ViVa! Vienna! A Memorial Day Weekend Celebration

ViVa! Vienna!
A Memorial Day Weekend Celebration


Small children shriek at the excitement of their first experience with the toddler rides at a carnival.

Teenagers scream as they cling to their seats on the scary rides.

Adults scrutinize the intricate crafts on sale at vendor booths along an historic street.

People of all ages savor offerings from the food court, a veritable United Nations of tastes.

Music fans soak up the sounds of a wide variety of free music to suit everyone’s taste.

These statements, you are probably thinking, describe events at different festivals, different locations, and different parks where you would have to pay big bucks just to get in. Your thoughts might be reasonable, but they would not be correct. For all these statements describe one event: ViVa! Vienna!, a three-day festival of food, crafts, music, carnival rides and community spirit, held annually along historic Church Street in Vienna, from Lawyers Road to Mill St., with the old Vienna Train Station and Caboose serving as the anchor. Now in its 26th year, ViVa! Vienna! will return on Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25, 2009.

On Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day Weekend, Church Street will be closed to traffic from Lawyers Road to Mill Street to allow booths for artisans, retail vendors, political parties and candidates, professional groups, and community organizations.
Local vendors will offer a variety of foods, including pizza, barbecue, hot dogs and hamburgers, Italian sausage, as well as food traditions from countries around the world.

Carnival rides, along with the carnival food traditions of popcorn, kettle corn, and funnel cakes, will round out the fare.

“The purpose of ViVa! Vienna! is to celebrate community, to have fun and to raise funds for worthy causes,” said John Brunow, president of the Rotary Club of Vienna.

And raise money it does. “Over the past three years, ViVa! Vienna! has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars,” according to Woody Bentley, one of more than 70 local Rotarians who work almost year-round to put on the event. ViVa! Vienna! is produced and sponsored by the Vienna Rotary Club in concert with title co-sponsors, the Town of Vienna and Navy Federal Credit Union.

“ViVa! Vienna! is one of the signature events of our community,” said Vienna Mayor Jane Seeman, who is also a member of Vienna Rotary. “Along with our July 4 celebration and our Halloween Parade, it is something that we look forward to every year. I am proud that the Town of Vienna is a lead sponsor in this important community event.”

Vienna Rotarian George Eichert, a senior vice president at Navy Federal Credit Union, offered similar thoughts. “While we serve our members worldwide, Vienna is the home of our headquarters,” he noted. “As the largest employer in Vienna, we are proud to be one of the title sponsors of Vi!Va! Vienna!”

Bentley, who serves as chairman of the event this year, for the ninth year in a row, noted that money raised through ViVa! Vienna! has been distributed primarily to local non-profits and community organizations that meet a variety of human and societal needs. In fact, during the past year alone, 52 Vienna-area, regional, and international charitable organizations received more than $100,000 as a result of profits from the festival.

“While our focus is local, we are also proud of the fact that we give to selected international causes,” said Howard Svigals, club treasurer at Vienna Rotary and vice chairman of ViVa! Vienna! for 2009. For example, some of the money in the past has gone to the Rotary Foundation which is working to eliminate polio throughout the world. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has supported the Rotary Foundation in this multi-hundred million dollar effort, he said.

As it was when introduced last year, a special new part of this year’s festival is an e-waste recycling program sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union. The collection center will be located in the parking lot of James Madison High School in Vienna and will be open from 12 Noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, 2009 and Monday, May 25, 2009. The service is provided free as a community service by Navy Federal.

Among the accepted materials will be computers, printers, modems, keyboards and associated computer gear, according to Vienna Rotary officials. Televisions are NOT accepted at this event, they noted.

“Diverting toxic material, such as that found in computers and monitors, from landfills reduces environmental contamination,” said Eichert. “Helping the environment is the right thing to do and Navy Federal is pleased to offer this service to the community.”

“Vi Va! Vienna! is a treasure for our club,” Bentley said. “‘Service above Self’ is the Rotary motto and Vi Va! Vienna! provides us with the vehicle to serve the community with this celebration and then to help charitable organizations serve specific groups with the profits.” He noted that there is no charge to attend ViVa! Vienna!.

As of mid-March, a few booth spaces remain available for artisans, local businesses, and others who wish to showcase their wares at the 2009 festival, but they are going fast, according to Rotary officials.

“While it is still not too late, those who wish to have a booth this year should not wait,” said Jim Marshall, the Rotarian in charge of exhibitor booths. “Only about three dozen booth spaces remain as of mid-March and we always sell out of spaces, and often have a waiting list. We have already filled our available space for food vendors.”

Those wishing to reserve booth space may do so on-line at www.vivaviennava.org. The website not only provides for easy registration, it also provides information and lists of sources for those who have additional questions, Bentley said.

“Not only is this a fun weekend for all family members, it is a worthy cause,” said Brunow. “Come out and see for yourself. I’m betting you will have a good time – no matter what your age.”

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What is ViVa! Vienna!?

What is ViVa! Vienna!?
ViVa! Vienna! is a family and community oriented celebration of Memorial Day weekend and the greater Vienna Community spirit. There is fun and enjoyment for families and people of all ages. ViVa! Vienna! is the major fund raising project for the Rotary Club of Vienna; profits are turned over to the Rotary Club of Vienna Foundation for distribution to charitable, community and humanitarian organizations.
Where is ViVa! Vienna!?
It emphasizes the historic area of Church Street, the Freeman House, the Town Green, and the Old Vienna Railroad Station in Vienna, VA.
When is ViVa! Vienna!?
Carnival and food all three days of Memorial Weekend, with vendors added May 24-25, 2009. On Sunday and Monday, Church Street is closed to allow booths to be set up by handcraft artisans, retail vendors, professionals, political parties and candidates, and community organizations to showcase their activities.
What is the cost and size of a Booth?
For both Sunday and Monday $200 (increases to $250 March 1st) for a 10 ft x 10 ft space (a booth is defined as marking on the pavement, i.e. no tent or table provided)
How do I register for ViVa! Vienna!?
You can register online at the web site:
www.ViVaViennaVA.org Your credit card will be charged initially and if there is a problem, Viva! Vienna! will contact you directly. All applications are reviewed and a final determination of your application is made within one business week. See FAQ and Vendor Guidelines on the web site for more information.
Register now:
Price increases March 1st
Limited number of booths available

ViVa! Vienna! 2009 Memorial Day Weekend Festival

Showcase your handcrafts, retail business product, professional service, political party and candidates, or community organization
REGISTER TO BE A 2009 VENDOR


Memorial Day Weekend
May 23-25, 2009

www.vivaviennava.org

50,000 GUESTS and
over 300 VENDORS
are expected in 2009