Send notes to the Connection at south@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-778-9416. Deadline is Friday. Dated announcements should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.
<b>Thursday/Sept. 30
</b>Pig Tales. 2 p.m. Richard Byrd Library, 7250 Commerce St., Springfield. Stories and activities. Age 2-5 with adult. 703-451-8055.
Friends Meeting. 7 p.m. Lorton Library, 9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton. The Friends of Lorton Library invite Lorton residents and library customers to their September meeting. 703-339-7385.
<b>Saturday/Oct. 2
</b>West Springfield High School Spartanfest and Arts/Crafts Show. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield. Arts and crafts, silent auction, food, activities, entertainment and more. All PTSA proceeds will help fund the teacher grant programs. Free admission. fourcarlins@verizon.net.
Operation Care Package 5K. 9 a.m. at Fountainhead Regional Park, 10875 Hampton Road, Fairfax Station. Includes a staffed tent where children can make letters for overseas troops, raffles and prizes for top race finishers. Proceeds will cover postage costs for care packages sent by Neighbors Foundation to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Register at 703-759-2102 or www.active.com/running/fairfax-station-va/operation-care-package.
Fall Virginia Native Plant Sale. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. Native trees, shrubs, ground covers, ferns, and wildflowers will be offered for sale by the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and help with plant selection. Proceeds from the sale benefit VNPS education and conservation efforts. 703-732-5291.
Turn Nature Into Multi-dimensional Art. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria. Turn images from nature into three dimensional works of art at a collage workshop. Take a walk with painter and printmaker Jenna Fournel and learn to cut out bird and plant shapes from special collage paper and transform them into masterpieces. For adults teens 12 and over. $20, supplies and refreshments included. Register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or 703-222-4664.
Art, Wine and All That Jazz Festival. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Workhouse Art Center, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. The Deanna Bogart Band, Lisa Berigan of Washington's BIG 100.3FM, jazz trivia contests, silent auction, art and wine raffles, wine tastings, food, children's activities in the Kid Zone, more than 125 artists, lectures on art and wine and more. Tickets $15-$110, age 3 and under free. www.WorkhouseArts.org.
Virginia Ballet Company and School Car Wash. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Virginia Tire & Auto, 6620 & 6626 Backlick Road, Springfield. Proceeds support Virginia Ballet Company, a non-profit offering pre-professional training and dedicated to the continued improvement of classical ballet in the community. 703-569-1495.
Lorton Openhouse: 110 years at Cranford & 50 Years at Tamarack Stables. 12-6 p.m. at Cranford United Methodist Church and Tamarack Stables, 9912 Old Colchester Road, Lorton. Politicians and a dunk tank, moon bounce, proclamations, artists, produce, tours and more. Horse, pony and hay rides. Live music, featuring Hokum Jazz, Sonrise BlueGrass and Gunston Hall’s George Mason. Free. www.cranfordumc.org or 703-339-5382.
<b>Sunday/Oct. 3
</b>National Concert Band of America. 2:30 p.m. at West Springfield High School, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield. The band was founded by former military band members of the nation's capital in l974. Members are from the entire Metro DC area, but local Springfield resident musicians performing include Phyllis Kvasnicka on euphonium, Judy Powell on tenor sax, and Richard Whittenberger on cornet. Student, military, senior and group discounts available. 703-599-1075, advocatere@aol.com or www.nationalconcertband.org.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 6
</b>Wakefield Farmers Market. 2-6 p.m. at 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale.
<b>Thursday/Oct. 7
</b>Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: "Funeral For A Gangster.” Robert E. Lee High School, 6540 Franconia Road, Springfield. Doors open 6 p.m., dinner served 6:30 p.m., show starts 7 p.m. Tickets $10. akberting@fcsp.edu or apnotes@msn.com.
<b>Friday/Oct. 8
</b>Kingstowne Farmers Market. 4-7 p.m. at Kingstowne Town Center, 5955 Kingstowne Center, Alexandria.
<b>Saturday/Oct. 9
</b>Flu Shot Clinic. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Franconica United Methodist Church, 6037 Franconia Rd, Alexandria. $30, Medicare Part B is accepted. This year, a single vaccine will protect against both seasonal and H1N1 flu viruses. To request a specific time, contact admin@franconiaumc.org or 703 971-5151.
Burke Farmers Market. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke.
2nd Saturday Art Walk. 6-9 p.m. Workhouse Art Center, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. Meet each building's featured artist, a reception in W-16 from 6-7 p.m. and more. www.WorkhouseArts.org.
<b>Sunday/Oct.10
</b>44th Annual Clifton Day Festival. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the town of Clifton. Crafts vendors with jewelry, furniture, fine arts, antiques and more. Live music and dance, pony rides, facepainting, Civil War reenators, carnival games and rides and more. Oktoberfest area with beer and bratwurst. Free admission. www.cliftonday.com or 703-968-0740.
Lorton Farmers Market. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton.
Meet the Artist Reception. 1-4 p.m. at Loft Gallery, 313 Mill St., Occoquan. "Seasons Change", original paintings by Jewell Pratt Burns. Gallery open Monday- Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 12-5 p.m. 703-573-0669.
Marcolivia. 6 p.m. at Workhouse Art Center, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton. The violin and violin/viola duo of Marc Ramirez and Olivia Hajioff. Tickets $10-$25. www.WorkhouseArts.org.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 13
</b>Wakefield Farmers Market. 2-6 p.m. at 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale.
<b>Friday/Oct. 15
</b>Kingstowne Farmers Market. 4-7 p.m. at Kingstowne Town Center, 5955 Kingstowne Center, Alexandria.
<b>Saturday/Oct. 16
</b>Canoe the Marsh With a Naturalist. 8 a.m. at Pohick Bay Regional Park, Gunston Road, Lorton. Age 16 and up. $25 per person. Reserve at 703-528-5406.
AppleFest. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Silverbrook United Methodist Church, 8616 Silverbrook Road, Lorton. Yard sale, bake sale and chicken B-B-Q lunch. All proceeds used to send local needy kids to summer camp. 703-690-4159 or silverbrook-umc.org
Burke Farmers Market. 8 a.m.-12 noon, at 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke.
<b>Sunday/Oct. 17
</b>Vipay Dashami (Dushehra) Mela: Triumph of Good Over Evil. 4-7 p.m. at Durga Temple, 8400 Durga Place, Fairfax Station. Cultural program, food, boutique, jewelry and more, followed by Ravan Dahan and Garba. 703-690-9355 or www.durgatemple.org.
Lorton Farmers Market. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton.
<b>Monday/Oct. 18
</b>St. Bernadette School PTO Golf Outing. 11:30 a.m. at Springfield Golf and Country Club, 8301 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield. Prizes, Raffles, Range Balls, Gifts, and refreshments and dinner. $185. Proceeds to be used for art room restoration. 703-451-9969.
<b>Wednesday/Oct. 20
</b>Teen Read Week: Crime Scene Investigation. 4 p.m. at Lorton Library, 9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton. How good are your skills of observation? Learn first-hand as the Fairfax County Police Department presents "hands-on" investigation techniques. For ages 13-18. Register at 703-339-7385 or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library.
Wakefield Farmers Market. 2-6 p.m. at 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale.