Reston founder Bob Simon Jr. will once again be the focus of celebrations next month during the annual Founder’s Day celebration.

The festivities are set to take place at Lake Anne Plaza (1609 Washington Plaza North) on April 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It began as a celebration of Simon’s 90th birthday in 2004, when artist Zachary Oxman unveiled a sculpture commemorating him.

Organizers say this year — which is the 20th anniversary of the event — is “extra special” for several reasons.

“Besides being the 20th anniversary of Founder’s Day, the event will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Reston documentary ‘Reston: Another Way of Living‘ and is in remembrance of what would have been Simon’s 110th birthday,” Reston Museum Executive Director Alexandra Campbell said.

The celebration will kick off at 11 a.m. with a community cleanup. The afternoon program features a reading of Reston’s 1966 dedication and remarks from local elected officials. Performances and exhibits are also planned.

It will also feature a book fair celebrating local authors, bookshops and community organizations. Authors in the “Pages on the Plaza” fair will speak at their booths, Reston Museum, Reston Community Center and Reston’s Used Book Shop.

“The addition of a Book Fair as a component of Founder’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate Reston’s living legacy and also April as National Poetry Month and National School Library Month,” Campbell said. “Featured in the program this year is Reston’s Used Book Shop, which has been at Lake Anne Plaza since the 1970s and is Reston’s oldest bookshop still here today.”

Between 2 and 4 p.m., attendees can also decorate a journal with Public Art Reston at Reston Art Gallery & Studios.

The event is presented by Reston Museum and Reston Community Center with support from Public Art Reston.

This summer at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts just got busier.

After announcing an initial line-up in January, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts unveiled additional shows on Tuesday (March 19) that have been booked for its summer 2024 season at the Filene Center, the park’s main outdoor amphitheater, and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods.

The Filene Center’s season typically kicks off with “Blast Off!,” a free fireworks show, around Memorial Day in May, though the exact date won’t be announced until April in coordination with the President’s Own U.S. Marine Band.

The newly expanded slate of concerts features a range of genres, from 1990s R&B — represented by TLC, En Vogue and Jody Watley on July 5 — to musical theater belted by Tony-winning Broadway star Ben Platt on June 23.

There will be some notable collaborations between Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates and Elvis Costello on July 25, The Who lead singer Roger Daltry and singer-songwriter KT Tunstall on June 12, and indie bands The Mountain Goats and The New Pornographers on Aug. 4.

The National Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with indie musician Beck (July 27) and rapper Nas, who will commemorate the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Illmatic” on July 21. It has added “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (July 24) to the list of movies getting a live score accompaniment, and audiences will be able to sing along to “The Sound of Music” on Aug. 16.

Other highlights include The Roots on Aug. 31, country singer Clint Black on July 3, rockers Cake (Aug. 2) and Blues Travelers (Aug. 23), and ’80s new wave band Crowded House, best known for “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” on Sept. 3.

Local musicians will also get a showcase, with rockers Virginia Coalition, emmet swimming and the Pat McGee Band coming together for “NOVA Nite” on Aug.7.

Over at the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, families will be treated to hour-long music, dance, theater, puppetry and magic performances on Tuesday through Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. from June 20 to Aug. 3.

Full schedules for both the Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods can be found on Wolf Trap’s website. Tickets for the just-announced shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. next Friday, March 29.

The annual Reston Pride Festival will return to Lake Anne Plaza on June 1 from noon to 6 p.m.

This year’s festival will include live music, performances, and vendors. The organization will also choose an LGBTQ+ nonprofit to highlight positive work being done in the community.

Past beneficiaries include Rainbow Families, the CasaBurmar Foundation and the Pride Liberation Project, a student-led LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

“We are very excited and proud to continue the rich tradition of Pride in Reston while recognizing how fortunate we have been, especially considering how many LGBTQIA+ organizations did not survive the strain of the pandemic,” Reston Pride President Kyle Rohen said.

Rohen said the organization needs volunteers for the day of the festival and year-round.

The organization got its start in 2018 in an effort to make Reston a “truly inclusive” region by providing cultural education and resources about LGBTQIA+ history and culture. 

Reston Pride is sponsored by CORE Foundation, a nonprofit that offers services for the Northern Virginia region.

Capital One Center will bound into spring later this month with an Easter celebration at The Perch (1803 Capital One Drive).

The Tysons skypark is inviting kids and their parents to an Easter egg hunt on March 30. Visitors will have a chance to meet an Easter bunny, along with actual bunnies, alpacas and a baby goat in a petting zoo run by My Pet Alpaca.

Other activities include sack races, balloon animals, arts and crafts, and “special entertainment” from a DJ at the Perch Putt mini-golf course, according to a media advisory.

After closing for the winter, Perch Putt will reopen this Saturday (March 23) with a new Korean food truck called Bap-Bowl. The menu includes DIY rice, greens and japchae bowls, kimchi, a Korean corn dog and soft-serve ice cream.

For the Easter celebration, the tiki bar Rhum Roost will serve “festive” beverages, such as Peeps hot chocolate and mimosa buckets, and Dos Los Carlos, another food truck, will have breakfast tacos.

Easter at The Perch will also feature:

• A pop-up box office offering fee-free tickets to upcoming shows at Capital One Hall
• Free chair massages from the nail salon and spa Nothing in Between (1590 Capital One Drive)
• A Magnolia Dessert Bar pop-up from Sisters Thai, which is set to open its largest restaurant yet at Capital One Center this year

Tickets for the Easter egg hunt cost $22.20, including an online processing fee, but the rest of the event is free. Capital One Center charges $10 for event parking, advising visitors to instead utilize the nearby McLean Metro station.

Located 11 stories up on top of Capital One Hall, The Perch opened in August 2021 with a dog park, bocce ball pits, an amphitheater and Starr Hill Biergarten. The mini golf course and food trucks were added to the 2.5-acre green space in May 2022.

In the works since early 2022, Sisters Thai’s Tysons restaurant is under construction at 7730 Capital One Tower Road and will feature an outpost of Magnolia, which can currently only be found in Vienna. Capital One Center also anticipates that Stellina Pizzeria, Ox & Rye and Starr Hill Brewpub will open this year.

A more specific timeline for the upcoming restaurants remains elusive, but the development did announce that Ometeo (1640 Capital One Drive North) — a Tex-Mex eatery that arrived in December — added lunch hours this week, opening every weekday at 11:30 a.m.

Spring has officially arrived, and in Tysons, that means the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is on its way.

The popular mobile shop will pull into Tysons Corner Center this Saturday (March 23), setting up on the Plaza near Shake Shack from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Fans of Hello Kitty can look forward to edible goodies and limited-edition merch and best-selling items like Hello Kitty Cafe Plush Toys and giant Hello Kitty Cafe chef cookies,” the mall said on the event page.

Launched by Sanrio in October 2014, the Hello Kitty Cafe Trucks tour dozens of cities around the U.S. every year. Tysons Corner Center has become a regular stop, usually getting a visit in March.

According to Sanrio’s website, this year’s food and drink menu includes macaron, cookie and madeleine sets, along with a “giant chef cookie.” The truck’s merchandise collection will include:

• Treats & sprinkles glass mug
• Ringer tee
• Hoodie
• Cup plush
• Sprinkle mug
• Truck lunchbox
• Stainless steel thermal bottles (18 or 32 ounces)
• 2-piece enamel pin set
• Rainbow canvas tote
• Charm keychain

As noted on the mall’s event page, the truck doesn’t accept cash, limiting payments to credit and debit cards.

Users of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail can now more directly access the Freeman Store and Museum — and, beyond it, the Town Green — in Vienna.

The town has opened a new pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch that links the regional trail to the historic site. Completed in November, the facility replaces a wooden bridge that collapsed in 2016 due to water damage and general deterioration.

“It looks as it did many years ago and restores an important link to the Town’s history, connecting past and present,” the Town of Vienna said of the new bridge.

The town will celebrate the bridge’s reopening this Saturday (March 23) with a ribbon-cutting and reception starting at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided, and the Freeman Store will unveil two new museum exhibits: “Exploring Books Throughout Time” and “Vienna Unveiled Through Maps.”

Have you noticed the new pedestrian bridge along the W&OD Trail? After months of anticipation, it's time to celebrate its completion! Everyone's invited to the official ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. See you there! Details: https://t.co/5bwEBgELgq. pic.twitter.com/zVcig20KRq

— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) March 14, 2024

Vienna officials had been looking to build a new bridge since they closed the previous one in February 2016, but an initial lack of response from contractors and rising costs for lumber and other materials delayed the project.

