Send announcements to reston@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday for the following week's paper. Photos/artwork encouraged.
Friday/May 4
ValeArts Spring Show. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Vale Schoolhouse, 3124 Fox Mill Road, Oakton. "Full Spectrum," featuring nine local artists. Reception, 7-9 p.m. Free admission. www.valearts.com.
Towne Square Singers Spring Concert. 7:30 p.m. Industrial Strength Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon. Tickets $12, available at the Herndon Community Center or 703-787-7300.
Free Fridays with InterAct Story Theatre. 5-7 p.m. Greater Reston Arts Center, 11900 Freedom Drive, Reston Town Center, Reston. Family art-making, storytelling, and exploration. 703-471-9242 or restonarts.org.
Exhibit Opening. 10 a.m. ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery, 11921 Freedom Drive, Reston Town Center, Reston. "Creature Comforts - Beloved Animals in Animation & Film," art from Lady and The Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Balto, Fox & The Hound, Winnie the Pooh and more. 703-478-0778 or artinsights.com.
Saturday/May 5
Reston Farmers Market opens for its 15th season Saturdays at Lake Anne Village Center, with 28 farmers/vendors and much more, 8 a.m.-noon.
Spring Festival. 1-5 p.m. Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive, Reston. Live animals entertainment, children’s crafts, fishing in Lake Audubon. Canoe and kayak rentals, $3. Environmental displays and information. ha@reston.org or 703-435-7986.
*Raptor Conservancy: Live Animal Show. 1 p.m.
*Reston Historic Trust: Wildflower Hike. 1:30 p.m.
*Tom Bodine: Acoustic Music. 2 p.m.
*Bob Brown Puppets: World on a String. 4 p.m.
ValeArts Spring Show. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Vale Schoolhouse, 3124 Fox Mill Road, Oakton. "Full Spectrum," featuring nine local artists. Free admission. www.valearts.com.
New Dominion Chorale. 4 p.m. George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Mendelssohn’s Elijah, featuring soprano Esther Heideman, alto Laura Zuiderveen, baritone Timothy LeFebvre, tenor Issachah Savage and the New Dominion Chorale. Tickets $5-$30, available at cfa.gmu.edu/tickets, 703-993-2787, www.tickets.com or 888-945-2468.
Northern Virginia 5K VisionWalk. Lake Newport Swim Club at Brown's Chapel Park, 11601 Lake Newport Road, Reston. Registration 8:45 a.m., walk starts 10 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness. www.VisionWalk.org.
Fairfax Civil War Day. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Historic Blenheim Estate, 3610 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax. Commemorating the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. $5 adult, $3 age 12 and younger. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the Historic Blenheim Estate. www.fairfaxva.gov or 703-591-0560.
*Demonstrations on blacksmithing with an 1862 traveling forge, railroads, naval artifacts, medicine, jewelry, toys, slave life and soldier research.
*Re-enactors will portray General Robert E. Lee, General Ulysses S. Grant, General George B. McClellan, Colonel John S. Mosby, photographer Matthew Brady and a "Yankee Schoolmarm."
*Talks on generals Lee, Grant and McClellan; Germans; and soldiers’ ID tags.
*Demonstrations of a Howitzer cannon artillery gun, "boot camps" for children, author/vendor tents and more.
*Wagon rides through soldier camps, period music by Southern Horizon and period dancing.
*Guided tours of the first floor of the Blenheim house, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Social Justice Yard Sale. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Proceeds benefit four charities. Cash only, no checks. www.uucf.org or lkozloff@verizon.net.
Towne Square Singers Spring Concert. 7:30 p.m. Industrial Strength Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon. Tickets $12, available at the Herndon Community Center or 703-787-7300.
Tails on Trails Dog Walk and Pet Adoption. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Reston Town Center, 11900 Market St., Reston. Pet Fiesta, live entertainment, face painting and caricature artists. Tails on Trails dog walk $20 plus $5 each additional dog. All proceeds benefit GoodDogz.org. www.petfiesta.org or 571-233-4557.
Ancient Technology Expo. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Claude Moore Park, 21544 Old Vestal’s Gap Road, Sterling. Discover ancient Native American technology as seen by Captain John Smith in 1608 with hands-on and Make & Take activities. Make an ancient style pot, grind corn, try spear-throwing (atlatl), create shell/bone jewelry and more. Enjoy archaeological artifact exhibits and photo galleries. $3, under age 5 free. 571-258-3700.
Squirreling Around on a Spring Day. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sully Historic Site, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly. Children age 6 and up. Find squirrels throughout the historic house. $5. 703-437-1794.
Sunday/May 6
Reston Town Center March of Dimes Walk. Reston Town Center Pavilion, 11900 Market St., Reston. A 4-mile walk with a picnic, live band and children's activities to support March of Dimes. www.marchforbabies.org/team/rtcmarchers.
ValeArts Spring Show. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Vale Schoolhouse, 3124 Fox Mill Road, Oakton. "Full Spectrum," featuring nine local artists. Free admission. www.valearts.com.
May Bird Walk. 7:30 a.m. Bright Pond Lane, Reston. Age 16 and up. Beginning and expert birders welcome. 703-476-9689 or naturecenter@reston.org.
Towne Square Singers Spring Concert. 2 p.m. Industrial Strength Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon. Tickets $12, available at the Herndon Community Center or 703-787-7300.
Monday/May 7
Spring Tee with FCAC Deltas Golf Tournament. Reston National Golf Course, 11875 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. Fairfax County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., present Captain’s Choice, 4 person best ball. $125. www.FCACGolf.info or Golf@fcacdst.org.
Tuesday/May 8
Battle of Ox Hill Lecture. 7 p.m. Sully Historic Site, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly. David Welker on the Sept. 1, 1862 Civil War battle near present-day Fair Oaks. $5. Register at 703-437-1794.
Wednesday/May 9
Open Mic Night. 9:30 p.m-1:30 a.m. Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, 697 Spring St., Herndon. Every Wednesday. Register your band at BluesSlide@aol.com or 703-593-5206. www.jimmystavern.com.
Thursday/May 10
Classical Saxophone and Piano. 2 p.m. Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods, Center Stage, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Saxophonist Richard Kleinfeldt and pianist Yuniko Rogers. Free. 703-503-3384 or -476-4500.
Friday/May 11
An Evening with The Avett Brothers. 8 p.m. George Mason University Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax. $39, available at www.ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities at 703-993-3035.
Sunset Splendors. 7 p.m. Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive, Reston. All ages. Sunset nature walk. $4-$6. 703-476-9689 or naturecenter@reston.org.
"The Happy Movie." 7 p.m. Unity of Fairfax Church, 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. 703-300-1857.