Local nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and ridesharing app Lyft are again partnering to offer free rides during the holiday season.
As part of an effort to combat drunk driving, WRAP will be sponsoring free Lyft rides starting this Friday (Dec. 14).
From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., rides up to $15 are free with the use of a promo code. The user is responsible for any costs over $15. The offer will continue until Jan. 1.
Weekly codes will be posted at the Sober Rides website at noon on Dec. 14, 22, and 31. The weekly code is only valid for one ride.
According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 621 alcohol-related crashes in Fairfax in 2017, resulting in 331 injuries and 12 fatalities.
As the program is aimed at preventing alcohol related crashes, Lyft riders must be at least 21 years old to claim the offer. The code is valid for any rides inside the D.C. coverage area, which includes all of Fairfax County.
The SoberRide program operates during the December/January holiday season, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.
Image via Washington Regional Alcohol Program
In addition to the Holiday events we covered earlier, there’s plenty to do around Reston this weekend. This weekend should be especially busy for the more artistically inclined readers, with dancing, music, and photography events tomorrow and Sunday.
Tomorrow (Dec. 8)
Cookies with Santa (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) — Hot chocolate and cookies will be available for children and adults at an arts and crafts event hosted by the Reston Association at Lake House (11450 Baron Cameron Ave). The program is geared towards children ages 2-12. Admission is $15 for Reston Association members of $20 for non-members.
Irish Dance (12-1 p.m.) — The Foley Academy of Irish Dance will offer a dance performance and lesson at the Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Dr).
Singer Songwriter Crys Matthews (6:30-9:30) — The alternative rock singer-songwriter will be performing at the Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar (1612 Washington Plaza) tomorrow night. Matthew is also scheduled to perform in January at a three-day event for Reston’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration.
National Parks Photography Exhibit Reception (7-9 p.m.) — Artspace Herndon (750 Center St) will host a reception for Jim Schlett’s gallery of national park photography. Most of the work was photographed during long walks through the parks around dawn or dusk. The exhibit will run until Jan. 5.
2018 Reston Santa Bar Crawl (8 p.m.-1 a.m.) — The rules for a Santa Bar Crawl are simple: wear a Santa suit, or some other holiday costume, and hit up a series of Santa-friendly bars across Reston. A full list of participating bars is available at the event page.
Sunday (Dec. 9)
Christmas at the Farm — The Frying Pan Farm Park (2739 West Ox Rd) will offer cookie decorating, Sant-driven dractor rides, and more for $10 per person. Sessions at the farm are held throughout the day. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sunday Afternoon Dance (2:30-4:30 p.m.) — The Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Rd) is hosting a dance for all skill levels, with music ranging from waltz and swing to modern dance selections. Partners are not required. The cost is $5 for Reston residents or $10 for non-Restonians. The event is followed by a County Western Dance from 5:30-8 p.m.
Photo via Facebook
Locals have one week left to vote Reston’s holiday parade to the top of USA Today’s nationwide ranking.
The contest has Reston competing against other parades in towns and cities across the country, including Sparks, Nev.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; San Antonio; and Detroit.
USA Today’s 10Best Editors and Local Experts nominated 20 places that “bring holiday cheer in the form of festive floats, dancing elves, Santa and his sleigh and millions of twinkling lights,” according to the website.
The annual event in Reston Town Center is known for its Macy’s-style parade of balloons, musicians, dancers and more. This year’s parade took place on Nov. 23.
Last year, Reston landed in sixth place on USA Today’s list. Philadelphia claimed the top spot, followed by Detroit; Baltimore; Annapolis, Md.; and Charlotte, N.C.
In 2016, Reston held the fourth-place slot, putting it one spot ahead of the nationally-televised Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
Voters can cast one ballot per day until voting ends on Monday (Dec. 10) at noon.
USA Today will announce the top 10 winning events, determined by the votes, on Dec. 21.
Photo via Reston Town Center
Reston Historic Trust & Museum has started up sales during the holiday season for commemorative bricks.
Locals have until Jan. 20 to place their orders for installation in 2019. The annual brick sales support the museum.
Up to three inscribed lines with a maximum of 15 characters each cost $100, while up to six lines cost $250. The inscription has white text level with the surface of the brick.
The inscription guidelines do not allow for the phrase “In Memory Of” and dates commemorative a person’s lifespan. The inscription also cannot contain profanity, offensive language, logos, taglines, telephone numbers or advertising. Religious or political content or symbols are also banned.
Bricks are ordered and installed once a year, according to the museum’s website. It takes up to two months to finish the bricks after they are bought each February.
Usually, the bricks get displayed at the Reston Museum during the Founder’s Day celebrations in April and are then installed in Lake Anne Plaza.
Photo via Reston Museum/Facebook
Several holiday events are planned around Reston throughout December.
Every Saturday evening in December, from 4-9 p.m., horse-drawn carriage rides will take visitors on a tour around the Reston Town Center. The carriage rides start in front of Talbots (11900 Market Street).
On Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m., train rides will be available for smaller children. Donations benefiting local charities are requested. The train departs in front of Clyde’s.
On Dec. 2 and 9, the Frying Pan Farm Park will also be hosting Christmas at the Farm. A variety of Christmas-themed activities, including cookie decorating and writing letters to Santa, will be held in sessions throughout the day at the park. Tickets are $10 per person, and children must be accompanied by an adult registered in the program.
- Dec. 1: Gifts from the HeART Exhibit — Artists from Jo Ann Rose Gallery will display and sell original works of art.
- Dec. 1: The Wonder of the Season — The Reston Chorale presents sounds of the season with guest artists Tim King and the Washington Symphonic Brass Quintet. Tickets are available through Reston Chorale.
- Dec. 1: Alternative Gift Market — The Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston will create a market with more than 30 local, national and international nonprofit organizations. All of the proceeds will go to the participating groups.
- Dec. 1: Jingle on Lake Anne — An ornament and cookie decorating event on Lake Anne, with Santa and his elves arriving by boat and paddle board at noon.
- Dec. 2: Run with Santa 5k — A race around the Reston Town Center starting and ending on Market Street. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. and participants are encouraged to wear ugly Christmas sweaters or Christmas elf costumes.
- Dec. 4: Reston Sings: Handel’s Messiah! — The Reston Chorale will be performing George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah.” General admission tickets are $15, or $10 with the donation of a new or gently used coat or other winter apparel.
- Dec. 9: Chanukah on Ice & Outdoor Menorah Lighting — An ice skating party is planned to celebrate Chanukah at the Reston Town Center Pavilion. A lighting ceremony is open to all, with a $12 fee to skate. Latkes and donuts will be served.
- Dec. 15: Reston Town Center Winterfest — Treats and activities are planned for the festival running from 12-5 p.m., including a carousel at the ice skating rink.
Photo via Facebook
In case you were hoping to spend your Thanksgiving hanging out at government facilities around Fairfax, you may be out of luck. But on the bright side, all parking will be free at Metro facilities tomorrow.
The Metro will be running a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving day, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at midnight. Off-peak fares will be in effect all day and parking will be free at Metro facilities. Metrobus will also be operating on a Sunday schedule.
The Fairfax Connector will be running on a Sunday schedule for Thanksgiving Day. A full list of routes being run in the Reston area is available online. The day after Thanksgiving, the bus will run a holiday weekend schedule.
The Fairfax County Government offices will be closed tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday for Thanksgiving. Schools are closed today (Wednesday) through Friday.
The Reston Community Center will be open tomorrow from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and open on Friday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. The Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be open from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. tomorrow and 6 a.m.-9p.m. on Friday. The Reston Community Center Lake Anne will be closed both days.
Fairfax Libraries and Courts will also be closed tomorrow and Friday. The Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center and Colvin Run Mill Historic Site will also be closed.
The Recycling and Disposal Centers will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but both locations will be open on Friday if you have a substantial amount of post-holiday disposal to go through.
Photo via Flickr/Olin Gilbert
As we head into Memorial Day weekend, here’s some information on the latest closures and openings.
Fairfax County government offices, libraries, schools, and courts will be closed on Monday.
Frying Pan Farm Park’s farm will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the indoor arena will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The visitor center will be closed.
Reston Community Center Hunters Woods will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will be open from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. RCC Lake Anne will be closed.
Metrorail and Metro bus will operate on a Sunday schedule. Off-peak fares will be in effect all day and parking will be free at all Metrorail parking facilities. Silver line trains will run every 21 minutes from Wiehle-Reston East to Largo Town Center.
Single tracking will be in effect between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory to “allow for rail, fastener, cover board and grout pad renewal,” according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority.
The I-66 transfer station and the 1-95 landfill complex will be open. Residents should contact their trash and recycling collector directly for schedule changes due to the holiday.
Reston Association headquarters and the Central Services Facility will also be closed on Memorial Day.
RA pools and tennis courts will open all weekend, so long as the weather permits. Members and non-members must purchase or renew pool and tennis passes in order to access facilities. RA member services will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon for members and non-members to purchase or renew pool and tennis passes. Members with existing pool passes can renew them online.
File photo
Waiting for a Cyber Monday order? The Fairfax County Police Department has issued several tips to protect delivered orders from “package pirates.”
“Those packages from Cyber Monday sales are starting to show up on doorsteps and we want to ensure the Grinch doesn’t steal your gifts. Unfortunately, this type of crime does happen in our community and we are offering these tips to ensure package safety this holiday season,” according to the police department.
The department suggested the following tips:
- Sign up for delivery alerts to know when the items are delivered.
- Don’t leave delivered packages unattended. Ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for the packages and offer the same in return.
- Require a signature delivery for packages you ship to friends and family.
- Set up alternative delivery options. Check your delivery service’s website for details.
- Many retailers allow you to purchase items online and pick up in store or at a locker, where they’ll be safe until you can pick them up.
- See if it’s possible to have packages delivered to your workplace for the holiday season.
- Going out of town? Hold your mail and packages.
- Keep an eye out for suspicious people and vehicles in your neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to call the non-emergency number!
- Package theft is not just an issue around the holidays, it occurs throughout the year. Consider investing in an exterior security system.
FCPD encourages individuals to call the police department on its non-emergency number at 703-691-2131 to provide any information about suspicious people or vehicles.
Reston Community Center is holding its 19th annual Gifts from the HeART exhibit and holiday gift shopping event on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Reston Community Center Lake Anne (1609-A Washington Plaza).
Art will be on display through Jan. 2 at the center’s art galleries. 3D exhibit items will remain on display through Feb. 21. Entry fees from artists’ submissions and 10 percent of all sales will be donated to Cornerstones, a non profit organization that aims to help neighbors overcome tough economic times.
“The annual ‘Gifts from the HeART’ exhibit and sale has become a Reston tradition,” said Cheri Danaher, RCC’s arts education director. “It celebrates the arts and the holiday season with one-of-a-kind gifts while supporting those in need in our community.”
The exhibit includes original artwork made with various media, including sculpture, stained glass, collage and acrylic paint. Artwork will also be available for purchase at the event.
According to a press release, the event will help Cornerstones continue its operations at Embry Rucker Community Shelter, the Laurel Learning Center and community services outreach, which includes job counseling and youth programs. The event has raised more than $10,000 for the organization since the exhibit began in 1999.
File photo.
The end of the Halloween season can only mean one thing — it’s time for holiday shopping.
Local artists and crafters are scheduled to set up tables at Reston’s United Christian Parish (11508 North Shore Drive) during its 2nd annual Art and Craft Fair this Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Church organizers said this year’s festivities will be even bigger than last year, with more vendors and more space. Nearly 30 vendors are already slated to participate.
Also new this year will be an “alternative gift opportunities” table, which benefits a wide variety of charitable organizations from around the world.
Such organizations include:
- Opportunity International, which gives micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations.
- Hope Made Real, featuring gift items made by children at an orphanage in Rwanda.
- Living Water International, which supports bringing clean drinking water to nations around the world.
- Doctors Without Borders, an exchange program that brings medical professionals to developing countries.
There will also be a nonjuried table at the fair for which several artists have agreed to donate their wares, with all of the proceeds benefiting UCP Mission programs.
See a list of all participating vendors, and photos of their work, on UCP’s website.
Admission to the fair is free, and free parking will be available at Lake Anne Elementary School, adjacent to the church.
Images via United Christian Parish
Reston Town Center ushers in the holiday season on Friday, Nov. 27 with its 25th annual parade, tree lighting, and fun for the whole family.
Here is what you need to know:
The parade, with Macy’s-style balloons, marching bands, dancers, the Washington Nationals’ Racing Presidents, and Santa and Mrs. Claus, kicks off at 11 a.m. on Market Street. The parade will happen rain or shine.
This year’s Grand Marshal is Susan Ungerer, founder of nonprofit Kids R First, which helps outfit thousands of needy kids with school supplies each year.
The Junior Grand Marshal is Joseph Dagbe, an eighth-grader at Langston Hughes Middle School. Dagbe, selected by LHMS principal Aimee Monticchio, is a straight A student and a member of the basketball club.
Masters of Ceremonies are NBC Washington anchor Angie Goff and chief meteorologist Doug Kammerer. They will announce the Reston Holiday Parade from podiums at two locations on Market Street, opposite the VIP grandstands at Fountain Square and Library Street.
After the parade, the celebrations continue. Santa and Mrs. Claus will stay for visits and photos and a mini-train will be offering rides on Market Street until 4:30 p.m.
Any donation for a 5 x 7 photo will benefit South Lakes High School Chorus.
The Clauses will return at 6:00 p.m. for the Tree Lighting in Fountain Square, which is followed by a half-hour Christmas sing-along.
Horse-drawn carriage rides begin at 6:30 p.m. All proceeds benefit local charities. Departure point is in front of Talbots on Market Street. $5 per person; children 5 and under ride free with adult.
Prior to the parade, the kids’ Gingerbread Man Mile will take place. Visit PR Races for registration and more information.
Introducing the inaugural Gift Local contest from RestonNow.com.
The holidays are a time for giving, and we’re giving you a weekly chance to win some great gifts from local businesses this month. Keep them for yourself or gift them to a friend, coworker or family member.
To enter the contest, free of charge, all you need to do is sign up for our daily email newsletter. The newsletter delivers Reston Now headlines to your inbox on weekday (and some weekend) afternoons.
If you’re one of our more than 1,000 existing newsletter subscribers, you’re automatically eligible to win. See our official contest rules for an alternate means of entry and other sweepstakes details.
We’ll conduct a drawing every Friday through the end of December. The prizes include:
- Apple iPad Air 16GB from RestonNow.com
- $50 gift certificate to Kalypso’s Sports Tavern
- $50 gift card to Michael’s from Cindy Beyer Design
- Adult Sonicare toothbrush from Reston Serenity Smiles
- Personal training session from Storm Fitness
- One month of free swim lessons from Goldfish Swim School
- $109 gift card for artisan flower arrangements from Bloompop
- Exercise class from The Harrison Apartments
- Cat exam from Just Cats Clinic
- $150 donation to Cornerstones on your behalf from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate
Please join us in supporting these and other local businesses when making your holiday shopping plans and New Year’s resolutions.
Good luck and happy holidays from Reston Now!
We’re closed for the holiday but look forward to delivering local news again on Tuesday.
In the meantime, you can find out what’s open and closed on Monday by checking out this post. Government offices are observing the holiday, but parks and the Reston Community Center are open as usual.
Public schools, government offices and libraries will be closed on Monday for Columbus Day, but a few centers and services will operating as usual. Here’s what to expect.
Open
Reston Community Center — The Hunters Woods and Lake Anne centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Events on the drop-in calendar for Monday include strength training for seniors, a bridge group and all-ages water aerobics.
Parks and nature centers — RECenters will operate on regular schedule. Nature centers will be open from 12 to 5 p.m. Historic sites will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed
- Fairfax County Public Schools and school offices
- County government
- Courts
- Office of Elections
- Reston Regional Library
- Community, teen and senior centers
- Fastran
Transportation
Metro — Trains and buses will operate on a Saturday schedule, with service every 6 to 12 minutes during daytime hours. Parking at all Metro-owned lots and garages will be free, and off-peak fares will be in effect all day.
Fairfax Connector — Buses with weekday service will operate on a holiday weekday schedule. See the Connector’s website for more details.
