Reston families looking for a post-holiday outing can register for a decade-old community tradition: the Fairy Festival at Walker Nature Center.
The event, now in its 10th year, takes place Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the center's 72-acre wooded campus at 11450 Glade Drive. Attendees will walk a woodland trail lined with miniature fairy houses, hunt for hidden fairies and colorful mushrooms, then settle in for a tea party where a costumed Fairy Queen reads a story aloud.
Admission is $10 for Reston Association members and $15 for non-members. Advance registration is required by Tuesday, July 15, for all adults and children 18 months and older. Families can register through the Reston Association's online portal.
Kids and adults alike are encouraged to show up in fairy costumes. Craft stations will include building a fairy house on-site. For the competitive types, there's also an optional Fairy House Contest: build a house at home, bring it to the center and let fellow attendees vote for their favorites. Separate prizes go to the best house made by a child and the best made by an adult or family.
The festival runs rain or shine. Questions can go to Walker Nature Center staff at 703-476-9689.
More at Walker Nature Center this summer
The Fairy Festival isn't the only reason to visit Glade Drive this month. Reston Association is launching Nature and Nosh, a free two-night series pairing local food trucks with outdoor activities at the center.
"We're excited to open our doors in a new and delicious way," said Mike Reynolds, Reston Association's director of environmental resources and education. "Nature and Nosh invites our community to discover the gem that is Walker Nature Center while enjoying some light bites and conversation with neighbors."
The first Nature and Nosh evening is Wednesday, July 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with a second night on Wednesday, August 12. No registration is required.
Upcoming community calendar
- Saturday, July 18 — Fairy Festival, Walker Nature Center, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ($10/$15, registration required by July 15)
- Wednesday, July 29 — Nature and Nosh, Walker Nature Center, 5:30–7:30 p.m. (free, no registration)
- Wednesday, August 12 — Nature and Nosh, Walker Nature Center, 5:30–7:30 p.m. (free, no registration)
