Search Results

By Kaydence Smith, Staff Writer Photo contributed by Kaydence Smith Despite rainy weather and chilly temperatures, hundreds of people gathered at Reston Town Center on Oct.12 to show their support for Alzheimer’s research. People participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s for a variety of reasons, whether that be to honor a family member who lost the battle with Alzheimer’s disease, because they are supporting or caring for someone with the disease, to simply show support for the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s, or because they are living with the disease themselves. One of the most significant and heart-warming moments of the event was the Promise Garden Flower Ceremony. Participants received flowers in different colors, each representing their connection to the disease: blue for those living with Alzheimer’s, purple for those who have lost someone, yellow for caregivers, and orange for supporters. A white flower was also presented to symbolize hope for a future without Alzheimer’s. The ceremony served as a moment of reflection and unity before the walk officially began. Photo contributed by Kaydence Smith The Reston walk was one of many taking place across the country this fall. Funds raised support the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission to eliminate the disease through research and provide support services to those affected. Because of those who walk, millions of dollars have been raised in support of a future without Alzheimer’s Disease.

On Sunday, Oct. 26, BXP's Reston Town Center will celebrate the spooky season with Trick or Treat on Market Street. Families are invited to bring their little ghouls and goblins for an afternoon filled with treats, prizes, and special offers from over 35 participating retailers and restaurants. Guests will enjoy free giveaways and a complimentary trick-or-treat bag (while supplies last), as well as a full lineup of family-friendly entertainment throughout the Center, including face painting, festive character appearances, stilt walkers, carved public sculptures, games and live music. For more information, visit the event listing on the website. WHEN: Sunday, October 26 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM WHERE: Reston Town Center, Fountain Square and Participating Retailers 11900 Market Street Reston, VA 20190 WHO: This event is free and open to the public.

Contributed by Reston Environment Advisory Committee Photo contributed by Doug Britt October, at last! That refreshing chill in the air, the ubiquitous aroma of pumpkin spice, foliage in glorious shades of red, orange, and gold … but what to do about all those fallen leaves? Yard waste isn’t a problem exclusive to autumn. Gusty spring winds down limbs that litter yards. Summer brings bags of grass clippings and weeds. And announcing winter’s arrival: avalanches of discarded Christmas trees. What’s the most ecologically sound way to dispose of natural waste? While decomposition of natural debris is a critical process that sustains healthy ecosystems, excess debris can upset an ecosystem’s fragile equilibrium. In natural areas, excess yard debris can overwhelm native decomposers, create imbalances in soil chemistry, suffocate seedlings, and even damage mature trees. In streams, excess yard debris can deplete oxygen levels and trigger flooding. For these reasons, a variety of Fairfax County and Virginia ordinances prohibit the dumping of yard waste in natural areas, storm sewers, or drains. Fortunately, options exist for disposing of waste in ways that won’t harm Reston’s natural areas – or risk violating legal mandates. Drop off your woody debris at one of RA’s monthly brush chipping locations. See the RA Activities Guide at www.reston.org/ for dates and locations. Drop off your yard debris at the I-66 Fairfax County Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax). Schedule a curbside pickup of yard debris with your private trash hauling service. (Some companies designate specific days for Christmas tree disposal.) But can’t yard waste be a force for good? Don’t those branches, leaves, grass clippings, and weeds contain nutrients that can be transformed into rich topsoil? Indeed they do! Rather than dispose of your yard waste, consider transforming it into a valuable environmental resource. Grasscycling/leafcycling. Use a mulching mower to chop grass or leaves into small pieces, then leave those clippings on your lawn where they will help retain moisture, return nutrients to the soil, and reduce methane emissions from landfills. Additionally, all those insects that rely on the protection of leaf litter to survive the cold winter months will thank you! Composting. Collect yard waste in composting bins - the forces of nature will gradually transform the debris into nutrient-rich topsoil. For information on composting best practices, visit www.mastercomposter.com/ To reference RA’s composting guidelines, visit www.reston.org/ Together we can protect Reston’s natural areas, promote sustainability … and still enjoy guilt-free autumn afternoons of leaf-pile jumping!

