A Step Back in Time: Reliving the Original Reston Farm Market featuring a Performance by Tomas Eaglebear

Join the Reston Museum for a special program on November 22 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., highlighting the history and cultural partnerships that took place at the original Reston Farm Market (1976–1997). Located at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, the event features a performance by Native American, Tomas Eaglebear, whose appearances at the Reston Farm Market became a meaningful and cultural engagement for Reston residents and visitors. The event includes an exhibit at the museum curated by the original owner and founder, Hall Kern. Mr. Kern will be available at the museum to discuss the market’s early years and its role as a gathering place for seasonal traditions, community building, and cultural exchange.

A centerpiece of this history is the long-running collaboration between Hall Kern and Tomas Eaglebear, who first joined the market during the “Fort Pumpkin” autumn celebrations beginning in the 1980s. Tomas’ participation brought forward a broad scope of educational experiences rooted in the heritage of many First Nations. This partnership emerged at a pivotal moment in American history. Until the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, many Native American cultural demonstrations and dances were restricted by law. Following the repeal, Native communities sought new opportunities to share and celebrate their traditions publicly. Reston became part of that movement when Hall Kern invited Tomas and members of Eaglebear’s organization, the Southwest Dancers, to the Farm Market. “This story reflects Reston’s founding values of inclusion, community learning, and shared celebration,” said Lisa Watts, Executive Director of the Reston Museum. “We hope this program will begin a renewed tradition, reflecting both the legacy of the market and the spirit of cultural respect and exchange that has been central to Reston since its earliest years.”

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Reston Museum at info@restonmuseum.org or visit www.restonmuseum.org/. To learn more about Tomas Eaglebear and the Southwest Dancers, please visit southwestdancers.com/

Click here to learn more about Kern's scrapbook that memorializes Reston Farm Market.