Halloween is only two weeks away and there are a variety of events happening around Reston to help people get into the holiday spirit.

Jack’s Pumpkin Glow will guide guests through a trail lined with thousands of intricately carved pumpkins lit up with tiny lights, according to the website. People will also be able to enjoy beverages and food while picking out a pumpkin of their own.

Tickets are $17, and the event will take place on (Friday) Oct. 18 from 6-9 p.m. at Lake Fairfax Park (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive).

Halloween Fun Fest invites kids from ages five to 12 to Life Time Athletic (1757 Business Center Drive) for an afternoon of fun costumes and activities on Saturday (Oct. 19) at 6 p.m. Admission is complimentary with a membership.

At the upcoming Trunk or Treet event, all ages are welcome to gather at YMCA Fairfax County Reston (12196 Sunset Hills Road) from 6:30-8 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 24) for an evening of trick-or-treating, cornhole and a trunk decoration competition.

Tickets are $3 or $25, depending on whether people want to set up a trick or treating stop and participate in the competition. Participants for trunk competition are asked to register through email.

Halloween Family Fun Day is for families with children under eight years old and will feature live performances and carnival games from noon until 2 p.m. at the Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) on Saturday (Oct. 26).

Halloween Owls at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) will allow attendees to get a close look at live owls in a safe and secure environment while learning about the creatures before touring the Halloween House. Tickets are $15 and can be found online. Times are spaced out throughout the day on Friday (Oct. 25.)

Image via Facebook

With just more than half of the capital projects completed this year, the Reston Association is already looking ahead to ones for next year.

Senior Capital Projects Operations Manager Chris Schumaker highlighted some of the “key” projects slated for 2019 in a Reston Association video.

Originally developed in 1965, the Hook Road Recreation Area will see architectural and engineering changes. The area, which has remained largely unchanged since tennis and baseball amenities were added in 1973, was identified for major revitalization in 2016 after a review of facility enhancements approved by RA’s Board of Directors.

Bathroom renovations are slated for Lake Newport Pool (11601 Lake Newport Road).

A dredging project will begin for Lake Audubon. Residents were warned in September to avoid the lake after a harmful algae bloom was spotted. The bloom, called Microcystis, can produce toxins that are lethal for livestock, fish, and people. Some toxins have been linked to liver cancer.

Nestled in the woods, the Walker Nature Education Center will receive accessibility improvements.

A little more than half of Reston’s capital projects were finished this year, Schumaker told RA’s board at a meeting last Thursday (Dec. 13).

Finished ones included renovating the Pony Barn, located at the corner of Steeplechase Drive and Triple Crown Road, to include an ADA-accessible parking lot, bathroom and pathway, along with adding concrete flooring to the pavilion and grill station. The project also included a new drainage system and playground.

The Central Services Facility at 12250 Sunset Hills Road had a “major transformation” with new energy efficient windows, a new HVAC and bathroom facilities and improvements for accessibility and security. The building had not been updated since it was built in 1982, Schumaker said.

Dredging was completed for Lake Thoreau this year. “Removing the sediment helps improve the overall health of the lake for many years to come,” Schumaker said.

Some of this year’s projects nearing completion include new flooring, paint, fixtures and lighting in the Glade Room at 11550 Glade Drive and tree removal along the dam at Butler Pond at 1145 Water Pointe Lane.

Photos via Reston Association/YouTube

It may be cool and cloudy Saturday, but the calendar says spring.

So it is time to bring the family to the Walker Nature Education Center from 1 to 5 p.m. for Reston Association’s annual spring festival.

The event is free. The nature center is located at 11450 Glade Dr.

Here is what’s planned:

• Live animals from the Raptor Conservancy
• Fishing at Lake Audubon
• Crafts for Kids
• Displays and information from environmental groups
• Canoe and kayak rentals on Lake Audubon ($3)
• Native plant sale with Nature by Design

Live Entertainment

• 1:00-1:45 p.m. – Blue Sky Puppets: The Three No So Little Pigs
• 2:30-3:15 p.m. – Enviro Drums: Interactive Music and Recycling Show
• 4:00-4:45 p.m. – Under the Sea: Live Animal Show with Creatures from the Chesapeake Bay

Accoustic Music

• 1:00-2:10 p.m. – The Stewart Sisters
• 2:25-3:35 p.m. – Song Garden
• 3:50-5:00 p.m. – Hickory Grove

Photo of Spring Festival 2015/Courtesy Reston Association

April 1 and it’s time to think spring.

Reston Association is holding a Native Plant Sale today from 1 to 5 p.m. at Walker Nature Education Center, 11450 Glade Dr.

Gardeners can pre-order some of the plants that survive and thrive at the Nature Center. Pick up of orders will be Saturday, April 16.

Species include sun and shade-loving perennial flowers and ferns that do well in a variety of growing condition and add value to your backyard habitat. Plants are deer-resistant and neonic free.

Download this form to see what’s for sale and the prices per plant.

Registration is open for the 13th annual 5K Fund Run to Benefit Nature House and The Friends of Reston. The race is Saturday, April 2 at 8 a.m.

The race starts and ends at the Walker Nature Education Center (11450 Glade Dr.) and takes place mostly on Reston Association paved paths.

Walkers and children are welcome; pets or strollers are not permitted.

The event is hosted by Friends of Reston and benefits Nature House and other Friends of Reston programs.

Adult Fee: $30 regular