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Hey gang, Matt here!

It’s hard to believe, but the first day of fall (or should we say, the autumnal equinox) is on Monday. We have you covered with our Fall Fun Guide below, which includes a few new events so be sure to check it out.

It’s a big weekend for the foodies among us! Plus, we have details about other fun events around the region. See what’s happening Out & About! 🍂

In this week’s newsletter:

• Tysons Mixed Market, Cox Farms Fall Festival Opens

• Taste of Annandale, plenty of Oktoberfest fun

• Conan Gray in Fairfax, “Broadway in Tysons” returns

• Puzzle-palooza in Herndon, outdoor movie night in Falls Church

• Commanders host Raiders on Sunday

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Cheers,
Matt

A message from Bright Horizons

Join Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool for Fall Family Festival on September 25 from 4 – 6 pm. Make new connections, talk with other families in the area, and get to know our community. Bright Horizons teachers will have hands-on fall activities for the whole family! There are five Fairfax County schools so click on the link below to find a hosting center near you!

RSVP here!

Things To Do

Updated Fall Fun Guide + events around the region! ⬇️

• Check Out Our Fall Fun Guide for These Events and More!

  • 2025 Fall Fest at St. John the Beloved — Saturday, September 20, 12:00p.m.-4:00p.m., McLean

  • Cox Farms Fall Festival Opening Weekend — Saturday, September 20 (runs through November 9), Centreville

• Tysons Mixed Market Continues

  • 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

• Reston Multicultural Festival

  • Celebrate Reston’s unique community spirit on Saturday, September 20 from 11:00a.m.-6:00p.m. at Reston Town Center. Enjoy cultural activities, and check out global markets and community organizations as well.

    • 11900 Market St., Reston

• The D.C. Big Flea Antiques Event

  • The D.C. Big Flea Antiques Event returns on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 at the Dulles Expo Center. The event offers a selection of fine antiques, vintage clothing and handbags, jewelry, and more. Tickets: $10 (12-under are free)

    • 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly

• 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.

• Women’s EmpowHERment Luncheon

  • The Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce will host a luncheon celebrating local women in business on Friday, September 19 at the Sherwood Community Center. Tickets: $15-25.

    • 3740 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax

Food & Drink

Taste of Annandale and Oktoberfests aplenty! 🙌

• Taste of Annandale 2025

  • The popular food festival features plenty of food vendors, a chili cook-off, live music and dance performances, and much more on Saturday, September 20 from 10:30a.m.-6:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale

• Port City Brewing’s “Wunderfest” Returns

  • The Alexandria brewery will host their Oktoberfest-style on Saturday, September 20 from 11:00a.m.-10:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria

• Fair Winds Brewing’s “Nautifest” Returns

  • The Lorton brewery’s 10th annual Oktoberfest-style celebration returns on Friday, September 19 from 12:00p.m.-10:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 7000 Newington Rd., Suites K-L, Lorton

      • MORE: Check these Oktoberfest events at Commonwealth Brewing Co. in Fairfax and at Settle Down Easy Brewing in Falls Church.

• Ono Brewing’s Onoversary Luau

  • The Chantilly brewery is celebrating their 8th anniversary with a full day of Hawaiian music, hula, food, and culture on Saturday, September 20 from 1:30p.m.-7:30p.m. Admission is free.

    • 4520 Daly Dr., Suite 102, Chantilly

• Kook Dogg’s 2nd Annual DoggToberFest

  • Reston’s Kook Dogg Cafe kicks off two weeks of German-themed bites, brews, and good times. (Runs through October 5.)

    • 12100 Sunset Hills Rd R-6, Reston

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

Music and more on stages around the region! 🎶

• Conan Gray Headlines EagleBank Arena

  • The pop star brings “The Wishbone Pajama Show” to Fairfax’s EagleBank Arena on Saturday, September 20. Showtime: 8:00p.m.