Construction finally began in February 2023, requiring a temporary detour around the affected section of the W&OD Trail.

Measuring about 53 feet long and 5 feet wide, the new bridge was made out of steel and timber. It’s also ADA-compliant, serving as the only way for wheelchair users to access the Freeman Store.

“Since the Freeman Store opened in 1859, it has been a store, a home, a train depot, a hotel, a hospital, an officers’ quarters, and a fire department, and the pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch to the store’s side entrance has been an integral part of the structure,” the town said in a news release.

Designated as a historic Virginia landmark in 2011, the Freeman Store is run by the nonprofit Historic Vienna Inc. and sells candy, artist prints, pottery, mugs, used books and other Vienna-themed items.

Located at 131 Church Street NE, the Freeman Store is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday between March and December. The store closes on most federal holidays.

Photo via Town of Vienna/Twitter

Fairfax County residents don’t have to head to D.C. to experience the flair of cherry blossoms.

Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon will be the site of a spring celebration to celebrate the arrival of cherry blossoms on Saturday, April 6.

The event, “Into the Woods,” is a free, self-paced tour that will include interactive stations that include fairy-house building and other crafts.

“Discover the magic of Frying Pan Farm Park’s woods, where the combination of spring sunshine and rare soil creates a vibrant ecosystem,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said.

The event is free and open for all ages. Registration is open online to help the park authority manage park volume. Attendees can choose from different program start times at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and noon.

Frying Pan Farm Park is located 2709 West Ox Road in Herndon.

The Vienna Business Association is reviving its Get Healthy Vienna! Expo for 2024.

First introduced last May, the health and fitness showcase will return to the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) on April 6, from 10 am. to 2 p.m. The event is intended to highlight health-related businesses and resources available in the local community, VBA Health, Wellness & Fitness chair Karen Kerrigan says.

“The 2024 Expo will connect attendees to an array of services, solutions and opportunities that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles,” Kerrigan said. “The process of attaining optimal health and wellness is all about connections, education and taking positive action. I am excited about the wide-array of exhibitors at this year’s expo who are passionate about supporting the health and wellness of our special community.”

This year’s expo will feature up to 50 exhibitors and follow the theme of “Connections to Wellness,” reflecting an emphasis on the importance of social connections to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Outside of the vendors, highlights will include a Kids and Families Zone with children’s activities and demonstrations, such as face painting. The Vienna Singing Princesses will also make “a special appearance” involving superheroes.

For adults, there will be a variety of panels led by health and wellness professionals, who will discuss the root causes of chronic disease, the importance of movement and stretching, and other topics.

Several former James Madison High School student athletes have been enlisted for a panel called “The Importance of a Positive Youth Sports Experience: Lessons for Young Athletes and Their Parents.” Confirmed participants include:

• Football player Nick Dorka (College of William and Mary, Canadian Football League, International Football League)
• Lacrosse player Katie Kerrigan (James Madison University, including a Division I national championship in 2018, and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League)
• Baseball player Trey Ramsey (Princeton University)
• Soccer player Jack Traxler (Catholic University)

VBA Chairman Greg Kunstbeck said the business association’s board is “excited” to see the event grow in its second year.

“The event continues to grow, evolve and respond to the needs and presence of the many businesses and organizations that provide services in the wellness space, along with the people they serve,” Kunstbeck said. “VBA members are making a positive difference in the health of our community and positively transforming people’s lives.”

The expo will fall in the middle of the fourth annual Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, where Vienna will try to defend its title as the “most fit community” from the rival cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The contest will kick off this Saturday (March 16) and continue through May 11.

Dozens of restaurants and breweries from across Northern Virginia will descend on the Fort Belvoir area this spring.

The National Museum of the U.S. Army (1775 Liberty Drive) will host this year’s Taste of NoVA, a relatively new food festival produced by Northern Virginia Magazine as a celebration of its annual 50 Best Restaurants list.

The inaugural festival was held in May 2023 at Segra Field in Leesburg.

Tickets for the 2024 tasting event on May 19 are currently available for early bird prices of $145 for general admission tickets or $170 for VIP tickets, which include early admission and access to a VIP lounge with specialty cocktails by Tiki Thai.

