Weekender Newsletter

Friday, July 11 - Sunday, July 13

Summer Entertainment Series

Friday, July 11 - Sunday, July 13, Times Vary

Bring a picnic and chairs or blanket and enjoy performances this weekend as part of our Summer Entertainment Series. Upcoming shows include:

• Good Shot Judy at Mason District Park Amphitheater
• Tobago Bay Calypso Band at Lake Accotink 
• Mad Science of Washington at Wakefield Park
• Vienna Singing Princesses at Mosaic District
• Bolivian Cultural Heritage Night 'Ballet Folklorico Boliviano Nuestras Raices' at Ossian Hall Park

Weekend-Long Events

VA250 Mobile Museum

Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Come to Vienna Elementary School to experience a hands-on, interactive and immersive museum on wheels. The VA250 Mobile Museum Experience shares stories of Virginia’s rich history, highlighting every region of the state.

Family Campout

Check In 2 p.m. Saturday - Check Out 11 a.m. Sunday

Camp out at Burke Lake Park. Start with a campground orientation, enjoy a guided nature hike and watch a demonstration on building a campfire. The next morning, join park naturalists to fish at the marina. Registration includes a campsite, all of the programs and a bundle of firewood.

Friday, July 11 Events

Remembering Metilda - Growing Up Enslaved (6 - 7 p.m.) Learn about Metilda, an enslaved 14-year old girl who came to live at Colvin Run Mill. Discuss her life at the mill, and examine what history tells us about the lives of enslaved children, their work and their families. Registration is $10.

Stroller Strides (10:30 - noon)

Moms and caregivers, join us for a 45-minute stroller based workout at Kingstowne Library. Stroller riders can enjoy rhymes, songs, numbers, letters and animals. Crafts and playtime will follow the exercise program. 

Drop-in Citizenship Test Prep (11 a.m. - noon)

Prepare for the civics portion of the U.S. naturalization test at the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale. We'll cover basic knowledge of American government and history. 

Awesome Animal Ambassadors (11 a.m. - noon)

Join us for a show, tell and touch experience at the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library. Learn about animals, their unique characteristics and animal stewardship.

Kayak Tour - Wildlife of the Potomac (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.)

Join us a Riverbend Park for a kayak tour. Watch for deer foraging on the islands and osprey and bald eagles searching for fish as we paddle through this wildlife-rich section of the Potomac River. Kayaks will be provided. Registration is $43.

Saturday, July 12 Events

Top Perennials for the Summer (10:30 - noon) Take a stroll through Green Spring Gardens Park to look at some of our top perennial plants. We'll see native and sustainable non-native perennials thriving in a range of growing conditions. Registration is $19.

Creative Lettering Workshop (9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

Practice creative lettering styles including cursive, decorative, free-style and typographic at Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria. Explore lettering throughout history and make small lettering compositions using a variety of writing tools. Registration is $112.

Craft and Chat (10 a.m. - noon)

Connect and collaborate with other crafters at the Martha Washington Library in Alexandria. Bring your own supplies and work on a personal project or try our provided craft.

Baby Storytime - Sharks and Whales Theme (10:30 - 11 a.m.)

Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with your child at John Marshall Library in Alexandria. This event is for children ages 0-18 months with an adult.

Author Talk with Susan Muaddi Darraj (2 - 4 p.m.)

Join us at the City of Fairfax Regional Library for a reading about Palestinian-American culture and literature with author Susan Muaddi Darraj. This discussion will include a keynote address followed by a Q&A session and book signing. Darraj's novel, "Behind You Is The Sea," was named a Best Book of 2024 by The New Yorker and Apple Books.

Kayak Tour - Sunset Over Riverbend (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.)

Experience day's end with an upper Potomac River tour at Riverbend Park. Start with the basics and in a short time maneuver through the water. No previous experience required. Kayaks provided, one and two person kayaks available. Registration is $43.

Sunday, July 13 Events

Pooh and Friends at Hidden Oaks (11 a.m. - noon) Bring your favorite stuffed animal and enjoy a guided hike as we search for our Fifty Acre Wood animal friends at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale. End your adventure with a smackerel of honey crackers in Nature Playce.