Hanukkah begins this year on Sunday (Dec. 22) and will end on Monday (Dec. 30).

Multiple events happening around Herndon invite the community to celebrate and participate in holiday traditions.

The Chanukah Gelt Drop will take place at 5 p.m. at the Herndon Town Hall (730 Station Street). People can come and light the menorah while enjoying chocolate from the local fire department. There will be live music, hot drinks, donuts and latkas. Everyone is welcome to this free event.

The Chanukah Hop to the Donut Shop will take place from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Duck Donuts (300 Elden Street) on Dec. 26 (Thursday). This event is hosted by Growing Jewish Families in Northern Virginia and will feature spinning dreidels, crafts and stories.

The Flip Like a Latke Trampolene Party invites families to Launch Trampoline Park (13348 Franklin Farm Road) from 4:30-6 p.m. for a menorah lighting with a surprise guest, food and raffles. This event is free but there is a suggested $10 donation. All are welcome. No synagogue membership or affiliation is required, according to the event page.

Photo courtesy Chabad Reston-Herndon

Two Hanukkah celebrations are planned for Reston and Herndon this weekend.

This year, the Jewish holiday began at sunset on Sunday (Dec. 2) and ends on Monday, Dec. 10.

NextStop Theatre will host “A Kosher Christmas Cabaret” on Saturday (Dec. 8) at 8 p.m.

The website calls the cabaret a “celebration of Jewish culture and the community’s extraordinary resilience, through humor and heart.”

The show features Jordan Friend, Alani Kravitz and Ben Lurye with Elisa Rosman at the piano. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Tree of Life Synagogue community. NextStop Theatre is located at 269 Sunset Park Drive.

A giant menorah lighting and ice skating will take place on Sunday (Dec. 9) at the Reston Town Center. The free event organized by Chabad of Reston-Herndon will include music, donuts, a raffle, dreidels and latkes, starting at 4:30 p.m. While admission is free, ice skating costs $12.

Photo via Chabad of Reston-Herndon

Two Hanukkah-themed events will take place in Reston in the coming days.

Chabad of Reston-Herndon is hosting its annual Hanukkah celebration at Reston Community Center Lake Anne (1609-A Washington Plaza) on Tuesday, Dec. 27 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

That event is set to include “the hilarious pirate magic of Captain Silly Bones, lighting of our giant cupcake Menorah, face-painting, balloon shaping, mac and cheese dinner, chocolate coins, dreidles, latekes,” and other holiday activities, organizers said.

Chabad is also hosting a “Chanukah On Ice” event with food and merriment at the Reston Town Center’s ice skating rink (11900 Market Street) from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 25.

According to Chabad, that event will have “ice-skating to lively Chanukah music with family and friends a Grand Menorah lighting, hot latkes and donuts, dreidels and chocolate gelt for all.”

Photo: Chanukah on Ice/Chabad

The giant ice menorah will be lit at Lake Anne Plaza as Chabad of Reston – Herndon holds its annual Outdoor Hanukkah Festival on Tuesday.

The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Lake Anne waterfront and in the Reston Community Center Lake Anne.

There will be games, hot chocolate,donuts, latkes, chocolate gelt, free dreidels, a Hanukkah family film, and lots of holiday cheer for the whole family.

There will also be a menorah contest. Bring in a menorah you have made for a chance at a prize raffle.

Admission is free.

Photo of Lake Anne Hanukkah celebration 2011 courtesy of Chabad of Reston-Herndon