McLean Day 2023 To Bring Rides, Performances, Food To Lewinsville Park On May 20

MCLEAN, VA — McLean Day 2023 will be held at Lewinsville Park on Saturday, May 20, carrying on a tradition that began almost 110 years ago as a community and school fundraiser.

The free, outdoor festival, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosted by the McLean Community Center, will offer a variety of attractions, including carnival rides, games and performances. McLean Day also will be the site of the McLean Community Center’s 2023 governing board election, which will be held at the park from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The carnival rides will be operating on Friday, May 19, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then again on Saturday. The rides will be located in two areas of the park: the parking lot to the right of the entrance and toward the exit at the back of the park. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Cole Rides through a link on the McLean Community Center’s website, or onsite on Friday and Saturday.

The Kids’ Way area of the park also offers ticketed rides for younger children. Roaming costumed characters, including superheroes, will be available to interact with patrons and pose for photos. Other free activities will include a beachball corral, laser tag, Bubble Ball, two rock-climbing walls, balloon twisters, a magician and a petting zoo.

McLean Day will have a variety of American and international entrées, snacks and beverages. Gourmet food trucks will be on site in Lewinsville Park.

For the McLean Community Center election, 15 Dranesville Small District 1A residents are running for seats on the board. Five adults are vying for three vacant adult seats and 10 teens are vying for two vacant student seats (one for the Langley High School boundary area and one for the McLean High School boundary area). Only district residents are permitted to vote in the election.

McLean Day started in 1915 as a school and community fundraiser put on by the McLean School and Civic League at Franklin Sherman School. In the mid-1970s, the McLean Community Center began hosting the event and moved it to its current home at Lewinsville Park in 1988.

Free performances will be offered throughout the festival on the Community Stage, including:

• 11 a.m., Art in Motion, MCC’s Youth Dance Class Participants
• 12:50 p.m., Noah Asher, Low-key Covers and Originals
• 1:10 p.m., Hull, Alternative Rock Band
• 1:40 p.m., Unruly Theatre Project, The Alden’s professional teen improv group
• 2:20 p.m., Minahil Ishaq, Singer-Songwriter
• 2:50 p.m., Kiril French, Broadway and Pop Solos
• 3:00 p.m., Teen Character Awards, Presented by the McLean Citizens Association
• 3:20 p.m., Kiril French, Broadway Tunes and Pop Solos
• 3:45 p.m., Hull, Alternative Rock Band

A Jugglers’ Stage, located near the children’s ride area, will offer free performances throughout the event.

Parking will not be available at Lewinsville Park on the day of the festival. Patrons can take free Fairfax Connector shuttles from McLean Metrorail Station and three satellite locations to McLean Day. Free shuttle buses will run from the parking sites to the park starting at 10:25 a.m. and running through 6 p.m.

The three satellite locations are the Red route at McLean Baptist Church, 1367 Chain Bridge Road, the Yellow route at the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., and the Blue route at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd.

Wheat’s Landscaping, Giant Food, Mars Inc., McLean Properties and Washington Fine Properties are among the sponsors of McLean Day 2023. The public can visit the McLean Community Center website for more information about the McLean Day festival.