(Updated at 12:30 p.m. with Metro information) Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, bringing with it the promise (or threat, depending on your situation) of family gatherings and days off for many public services.
The Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Herndon and Vienna governments will all observe the holiday tomorrow (Thursday) by closing their offices, but schedules are more varied for Friday (Nov. 24).
Many private businesses and indoor shopping centers will also close for Thanksgiving, though most will reopen for Black Friday, because there’s nothing like a day of unabashed consumerism to follow a day of gratitude for what we have.
Shopping Malls
Tysons Corner Center, the D.C. area’s biggest shopping mall, will close tomorrow, but shoppers can get an early start on Black Friday, when doors will open at 6 a.m. and stay open until 10 p.m. Tysons Galleria will also close for Thanksgiving and open with modified hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.
Over at Fair Oaks Mall, a Thanksgiving closure will be followed by Black Friday hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Springfield Town Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday.
Trash and recycling
Fairfax County trash and recycling customers won’t experience any change in services for the holiday. However, the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex will be closed on Thanksgiving and open the day after. Administrative offices will be closed through Friday.
“If you have private collection, please contact your hauler,” the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services says.
The Town of Vienna will have no waste collection on Thanksgiving, and on Friday, only trash and recycling will get picked up. The Town of Herndon isn’t collecting yard waste this week, and Thursday trash pickups will be collected on Friday instead.
Fairfax City will similarly conduct both Thursday and Friday curbside collections on Friday.
Transportation
On Thanksgiving, Metro will operate trains and buses on a Sunday schedule, with trains running from 7 a.m. to midnight. Regular service will resume Friday.
Fairfax Connector will provide Sunday service tomorrow and holiday weekday service on Friday. The bus service’s stores and customer service center will close for Thanksgiving, reopening for regular hours on Friday.
Fairfax City’s CUE bus system won’t operate on Thanksgiving, but reduced weekday service, with one bus per route, will be available Friday.
Starting at noon today, the Virginia Department of Transportation is pausing most highway work and lane closures on major roads until noon on Monday, Nov. 27. Drivers will also be able to use the I-66 Express Lanes inside the Capital Beltway (I-495) without any rush-hour tolls on Thanksgiving. Read More
The Reston Holiday Parade has been selected as one of the 20 best holiday parades in the U.S. — and it has a chance to join the top 10.
Set to return next Friday, Nov. 24, the annual Reston Town Center tradition is competing against such high-profile events as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, to be named one of the country’s 10 best holiday parades by USA Today’s 10Best, which provides travel and lifestyle advice.
The 2023 Readers’ Choice Award nominees were initially submitted by the expert panel and then narrowed down to 20 choices by the 10Best editors.
Public voting for the top 10 is currently underway. Voters must be at least 18 years old and can cast one vote per day until the poll concludes at noon on Nov. 29. The winners will be announced on Dec. 8.
Now in its 32nd year, the Reston Holiday Parade previously ranked at no. 8 in the USA Today 10Best poll in 2019, and it currently sits in that spot on the leaderboard for this year’s Best Holiday Parades ranking.
Starting at 11 a.m. on Market Street, the hour-long, half-mile parade features Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage, antique cars, dances and floats carried by guests. There will also be live entertainment, including the Herndon High School marching band.
The festivities will conclude at 6 p.m. with the Clauses lighting a tree on Market Street.
The parade also came in at no. 60 in a poll conducted in October by Mixbook, a photo book brand, on the country’s most cherished Thanksgiving traditions. Events were ranked based on celebrations that respondents most wanted to experience.
Philadelphia’s 6abc Dunkin’ Parade topped the list, followed by Detroit’s America’s Thanksgiving Parade. Missouri’s Thanks-for-Giving Parade came in third.
“As we embrace these cherished Thanksgiving events, we’re not just celebrating traditions, but also enjoying what makes each community across America so special,” Mixbook Director of Brand Leslie Albertson said.
People will be talking about Bruno at Shipgarten in Tysons this Thanksgiving weekend.
Characters from the Disney movie “Encanto” will put on a live performance on Saturday (Nov. 26) as part of the biergarten’s Thanksgiving Barks & Brews Festival, which will run from 1 to 6 p.m. that day.
Advertised as an “annual” festival, though this will be the venue’s first Thanksgiving since opening in May, Barks & Brews will feature local wineries and breweries with over 50 drink options, live music, lawn games, giveaways, and food and activities for both humans and dogs.
There will be a playground, face painting and crafts corner to keep kids entertained, according to the event page.
- 2 p.m. — Smallest and Biggest Dog Competition
- 3 p.m. — Best Trick Competition
- 3:30 p.m. — Encanto Live Character Performance
- 4 p.m. — Hold for Treat Competition
The festival is free, but spots can be reserved in advance through Eventbrite.
Located at 7581 Colshire Drive in the Scotts Run development, Shipgarten is open seven days a week from 11-2 a.m. The pop-up rolled out this summer with restaurants and five bars — all housed in converted shipping containers — as well as a dog park, playground and music pavilion.
The restaurants include a revival of Tysons Biergarten, Waffles and Tacos, Asian fusion concept RollBär, and Salamati Grille, which serves Persian cuisine.
Since there’s no parking at the site, there is a free shuttle that transports patrons from 1700 Old Meadow Road.
While Thanksgiving is still on its way, Shipgarten is evidently preparing for Christmas too, opening a Santa’s Workshop on Tuesday (Nov. 21).
“Get your pictures taken with Santa for free Saturdays and Sundays from 1-8 p.m.,” an Instagram post announcing the opening said. “Also try writing a letter to Santa, crafts with Mrs. Clause or free face painting!”
In December, there will be a Winter Wonderland celebration split across two weeks, with a beer, wine and cider festival on Dec. 10 and a family festival on Dec. 17.
Photo via Shipgarten/Instagram
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, many local entities and organizations will be closed.
Fairfax County government offices and Fairfax County Public Schools will be closed for Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 25) and Black Friday (Nov. 26). County libraries are also closed both days.
Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court close at noon today (Wednesday) through Friday.
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is open for services by appointment only. For emergencies, contact Animal Protection Police at 703-691-2131.
All Department of Motor Vehicle service centers will be closed from Nov. 25 through Nov. 27.
While the Fairfax Connector has regular service today, riders can expect Sunday service on Thursday and holiday weekday service on Friday. More details on specific routes are available online.
Metrorail and Metrobus will also operate on a Sunday school tomorrow and offer week day service on Friday.
All recreation centers will open Thursday from 5 a.m. to noon with the exception of George Washington Recreation Center. All centers reopen on Friday.
The Fairfax County Government Center and South County Government Center vaccine clinic and the Tysons Community Vaccination center will be closed Thursday through Sunday for Thanksgiving. More locations are available online.
For trash and recycling collection, residents should contact their trash and recycling collector directly for any schedule changes due to the holiday.
