By Paul Showalter

The 2026 Spring Egg Hunt was an incredible success thanks in part to all of our attendees as well as our amazing volunteers.

We had lots of candy…and more than 3,500 plastic eggs. What does that mean? Another fabulous Spring egg hunt in Lyon Park. Numerous volunteers spent hours stuffing candy into those little plastic eggs the weekend before the event. 

The weather on Saturday was better than we could have planned. Lyon Park was full of kids (and parents) having fun (and collecting thousands of eggs in a hurry). We hope you were able to join us. If you watch the videos of the event posted online, you will laugh. The kids are excited and hilarious. We had a large number of kids find Lucky Eggs. They turned them in for special Peeps® prizes and lots of smiles.

When our Giant Bunny made his appearance, everyone went wild. It was a great addition to our event, and a fabulous photo op. Thanks to Neel Vaidya from Troy’s for being such a trooper.

Thank you to my amazing team of volunteers (young and “slightly” older)…without you, the event would not have been possible. Your hard work made it a successful event.

These types of events make Lyon Park special and a true asset for our community. Please step up and get involved in our next big event, the 100th Lyon Park Spring Fair. 

By David Newman

It was Tuesday, March 24, 2026, exactly 68 years after Elvis Presley was inducted into the US Army, that five women, including four principal players from the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and a guest artist, performed at the Lyon Park Community Center in the “Music by Women in honor of Women’s History Month” concert.  For 90 minutes, a full-house audience was transported, by flute, harp, violin, and cello, to a world where everything was beautiful.  The LPCC Board of Governors worked with long-time neighbor, friend, and LPCC supporter, Susan Robinson, the harpist, to bring the performance to the community, but it was the Musical Performance Trust Fund and the American Federation of Musicians Local 161-710, which made it possible for the concert to be offered free of charge.  The concert was a reminder of how important it is to support the musicians who perform at the Kennedy Center, including the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra. 

The LPCC Board of Governors is committed to bringing more music to the LPCC and welcomes your suggestions, which may be submitted to LPCCGovernors@gmail.com and David.S.Newman@hotmail.com.   

By Gary Putnam

The 2026 version of the  Lyon Park Chili Cookoff is now history and for the second year, Susan Demske took home the winner’s ribbon with “Highland Street Heaven Chili”. A very good example of what a bowl of red should look like. Second place went to Marie Edwartoski with “My Best Chili”—mild and sweet with gentle heat. Third: Rhodri Morgan with “The Fighting Irish Chili”-gentle on the classic spices leaving the shredded brisket sweet and mild. Best Vegetarian Chili was Helen White with her punny “Hel Hath No Fury Chili,” which critics said was mild and tasty. Honorable mention—spiciest chili—Phillippe Alepin’s “5-Chile Chili,” a classic bowl of red, properly spiced with vigorous taste and spirit.

The rest, more or less in descending order of votes: The Surendra Family with “Ginger Chili,” a jolt of traditional Indian spices giving a new face to an old friend; Ben Henry’s “Chili Verde”—spicy and surprising in a good way; Trish Montgomery’s “Sweet with Heat”—if you like sweet potatoes, you’ll love this one—the Chiliheads gave thumbs up on this one; The Hawkins Family with “An Exciting and Delightful Chili”—the critics said it could have used more spice—”Like kissing your cousin!: Gary Putnam’s “Dog Breath” was aptly named; Sara Alepin’s “Mole Chili”—the meat was properly cubed rather than ground, nice balance of heat; Lisa Morgan’s “Christmas Eve Chili”—definitely not a typical Bowl of Red—an interesting blend of chopped vegetables with a unique finish; (Anonymous)”Bacon Beef Bean Supreme” was unique, a bit on the thin side with good flavor …but why No Name? It wasn’t THAT bad!; Sara Newman’s “Go Easy Turkey Chili”—mild chili flavors with ground turkey, two kinds of beans and the gentle hint of very very mild chili.

Winners were selected by popular vote of the diners. Evaluation and critiquing of the entries was done by Theo Roiniotis and his assistant, Spiro. Notes were taken by Gary Putnam—badly. None of whom accept responsibility for this, yet another chili culinary travesty. Very little cash was received to influence the voting. 

