Around Town

Spooky season is upon us, and Fairfax County has no shortage of events to check out as Halloween approaches.

Upcoming festivities at local libraries, parks and neighborhoods range from parades and costume contests to pumpkin patches, races and more.


News

The U.S. Army’s decision to move forward with its annual Ten-Miler last weekend, despite an ongoing federal government shutdown, paid off for one McLean High School graduate.

Michelle Vaccaro was the first woman to complete the 10-mile race on Sunday (Oct. 12), beating thousands of other runners visiting from around the world with a finishing time of 56 minutes and 44 seconds.


Around Town

Though it may be small solace for not knowing when their next paycheck may come, a night of music or theater could become at least a temporary escape for the thousands of workers affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

That’s what George Mason University hopes to provide by offering free tickets to select artistic performances for federal employees and contractors.


Around Town

A week after the first-ever Celebration of the Arts took over Capital One Center in Tysons, Fairfax County’s Mason District will throw its own party championing the local arts community.

The inaugural Mason District Arts Festival will bring artist booths, live entertainment, a children’s play area and food trucks to the Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike) in Annandale this Saturday (Oct. 11) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.


Around Town

Fairfax County is losing Taste of NoVA to Prince William County, a consequence of the federal government shutdown stretching into a second week.

The food festival was set to unfold this weekend (Oct. 11-12) at the National Museum of the U.S. Army in Fort Belvoir, which has been closed since Oct. 1 with all events canceled as long as the shutdown continues.


Around Town

Fairfax County’s very own film festival is returning this month with a lineup that ranges from “Shrek” to ruminations on women’s rights in Iran and European attitudes toward refugees.

Now in its 14th year, the Washington West Film Festival will kick off this Friday (Oct. 3) at Reston Town Center with a 25th-anniversary screening of “Shrek,” organized in conjunction with the town center’s inaugural Rocktoberfest. More than a dozen other movies will follow from Oct. 9-13.


Around Town

October will give local residents the chance to “fall into the arts” with artoberVA, a month-long celebration of the arts across Fairfax County.

A collaboration between ArtsFairfax and CultureWorks, the initiative will present a number of free events coupled with discount offers from local artists and arts organizations across Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.


Around Town

The end of September is within sight, which means Oktoberfest season will soon be in full swing.

One of the bigger festivals in the region is the Vienna Oktoberfest, which is organized by the Vienna Business Association and now celebrating its 16th year.


Around Town

Restonians are once again expected to turn out by the thousands for a community-wide yard sale this weekend.

According to a release, Reston Association’s semi-annual Community Yard Sale is scheduled to come back “bigger than ever” on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at 12010 Sunrise Valley Drive, near the Reston Wegmans.


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