Reston Town Center renovations force cancellation of concert series

A popular outdoor entertainment series has been cancelled for the summer as some of Reston Town Center’s public spaces get a facelift.

Reston Concerts on the Town has been cancelled because RTC’s pavilion will not be available for events due to ongoing renovations.

“While this is disappointing, there’s a silver lining,” event organizers wrote in a statement. “The pavilion is going to be transformed into a more event-friendly space. It will be newly paved, with cool amphitheater-style seating by the fountain and other upgrades.”

Organizers say they attempted to locate an alternate site in the vicinity but were unable to find one that met the amenities and resources required for the concerts, which typically happen on Saturday nights.

“We look forward to bringing the Saturday night concerts back in 2023 in this refreshed space,” organizers said.

A spokesperson for Boston Properties said the upgrades are not expected to affect other events.

“We have been able to accommodate most of our events, with the exception of the Reston Concerts on the Town series,” wrote Sapna Yathiraj, Boston Properties’ marketing director, in a statement.

The work on the pavilion began at the end of March and is expected to wrap up in the early fall. The ice rink will continue to operate from November through March.

Upgrades will include the installation of two fire pits in front of the pavilion, which will be expanded through the service street next to the Hyatt. A wooden deck will be added to serve as a seating area, along with a stage for small events and more seating areas in the artificial-turf area.

The Fountain Plaza will also get stadium-style structures and tables and chairs, a renovation of the fountain’s lower base, and new landscaping. Work on the fountain area is scheduled to begin this month and wrap up later in the fall.

The renovations are one of the first major updates to the common areas, which were first built in the early 1990s. The design team for the project is led by Alan Ward, principal of Sasaki Associates.