NoVa Weekend Lineup

Of course the rain forecast is for Saturday, when there are more activities, and only partly cloudy on Sunday! 

Saturday, Nov. 15

Ashburn Craft Fair
Windmill Community Center
21400 Windmill Drive 9 am-1 pm FREE
Ashburn Farm’s 2nd Annual Craft Fair is a great opportunity to find some exceptional holiday gifts before the busy shopping season begins. This fair offers Ashburn’s talented residents the opportunity to sell some beautiful creations. Dozens of local crafters will be selling their wares including jewelry, baskets, quilts, wreaths, paintings, furniture, purses, handmade cards, photographs and much, much more.
 
Celebrate Mama! 
Claude Moore Rec Center  10 am-5 pm FREE
Celebrate the mother in your life at this family oriented festival! Shop the local marketplace while enjoying raffle prizes, free entertainment, children’s activities, information sessions for moms, and meeting local organizations offering a wide variety of gifts. We will be collecting new and gently used maternity and infant clothing to donate to a local shelter.

Let’s Talk Turkey
Heritage Farm Museum
Claude Moore Park, Sterling   10 am-noon  FREE
Straight talk about turkies and their lore; hands-on children’s activities, stories and games. Museum admission: $5 adults, $3 children.

Harry Potter Movie Marathon
Lovettsville Library   10 am-6 pm  FREE
Catch up for the upcoming release of the new Harry Potter movie by coming down to the library and watching the last three movies, including Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Snacks and lunch are provided. Bring comfy cushions, bean bag chairs or the like to sit on. Register online or call 540-822-5824.

Roots and Shoots
Cub Run RECenter, Chantilly    10 am-Noon FREE
This program will focus on Recycling and Saving Energy. We will have an art contest with prizes and each participant will receive a free canvas grocery/tote bag donated by Walmart. All ages are welcome. For additional information on the Roots and Shoots program and to register, contact: Debbie Lodato, Volunteer Manager, 703-817-9423.

Bountiful Breads and Baking in the Open Hearth
Sully Historic Site, Chantilly      10 am to 2 pm
The smell of fresh baked goods fills the original kitchen as Sully’s cooks teach techniques used to prepare bread and pastry in the early 19th century. Learn about different leavening agents and cooking vessels that made baking a day-long process. At the end of the workshop, enjoy the foods you prepared. House tour included. Rerservations required; the cost is $40 per person. Call 703-437-1794.

Recipes for Readers: Let’s Eat!
Oakton Library    10:30 am FREE
Reading program for 1st and 2nd grade boys ages 6-7 years who need extra help. Small group activities with Thomas Jefferson High School volunteers. Call 703-242-4020 for more info.

Miss Belle’s Sing-Along
Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, Falls Church    10:30 am  FREE
Enjoy old favorites and original songs. Cosponsored by the Friends of the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library. All ages. To register call 703-790-8088.

Backyard Birds
Woodrow Wilson Library, Alexandria    10:30 am FREE
Join a naturalist from Hidden Oaks Nature Center as she shares the wonders of Fairfax County wildlife using stories,live animals and more. Cosponsored by the Friends of Woodrow Wilson Library. Age 6-12. Call 703-820-8774 to reserve a space.

Cherokee Storytelling, Music and Dance
Reston Regional Library     11 am FREE
Stands With Many presents a traditional Cherokee storytelling, and interactive Cherokee drumming and singing. For ages 6-12. For more info call 703-689-2700.

Twilight Movie Release Party
Cascades Library   1pm FREE
Swap movie theories, discuss the books, and indulge in Twilight-themed fun.

Native American Theme
Huntley Meadows Visitor Center, Alexandria     1-3 p.m
Travel back to a time when Native Americans populated this country. Explore self-guided displays and hands-on activities for families working together at . The cost is $4 per child. Call 703-768-2525.

Felting Fun for Parent and Child
Round Hill Arts Center (Loudoun County)
6 W Loudoun St, Round Hill    1-2:30 pm
Make a little felted treasure box to keep something special in. Bring at least one object, about the size of an egg, to felt around; or purchase a wooden egg in class. All other materials will be provided and are included in the class fee. Ages 6-12 with an adult. Cost is $20 per child. For more info call 540-338-5050.

