A Korean pot rice restaurant is set to fill the space in Centreville’s Centrewood Plaza vacated this summer by longtime tenant Tippy’s Taco House.
Dam-Sot, a restaurant specializing in premium rice dishes, will open at 14119 St. Germain Drive near the Giant food store that anchors the shopping plaza.
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Summer Restaurant Week is back for 2026, and over two dozen establishments in Fairfax County are in the mix.
Starting today (Monday) through Sunday, Aug. 30, more than 380 restaurants in D.C., Maryland and Virginia are offering multi-course brunch, lunch and dinner menus that range in price from $25 to $65 per person, depending on the location.
1st Stage is gearing up for week two of The Logan Festival of Solo Performance, presented with generous support from The Revada Foundation and Eileen Mandell, running from August 20 – 30, 2026.
This innovative festival, acclaimed in The Washington Post with “three plays prove the power of one,” will gather award-winning solo performers from across the country for performances, workshops, discussions, and events. The 2026 festival features three dynamic productions:
Baron Vaughn: Cycle Breaker
Written and Performed by Baron Vaughn
Directed by Aysan Celik
Nothing brings your own childhood into focus like raising your own children. Married 40-something father, Baron Vaughn digs into his own past to understand how it formed him and how he’ll approach parenthood in his funny and deeply human solo show. Baron explores his relationships with his parents and grandparents as he uncovers the values he wishes to instill and the damage he’d rather not pay forward to his own children. Part stand-up comedy, part memory play, Baron Vaughn: Cycle Breaker is a meditation on family and what it takes to truly break a cycle.
It Ends With Guinea Pigs
Written and Performed by Diana Gitelman
Directed by Faline England
What begins as the reluctant adoption of two male guinea pigs unexpectedly becomes a portal into generational trauma, cultural identity, marriage dynamics, motherhood exhaustion, hamster-related murder guilt, and an eventual emotional awakening. We journey from non–self-care Soviet Jewish roots to pigs, lice, and healing through pig poop. The guinea pigs—objectively useless—become absurd spirit guides, opening the door to unprocessed grief tied to Frisky and “Babushka” (Grandma). Along the way, they help forge new boundaries and rebuild self-worth, culminating in a love of self, life, and, oddly…these pigs.
LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman’s Life of Passion
Written and Performed by Ronald Rand
Through the unforgettable performance by award-winning actor Ronald Rand, audiences are invited on an inspiring journey that celebrates the life, passion, and humor of the legendary Harold Clurman, known as “the Elder Statesman of the American Theatre”. As co-founder, with Lee Strasberg and Cheryl Crawford, of the famed Group Theatre of the 1930s — considered by many the most significant ensemble art theatre in the history of the American Theatre — Clurman helped revolutionize not only the American Theatre, but American acting in every facet. LET IT BE ART! honors the breadth of Clurman’s legacy and the transformative power of theatre.
The Logan Festival of Solo Performance runs from August 20-30, 2026. The final week of performances will have showtimes as follows:
Baron Vaughn: Cycle Breaker: Tuesday, August 25 at 7:30pm; Saturday, August 29 at 5:00pm; Sunday, August 30 at 7:30pm
It Ends With Guinea Pigs: Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30pm; Thursday, August 27 at 7:30pm; Saturday, August 29 at 7:30pm; Sunday, August 30 at 2:00pm
LET IT BE ART!: Friday, August 28 at 7:30pm; Saturday, August 29 at 2:00pm; Sunday, August 30 at 5:00pm
Please email the box office at boxoffice@1ststage.org for reservations.
General admission tickets are $20 per show and $10 per show for Students with valid ID. Individual tickets can be purchased online at www.1stStage.org or by emailing the 1st Stage box office at boxoffice@1ststage.org.
A nonprofit focused on advocating for immigrants and the working class plans to open a community center along Little River Turnpike in Annandale that it hopes will become a hub for workforce training, youth programs, legal clinics and other social services.
We Are CASA hopes to partially open and offer some services inside the 11,000-square-foot Fairfax Welcome Center by the end of 2027, Jossie Flor Sapunar, the group’s national communications director, told FFXnow over email.
Good news for future Centreville-area commuters craving a crunchy quesarito or chalupa: Taco Bell appears to be planning a new drive-thru on a secondary road just off Routes 28 and 29.
Plans were submitted to Fairfax County by Centreville Investors LLC last week seeking a conditional rezoning and permission to build a new, 2,800-square-foot building, complete with drive-thru and a Taco Bell sign, at 5866 Old Centreville Road.
Local author and Fairfax County Public Library librarian Luis D. Aponte invites parents and community leaders to an empowering discussion inspired by his book “A Safe Place: How to Prevent the Next School Shooting.” Drawing on seven years of research into more than 1,200 U.S. school shooting incidents, he shares practical, nonpartisan, research‑based steps families and schools can use to strengthen safety and emotional well‑being. Discover hopeful, community‑building solutions that help every child feel supported and able to thrive. Attendees receive two free ebooks, with a paperback signing to follow.
Adults. No registration required. Free event. For more information, visit ASafePlaceBook.com.
An information technology contractor based in Reston has secured a new, larger headquarters office, even as its parent company works to finalize a recently announced merger with an IT startup in Tysons.
MetroStar Systems signed a lease last week for 37,844-square-feet of office space in the nine-story building at 12010 Sunset Hills Road in Reston Town Center.
After an initial round this spring, Fairfax County is bringing back its initiative that offers free trees for residents to plant on their properties.
Partnering again with the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation, the county’s Urban and Community Forestry Division will limit giveaways for the first two weeks, starting today (Monday), to people living in neighborhoods that rank “high” or “very high” on the federal Social Vulnerability Index.
Fairfax County Public Schools students are heading back to the classroom today (Monday), a familiar sight that might inspire nostalgia and stress among even non-parent residents.
However, in recent months, Fairfax County and the school system have adopted a number of changes to policies and services that are taking effect during the new school year, particularly around the use of technology in the classroom.
Motorcyclist Critically Injured in Annandale — Fairfax County police officers responded yesterday (Sunday) afternoon to “a motorcycle crash at Braddock Rd and Pine Rd in Annandale. The adult male rider was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.” [FCPD/X]
Drought Warning Still in Place — “Despite significant rainfall, the Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) has continued the existing drought advisory statuses for Virginia.” With groundwater levels still at “emergency” status, Northern Virginia remains under a drought warning advisory, meaning a “significant” drought could be imminent and voluntary steps to conserve water are encouraged. [Virginia DEQ]
Three Arrests for Herndon-Area Shooting — “The shooting broke out near Birch Run Circle and Elm Tree Drive, near the Herndon and Reston area on Aug. 19 … Around 2:43 a.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire in the area, where a man reported that a 17-year-old he knew fired several shots at his vehicle.” The teen and two adults have been arrested, Fairfax County police say. [DC News Now]
Proposed Head Start Changes Concern Advocates — “Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families proposed significant changes to the program, framing them as measures to reduce federal regulatory burden, restore local flexibility and give greater authority to states, programs, and parents.” The Virginia Head Start Association, however, says “the proposal risks the program’s future.” [Virginia Mercury]
AI Hiring Tools Used by Va. Contractors — State procurement records indicate that artificial intelligence technology that can identify hiring applicants, scan resumes and “conduct one-way interviews” have been used “by state agencies and offices, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the attorney general’s office. Records show that in fiscal years 2024 and 2025, the AG’s office had yearly subscriptions with the AI hiring company TestGorilla B.V.” [VPM News]
Burger Food Truck Plans Restaurant — “S&P Burger, is opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Fairfax, this fall. The new restaurant will be located at 11055 Main St., Fairfax,” and is aiming to launch in October. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Thousands Cited for Unsafe Driving — “Between August 10 and August 16, officers issued 16,235 citations and warnings, including 6,162 citations and 10,073 warnings, making Wave 3 the largest enforcement effort of 2026. These results highlight the continued importance of traffic safety and driver accountability across Fairfax County.” The Road Shark campaign will return for a fourth wave on Oct. 12. [FCPD]
Footbridges Replaced in Reston — “The Footbridge 60 & 64 replacement projects have been completed, and associated pathways have been reopened. These footbridges will serve Reston’s pathway users for decades and will also support maintenance/ emergency vehicle access to remote sections of the pathway.” Additional footbridges will be upgraded “in the coming years.” [Reston Association]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny weather today with a high of around 84°F and a light west wind picking up to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Tonight will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to about 61°F. The northwest wind will be around 6 mph, calming down in the evening. [NWS]
Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 21, 2026.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Expect showers and thunderstorms in the morning, with rain likely continuing into the early afternoon, then a chance of more showers and thunderstorms later. Highs will reach around 79°F, with east winds at 3 to 7 mph. There’s an 80% chance of rain, with rainfall amounts between half to three-quarters of an inch possible. Saturday night brings a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy skies, and a low near 67°F with light and variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
