Invasive plants—non-natives that spread vigorously outside their natural range—are causing environmental and economic problems globally and can wreak havoc on your landscape. Learn about the identification, biology, and control of troublesome woody, exotic invasive plants plaguing the area. We will cover the invasive traits of these plants and why they are so successful at displacing our native species in local woodlands. We will also review tools for control and helpful websites. All proceeds from this event go towards the ACE Scholarship fund to help make our classes more accessible to all Arlington youth.

Build your kitchen confidence and get ready to cook on your own. Get comfortable using essential kitchen tools, pick up hands-on cooking tricks, and plan meals like a pro. Learn how to make approachable, well-loved dishes, like chicken tikka masala, bolognese, and fried rice, made with everyday ingredients from local grocery stores and smart shortcuts. Leave with a recipe booklet and the confidence to cook simple, satisfying meals while enjoying your time in the kitchen.

Learn the art of special-occasion florals just in time for prom and wedding season. With guided instruction, create bespoke corsages and coordinating boutonnières using premium seasonal blooms and professional techniques. From flower selection and wiring to refined finishing touches, you’ll build practical skills while designing pieces that feel personal, polished, and current. You’ll leave with a complete set of beautifully crafted, ready-to-wear floral designs. All blooms, foliage, and tools are provided.

There’s nothing more fun than country western line dancing! You don’t even need a partner. Come get low-impact exercise as we dance to (mostly) country western music. Beginner: If you’ve never line danced before or have only done a few classes, we’ll start from the very beginning, with simple dances that teach you the basic building blocks of line dancing. Continuing: For those who have been dancing for a while and are ready for a new challenge, these dances are longer, faster, and have more turns.

Explore a seemingly endless supply of fun materials in this “craft-tacular” week. We’ll use yarn, popsicle sticks, beads, and more to make a variety of projects, including fluffy pompoms, treasure boxes, beaded geckos, flip flop noteholders, and more. Expand your crafting skills with gimp as we experiment with different stitches to make things like bracelets, keychains, and lanyards.

Apply the literary techniques of fiction to craft compelling personal stories. Over six weeks, you will write, revise, and polish two personal narratives. Generative prompts will launch you from the blank page, supportive feedback will guide you through the middle, and effective revision strategies will bring each piece to completion. Writers of all levels are welcome.

Discover a new hobby or expand your crochet skills with projects that are as fun as they are practical. We’ll start with the basics and move on to creating a variety of items perfect for back-to-school or everyday use. Projects include bookmarks, zipper pouches, pencil cases, scrunchies, bag charms, and laptop sleeves—offering plenty of ways to practice new techniques and make pieces you’ll love to use.

Indian cuisine has grown in popularity in the last few years, though most dishes tend to be from the North. Western India offers a different palate, using tamarind, jaggery, and coconut to create bold, flavorful dishes. Learn to make a sweet-and-spicy shrimp curry flavored with tamarind and cilantro, reminiscent of Thailand’s tom yum, Indian-style home fries, and a beet salad with yogurt and a zing of minced green chili.

One of the earliest photographic techniques, cyanotypes (also called blueprints or sunprints), let you create unique images using natural and found objects. These workshops are beginner-friendly and perfect for anyone curious about alternative photographic processes. A Taste of Cyanotype (One Night): Create striking blue-and-white prints using natural and found objects like leaves, flowers, lace, and jewelry. Go home with 8–10 original designs and a new appreciation for the beauty of natural light and texture. Go Deeper with Cyanotype (Two Nights): The first night covers the basics of the historic sun-printing technique and includes creating your own set of blue-and-white designs on paper and fabric. We’ll also discuss other ways to create your own prints at home. On the second night, return with your prints to explore toning techniques that shift the cyanotype’s signature blue using tea, coffee, turmeric, and more, and experiment with larger or wearable fabric pieces.

Fill your morning with music, movement, crafting, and fun. Learn simple choreography to some of our favorite songs and create song-related crafts and activities. We will also learn about basic musical terms such as tempo, speed, and genre. Come dance—and craft—with us.

Sparkle, shine, and create with diamond art. Turn colorful resin gems into dazzling designs on bookmarks, coasters, magnets, canvases, and more. Explore patterns and colors to craft glittery masterpieces to take home and show off.

Creative thinking meets engineering in this makerspace class. Explore gravity, momentum, and clever design as you build inventive contraptions. Projects include parachute drops, 3D illusions, roller coaster rides, and more, each designed to challenge your problem-solving and ignite your creativity.

Gain an introduction to the world of digital art using the Procreate app for iPads. Explore many of Procreate’s varied tools, shortcuts, and tricks, and develop design habits that are particular to digital artmaking. We will try out methods for using Procreate to support planning and composition in traditional 2D artforms, as well as ideas for mixing digital and analogue in dynamic new ways. Please note: This class requires an ipad. You may borrow one for use in the classroom or bring your own. If you bring your own, it must have the Procreate App.