Send notes to the Connection at south@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-917-6459. Deadline is Friday. Dated announcements should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.
<b>Thursday/Oct. 2
</b>Kataklysm with Dying Fetus, Eluveitie, Keep of Kalessin, Apothys and Emesis. All ages. 6:30 p.m. $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
<b>Friday/Oct. 3
</b>Enrique Iglesias. 8 p.m. Tickets $58 to $88. George Mason Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax. Call 703-993-3000 or visit www.patriotcenter.com.
Timelord, Visionary and more. All ages. 6:15 p.m. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
<b>Saturday, Oct. 4
</b>Workshop: Trough Garden from Hyper-tufa. 9:30-11:30 a.m. Create a "stone" trough out of hyper-tufa for a natural-looking container that’s ideal for succulents, conifers and rock garden plants. Green Spring staffers explain the process, share planting tips and care information, and lead you through the construction. $50. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.greenspring.org.
Watercolor Series: Painting Red Flowers. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Morning demonstration by an artist is followed by an afternoon workshop. Bring a bag lunch. $65. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.greenspring.org.
Family Fun: Harry Potter’s Plants and Potions. 2-3:30 p.m. Children 5 and up with accompanying adult. Conjure up some magic in the gardens and explore the magical powers of Harry Potter’s favorite plants. Craft a wizards’ wand and collect recipes for potions, just in time for Halloween! $10 per project. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.greenspring.org.
Rob Becker's "Defending the Caveman." The one-person play takes a comical look at the age-old battle of the sexes. 7:30 p.m. South County Secondary School in the auditorium, 8501 Silverbrook Road, Lorton. Tickets are $40. Contact Cheryl Castro at 703-690-1938 or email ccastro39@aol.com. All proceeds go for the 2009 South County All Night Graduation Party.
Sevendust with Taproot, Allyria, Dear Enemy and Stuck in Kaos. All ages. 7:30 p.m. $23 in advance, $25 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
"Pampered Woman" sale donating all proceeds to The Duffy House, a non-profit organization assisting victims of domestic violence., from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Backlick Self Storage located at 6880 Commercial Drive, Springfield. 703-750-0403.
<b>Sunday, Oct. 5
</b>The Friends of the Orphans Second Annual Fiesta 5K Fun Run / Walk. 8 a.m. $25 Adults, $15 Youth; Creep and Crawl mini-race for children under age 6 is free but pre-registration is required. Fight global poverty one kilometer at a time. To accommodate this year’s race, the course location has moved to George Mason University’s Patriot Circle, with free parking and an off-street course. For all ages and running abilities. Medals awarded to the top finishers. Post race food, live bluegrass band, awards ceremony and an interactive festival area with games and prizes. Start/finish at George Mason University’s Patriot Circle, Mason Pond Drive by Centre for the Arts, Fairfax. Register at www.active.com, 703-848-2072 or KMcLeod@friendsus.org.
Simple Changes Therapeutic Riding Center Third Annual Picnic and Silent Auction. 2-5 p.m. Traditional American roots music by Andrew Acosta and the New Old-Time String Band, featuring fiddler Speedy Tolliver. Face painting, children’s games and riding demonstrations. $15, children under 12 free. Simple Changes Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families and community through therapeutic horsemanship. Meadowood Recreation Area, 10406 Gunston Road, Lorton. www.simplechanges.org or 703-402-3613.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 8
</b>Slave to Metal Music Festival, hosted by Mistress Juliya. Bands to be announced. 6 p.m. All ages. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
<b>Thursday, Oct. 9
</b>Garden Stroll and Tea. 1-3 p.m. The docent-led tours of the demonstration gardens are followed by a full English afternoon tea. $25. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.greenspring.org.
Uli Jon Roth and more. Age 21 and over. 8 p.m. $22 in advance, $25 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
George Mason University presents Bert V. Royal's "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." 8 p.m. An unauthorized parody of Charles Schultz's "Peanuts," "Dog Sees God …" centers on the cruelties teens inflict upon each other, with drug use, suicide, eating disorders, rebellion and sexual identity facing the now-adolescent gang. Tickets $6 general admission, $3 for students, seniors and GMU staff. George Mason University Black Box Theater, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703-993-8600.
<b>Friday, Oct. 10
</b>Los Gatos, traditional Latin music fused with contemporary jazz. 7 p.m. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. Call 703-584-2900 or visit www.workhousearts.org.
Springfield Art Guild October Meeting. 7:30 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church, 7434 Bath St., Springfield. 703-644-6677 or magickaldl@earthlink.net.
Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa brings an array of singers, dancers and musicians to the Concert Hall stage at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. 8 p.m. Tickets are $23-$46. Charge by phone at 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com. The Center for the Arts complex is located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123. Visit www.gmu.edu/cfa.
Jon Oliva’s Pain with Circle II Circle, Manticora Division and more. 7:30 p.m. $22 in advance, $25 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
George Mason University presents Bert V. Royal's "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." 8 p.m. An unauthorized parody of Charles Schultz's "Peanuts," "Dog Sees God …" centers on the cruelties teens inflict upon each other. Tickets $6 general admission, $3 for students, seniors and GMU staff. George Mason University Black Box Theater, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703-993-8600.
<b>Saturday, Oct. 11
</b>Fairfax Out of the Darkness Community Walk, benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Registration will begin 8:15 a.m., with the walk scheduled to begin 9 a.m. at Shelter A at Burke Lake Park. To register or donate, visit www.outofthedarkness.org.
Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa brings an array of singers, dancers and musicians to the Concert Hall stage at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. 8 p.m. Tickets are $23-$46. Charge by phone at 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com. The Center for the Arts complex is located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123. Visit www.gmu.edu/cfa.
The Cold War Museum Conference on the 40th Anniversary of the Prague Spring. Registration 8 a.m., program starts 9 a.m. Advance admission $25, at the door $30, students free. Lunch included. Collecting oral histories from Cold War veterans, "Spy Craft" by Linda McCarthy, the history of the Lorton Nike Missile site, and more. South County Secondary School, 8501 Silverbrook Road, Lorton. 703-273-2381, www.coldwar.org/praguespring or museum@coldwar.org.
Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League (MAGDRL) Meet & Greets. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Come meet some Danes, and ask volunteers any questions you may have. MAGDRL helps find homes for abandoned or homeless Great Danes; educational information will be available and donations appreciated. Felix & Oscar, 6671-A Backlick Road, Springfield. 703-866-0222. MAGDRL will be at Felix & Oscar on the second Saturday of every month. www.nova-magdrl.org.
Ultimate Warrior Challenge – Confrontation. Professional mixed martial arts action. 6 p.m. Tickets $28.50-$128.50, (plus applicable service charges) available online at www.ticketmaster.com or via 703-573-SEAT. Visit www.uwcmma.com or www.patriotcenter.com. The George Mason University Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax. 703-993-3000 or www.patriotcenter.com.
George Mason University presents Bert V. Royal's "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. An unauthorized parody of Charles Schultz's "Peanuts," "Dog Sees God …" centers on the cruelties teens inflict upon each other. Tickets $6 general admission, $3 for students, seniors and GMU staff. George Mason University Black Box Theater, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703-993-8600.
<b>Sunday/Oct. 12
</b>41st Annual Clifton Day Celebration. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Live music, barbeques and baked goods, a petting zoo, face painting, a climbing wall and children’s games, a Civil war camp reenactment by the 49th Virginia, and pony rides for children by the Clifton Horse Society. Nearly 180 vendors will line Chapel Road and Main St., including basketry, ceramics and pottery, clothing, fabric, furniture, glass, jewelry, mixed media, sculpture and metalwork, stained glass and wood and decorative painting. Historic Town of Clifton, 7144 Main St., Clifton. 703-968-0740 or www.cliftonday.org.
Third Annual Korean American Cultural Arts Festival. 6:30 p.m. Celebrating Korean traditional music and culture, with a performance by the "Nangye Gugak Orchestra," joined by prominent representatives of Korea's traditional arts community known as Intangible Cultural Assets. Tickets at www.tickets.com are $40 general admission, $20 seniors and students. George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703-507-4492.
George Mason University presents Bert V. Royal's "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." 2 p.m. An unauthorized parody of Charles Schultz's "Peanuts," "Dog Sees God…" centers on the cruelties teens inflict upon each other. Tickets $6 general admission, $3 for students, seniors and GMU staff. George Mason University Black Box Theater, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. 703-993-8600.
Run for Wounded Warriors. 7 a.m. Once around the lake at Burke Lake Park, 4.7 miles. Race fees support the Wounded Warrior Project. $35 in advance, or $40 day of event. Free race t-shirt with registration. Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Register online at www.jmwaller.com.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 15
</b>Mushroomhead with The Autumn Offering and more. All ages. $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
<b>Thursday/Oct. 16
</b>George Mason University Speaker Series. Jonathan D. Moreno, Ph.D., David and Lyn Silfen University Professor, professor of medical ethics and of history and sociology of science University of Pennsylvania; Mind Wars: Brain Research and National Defense. 6 p.m.; free. George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Mason Hall, Room D3AB, Fairfax. Call 703-993-1850 or visit http://chpre.gmu.edu.
Third Annual Washington D. C. International Horror Film Festival at Cinema Arts Theatre at Fair City Mall in Fairfax. For schedule and showtimes, visit www.thespookymovie.com or www.cinemaartstheatre.com
Kamelot with EdGuy, Blood Corps and more. All ages. 6:45 p.m. $27 in advance, $30 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
<b>Friday/Oct. 17
</b>Overkill with Warbringer, Epicurean, Kneel to Zod, Tranquil Terror, Botched Autopsy and more. All ages. 6:30 p.m. $22 in advance, $25 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
Virginia Opera’s Verdi’s Il Trovatore. 8 p.m. Staging by Lillian Groag, set by Michael Ganio and lighting by Richard Winkler. Soprano Eilana Lappalainen, tenor Gustavo López Manzitti and two-time Grammy Award-winning baritone Nmon Ford. Mezzo-soprano Jeniece Golbourne and bass-baritone Ashraf Sewailam. Conductor, Peter Mark. Tickets $44-$98, at 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com. George Mason University Center for the Arts, on the Fairfax campus at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123. www.gmu.edu/cfa.
<b>Saturday, Oct. 18
</b> The 2008 Northern Virginia Buddy Walk, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia, will take place, rain or shine, at the Fairfax County Government Center. 202-326-3152 or www.dsanv.org.
Fall Watershed Clean-Up Day. 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Lake Accotink Park, 7550 Accotink Park Road, Springfield. 703-569-3464 or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lakefront.
Hearts & Hands Bazaar. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Crafters, vendors, collectibles, books, toys, and more. Coffee and donuts while you shop. Lunch and a Tea Shoppe available. Messiah Church, 6215 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-9862.
Misfits with Not-Liable, So Damn Thirsty, Tolerance for Tragedy, The Buried, Tragically Forgotten. All ages. 7 p.m. $22 in advance, $25 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
Children's Consignment Sale, sponsored by Grace Weekday Preschool and the MOMs Club of Springfield. Gently-used and like-new maternity and children's items. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Grace Weekday Preschool, 7434 Bath St., Springfield. 703-451-3314.
Jewish Rock Artist Sheldon Low performs at a family concert at Temple B'nai Shalom on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Temple B'nai Shalom is located at 7612 Old Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Contact Ellen at 703-764-2901 or membership@tbs-online.org. Visit www.sheldonlow.com.
Classical string ensemble Turtle Island Quartet with guitar virtuosos Sérgio and Odair Assad, 8 p.m., at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. A pre-performance discussion, free to ticket holders, begins at 7:15 p.m. The performance includes the works of Chick Corea, Egberto Gismonti, Astor Piazzola and Ralph Towner. Tickets are $21-$42, children 12 and under half price Charge by phone at 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com. The Center for the Arts complex is located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123. Visit www.gmu.edu/cfa.
Kingstowne Area Artists Association Show, featuring both amateur and professional artists who are residents of Kingstowne and the surrounding area, 12-5 p.m., at the Thompson Center, 6090 Kingstowne Village Parkway, Kingstowne. Refreshments will be provided.
<b>Sunday/Oct. 19
</b>Tour de Lee, a family bicycle event with Supervisor Jeffery McKay (D-Lee). 8:30 a.m. Free bicycle safety checks. The route is 15 miles long, will take about two hours, and is designed for riders of all abilities. Free. Lee District Park, 6601 Telegraph Road, Alexandria. 703-971-6262 or fairfaxcounty.gov/lee/calendarofevents/tdl.htm.
Fairfax Station Model Trains. N-Scale model trains in the community room and caboose at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum. The Northern Virginia NTRAK model train club will host its monthly display from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. $2 for adults and $1 for children. The museum is located at 11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax Station. 703-425-9225.
Rocktoberfest: Before Their Eyes, Love Hate Hero, Eyes Set To Kill, Oceana, A Kiss For Jersey, I See Stars, Thanks For Stopping Bye, Rescue the Hero, When Day Breaks and Force Major. All ages. 1:15 p.m. $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Jaxx Night Club, 6355 Rolling Road, Springfield. 703-569-5940 or www.jaxxroxx.com.
T.I. featuring T-Pain. 7:30 p.m. The George Mason University Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax. 703-993-3000. Tickets $40-$120.00. (plus applicable service charges) at www.ticketmaster.com or 703-573-SEAT. Visit www.srplive.com or www.patriotcenter.com.
Virginia Opera’s Verdi’s Il Trovatore. 2 p.m. Peter Mark, conductor. Tickets $44-$98, at 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com. George Mason University Center for the Arts, on the Fairfax campus at the intersection of Braddock Road and Route 123. www.gmu.edu/cfa.