Did you know it takes more than 70 individuals to ensure the Lyon Park Citizen newsletter arrives at your home every month? Kerin Seward and Elizabeth Sheehy complete the layout each month, send it to the printer, and then it lands at Kim Franklin’s house. She distributes boxes of newsletters to Zone Captains, who then distribute to Block Captains, and they deliver it to you!  On Sunday March 8, the newsletter distribution team enjoyed tea, cookies, and good company in the Lyon Park Community House sunroom, as well as some well-deserved thanks for their commitment to getting out the newsletter in rain, shine, and snowcrete! 

If you are interested in joining the team (less than a two-hour commitment per month) please contact Elizabeth at LyonParkEditor@gmail.com.

Thank you to the Newsletter Distribution Team!  

The Lyon Park Womans Club did it again! Many of us look forward to the Valentine’s Cupcake Sale all winter. To suggest that every delectable cupcake is made with LOVE is an understatement. With about 10 bakers and nearly 1,000 cupcakes, the Womans Club sold out early and made many Valentines in Lyon Park and Ashton Heights very happy—what a success! Combined with the cheese sales, they raised $2,500.

There were a number of new flavors this year, including Salted Caramel, Black Walnut, and Pineapple, Banana Smoothie baked by Shelya White, and the intriguing High Hat Chocolate Dipped cupcakes offered up by sisters Donna and Deb—delicious! Speaking of chocolate, at first glance there sure was a lot of chocolate on the list.  But as it turned out, it was lovely: chocolate fudge, chocolate cream cheese, cherry chocolate chili (with a little bit of a kick), devils food chocolate with chocolate chips in the mix, the High Hats, the High Hat minis…lots of chocolate, but not boring!

It took lots of volunteers to make it all happen….bakers, organizers, cupcake guides (there were SO many choices!) and neighbors to purchase the treats. Lindy Love (so aptly named!) kept everyone on task and created the beautiful red-and-pink themed ambience in the Lyon Park Community House. A big THANK YOU to everyone who made it possible, especially Margaret Fibel who organized behind the scenes with who was baking what and how many, Elizabeth Wray and Jim Burke for managing the money, and EVERYONE who helped set and clean up. Can’t wait till next year! 

By Elizabeth Sheehy

On February 9, two weeks after the arrival of Snowcrete in the DMV, residents in Lyon Park gathered along Washington Boulevard to observe the Walk for Peace. Anticipating the monks’ ambulatory arrival from Alexandria, Lyon Park and Ashton Heights residents shared survival stories from the recent storm and many held signs in support of peace. The 19 monks who left Fort Worth, TX on October 26, 2025 walked the 2300 miles to Washington DC, aiming to raise awareness of peace with the millions of people who followed their journey. This was an amazing opportunity to witness history in our backyard.

Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara led the monks, who walked briskly in a single file, on rural roads and through urban centers, in sunny weather and through the recent snowstorms that buried the area. The cold was their biggest obstacle, forcing them at times to cover their bare feet and bare heads with warm shoes and wool caps. To get through the worst of it, they focused on their breathing. The monks believe that even in a world filled with conflict, peace can be achieved, and it begins with creating peace in the mind. “Mindfulness is the key to show people that peace is something that is possible and always begins from within,” Pannakara shared. 

Their message is an important – though difficult – one for those of us who run around, always keeping busy, proud of our multi-tasking skills. Phones and overloaded schedules pull us away from mindfulness. The monks advise that every morning when you wake up, you write down on a piece of paper “today is going to be my peaceful day.” Don’t touch your phone until you’ve finished your personal morning tasks, including making your bed. Throughout your day, try to think about what actions you can take to create peace in the mind. 

By Elizabeth sheehy

Please save the date for a community concert on Tuesday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. The Lyon Park Community Center, with assistance from DC Musicians Local 161-710 and the Music Performance Trust Fund, commemorate Women’s History Month with an evening of music by women, performed by women!

Neighborhood old timers will see some familiar faces, as principal players from the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra join our neighbor Susan Robinson performing music for flute, harp, and strings. The repertoire spans the years from 17th century composer Maddalena Sirmin, to the romantic Fanny Mendelssohn, and includes the works of three living composers: Stella Sung, Libby Larsen, and Lena Auerbach. The quintet enjoyed a thrilling tour to South Africa a few years ago, and are delighted to be reuniting for this event.

