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Hey gang, Matt here!

A quick housekeeping note — because Thanksgiving is next Thursday, we’ll be sending next week’s newsletter on Wednesday, Nov. 26 to make sure all the turkey trots and holiday fun aren’t lost in your inbox on the big day.

Speaking of, we have a handful of turkey trots in this week’s edition, too. Plus, a jam-packed list of local events, which farmers markets are wrapping up for the season, and a whole lot more local fun. Let’s get to it!

In this week’s newsletter:

• Festive markets in Fairfax and Vienna, Winter Lantern Festival in Tysons

• Wine & line dancing in Clifton, Stranger Things trivia in Falls Church

• Alabama headlines EagleBank Arena

• “Turkey Dip” in Alexandria

• Where to find a Turkey Trot near you

P.S.: Not yet a subscriber? Join 1,700+ neighbors and sign up for the FREE Out & About Fairfax newsletter here and follow along on Instagram. (And now, Facebook!)

Cheers,
Matt

A message from Bright Horizons

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Interested in learning more about our preschools? We have over 25 centers in the DMV area. Find a center near you!

Things To Do

Festive markets in Fairfax and Vienna, Winter Lantern Festival in Tysons! ⬇️

• Creative Collective Pop-Ups at Fairfax Corner

  • Enjoy a series of pop-up events — from mini golf to cookie decorating to sourdough — starting this Friday, Nov. 21 at Fairfax Corner. The event runs through Dec. 24.

    • 4100 Monument Corner Dr., Fairfax

• Mosaic District’s Holiday Market

  • Stroll, sip, and shop from 65+ local artisans at the Mosaic District’s annual holiday market for the first of two weekends, Saturday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 23. Admission is free.

    • 2910 District Ave., Fairfax

• 21st Annual Holiday Gift Show in Vienna

  • Shop from local artisans in this homey atmosphere for a one-of-a-kind event in Vienna from Friday, Nov. 21-Sunday, Nov. 23.

    • 317 Church St. NE, Vienna

• Winter Lantern Festival in Tysons

  • Hundreds of lanterns light the night sky in Tysons for the holiday season starting on Thursday, Nov. 20. Tickets: $18+.

    • 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons

• Cornhole Tournament in Vienna

  • The Vienna Volunteer Fire Department will host its first ever VVFD Cornhole Tournament — with a grand prize of $500 — on Saturday, November 22, starting at 12:00p.m. Registration: $40/person, $75/team.

    • 400 Center St. South, Vienna

• Book Sales Around the Area

  • A three-day book sale at Springfield’s Richard Byrd Library starts Thursday, a two-day book at Martha Washington Library in Alexandria starts Friday, and the Kingstowne Library hosts its Special Saturday Book Sale.

• Final Weekend for Some Seasonal Farmers Markets

  • It’s the final weekend for some local farmers markets in Reston, Lorton, and Burke. Check out the schedule for more of the remaining year-round markets in the link above!

Food & Drink

New brewery and restaurant in Herndon, and more fun around the region! 🍻

• Chicken Salad Chick in Herndon opened Tuesday

  • The Herndon location is the third to open in Fairfax County in the last year, offering a variety of chicken salad flavors, plus soups, pimento cheese, and more. Check out our full one-on-one interview with the local owners, plus more information, in the link above.

• Wine & Line Dancing

  • Enjoy line dancing at Paradise Springs Winery on Friday, Nov. 21 at 6:30p.m. Tickets: $10 (can be used for drink credits during the event).

    • 13219 Yates Ford Rd., Clifton

• Holiday Vendor Fair at The Winery at Bull Run

  • Shop from local artisans and enjoy a glass of wine along the way on Sunday, Nov. 23 from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m. Admission is free. Ages 21+.

    • 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville

• Stranger Things Trivia in Falls Church

  • Put your Stranger Things knowledge to the test on Saturday, Nov. 22 starting at 7:00p.m.

    • 110 E Fairfax St, Falls Church

• Ornery Public House Opens in Herndon

  • After recently rolling out a soft open, Ornery Beer Co.’s new Herndon location is now officially open. Similar to its Fairfax location, it’s complete with a full-service restaurant and brewpub favorites. Check out more details on their website above.

