Halloween Window Painting To Begin In Falls Church, Community Invited To Join

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Downtown Falls Church will become ready for Halloween as young artists and others brighten business windows with spooky art.

Falls Church Arts organizes the annual Halloween Window Painting Festival on business windows in the City of Falls Church during the early days of October. Children, parents and community groups contribute to the hand painted art on windows throughout the city. Falls Church Arts board member Marty Behr came up with the idea, leading the effort to start in 2008. The community window painting brings together hundreds of residents and visitors and draws thousands of visitors to see the displays during October, according to the arts nonprofit.

"Our family has been painting windows in the festival for nearly a decade," said Bethany Henderson, a Falls Church resident leading this year's festival. "This is a delightful small town tradition that brings out the best of the Little City and connects families, local businesses, and the community together. I’m excited to help the Festival continue to grow and thrive."

Painting will take place between 10 a m. and 1 p.m. on Oct. 7, 8, 9, and 14. Scout groups, family, friends and groups of all ages can register to window paint by 1 p.m. on Oct. 8 at halloweenfc.com. There is no cost to participate, although donations to Falls Church Arts are accepted to offset the cost of paint.

To participate, artists are asked to sketch a family-friendly design and email it to FCArtsHalloween@gmail.com when registering. Designs will be matched with suitably-sized business window. Artists should bring their own brushes, water, stepladders, and other supplies and return to clean up after Halloween. Elementary-aged and younger children must be accompanied by an adult.

Local businesses can sign up to have their windows painted for free by visiting halloweenfc.com. Artists will clean up the windows between Nov. 1 and 5.