This concert is free and suitable for older, concert-ready kids. It will be about 90 minutes, including a short intermission, and a post concert Q and A and reception with the artists. Tickets will become available closer to the concert date, accessible through the link on the Upcoming Events page. 

By Elizabeth sheehy

Who knew the Arlington County Commissioner meeting would be so energizing? Over 30 people were present when President Natalie Roy welcomed guest speaker Kim Klingler, Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, along with her Deputies of Communications, Business, and Transportation. Kim’s overriding message was that her team knows they works for us, the residents of Arlington County, and they are always looking to strengthen that partnership. Her team is responsible for implementing County Board and school board policies: assessing the values of autos and business, while County Treasurer Carla de la Parva collects the money. Some might view that role as adversarial, but she recognizes where problems exist and is actively looking for solutions, especially helping residents understand county policies.

Two hot topics concerned (1) business licenses – and the taxes associated with them (due March 2), and (2) Short-term rentals, known in Arlington as Accessory Homestays. Addressing questions about the Business, Professional and Occupational Licensing (BPOL) tax, Kim explained that the method of taxing off gross receipts is a VA rule that dates back to 1812. She encouraged residents to challenge Richmond to change the law; her role is simply to enforce existing law. Her team explained that property taxes on vehicles are assessed using JDPower values for fairness. There was a lengthy discussion of the wisdom of eliminating car tax. 

Another hot topic was Accessory Homestays (Airbnb, VRBO ETC). There is currently no “tip line” to report suspected violations, but Kim encourages residents to discuss that option with the permitting office. There has been discussion about getting better information from the rental companies, but currently TOT (short term rental taxes) cannot be cross-checked with business license rolls. As of July 2025, Airbnb is (FINALLY) automatically remitting taxes directly to Arlington County which is a positive revenue step. There is a concern that Arlington County is not enforcing the 180-day residency rule for Accessory Homestays, which the LPCA may delve into further.

The attendees were highly engaged throughout the discussion and the guest speakers were well informed and transparent with their responses. We look forward to having similarly open dialogue with other members of the County government in the future. 

By David Newman

The sweet sounds of vibrating strings floated through the hall and over a full house, as the Mandoleers  enchanted our community with a free evening concert at the Lyon Park Community Center on Tuesday December 2.  The Mandoleers, a mandolin and guitar orchestra based in Arlington, was founded in 1923 in Takoma, Maryland, and is the longest continuously operating mandolin orchestra in the United States.  Their holiday concert included classical and semi-classical works, folk, contemporary pieces, and festive sing-alongs that had the audience joyfully joining in.  And if the music weren’t sweet enough, the dessert table, dressed with a wide selection of delectables brought by audience members, put the evening far over the top!  Nothing could better convey how much people enjoyed the concert than the thunderous applause after the encore.  We are grateful  for the Mandoleiers donating their time and talent to perform for us!  For more information about the Mandoleers visit their website at http://www.mandoleers.org.

If you are part of a music group that might be interested in performing gratis for our community at the Community Center, please send an email to David Newman at LPCCGovernors@gmail.com.  

By David Newman

Lyon Park Community Center Board of Governors Chair David Newman and his wife, Sara, hosted the Community Center’s first community Thanksgiving potluck dinner, inviting our neighbors in Lyon Park and Ashton Heights. Two dozen celebrants came together, decorating the space, bringing their favorite dishes, and filling the room with warmth, laughter, and generosity. The group included all ages, creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The hosts provided turkey, stuffing, gravy, and drinks, while guests brought a delicious array of family favorites, including some Ukrainian dishes!  With seating arranged around a large rectangle of joined tables, everyone was together.

A highlight of the evening was a lively “Would You Rather” icebreaker, with guests drawing cards featuring questions ranging from lighthearted to reflective. Bursts of laughter filled the room as people shared their questions and answers, while deeper prompts—like choosing whether they’d rather meet their great-great-grandparents/grandchildren—sparked meaningful conversations.  The evening concluded with a plentiful dessert bar and live music performed by two guitarists and a mandolin player, adding the perfect finishing touch to a night of connection and community spirit.