Woman with Reston Ties Recounts Las Vegas Shooting — Courtney Robey was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival last weekend through her work with the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, based in Reston. She told her hometown news station about what she experienced the night of the tragic mass shooting there. [WAJR]

Early-Bird Tickets on Sale for Reston Home Tour — Discount-priced tickets for the 16th annual tour on Oct. 14 are on sale through Saturday for $25. The tour focuses on six homes where owners have moved within the last few years and gain and gained a new perspective. Full-price tickets are $30. [Reston Historic Trust and Museum]

Local Ghost Stories — The Herndon Historical Society shares a trio of tales about the town’s visitors from beyond. [Herndon Patch]

County Fire and Rescue Promotes Escape Plans  — As part of National Fire Prevention Week, which begins Sunday, the department encourages residents to develop a home escape plan in the event of a fire. Department representatives will be available on Saturday, Oct. 14 at area fire stations, including Reston Station 25 (1820 Wiehle Ave.), to review plans and ask questions. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

‘Cupcake Ride’ Rolls Through Herndon — Herndon Parks & Recreation put on its first “Cupcake Bike Ride” recently. About 20 riders took part in the four-mile ride, which featured stops at bakeries and businesses. [Connection Newspapers]

A pair of local historians will tell the tale of Reston’s early days tonight at Lake Anne Plaza.

Kristina Alcorn and Chuck Veatch will present “Meant to Be: How Reston Almost Wasn’t” at 7 p.m. at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center (1909A Washington Plaza). The public program is being put on by the Reston Historic Trust and Museum.

According to information provided by the museum, the presentation will “delve into the chain of improbable events and the forks in the road that paved the way for the creation of Reston.”

Veatch was a member of Reston’s original development team, coming to the community in 1964 to work with founder Bob Simon and handle Reston’s first home sales. He is also photographer and publisher of the book “The Nature of Reston.”

Alcorn is the author of “In His Own Words: Stories from the Extraordinary Life of Reston’s Founder.” To write the book, she spent two years interviewing Simon.

The program is free, but seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. For more information or to RSVP, call 703-709-7700 or email [email protected].

Photos provided by Reston Historic Trust and Museum. Top, Chuck Veatch with Bob Simon. Bottom, Kristina Alcorn.

Tickets are now on sale for the 16th annual Reston Home Tour, slated for Saturday, Oct. 14.

According to information provided by tour organizer Reston Historic Trust and Museum, the tour “focuses on six homes whose owners have moved in within the last few years and whose homes have given them a new perspective on their life, their surroundings and in some cases their attitudes.”

The homes on the tour include residences on Bromley Village Lane, Hemingway Drive, Orchard Lane, South Shore Road and Spyglass Cove Lane, as well as at the Stratford condominiums. In addition, Reston Association’s Lake House and Bozzuto’s Aperture apartment building will be open for tour.

Tickets can be purchased for $25 through Oct. 7, after which the price will increase to $30. Group-rate tickets are available in blocks of 10 or more for $20 each. They can be bought online or at a number of area locations including:

• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.)
• Chesapeake Chocolates (11426 Washington Plaza W.)
• Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.)
• Appalachian Spring (11877 Market St.)
• The Wine Cabinet (1416 North Point Village Center)

All proceeds from the event benefit the Reston Historic Trust and Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the past, informing the present and influencing the future of Reston through its educational programming, archives and exhibitions.

For more information about the event, contact the Reston Historic Trust and Museum at [email protected] or 703-709-7700.

Images courtesy Reston Historic Trust and Museum

Lake Anne Village Center, which was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, faced some challenges on its path to becoming the nation’s first zoned planned-unit community.

So did its champions as they worked diligently to have its history nationally recognized.

Shelly Mastran and Cheryl Terio-Simon, longtime residents who are chair and vice chair — respectively — of the Reston Historic Trust and Museum Board of Directors, spent several years compiling the information required to seek the NRHP designation.

Mastran said they began working on the process in 2011, submitting written narratives at the state level to justify the social and historical significance of the Village Center. The state’s Department of Historic Resources then encouraged them to continue their effort to the national level.