“We have only a limited number of tickets available for Early Birds, so you’ll want to get in on this deal,” Northern Virginia Magazine Director of Events James McFadden said in a press release. “The best of the best will be at this event, and you’ll be able to talk with the region’s most celebrated chefs.”

According to McFadden, there’s a limited quantity of early bird tickets but no set date for when the promotion will end. At full price, general admission tickets cost $165, and VIP tickets are $190.

All ticket-holders will get complimentary samples and sips from the participating restaurants, wineries and breweries, along with a one-year subscription to Northern Virginia Magazine. The event will also feature live entertainment, giveaways, recreational activities and access to the Army Museum.

Supported by Northern Virginia Food Rescue, a nonprofit created during the pandemic that “rescues” food waste and distributes it to those in need, the 2024 Taste of NoVA will run from 1-4 p.m. with VIP ticket-holders getting a head start at noon.

More than 40 restaurants and 25 wineries, breweries, and spirits vendors have lined up for the event, including the winner of Northern Virginia Magazine’s “Best Restaurant” designation for 2023: West Falls Church’s 2941 Restaurant.

A full list of the participants is below. Read More

Fairfax County Public Library is giving away free solar eclipse viewing glasses in anticipation of next month’s event, but to snag a pair, you’ll have to move fast.

Each branch will have “a very limited allotment” of a few hundred glasses at most, FCPL Board of Trustees chair Brian Engler confirmed. Though some branches received shipments early, the glasses were expected to be ready for distribution at all locations today (Wednesday), according to FCPL Director Jessica Hudson.

“As they are available at the branch, they will be distributed on a first-come/first-served model,” Engler said.

A total solar eclipse is slated to cross over North America on April 8, traveling northeast from Mexico’s Pacific coast through Texas and the eastern side of the Midwest up to Maine and Newfoundland, Canada. The journey will last from 11:07 a.m. to around 5:16 p.m., according to NASA.

Though Fairfax County isn’t in that path of totality, a partial eclipse will be visible, similar to what the area experienced during the August 2017 eclipse. In that event’s peak, about 82% of the sun was blocked by the moon.

An annular or “ring of fire” eclipse also occurred last Oct. 14, but clouds and rain ultimately put a damper on the event in the D.C. area. Even if the weather had been clear, viewers would’ve seen the moon’s shadow covering only about 40% of the sun.

According to NASA, the 2024 eclipse will pass over more populated areas than the one in 2017 did, and the totality will last longer. In the D.C. area, more of the sun — about 87.4% — will be blocked, so the eclipse “will be noticeably darker,” Fairfax County Park Authority spokesperson Benjamin Boxer says.

Based on NASA’s projections, the eclipse will start around 2:04 p.m., peak at about 3:20 p.m. and end at 4:32 p.m.

“We may even see a slight temperature drop during the event,” Boxer said by email. “…Since, in Northern Virginia, we are not in totality it is not safe to view without special solar glasses or using a projection method.”

Volunteers with the Analemma Society will share tips on how and where to safely view the eclipse at the park authority’s upcoming preview on March 25 at Turner Farm Park’s Roll-Top Observatory (925 Springvale Road) in Great Falls.

Scheduled for 7:30-8:30 p.m., the event is already full after opening registration back on Jan. 30, but a waitlist is available for those hoping to potentially get a spot. The event has an $8 fee.

Celebrations on the day of the eclipse are planned at Turner Farm Park, Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly, Burke Lake Park and Historic Huntley Meadows. As of press time, seats remained available for all sessions.

The Ellanor C. Lawrence and Burke Lake celebrations are scheduled for 2-4 p.m. and will feature “related games, activities and demonstrations” before and after the eclipse, along with a limited availability of viewing glasses and sun spotting scopes.

The Historic Huntley and Turner Farm events will take place from 1:30-4:30 p.m. and focus on the science behind eclipses. Attendees will get a free pair of viewing glasses, according to the FCPA.

For those who aren’t able to obtain glasses or would prefer a less direct viewing method, the park authority has instructions for creating a pin-hole mirror or using a colander to see the crescents of light created by the partial eclipse. Cereal boxes were popular viewing tools during the 2017 event.

Next month’s solar eclipse will give scientists a rare opportunity to study the sun and its effects on nature and Earth’s atmosphere, according to the Washington Post. The continental U.S. isn’t projected to get another total solar eclipse until 2044.