Santa arrives to 23rd Street in Arlington, November 30, 2018. (Photo by Harry Merritt)
ARLINGTON, VA–On Friday, November 30, Arlington and Crystal City residents and businesses gathered around the “Miracle on 23rd Street” event and cheered with joy when Santa arrived in a fire truck amidst a crowd enjoying treats and refreshments sponsored by Burke & Herbert Bank.
The event was organized and hosted by Melwood, a dynamic nonprofit providing jobs and opportunities for people with differing abilities for over 50 years and counting in the greater Washington, DC area. For more information, visit www.melwood.orgThe tree lighting during the 2018 Miracle n 23rd Street. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Christmas was in the air during all of the festivities. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Signage at the event. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Santa (Dave Himes) visits with little Andrea at the 23rd Street festival. (Photo by Harry Merritt)The band performs at the 23rd Street Miracle. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Plenty of food at the Miracle on 23rd Street. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Burke and Herbert sponsored the Miracle on 23rd Street — pictured are employees Mirza, Barua and Negadi. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Runyon the Parrot, the official mascot for Burke and Herbert Bank, was a big crowd pleaser during the Miracle on 23rd Street. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Sponsor Samsung showed off their Gear Virtual Reality devices during demonstrations at the 23rd Street Christmas event. (Photo by Harry Merritt)Melwood’s CEO Cari DeSantis welcomes the crowd on the cold evening thanking everyone for coming out and asking them to enjoy the festivities. (Photo by Harry Merritt)The lighting of the tree was ceremonially assisted by a few of the children . (Photo by Harry Merritt)
Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, the award-winning Alexandria news publication she founded in 2010 with a mission of celebrating community, culture, and all the good news happening across the city.
A longtime community advocate and storyteller, Mary was selected for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce inaugural 40 Under 40 class and has served as President of Living Legends of Alexandria since 2022. Known for her deep local roots, sharp editorial instincts, and passion for connecting people through journalism, she has spent decades chronicling the personalities, businesses, events, and civic life that make Alexandria unique.
Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, and has been part of Alexandria’s publishing and media community since 1987.
