest Crawl wristbands. Proceeds from the event will benefit BallstonGives, a local nonprofit that donates to other area charities. In years past, BallstonGives has supported Arlington Food Assistance Center, Animal Welfare League of Arlington and many others.
For more information, visit quarterfestballston.org. // Throughout Wilson Blvd., between N. Randolph St. and N. Taylor St., Arlington; Admission free, Tasting tickets $5-$50
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