Christmas Tree on the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center
Rising from the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center, their large Christmas tree was a focal point this holiday season. Once the holiday market tents were built, and the tree put in place, the crowds started to gather. Finally it was time for the 2015 Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony!
Earl’s – Tysons, VA
Whereas Earl’s ice rink on the Plaza was a place to play and cool off, their restaurant warms you up. After all the skating, the inviting bar at the Earl’s adjacent to the Plaza is a perfect meeting spot.
Earl’s Kitchen and Bar ice rink at Tysons Corner CenterZamboni on the Earl’s ice rink at Tysons Corner CenterBar at Earl’s Kitchen and Bar in Tysons, VA
Soon, the ceremony was ready to begin. Chilli Amar, and Loo Katz of 97.1 WASH-FM met Santa at the ice rink. Doug Hill came to give us good weather predictions for the night. Elliott Yamin sang some holiday favorites and the tree was lit!
Chilli Amar and Loo Katz at the ice rink in Tysons Corner Center Loo Katz, Santa, and Chilli Amar at the ice rink in Tysons Corner Center
Tree Lighting Ceremony
2015 Christmas Tree Lighting on the Plaza at Tysons Corner CenterDoug Hill at Tysons Corner CenterSanta Claus on the Plaza at Tysons Corner CenterElliott Yamin performing on the Plaza at Tysons Corner CenterIce skating at Tysons Corner Center
Christmas Eve is just around the corner! With this in mind, it is appropriate for some Santa photos from the 2015 Santa Breakfast on the blog. Although I have come across a few versions of the big guy, the one at Tysons Corner Center is the real deal! As well as being patient with all the work obligations, he continues to do an amazing job every year.
Santa Claus holding baby – Tysons Corner CenterThose Funny Little People and Fairfax County Police officers – Tysons Corner CenterThose Funny Little People perform at the Santa Breakfast – Tysons Corner CenterBuffet line at the Santa Breakfast – Tysons Corner Center Santa greets children – Tysons Corner Center2015 Santa Breakast at Tysons Corner CenterSanta and friends at Tysons Corner Center
Santa HQ
Arrival at the Santa HQ in Tysons Corner Center
In addition to the Santa Breakfast, there were many sightings of him around the mall this year. In order to open the Santa HQ, where is sat for may family portraits this holiday season, there was an opening ceremony for the set. When he opened the set, a band played, Tommy McFly from Fresh FM opened the set, and gifts were given out. Merry Christmas!
Santa Claus at Tysons Corner CenterHoliday pies and Santa Claus – Tysons Corner CenterTysons Corner Center Santa at LPQ cart in Tysons Corner Center
Nancy Kerrigan at the entrance to Tysons Corner Center
An Olympian Visits
Nancy Kerrigan will likely come to mind when you think of ice skating. She made the USA proud with her efforts on the Olympic teams in 1992 and 1994. For the first holiday season that Tysons Corner Center has their Plaza open to the public, they have a large ice rink installed. To open the rink for skating to the public, they had a show featuring some area ice skaters, and Nancy Kerrigan. What a way to open this exciting new installation!
Ice Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner Center
I was inside covering other events inside the mall as I posted
about previously. So I asked a photographer Nick Tettey from JB Elliott
Photography to help me get photos of the ice show. To see his photos of the
event, you can visit the Facebook page of Tysons Corner Center. I came outside
to catch the end of the show which gave me the opportunity to see Nancy skating
live. To see a professional that has practiced performing for large crowd for most
of her life is a gift. You can tell the muscle memory she has built to do such
complicated movements and to make them look effortless.
Ice Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner CenterIce Skaters with Nancy Kerrigan at Tysons Corner Center
Meet and Greet
After their show was done, Nancy and her skaters came inside to get some nice photos together. The stage set up in the Concourse was a much better setting for photos than the very dark and cold ice skating rink setup out on the Plaza. So I setup a large strobe as high as I could get it on a light stand. From here, it was very easy to get nice photos of the group together with Nancy.
Nancy Kerrigan Meet and Greet at Tysons Corner Center
She was very generous with her time. Lots of people wanted to come up to get some selfies with her, and she did so nicely with everyone that waited to see her.
At the end of the event, Nancy took a lot of time to meet with an older gentleman that came to ask her what the event was about. In explaining all of his buttons that he wore on his jacket and hats, he said that he used to be a pilot that used to fly Air Force One! Nancy humbly told him that she used to skate for the USA. I really enjoyed seeing her interaction with him and how she succinctly summarized her amazing career!
Nancy Kerrigan Meet and Greet at Tysons Corner Center
