Hey gang, Matt here!

This week, we debut our brand new 2025 Out & About Fairfax Fall Fun Guide! 🍂 

It’s our comprehensive list of more than two dozen local fall-themed events — everything from fall festivals to Oktoberfest to cider making and more. From Reston and Herndon to Fairfax to Lorton, we have a little something for everyone. If you liked our popular Farmers Market Guide or our July 4th Fireworks Guide, we think you’ll like this one, too.

You should also know that we’ll continue to update this guide as we find new events, so check back every now and then for more info. Here’s a sneak peek — the fun kicks off this weekend with the Burke Centre Festival.

Enjoy! 🙂

Now, let’s check out what else is happening this weekend! ⬇️

In this week’s newsletter:

• Tysons Mixed Market, The Ultimate RV Show, Reggae on the Lake

• Harry Potter trivia, chicken wing challenge in Alexandria

• Cirque du Soleil, local music and musicals

• Clemyjontri Park opens in McLean

• Commanders host Giants to kickoff NFL season

P.S.: Not yet a subscriber? Sign up for Out & About Fairfax for FREE here and join us on Instagram.

Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

Markets, book sales, reggae, RVs, and more! 🎤

• Tysons Mixed Market Starts Thursday

  • The first of four Tysons Mixed Market events kicks off Thursday, September 4 at The Boro Tysons. Check out nearly 30 local vendors offering handmade items, food, and much more. Runs 4:00p.m.-7:00p.m. every Thursday in September. Check out our feature story on the market in the link above for more info.

    • 8350 Broad St., Tysons

• The Ultimate RV Show at Dulles Expo Center

  • More than 130 fully-staged RVs will be on display this weekend at the Dulles Expo Center for The Ultimate RV Show. The event is free and features free parking, as well. The show runs Thursday, September 4-Sunday, September 7.

    • 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly

• Reggae on the Lake in Reston

  • Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru headlines the popular reggae event at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston on Saturday, September 6 from 12:00p.m.-9:00p.m. Enjoy Jamaican food and other cultural festivities. Admission is free but tickets are required.

    • 1609 Washington Plaza N., Reston

• Mount Vernon Fall Plant & Garden Sale

  • Shop for seasonal color and heirloom plants along with native perennials, trees and shrubs grown at George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Saturday, September 6, 8:00a.m.-2:00p.m.

    • 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon

• Book Sales at Local Libraries

  • Three big book sales kick off September at the following Fairfax County Library locations:

    • Kings Park Library, Burke — September 2-13.

    • Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, Falls Church — Thursday, September 4, 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m.

    • Sherwood Regional Library, Alexandria — Saturday, September 6, 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m.

• Find A Farmers Market Near You!

  • If you’re looking for fresh produce, local meats and eggs, artisan vendors, and more, check out our 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.

• Stargazing at the Udvar-Hazy Center

  • Join the museum staff and members of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club for an up-close look at stars, planets, and the moon on Saturday, September 6, 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

Food & Drink

Hot ones AND cold ones! 🍗🍻

• Scoville Showdown at Port City Brewing Co.

  • Test out your tastebuds at the Port City’s Scoville Showdown: Hot Wing Challenge, with both mild and hot wing challenges available. The contest runs Saturday, September 6 from 5:00p.m.-7:00p.m. Registration is encouraged, limited walk-ups available.

    • 3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria

• Harry Potter Trivia at Audacious Aleworks

  • Grab a potion (or a tasty beer) and test your Harry Potter knowledge at the Audacious Aleworks Falls Church pub on Saturday, September 6 from 7:00p.m.-9:00p.m.

    • 110 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church

• Reggae Lunch at Commonwealth Brewing Co.

  • Enjoy the sounds of reggae and enjoy a bite to eat Commonwealth’s Fairfax pub on Sunday, September 7.

    • 10426 Main St., Fairfax

• 55+ Coffee Social in Fairfax

  • WISE Connect will host a social for our neighbors ages 55+ at Compass Coffee in Fairfax on Friday, September 5 at 10:30a.m.

    • 10400 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax

A message from Vecinos Unidos

Make a difference! Volunteer once a week (Tuesday–Thursday, 4:30-6:00 PM) to help 1st-6th graders with reading, writing, and math. Many face language barriers and need support. For 28+ years in Herndon, we've seen real results. Apply at vecinosunidos.org.

