Park Authority

This Father’s Day, bring dad over to the Sully Historic Site Car Show to see more than 200 antique cars on display! Don’t miss this fantastic event on Sunday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Classic cars will be judged, and trophies awarded. Included in the show will be restoration displays, cars for sale, tours of the first floor of the historic house, music, food, children’s activities and a flea market! Also, visitors will learn about Juneteenth and African American inventors and patent holders in the transportation industry.

The cost is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for youth. Children under 4 years old are complimentary. Preregistration will be available online until June 15, walk-ins are also accepted. 

Register for Annual Car Show

Would you like to enter your car or participate in the flea market? Sign up online or purchase advance tickets, by visiting the Sully Historic Site website.

Download the Annual Car Show Flyer

Sully Historic Site is located at 3650 Historic Sully Way in Chantilly, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-437-1794 or visit the Sully Historic Site website.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is hosting the first-ever Family Skate Night at Franconia Rec Center. Grab your roller skates and family and friends for an evening of fun at Franconia Rec Center on Saturday, May 13 from 7 to 10 p.m.

The gymnasium at the Franconia Rec Center will be converted into a roller-skating rink, complete with a live DJ! Attendees should bring their own roller skates/quad skates (inline skates/rollerblades are not permitted).

Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 the day of the event.

Register for Family Skate Night

Franconia Rec Center is located at 6601 Telegraph Road in Alexandria, Virginia. For more information, visit the Franconia Rec Center website or call 703-922-9841.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation was recently awarded a $34,000 grant from the Environment Fund, a component of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia. The grant will help fund the Fairfax County Park Authority’s (FCPA) new Wonder Wagon Mobile Nature Center to bring environmental and nature programs to underserved, underrepresented communities and SACC programs at Title 1 schools in Fairfax County.

"The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is proud to fund organizations like the Fairfax County Park Foundation in a competitive grants year. We congratulate them and look forward to the incredible impact our organizations can make together,” said Alex Carey, spokesperson for the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.

The FCPA aims to ensure that underserved areas of the county have access to environmental education and to raise the profile of nature exploration as an activity with all residents to promote resilient communities and landscapes. By providing memorable experiences with nature in their own communities, residents will gain a greater understanding of the natural and cultural resources around them and seek to preserve them.

“As an environmental educator, I am excited that we will have the opportunity to share our passion for nature with new audiences and provide opportunities for all people to feel connected to the environment around them,” said Tammy Schwab, manager of Education & Outreach, Resource Management Division.

FCPA’s Resource Management Division helps county residents connect to the rich, natural and cultural resources in our area, and understand their stewardship role. The FCPA offers a variety of programs and projects that cover a number of topics, including natural sciences, threats to native habitats, local wildlife and best practices for making environmentally friendly choices wherever they are.

“The Fairfax County Park Foundation is grateful for the generous Community Investment Fund grant from CFNOVA. The grant will help fund the Wonder Wagon Mobile Nature Center that will teach children in Title 1 elementary schools and underserved areas about the environment and the importance of stewardship of nature and parks. By bringing environmental education to them, it will increase the children’s connectedness to nature where they live,” said Bobbi Longworth, Fairfax County Park Foundation executive director.

The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3), supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet our community’s needs for park land, facilities, and services. The Foundation’s support is greatly appreciated in supporting the Park Authority’s Mobile Nature Center initiative. Visit the Park Foundation website or call at 703-324-8582.

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is gearing up for another fantastic season of the Summer Entertainment Series with more than 180 live performances at 18 locations throughout the county! This year’s event schedule features entertaining family-friendly performances and features for residents of all ages. Outdoors, in the long twilight of warm summer nights, the concerts offer a time to relax, share a picnic supper and catch up with friends and neighbors. 

The lineup includes a wide array of performances from classical to bluegrass and everything in between! There will also be children’s performances, music and dance from around the world and a drive-in movie. These free events are made possible thanks to a partnership with local government leaders, the Fairfax County Park Foundation, businesses and a host of volunteers who support the parks and their programs.
 
