Friday, Saturday October 3 & 4

Riverside Camping

Head over to Riverbend Park for a camping adventure starting at 6 p.m. Friday and ending Saturday at 9 a.m. Bring the kids, toasting sticks and a dinner to cook over the campfire. Take a night hike and enjoy s’mores. Light breakfast provided. Prepaid reservations required. The cost is $45 per family. To reserve, call 703-759-9018.

Saturday, October 4

Tagging Monarch Butterflies

Learn to identify monarch butterflies at Hidden Oaks Nature Center from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Assist a naturalist in tagging live monarchs and release them as they begin their southwest migration. Make a symbolic monarch to “migrate” to a child who lives in the Mexican communities surrounding the butterfly reserves. This program is suitable for children ages five and older. Prepaid reservations are required. The cost is $6 per person. To reserve, call 703-941-1065.

NYC Guided Tour: Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Bridge Waterfall Cruise

Dine and browse on the South Street Seaport to start your day. Then enjoy a unique, narrated cruise aboard a Circle Line boat on the East River to see the “New York City Waterfalls”. At the conclusion of the cruise, commence a walking tour of DUMBO (Down under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) Williamsburg and other points in Brooklyn. Wrap up the day with a invigorating walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The $145 fee includes motorcoach, guide, cruise and lunch. To register or for information, call 703-222-4664.

Waterford Festival, Waterford, VA

Come and enjoy the annual Waterford Craft Festival. Take in the many arts and crafts on display, partake in historic home tours and military re-enactments, and enjoy the music, dancing and food. The $67 fee includes motorcoach and admissions. 703-222-4664.

18th Annual Shot in the Dark

Teams of two compete in this nine-hole shotgun, scramble format at Jefferson District Golf Course starting at 6 p.m. This is the original night-time golf tournament played with glow-in-the-dark golf balls, candle-lined fairways and illuminated flags. Prizes awarded to the top two finishers. There will be a raffle for door prizes, and dinner is included.  Rain date is October 11. Players must be 15 years or older. Prepaid registration is required. The cost is $75 per team. To register, call 703-573-0444. 

Oak Hill History Day

Stroll along the grounds of Oak Hill, a late 18th century mansion built by Richard Fitzhugh from noon to 5 p.m. Listen to an interpretive history of Oak Hill and the Civil War in Fairfax County. Children’s activities available. Braddock’s True Gold, a history of Braddock District in the 20th century, will be available for purchase, as will bus tickets for an October 26 bus tour of historic homes and sites in Fairfax County. Refreshments will be available. Admission is free. Oak Hill is located at 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road, Annandale. Parking will be offsite at 4414 Holborn Avenue at the Nancy Sprague Technology Center in Annandale. Ride a free shuttle bus to the event. 703-569-0285.

Watercolor Series: Red Flowers

Artist Carolyn Grossé Gawarecki demonstrates how to paint red flowers at Green Spring Gardens from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Carolyn demonstrates how layering colors and unusual techniques are combined to create vibrant, realistic flowers on canvas. Morning demonstration by the artist is followed by an afternoon workshop. Bring a bag lunch. The cost is $65 per person. To register, call 703-642-5173.

Ancient Arts – Colonial Carpentry

Interpreters in period attire guide your use of colonial-era tools at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park from 9 to 11 a.m. During this hands-on workshop, practice carpentry skills from the 1700s while helping to construct wooden park benches. The skills you learn can be used to build furniture or log homes. Bring work gloves and wear comfortable clothes for outdoor work. This program is suitable for ages 14 years and older. Prepaid reservations required by 9/26. The cost is $18 per person. Call 703-631-0013.

Harry Potter’s Plants and Potions

Conjure up some magic at Green Spring Gardens as we explore the magical powers of Harry Potter’s favorite plants. Craft your own wizards’ wand and collect recipes for potions - just in time for Halloween! The cost is $10 per project. Call 703-642-5173.

Workshop: Trough Garden from Hyper-tufa

Create a “stone” trough out of hyper-tufa for a natural-looking container that’s ideal for succulents, conifers and fussy rock garden plants. Green Spring Gardens staffers explain the process and lead you through the construction from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $50 per person. Call 703-642-5173.