Monday, June 14

• Fairy Houses (1:30-4:30 p.m.) — Kids can join this four-day summer workshop at Herndon’s Monroe Street Studio to build eco-friendly fairy houses. Using recycled materials like egg cartons and empty glass containers, design a home for magical, little flying creatures.

Tuesday, June 15

• In the Heights  (8-9 p.m.) – Before “Hamilton,” there was “In the Heights.” Virtually join Scrawl Books in Reston or other participating local bookstores for a book talk with Lin-Manuel Miranda about how he made his first Broadway hit, which is now a major motion picture.

Wednesday, June 16

• LGBTQ Icons at Congressional Cemetery (8 a.m.-8 p.m.) — D.C.’s Congressional Cemetery is believed to be the only cemetery in the world with a dedicated LGBTQ section. Take a self-guided tour to pay respects to some of the most important gay rights activists in history, some of who are buried here.

Thursday, June 17

• Summer Garden Tour and Tea (1 p.m.) — Take a tour of Green Spring Gardens in Lincolnia with a master docent and enjoy its beautiful summer flowers. Afterward, pick up a box filled with sandwiches, pastries, and cookies for an afternoon tea in the gardens.

• Juneteenth Musical Celebration (5:30 and 7 p.m.) — Pay a visit to a secret garden in Alexandria for a Juneteenth celebration, featuring music, dance, and spoken word. This event is presented by the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts.

Friday, June 18

• The Biggest Little Farm (8-9:30 p.m.) — Catch a screening of the 2018 Sundance-selected film “The Biggest Little Farm” as part of the annual Environmental Film Series presented by the Friends of Reston. The screening will be outdoors but could be moved inside Walker Nature Center due to the weather.

Saturday, June 19

• Reston Pride (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) — Celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth in-person at Lake Anne Plaza. There’ll be music, dancing, and drag performances, complete with recognitions of last year’s Reston Pride Award winners.

• Juneteenth at Frying Pan Park (12-2 p.m.) — The Herndon park hosts a family-friendly celebration that will allow all to hear, see, sample, and create crafts commemorating this day. Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz will talk about her book “Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine” with food vendors highlighting African American cuisine.

Sunday, June 20

• Mount Vernon Craft Beer Festival (6-9 p.m.) — Taste beers from across the region while experiencing Mount Vernon after hours. This annual festival will feature 32 craft beers, beer-making demonstrations, and live music.

Via Chip McCrea Photography

True Food Kitchen Opens at Reston Town Center — True Food Kitchen officially opened its doors at Reston Town Center yesterday (Wednesday) after a more than two-year wait. Located in a 7,798-square-foot space at 11901 Democracy Drive that was previously M&S Grill, the restaurant was previously expected to open in August 2020 before getting delayed and announcing an April 28 opening in March. [The Burn]

Key Reston Planner Dies at 93 — Glenn William Saunders Jr. died on April 1 at his home on Singer Island, Florida. The civil engineer served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before working as an engineer for the cities of Alexandria and Fairfax. He was hired by Reston founder Robert E. Simon in 1961 to help plan, design, and build the planned community. [Patch]

Fairfax County Could Expand Outdoor Classrooms — Fairfax County Public Schools has been running outdoor learning pilots at five schools since the start of the 2020-2021 academic year with the goal of expanding classroom capacity and reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Using federal relief funds, FCPS has purchased a total of 215 tents, each costing around $4,300, as of late April and anticipates expanding the program in the fall. [The Washington Post]

Fatal Drug Overdoses Up During Pandemic — “Last year was Virginia’s worst on record for fatal drug overdoses. In 2020, nearly 2,300 people died from drugs in the state, according to a new report from the Virginia Department of Health. That’s a 41% increase from the year before, which was already record-breaking.” [The Virginian-Pilot]

Reston Breweries to Celebrate American Craft Beer Week — “With three breweries in or near Reston, the Brewers Association is urging craft beer drinkers to support local breweries as American Craft Beer Week approaches. The 15th annual weeklong observance will run from May 10-16 this year.” [Patch]

Democracy Drive in Reston Town Center Closed — The street will be closed all week for “ongoing infrastructure updates with repairs and modifications being made to the waste lines in the Southwest Building,” a Reston Town Center spokesperson says. The street remains accessible to pedestrians, and all stores are open. [Potomac River Running/Twitter]

Kennedy Center to Fully Reopen in the Fall — The Kennedy Center will hold a grand reopening in September, launching an extensive lineup of performances and activities to celebrate its 50th anniversary. A limited number of in-person concerts are also being planned for this spring and summer. [Washingtonian]

Task Force Proposes Strategies to Preserve Affordable Housing — Fairfax County Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force presented a report to the Board of Supervisors yesterday (Tuesday) with recommendations for maintaining the county’s approximately 9,000 existing market affordable multifamily units. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Startup Raises Millions in Funding — The cybersecurity startup ThreatQuotient Inc. raised $22.5 million in equity and debt funding that it hopes to use to accelerate the growth of its data platform, which gives clients information they can utilize to automatically detect and respond to threats. The company says it saw “record bookings and revenue growth” last year. [Washington Business Journal]

Celebrate National Beer Day at a Local Brewery — National Beer Day comes every year on April 7 to mark the end of the Prohibition-era ban on the sale and consumption of low-alcohol beverages like beer. Local options for celebrating include Herndon’s Aslin Beer Company as well as Bike Lane Brewery and the Lake Anne Brewhouse in Reston. [Patch]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of events coming up over the next week in Reston, Herndon and Great Falls.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Reston and Herndon. Know of any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Wednesday (Oct. 14)

• Reston Farmers Market by FreshFarm — 3-7 p.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (11900 Lawyers Road).Vendors like Dimitri Olive Oil,Harmony Hill Farm, Lola’s Kitchen and more will be present.

Thursday (Oct. 15)

• Digital Drinking with Atlas Brew Works (Online) — 6 p.m. — This free event is for ages 21 and older. Those who wish to participate can choose a time to pick up a free six-pack of beer from The Kelvin and register for the Zoom link with Atlas Brew Works. The brewery is asking participants to post their favorite beer on October 15, tagging both @thekelvindc and @atlasbrewworks  on Instagram. Three people will then be chosen to receive a $125 bar tab covered by The Kelvin.

Friday (Oct. 16)

• NASCOW (Online) — Friends of Frying Pan Park will race 11 of the park’s cows against each other online. Sponsors can use this form to choose their favorite cow. All proceeds will support the park as they make up for the revenue lost during the pandemic.

Saturday (Oct. 17)

• Reston Community Cleanup – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reston Community Center (2304 Hunters Woods Plaza) — Volunteers should plan to clean up along the Reston Association Trail behind Hunters Woods Shopping Center, between Glade Drive and Reston Parkway, the website said. Registration is required, and those who register should gloves, sturdy shoes and expect to follow pandemic precautions. The cleanup is for the Hunters Woods Shopping Center.

Photo via Friends of Frying Pan Park/Facebook

It was love at first sight when Matt Rofougaran walked into a Biergarten in Munich, Germany. The then 23-year-old had just sold off everything he owned and went backpacking around the world for inspiration.

Roughly 16 years later, Rofougaran is bringing a traditional German beer garden to the Town of Herndon at 771 Center Street. Like the Tysons location — which closed late last year due to property redevelopment — the Herndon Biergarten will have daily activities, family-friendly games, events and beer festivals.

But unlike the Tysons location, Rofougaran doesn’t plan to have a token system. At the Tysons location, customers purchased tokens that were exchanged for food and drinks.

The business is expected to open in the spring of next year.

The Herndon location will include more than 60 craft beers, 100+ whiskeys, and a German food menu.

A patio will run along the building, which has a combination of textures like painted black brick and wooden awning. An open area with grass will offer additional seating, along with a 2,000-square-foot rooftop area.

Here’s more from the team behind the project:

In order to get the full picture of this crazy concept Herndon Biergarten (HBG), join us on the journey that brought us here. In early 2015, a group of five young entrepreneurs came together to take on a very ambitious project in the heart of Tysons, VA, and after a year of preparation, Tysons Biergarten officially opened its doors to the public.  TBG brought the features and excitement of a German Biergarten to Northern Virginia, with 40+ taps of German, Belgian, Austrian, and American craft beer, complemented by authentic German food and a great atmosphere. Almost instantly, the public gravitated to the new concept and after a few successful years, it was recognized as local staple.  TBG held events that attracted thousands of people from all sorts of backgrounds, hosted charity events with children from a local homeless shelter, and even hosted campaign fundraisers for local political offices. TBG earned various awards through the years and was featured in numerous publications ranging from local news channel broadcasts to articles in the Washington Post. Catching lightning in a bottle, Tysons Biergarten was truly an American success story.

Fast forward two years… Late December 2018, a small hole in the wall in Alexandria, VA, became the new home for our second restaurant, Hops N Shine. At HnS, we take great pride in being an artisan destination with a unique and constantly evolving menu. If you walk into Hops N Shine today, the first thing you’ll see is our enormous mural, 52 incredible craft beers on tap, a mouthwatering custom gourmet grilled cheese menu, and an extensive list of our delicious moonshine infusions that will have your taste buds singing for more. HnS is the perfect laid-back location for meeting with family, friends, coworkers, or even your dog on the back patio!

In early 2019, with several combined years of experience and loads of new ideas, we began putting a new concept into action that when finished will truly showcase the levels of creativity and ambition of our team.  Insert our newest project, Herndon Biergarten(HBG). HBG will shock your senses when you see its features. 

Overall, the project includes a bar on the main floor, two bars upstairs, a patio, a green room, an outdoor seating area, an outdoor bar, and a rooftop deck.

The beer garden will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Photos via Herndon Biergarten

St. Patrick’s Day falls on Tuesday (March 17) and businesses around town are hosting events celebrating the luck of the Irish.

Reston Now complied a list of events for people looking for a place to gather for the festivities.

For a family-friendly activity in Reston, the Lucky Leprechaun 5K invites people to grab their sneakers and get some exercise. Participants can register for the race online. Tickets cost $25-35 and the race will take place on March 15 beginning at 8 a.m. in front of the Reston Town Center (11900 Market Street). Participants will receive a t-shirt and finishers will be awarded with a medal.

The St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Lake Anne Plaza includes two days of festivities on Saturday (March 14) and Sunday (March 15). The entire family is invited to enjoy live music, traditional foods, face painting and dance demonstrations. The event kicks-off on Saturday at noonwhen the Lake Anne Leprechaun arrives by Pontoon boat, according to the event listing. In addition, people can also visit with pets from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, who are looking for their forever home.

St. Pat’s Leprechaun Duathlon with New Trail Cycling will begin from Lake Anne Brew House (1401 North Shore Drive) with a half-hour spin class and a mile and a half run. Tickets are $15 and participants must be over 21 but experience is not necessary for the class. People can RSVP online beforehand the event which will start at 8:30 a.m. on (Saturday) March 14.

Kalypso’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend includes a weeklong celebration featuring live music and drink specials beginning on Friday (March 13) and wrapping up on Tuesday (March 17). Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N) is hosting this event in partnership with Lake Anne Plaza celebration.

Jimmy’s 23rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! offers attendees prizes, live music, dancing, a charity event and giveaways at this year’s celebration. From 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday (March 17) until 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, guests are invited to take part in all the activities at 697 Spring Street in Herndon, according to the event page. Those feeling bold will also be able to take part in a “Men in Kilts” contest at 11 p.m.

On Saturday and Tuesday, the Saint Patrick’s Day Party at Bar Louie will include deals on drinks like $4 Green Beer (14oz) and $6 Kilbeggan Shots. The location at 13195 Parcher Ave will be offering Instagram giveaways with the hashtag #LuckyDazeWithLouie20, the Facebook page said.

Sully’s Pour House (754 Elden Street) is hosting a St Paddy’s Party 2020. The location is offering guests kegs and eggs beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday (March 14) along with live music, swag and giveaways, the event page said. On Tuesday (March 17) the location will open up at 7 a.m. for those looking to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day.

Photo via Magdalena Smolnicka/Unsplash

The Reston Rotary Rise Against Hunger fundraising event this Saturday will donate meals to kids and families in need.

People are invited to pack meals alongside Rotary members at Aldrin Elementary School (11375 Center Harbor Road) from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Anyone interested can sign up online for a shift or donate if they are unable to attend.

Once the goal of 10,000 meals is met, extra funds will ensure that kids in the area have the winter clothes they need, help the Reston Community Orchestra, assist kids with scholarships and send books to students in Nyeri, Kenya.

Tomorrow (Saturday)  

• Make Shift Happen: The Storytellers Experience (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) — This day-long event invites people to learn about themselves and become better storytellers. This event takes place at The Lake House (11450 Baron Cameron Avenue) and includes meditation, guest speakers, trust workshops and more. General admission tickets are $200.
• Jazz (6:30 p.m) — Watch a live performance by pianist Caleb Nei at the Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar (1612 N. Washington Plaza). This event is free and open to the public.
• Tween Dodgeball (5 to 9 p.m.) — Kids ages 9-12 are welcome to get some exercise at Life Time Athletic (1757 Business Center Drive). Everyone will be placed in a bracket and encouraged to compete.

Sunday (Jan. 12)

• Kickstart your Sweatlife 2020 (8 to 10 a.m.) — Reston Town Center Lululemon is hosting workouts and goal setting events for patrons. People are welcome to gather and take a run with instructors Brian and Erica. This event is free and open to the public.
• 2 Silos Brewing Co. Tasting (noon to 3 p.m.) — Try some beer from 2 Silos Brewing Co. at Safeway (11120 S. Lakes Drive) including Citralicious and Cream Ale brews. There will be giveaways available for attendees.
• Sunday Afternoon Dance (2:30 to 4 p.m.) — The Reston Community Center welcomes people of all skill levels to enjoy an afternoon of cha-cha, swing, waltz or foxtrot dancing. Admission is $5 for Reston residents and $10 for others. Admission includes a short lesson, refreshments and door prizes.

Image via Rotary Club of Reston/Facebook

The last holiday festivities of the season will wrap-up with the Post-Holiday Ugly Sweater Fundraiser Party on Jan. 4.

People are invited to come and bring non-perishable food for the South Lakes High Food Pantry to the Lake Ann Brew House (11401 North Shore Drive). The event is set to run from 1-4 p.m., and people are encouraged to dress in their festive sweaters.

Every drink purchased will donate a dollar to the cause.

Tomorrow (Jan. 4)

• Lake Anne Brew House Saturday Beer Run (9:45 a.m.) — People are welcome to gather in front of Lake Anne Brew House (11424 W. Washington Plaza) and run, jog or walk a lap or two before meeting at the brewhouse for beer, coffee and breakfast pretzels.
• Winter Bird Count (7 a.m. until 2 p.m.) — At the Walker Nature House (11450 Glade Drive), people can join in the effort to count local birds and enjoy a free lunch. This event is for adults only, and people are asked to register.
• Herndon Community Center Open House (7 a.m. until 6 p.m.) — The Herndon Community Center will celebrate its 40th anniversary with free admission all day. There will be activities for all ages between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Sunday (Jan. 5)

• Tea Time (1 and 4 p.m.) — This monthly event invites people to the Elden Tea Shop (714 Pine Street) to enjoy tea, scones and pastries. Tickets are $18.50.
• Sunday Funday (1-4 p.m.) — The Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) will host events for kids and their families. Though activities vary, families can expect to participate in either crafts, a scavenger hunt or another project for kids ages 5-12.

Nashville-based candle company Paddywax is bring its do-it-yourself candle-making workshops to a new location in Reston Town Center.

Paddywax Candle Bar is expected to open in the winter this year, according to the storefront’s signage (1816 Library Street). Patrons can create their own candles during workshops while enjoying food and drinks.

It fills space formerly occupied by The Tasting Room Wine Bar, which left RTC in March this year.

The business has been rapidly expanding in the last year, with new locations coming to Madison, Wisc., Philadelphia, and the District. Paddywax currently has location in Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Photo via The Candle Bar/Facebook

A new restaurant and lounge, which markets itself as “the best hangout place,” is coming soon to Herndon.

Adda Restaurant and Lounge plans to open at 2310 Woodland Crossing Drive in Herndon. A wine and beer license for the establishment, which will seat more than 150 people, is pending, according to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.

The business has another location in Ashburn, which offers karaoke nights, Bollywood dancing and a motley of foods, including kabobs, biryani, soups, and pasta.

The owners were not immediately available for comment.

Photo via Adda Lounge & Restaurant/Facebook

Third FCPS hiring event for furloughed workers — After two previous events to help furloughed federal employees, Fairfax County Public Schools will hold its third hiring event today from 5-7:30 p.m. at the FCPS Administration Center in Merrifield. [Tysons Reporter]

Senior movie day — The Reston Association’s “Meet Me at the Movies” will screen “Operation Finale” — a 2018 American historical drama — at 10 a.m. with free refreshments. Tickets are free for people age 55 and older. The monthly movie event is done in cooperation with the Bow-Tie Cinemas at Reston Town Center and is sponsored by Tall Oaks Assisted Living. [WebTrac]

Aslin moving to Alexandria — Herndon’s Aslin Beer Co. plans to open a production facility and a 3,500-square-foot tasting room in the city’s West End neighborhood. The beer company recently faced hurdles with design plans for a tasting room it wanted to open in Herndon. [Alexandria Living Magazine]

Crafthouse, a Northern Virginia-focused eatery, is helping families affected by the wildfires in California.

The three Crafthouse locations in Fairfax, Reston and Arlington will donate 10 percent of all bottled beer purchases to the American Red Cross, which has a fund set up for California wildfire aid.

Two wildfires burning across California this month have claimed at least 84 lives, and one of the fires is now the deadliest and most destructive one in the state’s history, according to news reports.

The restaurant posted on Facebook that the donations started last Thursday (Nov. 15) and will continue through Dec. 15.

Owner Evan Matz told Reston Now he got the idea after watching the news. “I felt so bad, and I wanted to be able to do something,” he said.

Matz said he has family near Calabasas, Calif. — they’re safe– and knows firsthand the displacement and destruction caused by natural disasters. He said his family had to move temporarily when Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana, hit in 1992.

Patrons have started expressing support for the donations, Matz said. “Instead of the draft beer, they buy the bottles instead,” he said.

Crafthouse’s Reston spot is at 1888 Explorer Street.

Photos via Crafthouse/Facebook

Reston-based Crafthouse, a Northern Virginia-focused eatery that offers a craft menu and local craft beer, scotch, and wine, is now franchising, the company announced this week.

Owner Evan Matz opened three locations in Fairfax, Arlington, and Reston in May 2017, positioning himself for rapid expansion in the coming years.

“Our goal is to have signature food and drink items that are available at every Crafthouse alongside menu favorites that are customized for that local community,” Matz wrote in a statement. “We will encourage each franchisee to feature what their region or state does best – North Carolina ribs or Maryland crab cakes, for instance – and source from local businesses for fresh baked buns, bread, local produce, meat, fish, brews, whiskey, wine and more. This way, Crafthouse can truly support and showcase its local neighborhood while giving guests the quality and consistency of a proven brand.”

Each drink menu has 50 craft beers and an addition 150 in bottles in cans featuring local, regional and national brews, with a special eye for local flavors. Each Crafthouse has a large Bavarian pretzel that’s paired with a house=made beer cheese, tacos, and burgers.

Matz hopes future locations will have a dining room and patio seating for around 150 guests, with square footage ranging from 3,900 to 4,500 square feet. Restaurants will offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch options, as well as catering for private events and corporate meetings. Crafthouse was named the Best Sports Bar for Football Fans by Arlington Magazine.

Ideal franchise candidate should have liquid assets of at least $300,000 and a net worth of $1 million. More information about background and preferred qualifications is available online.

File photo

The Breeze Sports Bar and Restaurant in downtown Herndon is going the extra mile by adding a new venture to their popular restaurant in downtown Herndon.

Mile 20 (781 Station Street) will offer 24 taps and bottle beers for customers to try. The business, which is part of The Breeze, is located in the lower level of the restaurant in the patio area — space formerly occupied by a hair salon.

A grand opening party is set for tomorrow (Oct. 6) from noon to 11 p.m. 

The owners had the following to say about their new venture, which offers many beers from local breweries like “Optimal Wit” from Port City Brewing in Alexandria and “Choosy Mother Peanut Butter Porter” from Isley Brewing Company in Richmond.

Mile 20 is taking a step back from all the beer that you can get at anywhere. American light lagers are not what we are about. We are about supporting local and small breweries. There are amazing beers in your backyard, and you shouldn’t have to go far to find all of them. Mile 20 has 24 taps and dozens of bottle beers for you to try. Rotation is key so there is always something new and interesting. Whether your thing is IPAs, Sours, Porters, or anything in between; we got you covered. If you are new to the craft beer world, come on in and try a flight; specially picked out by our knowledgeable bartenders or build your own.

Photos by George Nikolopoulos