Can’t attend in person? Ask about other ways to help!

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

High-flying fun, musicals, and more! 🎪

• Cirque du Soleil at Tysons II

  • “Luzia” comes to life Under the Big Top at Tysons II starting Saturday, September 6. The show runs through October 19. Tickets vary by show/time.

    • 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons

• Cynthia Erivo at Wolf Trap

  • The Wicked star brings her powerful voice to Wolf Trap’s Filene Center for two shows this weekend, Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7. Tickets start at $77.

    • 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna

• Community Mural Paint Day in McLean

  • Leave your artistic talent etched in history and celebrate the McLean Community Center’s 50th anniversary with this fun community paint day at the Old Firehouse Center on Saturday, September 6 from 10:00a.m.-1:45p.m.

    • 1440 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean

• Opening Weekend for “Gutenberg! The Musical!”

  • The City of Fairfax Theatre Company hosts “Gutenberg! The Musical!” in their new Blackbox Theatre. The first show is Friday, September 5 and runs through September 21. Tickets: $15-$30.

    • 11216 Waples Mill Road, Suite 103, Fairfax

• "Rt. 123 Comedy” at Capital One Hall

  • Felicia Folkes headlines the latest Rt. 123 Comedy show at Capital One Hall on Friday, September 5, 8:30p.m.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Tiny Music Fest on Main in Fairfax

  • The monthly Old Town Fairfax concert series returns on Sunday, September 7, with indie rock band The Beanstalk Library. The show runs from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m. The show is free, and pizza and beer will be available for purchase.

    • 10409 Main St., Fairfax

Families & Kids

A new park, nature, and more! ⬇️

• Clemyjontri Park Open House

  • A free family-fun event to open the new McLean-area park on Sunday, September 7, 10:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Includes a carousel ride, trackless train, arts and crafts, and more.

    • 6317 Georgetown Pike, McLean

• River Fishing by Boat in Great Falls

  • Fish for smallmouth bass and sunfish from a canoe or jon boat in Riverbend Park in Great Falls on Saturday, September 6, 10:00a.m. Cost: $23. Ages: 5+.

    • 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls

• Nature Thursdays Storytime at Gunston Hall

  • Storytime combines with the outdoors on the first Thursday of the month at Historic Gunston Hall on September 4, 10:30a.m. Tickets: $5-$18, children 5 and under are free.

    • 10709 Gunston Rd., Mason Neck

• Club Phoenix Open House in Vienna

  • Club Phoenix returns in Vienna on Thursday, September 4 from 2:30p.m.-7:00p.m. Club Phoenix is free and open to the public, and features after-school activities, games such as pool and shuffleboard, volunteering opportunities, homework help, and more at the Vienna Community Center.

    • 120 Cherry St. SE, Vienna

Sports & Recreation

Each week, we run down the schedule, news, and notes of our favorite local teams!

News & Notes

• ⚾️ The Washington Nationals visit the Chicago Cubs from Friday-Sunday.

• ⚽️ Loudoun United FC travels to El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday.

• 🏀 The Washington Mystics host Indiana at a neutral site game in Baltimore on Sunday.

Home Games

• 🏀 WNBA: Phoenix Mercury at Washington Mystics

  • Thursday, September 4 at 7:30p.m., CareFirst Arena, Washington, D.C.

• ⚽️ MLS: América at D.C. United (Club Friendly Matches)

  • Saturday, September 6 at 6:30p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

• 🏈 NFL: New York Giants at Washington Commanders

  • Sunday, September 7 at 1:00p.m., Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD

• ⚽️ NWSL: Seattle Reign FC at Washington Spirit

  • Sunday, September 7 at 4:00p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: Fairfax County ranks fifth in the U.S. for highest median household income at $150,113.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

In our August 21 edition, we told you about Lucas, a bus driver at Fairfax County Public Schools who dressed to the nines to pick up kids for the first day of school. He certainly made quite a first impression on both the kiddos and others around the country…

This week, NBC News featured Lucas, and we wanted to share the latest local good news that’s going viral nationwide!

Watch Lucas’s story here!

Know about some good news in the community? We want to hear about it!

We Want to Hear from You!

Want to get your message in front of 1,400+ Fairfax County neighbors?

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].

Did you receive this edition from a friend? Sign up for Out & About Fairfax for FREE here.

Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Matt Knoedler
Publisher, Out & About Fairfax