A trail of illuminated hand-carved pumpkins will welcome visitors to “THE GLOW: A Jack O’Lantern Experience” next month at Lake Fairfax Park.

Presented by Townsquare Live Events, the “enchanting Halloween wonderland” will feature a third-of-a-mile trail decorated with more than 5,000 pumpkins. There will also be jack o’lantern dinosaurs up to 16 feet tall, a 30-foot-long pirate ship filled with pumpkin pirates and skeletons, and a pumpkin graveyard complete with black cats, ghosts and gravestones.

In addition, pumpkin “look-a-likes” including politicians, musicians, movie stars, superheroes and princesses.

“We have a team of more than 15 artists, carvers and producers who’ve been working year-round to create this magical event sure to captivate audiences of all ages,” said Shannon Donnelly, Townsquare vice president, in the release.

According to the event’s website, many of the pumpkins are real, but some are molds created from real pumpkins. Every pumpkin, real or molded, is hand-carved by the event’s team.

The display will open Thursday, Oct. 5 at the park (1400 Lake Fairfax Park) and will run every Thursday-Sunday through the end of the month. There will be costume contests, pumpkin-painting classes and a face-painting station available, along with live pumpkin-carving demonstrations to show visitors how to create their own masterpieces.

Tickets, which are $16 for kids ages 3-12 and $22 for adults, are available online and must be purchased in advance. Children ages 2 and under can attend for free. (According to its website, the display is “not scary and [is] fun for all ages.”)

For more information about the event, visit its website or follow it on Facebook.

Images courtesy THE GLOW/Townsquare Live Events

Here’s a sure sign we’re all getting old: Rock festival Lollapalooza played Reston for the second and final time 25 years ago today.

Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry, Ice Cube, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Lush, Cypress Hill, House of Pain, Ice-T, Porno for Pyros, Luscious Jackson, and Stone Temple Pilots were among the bands who rocked Lake Fairfax Park that day. Tickets for the all-day show were $32.50, and an estimated 25,000 fans showed up.

The performance of Pearl Jam, who was early on a path toward becoming the arena- and stadium-filling Hall of Fame act it is today, was particularly memorable for fans. But lead singer Eddie Vedder almost missed it as he was stuck in traffic jams that plagued the area on the day. According to a fan account:

I headed to the show with several friends and we sat in the congested traffic for about an hour. Once we parked and made our way in Pearl Jam took the stage. Chris Cornell had come out to fill in for Eddie as he was en route and most likely did not have a cell phone! Cornell was just about to fill in when Eddie was spotted making his way towards the stage. The crowd parted and let him through as he got up on stage and told everyone, “thanks for waiting!”

Full video of the band’s 45-minute main-stage set, which included another appearance by Soundgarden frontman Cornell for a rare performance of their supergroup Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike,” is available here.

A Washington Post account of the festival compared the muddy, rowdy event — in a way familiar to all of us who just lived through 2016 — to the 1992 Presidential campaign.

By night’s end, there was only muddy ground and aftereffects of the most fervent mudslinging we’ll be seeing until the election campaigns get into full gear. Lollapalooza is the Ross Perot of rock tours, in some ways: cluttered with alternative bands who have nonetheless managed to get deals from major labels (four of seven are in the Time-Warner family) and several of which have managed lengthy stints in the platinum reaches of the pop charts. Still, with a midway mixing freak show with political and social-consciousness raising, this convention of the unconventional gathered a third party unto itself at Lake Fairfax Park, at least for one day.

The Lollapalooza festival, founded in 1991, played Lake Fairfax Park its first two years. But in 1993, it did not return. Complaints about noise and traffic on surrounding roads — not to mention accounts of alcohol and drug use — were too much, former county Park Authority board member Hal Strickland told Reston Now in 2014.

“We used some poor judgment,” he said. “We did not do our due diligence. The park authority is always looking for new revenue, but we have pretty much steered clear of this kind of thing ever since.”

Who says you can’t celebrate July 4 three days early?

On July 1, Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) will host a “Fireworks, Food and Family Fun” event from 7 a.m.-9:15 p.m. The all-day event will feature live music, a puppet show and a fireworks show, plus more.

Parking will cost $10 for the event, said Dave Hantagimana from the Lake Fairfax Park staff. That is up from last year’s parking fees, which were $5 a car. The year before in 2015, parking was free with a suggested donation.