But the quest for NRHP recognition was halted for a time, Terio-Simon said, as some worried it may hinder potential growth in the plaza through proposed redevelopment — something she said would not have been affected by the designation. In addition, Mastran said, the women began to feel daunted by the amount of work the process entailed.

“A lot of the process involves data entry, in the state’s database,” she said. “Every single property has to be individually described in the database, in a very particular way.”

There are more than 100 properties within the boundaries of the designated zone. The women ended up hiring an intern to help them do the data entry, while Vern Wingert was tasked with taking photographs of all the properties.

“We gave [the National Park Service] much more than they probably wanted,” said Terio-Simon, widow of Reston founder Bob Simon. “But we thought as long as we were doing the research, we’d put everything in there.”

The boundaries of the nationally designated area also include all of Lake Anne, which was made at the same time as the village center. All residents who live within 300 feet of the lakefront needed to be notified of the nomination.

“If more than 50 percent of the owners within the district protested, it could fail,” Mastran said. “I don’t think any [did].”

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Registration Deadline Extended to August 6th!!! We are "Going Bananas" too! We are so excited for the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta on August 12th!⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ We've been sharing some creative examples of cardboard boats, now its your turn to create your own. REGISTER TODAY at https://www.restonmuseum.org/cardboard-register ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ #restonmuseum #restonva #lakeannecardboardboatregatta #lacbr #lakeanne #supportRHT #creativity #cardboardboats

A post shared by Reston Museum (@restonmuseum) on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:54pm PDT

If you missed Tuesday’s deadline to register for Lake Anne’s first Cardboard Boat Regatta, scheduled for later this month, never fear. The deadline to get a craft registered for the event has been extended to Sunday, Reston Museum announced Wednesday on social media.

The museum has been sharing numerous examples of possible boat designs on its Instagram account in recent days, including a shark, a tractor, a pirate ship and more.

Participants in the event will be asked to construct and decorate their own boats, which will take to the water in timed heats. Some extraneous material can be used in building the vessel, but there are many rules and limitations to what can be utilized.

Adult and family teams can register for $100; student teams can register for $40. All the proceeds from the event will go toward the Reston Historic Trust & Museum. Awards will be given to the fastest boats in each category, as well as the “Titanic” award for the ship that sinks “most spectacularly.”

“We can’t wait to see the creativity that everyone is putting into their cardboard boats,” said Elizabeth Didiano, executive director of the Reston Historic Trust & Museum. “Some teams are designing colorful, flashy boats while others are focusing on what will help their boat float the best.”

The event is scheduled for 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12. A pre-event “launch party” is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11.

For more information or to register a boat, visit the event’s webpage or contact the Reston Historic Trust at 703-709-7700 or [email protected].

It’s probably not going to be too pleasant outside this weekend.

Heavy rains, possible flooding and cool temperatures are predicted as we are embroiled in a tough midsummer storm. It might be a good weekend to just stay inside and catch up on your Netflix or home projects.

But there’s always a lot of fun to be had in Reston, too. If you still want to get out and find something to do, there are plenty of choices at your disposal. But with the poor weather in the forecast for this weekend, we recommend you check the status of any outdoor event before you trek out.

Below are some of your options if you want to fight Mother Nature and take in some entertainment.

(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.)

