Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by walking the grounds of historic sites, exploring nature parks and trails and stepping into the stories that shaped our nation. Take part in living history events, join hands-on programs, hike with guides and engage in community celebrations that honor the past, highlight the present and shape the future.
Celebrate America's 250th with a spectacular drone light show at Lake Fairfax Park. Enjoy live music, food trucks and family-friendly fun throughout the day, followed by a synchronized aerial display lighting up the night sky.
Saturday, June 27 | Noon-10 p.m.
$20 per vehicle online | $25 at the gate
This special celebration is brought to you by the Fairfax County 250th Commission.
Celebrate Fairfax County's role in America's 250th anniversary with a free, self-guided adventure through parks, historic sites, nature centers and recreation facilities. Download the Discovery Map, visit participating locations, answer site questions and explore the people, places and stories that helped shape Fairfax County.
| Activity Name | Place | Date | Schedule | Price | Sign Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill in Motion | Colvin Run Mill | June 7 | Noon-2 p.m. | $14 | Sign Up |
| Harvest 250 - America’s Gardens | Frying Pan Farm Park | June 13 | 9-10 a.m. | $10 | Sign Up |
| The Civil War at Sully | Sully Historic Site | June 27 | 1-2 p.m. | $10 | Sign Up |
| Mill in Motion | Colvin Run Mill | July 5 | Noon-2 p.m. | $14 | Sign Up |
| Farm to Future - 250 Years of American Agriculture | Frying Pan Farm Park | July 8 | 6-7 p.m. | $10 | Sign Up |
| The Declaration of Independence in 1776 and Today | Sully Historic Site | July 11 | 10-11:30 a.m. | $12 | Sign Up |
| Mill in Motion | Colvin Run Mill | July 19 | Noon-2 p.m. | $14 | Sign Up |
| Excavation Investigation Camp (Ages 7-11) | Green Spring Gardens Park | July 20 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | $355 | Sign Up |
| Lecture - Tall Tales in History | Green Spring Gardens Park | July 26 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | $18 | Sign Up |
| The Civil War at Sully | Sully Historic Site | July 26 | 1-2 p.m. | $10 | Sign Up |
| Mill in Motion | Colvin Run Mill | August 2 | Noon-2 p.m. | $14 | Sign Up |
| Lecture - Reviving America's Past | Green Spring Gardens Park | August 9 | 1:30-3 p.m. | $20 | Sign Up |
| Mill in Motion | Colvin Run Mill | August016 | Noon-2 p.m. | $14 | Sign Up |
Join guided tours that honor our shared past. With docents, interpreters and living history programs, Fairfax County’s historic sites invite you to see, learn and connect with America’s story.
Step inside a working 19th-century gristmill and see flour and cornmeal being ground the same way it was in 1811. Explore the grinding floor, the gear pit and learn how innovation and community shaped life at Colvin Run.
Visit the 1784 house at Green Spring Gardens and uncover stories of its early owners and the enslaved people who lived there. Learn how this home evolved into today’s horticultural and historic destination.
Climb to a hilltop villa with sweeping views of Hybla Valley. Explore the 1825 Federal-style home, farm outbuildings and stories of the Huntley community that reflect America’s quest for freedom.
Travel through time at Sully, where history stretches from the 1700s to the 1950s. Walk through the 1794 house, the kitchen, laundry and dwellings that reveal the lives of enslaved people and families who lived and worked here.