The rain date for the event is Sunday, July 2.

All of the park’s usual amenities will be open for families to enjoy. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole will open at 10 a.m.

Join the national birthday celebration July 1 at Lake Fairfax Park for fireworks, games and more! https://t.co/XLLAT9KiwV pic.twitter.com/pCkxbOMHBk

— Fairfax County Parks (@fairfaxparks) June 26, 2017

Pedal boat rentals will also be available to take out around the lake at the rate of $7 for a half hour. At least one person in the pedal boat must be 16 or over. There will also be tour boat rides and the opportunity to take out a private boat.

Food vendors will be set up near the park entrance, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority flyer for the event.

Campgrounds are available for an overnight stay but reservations are recommended.

Nothing says summer like a trip to the water park.

Reston’s own water park, The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive), will open for the season Saturday. Splashing, tubing, sliding and more will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. all three days of Memorial Day Weekend.

Admission each day this weekend will be $15.95 for adults and kids over 4 feet tall; kids under 4 feet tall are admitted for $12.25; and children 2 and under get in free with a paying adult. Season passes are also available for purchase.

The park will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays until daily hours begin Monday, June 26. Weekend-only hours will return once school begins, and the last day of season will be Sunday, Sept. 10.

If you plan to go this weekend, the park recommends arriving before 10 a.m., as “the line begins filling as early as 30-45 minutes prior to opening. If you are arriving at other times, you may experience a wait of up to 45 minutes.”

SLHS Students Help at ‘Senior’ Prom — Members of Interact (pictured) recently volunteered at the Senior Senior prom, an annual dance and lunch for senior citizens, and a favorite club activity. [Fairfax County Public Schools]

Water Main Break Still Affecting Herndon Parkway — A water main break Monday afternoon on Herndon Parkway between Spring and Grove streets is still being patched this morning. The inner loop is open to one-way traffic; the outer loop remains closed. Water service restoration is underway and is expected to be completed later this morning. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes. [Town of Herndon/Facebook]

Lake Fairfax Picnic Areas Closed Weekdays — Several picnic areas at Lake Fairfax Park will not be available on weekdays through June 30 because of the ongoing stream restoration project at the park, which has been delayed by weather. Rental areas will remain available on weekends. [Fairfax County Park Authority]

Photo courtesy Fairfax County Public Schools

Pirate Fest is returning to Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Dr.) this Saturday, May 6, offering the area’s youngest pirates the chance to ride in pirate ships, sing pirate ditties, and hear tales of excitement on the high seas.

Kids — and parents — are encouraged to dress up in their favorite pirate costumes and practice their best “arrrrgh, matey” and head to Lake Fairfax Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is $10 through Fairfax County Parks and Recreation. For an additional $4 per person, you can book a pirate boat tour with a real pirate captain at the wheel.

Other planned activities include the raingutter regatta, a treasure hunt for real pirate booty, the “Pirate Skills Challenge” with jousting and cannons, fun science and craft projects and more.

There were also be a marketplace full of “exotic treasures” to shop for.

Advance registration for the event is recommended, and required for the pirate boat tour. Visit the Pirate Fest page on the Parks and Recreation website to register and see more details about the event.

Images of Pirate Fest by Fairfax County Parks & Recreation

Save

April is here and the springtime festivities are right around the corner.

There is always a lot to do in Reston and the surrounding area, and this weekend is no exception. Kids and adults alike have plenty of options for fun as we welcome the calendar’s fourth month.

Here are just some ideas for what to do in the Reston area this weekend:

• Reston Community Center’s annual “Eggnormous” Easter egg hunt is Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. at Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Way). The free event is sure to be a big hit for all the kids. For more information, visit the Reston Community Center website.
• Also at Lake Fairfax Park on Saturday, volunteers are sought to help clean up the watershed. The event, one of nine at parks around the county, is set for 9-11:30 a.m.
• Dogs will be the guests of honor Saturday during the “Wag Fest” celebration in Reston. The event, set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive).
• The last two performances of Reston Community Players’ “Rock of Ages” will be tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). Tickets for each performance of the show are $25.
• Reston Town Center will be host to an MS Walk on Sunday beginning at 9 a.m., with registration starting at 8.
• The annual April Fool’s Day prank at Reston Town Center will be taking place all-day Saturday at Fountain Square.
• Other events at Reston Town Center this weekend include the Rings for Spring bridal event, Easter egg decorating at Williams-Sonoma, kids’ cooking class at Il Fornaio and more.
• The A Bridal Show will also be taking place in Reston this weekend, Sunday at the Bechtel Conference Center (1801 Alexander Bell Drive).
• The Tidewater Guitar Quartet will play Sunday at 4 p.m. at ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.). Tickets are $20.
• The children’s book sale at Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) will be from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
• The Friends of Reston’s Environmental Film Series will show “Hometown Habitat” tonight from 7-9 p.m. at Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive).
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Innertwined. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.

Fears of area residents about a septage receiving site coming to Hunter Mill Road have officially been flushed.

The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services announced today that it has decided to permanently close the failing Colvin Run Septage Receiving Facility off Route 7 in Great Falls. However, it will not build a new site to replace it.

The most suitable proposed site for a replacement facility, the county had said, was on Hunter Mill Road at Lake Fairfax Park.

“I am pleased the County worked with the community in addressing the various concerns/comments and worked out a solution that is both a win/win for the community, the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and the haulers,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said in a media alert Monday announcing the county’s decision.

The county began examining its septage receiving sites in October 2014. It was determined the aging Colvin Run facility was no longer satisfactory, and it was eventually closed in June of last year due to safety concerns. Since then, haulers transporting septic waste have rerouted to other facilities that accept Fairfax County septage.

In the process, the county has determined that it will be much more cost-effective to allow the waste to continue to be hauled elsewhere instead of constructing a new facility.

“The high costs of purchasing property and constructing a new facility makes it impractical to recover expenditures through reasonable service fees. Further, the alternative disposal options for county-generated septage which were instituted during the temporary closure of the Colvin Run Facility (including options at the Noman M. Cole Pollution Control Plant, the Upper Occoquan Service Authority facility, and D.C. Water’s Blue Plains facility) have worked effectively and will be able to meet future needs.”

Septage is collected from the 21,000 Fairfax County homes that do not have public sewer service. It also comes from portable restrooms at parks and public events, as well as from grease traps at restaurants.

The site on Hunter Mill Road, one of six proposed by the county, was near the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Area 6 Park Operations/Lake Fairfax Maintenance area — an isolated, employee-only part of the park. A public hearing on the proposal last February in Reston drew heated contention.

Concerns of residents included not just the possibility of odor, but also flood potential and increased truck traffic over Hunter Mill Road’s one-lane bridge.

Photo of closed Colvin Run facility courtesy Fairfax County

The Fairfax County Park Authority is looking for 30 volunteers to assist in a watershed cleanup event at Lake Fairfax Park.

The event at Lake Fairfax Park is one of nine around the county scheduled for 9-11:30 a.m. April 1. The cleanup effort is a partnership between the Park Authority and The Nature Conservancy to attempt to prevent trash from reaching the Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary.

Snacks, giveaways and other incentives will be offered to volunteers.

For more details or to register, visit the Fairfax County Park Authority website.

Photo via Fairfax County Park Authority

It’s been a relatively mild winter, but the first day of spring still brings with it thoughts of certain activities. For kids, there’s no doubt one of those activities is the Easter egg hunt.

Reston Community Center will put on the community’s annual egg hunt at Lake Fairfax Park on Saturday, April 1. (Due to a park scheduling conflict, this is a change from the originally announced date of April 8.)

Debbie Heron, RCC’s youth program director, says about 10,000 eggs will be dropped for the event, which is a hit for families and RCC staff alike.

“It’s one of the few free egg hunts that still exists,” she said. “We get a very nice showing of patrons and people in the community. … We love it. It’s great. It’s one of our favorite events.”

Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Way) is a new location for the event, which has been held in recent years at Brown’s Chapel Park. Heron said Lake Fairfax Park provides bigger grounds with more room for parking.

“We change every several years, but if this works out really well, we’ll probably stay for the long term,” she said.

Heron said several hundred children ages 8 and under are expected to participate in the hunt, and they will separated into four different age groups. The event will also include moon bounces, a strolling magician and more fun for kids.

