At 6224B Old Dominion Drive, the McLean Art Gallery closes its doors at 6 p.m. A short walk away in the same Chesterbrook Shopping Center, Surfside Taco Stand serves until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The gallery's space will go to a restaurant with valet parking and live entertainment every night. That change says a lot about where Chesterbrook is headed.
The McLean Art Society's gallery is expected to close sometime in January 2027 so construction can start on Glenwood's, a steak and sushi restaurant from Maryland. For anyone in McLean who has used the gallery as a free afternoon stop, its remaining exhibit and classes run through mid-December. The rest of the season's art and holiday plans move to Ingleside Avenue and Langley Shopping Center.
Noon to six, until January
The gallery opened in September 2025 and was meant to be temporary from the start. Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns Chesterbrook, supported the arrangement. Since then it has hosted exhibitions, workshops and events for local artists. Admission is free, and it's open from noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
The current show, "City Life," runs through Sunday, November 29, next to a rotating collection of work by McLean Art Society members. Its subject is urban living: street scenes, buildings, busy cityscapes and quiet moments in between. FFXnow reported that it's expected to be one of the last exhibits in the space. In the same article, the society described the coming months this way:
"The coming months [will be] a final opportunity to experience the creativity and talent of local artists, explore original artwork, and celebrate the vibrant arts community that has made the gallery so special."
The gallery's scheduled events after "City Life" are two class series, and one of them runs after dark:
- Watercolor for All Levels with Raj KC: a five-session Tuesday series scheduled from November 17 through December 15. The December sessions are on the 1st, 8th and 15th, from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. Details on Eventbrite.
- Portrait Night at McLean Art Gallery: drawing and painting sessions on December 11 and December 18, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Details on Eventbrite.
What replaces it is built for after dark
Glenwood's signed a lease for about 7,000 square feet at the southern end of Chesterbrook, near Small Door Veterinary. FFXnow's report on the lease describes about 170 seats, roughly 90 full- and part-time jobs, an outdoor patio, valet parking, nightly live entertainment, and a private dining room with a temperature-controlled, floor-to-ceiling wine display. Construction is expected to start in early 2027, with a target opening in fall 2027.
The McLean location will be Glenwood's first in Northern Virginia. The brand began as Stanford Grill in Columbia, Maryland, in 2010, added locations in Rockville and Owings Mills, and took the Glenwood's name in 2024. Blueridge Restaurant Group, which also operates Copper Canyon Grill, is behind it. In its announcement, Federal Realty called the deal a sign of "the center's evolution," and Blueridge described McLean as "an important next step" in a regional expansion.
Surfside shows the same direction already in practice. The beach-themed taco stand opened October 22 at 6218 Old Dominion Drive, in a freestanding building it shares with Sweetgreen. FFXnow reported that it's the chain's first location in Virginia. Its posted hours run from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. The gallery is open 24 hours a week. On a Saturday alone, Surfside is open more than 15.
Both businesses fit a pattern that started when Federal Realty bought Chesterbrook in 2021. Since then the center has had an $8.5 million renovation and a turnover of tenants. Sweetgreen, Sorn Thai and the Maryland boutique Sassanova have opened. The Chesterbrook Barber Shop moved next door to 6262-F Old Dominion Drive. The gallery was always meant to be temporary within that rebuild. Glenwood's, with a patio and a wine room, is the kind of tenant the center was rebuilt for.
Where the art society's work hangs after Chesterbrook
The McLean Art Society isn't closing, only its gallery. The society told FFXnow it's looking for a new location and hopes to announce one by the end of the year. In the meantime, its work is on view in county spaces that have their own schedules:
- Spring Hill and Oakmont Rec Centers: members' work hangs from September through May each year, so it's up for the whole winter.
- McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue: a society art show runs through Friday, November 20. That morning at 11 a.m., watercolor artist Marni Maree gives a free sketchbook journaling demonstration in the same building.
The Rec Centers have the longest display run, but the community center is where the society's work and the rest of McLean's holiday calendar overlap.
Ingleside Avenue carries the rest of the season
The McLean Community Center and The Alden, its performing arts space, have the busiest stretch of the season from now through mid-December. Everything below is at 1234 Ingleside Avenue:
- Holiday Gingerbread House Decorating, Saturday, November 21, 10 a.m. to noon. Registration required.
- Duo Mosaic Piano Duo at The Alden, Sunday, November 22, 2 p.m.
- McLean Holiday Art & Crafts Festival, Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 6. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
- The Joyfully Jolly Jamboree at The Alden, Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m. Tickets include a Santa photo opportunity from noon to 1 p.m.
- Sounds of the Season: A Lil' Maceo Holiday at The Alden, Saturday, December 19, 7 p.m.
The Holiday Art & Crafts Festival is the event that fills the gap the gallery leaves. It brings handmade work to Ingleside Avenue the same weekend as Winterfest.
The first weekend of December covers all of it
The McLean Revitalization Corporation's 2026 Winterfest Parade & Block Party is on Sunday, December 6, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. It has more than 54 food vendors, local performers, marching bands and floats. New this year is an online pet photo contest. Entries opened November 9, and winners will be announced at the block party.
The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, and the crafts festival runs Friday through Sunday. That lets one weekend cover the gallery, the festival and the parade:
- Saturday, December 5, noon to 6 p.m.: visit the McLean Art Gallery at Chesterbrook, then go to the Holiday Art & Crafts Festival on Ingleside Avenue before it closes at 6 p.m.
- Sunday, December 6, 10 a.m.: the crafts festival opens for its last day, which ends at 4 p.m.
- 12:30 p.m.: the Winterfest block party and pre-parade entertainment begin at Langley Shopping Center.
- 1:30 p.m.: the parade steps off at Fleetwood Road and Old Chain Bridge Road and finishes by 2:45 p.m.
- 3 p.m.: the Santa Claus station opens at the block party, which runs until 4:30 p.m.
After that weekend, the gallery has two more Portrait Nights on December 11 and 18 and its last watercolor session on December 15. Glenwood's construction is expected to begin in early 2027.
At Property Collective, design shapes how we present every home, and that includes the walls. A piece you find at "City Life" or the crafts festival this season could be the one that anchors a room for years. If you're planning a refresh or getting a McLean home ready for spring, Property Collective can help you think through how local art fits the space. Schedule a Call.
