Weekender Newsletter

Friday, Aug. 8 - Sunday, Aug. 10

National Farmers Market Week

Friday, Aug. 8 - Saturday, Aug. 9, Hours Vary

Visit our farmers markets this weekend to celebrate National Farmers Market Week. Enjoy live music, kids' activities, giveaways, fresh produce and handmade goods. 

Friday Markets

• McLean
• Kingstowne

Saturday Markets

• Burke
• Reston (SNAP Accepted)

Weekend-Long Events

Summer Entertainment Series Friday - Sunday, Times Vary Watch and listen to performances as part of our Summer Entertainment Series. Shows include Ocho de Bastos, Natyabhoomi School of Dance and Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Night.

Friday, Aug. 8 Events

Sensory Friendly Time at Cub Run Rec Center Leisure Pool (9 - 10 a.m.) Sensory friendly time at the Cub Run Rec Center Leisure Pool welcomes families who need spaces with reduced sensory input. The indoor water park features a playground with slides, water jets, cannons, a lazy river and large tube slides.

Paint Popsicles (11 - 11:45 a.m.)

Children up to 5 years old can play with frozen paint at the Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria. Please dress for a mess. 

Color Our World: Tie Dye (11 a.m. - noon)

Create your own wearable art at the Burke Centre Library. Bring a cotton t-shirt to design and dye. Supplies will be provided.

Rock and Rhyme with Mr. Jon & Friends (11 a.m. - noon)

Join Mr. Jon & Friends for a musical comedy concert the whole family will enjoy at Oakton Library. Mr. Jon and his friend George the Monkey will make you laugh and dance along. 

Saturday, Aug. 9 Events

Pachycephalosaurus Picnic (noon - 1 p.m.) Stomp your way to a most unusual picnic in the woods at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale. Bring your picnic blanket and lunch or snack for an outdoor lesson about dinosaurs. Registration is $8.

Open Hire Event - Alexandria (10 a.m. - noon)

Our Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is holding an open hire event at the Gerry Hyland Government Center in Alexandria. Bring your resume and interview on the spot for year-round positions in school-age childcare and recreation.

Violin Concert - Storytime and Craft (10:30 - 11:15 a.m.)

Put on your favorite princess or prince outfit and join us at the City of Fairfax Regional Library for a fun afternoon. Students from the Allen and Price Violin Studios will perform a concert of popular movie favorites. Enjoy a reading of "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert Munsch and create a royal craft.

Own Your Space: Self-Defense for Confidence and Safety (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

In this series, learn how to spot red flags, use your voice and body to stay safe, and practice self-defense moves at Kings Park Library in Burke. Come ready to move and have fun while building your skills. 

Knitting and Crochet Crafting Time (noon - 2 p.m.)

Bring your knitting or croquet project to the Richard Byrd Library in Springfield and connect with fellow crafters. Share tips, check out books and learn new patterns.

Ice Cream and Games at the Mill (12:30 - 1:30 p.m.)

Enjoy a summer afternoon like the miller's family did in the 1800s at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls. Churn and eat ice cream, play with historic games and toys, and make a toy to take home. Registration is $10.

Adult Crafting: Faux Flower Bouquet (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)

Create a beautiful faux lavender flower bouquet using paper, rice and paint at Great Falls Library.

Bats - Friendly Flyers (7:30 - 8:30 p.m.)

Join a naturalist at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston to learn about the beauty of bats. Look and listen for bats, and discover how helpful they are to humans. Registration is $8.

Starlight Cinema (8 p.m.)

Enjoy an outdoor movie night at the Sully Historic Site in Chantilly, and watch a showing of "Moana 2." Bring a picnic, blanket and chairs, and watch movies under the stars.

Sunday, Aug. 10 Events

Remembrance - Enslaved Lives at Sully (1 - 2 p.m.) Learn about the lives and legacy of the people enslaved at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly from the 1700s to the Civil War. This tour includes a walk into the original outbuildings, main house and representative housing for the enslaved. Registration is $10.

Born in the Wild Walk (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Join a naturalist at Burke Lake Park to learn how animals keep their babies safe during the summer. Discover the various adaptations that keep babies hidden from predators and other dangers. Registration is $8.

Open LEGO Build Time (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Let your imagination run wild and build a unique creation with LEGOs at the Pohick Regional Library in Burke. This program is for children ages 6-12. 

Gluten Free Tea and Tattle (1 p.m.)

Rumor, hearsay, scuttlebutt, scandal. Hear about the origins and changing definitions of gossip, how people have dished through the ages and why gossiping was once considered synonymous with tea drinking at Green Springs Gardens in Alexandria. All food for this afternoon tea will be made with no gluten-containing ingredients.

Science Meets History - Spies (2 - 3:30 p.m.)

Get ready for a little deception, secret messaging and eavesdropping at the Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls. Learn the science of spying and create your own secret messages. Registration is $12.

Goodnight Walk - Owls (7 - 8 p.m.)

Learn to recognize the calls and features of owls at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale. Make a craft and enjoy a night hike with a naturalist. Registration is $8.

Upcoming Events

Escape Room: The Mysterious Library Saturday, Aug. 23, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Martha Washington Library's original escape room brings you to a puzzling library of codes and conundrums. Team up with friends, family members and fellow puzzle-lovers. Do you have what it takes to untangle the clues and make your escape? Learn more.

Clear the Shelters Adoption Event Friday, Aug. 29 - Sunday, Aug. 31, Hours Vary Clear the Shelters is back! Adoption fees will be waived for all pets all weekend long, including dogs, cats, rabbits and more, at our Animal Shelter's Michael R. Frey and Lorton campuses. Learn more.

Weather and Event Status

Weather and other reasons may impact the events listed above. View the weather forecast.

Be sure to check the links for each event's status. You may also view department operating status information. 

Looking for more events? Find additional activities on our Events Calendar.

To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711.