While a road leading to the entrance of Innovation Center Station is still closed, construction crews are feverishly raising buildings near the yet-to-open Metro station.

Bethesda-based Donohoe Construction Co. crews are well along in building the core of a Brightview Senior Living facility, part of an approximately 1.65 million square-foot development site envisioned for three other residential buildings, two office buildings and a hotel called Innovation Center South.

Rocks Engineering Co. has calculated that six of the seven buildings would also have retail, creating 871,000 square feet of residential space, 501,000 square feet of commercial space and 84,000 square feet of retail space.

Michael Rocks, managing director with the company, said the next development is expected to be an office project within the next six to nine months. Groundbreaking ground could happen in the next 12 to 18 months and be connected with a residential building at the site.

“We’ve had tons of interest from retailers over the years,” he said, citing the development’s proximity to the Metro.

The campus sits next to a $52 million parking garage that Fairfax County completed in early 2020.

Fairfax County approved rezoning for Innovation Center South in 2014 for the mixed-use development, where buildings would be built by the parking garage and near the Dulles Toll Road. In 2019, the county allowed approved building space to be taken from one block, dubbed B2, just north of the parking garage, to be reallocated for Brightview’s project.

Mindy Dillon, executive assistant to Brightview’s vice president of project management and project development team, said its facility is slated to be complete in February 2023.

“These will be all new residents to Brightview,” she said, adding that there may be some exceptions.

According to Donohoe, the seven-story senior living project at 13700 Magna Way will be nearly 230,000 square feet. An application in 2018 noted that approximately 115 units would be for independent living and 81 more for assisted living, of which approximately 26 units will be for memory-impaired residents.

According to the application regarding the aging adult living facility:

The 26-unit Wellspring Program will function as a separate and secured ‘neighborhood’ within the building for those seniors confronting various forms of dementia or memory impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of the Wellspring Program is to enrich the quality of life for residents with memory impaired diseases by creating a customized plan of support and personalized care services tailored to their needs that maintains as much independence as possible in a compassionate and caring environment. This neighborhood will occupy a secured portion of an upper level of the proposed building. 

Overall, the senior living community will provide social, recreational and wellness programs, meals for residents, and independent living residents will have full kitchens in their units, although they’ll get breakfast and dinner prepared for them, according to the application.

Brightview also noted that its communal amenities include a living room, library, computer center, group dining room and café, activities room, beauty/barber salon, multipurpose room, movie theater, outdoor courtyards and exercise and physical therapy room.

Rocks said preleasing will start for those units in January.

The senior living project is rising next to the pending Innovation Center Metro Station on the Silver Line, which will be one stop away from the Dulles International Airport.

Monday, Oct. 25

• “The Blackest Battle” (7:30 p.m.) — A production at the CenterStage blurs the lines between cinema and live performance, showing a story of racial violence in a futuristic setting after reparations have been paid. Tickets start at $15.

Tuesday, Oct. 26

• Network Night (5:30-7:30 p.m.) — Join Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce members and non-members for a monthly networking event. Tickets start at $20.

Wednesday, Oct. 27

• “Here Today” (10 a.m. to noon) — Senior Movie Day at Reston Town Center’s Bow-Tie Cinemas shows the 2021 movie about a comedy writer (played by Billy Crystal) who develops an unexpected friendship (with Tiffany Haddish) while they try to navigate life in the Big Apple. Free for adults ages 55 and over.

Thursday, Oct. 28

• Meet the Artists (2:15-3:30 p.m.) — Jazz singer Darden Purcell, a former Air Force Band vocalist, shares some of her favorite songs at the CenterStage. Free.

Friday, Oct. 29

• “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” (8 p.m.) — A satirical performance reminiscent of musical theater greats ranging from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Rodgers and Hammerstein kicks off at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. Performances run through Nov. 6. Tickets cost $20 for adults, but discounts are available.

Saturday, Oct. 30

• Falling for Fall (10:3o-11:30 a.m.) — Preschool programming shows the natural environment along with activities at Walker Nature Center. Cost is $6 for Reston Association members.
• Boo at the Pool (12:30-4 p.m.) —  Swim after floating and sunken treats in the Reston Community Center’s Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center. Cost is $4 for Reston Association members.

Sunday, Oct. 31

• “The Turn of the Screw” (2 p.m.) — Catch the final performance of a NextStop Theatre Co. horror production. Tickets are $25. Adapted from the classic Henry James horror story, the play follows the journey of a governess caring for two kids when she begins to wonder if the home is haunted.

(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) A nonprofit helping people with disabilities is moving closer toward maintaining, renovating and upgrading a farmhouse built in 1891 at Frying Pan Farm Park.

The organization, ServiceSource, says it’s ready to proceed with the project to add programming, a “grab and go” café and a handicrafts specialty shop to the 12-room Ellmore Farmhouse, where its clients would operate the services and benefit from an array of music, dance and art classes as well as reading groups and other activities.

“ServiceSource seeks to engage with the Frying Pan Park visitors and park guests by offering supplemental amenities including … [selling] handcrafted items made by people with disabilities through our Bloom Artisans Program,” the organization says, noting that individuals who create the items receive 100% of the sales. “ServiceSource participants regularly participate in classes and craft greeting cards, soy-based candles, organic soaps, and handwoven scarves and tote bags.”

On Tuesday, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn requested the board expedite a Board of Supervisors public hearing for Feb. 8, noting that supervisors approved the organization for its Resident Curator Program on May 4. The organization’s lease runs for 29 years.

The program allows county properties to be leased for a long-term period for no rent while resident curators maintain standards to preserve historic properties and promote them to the public.

ServiceSource spokesperson Kendra Hand said the organization is ready to proceed with the upgrades once it gets approval. The organization is looking to fundraise $660,000 for the  project, according to the organization. Helping to round that out, a 50th anniversary virtual celebration will take place Dec. 9, where all proceeds will help the Ellmore Farmhouse project.

The farmhouse (2739 West Ox Road) is painted white inside and out and features hardwood floors. The organization hopes to add meeting and multipurpose rooms as well as a computer room and community room at the two-story home, all while preserving its historic character.

The county’s Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Jan. 26.

(Updated at 12:35 p.m.) Reston-based company ScienceLogic is relocating its headquarters.

It’s looking to move into the 13th floor office space at 11955 Democracy Drive. That’s the corner building anchored by Fidelity Investments.

“We’re very excited about the new space,” said Kirk Winkler, senior vice president, Global Enterprise Systems & Operations for the company. “It’s a beautiful panoramic view around the area.”

It’s been located for over a decade by Hunter Mill Road at 10700 Parkridge Boulevard.

ScienceLogic has been transitioning since the start of Oct. 1 and plans to be fully ready for occupancy by Jan. 1, Winkler said. It has a three-year lease and an option to extend for another three years, he said.

“We’re going to be doing a hybrid work environment, and so we don’t expect as many people to come back full time, meaning five days a week, but we expect probably about 120 people to be in the office starting in the new year,” he said, noting that depends on what happens with COVID-19 and federal health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even before the pandemic, 50% of the company’s workforce was remote, and it was fully remote during the first six months of the pandemic, Winkler noted. Roughly 5% of its Reston headquarters employees who were there before the pandemic have been using the office regularly. That 50% telecommuting ratio is expected to return next year.

Real estate company Avison Young previously listed the Reston Town Center space as having over 27,000 square feet (about half the size of a football field). It noted it can accommodate 17 offices, 152 workstations, multiple conference rooms as well as other spaces and a kitchen/café.

ScienceLogic is an information technology operations management company that provides a range of services, including artificial intelligence for IT operations, and has employees around the world.

Winkler recently visited the office with the company’s executive team. He noted the open-space environments, almost entirely an open office, bring a lot of light into the space, allowing people to see downtown Bethesda, the National Cathedral, the Blue Ridge Mountains and more.

In addition to closed conference space, open conference areas and standing desks will help deliver a collaborative environment, he says.

Photo via Google Maps

Herndon is moving toward examining mixed-use possibilities near the pending Herndon Metro station and expects to use money from private landowners to “study” the area.

Under the agreement, certain property owners would pay the town up to $500,000 for planning consultant services for preparation of a Transit-Related Growth Area Plan, which the town has studied previously.

The new development area, within 1/4 to 1/2 miles of the Metro station, would cover area mostly north of Herndon Parkway from Haley M. Smith Park and also extend southeast of Herndon Parkway to the Fairfax County Parkway.

Two different property owners approached the town and proposed ideas for funding the hiring of consultants to create the plan, deputy attorney Lauri Sigler said yesterday during a town council work session.

According to the town:

The Town Manager received a letter dated May 5, 2021, in which Herndon Van Buren LLC and Herndon Hotel Ownership LLC, who are owners of several properties located in the Transit-Related Growth (“TRG”) Area, made a proposal to the Town where the property owners would provide the funding for the Town to hire a planning consultant for the preparation of a TRG Small Area Plan. The Town was also approached by an owner of additional properties, MBC Property Owners LLC, who is also interested in contributing funds for this effort. 

The town would hire a consultant or consultants through a request for proposals and contract directly with the consultants, Sigler said.

The town asked for proposals on Oct. 12, and they’re due Nov. 12. “According to the terms of the agreement,” the town must select the consultant no later than Jan. 31, Sigler said.

The town plans to appoint a seven-member advisory committee, consisting of two of those property owners funding the effort, two planning commissioners, a town planning staff member and two Town of Herndon residents.

Town manager Bill Ashton said the town would get varying points of view in advising how the project develops.

He said the advisory group is only advising on the “mechanics of how this is going to unfold” and added that the request for proposals identifies a “lot of collaboration … that’s going to be expected out of the consultant to collaborate with neighbors.”

“This advisory committee … will act as almost as a liaison with the consultant,” Sigler said. “They don’t have any, um, real voting rights to make final decisions, but they will help guide the consultant through the long planning process.”

The property owners would make the half million dollar payment in four installments, which would pay the consultant in phases. The plan is slated to take 18 months.

“Them paying the fee, does that create any sort of conflict of interest?” town council member Pradip Dhakal said.

Ashton said he’s very cognizant of the ethical ramifications of things like this. He said it’s an arm’s length transaction.

“They’re paying it,” he said. “We’re managing it.”

The town is slated to go before the town council for approval on Tuesday on its consent agenda, meaning there won’t be as much discussion than a regular board item.

Town Mayor Sheila Olem noted that it “doesn’t etch us in stone on anything.”

The Reston-headquartered nonprofit Cornerstones is continuing to give free meals to those in need, thanks in part to federal money.

The money assists kids at the nonprofit’s Laurel Learning Center (11484 Washington Plaza West, Suite 200) as well as homeless people and others experiencing emergencies at the 24/7 Embry Rucker Community Shelter (11975 Bowman Towne Drive).

Kids receive hot lunches and two snacks per day, and the learning center is currently accepting additional families, adding to the 92 children there, Cornerstones spokesperson Margaret Anne Lara said in an email.

The community shelter serves three hot meals and a snack each day to guests.

The two facilities have been involved in the federal program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), for over 20 years. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service provides reimbursements to participating facilities.

“By participating in the CACFP, Cornerstones Laurel Learning Center and Embry Rucker Community Shelter can increase the quality of the meals served and provide more nutritious options,” Lara wrote.

Annual income for individuals must be at or below $16,777 for free meals and $23,828 for reduced price meals. Two-person household max incomes are $22,646 and $32,227, respectively, three-person households are $28,548 and $40,626, accordingly.

For larger families, add $5,902 for each family member for free meal income eligibility and $8,399 for each family member for reduced meals.

The nonprofit also operates one of the largest food pantries in northwest Fairfax County and provides other social services.

Construction crews are moving forward on an affordable residential complex at Arrowbrook Centre by the Dulles Toll Road and Centreville Road.

As of Thursday, owner SCG Development reported it had completed 31% of the project, dubbed Ovation at Arrowbrook, setting its sights on an early 2023 completion.

“We will begin pre-leasing units at the end of 2022,” Jennifer Schneider, SCG vice president of development, said in an email.

The project will make 274 affordable apartment homes for households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. It will remain designated as affordable for at least 50 years.

The development will include 55 three-bedroom units and 15 handicap-accessible units.

It will be located next to Arrowbrook Center Park, a townhome and condominium community that Pulte will develop. A high-rise building with a hotel, offices, and condominiums is also planned on the site, Reston Now previously reported.

The development puts it next to a soccer field and the forthcoming Innovation Center Metro station. Other projects nearby going up by the transit stop include Passport apartments and Liberty Park condos and townhomes.

Monday, October 18

• Climate Change: Preparing for the New Normal in Virginia (5 p.m.) — Jim Kinter, a George Mason University professor and director of its Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies, gives an online talk about how people in the Commonwealth aren’t immune to climate change and what they should do.

Tuesday, October 19

• Alluring Autumn (6:30-8:30 p.m.) — Pinot’s Palette features a class focusing on the season of autumn. Cost is $39 and includes a two-for-one deal.

Wednesday, October 20

• Embroidery Machine 101 – Create an Applique Pillow (7 p.m.) — Learn how to make an appliqué pillow using a Pfaff single-thread embroidery machine. Class is $45.

Thursday, October 21

• Klasinc & Lončar Duo (2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) — Visit Reston Community Center’s The CenterStage for a free performance with two classical guitarists, Natasa Klasinc and Miroslav Lončar. Registration is required.

Friday, October 22

• Washington West Film Fest (5:30-10:30 p.m.) — Reston Town Center’s Bow Tie Cinemas helps kick off the festival running from Thursday to Monday. Several showings occur on Friday and the weekend across Reston and Tysons.
• Opening Reception and Artist Talk (6 p.m.) — A city planner’s artwork explores the ramifications of climate change across Washington, D.C.’s monuments and beyond. The event is free and being held outside Tephra’s satellite gallery at Signature apartments in Reston Town Center.
• Halloween House and Trick-or-Treat Trail (8 p.m. Friday and Saturday) — Check out the Walker Nature Center and its candlelit trail, where visitors can solve animal mysteries along the way. It’s not a haunted house or trail of terror, Reston Association notes. Register by Wednesday. (Most slots have already been taken.) Cost is $12 for members.

Saturday, October 23

• DogFest Washington DC at Reston Town Center (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) — The in-person tradition returns. Helping out the nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence, the event will feature dog demonstrations, speakers, and other festivities.
• Halloween Family Fun Day (noon to 2 p.m.) — Enjoy kids activities, which includes carnival games for youth up to age 8, during this event at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods that encourages people to dress up.

Sunday, October 24

• Walk to End Alzheimer’s (Registration at 8:30 a.m., ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and walk to follow) — A 2-mile route for supporters seeking to end a form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, returns to support the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association.
• “The Turn of the Screw” (8 p.m. Friday and Saturday as well as 2 p.m. Sunday) — Tickets are $25. Adapted from the classic Henry James horror story, this play follows the journey of a governess caring for two kids when she begins to wonder if the home is haunted.

Photo by slgckgc/Flickr

People shared their concerns during a public hearing yesterday with Reston Association’s board of directors.

An initial budget has suggested the annual assessment fee could increase from $718 to $764, a 6% increase, though Board of Directors president Caren Anton noted it’s not yet finalized.

People submitted written comments and provided feedback during the virtual meeting.

Butler said the main changes with the budget currently call for:

• Increased costs due to inflation and insurance,
• A 3% merit increase for staff, who received no merit increase this year,
• Increasing various staff salaries to the bottom of pay ranges,
• Increasing base pay for lifeguards as well as covering certifications and recertifications, and
• Adding a senior environmental staff position but not a registrar position.

Butler said aside from the current CEO search, it takes 50 days to fill a vacancy, and he felt it was important to make the salary changes given the difficult job environment.

Speakers took issue with upgrades to Barton Hill tennis courts due to concerns involving driver visibility at a nearby crosswalk during certain times, environmental impacts due to light pollution as well as cost-benefit issues if the association built a covering above the courts.

Butler said RA is no longer considering a covering at this time. The current proposal is to add lighting, repair cracks and add lines on two courts for pickleball.

Mike Sanio submitted a letter, which Anton read into the record, noting the limited availability of lighted tennis and pickleball courts given usage. Other speakers suggested that the association support tennis facilities but in other ways, such as just by maintaining them or making sure there’s enough support before proceeding with lighting upgrades.

Tammi Petrine recommended the association survey its 21,000-plus households rather than pursue proposals for “small groups of vocal people.” She said it could be a working tool and show usage of recreational facilities such as pools and tennis courts and help show what members want and are willing to pay for.

“Why is this not done … maybe every two years?” she said. “We paid $144,000 for a branding study, but we never did a survey, and that seems to be such a useful tool.”

Jordan Fletcher said the the proposed budget call for an 8% increase in staff compensation, among other jumps in costs.

He said the board should carefully consider adding new positions and suggested the association consider factors such as seeing if a service could be automated through information technology, see if underutilized or part-time staff perform similar functions, or look to see if duties could be shifted when new needs arise.

Fletcher also recommended listing all 100-plus positions and their responsibilities and other details to help make more objective decisions.

The association expects another draft to be presented to its fiscal committee on Oct. 20 with the board addressing the second draft at its Oct. 28 meeting.

A second public hearing will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 10.

Dessert and smoothie shops in Reston Town Center are in need of workers, with one still keeping hours scaled back due to staffing needs.

One store remains operating at a reduced-hours schedule: Pitango, which makes gelato and sorbets, is open from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“We would like to be open daily, from early morning for coffee customers to late evening for gelato,” owner Noah Dan said in an email. “We are actively seeking new employees but it has been very slow-going.”

The family-owned business looks to begin to open daily as soon as possible, it says on its website. A hiring sign and notices to customers are posted on its entrance.

The notices state that it will return to daily operations as soon as it hires and trains new employees, and they thank customers for supporting the business.

Other shops reported similar issues. Ice-cream customers may have noticed Ben and Jerry’s temporarily reduce its schedule, but a manager said a shift lead will bring its hours back to normal. It currently has around six employees, though, which was less than the dozen workers or so it had last year.

At Playa Bowls, store manager Isabella Heffel noted the location’s front door has a sign encouraging people to apply and specifically asks for those with daytime availability.

She said the store has connected with colleges but has found the hiring to be tough. The store has around 30 workers, though, allowing it to maintain a full schedule, Heffel said.

The unemployment rate for 16 and 17-year-olds, seasonally adjusted, had been improving since January, reaching as low as 8.9% as of May 1 before rising to 9.6%, 9.7% and 11.6% in coming months. It eventually landed on 11.4% as of Sept. 1, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Like the rest of the country and world, teen workers weren’t immune to reductions in the workforce during the pandemic, being especially hit last year starting in March as restaurants and retail stores closed due to state shutdowns.

But it’s still one of the best times in decades to be a teenage worker. Prior to this year, unemployment for the age group hasn’t been this low since 1957.

The restaurant industry has faced a labor shortage that has put pressure on an already strained segment of the economy — not just teenage workers.

A Goldman Sachs survey from last month found that 87% of small businesses are finding it difficult to recruit qualified candidates for open positions, and most say their workforce challenges have worsened since before the pandemic.

The survey, involving 1,145 participants from across the U.S., found Black-owned small businesses have also been slower to recover to pre-pandemic employment levels.

New art in Reston envisions a scenario in which the U.S. Capitol Grounds is taken over by a swamp and vegetation even entangles the historic building itself.

The exhibit by Andrea Limauro, a D.C. city planner who has worked on flood resilience efforts for the district, is being shown in Reston Town Center at the Signature apartment building (11850 Freedom Drive).

“So much of the work in this show is inspired by my daytime work looking at flood plains and sea level rise in the District and imagining a not so far fetched future scenario where the capital is taken over by water and a new tropical fauna and flora,” he said in an email. “I do not believe these are inevitable outcomes but I like for my paintings to provide the alarm.”

The artwork started being on display earlier this month, and an opening reception will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 22. An in-person reception and brief artist talk will be held at the outside courtyard, noted Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, which hosts and selects exhibits in its satellite gallery at Signature.

Tephra described the art with the following:

Through his attentive and laborious process of screen printing and careful painting, Limauro’s works bring into focus the looming nature of disasters due to the effects of climate change. Through the employment of striking color combinations, metal leaf, patterns, and minute details, the illusion to a dystopian future of the DC region entices the eye.

D.C’s Office of Planning further notes that Limauro has served as the point of contact on “sustainability and climate planning for the Neighborhood Planning Division.”

The centerpiece of the show, “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats,” is a 12-foot-long “dystopian painting about the increased risk of flooding due to climate change in Washington, D.C.,” the artist notes on his website, where rising water affects historic sites from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and beyond.

Visitors can view the paintings Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Face masks are required but reservations aren’t.

A dentist is seeking to fill a hole in the area with a specialty practice slated to open Nov. 8.

Wonhee (Alan) Lee is launching the endodontics practice, a form of dentistry dealing with root canal issues, at at 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive.

“We have noted limited access to an endodontic specialist in [the] Reston-Herndon area, and our goal is to become a trusted partner to the local dental community and support them [by providing] comprehensive and emergency dental care to the people of Reston,” Lee wrote in a message.

The firm is providing the full range of endontonic services, such as laser-assisted root canal treatment and retreatment, endodontic microsurgery, regenerative endodontics and laser photobiomodulation therapy.

A permit for the business identifies it as Endodontic Excellence. The permit, which the county issued Sept. 29, was for a sprinkler system given the new commercial layout.

Lee has served as a dentist at Bethesda-Chevy Chase Root Canal Specialists. The firm said in an email that he’s no longer with the practice.

Nearby at 11864 Sunrise Valley Drive, a dental practice converted space earlier this year at the former Pica Deli.

While the pandemic has led to a surge in small business, Endodontic Excellence formed in July 2019, according to the State Corporation Commission.

Lee’s business has already hired four full-time employees and plans to expand.

“Our primary focus is to provide an optimal patience experience with the highest quality of treatment and care through seamless teamwork and leading-edge technology,” he wrote.

Photo via Google Maps

Construction crews are continuing to build a six-story multifamily building with 344 units as well as first floor retail just south of Herndon and the Dulles Toll Road.

The project — less than half a mile from the upcoming Innovation Center Metro station — is dubbed Passport NoVA. It will feature upscaling housing and is located at 13455 and 13461 Sunrise Valley Drive in an area undergoing multiple construction projects near Dulles International Airport

“The community offers a mix of standard units and premium units with upgraded kitchens, and its amenities include a first-floor workspace, fitness center, and courtyard with a pool plus a sky lounge with an indoor kitchen and outdoor patio on the top floor,” CBG Building Co. says on the portfolio section of its website.

The project is set to be completed by June 2022, according to CBG Building’s website.

Woodfield Development, a real estate developer that was founded in 2005, didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The project is planning for 6,000 square feet of retail — a little over the size of two tennis courts — and it’s envisioned as part of a vibrant pedestrian-friendly residential community.

Meanwhile, the developer is seeking to add signage to the project. The county is reviewing the matter and lists the permit’s status as “NA.” The county’s Planning Commission approved a comprehensive sign plan last December.

An application called for illuminated signs on the building and for a leasing office as well as a non-illuminated sign for a parking garage above the entrance.

The developer is also looking to place two temporary marketing banners on the building “to be easily identified” by Sunrise Valley traffic, according to the application.

A lawyer for the developer noted the delayed opening of the Metro’s Silver Line extension makes the signage request that much more important.

The project is part of a new neighborhood called Liberty Park that’s leveraging its proximity to the new Metro station.

Monday, October 11

• Muscle Up Your Mondays with Crunch Fitness (6:30 p.m.) — Check out a complimentary workout at Reston Town Center.

Tuesday, October 12

• Nutrition & Stress Management for Anyone (noon) — Learn more about how to better manage your body and respond to negative stressors.

Wednesday, October 13

• Tea and Art Club (10:30 a.m.) — Explore different forms of painting in this social environment at Monroe Street Studio. Cost is $45.

Thursday, October 14

• Herndon Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) — Stop by for some fresh produce from local vendors. Recurs weekly.

Friday, October 15

• South Lakes High School Homecoming Parade (5-6:30 p.m.) — The Seahawks will have their homecoming parade starting at Hunters Woods Plaza, which will arrive at the high school before the big game that night against Chantilly.
• “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” (8 p.m.) — A satirical performance reminiscent of musical theater greats ranging from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Rodgers and Hammerstein kicks off at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage. Performances run through Nov. 6. Tickets cost $20 for adults but discounts are available.
• “A Familiar Melody” (8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as well as 2 p.m. on Sunday) — A NextStop Theatre Company show brings together a selection of Broadway hits. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, October 16

• Herndon Homecoming Parade (9:30 a.m. to noon) — A school tradition resumes, running along a portion of Elden Street. This year’s theme is Herndon Goes Hollywood.
• Reston Home Tour (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) — A self-guided tour features four homes and an assisted living facility, The Kensington. Tickets are $35.
• Frying Pan Farm Park’s 60th Anniversary Day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) — Visit this popular park for a special, free event featuring food trucks, a tractor parade and more
• Howl-o-ween Party (2:30-6:30 p.m.) — Enjoy music, food, drinks and more at Brown’s Chapel Recreation Area, and put your dog into a costume contest for $10 with advanced registration.
• Unbridled Passion (4 p.m.) — From Mendelssohn to Chopin, hear classics through the Reston Community Orchestra in a performance featuring piano soloist Faith Zuñiga at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Tickets for adults are $25. Kids 17 and younger are free.

Sunday, October 17

• All Ages Nature Workshops (2-3 p.m.) — Participate in activities at the Walker Nature Center. Cost is $7 for Reston Association members.

Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is today, which means several facilities will be closed to the public to observe the holiday. 

While President Joe Biden and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam have made executive moves in honoring the new name (following a sea of changes by states and cities), Congress would need to follow suit in terms of renaming the federal holiday — or at least create a joint holiday — to fully recognize it.

Notably, Fairfax County had removed the day off from its holiday calendar, meaning operations are largely open. Fairfax County government offices and facilities, including libraries, are open, but courts are closed.

RECenters are open and other parks programming will occur. The Herndon Community Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but the pool and locker rooms are closed.

The Fairfax Connector is running on its holiday service, where several routes are not operating at all.

Metro has also listed a holiday schedule.

You can expect in-person services at most banks to be unavailable, given closings for the federal holiday.

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles locations are among the state entities closed.

Fairfax County Public Schools students have the day off while staff have a professional development day.

Photo by Aaron Burden/Unsplash