For this year’s Independent Bookstore Day, local bookworms will be encouraged to collect not just new literary titles, but also places to buy them.
More than a dozen shops across Northern Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia have teamed up for a new “Passport” program, giving customers a chance to win prizes if they visit different locations.
“The Passport will introduce book lovers to more of our region’s growing bookstore scene, and offer them a way to celebrate with their favorites,” a press release for the campaign says.
The passports will be issued by the participating stores this Saturday (April 27) on Independent Bookstore Day, which is organized by the American Booksellers Association to celebrate the importance of independently owned book shops to local communities.
Passport holders will then have until May 31 to collect stamps from the participating stores. Four stores will net a book, eight stores a tote bag, and those who visit at least 10 stores can enter to win a grand prize, which will have books, gift cards and other items from each of the 15 shops, according to Fonts Books and Gifts owner Amber Taylor.
Taylor’s McLean store, which opened last year near Chesterbrook Plaza, is one of several Fairfax County businesses involved in the promotional campaign. Bards Alley in Vienna (full disclosure: this reporter’s sister is an employee), Scrawl Books in Reston and Herndon’s A Thousand Stories are also taking part.
“Northern Virginia is home to a robust and growing community of local, independent bookstores. And, our region is full of readers, book lovers and supporters of local businesses,” Taylor said by email. “We hope all of our customers enjoy filling their Bookstore Passports beginning on Saturday as they visit their favorite stores, and some stores that are new to them.”
In addition to the Passport program, each of the stores has its own activities planned for Independent Bookstore Day.
Scrawl Books has lined up several author visits, while Fonts will offer non-alcoholic drink samples, among other activities. Bards Alley will host a “stuffy sleepover” and storytime, and A Thousand Stories has partnered with Arts Herndon and the Friends of Runnymeade Park for a native plant and art sale.
Now in its 11th year, Independent Bookstore Day was started in 2013 by booksellers in California before going national in 2015. According to the American Booksellers Association, over a thousand stores across all 50 states will host events this year.
Passport programs or “bookstore crawls” have become a popular promotional method. The Northern Virginia crawl — which also includes Curious Iguana in Frederick, Maryland, and WordPlay in Wardensville, West Virginia — echoes similar campaigns in D.C., Connecticut and other areas.
A Maryland-based early childhood education company is opening a second location in the Reston-Herndon area.
Celebree School will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location at 12700 Sunrise Valley Drive with a spring carnival on Saturday, April 27. The event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature magic shows, a bubble station and various food vendors.
The new school is owned and operated by Manmeet Sarang, a local entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry.
“We are so excited for the opportunity to work with and assist in the education of children here in the Herndon and Fairfax County area,” Sarang said in a press release. It’s extremely fulfilling to be able to help children grow and develop, but now through Celebree Schools’ high-quality standards. My team is looking forward to raising the bar for early childhood education in the community.”
Celebree School’s programs cater to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children up to 12 years old, emphasizing a blend of curriculum-based education and play to promote social skills and values.
According to the release, the school adheres to Virginia’s early education standards and offers both part-time and full-time care, with parents welcome to visit anytime.
Originally called Enchanted Child Care, the company was founded by current CEO Richard Huffman in 1994 in Ellicott City, Maryland, according to Celebree’s website. In 2002, Enchanted Child Care was rebranded to Celebree Schools.
Since beginning its franchising efforts in 2019, Celebree School has expanded to 44 schools and enlisted 54 owners for over 100 sites, including three in Fairfax County, across 14 states. The brand currently serves more than 4,570 children.
Celebree locations can also be found in Reston on Sunset Hills Road and at Valo Park in Tysons.
“We take great pride in supporting exceptional entrepreneurs like Manmeet in achieving their business aspirations,” Huffman said in the release. “In our ongoing efforts to grow the reach of our brand through franchising, it is crucial to collaborate with dedicated community leaders who share a deep commitment to early childhood education. Witnessing the establishment of these schools fills me with immense satisfaction and happiness. I am confident that she is the ideal franchisee to propel our mission to new heights.”
The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail has reached the half-century mark.
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) is marking the facility’s 50th anniversary with various activities from April to September, starting this Saturday (April 27) with a trail-wide cleanup event from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Coinciding with the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Celebrate Trails Day, the cleanup effort encourages volunteers to participate along the entire 45-mile trail, which stretches from Shirlington to Purcellville.
According to a press release, the trail was named after the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad and played a vital role in the economic development of Northern Virginia. It linked Alexandria’s seaport to communities westward, including Arlington, Falls Church and Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
When the railroad was abandoned in 1968, Dominion Power installed transmission lines along the corridor. NOVA Parks immediately started studying the feasibility of converting the former railroad to a trail.
Nearly 50 years ago, on Sept. 7, 1974, the “first ride” was documented on the first stretch of the W&OD Trail — a 1.5-mile-long, 6-foot-wide asphalt path in Falls Church City, per the release. It made the amenity among the first rails-to-trails conversions in the U.S.
Over 14 years, NOVA Parks expanded the trail into a continuous 45-mile pathway from Arlington to the Town of Purcellville, serving over 2 million people annually.
To improve safety, several ‘grade-separated’ intersections have been installed along the trail’s 70 road crossings, allowing trail users and vehicles to travel at different levels. Recent upgrades include a bridge over Route 29 in Arlington, completed in 2021, and one over Wiehle Avenue in Reston that’s expected to open this June.
NOVA Parks has also been remaking parts of the trail into separate, parallel tracks for pedestrians and cyclists. A section in Falls Church became operational in 2021, and there are plans for expansion into other urban areas, including in Arlington and the Vienna, Herndon and Reston segments, per the release.
Additional events for the W&OD Trail’s 50th anniversary can be found on the NOVA Park’s website, which lists several scheduled through July.
APRIL 27: CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY
Make Earth Day everyday and show your appreciation of the trail by participating in the first ever 45-mile trail cleanup of the W&OD Trail. Celebrate Trails Day is presented by the Rails to Trails Conservancy. Sign up to volunteer anywhere along the 45-mile trail from Shirlington to Purcellville, Virginia.MAY 17: BIKE TO WORK DAY
Bike to Work Day celebrates the many benefits of using alternate transportation to work. The first 16,000 who register and attend at a pit stop receive a free Bike to Work Day t-shirt. Free giveaways, food, and beverages are available at participating locations, while supplies last. Register for and stop by one of the pit stops where NOVA Parks will be located:
- Falls Church, 6:30-9 a.m.
- Herndon, 5:30-10 a.m.
- Arlington, 7-9 a.m.
MAY 27: CITY OF FALLS CHURCH MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
Cheer on NOVA Parks’ W&OD-themed float at the City of Falls Church’s 42nd Annual Memorial Day Parade. The fun starts at 2 p.m. Learn more.JUNE 1: NATIONAL TRAILS DAY
Visit NOVA Parks at the W&OD Trail’s mile marker 0 in Shirlington, where EcoAction Arlington will coordinate volunteers for an invasive cleanup between the start of the W&OD Trail and George Mason Drive. National Trails Day is a day of service for hometown trails and the people who love them, presented by the American Hiking Society.JULY 4: CITY OF FAIRFAX INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
Cheer on NOVA Parks’ W&OD-themed float at the City of Fairfax’s Independence Day Parade and stay for the fireworks! The parade takes place 10am-noon in downtown Fairfax. The event is rain or shine. Learn more.
The annual Tour de Hunter Mill bicycle ride will kick into full gear early next month with new routes designed to show off sights and amenities throughout the district.
Registration is now open for the fourth iteration of the May 5 community bike ride, which was introduced in 2021 by Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.
The event will feature two brand-new routes — one spanning 16 miles and the other covering 27 miles — that both begin and end at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) in Reston, with a rest stop at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court) in Wolf Trap.
This year’s routes will incorporate portions of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and, for the first time, a new shared-use path along Route 7 (Leesburg Pike), according to Alcorn’s office.
The 10-foot-wide path is part of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Route 7 widening, which is redesigning key intersections and adding a lane in each direction from Reston Avenue to Jarrett Valley Drive just outside of Tysons.
Though VDOT is targeting July 31 for completing the overall project, the trail is already functional enough for cyclists and pedestrians to use — at least between Reston Avenue and Towlston Road, according to Brian Worthy, a spokesperson for Alcorn’s office. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled for late May.
“I’m excited that this year’s Tour de Hunter Mill will take advantage of the newest bike trail in the district — the new shared-used path along both sides of Leesburg Pike,” Alcorn said in a statement to FFXnow. “It will allow bikers to get from Reston all the way into Tysons safely, and it expands the transportation options for traveling safely along this busy corridor.”
Co-sponsored by the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB), Reston Bike Club and Reston Community Center, the Tour de Hunter Mill costs $30 for adults, but children 15 and under can participate for free, as long as they’re accompanied by an adult.