2023 Summer Entertainment Series include the following event series: 

• Arts in the Parks children’s entertainment series  
• Braddock Nights 
• Evenings on the Ellipse  
• Franconia District Nights  
• Hunter Mill Melodies 
• Mount Vernon Nights 
• Music at Arrowbrook Centre Park 
• Providence Presents
• Spotlight by Starlight 
• Springfield Nights 
• Sully District Starlight Drive-in movies 

For details regarding each series, visit the Summer Entertainment Series website.

Concerts and movies are held outdoors and may be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Please call 703-324-SHOW (7469) before leaving home for inclement weather updates. Cancellations are recorded one hour before showtime. 

This event is sponsored by the Fairfax County Park Foundation. The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3), supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet our community’s needs for park land, facilities, and services. Visit the Park Foundation website for more information or call 703-324-8582.

Make a difference, benefit your health and have some fun during Bike to Work Day on May 19. Bike to Work Day aims to increase awareness of and participation in bicycling as a method of commuting to work. Regularly biking to work can positively affect your health and productivity, contribute to envi-ronmental benefits related to less driving and a reduced carbon footprint, and reduce costs associated with driving and parking a car.

This event is coordinated across the region with pit stops located throughout Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Pit stops will be located off major commuter routes to share information and distribute fun giveaways from 6:30 until 9 a.m. on Friday, May 19. The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is hosting pit stops at three locations:

• Audrey Moore Rec Center (8100 Braddock Road, Annandale)
• Oak Marr Rec Center (3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton)
• South Run Rec Center (7550 Reservation Drive, Springfield)

Learn more and sign up today at the Bike to Work Day website.

Skate the Wake has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Because of the extreme popularity of this event, the Park Authority will be working to reschedule Skate the Wake for a later date. Stay tuned for details!

Do you enjoy skateboarding, inline and roller skating or BMX biking? Maybe you just get a kick out of watching skaters and bikers in action doing amazing tricks. No matter which group you might fit into, you’re not going to want to miss this year’s Skate the Wake at the newly redesigned Wakefield Skate Park!

Join the Park Authority on May 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for a full day of fun and entertainment, featuring celebrity guests, music, food, door prizes, local vendors and more. Meet and get an autograph from Mimi Knoop, five-time X-Games medalist and former coach of the USA Skateboarding team. Music will be provided all day from DJ Derran Eaddy, founder of Solstik Music.

Skate the Wake will also feature a limited-registration Skateboard Trick Clinic and skateboard Best Trick Contest that will be judged by professionals from the Fairfax Surf Shop, as well as celebrity judges Mimi Knoop and Spike Mendelsohn (“Top Chef” competitor and local restaurateur). 

Attendees will have the opportunity to put their artistic skills to the test by trying their hand at graffiti on the Wakefield skate shack. Those interested in skating can learn more about getting started at the beginner skater tent. In addition, the Park Authority will be collecting food donations for Food for Others. You can find out more information about donating at the Food for Others website.

Skate the Wake will be held rain or shine at the Wakefield Skate Park located at 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale, Virginia.

Gather your crew, grab a food donation and Skate the Wake on May 13! It’s not a hobby, it’s an attitude!

Wakefield Skate Park is located at 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale, Virginia. For more information, visit Wakefield Skate Park or call 703-321-7081.

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The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is seeking teenagers looking to develop their leadership and communication skills to become Counselors in Training (C.I.T.). The C.I.T. program is open to teens ages 14 and older and provides real-world experience in planning and leading activities for elementary-aged children participating in FCPA camps and Rec-PAC. Participants often return year after year, eventually accepting paid staff positions when they turn 18.

Serving alongside adult leaders, participating C.I.T.s assist counselors with programming, gain experience working as part of a team, develop new communication and leadership skills, and have fun helping elementary school-age children. Each participant receives a T-shirt and will receive an assignment for a specific Rec Center, park or school site.

To participate, applicants must submit the C.I.T. application and complete an interview. Once selected to the program, there is an application fee and initial online training that must be completed before the start of the summer program. Specific instructions for summer camp and Rec-PAC C.I.T.s are included below:

Summer Camp C.I.T.s: Applicants must submit their application to the camp program directors at the location they are interested in being assigned to. Camp C.I.T. training will be held virtually on Tuesday, June. 6 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Become a Camp C.I.T.