Apollo 11: Footprints on the Moon with Rob Cork
Ashburn Library    2 pm FREE
Learn about the technology and the people that helped get us to the moon. Recommended for ages 6 & up.Tickets are required and may be picked up one half hour before the program.

Natural Attractions: Flying Squirrels with Alonso Abugattas
Middleburg Library    2 pm FREE
A naturalist from Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington will bring a flying squirrel and share his knowledge of these nocturnal creatures.

A Teddy Bear Picnic
Sterling Library   2 pm FREE
Learn about the history and the many different types of these classic comfort toys. Recommended for ages 6-10. Register online or call 703-430-9500.

Potomac Overlook Heritage Program
Potomac Overlook Regional Park
2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington    2 pm FREE
Come explore the relationship between our area’s human history and natural history. This program focuses on the influence of geography – particularly the Fall line – on the settlement of our area. Captain John Smith’s travels in our area, and what he found, will also be highlighted! Suitable for adults and children ages 8 and up.

Washington Korean Dance Company
Centreville Regional Library    2 pm  FREE
Featuring Eun Kim, Grande Dame of Korean Dance. All ages. Call 703-830-2223 for more info.

Family Fun: Worm Workshop
Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria   2:30 pm
Here’s a family-friendly way to help the environment! Explore the wonderful world of worms in the indoor compost bin. Then make your own worm bin with newspaper bedding, food scraps and real live wiggly worms to take home! The cost is $20 per project. Call 703-642-5173.

Astronomy for Fun and Families
Cub Run RECenter, Chantilly      5:30-6:30 pm
Sample the world of science through the beauty of the night sky at . Learn about the constellations, the visible planets, comets and other night sky phenomena. Try out fun activities to learn about the solar system. This program is suitable for all ages. The cost is $4 per child and $2 per adult. For information, call 703-817-9407. 

 

Sunday, Nov. 16

Sunday in the Preserve
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve
21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg 1 pm FREE
Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks for a free informal, family walk around the preserve. Search for the many natural wonders that make this such a special place. For information call the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve at 703-669-0316 or visit www.bansheereeks.org.

Native American Theme
Huntley Meadows Visitor Center, Alexandria     1-3 p.m
Travel back to a time when Native Americans populated this country. Explore self-guided displays and hands-on activities for families working together. The cost is $4 per child. Call 703-768-2525.

Teen Reading Buddies Storytime
Purcellville Library     2 and 2:30 pm FREE
One-on-one reading time for your children as they buddy up with teen volunteers from Loudoun Valley High School’s Literary Guild. Recommended for ages 3-5.

NoVa Weekend Lineup Nov. 8-9

Current forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of rain on Saturday, partly cloudy but cooler on Sunday (high of 54 degrees).

WEEKEND

Native American Heritage: Showcase Weekend
Leesylvania State Park
2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Dr., Woodbridge
Saturday and Sunday 11 am-4 pm
On Saturday, visitors take in native storytelling and wonderful displays as they learn from Native American performers about this great culture. On Sunday, children and parents try their hand at heritage crafts, visit special displays in the visitor center and explore the land of Leesylvania’s ancestors through a short historical program. There is a $3 per participant craft fee.

Family Days
National Museum of the Marine Corps
18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle
Saturday and Sunday    9 am-5 pm FREE
This weekend, come participate in the many fun activities for visiting families to learn about Continental Marines and their uniforms, weaponry and gear. There will be a USMC Uniforms Pageant in the Leatherneck Gallery at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. NMMC Marines represent Marines from WWI, WWII, Vietnam and GWOT in a uniform pageant presenting the history of our Corps.

November 8

Customer Appreciation Day
Patrick Henry Library, Vienna   10 am-3 pm FREE
Come Celebrate the new look of the library and participate in activities such as free Starbucks coffee, donuts and juice, a children’s treasure hunt, free books and a family puppet show. All ages. No registration is required.

Christopher’s Little Airplane
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center    10 am -4 pm
Author Mark James will sign copies of his book Christopher’s Little Airplane, the children’s picture book about a young boy and a little balsa wood toy airplane. Admission is free, but parking is $12.

Value Tour
Whole Foods Arlington
2700 Wilson Blvd    10 am FREE
Learn how to milk your dollar for all it’s worth! Let us show you how to go organic, without going broke. We’ll meet at Customer Service for a fun and informative shopping lesson and then tour the store stopping in each department for money saving tips, recipe ideas and great tasting food. All tours are free of charge, but pre-registration is required. To register, please contact jackie.zovko@wholefoods.com

Reading Program for 1st and 2nd Grade Boys
Oakton Library   1  0:30 am FREE
Reading program for 1st and 2nd grade boys ages 6-7 years who need extra help. Small group activities with Thomas Jefferson High School volunteers. On Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. at Oakton Library. Please register for all sessions. Register by calling 703-242-4020.

Swordsmen’s Rendezvous
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
134 North Royal Street, Alexandria  11 am-4:30 pm
En garde! Experience this unique living history program as you learn a skill all 18th-century gentlemen must know – swordplay! The program includes re-enactment of 18th-century swordplay and a display of 18th-century weapons. This popular family event is suitable for all ages and will include some audience participation as you practice your newfound talents. Price is $5 per person, ages 5 and up. Reservations are required; call  703-838-4242.

American Indian Stories
Reston Regional Library   11 am FREE
Life as an American Indian child includes games and stories. Presented by the Riverbend Nature Center. Register by calling 703-689-2700. Age 5 & up.

Colonial Day at Sully
Sully Historic Site, Chantilly  11 am-4 pm
Discover life along Cain’s Branch before Richard Bland Lee made this land his country seat in 1794. Hear stories of America’s early wars while interpreters show battles tactics from the 18th century. Help with the labor experienced by the enslaved African Americans and make a take-home craft. House tour included. The cost is $7 per adult and $5 per child. Call 703-437-1794.

ArtsPower National Touring Theatre – Madeline and the Bad Hat
Ashburn Library   1pm FREE
ArtsPower’s Musical production of Madeline and the Bad Hat, based upon the much-loved book, captures the touching spirit of Ludwig Bemelman’s classic Madeline series.

LIVE Radio Disney
IKEA Woodbridge
2901 Potomac Mills Circle    1-3 pm FREE
Join us for live entertainment and kids can register to win 2 free tickets to the Cheetah Girls Concert at the Verizon Center in DC on Nov. 9.

Young Music Makers
Centreville Regional Library    2 pm FREE
Come for fun-filled crafts and a sing-along! Cosponsored by Ear Candy to Help Others (ECHO). Register by calling 703-830-2223. Age 7-11.

Family Movies
Lovettsville Library    2 pm FREE
Madagascar. Rated PG, 86 minutes.

Getting Ready to Read: Easy Reader Level 1
Purcellville Library    2-3 pm  FREE
What’s That, Mittens? by Lola M. Schaefer.
Recommended for ages 5-6. Reserve online or call 540-338-7235.

Family Outdoor Movie Night
Occoquan Regional Park
9751 Ox Road, Lorton 7-9 pm
The movie Surf’s Up will be shown on a large outdoor screen; concessions will be available. Cost is $15 per car. For more info call 703-690-2121.

Sunday, Nov. 9

Serve the Nation: The Lees
Sully Historic Site, Chantilly 1-3 pm
Learn how the Lee family loyally served the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. Sign the Declaration of Independence like Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee; learn about the two Generals Lee from the Revolutionary War and Civil War; and finally, how the District of Columbia became the capital while Richard Bland Lee served in Congress. The cost is $6 per adult, $5 per student, and $4 per senior or child. Add $2 for a souvenir quill pen. For information, call 703-437-1794.

Tassels and Tea
Historic Green Spring, Alexandria 1-3 pm
Find out about the art of tassel-making and make a simple tassel. Use your new tassel-making skills to embellish your holiday gift-wrap this year! The $25 fee includes a traditional English Tea. Call 703-941-7987.

Etiquette Tea for Young Ladies
Colvin Run Mill, Great Falls 2-3:30 pm
Young ladies, ages 8 to 11, enjoy a lesson in table etiquette and practice what they have learned during tea. Prepaid reservations required by 11/4. The cost is $18 per young lady. To reserve, call 703-759-2771.

Autumn Evening Walk
Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria 4-5:30 pm
Bring the family to visit the wetland in search of nocturnal residents like elusive, busy beavers. Children, ages six and older, must be accompanied by adults. Reservations are required. Canceled if rain. The cost is $6 per adult and $4 per child. To reserve, call 703-768-2525

Strap on those skates

This Saturday, Nov. 1, marks the start of the outdoor ice skating season at Reston Town Center. Northern Virginia’s other outdoor rink at Pentagon Row has been open since Wednesday. For more details, see below.

Later in the month, the outdoor ice skating rink in the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Gardens opens. Cost is $7 for adults, $6 for kids 12 and younger, and skate rentals are $3. 

NoVa Outdoor Rinks

Pentagon Row
1201 South Joyce Street
Arlington, VA 22202
703-418-6666
www.pentagonrowskating.com
Open seven days a week, including holidays. Adults are $8, kids 12 and younger are $7; skate rentals are $3. Season passes and discount card of 10 admissions for $60 available. Check Web site for skating lessons info.

Reston Town Center
11900 Market Street
Reston, VA 20190
703-709-6300
http://www.restontowncenter.com/pavilion.html
Open seven days a week, including holidays. Adults are $9, kids 12 and younger are $7; skate rentals are $4. Season passes and discount card of 10 admissions for $65 available. Check Web site for skating lessons info.

NoVa Weekend Lineup Nov. 1-2

This weekend marks the end of many of the fall festivals, and a couple of them celebrate with pumpkin smashes! Current forecast calls for clear days with highs of 59 degrees Saturday, 56 on Sunday.

 

WEEKEND

Pumpkin Chunkin’ Weekend
Great Country Farms, Bluemont
Saturday and Sunday   9 am-5 pm
Bring your leftover jack-o-lantern to our smashin’ session and let it fly! The Silo Drop and the Zip Wire Sploosh let you do the smashin’ yourself or bring your pumpkin the Pumpkin Drop Zone and add it to our upside down “fireworks display” as the pumpkins are dropped from a lift over our parking lot. You will be sure to love giving your pumpkin one final ride while you enjoy one last weekend of cow train rides, swings, slides and mazes before winter settles over the farm! Admission is $8

Pumpkin Madness Days
Cox Farms, Centreville
Saturday-Tuesday  10 am-5 pm
Have a smashin’ good time at the grand finale of this year’s fall festival, when you can bring your used jack o’lanterns and see them dropped, hurled, squished and smashed. Admission is $15 on weekends, $9 on weekdays. For deals, including 30% discount for members, visit www.coxfarms.com.

 

 

Saturday, Nov. 1

Coyotes
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Chantilly 10-11:30 am
On its way eastward the coyote hybridized with timber wolves in the north and red wolves in the south and possibly wild dogs. Thus, at 20 to 45 pounds, the eastern coyote is bigger than its western cousin. View night-camera photos of coyotes in the park, listen to taped calls and check a tracking pit. This program is suited for ages eight and older. Reservations required. The cost is $5 per person. Call 703-631-0013.

Prepurchase Santa Breakfast tickets
Dulles Town Center
Customer Service Desk, Lower Level 10 am-9:30 pm
Opening day to purchase tickets for the Nov. 14th Santa Breakfast, which includes photo coupon with Santa (at the Santa set), a Chik-fil-A breakfast and various holiday entertainment. Tickets are $10 per child; there are only 200 available and they will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Cash only.

Autumn Amble
Mason Neck State Park, Lorton     1-2 pm
Join this guided walk as our fall foliage transforms and the wildlife prepares for the upcoming winter. Meet at Bay View Trail Head. Call (703) 339-2380 to reserve. No charge for the program, but there is a $4 vehicle entrance fee.

Mammals: Fluffy Encounters
Cub Run RECenter, Chantilly   1-2  pm FREE
Journey into the forest and look for signs of the many mammals that make Cub Run Stream Valley their home. Hike with a naturalist and enjoy hands-on activities that will teach you about our fluffy relatives. Reservations required. The cost is $3 per child and $2 per adult. Call 703-817-9407.

