Hey gang, Matt here!

Did you get the chance to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Fairfax County and across the DMV last weekend? This week, we’re still thinking spring with a long list of spring markets and festivals across Fairfax County. Check out all of the categories below for a local event near you that will put a “spring” in your step.

Plus, it’s a big weekend in Reston with “Celebrate Reston” coming up! We have details about the big day. We also have details about the big cherry blossom-themed event at the Mosaic District this weekend.

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In this week’s newsletter:

• Art Blooms at Mosaic, Celebrate Reston

• Spring festivals and markets across Fairfax County

• Ukrainian Easter Egg decorating, 80s dance party in Falls Church

• Family fishing at Burke Lake Park, family fun in Alexandria

• Going for the Green golf tournament, Nationals host Diamondbacks

Let’s dive in!

Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

Spring fun, book festivals, and more across the county this weekend! 🌸

• Art Blooms at Mosaic

  • The annual two-day festival, in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, brings 110+ artisans and vintage goods vendors, along with 60+ local vendors showcasing fresh produce and snacks at Fairfax’s Mosaic District this weekend. Enjoy live music, selfie stations presented by Merrifield Garden Center, and more. The event is free and open to the public, and runs Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6 from 11:00a.m.-6:00p.m. each day.

    • 2910 District Ave., Fairfax

• Celebrate Reston!

  • Formerly Founders Day, Celebrate Reston will take over Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday, April 5 from 11:45a.m.-4:00p.m. Enjoy family-fun activities, shop local vendors, meet authors from across the region, and honor Reston’s founder, Robert E. Simon. The event is hosted by Reston Museum and Reston Community Center.

    • 1609 Washington Plaza N., Reston

• Stargazing at the Udvar-Hazy Center

  • Join the museum staff at members of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club for an up-close look at stars, planets, and the moon on Friday, April 4 from 8:00p.m.-10:00p.m. Stargazing is free and open to the public, and will be held weather permitting. Telescopes will be provided by the museum and the club.

    • 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly

• CSA Shows at Dulles Expo Center

  • This one is for the sports fans! A one-stop shop for sports memorabilia and collectibles, meet and greets with athletes, rare photo opportunities, and a whole lot more at the Dulles Expo Center from Friday, April 4-Sunday, April 6. Tickets start at $15. Kids under ages 10 and under are admitted free.

    • 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly

• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Final Weekend in Fairfax

  • The circus comes to town at Fairfax’s EagleBank Arena for its final weekend, running through Sunday, April 6. “The Greatest Show on Earth” brings together 50 high-flying and exhilarating acts for an action-packed two-hour show. Showtimes and ticket prices are in the link above.

    • 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax

• Bluebell Weekend at Bull Run Regional Park

  • Three days of Virginia Bluebell flowers and fun fill Bull Run Regional Park this weekend, from Friday, April 4-Sunday, April 6. Enjoy Candy Bar Bingo on Friday, wildflower identification on Saturday, and making bluebell flowers on Sunday.

    • 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville

• Book Sales in Chantilly and Alexandria

  • Two Fairfax County Public Libraries will be holding book sales this on Saturday, April 5. The Friends of Chantilly Library Used Book Sale runs from 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m., and the First Saturday Book Sale at Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria runs from 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m.

    • Chantilly Regional Library

      • 4000 Stringfellow Rd., Chantilly

    • Sherwood Regional Library:

      • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria

Food & Drink

Spring markets, fish fry Fridays, and a GIANT cake eating contest! 🎂

• Spring Artisan Market at Commonwealth Brewing Co.

  • The Fairfax brew pub is hosting its annual spring market on Saturday, April 5 from 12:00p.m.-6:00p.m. Shop local vendors, listen to live music, and enjoy food and drink specials.

    • 10426 Main St., Fairfax

• Spring Fling Vendor Fair at The Winery at Bull Run

  • Sip and shop at the Centreville winery this weekend from Sunday, April 6 from 12:00p.m.-4:00p.m. More than 30 local artisan vendors are scheduled to be on site. Plus, enjoy live music, food, and, of course, wine. This outdoor event is free and open to all ages.

    • 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville

• Where to Find Fish Fry Fridays in Fairfax County

  • Two weeks ago, we highlighted where to find Fish Fry dinners across Fairfax County. Looking for soup and meatless meals, as well? The link above has all of the information you need.

• Carnegie Diner Announces Cake Eating Contest

  • This one caught our eye — can you eat a slice of 24-layer cake? Carnegie Diner in Vienna has cooked up quite the contest for the upcoming Taste of Vienna, which is scheduled for April 26. (We’ll have more about this tasty event in the weeks ahead.) There are $1,500 in prizes if you can crush the giant slice of cake. Think you can do it? Check out the link for more information.

