The weekly planner is a roundup of interesting events over the next week in the Herndon and Reston area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note. Want to submit a listing? Submit your pitch here!

Tuesday, Jan. 18

• Herndon Teen Book Club — 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Herndon Fortnightly Library — Teens will talk about a book, “I’d Rather Be Reading,” by Anne Bogel.
• The Friends of the Reston Regional Library Book Club — 7:30-9 p.m. at the Reston Regional Library — Readers will discussing this month’s selection, “Thank You for Being Late” by Thomas Friedman. Registration required.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

• YMCA Open House — 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the YMCA Fairfax County Reston — From workouts to a family swim, check out what the Y’s facility has to offer. Free. Guests asked to RSVP and complete a guest waiver in advance.

Thursday, Jan. 20

• Polynesian Dance Fitness — 6-6:45 p.m. at Herndon Community Center — Get a total body workout with a modern fitness workout inspired by dances from the Pacific Islands and the sounds of Polynesian drums and funky Reggae music. Cost is $24 for Herndon residents and $32 for non-residents.

Friday, Jan. 21

• Moody Blooms — 7-9 p.m. at Pinot’s Palette — Get free wine, beer and cider tastings while you paint. Cost is $39.

Saturday, Jan. 22

• Board Games for Adults — 12-5:30 p.m. at Herndon Fortnightly Library — Enjoy modern board games with other adults.

Sunday, Jan. 23

• Coffee Tasting Basics — 11 a.m. to noon at Aslin Beer Co. — Learn something new about coffee and potentially get a prize. Free.

Photo via Kimberly Farmer/Unsplash

Classical music fans have the opportunity to attend a concert and hear from the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Greater Washington this Saturday.

The “Maestro & Friends” will take place at the United Christian Parish (11508 North Shore Drive) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets range in price from $20 to $30.

The musicians will be available after the concert for a meet and greet reception.

Tomorrow (Jan. 25)

• YMCA Board Games (10 a.m.-noon) — The Reston YMCA (12196 Sunset Hills Road) invites the public to gather and play some board games with the community. The Starting Player Pop-Up will provide games for this free event.
• Reston’s 7th Annual Camp Expo (9 a.m.-noon) — The Reston Community Center (2310 Colts Neck Road) offers people to come and sample the various opportunities for kids in the summer. There will be dozens of organizations in attendance. Attendees can expect snacks, music and games.

Sunday (Jan. 26)

• “Meat: A Threat to Our Planet?” (1-2:30 p.m.) — This film screening allows people to watch a documentary originally aired by BBC in 2019 but isn’t yet available in the U.S. Admission is free, and snacks will be provided.
• #BESTLife Goal Diggers January Meeting (12:45-2 p.m.) — People hoping to keep up with their New Year’s resolutions can meet up to discuss tactics and progress. This event is for anyone 18+ and will take place at La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe Reston (1833 Fountain Drive). The event is free and people are encouraged to register.

Photo by Christopher Paul High on Unsplash

The YMCA Fairfax County Reston is hosting a fundraising gala in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

This year’s annual gala will be held at the YMCA (12196 Sunset Hills Road) from 6-11 p.m. next Saturday (Nov. 16) and feature a dinner party, silent auction and after-party, according to the event page.

“Our mission ensures that no one is turned away from access to ‘Y’ programs and membership,” the page said.

Last year, the gala raised $280,000 for the center, according to the  YMCA’s website.

Individual tickets start at $150 and sponsorships start at $1,000.

Image via YMCA Fairfax County Reston

As summer draws to a close, the annual Dog Daze event is tomorrow (Sept. 7).

Community members are invited to bring their dogs to the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) and let their friendly four-legged friends take a dip in the community pool.

All ages are welcome to attend, though dog handlers must be 18 or older. This event runs from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

A $10 d0nation is suggested for the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and the Fairfax County Park Foundation. There will be prizes and treats for both people and their pets.

Saturday (Sept. 7) 

• 2019 Craft Market Season (8 a.m.) — Local vendors can show off their arts while community members check out the nearby farmers market. This event is free and will be located at Lake Ann Plaza
• Elephant and Piggy Day (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) — This free event will take place at the Reston Regional Library Branch and feature lifesize characters from Mo Willems’ “Elephant and Piggy” series. Families are welcome to stop by to meet the characters and take a selfie.
• Wine Tasting at Balducci’s (2-5 p.m.) — The restaurant is having a wine tasting event with its new private stock from California. Participants can get 25% off when buying 12 or more bottles.
•  Author Peter Kageyama (8 p.m.) — Author Peter Kageyama will speak at the Reston Community Center about how Reston fits into his version of an ideal city.  Tickets are $15, and his books are available for purchase before and after the presentation.

Sunday (Sept. 8) 

• 18th Annual Herndon Rotary Car Show (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) — Sponsored by the Herndon Rotary International, this show will feature cars of various makes and models. The event is free for everyone, and there will be prizes offered for registered participants who bring their cars. Later in the day, there will be a panel discussion. It will be held at 777 Lynn Street.
• “Beehive: The 60’s Musical” (showings at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.) — This 60s’ themed performance highlights six women and groups who made an impact on music including the Shirelles, Supremes, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin.
• Healthy Kids Running Series (3:30 p.m.) — This fun-run event will feature 50- and 75-yard dashes, the quarter-mile, the half-mile and the one-mile run for kids ages 2-14. Top-performing kids in each category will receive a trophy. Registration is $10 on-site at YMCA Fairfax County Reston.
• Lake House Open House (3-5 p.m.) — Community members are invited to the lake house for a social gathering with their neighbors. Light refreshments will be served and people can learn about how the space can serve them.
• Country Dance (5:30-8:30 p.m.) — This event invites community members 18 years of age or older to join in a social dance session featuring line dancing, swing and two-step. Tickets are $5 for Reston residents. It will take place at the Reston Community Center.

Photo via Fairfax County

Registration for the ninth annual Reston Kids Triathlon will open today (April 10). Young athletes between ages 6 and 14 will swim, bike and run in the three-event race.

This year’s event is set for Sunday, August 4 at Ridge Heights Pool (11400 Ridge Heights Road). The registration portal will open at 7 p.m. on the event’s website.

The event is sponsored by Reston Association and the YMCA-Fairfax County. Participants are divided into three age groups and swim distances between 50 and 150 meters, bike between 1.1 and 4 miles and run between 0.6 to 1.4 miles.

Information about this year’s course is available online. Like last year, the finish line is on the west end of Langston Hughes Middle School. Event organizers are working with officials at Terraset Elementary School, which is under construction, to provide a safe route from the underpass to wooded trails.

Although the sign up form for volunteering has not opened yet, interested volunteers can contact Dan Merenick at [email protected].

Photo by Sean Bahrami via Reston Association

Take one last splash in the pool at Reston Community Center’s Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center before it closes for renovations.

Built in 1979, the Terry L. Smith Aquatics Center will undergo a more than $5 million renovation starting on Jan. 2.

The pool area is expected to reopen in October, featuring an expanded lap pool with a zero-depth entry and water play area and another pool for warm-water therapy, exercise and teaching.

During the construction period, Reston patrons can receive discounted rates, which are offered through RCCs’ partnership with the YMCA Fairfax County Reston, Reston Association and Herndon Community Center. Patrons can pick up a “Construction Pass” at RCC’s Customer Service desks to take to the partner locations and get special rates.

“The Last Splash Aquatics Renovation Party” is set for Friday (Dec. 28) from noon to 9:00 p.m. Admission is $1. The pool party will include open swimming with games and races, music, a farewell gift and a graffiti wall for locals to pen their pool goodbyes.

Rendering via Reston Community Center

If you’re looking for somewhere fun and outdoorsy to take the kids this weekend, Saturday afternoon is Kids Day at Reston Town Center.

From 3-5 p.m., a children’s band, Rocknocerous, will be performing, with face painting, balloon animals, treats and costumed character appearances.

For something more indoors, author Laura Renauld will host a morning story time to read from her first children’s book “Porcupine’s Pie”. The event will be held at Scrawl Books at 11911 Freedom Dr. on Saturday at 11 a.m.

(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 is the last chance to catch The Diary of Anne Frank performed by Herndon High School’s theatre class in the school’s Black Box Theater. Performances are tonight and Saturday, from 7-9 p.m. and a matinee performance on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults and can be ordered at the door or online.
• Saturday afternoon, Dorothy Moss, a curator of the National Portrait Gallery, will be hosting a discussion at the Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market Street). The event starts at 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
• Saturday evening, the YMCA Fairfax County Reston (12196 Sunset Hills Rd) will be hosting its 19th annual community gala. The event starts at 6 p.m with a silent auction and cocktails, with dinner at 9 p.m. and dancing until 11 p.m.
• On Sunday, the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and The Bird Feeder store are cosponsoring a free bird walk through Reston. The group will meet at Glade Drive and Twin Branches Road for a tour along the Glade Stream Valley Trail. The walk runs from 7:30-10:30 a.m.
• If you’re feeling less outdoorsy, Professor Harry Butowsky will host a lecture on the History of World War II from 2-4 p.m. in the Reston Regional Library.

Photo via Reston Town Center

The only YMCA in Fairfax County is accepting applications for its more than 50 summer camp options.

Joseph Crawford, YMCA Fairfax County Reston’s executive director, said some residents may be unaware that the cost of the organization’s camps — which can run $180 and up per week, per child — can be covered by scholarship funding.

“We raise all the money locally. Some comes from some companies around here, there’s lot of them in Reston, but the lion’s share of the money donated just comes from families that had positive experiences at YMCAs and they really get it,” Crawford said. “Reston and Fairfax County, specifically, it’s a very philanthropic community, and they have that give-back focus kind of built into their DNA.”

YMCA Fairfax County Reston has about 10,000 members, Crawford said. He said 300 to 400 children and teenagers can be involved in camps at the branch each day during the summer.

“The camps range from age 6 all the way up through teenagers — boys and girls of all ages, a very diverse group,” he said. “We really take a lot of pride in making sure there’s a continuum of care, all the way from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s also high-quality and cost-effective if you have more than one kid, and that’s why we have the scholarship system.”

According to information provided by YMCA Fairfax County Reston, more than $3 million in financial-assistance scholarships have been awarded since the facility opened in 2000.

“Contributions support our Caring for Community scholarship which provides financial assistance for individuals and families who are unable to afford quality childcare, summer camp, membership as well as other programs and services.”

More than $425,000 was awarded in 2016 among over 1,600 scholarships, with 20 percent of those going toward summer camp enrollment.

Crawford said anyone interested in applying for a Caring for Community scholarship should visit the YMCA branch (12196 Sunset Hills Road). Applicants will be asked to supply recent pay stubs (if applicable), tax documents and other financial budget statements.

The director said STEM-based camps such as Lego Robotics are particularly popular, but the YMCA continues to offer more traditional camps as well.

“We have traditional camps, where they can swim, bike and play basketball, that are all right here at the branch,” Crawford said. “A lot of the adventure camps are popular too, where the kids or the teenagers can take local trips around to different museums in the DMV area.”

YMCA is the fifth largest charitable organization in the United States, and Crawford said the scholarship program that helps make camp and memberships possible for many is a large part of what makes it great.

“The membership dues keep the doors open,” he said. “The scholarship money, the money we raise every year, makes sure we’re an inclusive organization so that everybody can come in and out of those doors.”

Registration for YMCA summer camps can be done online or at the branch. For more information about YMCA Fairfax County Reston, visit its website or Facebook page.

Photo via YMCA Fairfax County Reston/Facebook

YMCA Fairfax County Reston recently received an $1,850 donation from SpeedPro Imaging Northern Virginia to support its youth programming.

Roman Blazauskas, president of SpeedPro Imaging Northern Virginia, said in a press release that the funds will help support the Y’s efforts to help less fortunate youth attend preschool and day camp.

“There is only one YMCA in Fairfax County serving 10,000 individuals and throughout the year, many at-risk local youth and families apply for financial assistance to participate in the Y’s early learning programs, sports, STEM activities, child care, and summer camps at little or no cost.”

SpeedPro NOVA’s program serves as the cornerstone of its overall community relations efforts, which includes volunteerism and sponsorships. Recognizing this commitment, Blazauskas was honored as Volunteer of the Year by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce in 2016.

The company also recently announced it will make Loudoun Habitat for Humanity its 2017 Charitable Partner.

“Having a stable home and fixed address is life-changing for families, including their furry friends,” Blazauskas said. “Habitat makes that happen, and we look forward to supporting their work this year.”

Bring the whole family to the YMCA Fairfax County Reston on Saturday for fun fitness activities, healthy snacks and the chance to win prizes at the YMCA’s Health Kids Day.

The free event, which begins at 10 a.m., will feature activities to keep kids and families moving and learning about ways to build and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” YMCA representatives said.

Among the activities: fitness demonstrations; relays and obstacle courses; family games, swimming, cycling; recipes; arts & crafts; raffles and giveaways.

The YMCA is located at 12196 Sunset Hills Rd. in Reston.

There will also be a community shred event at the YMCA from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. For $5 a box, you can have sensitive documents disposed of on-site.

The YMCA Fairfax County Reston raised more than $100,000 on Saturday at its 15th annual fundraising gala.

The money goes to support the YMCA’s Fairfax County Reston Caring for Community campaign, which provides much-needed scholarships for area families. Through the scholarships, children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of quality YMCA programs, including preschool, after-school childcare and summer camp, regardless of their ability to pay.

This year’s gala theme was “Unmask the Potential.” The more than 314 guests became quite creative with the theme, wearing masks of all shapes and sizes.

Gala photos courtesy of YMCA Fairfax County Reston