One of the joys of walking neighborhood streets and trails is the unexpected encounters along the way. Here’s just one example: A year ago, our editor-in-chief heard the faint strains of violins while on a hike in Rock Creek Park. Following the sound, she eventually stumbled upon a violin concert at Picnic Grove #13. You […]
Families get to enjoy a tidier Forest Hills Park, thanks to volunteers
The first Forest Hills Park cleanup of 2026 took place last weekend. One volunteer reported picking up more than 50 cigarette butts (though smoking is illegal in DC parks). Another took care of an even more disgusting problem. More from the neighbors keeping up with the park’s upkeep: Van Ness Main Street’s Good Clean Fun […]
Volunteer in the neighborhood: Park cleanups, Van Ness Main Street events, NW Community Food, Peirce Mill
Want to give back to the community? Opportunities abound for service-minded people, including students in need of community service hours. Pitch in for spring cleaning at local parks. Van Ness Main Street’s Good Clean Fun initiative is hosting an April 25 cleanup at Forest Hills Park. All ages can pitch in. Just make sure you let a […]
April in the Neighborhood: Primary election candidate forums; ‘Yoga on Connecticut’; 3 flavors of jazz
Watch a DC politics miniseries. Over three nights in April, candidates for DC mayor, DC delegate and at-large Council member will appear on stage at St. Johns College High School’s Frana Auditorium (2607 Military Road NW). The candidate forums will also be streamed on Zoom (links below). Each forum will start at 7 p.m.: April […]
Volunteers have started to clean up a weedy corner of Forest Hills Park
by Tracy Zorpette At the Brandywine Street entrance to Forest Hills Park, a patch of long-neglected overgrowth looks somewhat tidier. Good Clean Fun, a project of Van Ness Main Street and a steward of the park and playground, organized an invasive removal event on Saturday, November 8th. It partnered with Mary Farrah, the invasive plant […]
A call for volunteers to remove invasive plants from Forest Hills Park
by Tracy Zorpette Did you know that the greenery that grows (and grows and grows) along the 3100 block of Brandywine Street is part of Forest Hills Park? Some of this vegetation is good for wildlife, but this stretch is chockablock with invasive species that are harmful to native plants and animals. Van Ness Main […]
October in the Neighborhood: Spooky Movie Nights, ‘Celebrate VNMS,’ pollinator plantings, Halloween events
Friday nights are a little spooky this month. Van Ness Main Street and several local sponsors are hosting three Spooky Movie Nights at the UDC amphitheater (next to the Theater of the Arts and the UDC tennis courts). Tickets are free (and linked below) and carryout picnics are encouraged. October 3: Beetlejuice October 10: E.T. […]
Community service and cool jazz: A day at Forest Hills Park
by Marlene Berlin Last Saturday, September 13th, was a lovely day to be out enjoying one of our neighborhood’s most popular gathering places – and cleaning it up. That’s how the day started for volunteers who pitched in at Forest Hills Park and Playground that morning. Then, a few hours later, jazz musicians performed for […]
Local park updates: The fix-it edition
Our well-loved parks suffer wear and tear of both the natural and manmade variety. And over the past few weeks, DC agencies and volunteers have been tackling many of the issues. New drinking fountains for Forest Hills Park These friendly workers, from the DC Department of General Services, swapped out the park and playground’s old […]
Join your neighbors for coffee and a cleanup at Forest Hills Park this Saturday, July 12
The message below is from Van Ness Main Street’s Good Clean Fun Initiative, which is looking out for Forest Hills Park and Playground. GCF volunteers have also devoted time to getting the District’s advice and assistance on cleaning up the overgrown area between the baseball field and Brandywine Street, which has becoming a dumping ground […]