Entertainment

It’s been a busy time at St. James Episcopal Church in Potomac; the Fall Rummage Sale takes place Friday-Saturday, Oct. 4-5, 2013, the Blessing of the Animals is on Oct. 6, 2013, at 5 p.m., and the church just celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sept. 21 and 22 with a family dinner and concert by Jason Gray.

It’s Almost Time for Clifton Day

46th annual festival is Sunday, Oct. 13.

Featuring everything from a strolling bagpiper to a woman on a unicycle—plus handmade crafts, pony rides, Civil War re-enactors, live bands and food galore—the 46th annual Clifton Day is set for Sunday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Rain date, Oct. 20).

Charming, Smart, Comedic

Cabaret duo “Marcy and Zina” arriving in Fairfax.

"Neurotically optimistic songs about love and life" are coming to Northern Virginia audiences as the award-winning Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich pull into the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center (JCCNV). You may not know their names right off hand, but Kristin Chenowith, Audry McDonald and Michael Feinstein regularly sing their compositions.

National Park Service Shutters Mount Vernon Trail Amid Budget Crisis

Parts of trail are barricaded;; parking lots closed/ Park Service Police issue parking tickets.

Woody Guthrie observed "This Land is Your Land." But that apparently does not apply to federal land during a government shutdown.

The City of Fairfax to Host Fall Festival

Crafts, arts, carnival, four stages of music and entertainment, lumberjack competition.

Crafts, children’s activities, rides, music and food will fill the downtown Fairfax streets during the Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 12 (Rain date: Oct. 13). Entry is free, fees are charged for various rides and children activities.

Elden Street Players Reach NextStop

Herndon theatre goes professional, opens its first show.

NextStop Theater Company in Herndon began its production of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” on Sept. 26. Adapted by Patrick Barlow, this comedic adaptation of a 1930s Alfred Hitchcock film is NextStop Theatre’s first professional production. Formerly known as Elden Street Players, the all-volunteer amateur theater group has gone professional, hiring Producing Artistic Director Evan Hoffman in January. Hoffman is the director for this production.

Herndon Hosts Fall Carnival

The first ever Herndon Fall Carnival was hosted at the Station Street parking lot in downtown Herndon Thursday, Sept. 26 to Saturday, Sept. 29. This location is adjacent to the ArtSpace Herndon at 750 Center Street and the Town Green. The Herndon Rotary Club partnered with the Town of Herndon and carnival company Jolly Shows to host this event.

A Grand Musical Night

Reston Community Players’ “Tribute to the Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber.”

Reston Community Players present "A Tribute to the Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber" at CenterStage, Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Hunters Woods, Reston. Performances: Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. Matinees at 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 & 27. Tickets: $23. Call 703-476-3500 or visit www.restonplayers.org.

Vienna Oktoberfest Brings Fun, Food and Gemütlichkeit on Oct. 5

Town Green and Church Street become a festival ground from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Vienna Oktoberfest, sponsored by the Vienna Business Association in cooperation with the Town of Vienna, runs Saturday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the historic Church Street corridor. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with Rocknoceros on the Children’s Stage on the Town Green, and the School of Rock on the main stage in the Beer and Wine Garden. The Beer and Wine Garden will be open for entertainment and food at 11 a.m. and for beverage purchase at noon. The beer garden is cash only and an ATM will be available there.

Walt Lawrence Exhibits at Katie’s Coffee

Great Falls photographer Walt Lawrence stages a new exhibit at Katie’s Coffee featuring images from his “On the Potomac at Riverbend” collection. The exhibit opened on Oct. 1 and will run through the end of the month. Over the past 15 months Lawrence has been shooting waterscapes and wildlife from a boat in the Potomac off of Riverbend Park.

Multicultural Festival Comes to Reston

Annual multicultural festival held at Lake Anne.

Nearly 50 years ago, Robert Simon founded Reston with several goals, and one of them was diversity. For the past 12 years, the Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association, Reston Community Center and Reston Association have hosted a tribute to that goal, the Reston Multicultural Festival.

Run Around Lake for Wounded Warriors

The 7th Annual Run Around the Lake—Run for Wounded Warriors will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6. Check-in begins at 7 a.m., run starts at 8 a.m. at the Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station.

Crafts, Plays, Dance: Fun Events for Fall

Below is a partial listing of some autumn events happening in the local area: Oct. 12—The Fairfax Fall Festival, held throughout the streets of downtown Fairfax, will be held Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There’ll be crafts galore, plus food, music and fun for children. Oct. 12—Encore Theatrical Arts Project will be among 12 dance companies performing in the fourth annual Fairfax County Dance Coalition Gala Showcase. “A Celebration of Dance” is slated for Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m., in the theater of NOVA’s Annandale campus.

A Show That ‘Rocks’

Providence Players of Fairfax open 16th season with musical, “Little Shop of Horrors.”

With fresh faces, the Providence Players open the theater season with only the second musical the company has done in its 16 years. It is the brash, bright, delightfully dark musical comedy, "Little Shop of Horrors."

The Connection