CRi’s Community Fest 2026 - Full Event Recap

Community Fest 2026: Full Event Coverage Recap

On Saturday, May 2, CRi welcomed individuals, families, caregivers, volunteers, sponsors, community partners, and staff to Community Fest 2026 at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia.

Community Fest is one of CRi’s most meaningful annual gatherings. It brings people together in a space built around inclusion, accessibility, creativity, and connection. Throughout the day, guests enjoyed hands-on activities, music, dancing, awards, quiet sensory spaces, sponsor booths, and opportunities to celebrate the people who make CRi’s mission possible.

Watch the Official Video Recap 

Relive some of the smiles, activities, special moments, and energy from the day in our official Community Fest 2026 video recap.

Watch the full video recap now.

Awards Ceremony

A special part of Community Fest 2026 was the Awards Ceremony, where CRi recognized individuals whose stories, service, and commitment reflect the heart of our community.

These moments gave everyone a chance to pause and celebrate people who continue to make a difference through resilience, generosity, leadership, and care for others.

Path to Wellbeing Award

At CRi’s second annual Community Fest, we were proud to introduce the Path to Wellbeing Award, created to recognize an individual CRi serves who has made tremendous progress and meaningful breakthroughs over the past year.

This year’s award was presented to Takayla Bradby for improving her overall mental health, breaking barriers, and continuing to move forward with strength and determination.

The award was presented by Dr. Kia Simpkins, CRi’s Senior Director of Clinical Services in Richmond, VA, who introduced Takayla before she accepted the award and shared a heartfelt speech with the Community Fest audience.

Takayla’s recognition was one of the most memorable moments of the day and a powerful reminder that wellbeing can look like courage, growth, self-advocacy, and the support of a community that believes in you.

Watch Takayla’s Path to Wellbeing Award

Volunteer of the Year

CRi was proud to recognize Steampunk as the recipient of the 2026 Volunteer of the Year Award, honoring their continued support of CRi’s mission and the individuals we serve.

Maggie Craig accepted the award on behalf of Steampunk, which was presented by Shannon White, CRi’s Volunteer Program Manager, and Natasha Jeter, Award Presenter and 2025 Volunteer of the Year.

Since being introduced to CRi in 2023, Steampunk has become a meaningful partner through volunteer projects, sponsorships, and in-kind support. Their team has participated in home beautification and property maintenance projects, supported CRi events, and helped strengthen programs across our community.

Their impact has also reached individuals and staff in personal and thoughtful ways. Through Steampunk’s Women’s Group, team members donated clothing, bottles, a baby carrier, and other needed items for a young mom and baby in CRi’s Living Independently for Tomorrow, or LIFT, Program. More recently, Steampunk Women, led by Kristin Recco, assembled gift bags for CRi’s nursing staff in honor of International Women’s Day, which were shared during International Nurses Week in May.

CRi established the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2025 to recognize a volunteer group or individual who demonstrates initiative, leadership, dependability, continuous involvement, and deep respect for CRi’s mission. Steampunk’s ongoing commitment reflects the heart of this award, and we are grateful for the many ways they continue to show up for CRi.

Watch Volunteer of the Year Award 2026.

Activities Pavilion

The Activities Pavilion was filled with creativity, movement, and hands-on fun throughout the day. Guests enjoyed face painting sponsored by KPMG, caricature drawings sponsored by BWXT, ring toss sponsored by Capital Services, balloon art sponsored by Southern Pharmacy Services, and the Sand Art Studio sponsored by SNYK.

CRi’s Recreational Therapy team also played an important role in helping design and modify activities so more people could participate in ways that felt comfortable, engaging, and accessible. Recreational Therapy uses meaningful activities to help people build confidence, express themselves, strengthen skills, and feel connected within their community.

At Community Fest, that work showed up in simple but powerful ways. It gave attendees choices. It created moments of creativity and play. It helped people connect with one another, try something new, and enjoy the day at their own pace.

Quiet Space Pavilion

For guests who needed time away from the louder parts of the event, the Quiet Space Pavilion, sponsored by the Shrivastava Family, offered a calm and welcoming place to relax. The Shrivastava Family generously supported the full Quiet Space Pavilion experience, including the massage therapy chair sessions, quieter activities, and sensory-friendly spaces.

This year’s Quiet Space included several massage therapists who provided chair massages for event attendees, giving guests a chance to pause, reset, and enjoy a quieter moment during the day. Attendees could also enjoy coffee filter butterflies, building blocks, and large-piece puzzles. Each activity offered a different way to slow down, focus, create, and take part in Community Fest at a comfortable pace.

The Quiet Space Pavilion reflected an important part of Community Fest: making room for different needs, comfort levels, and ways of participating. These activities were a meaningful part of the event, and many are the kinds of thoughtful sensory experiences CRi hopes to bring back in 2027.

Thank You to Our Volunteers

Community Fest would not be possible without the incredible support of our volunteers.

From welcoming guests at check-in and helping manage registration to leading arts and crafts projects, supporting activity booths, guiding attendees, passing out ice cream, and dancing with the individuals we serve and guests on the dance floor, our volunteers helped make the day feel joyful, welcoming, and organized.

Because of their time, energy, and care, the individuals we support were able to enjoy activities like face painting, games, and passport stops, while CRi staff could focus on making sure everyone stayed safe, happy, and engaged. Volunteers also helped with the smaller details that make a big difference, including handing out lanyards, stamping passports, keeping lines moving, and supporting the flow of the event behind the scenes.

These tasks may seem simple, but they are the kind of support that helps a large event like Community Fest run smoothly from start to finish.

Special Guests

CRi was proud to welcome Myiesha Jones and Moiz Ahmer, aides to U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, to Community Fest 2026.

Their presence reflected the importance of community connection, local partnership, and continued awareness around the needs and strengths of individuals with disabilities and mental health needs across Northern Virginia.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are incredibly grateful to the sponsors who helped make Community Fest 2026 possible. Their support helped create an inclusive and meaningful day for the individuals, families, caregivers, staff, and community members who joined us.