Celebrate Arlington’s Greatest Street Party

Clarendon Day is Arlington’s largest street festival, and it lives up to that description every September with an energy that transforms the neighborhood into the county’s biggest block party. The full-day celebration takes over the heart of Clarendon with live music on multiple stages, a vibrant beer and wine garden, delicious offerings from local restaurants and food trucks, a dedicated KidsZone with family-friendly activities, and dozens of vendors featuring Arlington’s best artists, makers, and small businesses  — with thousands of residents and visitors converging for a day that feels like the whole community celebrating itself at once. Spanning eight city blocks, the festival features live performances, food from popular Arlington restaurants like Ambar, Rocklands Barbeque, and Colony Grill, and a dedicated KidZone with rides, glitter tattoos, balloon animals, and inflatables. 

The festival also incorporates the Pacers 10K, 5K, and Kids’ Dash — allowing runners to earn their food and drink credits before the browsing and listening begins. The race starts in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for music, shopping, and grazing from vendor to vendor across eight closed-to-traffic city blocks centered on 3100 Wilson Boulevard at the Clarendon Metro. Past performers have included regional acts spanning rock, pop, blues, and funk on multiple stages running simultaneously throughout the day. Free parking is available from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Mason Square Van Metre Garage off Kirkwood Drive. The 2026 festival date will be announced at clarendon.org — typically held on the last Saturday of September.