Hey gang, Matt here!

I hope you had a great Fourth of July. It was great to hear so many of you enjoyed the Fireworks Guide. We’re always cooking up new projects, but we’d love to hear from you —

• Drop us a note if there’s a new guide that would be helpful for you and our neighbors.

• We’re always looking for good news happening around Fairfax County! If you know about something positive happening in the community, send it our way. We hope you enjoy our new “Good News” section as much as we do!

• Or, simply email us to say hi! (We’ll say “hi” back!")

As the saying goes, “there’s something for everyone,” and that’s very true in this week’s newsletter. If you like the outdoors, we have you covered. You’ll find plenty of summer activities for kids and families. You’ll also find this guy. ⬇️

Let’s get to it!

In this week’s newsletter:

• Kayak trips, horse riding, and where to find farmers markets near you

• Super Smash Bros. tournament at Aslin, Bunnyman/Mustang Sally merger update

• Where to find live music around the area this weekend

• Family campout at Burke Lake Park

• WNBA comes to Fairfax, see the new Commanders alternate jerseys

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Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

Kayaking, horseback riding, and a whole lot more! ⬇️

• Kayak Tour — Sunset over Riverbend Park

  • End a summer’s day with a tour along the Potomac River on Saturday, July 12 in Riverbend Park in Great Falls. No previous experience required. Tickets: $43. Ages: 14+.

    • 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls

• Sunset & Moonrise Kayak Paddle in Lorton

  • Experience an evening on the water in Pohick Bay Regional Park as you kayak at sunset on Thursday, July 10 from 6:30p.m.-9:30p.m. Tickets: $45. Ages: 13+.

    • 6501 Pohick Bay Dr., Lorton

• VA250 Mobile Museum Comes to Vienna

  • The hands-on, interactive mobile museum exploring Virginia’s rich history comes to Vienna from Thursday, July 10-Saturday, July 12. The museum is traveling the commonwealth ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary next year. This free event is open 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m. each day.

    • 128 Center St. S., Vienna

• Second Saturday Sungazing at Air & Space Museum

  • Observe the sun through a filtered telescope this weekend at the Udvar-Hazy Center Air & Space Museum in Chantilly with Second Saturday Sungazing. Knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer questions. This fun event runs Saturday, July 12 from 11:00a.m.-2:00p.m. It’s free with parking at $15.

    • 14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly

• Horseback Trail Ride in Herndon

  • Enjoy a small group trail ride at Frying Pan Farm Park’s Equestrian location on Thursday, July 10 from 5:30p.m.-6:30p.m. The event includes a trail ride and time in the arena. Cost: $100. Ages: 8+.

    • 2709 West Ox Rd., Herndon

• Find A Farmers Market Near You!

  • If you’re looking for fresh produce, local meats and eggs, artisan vendors, and more, check out our 2025 Farmers Market Guide! We have details for nearly 20 markets across Fairfax County, from Great Falls to Lorton, Chantilly to Falls Church, and much more.

Food & Drink

Fire up the Nintendo, and an update on big Fairfax County brewery news. 🎮

• Super Smash Bros. Tournament at Aslin Beer Co.

  • Enjoy the classic video game during a competitive Super Smash Bros. melee tournament at Aslin’s Alexandria brewpub on Sunday, July 13 starting at 12:00p.m. Tickets start at $10.

    • 847 S. Pickett St., Alexandria

• Bunnyman Brewing Chantilly is now official — You may have heard that Burke-based Bunnyman Brewing and the former Mustang Sally Brewing merged earlier this year. Now, the Chantilly brewery officially has Bunnyman signage outside. Check out the Instagram link above to see the transformation and for more information.

• Capital One Center Culinary Week Begins Monday

  • The inaugural culinary week at Capital One Center in Tysons kicks off Monday, July 14, and features large events and private classes led by acclaimed chefs and mixologists. Participating restaurants and bars include Wren, Ometeo, Stellina Pizzeria, and many more.

    • 1803 Capital One Dr. S, Tysons

• Outdoor Movie Night at Paradise Springs Winery

  • Catch “Legally Blonde” on the big screen for the first outdoor movie night of the season at Paradise Springs Winery on Thursday, July 10. Tickets: $15/person. Showtime: 8:30p.m. Ages: 21+.