Contributed by BXP Dogfish Head Alehouse, a craft brewery and restaurant, has signed a 7,550 square foot lease at Reston Town Center (RTC). Dogfish will join a diverse lineup of dining and retail experiences at RTC. The new location is anticipated to open in Summer 2026. “Reston Town Center offers exactly what we were looking for in a new location – a dynamic, walkable community with a mix of residential, office, and retail that will support the growth of our business,” said Viswa Vasireddy, owner of Dogfish Head Alehouse. “We are excited to bring our distinctive craft beers and signature menu to Reston and are grateful to BXP for their partnership.” Dogfish Head Alehouse is renowned for its innovative craft beers paired with a welcoming, casual dining experience. The new location will showcase the brand’s celebrated lineup of beers alongside wood-grilled favorites, burgers, salads, and pizzas, creating a family-friendly destination for residents and visitors to gather. “We are thrilled to welcome Dogfish Head Alehouse to Reston Town Center,” said Stephanie Friedman, BXP’s Vice President of Leasing. “This is a prime example of the incredible relationships we’ve cultivated with retailers and restaurants on a national, regional and local scale. Dogfish is exactly what we envisioned for the space and reinforces our commitment to curating memorable experiences for our residents, office clients, and visitors.” The announcement of Dogfish Head Alehouse amplifies the recent leasing momentum at Reston Town Center. In the past year, RTC has welcomed Corsica, Shake Shack, Kusshi Sushi, and Haus of Urbi, totaling more than 13,000 square feet of new offerings. Additional openings in the near term include snack shop Abricott, modern American restaurant Clarity, Italian restaurant Grazie Nonna, and Vegan cookie shop MidnighTreats, as well as Paris Baguette, Toastique, Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House, Ovissi Gallery, Livewell Animal Hospital and Warby Parker. All of these retail and restaurant concepts will open over the next year. Owned and managed by BXP, Reston Town Center is home to over 5 million square feet of premier workplaces, 50 retailers, over 30 restaurants, outdoor recreation spaces, and seasonal events programming.

Dear Readers, Autumn is here! It’s a hot one so far, but the leaves are falling around us, and the bright red and yellow mums and pumpkins have popped up on porches around town. I’ve narrowly escaped falling acorns several times the past few days, and it’s getting dark earlier and earlier. It’s a good time to curl up with a newspaper. Last spring, I visited a man in Newberg, Oregon, who started a newspaper in his small town in wine country right around the same time I started The Letter. My brother, a professor in Newberg, introduced us. Of course we holed up in that hipster Oregon coffeeshop and talked for hours about all we’ve discovered along our journeys. He gave me the idea for the community coloring book fundraiser that we launched; it will print next month. He calls his newspaper “community-supported,”which is the perfect term to give to our paper as well. All of my writers, editors, and photographers are volunteers. I’m a full-time high school teacher, and I’ve been able to hire several young professionals to help with creative design and marketing on a part time basis. Residents and schools and businesses send their news to me to print. People reach out to write about things they care about. This October marks three years since I filed for my LLC. It has been a good and important three years, but also difficult. Each month, printing and shipping alone costs over $8,000 itself, and on top of that, there are other monthly expenses and my independent contractors to pay. Thus far, we’ve been able to survive, but it’s only because of the generosity of community members who believe in our mission and either advertise or contribute with their talents (and those amazing ones who do both!). Scan to Donate! If you enjoy having local news in your mailbox and at your fingertips, please consider donating to keep local journalism alive in Reston and free to all residents. My least favorite part about this job I created for myself is asking people for money, but it’s a necessary part. As we head into a season of gratitude and giving, please consider a one-time donation or setting up a monthly auto-pay, as some readers have done. Enjoy all we have included in our October issue, and spread the word about our important mission! Dawn Crosson Owner/Editor

Registrations are Open for Artists and Families & Kids Photo contributed by Public Art Reston Grab your chalk and unleash your creativity! Public Art Reston's beloved ChalkFest is coming back this Fall to the Reston Town Center. On Sunday, Oct. 19, Market Street will come alive as professional and amateur artists, as well as families and kids transform the pavement into a vibrant outdoor art gallery. This free, family-friendly event promises a day full of colorful chalk art, live music by Bach to Rock Herndon, and face painting—a joyful celebration of art, imagination, and community spirit. For those interested in showcasing their talents and competing for prizes, registration is required and it's highly recommended to secure your spot in advance as the event has sold out in previous years. Registration Categories: Professional Artists: By invitation only Amateur Artists – $30 Families & Kids – $20 Registered participants will receive a designated square and a full chalk art kit. Chalking begins at 10:00 a.m., judging starts at 4:00 p.m., and winners will be announced at 5:00 p.m. Prizes will be awarded in each category, along with Audience Choice Awards. Photo contributed by Public Art Reston Local businesses and community groups are also encouraged to participate—ChalkFest 2025 is a perfect opportunity for team-building and community engagement. This year, Public Art Reston is proud to offer a limited number of complimentary squares for families and children who may need financial assistance, ensuring that everyone has a chance to join the fun. In case of inclement weather, chalk kits will be available for pick-up, and participants will be encouraged to share their masterpieces on Public Art Reston's Instagram and Facebook pages. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses and organizations looking to connect with a diverse, enthusiastic audience. With over 4,000 visitors at past events, Public Art Reston ChalkFest is a fantastic way to show support for the local arts community. Sponsorship inquiries: admin@publicartreston.org Event info & registration: https://publicartreston.org/chalkfest-2025/ ChalkFest at Reston Town Center 2025 is made possible thanks to the generous support of: Reston Community Center, County of Fairfax, Virginia, Reston Town Center Association, Boston Properties, Virginia Commission for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, and Bach to Rock. About Public Art Reston Founded in 2007 by civic and community leaders, Public Art Reston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing public spaces through accessible, engaging art experiences. Guided by a Public Art Master Plan since 2008, the organization documents existing artworks, commissions new public art, and collaborates with community partners to bring creativity into everyday life. Learn more at: https://publicartreston.org/

The Reston Letter is excited to announce the upcoming publication of our very own Reston coloring book! One of our staff writers, who is a Restonian and a talented artist, has been hard at work creating a coloring book especially for our youngest Reston artists and their adults. This book will be available for purchase around town in time for the holidays and online as a downloadable file. All proceeds from sales will go to keeping local journalism alive in Reston. We will feature classic Reston landmarks and businesses in the coloring book, with QR codes to websites for these cornerstones of Reston. Please reach out if you are interested in being a sponsor of the book, and fill out our interest form to be updated with prices, locations to purchase, and important dates.

By Louise Seirmarco-Yale, Reston Artist Oh good! Halloween is almost here! The holiday invites us to turn even the most ordinary home into a stage set. Front yards become haunted forests, porches glow like pumpkin-lit galleries, and the whole scene feels enchanting. It’s the first holiday of the season that transforms life into art, setting the tone for the decorative magic that will carry us through November and December. Unlike professional art, Halloween thrives on lopsided jack-o’-lanterns, silly costumes, and over-the-top cobwebs. Adults rediscover how much fun art can be–expressive rather than polished, just like when we finger-painted as children. Preparing for Halloween, we give ourselves freedom from perfection. Fog machines, flickering candles, and eerie soundtracks let us experience our environment as fantastical. This mirrors the way children see wonder everywhere. Shadows become shapes, and sounds spark stories. Halloween restores our sense of magic through artful staging. Adults can reclaim the childhood magic of “let’s pretend” when they stage their homes as haunted mansions, enchanted forests, or playful spook-fests. Decorations like gravestones, skeletons, or cobwebs tell tiny stories. It is so out of the ordinary that it’s just plain fun. Art is like that. From stringing orange lights to staging spooky yard displays, we can all turn the everyday into the extraordinary. For adults, this mirrors childhood fort-building or decorating a treehouse. It is the delight of pure visual play with no utilitarian purpose. That is like art, too, and it’s good for us. One of the greatest rewards of the holiday is that Halloween does not hand out just candy; it hands back childlike wonder. It taps into something primal–the urge to create, to dress up, to see the world transformed into theater. It also offers the reward of working with our hands to carve a pumpkin, craft a mask, or cobble together a homemade costume. It reawakens the simple tactile love of making art—cutting, gluing, painting, shaping—actions we often abandon after childhood. Children love to pretend to be superheroes, monsters, or royalty. Halloween lets adults reclaim that playful invention by allowing us to try on identities that stir creativity and imagination in ways daily life rarely allows. Dressing up for the fun of it just feels good. Family pumpkin-carving nights or group costume-planning sessions echo the childhood thrill of making art together. We remember how communal creativity bonds people rather than isolating them in private endeavors. In essence, Halloween is our annual reminder that the inner child never disappears. It only waits for moments when art, play, and imagination are given free rein. So this month, give yourself permission to play. Join the Halloween fun, and let the art spirit inside you come back to life. Louise Seirmarco-Yale is a Reston Speaker, Teacher and the Author of “Art. You Be The Judge. Reawaken your Instincts and Enjoy Art On Your Own Terms”, available on Amazon. Download for free at www.peopleneedart.com . Email her at: hello@peopleneedart.com FB and Instagram @louise_seirmarco_art

