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Hey gang, Matt here!

October is officially upon us. That means we are jam-packed with fall fun this weekend — check out our updated guide with new events below.

That reminds me, if you have any good tips about where I can find fresh local apple cider — and perhaps a good cinnamon donut — send them my way. (Gotta get them while you can, right?)

Now, let’s see what’s happening Out & About this weekend! ⬇️

In this week’s newsletter:

• Vienna Oktoberfest, Greek Fest, Heritage India Festival

• Thai Street Food Festival in Annandale

• Capital One Center’s Celebration of the Arts

• Halloween-themed mini golf in Burke Lake Park

• Capitals host pre-season home games

P.S.: Not yet a subscriber? Join 1,600+ 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

Fall fun, Greek Fest, a 5K, and more! 🚗

• Fall Fun This Weekend

  • Harvest and Chill Fest — Saturday, October 4, Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax

  • Vienna Oktoberfest — Saturday, October 4, Historic Church St., Vienna

  • Workhouse Arts Center Oktoberfest — Saturday, October 4, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton

  • Oktoberfest Neighborhood Block Party in Springfield — Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Springfield

    • Want more? Check out our 2025 Fall Fun Guide and keep scrolling for more fall-themed events!

• Saint Katherine’s Fall 2025 Greek Fest 

  • Oktoberfest and fall fest goes Greek with plenty of Greek-themed food, dancing, music, and of course, the pastries. The event runs Friday, October 3-Sunday, October 5.

    • 3149 Glen Carlyn Rd., Falls Church

• Friends of Reston Fall 5K

  • The race takes place Sunday, October 5 beginning at 8:00 a.m. and will start and finish at Brown's Chapel Park.

    • 1575 Brown’s Chapel Rd., Reston

• Eden Center Moon Festival

  • The annual Moon Festival celebration highlights Vietnamese and Asian American culture with dancing, games, and more on Saturday, October 4 from 3:00p.m.-6:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 6751-6799 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church

• ParktoberFest in Chantilly

  • Enjoy food and drink, listen to live music, and shop from local vendors at Ellanor C. Lawrence Middlegate House on Saturday, October 4 starting at 12:00p.m.

    • 5235 Walney Rd., Chantilly

• Heritage India Festival at the Dulles Expo Center

  • Indian culture, cuisine, and shopping fill the Dulles Expo Center for the Heritage India Festival on Saturday, October 4-Sunday, October 5. Tickets: $5.

    • 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.

Food & Drink

Tasty Thai food, a trip back in time, and more! 🍷

• NVA Thai Street Food Festival

  • Enjoy some of the region’s top Thai food and more, plus shop for fresh produce and locally made handcrafted goods. The event runs Sunday, October 5 from 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m.

    • 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale

• Oktoberfest at Aslin

  • Enjoy beer, bratwursts, and more seasonal fun at Aslin’s Herndon and Alexandria breweries on Saturday, October 4 from 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m. Admission is free.

    • 767 Elden St., Herndon

    • 847 S. Pickett St., Alexandria

• “Haunted Wine Tours” Kickoff Continue

  • The Winery at Bull Run continue their annual Haunted Wine Tours this weekend. Tours run through October 30. Tickets: $55.

    • 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville

• RCC Community Coffee

  • Walk in to enjoy coffee, a breakfast bite and fellowship at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00a.m.-11:00a.m. Admission is free.

    • 2310 Colts Neck Rd., Reston

Go Out & About Together

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

Art comes to life in Tysons, Herndon, and Fairfax! 🎤

• Capital One Center Celebration of the Arts

  • A two-day outdoor arts festival that creates “an immersive, multi-arts experience that elevates creativity” is set for this weekend, October 4-5. Admission is free.

    • 1803 Capital One Dr., Tysons

• Final Weekend for NextStop Theatre’s “Dream Hou$e”

  • “Dream Hou$e” takes the stage at the Herndon theatre company, with shows Thursday-Sunday. Tickets: $45.

    • 269 Sunset Park Dr., Herndon

• Cirque du Soleil Continues at Tysons II

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

    • 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons

• Papermoon Puppet Theatre at GMU

  • Indonesia’s innovative Papermoon Puppet Theatre comes to George Mason University’s Harris Theatre for two shows on Saturday, October 4. Tickets: $35.

    • 4471 Aquia Creek Ln., Fairfax

4th Annual Potomac Music Fall Fest — Bring the whole family out to Potomac Music’s Fall Fest on October 18-19 at Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton! Enjoy hayrides, live music, food and cocktails, visit the pumpkin patch, shop dozens of local small business vendors, and catch a screening of Hocus Pocus. Admission is free!

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

Families & Kids

Seasonal fun for families around the area! 🎃

• Goblin Golf at Burke Lake Park

  • Enjoy Halloween-themed mini golf — treats included — on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 at 11:00a.m. Cost: $8-$10.

    • 7315 Ox Rd., Fairfax Station

• Halloween Scavenger Hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

  • Meadowlark’s Children’s Garden transforms into a playful Halloween adventure during the month of October, and it kicked off on Wednesday. Cost: $8.

    • 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna

• Family Fun Day Pumpkin Party

  • Alexandria’s Carlyle House is hosting fall-themed crafts and other activities on Saturday, October 4 from 12:00p.m.-3:00p.m. Recommended for ages 4+. Admission is free but donations are encouraged.

    • 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria

• Pimmit Hills Day

  • The annual community celebration is set for Saturday, October 4 in Olney Park and is complete with family-friendly events, food, music, and more. The event runs 11:00a.m.-2:00p.m.

    • 1840 Olney Rd., Falls Church
      

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, from Reston to Fairfax to Alexandria and more.

Check out their Games of the Week!

• Westfield (3-1) at Lake Braddock (3-1)

• Langley (3-2) at Oakton (3-1)

• South County (1-3) at Fairfax (3-2)

• Yorktown (3-2) at George C. Marshall (3-1)

• South Lakes (3-1) at Herndon (0-4)

Home Games

• NHL: Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals (Pre-Season)

  • Thursday, October 2 at 7:00p.m., Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

• MLS: Charlotte at D.C. United

  • Saturday, October 4 at 2:30p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

• USL: Birmingham Legion FC at Loudoun United FC

  • Saturday, October 4 at 5:00p.m., Segra Field, Leesburg

• NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals (Pre-Season)

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

• NWSL: San Diego Wave at Washington Spirit

  • Sunday, October 5 at 1:00p.m., Audi Field, Washington, D.C.

News & Notes

• The Washington Commanders visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Fairfax County Fun Fact of the Week

Did you know: With 1.16 million people, Fairfax County is the 42nd most-populous county in the United States, according to 2024 population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Before We Go, Some Good News…

This week, we go to … California? If you saw ABC’s “Shark Tank” last week, you likely saw Ryan from Washington, D.C. and Craig from Clifton, Va., the local dads behind “Dad Strength” beer. The low-alcohol content beer was quite a catch in the tank because they reeled in a deal with the Sharks!

Check out more in their Instagram post. Congrats, guys!

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Thanks for reading! See you next week.