• This weekend, the “Summerbration” series rolls on at Reston Station. Tonight from 7-9 p.m., 3G Musica will perform. Saturday night from 8:30-10:30 p.m., there will be a free screening of “Finding Dory.” The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• Saturday night, Reston Town Center will continue its summer concert series with Love Canon, a bluegrass group, from 7:30-10 p.m. at the pavilion (11900 Market St.). Parking at RTC is free on the weekends.
• 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.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• On Sunday from 7-8 p.m., there will be an Art in the Park event at Reston Town Square Park with the Shenandoah Conservatory. Trio D’Anches will perform a virtuosic and energetic concert of woodwind trio works.
• Saturday morning at 10 a.m., Reston Town Center’s Family Fun Entertainment series will present Blue Sky Puppet Theatre’s Pig Tales. The free event will be at Reston Town Square Park.
• This is the last weekend for the Reston Community Center’s July exhibit, “Nature’s Allure,” at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609 Washington Plaza N.).
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting its “Reston Stories” exhibit through this month. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• 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.
• Kalyspo’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from Odell’s Knife tonight from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Saturday night, DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits.
• “A Grand Night for Singing” is being performed at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) tonight at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. The show is being performed through Aug. 20. Tickets range from $17.50 to $55.
• Herndon High School Theatre (700 Bennett St.) is presenting “Willy Wonka” tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets are $12 for each show. Prior to the Sunday show, there will be a “Chocolate Factory Tour” — for a cost of $3 — that will give children a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes of such a production.

File photo

‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’ — With heavy rains expected today and Saturday, the possibility of flash flooding exists. County officials are reminding residents that cars should not be driven through flooded roadways. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

Police Seek Suspect in Vienna Stabbing — Fairfax County Police have been searching since Thursday morning for the suspect in a stabbing that took place near the Vienna Metro station. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect is a male of unknown race, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a medium build, and a light- to medium-brown complexion. He was wearing a black, hooded shirt pulled over his head. [Fairfax County Police Department]

Deadline for Cardboard Boat Registration Nears — The first Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta is coming up Aug. 12, and the last day to get a boat registered for the event is Tuesday. [Reston Museum]

New Name Coming for J.E.B. Stuart High — By 2019, the Falls Church school named after a Confederate general will have its name changed. The Fairfax County School Board voted last night to make it happen. [NBC Washington]

Connolly: Trump’s Boy Scout Speech Shameful — In a letter to the national president of the Boy Scouts of America, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) says the BSA should denounce the speech President Trump gave recently at the National Scout Jamboree. Connolly says Trump’s politicized rhetoric “directly contradicted the spirit of Scouting and the tenets of Boy Scout Law.” [The Hill]

Synthetic Soccer Field Coming to Great Falls — The $1.3 million project at Great Falls Nike Park (1089 Utterback Store Road) includes the conversion of an existing grass field to a synthetic turf field, a trail, storm drainage facilities, landscaping, field lighting and related improvements. [Fairfax County Park Authority]

While the days will be hot this weekend, the evenings will be “cool.”

Enjoy outdoor summer fun at Reston Station this weekend as part of its “Summerbration” series. Tonight from 7-9 p.m., By & By will perform. Saturday night from 8:30-10:30 p.m., there will be a free screening of “The Lorax.” The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)

Saturday night, Reston Town Center will continue its summer concert series with Scythian, a gypsy folk rock group. Parking at RTC is free on the weekends.

There are tons of other great events around Reston this weekend. Be sure to take a look and stay cool.

• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August. Also this weekend, Dr. Tuliza Fleming, curator of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, will visit Reston for a discussion with Bailey. That free event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road).
• The Reston Community Center’s July exhibit, “Nature’s Allure,” will continue to be on display through the end of the month at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609 Washington Plaza N.).
• On Sunday, there will be an Art in the Park event at Reston Town Square Park with the Shenandoah Conservatory. From 7-8 p.m., join Robert Larsen for a special evening of jazz trio standards. If jazz isn’t your speed, there will be another Art in the Park event Sunday at 3 p.m. that’s a bit more hands-on. Called “Basic Bead Making,” the event invites children of all ages to come together to transform scraps of paper and magazines into beads.
• 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.
• Saturday, bring the kids out for Family Games Day at Herndon’s Town Hall Square. Cornhole, sack races and more will be part of the free family activity, which starts at 10 a.m.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through this month. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Join Berthold Academy and Eastern Ridge School on Saturday and Sunday for a workshop that dives deep into the topic of connecting your children to nature. Experts from Eastern Ridge School will talk to attendees about how to keep children deeply rooted to nature and the outside.
• Keep exercising Sunday with Athleta in the Reston Town Center pavilion for a free barre class that welcomes anyone.
• 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.
• Kalyspo’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music from Lawn Dart Incident tonight from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Saturday night, DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits.
• Children’s music artist Guava Jelly will be at Reston Town Center Saturday at 10 a.m. for a free show. The artist creates and performs music infused with a lively island feel meant for both kids and adults.
• If you’re in Leesburg this Saturday, making sure not to miss the Village at Leesburg Block Party. The free party runs from 3-8 p.m. and will feature music, food and family activities.

