City Combines December 12th Holiday Market With Little City Sips
Summary
- Following the successful launch of Little City Sips events this summer, the Economic Development Office (EDO) decided to combine a new Falls Church Holiday Market with a Little City Sips event on December 12, 2026. Initially, the Holiday Market aimed to feature 30 to 50 retail vendors stationed only on Little Falls Street between W Broad Street and Park Avenue.
- Restaurant owners who helped develop and have participated in other Little City Sips events this year were surprised by the City’s decision and expressed frustration that they were not consulted in planning for the combined events. They told the EDO and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) that their plan would concentrate crowds on Little Falls Street with few restaurants to accommodate them and would detract from other eateries in the rest of the Little Sips event area bounded by W Broad Street, Park Avenue, Little Falls, and N Washington Street.
- After a heated exchange at the September 1, 2026, EDA meeting, the City elected to continue with plans for the combined event. Since then, EDO staff said that several restaurants beyond Little Falls have agreed to activate their outdoor patios for retail vendors or activities during the Holiday Market and Little City Sips events.
- The combined Holiday Market and Little City Sips is in addition to the annual Holiday Gift and Craft Show at the Falls Church Community Center that is organized by the City’s Recreation and Parks Department and will be held December 5 and 6, 2026.
The competitive environment for restaurants in the City
The number of restaurants in the City has increased dramatically in the last decade as the City added commercial spaces with each new residential development. Nationwide franchises opened up alongside mom-and-pop restaurants, creating a competitive environment that has seen some restaurants go out of business or change owners. Among the latest casualties are Preservation Biscuit Company, which closed its doors in September, and Harvey’s, which is now under new ownership.
In the last year, the City has tried to provide more support for local businesses through its Economic Development Office (EDO) and the Economic Development Authority (EDA). There have been some missteps, notably when the City reduced support for Watch Night December 31, 2025, with short notice to the restaurant owners. The result was a much smaller New Year’s Eve celebration that hurt restaurant sales and angered these business owners.
Restaurant owners reached out to the City after the Watch Night fiasco in an effort to improve communications between the businesses and the government.
Success of the new Little City Sips events
The EDO piloted the first Little City Sips on June 13, 2026, to support local restaurants. The effort required both staff and business owners to learn how to comply with Virginia laws governing temporary designated outdoor refreshment areas (DORA). Within the DORA, people can stroll with their alcoholic beverages, visit shops and restaurants, and enjoy musical entertainment.
The EDA collaborated with the EDO and provided $5,000 to purchase cups for the Sips event. The pilot was successful, drawing more than 4,000 attendees and boosting restaurant sales. More Little City Sips events were organized with a second Sips held August 22, and the next one scheduled for October 17.
A new open-air Holiday Market together with a December Little City Sips event
According to Naomi Goodwin, Business Development Analyst with the EDO, the vision for a new Falls Church Holiday Market came from Mayor Letty Hardi, following her visit to Germany during the holidays last year. Ms. Hardi thought to combine the market with another Little City Sips event.
As a result, the EDO scheduled the Little City Holiday Market and Little City Sips event for December 12, with the market running from 3:00 to 9:00 pm and Sips and Stroll from 5:00 to 10:00 pm. The EDO initially planned to have 30 to 50 retail vendors along the Little Falls Street section of the DORA between Broad Street and Park Avenue. The office told the EDA at its October 7, 2026, meeting that 80 vendors have contacted them, and 40 have committed to the event. EDO staff said that only 40 retail vendors can be accommodated in the block of Little Falls between Broad and Park and that local businesses will receive preference.
This Holiday Market is a separate event from the annual Falls Church Holiday Gift and Craft Show, which will take place on December 5 and 6, 2026, at the Falls Church Community Center. The City’s Recreation and Parks Department organizes this event. More than 50 crafters and holiday vendors provide handmade items, baked goods, and holiday gifts, and the Friends of Cherry Hill Foundation organizes a Children’s Holiday Shoppe.
Concern that the Holiday Market will negatively impact Little City Sips
The September EDA meeting saw a heated exchange between Chair Ross Litkenhous and individual restaurant owners about the Holiday Market.