The fee includes custom Tour de Hunter Mill socks for at least the first 165 registrants and a $5 donation to FABB, a volunteer, nonprofit organization that advocates for bicycling to be “safe, accessible and commonplace in Fairfax County for all ages, abilities and skill levels.”
The event will begin at 8 a.m. with riders checking in at a welcome table. After some opening remarks, the 27-mile ride will start at 8:30 a.m., and the shorter route will follow at 8:45 a.m. Once they finish, cyclists will be able to enjoy “food & fun” at the North County Governmental Center from 10 a.m. to noon, according to the registration page.
In a promotional video for the Tour de Hunter Mill, Reston Bike Club Vice Chairman Joel Kuester expressed hope that next year’s routes will utilize the new W&OD Trail bridge over Wiehle Avenue, which was installed earlier this month and is slated to open for use in June.
“Tour is a great way for folks to get out and experience the local roads, the trails and so on, so they know how to get around by bike,” FABB President Bruce Wright said in the video.
Tysons Corner Center visitors will get another opportunity to sample the mall’s culinary scene this spring.
After drawing a big crowd when it launched last year, the Taste of Tysons is set to return for a second year on May 4. More than 40 eateries throughout the mall will participate, offering free food bites from noon to 2 p.m.
Attendees should first stop by the Plaza to check in and get access to a digital “Passport to Delicious: Eatery Guide.” There will also be music from the party band Cazhmiere, a Barrel & Bushel beer bar, a photo booth, a prize wheel for “swag” and gift cards, and a “Career Corner,” where restaurants will provide information about their job openings, per a press release.
After 2 p.m., the Plaza will host cooking demonstrations from the chefs at Seasons52, Shake Shack and other restaurants. The event will conclude with live music from the Delaware-based Party Fowl Band.
Taste of Tysons is free to attend, but the mall is encouraging prospective attendees to register in advance. Tickets for a V.I.P. lounge on the Plaza can be purchased through Eventbrite.
“Purchase of a $30 ticket grants you access to the exclusive VIP lounge…complete with complimentary pairings from our top restaurants including Nordstrom Marketplace Cafe, Earls, Seasons52, and Barrel & Bushel!” the press release says.
Proceeds from the VIP ticket sales will go to the nonprofit Food for Others, which operates a food bank and other food distribution programs out of a warehouse in Merrifield.
According to Tysons Corner Center, here are some of the eateries participating in this year’s food sampling, including the Indian restaurant Dhoom, which opened in February:
Beng Beng Chicken
California Tortilla
Capital Musubi
Cha Street Food
Cinnabon
Dhoom
Haagen-Dazs
Istanbul Kitchen
Kung Fu Tea
Maman Joon
Matcha Café
Moe’s Chicken
Naan & Beyond
Nordstrom Ebar
Olivia Macaron
Shake Shack
Shilla Bakery
Soricha Tea
Wasabi
(Updated at noon) Reston’s popular community yard sale is temporarily moving down the road.
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend the biannual event when it returns this Saturday (April 27), according to Reston Association, the organizer.
Typically held every spring and fall at RA’s headquarters, the yard sale will relocate to the Farm at Halley Rise (12010 Sunrise Valley Drive) for this weekend due to “construction activity” at its usual spot (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).
The office building where RA leases space is getting its rooftop HVAC units replaced, according to an RA spokesperson.
“The Community Yard Sale is not only a great place to find bargains, but also it provides a wonderful sense of community,” RA Community Events Supervisor Ashleigh Soloff said. “Families look forward to this event all year, and neighbors come out to chat and browse the items for sale. It’s a wonderful way to meet neighbors, meet new friends and pick up some great deals.”
RA says the community yard sale has become one of its most anticipated events since it began 29 years ago.
Vendor space for this weekend’s iteration has sold out, with more than 90 local families planning to hawk their home décor and furniture, clothing, toys and other goods.
The yard sale will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Located across the street from Wegmans, the Farm at Halley Rise was introduced in 2022 and features vegetable, herb, fruit and native flower gardens, beehives, a rain garden and a meadow. The farm is run by Up Top Acres, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity.
Due to construction activity at RA’s Headquarters, this year’s event will take place at 12010 Sunrise Valley Drive (near the Reston Wegmans). More than three thousand people are expected to attend.
— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) April 23, 2024
OmBaked CBD Boutique at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston is hosting a holistic health fair next month.
The event , Scheduled for May 19, aims to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship, according to a press release. It will feature local vendors showcasing eco-friendly products and practices, along with educational exhibits on the importance of preserving natural resources.
Located at 11414 Washington Plaza, the boutique opened late last year and offers a variety of cannabidiol products focused on holistic wellness.