Restonians know how historic Lake Anne Plaza is.

Now, that historic significance has been made official by the National Park Service, as the Lake Anne Village Center Historic District has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Lake Anne Village Center, the first village of the planned community of Reston, was constructed between 1963 and 1967. According to a press release from the Reston Historic Trust and Museum:

[Lake Anne Village Center] is considered to be nationally significant in the areas of both social history and architecture.

As the first village of the planned community of Reston, Virginia, it is part of the nation’s first zoned planned unit community. Additionally, it is socially significant because it articulates its founder’s seven goals, as well as Mr. [Bob] Simon’s insistence on an integrated community in the Commonwealth of Virginia prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Lake Anne Village Center’s influences derive from the English Garden City movement, as well as European plazas and the townhouses of urban areas of the northeastern United States. The complex, designed by the New York architectural firm of Conklin Rossant, features Brutalist-influenced architecture tempered by its human scale and medieval elements. For its era, the complex presented a shockingly modern design in a Northern Virginia dominated by single-family Colonial Revival homes.

Lake Anne Village Center showcased the new town movement, with social, architectural and land-use development innovations — elements internationally recognized today for influencing subsequent planned developments in the U.S. and around the world.

Lake Anne Village Center was named a Fairfax County Historic District in 1983. In March, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources included the Lake Anne Village Center Historic District in the Virginia Landmarks Register.

The American Institute of Certified Planners celebrated Lake Anne Village Center’s status as the nation’s first Planned Unit Community zone in 2002, when it designated Simon a “Planning Pioneer.”

[Simon] introduced urban living to the American suburban countryside at Lake Anne Village Center, created the nation’s first Planned Unit Community zone, and founded a community of international renown dedicated to social openness, citizen participation, and the dignity of the individual.

Elizabeth Didiano, executive director of the Reston Historic Trust and Museum, said the new federal designation will “bring awareness to the property’s significance and encourage property owners to preserve their property through historically sensitive improvements.”

“Property owners within the historic district may also qualify for Federal or Virginia Rehabilitation Tax Credits (RTC) through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for substantial improvements to the exterior of their buildings,” Didiano said.

She said the federal listing will not provide any further restrictions on property owners to use private funds for development.

Images courtesy Reston Historic Trust and Museum

Embrace your inner child this Saturday at one of Reston’s most mystical events: The Fairy Festival at Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive).

Sip fairy tea, hang out with the fairy queen, dress up like a fairy and admire fairy houses in the woods. People can submit homemade fairy houses to win either the best child’s fairy house or the best adult’s fairy house. There will also be a fairy costume contest as well. There is still room in the 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. slot; register here.

There are lots of fairy-free events going on around the area too. Here are some fun things that are happening around Reston this weekend:

• Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series continues tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by Oasis Island. Tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m., head to a free outdoor showing of “Pete’s Dragon” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• Reston Town Center’s summer concert series continues Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. with The Adrian Duke Project (hits from the 1950s to today). The show will take place at the Town Center’s pavilion.
• Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) will have its official opening party Saturday at 5 p.m., with live music, giveaways, special drafts on tap and more. Events are also being held at Crafthouse’s Fairfax Corner and Ballston locations.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• There’s a “French Classics” cooking class at Mon Ami Gabi on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn to make chilled gazpacho, BLT salad with jalapeño bacon, buttermilk blue cheese dressing and fried onions and berry-brioche bread pudding with raspberry-caramel sauce. The class is $55 per person and includes wines paired with the meal.
• This Saturday, join Berthold Academy for an Open LEARN session (an open house) at 10 a.m. The event will take approximately one hour and you will have the chance to learn all about this Reston school.
• On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon, participate in untangling the Oriental Bittersweet, an invasive species growing rapidly throughout Reston. Meet across the street from 11300 Stones Throw Drive.
• The Family Fun Entertainment Series at Reston Town Center will continue this Saturday with classic comedy by Mark Lohr. The event will be a fast-paced, side-splitting family vaudeville show filled with audience participation and circus skills with a sprinkling of magic thrown in the mix.
• The Reston Community Center’s July exhibit, “Nature’s Allure,” will continue to be on display through the end of the month at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609 Washington Plaza N.).
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through July. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• 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.
• The Reston Community Center will host its Sunday Art in the Park series Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at the Greater Reston Arts Center. This weekend’s theme is “Dip and Dye.” Learn how to use natural dye techniques to create your own piece of textile art. Design your own piece of small fabric to take home. Following that, from 7-8 p.m., there will be a concert featuring Great Britain’s Jonathan and Su Snowden.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight at 9:30 p.m. from Tommy & The Pickles. Saturday night, DJ Kram will play Top 40 hits.

Image via Walker Nature Center on Twitter

Music fans have a big day ahead of them Saturday, as the first Lake Anne Roots Music Festival will bring an afternoon filled with great tunes.

The festival will be headlined by The Woodshedders, a local favorite who has played numerous festivals around the region. According to their Facebook page, they “bring together the diverse influences of American Country, Rhythm & Blues, Old-Time, Bluegrass and Gypsy Jazz.”

The free event is slated for noon-6 p.m. Saturday. In addition to the music, there will be a plaza-wide beer and wine garden, art vendors and more. The festival is sponsored by Lane Anne Merchants and the Reston Community Center.

There are lots of other things going on this weekend too. Here are some fun things that are happening around Reston this weekend:

• Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series continues tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by New Line Brass Band. Tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m., head to a free outdoor showing of “The Secret Life of Pets” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• Reston Town Center’s summer concert series continues Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. with Chuck Redd and the International Jazz All-Stars. The show will take place at the Town Center’s pavilion.
• There will be an opening reception Sunday from 2-4 p.m. for Reston Community Center’s July exhibit, “Nature’s Allure.” It is on display through July at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery (1609 Washington Plaza N.).
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through July. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• The Family Fun Entertainment Series at Reston Town Center presents Rockneceros at 10 a.m. Saturday.
• 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.
• Heritage Fellowship Church (2501 Fox Mill Road) will host its annual cookout Saturday beginning at noon.
• 24 FIT Reston will hold the Reston Stair Challenge from 3-4 p.m. Sunday at the Purple Garage (11900 Market St.) at Reston Town Center. According to the event’s Facebook page, “We basically go up, across and down the stairwells, with maybe a few surprises thrown in. The challenge really comes from the endurance aspect as we strive for at least 5 to 7 full laps in approx. 1 hour duration.”
• Tonight, join the Walker Nature Center for a screening of an action-adventure movie “Mission Blue.” There is a suggested donation of $5 a person.
• The Reston Community Center will host its Sunday Art in the Park series this Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at the Greater Reston Arts Center. This weekend’s theme is Stencils and Prints. Create your own unique artwork by layering and printing with stencils. Work with pre-made stencils or try your hand at making your own.

It’s a long weekend! Fourth of July is coming up on Tuesday, but be sure to check out the awesome things going on around town before the holiday.

If fireworks are the one and only thing you’re looking for this weekend, check out our list of events around the area.

On Tuesday, whether you’re worn out on fireworks or you’re saving them for that night, spend the day at the Water Mine Swimmin’ Hole for its Family Day. Everyone will be allowed to enjoy the expansive waterpark for $11 each.

But there are lots of other things going on this weekend too. Here are some fun things that are happening around Reston this weekend:

• Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series continues tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by Elikeh. Tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m., head to a free outdoor showing of “Sing” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• Reston Town Center’s summer concert series continues Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. with the Deanna Bogart Band, a boogie-jazz and blues performance. The show will take place at the Town Center’s pavilion.
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through July. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• On Sunday, be sure to catch the Art in the Park with the Shenandoah Conservatory at Reston Town Center. The band Two Brass Hit presents a program of jazz and other international music, all on two bases.
• Family Fun Entertainment Series  at Reston Town Center presents Turley the Magician, an interactive magic show.
• 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 form 6-10 p.m.
• It’s Family Splash tonight at Reston Community Center’s Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center. The whole family can play from 7-9 p.m. for $13 ($26 for non-Reston families).
• Enjoy the outdoors? Come to the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia for a day of tracking and identifying butterflies. This survey supports the North American Butterfly Association’s (NABA) Butterfly count.
• Tonight, join the Walker Nature Center for a screening of an action-adventure movie Mission Blue. There is a suggested donation of $5 a person.

It’s Friday and school is officially out!

To celebrate, you may want to go to the “School’s Out for Summer Party” at the Hunter Woods Recreation Area this evening. The event will take place from 4-7 p.m. and there will be a pool party and cookout.

Tomorrow, continue your celebrations by heading to Family Fun Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dulles 28 Centre (22000 Dulles Retail Plaza, Sterling). There will be music, amusement rides, balloons, inflatables and much more.

Finally, top off a wonderful weekend by going to Scrawl Books on Sunday. The shop is having a special event from noon-6 p.m. There will be storytelling, games and a distribution of summer reading challenge cards for the kids.

There are plenty more events for the Reston area this weekend. Here is just a sampling of the events you can enjoy:

• Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series continues tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by King Teddy. Tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m., head to a free outdoor showing of “Sully” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• Reston Town Center’s summer concert series continues Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by Matuto, a Brazilian roots, rock, funk band. The show will take place at the Town Center’s pavilion.
• Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visit Reston Station’s BLVD for an open house (with free mimosas!).
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Reston Town Square Park will be hosting The Uncle Devin Show as a part of their Family Fun Entertainment Series Saturday morning at 10 a.m., for a free show. It’ll be fun for all ages as Uncle Devin takes children on an interactive musical adventure.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through July. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• This is the last weekend for “Urinetown: The Musical” at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon). Performances this weekend are tonight at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2.p.m. General admission tickets start at $40.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• 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 form 6-10 p.m.
• Reston Town Square Park (corner of Market and Explorer streets) is hosting an “I Hear America Singing” event, with selections of music from the American Songbook, from 7-8 p.m. Sunday.
• Scout and Molly’s Fashion Boutique (11944 Market St.) is having its grand opening Saturday and Sunday. There will be refreshments, snacks and raffle prizes at the event.
• Habitat Heroes’ Slow Mile-A-Minute Weed event will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a volunteer project to pull invasive species out of Reston’s parklands.
• Reston Association will host an open house for the Lake House (11450 Baron Cameron Ave.) Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon.

There are some big events this weekend in Fairfax County, highlighted locally by the 27th annual Taste of Reston festival, tonight (3-11 p.m.) and Saturday (noon to 11 p.m.) at Reston Town Center.

The event is put on by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and features fine cuisine, family activities, live entertainment, beer and wine, cooking demonstrations from local chefs, and much more. Parking at Reston Town Center is free all day today and Saturday.

Down in Fairfax on Saturday, the county will be celebrating its 275th anniversary with a big event at the Historic County Courthouse (4000 Chain Bridge Road). Lord Nicholas Fairfax, a direct descendant of the county’s name-bearer, will be the guest of honor during the event, which will also include live entertainment, children’s activities, historical presentations and much more. The event is slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And if you’re looking for something to do with dad this Father’s Day, the Fairfax County Park Authority has you covered:

• Take dad to the Antique Car Show at Sully Historic Site (3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly) from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Come see more than 400 antique and classic cars. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $7 for children.
• Dads can tour the mill at Colvin Run (10017 Colvin Run Rd, Great Falls) for free on Sunday when they bring one of their kids. The tours will run from noon to 3:00 p.m.
• Dads and kids between ages 2 and 6 can pretend to be penguins, wolfs and beavers as they learn about dads in the wild at the Hidden Oaks Center (7701 Royce Street, Annandale). The program is from 1:30-2:30 p.m. and costs $6 per child.

That’s far from all there is to do this weekend, though. Here is just a sampling of the many events you can enjoy:

• Reston Station’s “Summerbration” series continues tonight at 7 p.m. with a free concert by The Bad Influence Band. Tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m., visit for a free outdoor showing of “Bad Moms” on the plaza. The Summerbration events outside the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station will continue through the end of August. (Note: To receive free parking for these events, parking tickets need to be validated by personnel on the plaza. Find the sign that reads “Parking Validation Here.”)
• The Reston Farmers Market will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lake Anne Village Center.
• Terraset Elementary School (11411 Ridge Heights Road) will have its first student-run farmers market event from 4:30-6:30 p.m. today.
• Reston Town Square Park will be hosting Nicolo the Jester as a part of their Family Fun Entertainment Series Saturday morning at 10 a.m., for a free show. It’ll be fun for all ages as Nicolo brings a blend of poetry, music, juggling, comedy, character acting and audience participation.
•  This Sunday at 7 p.m., the Shenandoah Conservatory Brass Quintet will be performing at Reston Town Square Park as a part of the Sunday Art In The Park series. The group will be playing selections spanning from Handel to Fats Waller.
• Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza N.) is hosting is “Reston Stories” exhibit through July. The Reston Historic Trust and Museum has been collecting residents’ stories and preserving them for future generations. The collection includes stories about volunteering in Reston, the Fountain at Lake Anne Plaza, the early history of Reston and the amazing connections we make in our community.
• Work out with Athleta in the Reston Town Center Pavilion Sunday morning from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Lake Anne is hosting Sunday Yoga on the Plaza each week, at 9:30 a.m.
• Tonight from 7-8 p.m. at Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive), bring the kids out for the Walking Stick Workshop. Prices are $7 for children, $9 for adults.
• Tavern64 (1800 Presidents St.) continues its series of live music tonight from 6-10 p.m. Afterward, let the live music continue at Crafthouse (1888 Explorer St.) from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
• “Urinetown: The Musical” is being performed at NextStop Theatre Company (269 Sunset Park Drive) through June 25. Performances this weekend are tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. General admission tickets start at $40.
• “Radcliffe Bailey: The Great Dismal Swamp” remains on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market St.) through August.
• Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will have live music tonight at 9:30 p.m.
• Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro (11750 Sunrise Valley Drive) has live music from 7-10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night. This weekend’s performers are Jason Morton (Friday) and Jason Masi (Saturday).

Reston’s annual Founder’s Day festivities will take place Saturday, April 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza.

This year’s event, celebrating the 53rd anniversary of Reston’s founding, will feature a full day of arts, history and family-friendly activities. Free activities will include a moon bounce and face painting. There will also be a 50-foot Ferris wheel, sponsored by Reston Association, the cost of rides on which will benefit the Reston Historic Trust and the Friends of Reston.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the Langston Hughes Middle School Jazz Ensemble, the Lake Anne Drumming Ensemble, the Lake Anne Choral Ensemble, the Reston Chorale, the Reston Encore Chorale and Catchin’ Toads.

There will also be a public art walk around Lake Anne, sponsored by Public Art Reston, as well as screenings of the films “Another Way of Living: The Story of Reston, VA” and “Fun, Beauty, Fantasy: Reston’s Public Art.” Local authors will also be present for an afternoon book-signing event.

The day will also include comments from local elected officials and the commemoration of bricks at the plaza.

Founder’s Day is presented by the Reston Historic Trust with support from Reston Community Center, and it is co-sponsored by Reston Association and Public Art Reston. A full schedule of activities can be found at the Reston Historic Trust and Museum website. For more information, contact the Reston Historic Trust and Museum at 703-709-7700 or [email protected].

Photos courtesy Reston Historic Trust and Museum