Winter Lantern Festival | Thursday, Jan. 1-Sunday, Jan. 18 | 5-10 p.m. | Lerner Town Square, Tysons | $19+ | Take a glowing stroll through this picture-perfect illuminated walk designed for capturing Instagram-worthy moments.
Ice & Lights: The Winter Village | Thursday, Jan. 1-Saturday, Jan. 31 | 12-4 p.m. | Cameron Run Regional Park, Alexandria | $15 | Head outside to skate around the ice rink, admire the sparkling light display, or warm up with a hot drink.
Mulled Wine Festival | Saturday, Jan. 17-Sunday, Jan. 18 | 12-5 p.m. | Eden Try Winery, Fredericksburg | Free entry | Sample a variety of drinks from this winery — we suggest a mulled wine flight if you’d like to explore several flavors. MLK Tribute | Sunday, Jan. 18 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Wakefield High School, Arlington | Free | Join community members for inspiring performances and meaningful reflections on the life and lasting impact of Martin Luther King Jr.
Oak & Ember is preparing to open in Aldie. The soft opening will take place on Friday, Jan. 2, while the official grand opening will be on Wednesday, Jan. 7. This upscale tasting room and market is taking over The Black Market restaurant’s previous space. (The Burn)
Coming Soon
Yet another Wonder Food Hall is opening in NOVA, this time at the Potomac Yard Center. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Friday, Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. Throughout the first week of service, $1 from every meal will go to the Capital Area Food Bank. (ALXnow)
Closing
Hot Lola’s, a fried chicken spot in Rosslyn, is closing. Don’t worry, though, the location in Ballston Quarter is still open for customers to enjoy. Stay tuned to see what takes over this space. (ARLnow)
Pets
Do you and your furry friend frequent Westgrove Park? The Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved grant funding to support plans for park upgrades, including new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant surfacing and accessible picnic tables. (FFXnow)
Civic
Attention Alexandria residents — there will be no trash collection on New Year’s Day. See the modified schedule here. (ALXnow)
State
What new Virginia laws will take effect in 2026? To name a few, the minimum wage will increase by 36 cents, children under the age of 16 will have a daily social media limit, and standard breast cancer testing won’t include co-pays, fees, or deductible costs. See what else is changing. (WRIC)
The Word
Betwixtmas (or Twixmas). That’s the word for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve — aka a time period that many describe as feeling “meaningless.” If you’re struggling to fill your Betwixtmas, we recommend exploring our events calendar. (KVUE)
Featured Deal
Psst — today only, choose between a free Nighttime Nourisher or High Dose Hero with any purchase of Canary’s science-backed supplements. Think: waking up rested with energy, easing joint pain the natural way, or optimizing urinary tract health.*
In case you missed it, the new Maman location is officially open in Old Town Alexandria. This New York-based coffee chain has locations throughout NOVA and DC, including one in Fairfax’s Mosaic District. I’m planning to try the vanilla honeybutter latte with sweet corn foam + cornbread crumbs.
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If you had apple cider over the holidays, you sipped through the season the Virginia way. This classic, cozy drink was dubbed the state’s most popular festive drink by Mental Floss, but we’d argue that a hard cider is a solid choice all winter long at these NOVA happy hours.
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