American Girl Camp
Patrick Henry Library, Vienna   1-4 pm FREE
Enjoy a day of fun with your American Girl doll! Activities, games, and crafts to be featured. Please, bring your American Girl Doll, doll clothes and accessories. Age 8-11. Call 703-938-0405 to reserve a space.

Unison Heritage Day
Unison (about 5 miles north of Middleburg), Loudoun County   1-5 pm  FREE
This year’s festival will include folksy bluegrass by the Willow Branch Band from Charlottesville, a barbecue feast, live auctions, and much more. Children will enjoy the annual visit of the Piedmont Fox Hounds, the nation’s oldest foxhunt. Tour the 150-plus year old Unison Methodist Church, as well as the dirt roads and antique rock walls surrounding the village, and learn about the upcoming designation of Unison as a Civil War Battlefield. Civil War expert Rob Hodge will bring in the cavalry, the Confederate fife and drum corps, and the big guns of an artillery battery to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Unison as it coincides with the first weekend of November this year as it did 146 years ago on Nov. 2, 1862. Cost is $20 per person in advance, $25 per person at the gate; free for kids younger than 16 years. For more info, visit http://www.unisonva.org.

Storytime Matinee
Ashburn Library   2 pm  FREE
Stories, songs, a video storybook and a craft.
Recommended for ages 3 – 6.

1001 Arabian Nights: The Story of Aladdin
Cascades Library   2 pm FREE
Audience participation is encouraged to help tell this timeless classic presented by the Virginia Stage Company. Recommended for all ages. Sponsored by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Teen Wii Day
Lovettsville Library   2 pm  FREE
Register online or call 540-822-5824. Sponsored by Lovettsville Advisory Board. 

The Rolling Coyotes – Folk Music from West Virginia
Purcellville Library    2 pm FREE
The Rolling Coyotes feature finely-tuned harmonies, textured arrangements, good humor and originality. Their provocative songs will warm your heart, challenge your mind, make you tap your toes and laugh out loud! Recommended for all ages.

Indians of Arlington
Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Arlington     2 pm FREE
This program introduces participants to Native American history of Arlington through a slide show, hands-on activities and a ½ mile walk. Special emphasis on how we can understand the land better by understanding the cultures of people who lived here (and vice-versa!). For adults and children age 8 and older.

Native American Storytelling, Games and Hunting Skills
Hidden Oaks Nature Center   2-3:30 pm
Explore the culture of Eastern Woodland Indians during the period of first European contact with your choice of two afternoon sessions filled stories and games at . Children will enjoy storytelling and a puppet show. Families experience games including tossing sticks, corn cob darts and “jackrabbit.” Enjoy a woodland walk as the naturalist relates the use of native plants and animals to commodities in our grocery stores and pharmacies. Make a craft to take home. This program is suited for children ages 4 and older with an adult. Prepaid reservations are required. The cost is $6 per person. Call 703-941-1065.

Sunday, Nov. 2

Railroad Open House
Quantico Depot
550 Railroad Avenue, Quantico   10-11 am FREE
Free public open house at the Quantico Depot. Suitable for all ages and family friendly. See an operating model railroad. For more info visit www.pwmrc.org.

Exploring Fall
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship
11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville 10 am-Noon FREE
Join Phil Daley as he explores the forest reserve in fall. During this free family hike, we will look at how plants and animals prepare for winter. Also, come and enjoy the fall foliage in this heavily forested preserve. Meet at the Neersville Volunteer Fire Station on Rt. 671 at 10 a.m. To register sign up online or contact Phil Daley at 540-338-6528 or pdaley@loudounwildlife.org.

Harvest Moon Candy Hunt
The Lawn of the Manassas Museum
9101 Prince William Street   5:30-7:30 pm
The City of Manassas Recreation and Parks Department have created a safe environment for the little ones to enjoy some Halloween fun. Bring a flashlight and a loot bag. Don’t forget to enter your child in the costume contest just before the hunt. And parents, don’t forget to bring your camera. There’s prizes and candy for all.  Admission is $5.