Between Founder’s Day on Saturday and the Runners Marathon of Reston on Sunday, this is a big weekend for major events in Reston.

But even if you want to stay away from the big Founder’s Day crowd and long-distance running doesn’t sound like a fun time for you, there are plenty of other ways you can enjoy yourself this weekend.

Here is just a sampling of what’s going on in the Reston area in the next couple days.

• Saturday at Lake Anne Plaza, Founder’s Day will mark Reston’s 53rd anniversary. The festivities will take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will include fun for the whole family. Make sure to check out the full schedule.
• The Runners Marathon of Reston will have runners all over South Reston from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday. There are still a few slots open for registration, and volunteers are also still needed.
• Benefitting the Friends of Reston, the Nature House 5K run/walk will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive). The course mostly consists of paved walkways in neighborhoods as well as pathways at the Nature Center and through Glade Stream Valley Park.
• Two concerts are scheduled for Sunday at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road) at Reston Community Center. Trout Fishing in America will be performing at 3 p.m., with Dana and the Glorious Birds going on stage at 7. Tickets for the first show are $5 for Reston residents and $10 for non-residents; tickets for the evening show are $15 for Reston residents and $20 for non-residents.
• NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) is performing “Boeing, Boeing” through April 30. Performances this weekend are tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m., along with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. Tickets are $35-$55.
• Events at Reston Town Center this weekend include wine tasting at Il Fornaio (11990 Market St.) on Saturday and Zumba in the pavilion on Sunday.
• The opening reception for “First Blooms” by artist Dorothy Donahey at Reston Art Gallery and Studios (11400 Washington Plaza W.) will be Sunday from 2-4 p.m.
• The drama department at Herndon Middle School (901 Locust St.) will present “Romeo & Juliet” tonight at 7 p.m., and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10.
• At Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive), there will be a showing of kids’ movie “Open Season” and a young-adult writing workshop on Saturday.
• A bird walk is scheduled for the Twin Branches Nature Trail from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday. No pre-registration is required for the free activity.
• “There’s No Place Like Home” will end its exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.) on Saturday.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., from Revelator Hill featuring Bobby Thompson. DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits Saturday night.
• There will be a dance from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road). Dancers of all skill levels are welcome to foxtrot, swing, cha-cha and waltz. Cost is $5 for Reston residents and $10 for non-residents.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here is a sampling of what’s available in Reston and Herndon:

• Reston Community Players’ opening performance of “Rock of Ages” is tonight at 8 p.m. at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). They will also take the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for each performance of the show, which will run through April 1, are $25.
• The ice skating pavilion at Reston Town Center will have its final day of the season Sunday.
• Reston Town Center is hosting “Family Fun Saturdays” throughout March to benefit Opportunity Neighborhood: Reston. This week, there will be dog adoptions with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a fire truck and police car “see inside” event from 1-3 p.m.; a balloon artist from 1-4 p.m.; live music from 2-4 p.m.; and “free sweet treats” beginning at 1 p.m., while supplies last.
• Potomac River Running (11911 Democracy Drive) will present its Lucky Leprechaun 5K, set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The event will also include a kids’ fun run, and there will be a post-race celebration at World of Beer (1888 Explorer St.)
• Other events at Reston Town Center this weekend include Girl Scout cookie sales, an Easter cookie class for junior chefs at Williams-Sonoma, wine tasting at Il Fornaio and live music at World of Beer.
• The reception for Joan Kelly’s “New Directions” at Reston Art Studio and Galleries (11400 Washington Plaza W.) will be from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Works are primarily acrylic paintings on paper.
• The documentary film “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age” will be shown Sunday at 3 p.m. at CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road). Admission is free.
• Mentalist and magician Derek Jasper will present “Epiphany” at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive) tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; tickets for the two-hour show are $25.
• Students at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive) will present their annual student showcase at 7 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $5.
• ArtSpace Herndon (750 Center St.) will offer Cornucopia of Inspirations — HOPE, an afternoon of upcycling discarded treasures, from 2-4 p.m. Saturday. The event is for students in grades 1-5. Admission is $25.
• Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Drive) will present a lecture on the evolution of the Loudoun/Fairfax county line from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday. Local historian Jim Lewis will tell the story. The lecture series on World War I will continue Sunday at 2 p.m. as well. For kids, there will be a showing of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” at 11 a.m. Saturday and a young-adult writing workshop Saturday at noon.
• The Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston (1625 Wiehle Ave.) will be host to a discussion of LGBT issues at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner, sexologist and author, will be the speaker.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from The Jones from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. tonight. DJ Kram will play the hits Saturday night.
• Congregation Beth Emeth (12523 Lawyers Road, Herndon) will offer “Purim Palooza!” from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. A moon bounce, crafts, food, carnival games and more are planned.
• A special nonprofit art exhibition, part of a partnership between International Association for Self-Proclaimed Artists and Writers (IASPAW) and Building Futures Thailand, will be presented Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at The Avant at Reston Town Center (12025 Town Square St.).