Learn more about FCPA’s camps by visiting the Camps website.

Rec-PAC C.I.T.s: Applicants must note their preferred location and submit applications by Friday, June 9 and attend an in-person training event on June 17. Accepted applicants will be assigned to a site and work daily on weekdays from June 26 through Aug. 3, from 8:15 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Become a Rec-PAC C.I.T.

Learn more about the FCPA Rec-PAC program by visiting the Rec-PAC website.

Don’t wait, submit a C.I.T. application today!

Explore a thriving wetland sanctuary during Wetlands Awareness Day! Join us in celebrating the significance of Huntley Meadows Park and get connected with the treasured homes and habitats of the wildlife throughout the park on Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m.

Huntley Meadows Park is home to a nationally significant historic house, majestic forests, wildflower-speckled meadows and vast wetlands bursting with life. Some of the best wildlife watching in the Washington Metropolitan Area is here.

Enjoy an up-close view of live raptors, reptiles and amphibians and interactive displays and activities. Bring the whole family, and your neighbors too, to stroll the forested paths and immersive boardwalk trails throughout the park. See the plants and animals that live in the park and learn how they play vital roles in the ecosystem. Grab a discovery guide when you check in and visit different activity stations, receiving a stamp at each station to earn a prize.

This free, family-friendly event will be held rain or shine. Come discover the importance and value of our local wetlands.

Register for Wetlands Awareness Day

Huntley Meadows Park is located at 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-768-2525 or visit Huntley Meadows Park.

It’s National Poetry Month and Arab American Heritage Month. Celebrate both at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park with the first in a series of Poetry in the Parks events.

Enjoy poetry from the Fairfax Poet Laureate featuring local Arab American poets Zeina Azzam, Rayan Afif and Danielle Badra. Poetry in the Parks is a partnership between ArtsFairfax and the Fairfax County Park Authority, highlighting the relationship between nature and poetry. Experience the serenity of the Ellanor C. Lawrence wooded amphitheater, while experiencing the natural surroundings.

The event will be held on April 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but please register for the program.

Register for Fairfax Poet Laureate

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park is located at 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, Virginia. For more information, please call 703-631-0013 or visit Ellanor C. Lawrence Park.

The Fairfax County Park Authority and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will officially open new pickleball courts at two locations on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Join in the activities at George Washington Park and Lewinsville Park. The first ceremony, slated for 9 a.m. at George Washington Park in Alexandria, celebrates the addition of new dedicated pickleball courts and dual-use courts at the site. The second ribbon-cutting of the day, set for 4 p.m. at Lewinsville Park in McLean, marks the completion of new dedicated pickleball courts and improvements to tennis and basketball courts, as well.

In the morning, pickleball enthusiasts can join Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck at the grassy area near the courts at 9 a.m. GW Park is located at 8426 Old Mt. Vernon Road in Alexandria. Brief ceremonies will include remarks from Supervisor Storck, Park Authority Board Rep. Linwood Gorham, Park Authority officials and Fairfax County Advocates for Pickleball. Photos will be taken and light refreshments served. The improvement at this site provides six dedicated pickleball courts and two dual-use courts, with both tennis and pickleball lines. All courts received new surfacing, nets and fencing. These court improvements were timely, as the courts at the park required resurfacing and repair. Project costs were $202,306.60.

The second ribbon-cutting will be held at Lewinsville Park near the plaza area at 4 p.m. Lewinsville Park is located at 1659 Chain Bridge Road in McLean. The public will hear from Park Authority Board Member Tim Hackman, Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole and Fairfax County Advocates for Pickleball. Court improvements at Lewinsville Park include conversion of one tennis court into four dedicated pickleball courts, creation of one dual-use court with both tennis and pickleball lines, reconstruction of the surfacing, and fencing for the five remaining tennis courts and two basketball courts. Project costs were $650,000.

The improvements align with recommendations in the recently completed Pickleball Study and are an effort to introduce a greater variety of court sports to accommodate the diverse users across the county. Interest in pickleball locally and countywide is growing quickly, and the introduction of pickleball at these locations will address the need for additional facilities for this emerging sport.

For information contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.