Friday Download, 1/10: More snow, an old English new year party, the Fairfax Funky Flea, and the Commanders in the playoffs

The weekend forecast and things to do, plus the week’s top Fairfax County headlines

(Ben Roth)

The Friday Download is your guide to the week and weekend in Fairfax and around the area. Subscribe today to get the next one in your inbox and support The Machine’s work.

Happy Friday, all. A little more snow is coming, so I hope everyone’s following the time-honored Northern Virginia tradition of stockpiling food and toilet paper for a rapture-level event.

I’ll have an update about this newsletter to share with you all early next week. Until then, the usual: the week’s top local headlines, the latest weekend forecast and 12 happenings around NoVA — including two different stargazing events, a resolution-busting party in Falls Church and a Van Morrison tribute show.

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Local news I read this week

Criminal justice and public safety 🚓

• Man escapes into storm drain after Beltway hit-and-run, police say (WaPo)

• Two men found drowned in Chantilly pond (FFXnow)

• County police ask for public’s help in solving 25-year-old homicide case (WTOP)

Culture ✌️

• Springfield dad continues elaborate holiday village tradition despite three brushes with death (WUSA9)

Education 📖

• Why were so many D.C.-area schools still closed Thursday? Blame the ice. (WaPo)

Government and politics 🏛️

• Tysons casino referendum bill resurfaces as General Assembly opens (Patch)

• County’s lone Republican supervisor, Pat Herrity, announces run for lieutenant governor (FFXnow)

• Virginia Democrats keep control of Statehouse after Loudoun special election (AP)

Real estate 🏠

• Mansions, new trees spring up in McLean’s Franklin neighborhoods (WaPo)

Weather 🌦️

• See how snow amounts from Monday’s storm varied across Fairfax County (FFXnow)

Weekend weather (from the National Weather Service)

• Friday: A mix of sun and clouds during the day, with an inch of snow projected overnight. Highs in the lower 30s, lows in the mid-20s. ⛅🌨️

• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a slight chance of more snow in the morning. Highs in the mid-30s, lows in the lower 20s. 🌤️

• Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 30s, lows 15 to 20. ☀️

Things to do

🎁 Shop a pair of one-day-only markets centering local vendors:

• SOUQ Social Market, at Dulles Town Center (Friday, 6 to 11 p.m.)

• The latest Fairfax Funky Flea, this time indoors at Commonwealth Brewing (Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.)

🍎 Celebrate an old English new year’s tradition with a wassail party at Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria (Friday, 6:30 to 8 p.m.)

🔭 Stargaze at:

• Observatory Park at Turner Farm, in Great Falls (Friday, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., weather-dependent; free)

• The National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly (Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; free besides the $15 parking fee)

🎷 Travel through Van Morrison’s catalogue with a tribute show (and Irish whiskey) at the State Theatre in Falls Church (Friday, 8 p.m.; tickets $25 day of)

🎖️ Volunteer at Arlington National Cemetery’s annual removal of wreaths (Saturday, starting at 8 a.m.)

🍻 Give up (already) at Settle Down Easy Brewing’s Resolution Buster 2025 bash (Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; $26)

❄️ Bring your little ones to a snowflake-themed tea party at Calvin Run Mill, featuring treats, a “winter craft” and 19th-century games (Saturday, 1 to 2:30 p.m.; $15)

🎤 Catch comedy by DMV native Randolph Terrance and others at Arlington Drafthouse (Saturday, 9:30 p.m.; $15)

🎵 See the Tone Rangers at Jammin’ Java, where the long-running D.C.-based vocal group will perform its latest evening of “harmonies and humor” (Sunday, 7 p.m.; $16 general admission)

🏈 Find a local watch party for the Commanders’ first playoff appearance since 2020. Any of the team’s official Rally Bars — like my favorite, Four Courts in Arlington — should be a good bet. (Sunday, 8 p.m. kickoff)

A few ongoing winter events

• Leesburg’s Harry Potter-themed “Forbidden Forest Experience” runs through Jan. 26.

• Reston Town Center’s ice-skating rink is open through the end of January.

• Cameron Run Regional Park’s Winter Village still has daytime skating on Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 26.

My plans

I’ll be taking care of a few work-related things, including interviews for a feature I’ll publish later this month, before we head into D.C. for our good friends’ annual White Elephant. I plan to be ruthless.

We’re also, nine months after moving into our townhouse, going to start repainting it. Please wish us luck.