by Grace Gibbens, South Lakes Theatre Arts PR Team South Lakes High School Theatre Arts will bring a powerful and emotional story to the stage with “A Monster Calls,” with performances on Nov. 14, 16, 21 and 22. This is the first production of the play in Northern Virginia. The play follows Conor, a 13-year-old boy whose mom is battling cancer. As he struggles with bullying, loneliness, and grief, the yew tree near his house turns into a monster that visits him and tells him stories. In exchange, Conor must tell the story of his worst fear. Along this journey, Conor learns to face his grief and begin to heal. This play, about love, loss, and moving forward, uses devised theater techniques to collaboratively create the show. Its core ensemble plays a major part in the storytelling, transforming into different characters as extensions of the tree. The production features creative choreography by Sitina Tochterman, Jahlil Greene, and Hudson Koonce. Special effects and projections highlight the minimal but powerful set design.

Susan Williams, 78, of Reston passed away on Sept. 9 at Cobbdale Assisted Living in Fairfax, VA after a battle with dementia. Born in Pittsfield, Mass., on Nov. 18, 1946, she moved to Northfield, N.J. in 1948 and lived there until after she graduated from Immaculata University in 1968. She completed an internship with the Public Health Service in Staten Island, N.Y., in 1969 and soon thereafter moved to Houston, Texas where she lived and worked until 1987 when she moved to Reston to be nearer to family. Susan worked as a dietician throughout her career in Texas and then in Virginia until she retired in 2016. She loved living in Reston and resided there for 39 years. Susan enjoyed traveling with friends in the United States and Europe, enjoying several river cruises and exploring new locations whenever visiting them. Susan was predeceased by her parents: John E. Williams and Anne B. Williams. She is survived by her sisters Jane Williams of Reston, and Joanne Williams of Herndon, her nephew Brian Loux (Amber Jaycocks) and her nieces, Emily Jarding (Andrew) and Megan Loux. Burial will take place in New Jersey at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Goodwin Hospice (c/o Goodwin Living Foundation, 4800 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311) or online at www.goodwinliving.org/giving/donation-form-hospice/

By UUC Music Director Cynthia Young Photo provided by Cynthia Young The women’s vocal ensemble bēheld presented a program of songs centered on justice, freedom, truth, and hope on Sept. 27 at the Unitarian Universalist Church [UCCR] in Reston. The event drew strong support, raising more than $3,200 from attendees. The church will make a contribution to Cornerstones, the Reston-based nonprofit that provides support, advocacy, and community-building for individuals and families. UUCR has partnered with Cornerstones for decades as part of its ongoing commitment to community service.

By Joe Steiner, Naturalist Signal Knob is a 10-mile loop trail less traveled and a little closer than Shenandoah's Skyline Drive hikes. Photo by Joe Steiner To see some fall classic autumn colors in the mountains, and avoid the traffic on Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive, try Signal Knob on Massanutten Mountain in George Washington National Forest. Just over an hour's drive from Reston, the Signal Knob trailhead (38.935-78.320) is your entry to this 10-mile loop on the Massanutten, Meneka Peak, and Tuscarora Trails. The climb is 1,500 feet, and the trail can be rocky, so lace your shoes securely and bring your poles. There are plenty of campsites if you want to do an overnight trip (no permits or reservations required!), and I've marked some nice ones on the map. Going counterclockwise up the Massanutten Trail (orange blazes) gets the rockiest parts done first. Enjoy the view from Signal Knob, and retrace your steps for about a mile back to the Meneka Peak trail. If you have the time and ambition, take the Meneka Peak trail (white blazes) to the Tuscarora (blue blazes), then watch for signs to Signal Knob parking on the Massanutten trail. Otherwise, head back to your car on the Massanutten Trail. A map is available in the store, and a guidebook is available from the PATC.