    • 2310 Woodland Crossing Dr. Suite F, Herndon

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

A classic country weekend in Fairfax + a Britney Spears throwback in Tysons! 🎤

• Alabama Performs at EagleBank Arena

  • The legendary band brings the sounds of ‘80s and ‘90s country music to Fairfax on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 6:00p.m. Tickets: $46.

    • 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax

• Virginia Opera Performs “Cinderella” at GMU

  • The classic story of “Cinderella” but as an opera for two shows this weekend at GMU’s Center for the Arts on Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23. Tickets: $45-$116.

    • 4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax

• “Once Upon A One More Time” at Capital One Hall

  • A clever twist as artists weave together the hits of Britney Spears in this unique performance on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 6:00p.m. Tickets: $47.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• “The Last Five Years” Wraps at NextStop Theatre

  • It’s the final weekend of performances for “The Last Five Years” at the Herndon theatre company. Shows run Thursday, Nov. 20-Sunday, Nov. 23. Tickets: $50.

    • 269 Sunset Park Dr., Herndon

• “Peter Pan & Wendy” Wraps at Creative Cauldron

  • The classic tale comes to life at the Falls Church venue for its final shows this weekend. Shows run Friday, Nov. 21-Sunday, Nov. 23. Tickets: $18-$20.

    • 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church

Families & Kids

Festive art & turkey trots meet the pool! 🦃

• Thanksgiving Family Skate Night

  • It’s a Thanksgiving-themed family skate night at the Franconia Rec Center on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 6:00p.m. Cost: $10/person.

    • 6601 Telegraph Rd., Alexandria

• Holiday Gingerbread House Decorating

  • Families decorate a gingerbread house and make their own one-of-kind designs at the McLean Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m. Cost: $35-$45.

    • 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean

• Festive Family Painting in Fairfax

  • Instructors lead families — and artists of all experience levels — in this creative and festive painting session at Muse Paintbar in Fairfax on Saturday, Nov. 22 starting at 3:30p.m. Tickets: $50.

    • 2920 District Ave. Suite 100, Fairfax

• Military Appreciation Month at LEGO Discovery Center

  • Members of the military can receive free admission during the month of November (must be accompanied by a child aged 17-under for entry).

    • 6563 Springfield Mall Ste. 12004, Springfield

• Turkey Dip at the Franconia Rec Center

  • Think of a turkey trot, but in the pool at this family-friendly event on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 6:30p.m. Ages 6+. Registration: $37/person.

    • 6601 Telegraph Rd., Alexandria

Sports & Recreation

Check out the schedule for our local teams this weekend, plus a list of local turkey trots! 🦃

Turkey Trots

• Herndon — Saturday, Nov. 22, 4:00p.m., 814 Ferndale Ave.

• Vienna — Sunday, Nov. 23, 8:30a.m., 400 Center St. South

• Lorton — Saturday, Nov. 22, 10:30a.m., 9518 Workhouse Way

• Alexandria (Eagle 5000 Turkey Trot) — Friday, Nov. 21, 7:00p.m. 5801 Franconia Rd.

• Alexandria (Port City Turkey Trot) — Saturday, Nov. 22, 9:30a.m., 3950 Wheeler Ave.

Home Games

• 🏒 NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals

  • Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

News & Notes

• ⚽️ The Washington Spirit will face Gotham FC in the NWSL Championship on Saturday, Nov. 22 in San Jose, California. Time: 8:00p.m. ET. TV: CBS.

• 🏈 The Washington Commanders are on bye.

• 🏀 The Washington Wizards are on the road this weekend.

• 🏀 The George Mason women’s basketball team visits Maryland on Sunday.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: The population of Fairfax County nearly doubled between 1980 and 2020, from 596,901 to 1,150,309, according to U.S. Census data.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

For this week’s Good News, we go to Herndon!

On Monday, we had a chance to pop by the grand opening of the new Chicken Salad Chick restaurant in Herndon where they were also raising money for the Ronald McDonald House. Together, customers and the community raised $1,632.87 for the charity! Great work!

Know about some good news in the community? Email us!

We Want to Hear from You!

If you have an event you would like to feature in the newsletter, or if you’re a business looking to advertise with us, send us an email! —> [email protected].

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.