Reston School Profiled for Educational Model — The partnership between Berthold Academy (11480 Sunset Hills Road) and educational startup AltSchool is garnering attention. The goal of the revolutionary program is to modernize the Montessori education experience. [Education Dive]

Public Session Planned on Herndon PD Body Cams — Police officers in Herndon recently evaluated the effectiveness of body cameras during a pilot program. The next step for the department, before full deployment of the program in April, will be a public meeting March 30. [Herndon Police Department]

‘Giver’ on Stage at NextStop Through Sunday — NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) is performing “The Giver” through this weekend. A reviewer says the production is “acted by an extremely capable cast” and it “not only lives up to the promise of the book, but also adds another layer of depth to the story for those familiar with it already.” [DC Metro Theater Arts]

No Increase to Property Tax Rate — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to advertise a property tax rate for FY2018 that is equal to the FY2017 rate. [Washington Post]

‘Epiphany’ Returning to NextStop — Herndon native and South Lakes High School graduate Derek Jasper is a magician, mentalist and deception expert. His show, “Epiphany,” returns to NextStop Theatre in Herndon (269 Sunset Park Drive) next weekend. [Connection Newspapers]

Herndon Police Led on High-Speed Chase — A traffic stop Sunday near the intersection of Crestview Drive and Herndon Parkway turned into chase when the driver fled. Herndon Police later found the vehicle, but not the driver. [Herndon Patch]

FCPD Gang Unit Involved in Search for Remains — Acting on recently received information, Fairfax County Police Department homicide, gang unit and crime scene detectives have been looking for human remains in Holmes Run Park and Lemon Road Park, near Falls Church. This follows an earlier investigation in which 10 people (including a Reston woman) were charged with gang activity in connection with the killing of a 15-year-old whose body was found near Lake Accotink Park in Springfield. [Fairfax County Police Department/WTOP]

Next Stop Theatre Company and PassionFish are teaming up for a special weekend package.

For $60, enjoy brunch at noon and VIP seating at a performance of “City of Angels” at 2 p.m. Package seats are available June 4 and 5.

Reservations must be made by 5 p.m. tonight.

The Live Theatre & Brunch Package includes:

A two-course brunch (including tax and gratuity) with a Bloody Mary or mimosa at PassionFish Reston in Reston Town Center.

A ticket to NextStop Theatre for a matinee of City of Angels with VIP reserved seating and a signature “matinee mimosa.”

Additional restaurant menu items or substitutions are subject to an additional charge. Package availability subject to ticket availability.

Use the code “BRUNCH” when you order your package online or by phone at 866-811-4111.

PassionFish/file photo

Herndon’s NextStop Theatre opens a new take on the classic musical Kiss Me Kate on Aug. 20.

The typical Kiss Me Kate production has a large cast and ensemble. NextStop is producing it with just 11 actors who will play 30 roles. They will be accompanied by a four-piece jazz ensemble.

Kiss Me Kate is a musical comedy about a divorced couple staging an outlandish musical version of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Music and lyrics are by Cole Porter.

The show is directed by Michael Bobbitt (Artistic Director, Adventure Musical Theatre Center) and features choreography by Rachel Dolan (2015 Helen Hayes nominee for Cabaret).

The show stars Paul Scanlan (2014 Best Actor Helen Hayes Nominee) as Fred/Petruchio; Karen Vincent as Lili/Kate; Emily Levey as Lois; and Stephen Russell Murray as Bill. Read more about the cast on NextStop’s website.

The show runs Thursday through Sundays through Sept. 13. For schedule and ticket information, visit NexStop’s website.

Photo: Emily Levey and Stephen Russell Murray in Kiss Me Kate at NextStop Theatre/Credit: NextStop Theatre 

When Herndon’s NextStop Theatre presents its production of Into the Woods May 1 to June 1, Today Show co-host Kathie Lee Gifford will be providing the voice of the Giant’s Wife in the staging of the Stephen Sondheim musical.

Gifford is an old friend of NextStop Artistic Director Evan Hoffman.

“I have known Evan since he was in an early production of Saving Aimee at Signature Theatre back in 2007, So I was happy when he asked me to record the voice of the Giant’s Wife,” Gifford said in a statement. “I love the DC theatre community, I adore Stephen Sondheim, and I am always thrilled to help a friend who is working to achieve his dreams.”

Into the Woods combines the iconic stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Jack (the giant killer), plus the new tale of a childless baker and wife.

Their intertwining quests into the woods result in a twistedly funny, but sobering musical about the cost and consequences of “happily ever after,” says NextStop. The original Broadway production earned three Tony Awards and a Grammy. It also inspired an upcoming Hollywood movie starring Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, and Anna Kendrick.

NextStop was formerly known as the Elden Street Players. It changed its name last year after hiring Hoffmann, a 2000 graduate of Herndon High School and who has worked extensively in Washington-area theater. Hoffmann says Gifford’s addition to the production is a significant achievement for the theater company.

Visit NextStop’s website for show times and to purchase tickets.