    • Also caught our eye: Of course, Monday was April Fools Day, and that made for some clever jokes across social media. This one from Hawk & Griffin in Vienna was one of the most eye-popping — imagine a partnership with Carvana as a giant parking garage. Like we said, April Fools. 😉 

• ICYMI: Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls Opens in Falls Church

  • The famed seafood restaurant brings its second location in Fairfax County to Falls Church with its recent opening on March 19. Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls also has a location in Reston and others throughout the DMV.

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

Ukrainian egg decorating, dancing, and a whole lot more! 🖌️

• Bollywood Backstage: The Making of a Show

  • Backstage hits the main stage at Capital One Hall for two shows on Saturday, April 5. The performance brings choreography, costumes, and more to life and provides a music-filled look at behind-the-scenes life in theater. Tickets start at $34.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Ukrainian Easter Egg Decoration

  • A fun, hands-on history lesson about the tradition of Ukrainian Easter Egg decorating at Nova Labs on Saturday, April 5 from 2:00p.m.-4:00p.m. Supplies will be provided. Tickets start at $40.

    • 3850 Jermantown Rd., Fairfax

• The Legwarmers: 80s Retro Dance Party

  • The DMV’s premier 1980s tribute band comes to The State Theatre in Falls Church on Saturday, April 5. Showtime is at 9:30p.m., tickets start at $25. A great night for big hair, big music, and digging out those, yes, legwarmers.

    • 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church

• “Clyde’s” at Workhouse Arts

  • A story of redemption and triumph takes the stage at Workhouse Arts in Lorton for its final weekend of shows. The show concludes on Sunday, April 6. Tickets start at $25.

    • 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton

• Painting with Beach Sand Dollars

  • Bring the love to the shoreline to Annandale this weekend with acrylic painting lessons on beach sand dollars. Hosted by the Craft Gallery of Artisans United, the fun starts Saturday, April 5 at 1:00p.m. Admission: $8. Ages 9+.

    • 4022 Hummer Rd., Annandale
      

Families & Kids

Spring Fest, family fishing, and dinosaur eggs! ⬇️

• Green Reston Scavenger Hunt

  • Soak up some nature during the Green Reston Scavenger Hunt, held between April 1-April 15 and hosted by the Reston Community Center. Participants can fill out their Scavenger Hunt Card (in the link above) and enjoy nature on foot or by bike. This event is free. (It’s a great reason to go, shall we say, Out & About!)

• McLean Community Center Spring Fest

  • Spring arts and crafts, entertainment, and photos with the Easter Bunny at the McLean Community Center’s Spring Fest on Saturday, April 5 from 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m. This event is free.

    • 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean

• Family Fishing at Burke Lake Park

  • Join a naturalist and learn the basics of fishing and enjoy a night on the lake for this family night out. Ages 5+, but participants ages 16+ must have a valid Virginia fishing license. The event runs Friday, April 4 at 6:00p.m. in Burke Lake Park. Cost: $12.

    • 7315 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station

• Dinosaur Egg Hunt in Annandale

  • “Roar” into the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale on Saturday, April 5 for this dinosaur-themed egg hunt. This outdoor event is for kids ages 3-8 years old. The fun starts at 9:15a.m. and is weather dependent. Cost: $10.

    • 7701 Royce St., Annandale

• Family Fun Day at Carlyle House Park

  • The theme for Family Fun Day this month is Poetry Palooza at Alexandria’s Carlyle House Park. Kids can enjoy stories, arts and crafts, and more. This event is free but donations are encouraged.

    • 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria

Sports & Recreation

Each weekend, we run down the schedule as our local pro and college sports teams take the field (or court, ice, etc.) if you’re interested in hitting the big game.

News & Notes

• Going for the Green Tournament

  • Fairfax County will host its “Going for the Green Tournament” on Saturday, April 5 at 10:00a.m. at Pinecrest Golf Course in Alexandria. Cost: $110/team, lunch and carts included. Open to adult and junior golfers.

    • 6600 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria

• ⚽️ D.C. United is on the road at San Jose on Sunday, April 6. The Washington Spirit are on bye this week.

Home Games

• 🏀NBA: Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards

  • Thursday, April 3 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• ⚾️MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals

  • Friday, April 4 at 6:45p.m., Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

• 🏒NHL: Chicago Blackhawks at Washington Capitals

  • Friday, April 4 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• ⚾️MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals

  • Saturday, April 5 at 4:05p.m., Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

• 🏈UFL: Memphis Showboats at D.C. Defenders

  • Saturday, April 5 at 8:00p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

• ⚾️MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals

  • Sunday, April 6 at 1:35p.m., Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: Although some local communities were founded in the 18th century during the birth of the United States, Reston was founded in 1964.

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Matt Knoedler
Publisher, Out & About Fairfax