Did you string up your Christmas lights before Thanksgiving? If so, you (and I) are among the 34% of Americans who decorate for the holidays who did just that, according to a survey by Today’s Homeowner. Another 18% did so this week, the survey found. It’s exciting to see homes in our neighborhood shine bright this time of year! 🎄

In this week’s edition, we showcase a few of the top light displays, sights, and sounds across Fairfax County along with some other awesome eats, events, and more. ⬇️

In this week’s newsletter:

• Lights, lights, baby: A list of Christmas and holiday light displays around the area

• Finger-lickin’ good: Great American opens new BBQ joint in Springfield

• “Bored Teachers” brings laughs to Tysons

• Dig in: Hands-on arts, science, and entertainment for parents & kids

Let’s dive in!

Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

This week, we’re expanding the “things to do” list to highlight some of the top winter festivals, light displays, and other Christmas and holiday happenings across Fairfax County. Make some hot chocolate, bundle up, and keep the car blankets handy — here we go! 🚗

• Bull Run Festival of Lights 

  • Tis the season for light displays across the region! One of the most popular is the Bull Run Festival of Lights, 2.5 miles of illumination you can view from the comfort of your car. $30 per vehicle online or $40 at the gate. Also check out the walk-through Holiday Village and Carnival complete with merch, bonfires, photo ops and more.

    • 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville

• Holiday on the Farm in Frying Pan Park

  • Check out scenic holiday lights on a wagon ride through the back fields of Frying Pan Park in Herndon. Complete with indoor activities, food, campfires, and much more, it’s a great date night or perhaps a night out for the family. The event starts Saturday, Dec. 7 at 4:30p.m. Presale tickets are $15 per person and $20 at the gate.

    • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon

• Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

  • Vienna’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is hosting is annual half-mile immersive lights festival complete with displays of flowers, animals, sparkling trees, and much more. There are plenty of snacks and drinks along the way (adult beverage options included 😉) Tickets range from $18-22, children under age 2 are free.

    • 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna

• Winter Wonderland at Burke Lake

  • The fun at Burke Lake Park kicks off for the season on Saturday, Dec. 7 with a visit from Santa, a round of Gingerbread Man Golf, s’mores, a train ride on the Holiday Express, and a spin around the Carolers Carousel. This family-friendly event offers a little something for everyone. Tickets are $15 through the Thursday before the event and $20 at the gate. (Can’t make it this weekend? Winter Wonderland runs through Dec. 22.)

    • 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station

• The Holidays at Colvin Run Mill

  • The historic Great Falls museum has a jam-packed weekend scheduled. On both Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8, Children’s Holiday Shopping allows kids — with the help of a “secret shopper” to assist them with their holiday wish list at the Colvin Run Mill General Store. Tours of the site and other options are available for adults. Admission is $7. Also on Saturday, the mill will host a Holiday Lantern Tour, which is scheduled for 5:30p.m. Admission is $10.

    • 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls

• Winter Lantern Festival

  • 1,000 Chinese lanterns will light Lerner Town Square at Tysons II through January 12, 2025. All of these handmade lanterns will light the night and create a wonderland full of Chinese myths, legends, and zodiacs. Plenty of photo opportunities at this stop! Tickets start at $16.99.

    • 8025 Galleria Drive, Tysons

• Herndon Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony & Sing-Along

  • The annual Herndon tree lighting ceremony is sure to bring the community together once again on Saturday, Dec. 7 starting at 5:00p.m. The Herndon High School band will lead carols, the kiddos can greet Santa, and local officials will light the tree to kick of the festivities. You can also drop off canned goods and other non-perishable food items to help local families.

    • 730 Elden Street, Herndon

• Reston Winterfest

  • Light displays, fire pits, food, s’mores — there is a lot happening at the Reston Association’s “Winterfest.” The three-night event at Browns’ Chapel Park offers a “walk-through trail with thousands of festive holiday lights and other holiday activities.” Vendor Village also hosts dozens of local businesses. The event is free to Reston Association members and $18 per non-member. Winterfest runs Thursday, Dec. 5 to Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5:00p.m.-9:00p.m. nightly.

    • 1575 Browns Chapel Road, Reston

Live Music & Arts

This weekend features everything from music to crafts to comedy. Not one, but two annual craft shows are on tap across the county. Check out what’s hitting the high note around town. 🎵

• “Bored Teachers” brings laughs to Capital One Hall

  • It’s likely we’ve all had that funny teacher or two. Now, some of the funniest teacher-comedians in the world headline Capital One Hall in Tysons for two shows this Saturday, Dec. 7. Their sets are centered around the classroom, but millions of YouTube views (check out their trailer for this tour here) show everyone can relate. Tickets start at $39.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Road, Tysons

• 46th annual Herndon Arts & Crafts Show

  • More than 80 vendors are scheduled to fill the Herndon Community Center on Sunday, Dec. 8 for the 46th annual Herndon Arts & Crafts Show. The first 350 guests through the door will receive a free tote bag. It’s a great place to support local businesses and check off some items on that holiday shopping list. Handcrafted items and art for sale are expected to include wreaths, jewelry, stained glass, ornaments, and more. The event runs 10:00a.m.-4:00p.m.

    • 814 Ferndale Ave., Herndon

• GMU’s Opera, Symphony host weekend performances

  • George Mason University’s Dewberry School of Music’s Mason Opera presents its Fall 2024 performance. Two shows are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7 with tickets ranging from $5-$20. On Sunday, the Mason Symphony Orchestra and Choirs will hold their annual Winter Festival, which is scheduled for 7:00p.m. The festive sounds feature work of GMU’s talented students. Tickets also range from $5-$20.

    • The Opera will be held at Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas

    • Winter Festival will be held at Center for the Arts, Concert Hall, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax

• 29th Annual Del Ray Arts & Crafts Holiday Market kicks off Friday

  • The Del Ray Artisans’ 29th Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market opens for the first of three weekends on Friday, Dec. 6. This event features a variety of local artisans and different vendors each weekend. Members of the Del Ray Artisans will be on hand to collect new or like-new art supplies for artists in North Carolina who are recovering from Hurricane Helene. Holiday market hours and a list of vendors are featured on their page (linked above).

    • 2704 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria

      
      

      Go Out & About Together

Food & Drink

BBQ lovers, you will love this week’s first story. We also have a way for you to crack a craft beer and support local businesses. Check it out ⬇️

• Stupid Good BBQ opens in Springfield this week

  • Great American Restaurants, the company that brought us Artie’s, Sweetwater Tavern, Patsy’s, Randy’s, and other great restaurants now brings us their latest spot — Stupid Good BBQ in Springfield. This fast-casual concept serves up classic smoked meats (including prime brisket 😋), sandwiches, hearty sides, and more. Stupid Good BBQ opens Thursday, Dec. 5 at 11:00a.m. You can check out the preview menu here.

• Aslin’s “snow daze” is Saturday

  • Aslin Beer Company’s “snow daze” is a one-stop shop for craft beer lovers who also enjoy shopping local. The annual holiday market brings together local vendors, limited-edition beer drops, and much more. This will be available at both the Herndon and Alexandria breweries on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.

• New steakhouse, led by Taco Bamba founder, coming to Vienna

  • News broke this week that Taco Bamba founder and Chef Victor Albisu will open Electric Bull, an upscale steakhouse, in Vienna sometime during summer 2025. The new restaurant, which will be located at 176 Maple Ave., W., will feature “a curated selection of meats, marinades, and dry rubs” and will offer lunch and dinner service. The restaurant will also offer butcher counter service for the at-home grillmaster.

Families & Kids

A fun weekend for the kiddos across Fairfax County, from the list of Christmas and holiday events above to interactive arts, science, and entertainment below. Dig in! ⬇️

• Dinosaur Galore at Cub Run

  • A prehistoric world comes to life in Chantilly this weekend as Dinosaurs Galore takes over the Cub Run Rec Center. Parents and kids ages 3-7 can follow a naturalist as you team up to discover more about T-Rex and all of his friends. Children can make a fossil to take home and dig for “dinosaur bones.” Two sessions on Saturday, Dec. 7, 10:00-11:00a.m. and 11:30a.m.-12:30p.m., pre-registration is required.

    • 4630 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly

• Open Paint Time at Kidcreate Studio

  • This is a great hands-on DIY project for children ages 5+. Parents and kiddos will be able to choose art projects ranging from painting, drawing, wood structures, sculpting, and much more. Preregistration is not required, and projects costs anywhere from $10-$32 per person per project. The event runs Saturday, Dec. 7 from 1:00-4:00p.m. Tap into your child’s inner artist!

    • 724 Jefferson St., Alexandria

• Disney’s Encanto Immersive Experience

  • Disney 🤝 Tysons Corner Center with the new interactive exhibit featuring Disney’s Encanto. This permanent feature will rotate experiences, with December’s highlighting this 2021 animated favorite. Tickets prices vary by day and time, but range from $34-$46. The event runs throughout December, including this weekend on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday Dec. 8 from 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m.

    • 1961 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: Before serving as the first President of the United States, George Washington represented Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Burgesses.

We Want to Hear from You!

Want to get your neighbors Out and 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].