The event is scheduled for 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 1. The egg hunt itself will start at 10:30 a.m. sharp.

For more information about the egg hunt or other upcoming youth-oriented events from Reston Community Center, contact Heron at 703-390-6163.

Photo courtesy Reston Community Center

Stream restoration at Lake Fairfax Park continues; however, the Lake Fairfax Drive bridge to the upper section of the park has been reopened to visitors.

Park visitors who use the bridge are being urged by park officials to exercise caution, as the active construction zone remains.

According to a press release from the Fairfax County Park Authority:

“Heavy construction trucks will be entering and leaving Lake Fairfax Park Monday through Saturday, and all posted signage must be obeyed. The contractor also may use flagmen to direct traffic flow. If there is any serious disregard of the posted traffic signage in the construction zone, facilities at the back of Lake Fairfax could be closed again until deemed safe to reopen.”

The stream restoration project will restore 1,700 feet of Colvin Run below the Lake Fairfax dam, and almost 500 feet of tributaries. It will also provide better access to the stream for recreation and environmental education but protect banks from excessive foot traffic that can kill vegetation and cause erosion, according to park officials.

Americans with Disabilities Act improvements also continue at a park restroom and a bathhouse.

Visitors are encouraged to contact Lake Fairfax Park (703-471-5415) prior to visiting to be certain facilities are available to the public.

Lake Fairfax Park is ready for tots to enjoy some Halloween fun at the Preschool Pumpkins in the Park Festival on Oct. 15.

There will be outdoor activities and food to enjoy from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

No pumpkin festival would be complete without a pumpkin to take home. Get a pumpkin with your $7 admission. Don’t want a pumpkin? The cost is $4 per person.

Register in advance on the Lake Fairfax Park website.

Reston’s Lake Fairfax Park is about to get a new outdoor amenity: a pump bike track near the Lake Fairfax soccer fields.

A pump track is a continuous loop of dirt berms and “rollers” (smooth dirt mounds) that you ride without pedaling. The name comes from the pumping motion used by the rider’s upper and lower body as he or she rides around the track, say Fairfax County Park Authority officials.

Pump tracks are suitable for cyclists of all ages and skill levels, and almost any bicycle will work, including BMX bikes, mountain bikes, and kids bikes.

The pump track is being built by MORE (Mid-Atlantic Mountain Biking Enthusiasts).  Funding for the project was provided through a grant from PeopleForBikes.org and donations raised from The Bike Lane, The Bike Lane Race Team, and the Capital ‘Cross Classic.

Lake Fairfax will hold a ribbon cutting for the track on Oct. 8.

There are some other improvements heading to the park:

Stream Restoration — A new pedestrian bridge is scheduled for construction as part of the Colvin Run restoration project now underway.

This project will restore 1,700 feet of Colvin Run below the Lake Fairfax dam, and almost 500 feet of tributaries. It will also provide better access to the stream for recreation and environmental education but protect banks from excessive foot traffic that can kill vegetation and cause erosion.

Project construction is scheduled to run from Sept. 16, 2016 to May 26, 2017. During this time the stream below the lake dam will be fenced off. Road and bridge construction will require Lake Fairfax Drive across Colvin Run below the dam to be closed from Jan. 1 to Mar. 31, 2017.

Campground Improvements: Lake Fairfax’s campground is getting a new bathhouse that meets modern-day standards for efficiency and accessibility. The restroom near the picnic area is also being replaced.

The current bathhouse closed Aug. 15 and will reopen on May 26, 2017. The picnic area restroom is also now closed and will reopen in May 2017.

Lake Fairfax Park’s Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole will have a dogs-only swimming event to end the 2016 season on Sunday.

Here is what you (and Fido) need to know about Dog Daze at The Water Mine:

The Water Mine will be open for dogs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11. Suggested admission is $5 per dog. Proceeds will benefit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

Dogs will be able to splash and swim for the first time in the park’s Rattlesnake River.

Some rules:

All dog handlers must be 18 years or older and supervise dogs at all times – and no humans are allowed in the water.

All dogs must be current on vaccinations.

No female dogs in heat, puppies less than 3 months old, or aggressive, unruly dogs will be permitted.

Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs (waste disposal bags will be provided).

The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax is located at 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive in Reston. For more information, visit The Water Mine’s website or call 703-471-5415.