Hey gang, Matt here!

With the Christmas and holiday seasons in full swing, it’s the perfect time for us to introduce our brand new 2025 Out & About Fairfax Winter Fun Guide! Much like our popular Farmers Market Guide and Fall Fun Guide earlier this year, the new Winter Fun Guide is jam-packed with more than 40 local winter and holiday-themed events, plus 20+ free local events.

Each week this month, we will include some of the big local events from the guide throughout the newsletter. Check them out below, and find more dates, times, and details in the guide!

In this week’s newsletter:

• Winter and festive fun throughout the region

• Texas Donuts opens in Vienna

• Yo-Yo Ma in Fairfax, Johnnyswim at Wolf Trap

• LEGO Holiday Bricktacular opens in Springfield

• Capitals, Wizards are home this weekend

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Cheers,
Matt

A message from us

Things To Do

Holiday and festive fun throughout the area this weekend! 🎁

• Check out some of the local winter fun this weekend!

  • 40th Annual Festival of Lights and Carols — Saturday, Dec. 6, Fairfax

    • Celebrate the holiday season in Old Town Fairfax with sparkling Christmas trees, holiday music, complimentary s’mores, warm cider, activities, and more. Admission is free.

  • Annandale Winter Festival — Saturday, Dec. 6, Annandale

    • The festive fun includes a tree lighting ceremony, music, food, and much more. Admission is free.

  • Winter Wonderland at Burke Lake Park — Saturday, Dec. 6, Fairfax Station

    • Climb on for a train ride, spin around the Carolers Carousel, play a round of Gingerbread Man Golf or cozy up by the fire to make s’mores. Tickets: $20-$25.

  • McLean Holiday Art & Crafts Festival — Dec. 5-7, McLean

    • This three-day indoor juried show featuring approximately 80 talented regional artisans selling everything from pottery, fine arts, artisanal foods, and more. Admission is $5, free for ages 12-under.

  • Falls Church Holiday Gift and Craft Show — Dec. 6-7, Falls Church

    • Deck the halls and shop small from more than 50 crafters and holiday vendors showcasing handmade items, baked goods, and unique holiday gifts. Admission is free.

  • Reston Winterfest — Dec. 4-6, Reston

    • A holiday festival complete with a Vendor Village, thousands of holiday lights, fire pits, festive carols, and much more. Admission is free for Reston Association members, non-member tickets are $10-$20.

  • Jingle On The Lake & Christmas Market — Saturday, Dec. 6, Reston

    • Find local and regional vendors at the market, plus music, food, Santa’s arrival, and more.

  • Holiday on the Farm — Dec. 5, Herndon

    • Enjoy the holidays at Frying Pan Park with a wagon ride, campfires, meet Santa, create fun crafts, and more. Tickets: $15-$20

  • 54th Annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade — Saturday, Dec. 6, Alexandria

    • The annual parade features dozens of Scottish clans dressed in colorful tartans parade through the streets of Old Town, joined by pipe and drum bands.

  • The Boro’s Winter Wonderland — Saturday, Dec. 6, Tysons

    • An afternoon of holiday cheer with cozy treats, festive activities — including a hot chocolate bar — photos with Santa, and much more. Admission is free.

      • Want more? Read the full Winter Fun Guide here!

Food & Drink

New donut shop in Vienna + breweries host local markets and pop-ups! 🍻

• Texas Donuts Opens in Vienna

  • The popular local donut shop opened their latest store in Vienna on Wednesday, located at 167 Glyndon St. SE. This is fourth Texas Donuts location in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Centreville, Lorton, and Manassas.

• Honor Brewing Holiday Pop-Up Bar

  • The Fairfax brewpub is hosting a pop-up bar through December, complete with festive cocktails and collective glassware.

    • 11250 James Swart Cir., Fairfax

• Aslin’s “Snow Daze”

  • Find local and regional vendors at the market, plus food and fresh beer releases for the event on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.

    • 767 Elden St., Herndon

• Holiday Artisan Market at Commonwealth Brewing

  • The Fairfax taproom turns into a winter wonderland on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12:00p.m. Also, visit with Santa and decorate gingerbread houses.

    • 10426 Main St, Fairfax

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

A music legend in Fairfax and The Nutcracker in Tysons! 🎵

• An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma in Fairfax

  • The legendary cellist headlines GMU’s Center for the Arts on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8:00p.m. Tickets are currently sold out but additional tickets may become available.

    • 4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax

• Johnnyswim Performs at Wolf Trap

  • The folk-pop duo will play at The Barns on Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8:00p.m. each night. Tickets start at $57.

    • 1635 Trap Rd., Vienna

• The Reston Chorale Performs

  • Experience the wonder of the season when The Reston Chorale presents two performances of holiday favorites on Saturday, Dec. 6. Tickets: $25-$30.

    • 2310 Colts Neck Rd., Reston

• Madeline’s Christmas at Creative Cauldron

  • The holiday tradition returns to the Falls Church venue for the next few weeks, with opening night set for Friday, Dec. 5. Tickets: $18-$30.

    • 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church

• The Nutcracker at Capital One Hall

  • The Centre Company’s annual performance of The Nutcracker returns to Tysons for three shows this weekend, Saturday Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7. Tickets start at $51.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

Whether it’s a big holiday festival for the community, a trivia night at your local brewery or restaurant, or maybe your organization is hosting an event, the Community Corkboard is a great way to spread the message and get your neighbors Out & About!

Want to feature your upcoming event on our Community Corkboard?

Email us!

Families & Kids

Holiday fun for all! 🎄

• Make Your Own Holiday Ornaments

  • Get inspired by history and nature to create festive decorations for your home during this family-friendly event at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1:00p.m. Tickets: $9/person.

    • 5040 Walney Rd., Chantilly

• Campfire Saturdays & Stargazing

  • Enjoy a crisp winter night plus a warm campfire complete with s’mores at Lake Fairfax Park on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 5:00p.m. Tickets: $12/person.

    • 1400 Lake Fairfax Dr., Reston

• LEGO Holiday Bricktacular Opens

  • Seasonal fun begins at the LEGO Discovery Center in Springfield throughout the month of December; opens on Thursday, Dec. 4. Tickets start at $25.

    • 6563 Springfield Mall Suite 12004, Springfield

• Children’s Holiday Shopping at Colvin Run Mill

  • Children are accompanied by a secret shopper to assist them with purchasing holiday gifts at the Colvin Run Mill General Store for this unique holiday event on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 11:00a.m. Admission: $7.

    • 10017 Colvin Run Rd., Great Falls

• 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, Dec. 6, 5:30p.m.-7:30p.m.. Admission is free and open to the public.

    • 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly

Sports & Recreation

Check out the schedule for our local teams this weekend!

Home Games

• 🏀 NBA: Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards

  • Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• 🏀 NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards

  • Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• 🏀 NCAAW: Liberty at George Mason

  • Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3:00p.m., EagleBank Arena, Fairfax

• 🏒 NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals

  • Sunday, Dec. 7 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

News & Notes

• 🏈 The Washington Commanders visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: The Fairfax County Parkway, also known as State Route 286, first opened in 1987 and was completed in 2010.

Before We Go, Some Good News!

For this week’s Good News, we go to George Mason University!

Shortly before Thanksgiving, the faculty and staff of George Mason's College of Humanities and Social Sciences donated 53 bags of pantry staples and personal care products for the Patriot Pantry, a service to help students experiencing food insecurity. Fantastic work for the Fairfax and GMU communities! Click the image to watch the full video on the GMU Instagram page.

Know about some good news in the community?

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.