The Reston Community Center (RCC) is making summer 2025 special with six concert and entertainment series running from May through September. All events are completely free for families and visitors.
Kathryn Kovacs, a public information officer with RCC, shared details about this year’s lineup on a recent County Conversation podcast. The Reston Summer Concerts and Entertainment Series runs through Sept. 19.
“We have six concert series, so there’s a little something for everyone,” Kovacs explained. “We have great cover bands coming. We have jazz and classical. It’s just a wonderful time for everyone in the community to come out and enjoy those long summer days together.”
Six Different Ways to Enjoy Summer Music
The concert series spans five days of the week, giving families multiple chances to attend events that fit their schedules.
- Sunset Concerts at Lake Anne Plaza happen every Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m., running June 11 through Aug. 13. The lakeside location offers a breeze off the water and nearby restaurants for dinner before or after the show. The plaza has a history of people dancing in the open space.
- Take A Break Concert Series takes place Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Halley Rise, a newer neighborhood behind Wegmans off Reston Parkway. This series runs June 5 through Aug. 28 in a large green space perfect for picnics. The diverse lineup offers something for all musical tastes.
- Friday nights feature two different events. Happy Hour with Darden and Friends brings the best regional jazz talent to Reston Town Square Park from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., through June 27. It’s designed for people finishing their work week.
- The second Friday event, Summerbration Fab Fridays at Reston Station, is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 30 through Sept. 19. This series features popular cover bands and tribute acts.
- The Family Fun and Entertainment Series takes place on Saturday mornings from 10 to 10:45 a.m., June 14 through Aug. 2 at Reston Town Square Park. The lineup includes balloon artists, unicyclists, magicians and bands designed for elementary school-aged kids.
- Sunday evenings wrap up the week with Art in the Park from 7 to 8 p.m., June 8 through Aug. 24. This series features musicians from Shenandoah Conservatory, including harpists, cellists, small orchestras playing classical music, Disney favorites and jazz.
Big Names and Popular Shows
Several concerts are expected to draw large crowds this summer. The Taylor Swift tribute show returns July 4 after a huge attendance last year. An Elton John tribute band called The Jets performs July 11, and an ABBA tribute band closes out the season Sept. 19.
“These concerts are such a nice microcosm of Reston and of the world. They highlight, you know, [that] we have a little bit of everything. Everyone can come, everyone belongs, and they’re really fun and just a ‘feel good’ way to spend a summer evening.”
All concert locations offer plenty of space, but popular shows may fill up quickly.
The Reston Community Center works with several partners to organize these events. They collaborate with Reston Town Center Association, Halley Rise, Lake Anne At Reston and Reston Station for venues. MSC Productions brings in many artists, while Darden Purcell handles the jazz series and Shenandoah Conservatory provides classical musicians.
The community center gets support from a special tax district that helps residents and businesses invest in making Reston a great place to live, work and play.
New This Year: RCC on Wheels
A pilot program called RCC on Wheels launched this year with a mobile unit that appears at various concerts and community events. The wrapped van showcases what RCC offers and provides information about fitness classes, swimming lessons, theater performances and other programs.
The current test van serves as a mobile information center, but a new upgraded version will include a screen and storage for activities like crafts and lawn games. The goal is to reach neighborhoods that might not have easy access to RCC’s two main locations.
The mobile unit also carries information about RCC’s fee waiver program, which provides scholarships for summer camps and classes to families who qualify.
Weather and Contact Information
Since all concerts take place outdoors, weather can impact the schedule. Concert-goers should call 703-476-4500 on questionable weather days to confirm events are still happening. Updates also appear on RCC’s Facebook, Instagram and X accounts.
Complete schedule information is available at www.restoncommunitycenter.com/summermusic, which lists all concerts in order by date across all six series.
The summer concert series gives families an easy way to spend time together outdoors while supporting local businesses near each venue. Many locations have restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance of the concert areas.
The County Conversation Podcast
The “County Conversation” is a podcast featuring employees and subject matter experts from the Fairfax County Government discussing programs, services and items of interest to residents of Fairfax County. Listen to past episodes of “County Conversation.” To find other county podcasts, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts.
SIGN UP FOR DAILY EMAIL HEADLINES