Hey gang, Matt here!

It “may” be hard to believe, but May is officially here! Several more farmers markets open for the season across Fairfax County over the next few days. We have a full list for the weekend ahead, plus a link to our popular 2025 Farmers Market Guide below.

While you’re scrolling, check out more of the fun events on tap this week, including Taste of Tysons Corner, Cinco de Mayo deals across the area, Paddle & Paint on the Potomac, and where to find free summer concerts in the area.

Before you scroll too far — We’re always looking for ways to improve the newsletter, and who would know it better than you, our newsletter subscriber. If you haven’t taken our quick two-minute survey, we would love to hear from you! 

In this week’s newsletter:

• New farmers markets open, Paddle & Paint the Potomac

• Taste of Tysons Corner, Cinco de Mayo events

• Free outdoor concerts in Fairfax and Herndon

• Spring festivals and events countywide

• D.C. United, Washington Spirit host games this weekend

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See you Out & About! 👋

Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

Opening weekend for several farmers markets in the area, plus book sales across the county! ⬇️

• More Farmers Markets Open Across Fairfax County This Week(end)

  • Farmers markets in Annandale, McLean, Lorton, Vienna, Kingstowne, and Herndon open this week! Check out our 2025 Farmers Market Guide in the link above for a full list of markets across Fairfax County. Below, we’ve detailed the markets opening in the days ahead.

    • Annandale — Open Thursdays, starting May 1 from 8:00a.m.-Noon

      • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale

    • Herndon — Open Thursdays, starting May 1 from 8:00a.m.-Noon

      • 765 Lynn St., Herndon

    • Kingstowne — Open Fridays, starting May 2 from 3:00p.m.-7:00p.m.

      • 5844-5862 Kingstowne Center, Alexandria

    • McLean — Open Fridays, starting May 2 from 8:00a.m.-Noon

      • 1659 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean

    • Vienna — Open Saturdays, starting May 3 from 8:00a.m.-Noon

      • 120 Cherry St. SE, Vienna

    • Lorton — Open Sundays, starting May 4 from 8:00a.m.-Noon

      • 8994 Potomac Bend, Lorton

• Big Spring Book Sale in Reston

  • The Friends of Reston Regional Library are hosting their annual Spring Book Sale from Thursday, May 1-Sunday, May 4. Explore tens of thousands of gently used books, comic books, DVDs, and more. (No kids’ books.) Times and more details can be found in the link above.

    • 11925 Bowman Towne Dr., Reston

    • MORE: Find more information about book sales in Fairfax, Oakton, Burke, Alexandria, Centreville, and more this weekend here.

• Crime Junkie Podcast Live at EagleBank Arena

  • Award-winning podcasters Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawit bring their hit Crime Junkie Life Rule #10 Tour to Fairfax’s EagleBank Arena on Thursday, May 1 at 7:30p.m. Tickets start at $39.75.

    • 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax

• URBNMarket Spring Pop-Up Market in the Mosaic District

  • The two-day market in Fairfax’s Mosaic District is scheduled to host 75+ vendors, small businesses, and artisan crafters on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 from 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m. each day. Enjoy music, food, and cocktails while you shop. (21+ for those cocktails.)

    • 2910 District Ave., Fairfax

• Paddle and Paint the Potomac

  • Enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Potomac — and paint it too! Head to Riverbend Park in Great Falls and boat along the river, stop at an island and paint, then head back to the “mainland.” The fun runs Sunday, May 4 from 9:00a.m.-12:00p.m. Tickets: $43 per person. Ages 16+.

    • 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls

• Revolutionary War Weekend at George Washington’s Mount Vernon

  • Travel back in time at Mount Vernon this weekend and watch reenacted military drills, walk through George Washington’s war tent, and learn a whole lot of history. The event runs Saturday, May 3 and Sunday May 4 from 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. each day. Ticket prices and more information can be found in the link above.

    • 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon

• The Big D.C. Flea Market & Antiques Event

  • Billed as the “mid-Atlantic’s largest indoor antiques and collectibles flea market,” the DC Big Flea Market & Antiques Event at the Dulles Expo Center offers fine antiques, vintage clothing and handbags, jewelry, and more. The event is Saturday, May 3 from 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m. and Sunday, May 4 from 11:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, children 12-under are free.

    • 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly

Food & Drink

A Taste of Tysons Corner and tacos on the brain — a tasty weekend ahead! 🌮

• Taste of Tysons Corner

  • Tysons Corner Center is hosting Taste of Tysons Corner on Saturday, May 3, from 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m. where more than 40+ eateries throughout the center will be offering food and drink samples. Plus, enjoy live music and cooking demonstrations on the plaza. This event is free and open to the public, but VIP options are available. VIP Tickets: $30.

    • 1961 Chain Bridge Rd., Tysons

• Ornery Beer Co.’s Crawfish Boil

  • The Fairfax brewpub will host an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil on Saturday, May 3 starting at 12:00p.m. (All-you-can-eat lasts three hours or while supplies last.) Enjoy plenty of shrimp, andouille sausage, cornbread, and much more, as well. Tickets: $59 per person.

