Dear Friends of Mellow Beach,

Please join us Thursday July 4, 2024 for our 47rd Annual 4th of July Picnic, at our home on the banks of the Potomac River. Festivities begin at 3:00 p.m. and will end around 11:00 p.m.

This party is by invitation only, however I do encourage you, your family (and close friends) to join us.

There will be music!

We will have grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, ribs, and chicken tenders.

I encourage you to bring a large side dish to share. Alcoholic contributions are always welcome!

We are suggesting a $20/per person contribution to help defray the cost of the party. Expenses continue to go up and it's a struggling economy for many!

We hope to see you here on the Fourth!

Allison and Peter Weyland

Party Details

To Bring

• Beverages, snacks, coolers, ice (for personal use) BYOB - some alcoholic beverages provided
• Swim Suits
• Beach Towels
• "Water" Shoes
• Sun Screen
• Water Toys, Floats, etc.
• Lawn Chairs
• Sunglasses
• Insect Repellent

Music

6:00-11:00 PM

Food and Beverages

We will be serving up hamburgers, hot dogs and sausages at our early evening meal (around 6:00 p.m.).

Security and Safety

This year I will have a security team on hand to help enforce the underage drinking issue. We've done reasonably well in the past, but since the event has become popular locally it seems we have had an influx of teenagers late in the evening. For those of you with guests and family under the age of 21, we will provide RadWare wristbands to all invited underage attendees who have a responsible party in charge of their safe and alcohol-free attendance.

Please note, we will ask all those under 21 and not in the company of parents, to leave the premises after the fireworks (approximately 10:00 p.m.), to ensure a safe, law-abiding, and relaxing evening for everyone. Uninvited guests or underage attendees without parental supervision, still on premises more than one-half hour after the fiireworks end, will be escorted out by security.

Water is Shallow, NO DIVING! SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK. No Running on Dock or Deck along river. Glass may be present on the river bottom. Water shoes are strongly recommended. CHILDREN MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT AT ALL TIMES at the party, and especially when in or around the river, dock, surrounding area, or hot tub. Parents, please do not assume that someone is watching your child in the water. You are your child's lifeguard. A kiddie swimming pool and water floats will be availablel.

Parking

Parking will be provided at our community center located at the corner of Mt. Vernon Boulevard and Gunston Road Way. A shuttle will be provided from the parking area to the party. Please do not park in any private driveways or along any of our neighborhood streets, as we do not want to inconvenience anyone in our community who may not be taking part in the celebration.

Boating

There will be no dock-side tie-offs. If you plan to arrive by boat, please drop off your passengers and provisions at the end of the dock, and then anchor off-shore. Captains will be ferried ashore in our shuttle-boat.

Etc...

Insect repellent is highly recommended since our community is largely surrounded by wetlands and mosquitoes are an issue in the evening hours.

Although we will have just about everything you could want for dinner, you may wish to pack a personal picnic basket with pre-dinner snacks, favorite beverages, or treats.

I hope you can join in what continues to be an expansion of our extended family and community. We will do everything possible to provide a warm, safe and relaxing environment to encourage you to enjoy the friends, the water, the sun, the food, the music, and the evening fireworks. Please bring a great attitude and come to enjoy yourselves.

If you have any questions you can call me on my cell phone at 703-300-7980 or email me Peter@Look.Net

Directions

Directions from Alexandria, Virginia

• U.S. Rt. 1 South to Lorton (12 miles south of interchange US Rt 1 and Beltway)
• Left onto Gunston Road at traffic light and Shell station onto Gunston Road
• Go 5.3 miles, Left onto Mt. Vernon Blvd., at Gunston Manor community sign
• Go .25 mile, Party Parking Area at community center, lower field

Directions from Washington, D.C.

• I-395 South
• I-95 South
• Exit 163, Lorton
• Left off ramp onto Lorton Road
• Go .25 mile, turn Right onto Lorton Market Square (go approx. 1 mile to Rt.1)
• Cross Rt. 1 at light onto Gunston Road
• Go 5.3 miles, Left onto Mt. Vernon Blvd., at Gunston Manor community sign
• Go .25 mile, Party Parking Area at community center, lower field

Directions from Richmond, Virginia and Points South

• I-95 North
• Exit 161, Ft. Belvoir, Mt. Vernon onto Rt. 1 North Go 1.5 miles
• Turn Right at traffic light and Shell station onto Gunston Road Go 5.3 miles
• Turn Left onto Mt. Vernon Blvd. at Gunston Manor community sign
• Go .25 mile, Party Parking Area at community center, lower field