Board President Addresses Pool Schedule — Sherri Hebert, president of the Reston Association Board of Directors, says RA’s pool schedule is broken into six sessions this year in the effort to maximize association resources. She says the board will be looking at each line item in the 2017-18 budget “to identify ways to shift funds to meet the community’s requests as they apply to pools and other matters.” [Reston Association]

Television Interview at RTC Cut Short — When a local television crew came to Reston Town Center to do a story on the effects of paid parking, they had to move across the street after security told them “photography is no longer allowed on the Town Center’s site.” [WHAG]

Bojangles’ Coming to Northern Virginia — The restaurant chain has a multiunit development agreement with a new franchisee that will bring its Southern-style chicken joints to the area. No news yet on how many are coming or where they will be. [Washington Business Journal]

Registration Open for Women’s 5K — Reston Runners will put on the “Seize the Day” women’s 5K on Saturday, June 17. The course is on Reston Association pathways. [Reston Runners]

Between Founder’s Day on Saturday and the Runners Marathon of Reston on Sunday, this is a big weekend for major events in Reston.

But even if you want to stay away from the big Founder’s Day crowd and long-distance running doesn’t sound like a fun time for you, there are plenty of other ways you can enjoy yourself this weekend.

Here is just a sampling of what’s going on in the Reston area in the next couple days.

• Saturday at Lake Anne Plaza, Founder’s Day will mark Reston’s 53rd anniversary. The festivities will take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will include fun for the whole family. Make sure to check out the full schedule.
• The Runners Marathon of Reston will have runners all over South Reston from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday. There are still a few slots open for registration, and volunteers are also still needed.
• Benefitting the Friends of Reston, the Nature House 5K run/walk will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive). The course mostly consists of paved walkways in neighborhoods as well as pathways at the Nature Center and through Glade Stream Valley Park.
• Two concerts are scheduled for Sunday at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road) at Reston Community Center. Trout Fishing in America will be performing at 3 p.m., with Dana and the Glorious Birds going on stage at 7. Tickets for the first show are $5 for Reston residents and $10 for non-residents; tickets for the evening show are $15 for Reston residents and $20 for non-residents.
• NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) is performing “Boeing, Boeing” through April 30. Performances this weekend are tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. Tickets are $35-$55.
• Events at Reston Town Center this weekend include wine tasting at Il Fornaio (11990 Market St.) on Saturday and Zumba in the pavilion on Sunday.
• The opening reception for “First Blooms” by artist Dorothy Donahey at Reston Art Gallery and Studios (11400 Washington Plaza W.) will be Sunday from 2-4 p.m.
• The drama department at Herndon Middle School (901 Locust St.) will present “Romeo & Juliet” tonight at 7 p.m., and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10.
• At Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), there will be a showing of kids’ movie “Open Season” and a young-adult writing workshop on Saturday.
• A bird walk is scheduled for the Twin Branches Nature Trail from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday. No pre-registration is required for the free activity.
• “There’s No Place Like Home” will end its exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.) on Saturday.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Revelator Hill featuring Bobby Thompson. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• There will be a dance from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road). Dancers of all skill levels are welcome to foxtrot, swing, cha-cha and waltz. Cost is $5 for Reston residents and $10 for non-residents.

The 14th annual Nature House 5K run/walk is slated for Saturday at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive).

The event, open to all ages, benefits the Friends of Reston. The course mostly consists of paved walkways in neighborhoods as well as pathways at the Nature Center and through Glade Stream Valley Park.

The course is very similar to that of the Reston Sprint Triathlon, according to RA Parks & Recreation Director Larry Butler, making this a “great warmup race.”

T-shirts will be given to all pre-registered participants, and to walk-in registrants as supplies last. Post-race festivities will include an awards ceremony and a prize drawing, in addition to the presentation of overall and age group medals and prizes.

Registration is $30 for ages 13 and up, $20 for those 12 and under. Walk-in registration will begin Saturday at 7 a.m., with the race to start at 8.

The Friends of Reston is a nonprofit organization that works to support Reston Association in performing charitable, educational and scientific purposes. The Nature House, gifted to RA in 2009, is its flagship project.

Photos via Active.com registration page

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here is a sampling of what’s available in Reston and Herndon:

• Reston Community Players’ opening performance of “Rock of Ages” is tonight at 8 p.m. at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). They will also take the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for each performance of the show, which will run through April 1, are $25.
• The ice skating pavilion at Reston Town Center will have its final day of the season Sunday.
• Reston Town Center is hosting “Family Fun Saturdays” throughout March to benefit Opportunity Neighborhood: Reston. This week, there will be dog adoptions with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a fire truck and police car “see inside” event from 1-3 p.m.; a balloon artist from 1-4 p.m.; live music from 2-4 p.m.; and “free sweet treats” beginning at 1 p.m., while supplies last.
• Potomac River Running (11911 Democracy Drive) will present its Lucky Leprechaun 5K, set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The event will also include a kids’ fun run, and there will be a post-race celebration at World of Beer (1888 Explorer St.)
• Other events at Reston Town Center this weekend include Girl Scout cookie sales, an Easter cookie class for junior chefs at Williams-Sonoma, wine tasting at Il Fornaio and live music at World of Beer.
• The reception for Joan Kelly’s “New Directions” at Reston Art Studio and Galleries (11400 Washington Plaza W.) will be from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Works are primarily acrylic paintings on paper.
• The documentary film “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age” will be shown Sunday at 3 p.m. at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). Admission is free.
• Mentalist and magician Derek Jasper will present “Epiphany” at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive) tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; tickets for the two-hour show are $25.
• Students at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive) will present their annual student showcase at 7 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $5.
• ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.) will offer Cornucopia of Inspirations — HOPE, an afternoon of upcycling discarded treasures, from 2-4 p.m. Saturday. The event is for students in grades 1-5. Admission is $25.
• Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) will present a lecture on the evolution of the Loudoun/Fairfax county line from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday. Local historian Jim Lewis will tell the story. The lecture series on World War I will continue Sunday at 2 p.m. as well. For kids, there will be a showing of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” at 11 a.m. Saturday and a young-adult writing workshop Saturday at noon.
• The Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston (1625 Wiehle Ave.) will be host to a discussion of LGBT issues at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner, sexologist and author, will be the speaker.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from The Jones from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight. DJ Kram will play the hits Saturday night.
• Congregation Beth Emeth (12523 Lawyers Road, Herndon) will offer “Purim Palooza!” from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. A moon bounce, crafts, food, carnival games and more are planned.
• A special nonprofit art exhibition, part of a partnership between International Association for Self-Proclaimed Artists and Writers (IASPAW) and Building Futures Thailand, will be presented Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at The Avant at Reston Town Center (12025 Town Square St.).

If your New Year’s resolutions include being more active or perhaps running a 5K or marathon, then Reston Town Center is where you might want to be on Sunday.

Once again this year, the shopping center will be the starting and finishing points for the New Year’s Day 5K, sponsored by Potomac River Running, PR Races, Dunkin’ Donuts and Commonwealth Race Management.

Even better, you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn after a night of countdown celebrations, because the race begins at 10 a.m.

The race will be professionally timed by Commonwealth Race Management and racers will be given ChronoTrack B disposable tags. The full results of the race will be posted online following the event.

Cash awards of $150, $100 and $50 will be presented to the top three male and female race finishers in each of several age categories. In addition, anyone who pre-registers for the race will receive a long-sleeved “tech” t-shirt.

Parking at Reston Town Center will be free on New Year’s Day. Strollers and dogs are prohibited along the race route.

High-resolution photos of racers will be taken by Potomac River Running and will be available for downloading for free on the store’s Flickr page after the race.

Potomac River Running is looking for volunteers to help with the event. Those interested in volunteering should email [email protected].

Advance registration is $35 and will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 30 online. Registration will be available for $40 during packet pickup, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 31. at Reston Town Center. Runners can register in person on race day for $40 if the event is not sold out.

Save

If getting in shape is your New Year’s resolution, a 5K race in Reston on the first day of 2017 might help.

Potomac River Running once again is holding its New Year’s Day 5K on Jan. 1 at 10 a.m. The run begins and ends at Reston Town Center.

Runners only will use town center streets and Reston Association paths, keeping major roads open. The running store will have food and music at Reston Town Center after the race.

Online registration for the 5K is $35.

Life Time Athletic in Reston also is having a Jan. 1 Commitment Day fun run and festival that is open to non-members.

Photo via Flickr/Potomac River Running

Santa’s been training for this all year. What about you?

The 6th annual Cap Tech Run With Santa 5K takes place this Sunday, Dec. 4, at Reston Town Center.

Here is what you need to know:

• The race begins at 8:30 a.m. You can run as an individual or a team. All teams must be pre-registered.
• Online registration will close Friday, Dec. 2 at 8:00 p.m. Attendees can also register in-person, however.
• Packet pickup is at the Potomac River Running Store at Reston Town Center on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 7 to 8 a.m.
• The course starts and finishes on Market Street near Fountain Square. Affected roads include Town Center Parkway, Cameron Glen Drive, Fountain Drive, Reston Parkway, Sunset Hills Road, Market Street and Explorer Street.
• There will be a free kids “fun run” (it goes a few hundred yards). For the fun run, registration will take place on race day. Little participants will receive a finisher medal for running the race. The fun run will take place around 9:30 a.m., after the 5k but just before the awards ceremony.
• There will also be a costume contest with prizes. Runners are free to don festive suits or elf costumes. Go nuts.

Photo of 2014 Run With Santa 5K/Courtesy PR Races

Start July 4 off with a run for the troops.

The 7th annual Firecracker 5K takes place at 8 a.m. Monday at Reston Town Center. The race, sponsored by Reston-based Leidos, is a great way to support the armed services.

When you register to run, let organizers know which branch of the military you support for the “Battle of the Branches.” Potomac River Running will make a donation to the USO on behalf of the branch with the most registered runners.

 

 

Online registration ($35) closes tonight. In-person registration ($40) available at packet pickup or at the race. Registration discounts for active military members and runners under age 14 are available.

The course is a mostly flat loop around Reston Town Center.

Bring the kids: there will be a free tot dash down Market Street at 8:50 a.m. following the 5K finish. Sign up will be morning of at the finish line area.

Photo: Firecracker 5K 2015/Credit: Potomac River Running

 

It’s a rare event that combines sports and art, but Reston has one this weekend.

There is still time to sign up for Saturday’s GRACE Race 5K to benefit Greater Reston Arts Center.

Race-day registration is $35. There is also a 1K option ($20).

Fees benefit programs at Greater Reston Arts Center.

Here is what else you need to know:

All runners will receive a race T-shirt, $5 off a GRACE annual membership (which provides 20 percent off at five Reston Town Center restaurants, all year long), and other goodies.

The course begins at 8 a.m. at the Pavilion in Reston Town Center, continues on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, and finishes back at the Pavilion.

The 5K will be followed by the 1K Fun Run at 9:30 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to wear art-inspired costumes.

In addition to light, post-race refreshments, there will be free family art activities sponsored by GRACE at the Pavilion.

Top finishers earn a six-month free trial to CRUNCH fitness at Reston Town Center as well as free GRACE membership. Top age group winners get a three-month CRUNCH membership. There will also be prizes and treats for the 1K finishers.

Halloween costume-clad runners will return to Reston this fall.

After the 2014 Oktoberfest took place without its popular Great Pumpkin 5K, a race is back in the lineup for 2015.

Oktoberfest Reston will feature the Reston Pumpkin 5K, said the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the annual fall festival Oct. 10-11.

The Anthem Great Pumpkin 5K, which featured one of the best logos around, was off the schedule in 2014 because the race was administered by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance, which had disbanded, Chamber president and CEO Mark Ingrao said last year. He also said the Chamber planned to reorganize the race and present it themselves for 2015, which they have.

Here is what you need to know about the new Reston Pumpkin 5K:

The race begins at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Reston Town Center

There will be a Kids Pumpkin Dash at 9:30 a.m.

Fees:

$30 per person until Oct. 9
$35 per person – Oct. 10 and 11

Ages 14 and under:
$20 per person until Oct. 9
$25 per person – Oct. 10 and 11

Kids’ Pumpkin Dash (recommended for kids ages 8 and under, all finishers will receive a finishers keepsake)
$10 per person until Oct. 9
$15 per person – Oct. 10 and 11

There will be a Scrambled Legs Breakfast! with food vendors and beer on tap when you cross the finish line.

Costumes encouraged.

To register, visit the race website.

Spots are still available for July 4’s Firecracker 5K in Reston.

The sixth annual Firecracker 5K is sponsored by Reston-based Leidos and will benefit the USO of Metropolitan Washington.

There will be live music, American flags and the “Battle of the Branches” competition. Whichever military branch has the most registered runners will have donation to the USO made on its behalf.

Here is what you need to know:

Race is Saturday, July 4, 8 a.m. at Reston Town Center

Registration is $35 and through through Thursday night online. The price jumps to $40 after July 2.Discounts for Under 14 or Active Military.

The course goes on streets through Reston Town Center, as well as on Cameron Glen Drive, Sunset Hills Road, Reston Parkway and Town Center Parkway. Roads will not be blocked to traffic, but lanes could be blocked. The course is relatively flat.

Show Dad some love by running with him this Father’s Day.

Potomac River Running is hosting the Run With Dad 5K Sunday, June 21 at South Lakes High School. The 5K begins at 8 a.m.; the one-mile fun run/walk is at 8:45 a.m.

Each Dad who completes the race gets a commemorative race item and all runners will receive a Run with Dad 5K short sleeve t-shirt. (Shirts may be limited for late and race day registrants, so be sure to register early)  (Youth sizes are cotton shirts).

The course goes on the SLHS track and Reston Association paths, so no roads will be affected.

This course is stroller friendly, so bring the kids. There will also be a Tot Trot — 100 meters along the SLHS track at 9 am following the 5K finish. Sign up will be morning of at the finish line area. All finishers will receive a bib.

In addition to age group medals, there will be awards for top father/child teams and intergenerational teams (three generations or more).

Advance online registration is $35 (5K) or $30 (Fun Run) through Friday at 8 p.m.

Photo: Run With Dad 5K 2014/Credit: Potomac River Running