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Hey gang, Matt here!

No, your calendar isn’t wrong — today is indeed Wednesday! We are sending this a day earlier than usual to make sure you have all of the weekend fun in your inbox before Thanksgiving. Today’s edition is packed — you’ll find local turkey trots, markets, and plenty of festive fun. (Find the full list of Turkey Trots in the “Sports & Recreation section.) We’ll get back to our regularly scheduled Thursday sends next week.

Here’s what is happening Out & About over the next few days!

In this week’s newsletter:

• Holiday kickoffs in Fairfax and Reston, pop-up market in Springfield,

• Dueling pianos, Bunco Bash, and “Made in ALX”

• The Nutcracker comes to Capital One Hall

• History 🤝 the holidays at Mount Vernon

• Where to find a turkey trot near you!

P.S.: Not yet a subscriber? Join 1,700+ neighbors and sign up for the FREE Out & About Fairfax newsletter here and follow along on Instagram.

Cheers,
Matt

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Things To Do

Welcome in the Thanksgiving holiday, Small Business Saturday, and more local fun! 👋

• Merry Mosaic 2025

  • Festive cheer comes to the Mosaic District from Friday, Nov. 28-Sunday, Nov. 30, including a holiday tree lighting, a visit from Santa, and the popular Mosaic Holiday Village. Admission is free.

    • 2910 District Ave., Fairfax

• Reston Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting

  • The annual Reston Holiday Parade returns on Friday, Nov. 28 starting at 11:00a.m., the Tree Lighting at 6:00p.m., and includes a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Admission is free.

    • 11900 Market St., Reston

• Holiday Pop-Up Market in Springfield

  • The Holiday Pop-Up Market at Springfield Town Center brings together local vendors, artisans, and small businesses over the next month, starting Friday, Nov. 28-Sunday, Nov. 30.

    • 6500 Springfield Mall, Springfield

• A Victorian Christmas in Falls Church

  • Experience a Victorian-era Christmas celebration at the Cherry Hill Farmhouse on Saturday, Nov. 29 from 10:00a.m.-2:00p.m. Enjoy Period decorations, music and Christmas carols. Admission is free.

    • 312 Park Ave., Falls Church

• Fairfax Funky Flea Season Finale on Saturday

  • 70+ vendors headline the final Fairfax Funky Flea of 2025 on Saturday, Nov. 29 in the City of Fairfax. The outdoor flea market runs 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m.

    • 4031 University Dr., Fairfax

• Give Back Fun Run/Walk

  • The 10th annual run/walk 5K/2K in Reston benefits the SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program, a local nonprofit. Scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 30 at 10:00a.m. Registration is free but donations are recommend.

    • 11923 Triple Crown Rd., Reston

Food & Drink

“Roll” into the holidays! 🎲

• Port City Brewing Hosts “Holiday Makers’ Market”

  • More than 25 vendors — plus food, music, and an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus — will take over Alexandria’s Port City Brewing Co. with a “Made in ALX” theme on Saturday, Nov. 29 from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.

    • 3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria

• Bunco Bash at Crafthouse

  • “Roll” into the holiday season with dice and drinks with a round of Crafthouse in Fairfax Corner on Saturday, Nov. 29 from 11:00a.m.-1:00p.m. Tickets: $10/adults, kids are free.

    • 11861 Palace Way, Fairfax

• Dueling Pianos at Honor Brewing Kitchen

  • The classic dueling pianos fun comes to Fairfax’s Honor Brewing Kitchen on Friday, Nov. 28 starting at 8:00p.m. Tickets: $28-$44.

    • 11250 James Swart Circle, Fairfax

• Back in Black Stout Festival

  • Bunnyman Brewing Chantilly’s festival on Friday, Nov. 28 highlights exclusive new stout releases, plus cigars and local vendors. The event runs 11:00a.m.-7:00p.m.

    • 14140 Parke Long Ct. A-C, 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!

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Music, Arts, & Entertainment

The Nutcracker takes the stage in Tysons, and Small Business Saturday 🤝 local art!

• The Nutcracker at Capital One Hall

  • The holiday favorite, performed by the Ravel Dance Company, comes to Tysons for one show only on Saturday, Nov. 29. Showtime: 2:00p.m. Tickets start at $78.

    • 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons

• Chanticleer Performs at GMU

  • Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer returns to the Center for the Arts with A Chanticleer Christmas on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 8:00p.m. Tickets: $45-$71.

    • 4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax

• Workhouse Arts Center Holiday Sale

  • Shop small and support local artists during this three-day event, from Friday, Nov. 28-Sunday, Nov. 30 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

    • 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton

• Vanguard Arts Center’s “Shop Local Saturday”

  • Think “Small Business Saturday” but for instruments this Saturday, Nov. 29 from 10:00a.m.-4:00p.m. at the Chantilly venue.

    • 14155-J Sullyfield Circle, Chantilly

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 kids and kids at heart! 🚗

• Mount Vernon by Candlelight

  • A candlelit guided tour brings the holidays during the 18th century to life starting Friday, Nov. 28 at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The event runs select days through Dec. 23. General public tickets: $33-$41.

    • 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon

• Holiday Book Sale Kickoff in Burke

  • The sale at Kings Park Library, which kicks off Saturday, Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 31, features puzzles and holiday-themed books for adults and children alike. Admission is free.

    • 9000 Burke Lake Rd., Burke

• Bull Run Festival of Lights

  • A local favorite, and Northern Virginia’s largest drive-through holiday light experience continues in Bull Run Regional Park. Tickets: $32/vehicle.

    • 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville

• “Turkey Trail” in Reston

  • At the Walker Nature Center, sharpen your skills of logic as you follow clues from a “wild” turkey to see where they lead you on Saturday, Nov. 29 starting at 11:00a.m. Tickets: $6-$8

    • 11450 Glade Dr., Reston

Sports & Recreation

Check out the schedule for our local teams and turkey trots this weekend!

Turkey Trots

• Centreville — 34th Annual Virginia Run Turkey Trot, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 8:00a.m. 5K Run: $50, 3K Walk: $5

• Alexandria — 4th Annual Can The Bird 5K, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 8:00a.m. Registration: $10-$40.

• Fairfax — City of Fairfax Turkey Trot 5K, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 9:00a.m. Registration: $45.

• Fairfax — 13th Annual Fairfax Turkey Trot 4 Miler, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 9:00a.m., Registration: $40.

• Reston — Turkey Day 5K & 1 Mile, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 8:00a.m., Registration: $35-$45.

• Reston — Thanksgiving Day 5K Turkey Trot, Thursday, Nov. 27 at 9:00a.m., Advance registration is not required.

• McLean — Langley & McLean Crew Turkey Trot, Saturday, Nov. 29 at 9:00a.m., Registration: $50.

Home Games

• 🏒 NHL: Winnipeg Jets at Washington Capitals

  • Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• 🏒 NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals

  • Friday, Nov. 28 at 5:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• 🏀 NCAAM: James Madison at George Mason

  • Saturday, Nov. 29 at 2:00p.m., EagleBank Arena, Fairfax

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: The busy Virginia State Route 644, known locally as Franconia Road or Old Keene Mill Road in and around the Springfield and Alexandria areas, was once a rural "rolling road" for Virginia tobacco on its way to the port city of Alexandria.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

For this week’s Good News, we go to West Springfield High School where the girls volleyball team recently won the VHSL State Championship!

The Spartans defeated Colgan in a dramatic five-set match on Saturday to win the Class 6 title at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va.

Congratulations!

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.