    • 3950 University Dr., Fairfax

• Cinco de Mayo in Fairfax County

  • Here are some local restaurants, breweries, and more with Cinco de Mayo specials and celebrations that caught our eye leading up to — and on — May 5:

    • 5 Days of Cinco at Taco Rock — The restaurant, which has location in Falls Church, Oakton, Lorton, and Alexandria, will feature specials from May 1-5 with even more fun on Cinco de Mayo itself.

    • Cinco de Mayo at Shipgarten — The Tysons restaurant will hold a Cinco de Mayo fiesta on Saturday May 3. Admission is free with drink specials and events throughout the day.

    • Cinco de Drinko at Mustang Sally Brewing — The Chantilly brewery will be in the holiday spirit on Saturday, May 3, with taco food trucks and special beers releases.

    • Cinco de Mayo at Bunnyman Brewing — The Burke brewery will launch a new Mexican lager and other food and drink specials from May 2-4.

• Caboose Brewing’s 10th Anniversary Party

  • Celebrate 10 years of Caboose Brewing Company at their Vienna location on Sunday, May 4. Enjoy special beer releases, live music, free merch, and more.

    • 520 Mill St., Vienna

• Starr Hill Tysons Kentucky Derby Watch Party

  • Mix up a mint julep and grab a big hat — enjoy the Kentucky Derby at Starr Hill in Tysons on Saturday, May 3. The event runs from 4:00p.m.-8:00p.m.

    • 7730 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

Free concerts and iconic musical events headline the stage this week! 🎶

• Tiny Music Fest on Main in Fairfax

  • The monthly outdoor music fest kicks off the season on Sunday, May 4 in Old Town Fairfax with Loudoun County native and American Idol Season 22 star Lillian Hackett. This free event will have food and drinks available for purchase. Seating is limited so attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

    • 10409 Main St., Fairfax

• Herndon Rocks Friday Night Live Concert Series Kicks Off

  • The seasonal outdoor concert series kicks off on Friday, May 2 in the Herndon Town Green at 6:00p.m. KleptoRadio and Collective are scheduled to perform during this free show.

    • 777 Lynn St., Herndon

• Virginia Opera Performs “Loving v. Virginia” at GMU

  • The historic Supreme Court ruling comes to life on the stage at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts for two shows on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4. The show combines the talents of the Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony. Tickets: $40-$110.

    • 4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax

• “Attack on Titan” at Capital One Hall

  • The globally renowned anime series comes to life at Capital One Hall on Sunday, May 4. This one-of-a-kind performance includes the show’s iconic soundtrack and immersive visuals. Tickets start at $93.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Reston Community Players’ “The Producers”

  • The Mel Brooks musical continues at the Reston Community Center starting this weekend with shows scheduled Friday, May 2-Sunday, May 4. Tickets start at $25.

    • 2310 Colts Neck Rd., Reston

Families & Kids

A spring-filled weekend for families and kids! ⬇️

• Spring It On: A Family Volunteer Festival

  • Families can participate in one of five service projects to benefit the community, plus other fun activities for the kiddos such as face-painting, music, and more. Hosted by Kids Give Back, tickets are $25 for a family or $15 for an individual. (Includes dinner from Chick-Fil-A.) The event runs Saturday, May 3 from 5:00p.m.-7:00p.m.

    • 120 Cherry St., SE, Vienna

• Spring Farm Day in Herndon

  • Family fun at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon on Saturday, May 3 starting at 10:00a.m. Kids can check out farm animals and watch live demonstrations. Enjoy a wagon ride with your paid admission. Tickets: $12 in advance, $14 at the door.

    • 2709 West Ox Rd., Herndon

• Reston Association’s Spring Festival

  • A family-friendly event at the Walker Nature Center for one of Reston’s biggest events of the year on Saturday, May 3 from 1:00p.m.-5:00p.m. Kids can enjoy crafts, animals, and other entertainment. And, enjoy boat rentals on Lake Audubon (rental fees apply). Other than the boat rental, this is a free event.

    • 11450 Glade Dr., Reston

• Friday Night Fun Camps at The St. James

  • Parents can enjoy a night off and the kiddos can enjoy dinner, a movie, plus activities and more at with Friday Night Fun Camps at The St. James in Springfield. The event is for boys and girls ages 6-13. $50 per person and $25 for each additional sibling. The fun is scheduled for Friday, May 2 from 6:00p.m.-10:00p.m.

    • 6805 Industrial Rd., Springfield

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

• 🏈Did you miss the big Washington Commanders news on Monday? The Commanders and the District of Columbia announced a new $3.7 billion deal to build a new stadium and sports complex on the RFK Stadium site. Check out the team’s announcement here.

• ⚾️The Washington Nationals are at Philadelphia on Thursday, and then travel to Cincinnati to face the Reds for a three-game set this weekend.

• 🏈In UFL action, the D.C. Defenders visit Michigan to face the Panthers on Sunday.

• 🏒The Washington Capitals continue in the NHL playoffs. Check out their upcoming schedule here.

Home Games

• ⚽️NWSL: Angel City FC at Washington Spirit

  • Friday, May 2 at 8:00p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

• ⚽️MLS: Colorado at D.C. United

  • Saturday, May 3 at 7:30p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: Thomas Edison installed electricity at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in 1916, according to the estate’s website.

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Matt Knoedler
Publisher, Out & About Fairfax