According to the owner, Radhika Murari, all profits from the event will go to Earth Sangha, a local native plant nursery involved in conservation efforts in Northern Virginia for over 30 years.
Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra and Hunter Mill Supervisor Walter Alcorn are also expected to attend, discussing their health initiatives.
Profs and Pints, a program that mixes casual bar atmosphere with collegiate discussions, is coming to Fairfax next month.
The program is based out of D.C. but, since 2017, has organized talks across the country. The Fairfax one will be held at the NoVa Bar & Grill in the Hilton Fairfax at 12777 Fair Lakes Circle.
The Fairfax debut of Profs and Pints will feature Richard Bell, a historian from the University of Maryland, discussing the legacy of Hamilton.
“Delivering a talk that has wowed audiences in several other cities, Professor Bell will critically examine the Hamilton musical in terms of its historical accuracy and its impact on Broadway and American culture,” a release said.
The release said the goal is to make the program accessible to Fairfax residents and to recruit speakers from nearby George Mason University.
“People who come to Profs and Pints talks at the Hilton Fairfax will be able to learn from outstanding professors for the price of an inexpensive ticket and whatever they want to order off the menu — or about as much as they would pay to go to the movies.” founder Peter Schmidt said. “They’ll truly come to see the truth in the Profs and Pints motto: No tuition or tests — just lectures you’ll love.”
Advance tickets are $14 with a $3 fee. Tickets are $17 at the door or $15 with a student ID.
Photo via Profs and Pints/Facebook
Pints and palettes will collide next month at the Workhouse Arts Center’s annual BrewWorks beer and arts festival in Lorton.
On Saturday, May 18, from noon to 5 p.m., attendees can enjoy craft beer tastings and watch artists compete in fast-paced painting and drawing competitions, according to a press release.
Roughly a dozen local breweries plan to participate in the festival, including Bunnyman Brewing, which is slated to open its second brewery location at the Lorton campus this summer. Other notable participants are Ono Brewing Company, Fair Winds Brewing Company, and Heritage Brewing Company. Various local food truck vendors will also be on-site to satisfy diverse palates.
Eight artists from the DMV area plan to compete in quick-fire rounds of painting and drawing. The art battle will unfold over three rounds, per the release.
Round 1 – 12:30 – 1:15 pm
Round 2 – 1:35 – 2:20 pm
Final Round – 2:40 – 3:35 pm
Festival attendees can also bid on the artwork during a silent auction from 3:45 – 4:50 p.m. following the battle.
General admission for attendees over 21 is $50, while tickets for non-alcoholic participants are $10.
Cirque Du Soleil is coming back to Fairfax next month.
The theatrical aerobatic spectacle is performing eight shows at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena from May 17-25.
This year’s production, Corteo, which translates to “procession” in Italian, centers on a clown who imagines his own funeral as a carnival-like spectacle, with “caring angels” watching over quietly, according to a press release.
Below is the performance schedule.
- Friday, May, 17 at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, May 18 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 19 at 1 p.m.
- Thursday, May 23 and Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, May 25 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Ticket prices range from $60 to $170.
More below from the press release.
Corteo, the most enchanting arena production from Cirque du Soleil is back in North America and heading to Fairfax, Virginia set to charm audiences for the very first time. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, first premiered in Montreal in April 2005. Since its creation, the show has amazed over 10 million spectators, in 22 countries, on 4 continents. Corteo will be presented at the Eagle Bank Arena for eight shows only from May 17th through May 25th, 2024.
For downloadable Press Kit, Photos, Trailer & B-Roll Videos in various formats, click here.
Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show combines the actor’s passion with the acrobat’s grace and power to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy, and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth. The clown pictures his funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic, and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music turns lyrical and playful carrying Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.
In a Cirque du Soleil first, the stage is central in the arena. It divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, giving a unique perspective not only of the show but also a performer’s eye view of the audience. An atmosphere like never seen before in Cirque du Soleil arena shows. The set curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and the central curtains, which were hand-painted, give a grandiose feel to the stage. This sets the tone for the poetry of Corteo.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Corteo in Fairfax are available online exclusively to Club Cirque members starting today at 10 am.
For free subscription, visit clubcirque.com.
General on-sale starts on December 11th at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo
Performance Schedule
● Friday 05/17 at 7pm
● Saturday 05/18 at 3pm & 7pm
● Sunday 05/19 at 1pm
● Thursday 05/23 + Friday 05/24 at 7pm
● Saturday 05/25 at 3pm & 7pm
