The PARC
Located at 8508 Leesburg Pike, The PARC at Tysons was Celebrate Fairfax’s bold vision for transforming an underutilized space into a place of possibility, connection and belonging. What had once been a former retail store, Container Store, became a colorful and welcoming community destination where people of all ages and backgrounds could gather, discover local art, support small businesses, share new experiences and celebrate the creativity and diversity of Fairfax County. More than a building, The PARC demonstrated the power of placemaking to breathe new life into a space and showed what can happen when a community is given room to connect, create and grow together.
People
You were at the center of everything we did. The PARC welcomed residents, families, artists, entrepreneurs, volunteers, community organizations, and visitors from across and beyond Fairfax County.
Art
From the mural on the building to art installations, exhibits, vendors, performances, and hands on experiences, art filled the space with creativity, expression, and imagination. The PARC was a platform for artists and makers to be seen, supported, and celebrated.
Recreation
Many opportunities to created memories and brought moments of joy, play, learning, and connection. The PARC gave our community a place to gather, participate, explore, and experience something new.
Culture
Culture gave the space its spirit. Through community events, shared traditions, creative placemaking, and diverse experiences, The PARC reflected the richness of Fairfax County and the people who call it home.
Placemaking at the PARC
Placemaking is the art of transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant destinations that bring people together and create a sense of belonging. In summer 2021, Celebrate Fairfax brought this vision to life by transforming a vacant property into The PARC at Tysons—a welcoming community hub inspired by People, Art, Recreation and Culture. Through June 2026, visitors enjoyed free public Wi-Fi, comfortable outdoor seating, a children’s road-safety course, art exhibitions, local markets, live performances, food and beverage experiences, and engaging programs that celebrated the creativity and diversity of the community.
Events at the PARC
The PARC hosted multiple events throughout the year including local markets, cultural events, block parties, farm markets, karaoke competitions, silent discos, art gallery openings, holiday events and more!
There are no upcoming events at this time
Art at the PARC
The PARC served as a canvas for creativity, transforming its spaces through vibrant pop-up installations, thoughtfully curated exhibitions and interactive art experiences. From discovering the work of local artists to creating something of their own, visitors were invited to experience art as a shared expression, one that sparked conversation, inspired connection and reflected the many voices of the Fairfax County community.
THE PARC MURAL: WAVES
Artist: Rodrigo Pradel; Mural Artists: Rodrigo Pradel & Mike Pacheco
ABOUT THE MURAL
In 2021, a local mural artist, Rodrigo Pradel, began work on the colorful mural that wraps the building in bright vibrant waves of color. A second large mural was also located inside The PARC which will be displayed at a future community center. These murals are part of Rodrigo’s series Waves, which explores energy through colors growing across the canvas.
Waves of energy flow through us constantly and envelops everything it touches. It alters the space with a hypercolor surface. Viewers are encouraged to explore the both areas, find a spot they are interested in, and focus in on the artwork. The art allows them to visually ingest the energy with intention, spawn imagination, and creativity.
ARTIST BIO
Rodrigo Pradel is a painter, illustrator and muralist born in Chile, later moved and raised in Canada, and currently calls the United States his home. He is a painter in many mediums whose work explores the event horizon between this reality and the other(s). The surrealism in his work resembles dream like environments while his subject matter shows a clear focus on the viewer and their internal journey.
Streetsmarts at the PARC
Following the success of the world’s first robotically painted traffic garden created in the front parking lot of The PARC in 2022 in partnership with Fionnuala Quinn of TrafficGardens.com, Celebrate Fairfax expanded the concept into a semi-permanent program called StreetSmarts at The PARC. Designed as an interactive miniature streetscape, the program gave children a fun, hands-on way to practice navigating urban environments while building essential pedestrian, bicycling and road-safety skills. This innovative community resource was made possible through sponsorship from Tech Painting Co. and Gorove Slade, in collaboration with the Tysons Community Alliance.
Our Sponsors:
