https://www.facebook.com/lakeannebrewhouse/photos/a.1596816143928186.1073741830.1555127988097002/1992895264320270/?type=3&theater

Lake Anne Brew House, Reston’s only brewery, returned from the Great American Beer Festival, the world’s largest commercial beer competition in Denver, without any medals but plenty of high hopes for next year.

The brewery submitted two beers to the festival, which hosts more than 2,200 breweries with nearly 8,000 entries in 98 categories of competition. The contest, which is run by the Brewers Association, took place over three days and was judged by more than 250 beer experts from 13 countries, according to a release.

Competition was stiff this year, according to Melissa Romano, the brew house’s co-owner.

“We are extremely proud of our beers, and know that they showed well in competition. We’re looking forward to returning next year, with more entries and another shot at bringing [a] GABF gold home to Reston,” she said.

The business submitted its Lord Fairfax English Pale, which previously won an award in last year’s Virginia Beer Cup, and its Belgian Golden Strong Ale in two categories.

Other breweries in Virginia also struggled to bring medals home. The Dulles-based Ocelot Brewing Co. was the only local brewery to bring back a bronze medal in the state in the baltic porter category, according to Romano.

Romano said she was especially impressed by the collaboration between breweries in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. Several local businesses shipped beers for judging to Denver in a single shipment.

“It’s a pretty cool thing in an industry where we’re all competing together and yet we all ship together. A win for one is a win for all,” Romano said.

Since opening in April last year, Lake Anne Brew House has won several competitions, including three awards during the Virginia Craft Beer Cup in June, which is presented by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. Its Lord Fairfax EPA and Reston Red Ale were honored with second and third-place awards in the 2016 Craft Beer Cup, just months after the brew house opened last spring.

Next year, Romano said the brew house plans to submit more entries to increase chances of a win.

“We all had a great time for sure. It was just fun to be there with brew houses from all over the country and learn from each other. We hope to bring back a gold for Reston next year,” she said.

Photo via Lake Anne Brew House via Facebook

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Lake Anne Plaza will host its annual Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 28.

According to the Plaza’s website, scheduled activities will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will include a live DJ, a pet costume contest and more. Live music by the Holly Montgomery band will begin at 4 p.m., and live music will follow at 6 p.m. at venues including Lake Anne Brew House, Kalypso’s Sports Tavern, and Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar.

Other fun will include pumpkin painting, pet treats and goody bags. Restaurants in the plaza will also offer beer gardens during the event.

According to a poster for the event, visitors are encouraged to “dress to scare, spook or trick!”

For more information about this and other upcoming events at Lake Anne Plaza, follow it on Facebook.

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Reston’s multicultural heritage will be celebrated this weekend at Lake Anne Plaza.

The community’s annual Multicultural Festival, sponsored by Reston Community Center and Reston Association, is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. It will include “music, entertainment, dress, food, and cultural treasures from all over the world,” according to information provided by RCC.

The entertainment lineup includes more than a dozen performers on two stages — the World Stage and the Global Stage — as well as at RCC’s Lake Anne facility. The “Global Market” will feature jewelry, clothing and more from around the world.

For more information about the event, contact Kevin Danaher, RCC’s community events director, at 703-390-6166.

There is plenty else scheduled to take place this weekend in the area as well. Get out there and have some fun on this last full weekend of September!

(Editor’s Note: This is just a limited list of all the events taking place in the Reston area this weekend. If you have an event you would like to ensure is listed on the website, be sure to submit it to our Events Calendar.)

  • Herndon High School (700 Bennett St.) will present its annual Showcase of Bands all day Saturday. South Lakes High School’s band will perform at 6:15 p.m., and Herndon’s band will play at 8:15.
  • Café Montmarte (1625 Washington Plaza N.) will be the host of a comedy performance presented by Funny Friend Productions, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday. Performers will include Robin Rex, Franqi French, Sumedha Ahuja Bahri, Kevin Skington, Wendy Wroblewski, Gil Segev, Leon Scott, Dan Kaufman and Steve Coltrain. Door charge will be $10.
  • The grand-opening event for Reston Farm Market (10800 Baron Cameron Ave.) will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. The fun will include train rides, moon bounces, the petting zoo, face painting and more.
  • The JamBrew series continues tonight in Herndon. Aslin Beer Co. will be pouring frosty mugs, Weird Brothers Coffee will be offering tasty drinks, Nordic Knot Pretzels will provide tasty snacks, and there will be much more. Live music will be offered from DJ Barf Dog, Queens Over Kings and Sub-Radio. The free event is slated for 6-10 p.m. at the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn St.).
  • Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) will host a performance by Grammy-nominated musician Cedric Watson from 3-5 p.m. Sunday.
  • South Lakes High School’s undefeated varsity football team will play at home tonight at 7 p.m. against Centreville. A pre-game party at the stadium (11400 South Lakes Drive) is scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m., featuring burgers, hot dogs, barbecue, ice cream and more.
  • Sue Wrbican: Well Past the Echo” will be on view at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through Nov. 18.
  • Pulitzer Prize-winner display “Disgraced,” exploring Muslim assimilation and identity in America, will be performed at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) tonight at 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m.; and at a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets range in price from $17.50 to $55.
  • Pediatric Specialists of Virginia will have their Stride Forward 5K and Family Health Fair on Saturday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Reston Town Center.
  • The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is Sunday, from 1:30-5 p.m. at Reston Town Center.
  • Many restaurants and bars in Reston will have live music this weekend. These include Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) every Friday from 6-10 p.m.
  • Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from Lawn Dart Incident tonight from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits during those hours Saturday night.

File photo from 2015 Reston Multicultural Festival

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It’s the end-of-summer party known as Labor Day Weekend. Over the next three-plus days, there will be plenty of chances to get out and give summer its well-deserved sendoff.

There are several marquee events in the area this weekend, beginning with the kickoff of the JamBrew series tonight in Herndon. Aslin Beer Co. will be pouring frosty mugs, Weird Brothers Coffee will be offering tasty drinks, Lake Anne Brew House/Nordic Knot Pretzels “will be vending fresh baked soft pretzels to the masses,” and there will be much more. Live music will be offered from DJ Cihad, Todd Wright and Tammy Gann, and Turtle Recall. The free event is slated for 6-10 p.m. at the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn St.).

(Lake Anne Plaza’s Jazz & Blues Festival has been canceled due to rain in the forecast.)

Over at Lake Anne Plaza, the 11th annual Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival will go down from 1-9 p.m. Saturday. The lineup of musicians for the festival includes many well-known names in the local music community. The eight hours of music will include performances by Cheick Hamala Dibaté, Sam Gunderson, John Lee & Michael Pavone, Integriti Reeves, Mykle Lyons (sextet), Gigi MacClaughlin, Kriss Funn and Crush Funk Brass.

On Monday in Herndon, the town’s annual Labor Day Festival will feature Virginia wine tastings, craft beers, live music, a craft show, food vendors, lawn games and more. Eight craft brewers will offer tastings, and eight wineries are participating as well. There will also be live music throughout the event and much more. Admission for those participating in sampling wine and beer will be $20, which includes a glass for wine and three complimentary beer tastings. Anyone who won’t be purchasing alcoholic beverages will be admitted for $5, and children 12 and under will be admitted free. The event is slated for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Herndon Town Green (777 Lynn St.).

The weekend weather forecast calls for a chance of rain Saturday, a partly sunny day Sunday and then a gorgeous Labor Day holiday. Get out there and make the most of it!

Listed below are some other events that will also be taking place this holiday weekend.

(Editor’s Note: This is just a limited list of all the events taking place in the Reston area this weekend. If you have an event you would like to ensure is listed on the website, be sure to submit it to our Events Calendar.)

  • Reston Association is hosting a chartered bus trip to the National Book Festival at the Washington Convention Center on Saturday. All ages are welcome, but children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $18 for RA members and $23 for non-members. The bus will depart from RA headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive) at 9 a.m. Saturday. Registration can be done through Webtrac, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 703-435-6577.
  • Reston Association will have four pools — Lake Audubon, Lake Newport, North Shore and Ridge Heights — open Saturday, Sunday and Monday. North Shore and Ridge Heights will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day; Lake Audubon and Lake Newport will be open from noon to 7 p.m.
  • The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
  • Lake Anne is also hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Surf Reston is offering the chance to paddleboard to the sounds of the Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. Advance registration is required. In addition, there will be SUP yoga from 9-11 a.m. Saturday.
  • Unitarian Universalist Church (1625 Wiehle Ave.) will show the film “A Five-Star Life” tonight beginning at 8:30 p.m., preceded at 8 p.m. by a social and snack opportunity.
  • Many restaurants and bars in Reston will have live music this weekend. These include: Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) from 7-10 p.m every Friday and Saturday night; Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) every Friday from 6-10 p.m.
  • Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) will also have a pregame party Sunday in anticipation of that evening’s college football game between Virginia Tech and West Virginia at FedExField. The restaurant will also charter a bus to the game, leaving at 3:30 p.m., with tickets starting at $29.99. (Note: That price only includes the ride and the party, not tickets to the game itself.)
  • Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from Olivia & The Mates tonight from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; and from Sam Gunderson during those hours Saturday night.
  • Mr. Knick Knack will provide “unique, heart-centered music” for children Monday from 10:30-11:15 a.m. at the Reston Town Center pavilion. Parking will be free at the Town Center for the Labor Day holiday.
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Tuesday Morning Notes

Hook Road Meeting Tonight — The first community meeting on the establishment of the Hook Road Working Group and to discuss the pending project at the recreation area will be tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Reston Association headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive). [Reston Now]

Vote Today for County School Board Seat — Polls are open until 7 p.m. for the special election to fill an At-Large seat on the Fairfax County School Board. [Reston Now]

South Lakes High School Sports Schedule — The SLHS volleyball and golf teams have matchups tonight. Other sports including field hockey, cross country and football will go up against competition later this week. [South Lakes High School]

Lake Anne Brew House Owner Touts Women in Brewing — Melissa Romano, owner of Lake Anne Brew House, was one of speakers at the “She Can Brew It” series, dedicated to women who brew and own breweries, Saturday night in Alexandria. [Mash the Patriarchy]

Digital Services Provider Moves to Reston — Octo Consulting Group has moved from Tysons Corner to a new 25,000-square-foot headquarters at 10780 Packridge Blvd. Octo has about 350 employees, 130 of whom have been hired in the past 18 months. [Washington Exec]

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Wednesday Morning Notes

Lake Anne Brew House to Attend Festival This Weekend — The local nanobrewery is already gaining attention ahead of the Virginia Craft Brewers Festival this weekend in Charlottesville, with an event manager describing why its award-winning New Year’s Golden Ale is a top pick for him. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Farmers Market Success Celebrated — During a National Farmers Market Week commemoration this past Saturday at the Reston Farmers Market, its many successes were praised. [Connection Newspapers]

Pedestrian Bridges at Herndon Station Going in Next Week — The Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride will be closed overnight twice next week as the work is done. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]

Residents Can Give Input in County Executive Search — Fairfax County Executive Edward Long will retire next month. The county is asking citizens to give their input to assist in the recruiting process for his replacement. [Survey Monkey]

Did You Get a Jury Questionnaire? — The county is sending out 50,000 jury questionnaires, and it wants to make sure recipients know it is just the beginning of the jury duty screening process. [Fairfax County]

Be Wary of Charlottesville Charity Scams — Attorney General Mark Herring says anyone interested in assisting victims of last weekend’s violence should vet the organization, campaign or page organizer before they donate. He says people who need help figuring out whether a charity is legitimate can contact the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Section. [WTOP]

File image courtesy Jennifer Heffner Photography

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Friday Morning Notes

Lake Anne Brew House Earns Best Brewery Spot — Determined by the results of the Virginia Craft Brewers Cup, Lake Anne Brew House is one of three breweries that have shared the title of Best Brewery from Virginia Craft Beer magazine. [Virginia Craft Beer]

Gillespie, Northam Confirmed for Debate — The two gubernatorial candidates will participate a debate in Tysons on Sept. 19, hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Chuck Todd of NBC’s “Meet the Press” will moderate. [NOVA Chamber]

Former Clyde’s Chef Now in Charlottesville — Patrick Carroll, who formerly served as executive chef with Clyde’s of Reston, has been tapped as the new executive chef at Three Notch’d Brewing Company in Charlottesville. The craft brewer is investing nearly $3 million to expand its restaurant. [Gov. Terry McAuliffe]

Terry McAuliffe on ‘The Daily Show’ — The Virginia governor was on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” earlier this week, talking about how he challenged the Trump Administration’s voter fraud commission. He also weighed in on the GOP’s effort to repeal Obamacare. [The Daily Show]

Suspected Child Predator Nabbed — Jerberth Adallir Palma, 43, of Springfield, was arrested July 13 by Fairfax County Police and charged with numerous sex crimes against children. Detectives believe there might be other victims.  [Fairfax County Police Department]

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Torres Linked to Previous Attack, Gang — A week before Darwin Martinez Torres was arrested and charged with murdering Nabra Hassanen, a woman reported he had punched, choked and sexually assaulted her. She also claims he is a member of the MS-13 street gang. [Washington Post] (Editor’s Note: The Fairfax County Police Department later said there is “no credible information” to support gang ties.)

Brew House To Host Beer Rally Tonight — Teams of three will run three laps around Lake Anne. Each lap is a mile and a half, and contestants can either run one lap each or all three laps together. There will be prizes raffled and a chance for free drinks. [Lake Anne Brew House/Facebook]

Reston Hospital Center Gives Out Scholarships  Last week, the medical staff of Reston Hospital Center awarded $15,000 worth of scholarships to 15 Fairfax and Loudoun County high school seniors. Hasmah Hussain, from  South Lakes High School, was one of the recipients. [Reston Hospital Center]

Modified Bus Schedule for July 4  Fairfax Connector buses will run on a Saturday schedule on July 4. [Fairfax County Goverment]

E. Ethelbert Miller at Greater Reston Arts Center  Writer and literary activist will come to the Greater Reston Arts Center at 6 p.m. Thursday. Miller has been the editor of poetry magazine Poet Lore for 10 years, and he is the author of several collections of poetry and two memoirs.  [Greater Reston Arts Center]

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Melissa Romano had a memorable birthday Friday.

“It’s like the best birthday party ever,” said Romano, co-owner of Lake Anne Brew House. “There’s nothing like having the governor sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you.”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s visit to Lake Anne Brew House was the end of an eventful week for the nanobrewery. Monday, they were one of only two breweries in the state to be honored with three medals at the Virginia Craft Beer Cup.

McAuliffe toured the brewpub while also shaking hands and posing for photos with the crowd that had gathered for his arrival. McAuliffe gave a short stump speech on the patio, encouraging residents to participate in Tuesday’s primary election.

Romano said McAuliffe has been a good friend of the craft-brewing industry.

“He invited all of the brewery owners in Virginia to the [Governor’s] Mansion last summer, and invited us all to bring beer for the best backyard keg party ever,” she said. “He is incredibly supportive of the craft-brewing community in the state and has done great things to help get some good legislation passed that supports breweries like ours.”

McAuliffe said he is attempting to visit every craft brewery in the state. Friday’s stop at Lake Anne put him at about 75, he said. There are close to 200 breweries statewide.

“It’s hard [to get to them all] when we’re opening one or two more a week,” McAuliffe said. “[Craft breweries] help farmers, they bring tourists in — all across the state, people love craft breweries.”

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Fairfax County School Board Makes Referendum Requests — The Fairfax County School Board is requesting a school bond referendum for $315 million be placed on the ballot for the November general election. The money in the referendum would go toward a plan for a new elementary school in the Herndon area as well as construction, renovations and other work at numerous other schools. [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Metro to Retire All 1000 and 4000 Series Railcars by July 1 — Months ahead of schedule, WMATA announced that they will retire their oldest and most unreliable metro railcars by July 1. This is to make room for the influx of newer, chicer 7000-series railcars. [WMATA]

McAuliffe Coming to Lake Anne — Gov. Terry McAuliffe is scheduled to be at Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) at about 4:45 p.m. Friday. The governor will be honoring the brew house for its three medals in the recent Virginia Craft Beer Cup. [Lake Anne Plaza/Facebook]

Meteor Was Visible Across DC Area — A fireball that briefly lit up the sky at about 10 p.m. Tuesday was seen across the region, including in Reston. [Capital Weather Gang]

Fairfax County Government Warns Against Gas Station Scammers — Fairfax County officials say there have been 21 cases at 15 gas stations where account information has been stolen via Bluetooth and money has been robbed. The scam is new and high-tech, and there are no warning signs. [Fairfax County Government]

File photo courtesy Ryan Goff

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Reston’s only brewery represented the community well at the Virginia Craft Beer Cup earlier this week.

Lake Anne Brew House was honored with three awards during the event Monday in Richmond, presented by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. The nanobrewery earned a first-place award for best Belgian ale with its New Year’s Golden Ale; a second-place award for best brown British ale for its Beer Run Recovery Ale; and a third-place award for best British pale ale for its Lord Fairfax English Pale Ale.

“We were one of only two breweries in the state to win three medals, which is kind of cool,” said Melissa Romano, the brew house’s co-owner. “We were super-excited about our medals.”

The beers will be showcased in the brew house in the weeks and months to come, Romano said. Their New Year’s Golden Ale (aka 2017 Golden Strong Ale) had been meant as a New Year’s Eve one-off, she said, but they are now re-arranging their brewing schedule to bring it back. The golden ale will also be served at the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest in August, and Romano said they are considering entering it in the Great American Beer Festival.

“It will make its return to the taproom, much to the delight of everyone who thought they weren’t going to get it again until next winter,” Romano said.

A total of 356 beers across 24 categories were considered for the awards. A team of 40 judges selected the honorees, and a full list of winners is available here.

These are not the first awards for Lake Anne Brew House. Its Lord Fairfax EPA and Reston Red Ale were honored with second- and third-place awards in the 2016 Craft Beer Cup, just months after the brew house opened that spring.

“We set out in this business to just make really high-quality beer, not to be too crazy and experimental, not to do too many trendy things,” Romano said. “Jason [Romano, Melissa’s husband and brew house co-owner] is a fantastic brewer, and our assistant brewers are also incredibly skilled. … They know what they’re doing. They’re trying to nail the style standards, and I guess they’re succeeding.”

Lake Anne Brew House was also recently honored by readers of Virginia Living magazine as Northern Virginia’s best local craft brewery. Romano said the brewery’s customer base has been incredibly supportive from day one.

“We love them and they love us,” she said. “I’m glad to know that we’re making people happy.”

For more information on Lake Anne Brew House, check out its website or find it on Facebook.

Photo courtesy Lake Anne Brew House/Facebook

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Running, swimming and bicycling are always big activities in Reston, but this weekend in particular they will be in the spotlight.

The 11th annual Reston Sprint Triathlon, benefiting Cornerstones, will be held at Lake Newport Pool starting at 7 a.m. Sunday. The event will last about 3 1/2 hours and will impact portions of local roads including Lake Newport Road, Reston Parkway, Wiehle Avenue and Baron Cameron Avenue. Most of the run will take place on RA pathways in the area.

There quite a lot more on the events calendar for the Reston area this weekend. Here is just a sampling of the events you can enjoy:

  • Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by Battery Lane. Tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m., visit for a free outdoor showing of “Rogue One” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August.
  • The Herndon Festival continues through this weekend. Events this weekend include numerous concerts on three stages, kids’ entertainment, carnival rides, food and drinks, and much more. The event takes place throughout downtown Herndon in the area of Elden and Lynn streets.
  • Reston Town Center’s summer concert series begins Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by former “America’s Got Talent” winner Landau Eugene Murphy. The show will take place at the Town Center’s pavilion.
  • Other live music at Reston Town Center this weekend will include a performance from 6-10 p.m. tonight at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and both tonight and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.).
  • Reston Town Center businesses are organizing this summer for “Small Business Support Sundays,” which begin this weekend. For a full list of promotions available, check out their website.
  • The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
  • Lake Anne is also hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
  • The 2017 Reston Lake Cleanup is slated for Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Meeting locations will be at Lake Audubon, Lake Anne and Lake Thoreau. Volunteers will get into their boats, as well as walking on the shorelines of each lake, to collect as much trash as possible.
  • Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) will celebrate Pride Month tonight with a special “Night Out” event.
  • Bird lovers are invited to the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) on Saturday from 6:45 a.m. to noon to participate in the summer bird count.
  • Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
  • Urinetown: The Musical” is being performed at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive) through June 25. Two of this weekend’s performances are already sold out, but tickets remain available for 8 p.m. tonight and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. General admission tickets start at $40.
  • Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight at 9:30 p.m. from The Reluctors.
  • Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night.

File photo via Christin Photography/Reston Association

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Thursday Morning Notes

Tower Crane To Be Removed Next Weekend — Crews will remove a tower crane from the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway between the Fairfax County Parkway overpass and the Reston Parkway overpass, June 2-5. The crane has been working on the future Reston Town Center Metro station. [Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project]

VideoBlocks Moving to Arlington — After announcing last year that the company would be moving from Reston to Arlington, subscription stock video service VideoBlocks has settled on a location. [Washington Business Journal]

Fairfax 275 Committee To Meet Here — The 275th Commemoration Steering Committee will meet at Lake Anne Brew House on June 1, celebrating the county’s official anniversary month and gearing up for the Historically Fairfax: 275th Celebration Fair, June 17. [Facebook]

Church Celebrating Centenarian’s Birthday — Virginia M. Calloway, the oldest member of the Heritage Fellowship Church on Fox Mill Road, will turn 104 on June 4. [Reston Connection]

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Reston businesses, services and events were the recipients of nearly two dozen honors in Virginia Living magazine’s 2017 Best of Virginia awards.

According to the Eden Stuart, the magazine’s assistant editor, the awards issue, which is on newsstands today, is a “statewide guide to all that is ‘best’ in Virginia — from dining to shopping to doing.” More than 50,000 ballots were cast in a reader survey to find the honorees in 106 categories, Stuart said.

Lake Anne Plaza was particularly honored, with five businesses selected as being among the best of the best in the Northern Virginia region. Those winners include Lake Anne Brew House (first place, Best Local Craft Brewery); Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar (first place, Best Locally Owned Coffee Shop); Reston’s Used Book Shop (second place, Best Book Store); Small Change Consignments (first place, Best Children’s Clothing Store; second place, Best Consignment Shop); and Chesapeake Chocolates, Wine, Gifts and More (third place, Best Chocolatier).

“Please join us in saying congrats to these awesome Plaza merchants,” reads a post on Lake Anne Plaza’s Facebook page celebrating the honors.

In addition, the Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne Plaza was honored with a second-place award for Best Farmers Market.

The full list of honorees from Reston in the 2017 Best of Virginia awards are:

FIRST-PLACE HONOREES

Taste of Reston
Best Food Festival

Edibles Incredible Desserts (11917 Freedom Drive)
Best Bakery
Best Chocolatier
Best Dessert Menu

Bacon N’ Ed’s
Best Food Truck

Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.)
Best Local Craft Brewery

Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar (1612 Washington Plaza N.)
Best Locally Owned Coffee Shop

Life Time Fitness (1757 Business Center Drive)
Best Gym

CST Group (10740 Parkridge Blvd.)
Best Accounting Firm

Small Change Consignments (1629 Washington Plaza N.)
Best Children’s Clothing Store

Austin-Weston, The Center for Plastic Surgery (1825 Samuel Morse Drive)
Best Cosmetic Surgery Practice

The Eyewear Gallery at Reston Town Center (11900 Market St.)
Best Eye Care Provider

Miye Wire LLC (1818 Library St.)
Best Financial Planning Firm

AKG Design Studio
Best Kitchen Design Firm

Davelle Clothiers (11921 Freedom Drive)
Best Men’s Clothing Store

Virginia Therapy & Fitness Center (1831 Wiehle Ave.)
Best Physical Therapy Group

SECOND-PLACE HONOREES

Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival
Best Art Event

Cornerstones
Best Charity

Reston Farmers Market
Best Farmers Market

Small Change Consignments (1629 Washington Plaza N.)
Best Consignment Shop

Reston’s Used Book Shop (1623 Washington Plaza N.)
Best Book Store

THIRD-PLACE HONOREES

Chesapeake Chocolates, Wine, Gifts and More (11426 Washington Plaza W.)
Best Chocolatier

Trader Joe’s (11958 Killingsworth Ave.)
Best Grocery Store

The Wine Cabinet (1416 North Point Village Center)
Best Wine Shop

Image courtesy Virginia Living magazine

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It’s another busy weekend in Reston, with plenty of fun activities on the agenda.

The weather hasn’t been pretty for several days now, though, and it looks like rain will be prevalent again Saturday. We recommend you check the status of any scheduled outdoor activity before heading out.

Here is just a sampling of things to do in the area this weekend:

  • Reston Association’s Community Yard Sale, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled for Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1900 Campus Commons Drive. Eighty-five families will be selling a variety of items. In case of rain, call 703-435-6577 that morning to check the event’s status.
  • It’s pool season in Reston. The North Shore and Ridge Heights pools are scheduled to open for the season this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
  • The Reston Community Players will continue their staging of “Private Lives” this weekend. Performances will be tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday. Tickets are $21, or $18 for students with ID and senior citizens. Shows take place at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road).
  • The Reston Farmers Market is scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
  • The South Lakes High School “Spirit of Reston” Marching Band will hold a rummage sale Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school (11400 South Lakes Drive). The event is slated to be held on the east side of the school, along Seahawks Drive; however, it will be moved inside if the weather does not cooperate.
  • The seventh annual “Be Amyazing!” Reston Youth Triathlon is scheduled for Sunday morning. It consists of a swim at Ridge Heights pool, a bike ride on roads near South Lakes High School and a run on Reston Association paths. Lengths are different for each age group.
  • Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Road) is presenting “Willy Wonka Jr.” this weekend. The show will be performed tonight at 7 p.m., and at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday.
  • The NOVA Tour de Cure fundraising event of the American Diabetes Association is scheduled for Saturday, rain or shine, beginning at Reston Town Center.
  • Reston Chorale will present its “A Season to Remember” show, celebrating 50 years of the group, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive). Tickets at the door will be $30. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $25; youth 17 and under will be admitted free, as will active military.
  • Events at Reston Town Center this weekend include live music tonight from 6-10 p.m. at Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) and from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight and Saturday at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St., formerly World of Beer); wine tasting at Il Fornaio (11990 Market St.) Saturday from 3-5 p.m.; a Mother’s Day brunch at Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive) Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and more.
  • Lake Anne Brew House (11424 Washington Plaza W.) will host a special Mother’s Day “She’s Crafty” women’s beer event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday.
  • Frying Pan Farm Park (2739 West Ox Road, Herndon) has a free Spring Farm Day planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event will included hand-churned ice cream samples, a dairy exhibit, children’s activities and crafts, blacksmithing, and antique equipment demos.
  • Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
  • Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), local historian Jim Lewis will share the story of Japan’s secret plans to attack the U.S. mainland during World War II.
  • Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Bushmaster with Gary Brown. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
  • Vinafera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night. This week they have Hilary Veltri tonight and Jason Masi tomorrow night.
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