Around Town

The annual Fairfax County Carnival and Fair will return to Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon tomorrow (Thursday) for four days of food, rides and animals.

Now in its 76th year, the event serves as the county’s signature summer celebration and a showcase for the local 4-H organization, which promotes agriculture, civic engagement, science and healthy living through a variety of programs for kids aged 5 to 18.


News

Work on accessibility improvements to the off-leash area for dogs inside the high-traffic Westgrove Park in Groveton will begin next week.

Half of the dog park at 6801 Fort Hunt Road will stay open while new amenities designed to make the park more accessible are installed, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.


News

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored a local resident last Tuesday (July 14) for her 35 years of service to the Spring Hill Rec Center’s adapted aquatics program.

Bryna Helfer helped found the program in 1991, and continues to serve as an instructor and booster.


Countywide

Hazardous air quality levels due to wildfire smoke have been reported in the D.C. region, prompting cancellations of outdoor activities across Fairfax County.

Early this morning (Friday), the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) issued a Code Purple Air Quality Advisory for the region after conditions considered “very unhealthy” for everyone were recorded in D.C., Northern Virginia and parts of suburban Maryland by 9 a.m.


Countywide

Thousands of residents in Fairfax County, particularly the Burke area, are grappling with the aftermath of yesterday’s thunderstorm.

As of 11 a.m., more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the county were still without electricity, including about 700 customers in the Burke, Springfield and Fairfax area south of George Mason University’s campus, according to Dominion Energy.


Around Town

The Fairfax County Park Authority has unveiled event lineups for this year’s Summer Entertainment Series, which will feature more than 100 outdoor concerts, movie screenings and other free diversions.

Kicking off with Springfield Nights at Burke Lake Park and Arts in the Parks at Frying Pan Farm Park on June 24, the 2026 offerings won’t be quite as extensive as in previous years after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted a fiscal year 2026 budget that reduced funding for the series by $136,000.


Around Town

Reston’s own water park is suiting up for a new season, just in time to provide relief from a blast of summer heat.

The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole will reopen for 2026 at 11 a.m. this Saturday, May 23 at Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive), giving local families an aquatic escape for Memorial Day weekend.


Around Town

Instead of the usual fireworks, a battalion of drones will light up Lake Fairfax Park this summer for the Fairfax County Park Authority’s annual Independence Day celebration.

The park authority is planning its first-ever drone light show to put a unique spin on this year’s festivities in conjunction with the county’s ongoing recognition of the U.S.’s 250th anniversary.


News

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is holding a public meeting this Saturday (May 2) on proposed renovations to the Audrey Moore Rec Center, the oldest recreational facility built by the agency.

The FCPA says the rec center has served as a community hub since its opening in Annandale in 1977. After undergoing some routine maintenance four years ago, the 76,000-square-foot facility complex is set for a major overhaul.


News

After months of renovations, Mount Vernon Woods Park is set to officially reopen to the public during a ribbon-cutting ceremony this Saturday (April 18).

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it will have activities for people of all ages, including skateboarding demonstrations with Fairfax Surf Shop, soccer and community recreation, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.


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