    • 13219 Yates Ford Rd., Clifton

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

Let’s find some live music around the region! 🎶

• Vince Gill Headlines Capital One Hall

  • Legendary country music artist Vince Gill will perform at Capital One Hall on Thursday, July 10. Showtime: 7:30p.m. Tickets are limited.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Where to Find Live Music Around the Area This Weekend

  • Summer Entertainment Series in Herndon — Memphis Gold performs blues music in Frying Pan Farm Park on Thursday, July 10.

    • 2709 West Ox Rd., Herndon

  • Summer on the Green in Vienna — The sounds of Americana Roots and La come to life as “Crooked Sparrow" performs on Friday, July 11.

    • 144 Maple Ave. E., Vienna

  • Friday Night Live! Herndon Rocks — The Rockets and 8 Track Jones perform Friday, July 11 on the Herndon Town Green.

    • 777 Lynn St., Herndon

  • Pat McGee in Mason District Park — The Annandale native returns to his roots to perform rock music during the Spotlight by Starlight series on Sunday, July 13.

    • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale

  • Mosaic Live — Enjoy performances from the Vienna Singing Princesses and Milk Mountain, a 70s-2000s pop cover band, to the Mosaic District on Saturday, July 12.

    • 2910 District Ave., Fairfax

  • Fab Fridays Celebration in Reston — “The Jets” perform on Friday, July 11 at Reston Station.

    • 1901 Reston Metro Plaza, Reston

  • Reston Concerts on the Town — “Big Sam’s Funky Nation” performs on Saturday, July 12 at Reston Town Center.

    • 11900 Market St., Reston

• Second Saturday Open House & Art Walk at Workhouse Arts Center

  • Check out all the Lorton arts center has to offer during their monthly open house on Saturday, July 12 from 6:00p.m.-9:00p.m.

    • 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton

• AyreHeart at Creative Cauldron

  • The Falls Church performing arts center’s Summer Passport Music Festival continues with AyreHeart taking the stage on Friday, July 11. Showtime: 7:30p.m. Tickets start at $25.

    • 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church

Families & Kids

Campouts, arts, chess club, and more summer fun! 🖌️🎨

• Wolf Trap Hosts Children’s Series

  • Wolf Trap is hosting a series of performances and shows geared toward its youngest audience this weekend at its Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods venue. Shows include Grammy-nominated “Andrew & Polly,” Latin Grammy-nominee Sonia De Los Santos, and more.

    • 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna

• Family Campout at Burke Lake Park

  • Enjoy a night under the stars without the hassle for this family campout at Burke Lake Park on Saturday, July 12 through Sunday, July 13. Camping beginners and experts are welcome. One registration is required per family and includes a campsite, firewood, programming, and more. Cost: $102.

    • 7315 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station

• Stamp & Splash in Chantilly

  • Young artists are invited to experiment with stamping and color mixing at the Chantilly Regional Library on Saturday, July 12 from 11:00a.m.-12:00p.m. For students entering 1-3 grades.

    • 4000 Stringfellow Rd., Chantilly

• Chess Club for Reston Kids & Teens

  • Open to new and experienced chess players, the chess club at the Reston Regional Library is open this summer to kids ages 6-12. They meet this Friday, July 11 from 4:30p.m.-5:30p.m. at the Reston Regional Library.

    • 11925 Bowman Towne Dr., Reston

Sports & Recreation

Looking to hit the big game or perhaps go Out & About outdoors? Let’s run down the news, notes, and schedules for our local teams and events this weekend.

News & Notes

• ⚾️ The Washington Nationals continue their Midwest road-trip to St. Louis and Milwaukee before the All-Star Break next week.

• 🏈 The Washington Commanders announced this week new Super Bowl-era alternate jerseys to honor the team’s most successful era. See photos of the new jerseys here.

• ⚽️ D.C. United is at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday.

• ⚽️ Loudoun United FC travels to Pittsburgh to face the Riverhounds on Sunday.

Home Games

• 🏀 WNBA: Las Vegas Aces at Washington Mystics

  • Thursday, July 10 at 7:30p.m., EagleBank Arena, Fairfax

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: The Fairfax County Public Library includes eight regional libraries and 14 community libraries countywide.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

In case you missed it, last week NBC News featured the story of Herndon High School’s James Culatta, who earned the lead role in the school’s performance of “Footloose” after he recently recovered from a lengthy hospital stay due to a serious accident.

You can watch the full story here.

We Want to Hear from You!

Want to get your neighbors Out & About?

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.

Matt Knoedler
Publisher, Out & About Fairfax