National Welcoming Week | September 13 - 22
We look forward to celebrating Welcoming Week 2024, as part of the larger Welcoming America movement. Come meet new neighbors and the volunteer cadre behind Welcoming Falls Church. We’d love to get to know you too!
City of Falls Church City Council Meeting | Monday, Sept 9, 7:30pm
Join us as the City of Falls Church again recognizes National Welcoming Week as Welcoming Week in Falls Church. We appreciate the strong support of and partnership with the City of Falls Church. City Council will recognize us with a proclamation, as we kick off Welcoming Week.
Author Visit with Sindya Bhanoo | Saturday, Sept 14 - Two Opportunities
Sindya Bhanoo, author of Seeking Fortune Elsewhere, winner of the 2023 New American Voices award, is coming to Falls Church! Join us to explore topics of immigration, isolation, and coming to America. Professor Bhanoo will share the story of her own background - including working as a reporter for the New York Times and Washington Post - and how she came to help to tell stories of the immigrant experience through her collection of short stories.
Two Opportunities to hear her speak:
Welcoming Falls Church is grateful for partnership with the American Association of University Women, Falls Church City Arts and Humanities, FCCPS, Falls Church Education Foundation, Meridian High School and Mary Riley Styles Library for these events.
Falls Church Fall Festival | Saturday, Sept 14 from 10am-4pm
Come say “hi” any time between 10am-4pm at our booth at the Fall Festival, on the grounds of the Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church. Learn how you can get involved!
Ice Cream Social | Sunday, Sept 15 from 3- 5 pm
Join us for our annual Welcoming Week Ice Cream Social at Mr. Brown’s Park, at the 100 Block of West Broad Street, Falls Church. Enjoy some ice cream from Lil’ City Creamery, and meet some new neighbors. All are welcome, especially immigrant and refugee families.
Harvey's Yacht Club Fundraiser | Saturday, Sept 21 from 1-5pm
Thanks to Harvey's for giving 10% of their second annual Yacht Club fundraiser to Welcoming Falls Church! On Saturday, Sept 21, Harvey's will be open exclusively for ticket holders from 1PM - 5PM! Chef Thomas will be serving up fire-roasted pig while two professional oyster shuckers crack open local, fresh oysters on the half shell and Ed Foxwell, of Harvey's Wine Club fame, pours bubbles, wine, and beer. Tickets are $175/per person. Your ticket includes all you can eat fresh-shucked raw oysters, fire-roasted pig, sides, and dessert along with unlimited select beer and wine. You will also receive a Special Edition Harvey's Yacht Club cup! An After Party will be held down the street at Clare and Don's (130 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA 22046). Get your ticket here.
Past Welcoming Weeks
We have celebrated Welcoming Weeks in Falls Church every September since 2018.
During Welcoming Week 2023, Harvey’s hosted our first annual Yacht Club fundraiser.
During Welcoming Week 2022, we launched our Renting to Refugees initiative, a true public-private partnership. We were honored to have Congressman Don Beyer with us. Three refugee families from Afghanistan have since been resettled into Falls Church!
Welcoming Week 2021 was our biggest yet. The highlight was the launch of our Celebrating Community: Our Stories | A Film Series, sponsoring a showing of Raya and the Last Dragon at Falls Church’s Cherry Hill Park, then hosted a webinar - featuring Disney’s producer and chief cultural advisor of Raya and the Last Dragon! - in honor of Falls Church’s Southeast Asian community and in partnership with Eden Center.
We observed Welcoming Week 2020 online because of the pandemic, but our Pick Two (or more) activities offered lots of options to get involved and Be Welcoming.
Welcoming Week 2019 saw us welcome Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers, to Falls Church for a memorable program. Many thanks to FCCPS Superintendent Peter Noonan for making Behold the Dreamers a community book recommendation for Summer 2019 and inspiring so many to read the book - helping us make this event a big success.
Welcoming Week 2018 was our public launch. Thank you to everyone who has gotten involved over these past four years, and we look forward to all that is to come!