    • 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax

• Broadway in Tysons Returns

  • “The Addams Family” headlines Capital One Hall for five shows from Friday, September 19-Sunday, September 21.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Ziggy Marley at Wolf Trap

  • Jamaican music legends Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear perform for one night only at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center on Thursday, September 18. Tickets start at $57. Showtime: 8:00p.m.

    • 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna

• Cirque du Soleil Continues at Tysons II

  • “Luzia” comes to life Under the Big Top at Tysons II with shows scheduled Thursday, September 18-Sunday, September 21. The show runs through October 19. Tickets vary by show/time.

    • 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons

• Final Weekend for “Gutenberg! The Musical”

  • The City of Fairfax Theatre Company hosts “Gutenberg! The Musical!” in their new Blackbox Theatre. Shows run Thursday, September 18-Sunday, September 21. Tickets: $15-$30.

    • 11216 Waples Mill Road, Suite 103, Fairfax

G34.3 Brewing Co. Oktoberfest Party — G34.3 Brewing Company in Lorton is hosting their Oktoberfest Party on Saturday, September 27 from 12:00p.m.-9:00p.m. General admission is free with VIP tickets available for $44.99. Enjoy their new Lenticular Lager 1553, a Märzen-style seasonal release. Plus, bratwursts, pretzels, and more from The Alpine Chef, live music, and much more.

Interested in featuring your upcoming event on our NEW Community Corkboard? Email us!

Families & Kids

Parties, puzzles, movies, and more! 📽️

• Old Firehouse Block Party in McLean

  • This free family-friendly open house celebrates 35 years of serving the community on Saturday, September 20 from 12:30p.m.-4:00p.m. Includes food, crafts, music, giveaways, and more.

    • 1440 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean

• Herndon Puzzle-Palooza

  • Teams of up to 4 will compete to complete a 500-piece puzzle the fastest—and win prizes along the way! The fun runs Sunday, September 21 from 2:00p.m.-4:30p.m. at the Herndon Community Center. Tickets: $35/team. Ages 6+

    • 814 Ferndale Ave., Herndon

• Falls Church Sunset Cinema

  • “Moana 2” hits the big screen this week outdoors in Falls Church’s Cherry Hill Park. Showtime: 7:15p.m. Admission is free.

    • 312 Park Ave., Falls Church

• Kids Oktoberfest

  • Shipgarten is hosting a petting zoo and kids Oktoberfest on Sunday, September 21 from 12:00p.m.-6:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 7581 Colshire Dr., McLean

Sports & Recreation

Together with

This high school football season, we are teaming up with the guys at “All Hitches — The NoVA Football Podcast” to provide you with local high school football coverage!

Each week, Coach Dash and Coach Mesa will highlight their Games of the Week in Fairfax County. Be sure to tune in to the All Hitches “Friday Night Spotlight” on YouTube, where the guys take you LIVE to games around the region for all of the local high school football action. Check out their Game of the Week and other local matchups. ⬇️

• Game of the Week: Washington-Liberty (3-0) at Westfield (3-0)

• Fairfax (1-2) at Chantilly (3-0)

• Centreville (1-1) at Mount Vernon (2-1)

• West Potomac (1-1) at South Lakes (2-1)

• Langley (2-1) at Yorktown (1-2)

  • Want more analysis? Check out their deep dives of each game here.

Home Games

• 🏈 NFL: Las Vegas Raiders at Washington Commanders

  • Sunday, September 21 at 1:00p.m., Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD

News & Notes

• ⚾️ The Washington Nationals are at the New York Mets this weekend.

• ⚽️ In soccer, the Washington Spirit is at Angel City FC on Thursday, while D.C. United is at Inter Miami FC and Loudoun United FC travels to Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday.

• 🏒 The Washington Capitals begin preseason play Sunday at Boston.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: George Washington’s Mansion at Mount Vernon is ten times the size of the average home in colonial Virginia.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

This week, we have some Good News from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter!

Two years ago, Spencer the Cat went missing. His family contacted the animal shelter to help find him, but no luck. Luckily, Spencer was microchipped. Now, this week, some good news — Spencer returned back to the animal shelter and has been reunited with his local family! Check out this post from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter for more details!

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.