Two restaurant owners—David Tax from Clare and Don’s Beach Shack and Colm Dillon from Ireland’s Four Provinces (4Ps)—attended the meeting to express their concern that businesses involved in past Little City Sips were not consulted in planning to combine the event with the new Holiday Market.
They pointed out that the Holiday Market would concentrate the crowds on Little Falls Street instead of encouraging visitors to stroll through the entire DORA area and patronize the restaurants there.
Noting the size of crowds at the first two Little City Sips, Mr. Dillon said, “There isn’t a chance that one restaurant can handle all the people,” yet the focus will be on Little Falls Street, where until recently, only the Stratford Garden restaurant is open during the planned event hours. Since then, the European-style creperie Little City Café has begun staying open until 8:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and so would be able to accommodate customers into the evening on December 12.
Mr. Tax and Mr. Dillon noted that several restaurants near Little Falls “have patios that are underutilized in the winter.” In addition to Clare and Don’s and 4Ps, they include Dogwood and Northside Social. Had they been involved earlier in the process, they would have suggested that retail vendors could use these spaces and be spread throughout the DORA, thus encouraging visitors to visit more establishments, the restaurant owners said.
Mayor Hardi, who attends EDA meetings, suggested that restaurants beyond Little Falls Street could “host retailers in your patios, and we’ll promote that.”
Mr. Tax replied that there isn’t enough retail presence in the City to spread around the several sites in that way. He appealed to the EDA, saying, “You’re economic development for all of the City, not just Little Falls.”
Ms. Goodwin reminded everyone that the Holiday Market combined with the Little City Sips is “a pilot” from which the staff and the EDA expect to learn and adjust.
Mr. Tax responded, “Even though you think I just want you to help me, that’s not the case. Everything that I do that we’ve talked about doing, we do for the City. We want to make the whole City better. … This is going to hurt the Sips and Stroll event.”
Little City Holiday Market and Sips combo is still on
Mr. Litkenhous said the EDA wanted to expand the Holiday Market at Winter Wonderland held at Founder’s Row, “but couldn’t pull that off. The next logical location is Little Falls.” He urged all the restaurants in within the DORA to participate.
The EDA Chair further noted that several restaurants outside the DORA are disappointed that, thus far, Little City Sips events don’t include them. However, the expansion of the DORA to other parts of the City at the same time “isn’t manageable,” he said.
Mr. Dillon commented that before the restaurants met with the City in January (after the Watch Night issues), “there was nothing being done.” Mr. Tax added, “The only reason we are to this point is because we started these meetings and invited you to them so you could do something for the businesses.”
A rapprochement?
Deputy City Manager, External Operations Andy Young noted that, working together, the businesses and the City “have made some good progress” since January. Mr. Tax agreed but reiterated his concern that the businesses had not been consulted about the Holiday Market.
At the EDA’s October 7, 2026, meeting, the EDO reported that Clare and Don’s, 4Ps, and Northside Social have agreed to activate their outdoor patios for retail vendors or activities on December 12. Mayor Hardi noted that Mr. Brown’s Park will have activities as well, providing interest along Broad in addition to the market centered along Little Falls.
Mr. Tax and Mr. Dillon did not respond to the Pulse’s requests for comments.
FAQs
The EDO is the City department that supports local businesses. As a component of the City’s tax base and local economy, it is in the City’s interest to attract businesses into the City and ensure that they thrive. Beyond helping businesses with the permitting and complying with City regulations, the EDO monitors local economic conditions and maintains data on available commercial space, markets the City’s businesses on social media and through the City’s website visitFallsChurch.com. They also provide staff support for the City’s Economic Development Authority (EDA).
Virginia Code Title 15.2, Chapter 49 allows local jurisdictions to create an EDA to promote economic development and the development of affordable housing. The Falls Church EDA has advised the City Council on economic development issues and proposals. The group is made up of seven community members serving four-year terms. The EDA reviews the work of the EDO, and the EDO has provided staff assistance to conduct the EDA’s studies and projects. The powers of the EDA are defined in the Virginia statue.
One way the City has utilized the EDA is to assign ownership of City properties in West Falls and Virginia Village to the EDA. In the case of West Falls, the EDA can lease land for up to 99 years whereas the City is only allowed a lease of up to 40 years. Assigning the Virginia Village properties to the EDA gives the City more flexibility in its affordable housing initiative.
