Lucky you. You just found NOVAtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Northern Virginia each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Festivals
ALX Dog Walk | Saturday, April 5 | 7-11 a.m. | Oronoco Bay Park, Alexandria | $35 | Bring your furry friend on this two-mile walk with goodie bags, an eco-friendly festival, and surprises along the way from the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and Alexandria Singers.
Bluebells at the Bend Festival | Saturday, April 5 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Riverbend Park, Great Falls | $10+ | Walk through the garden full of Virginia-native bluebells — plus, enjoy crafts for kids, live animals, and local exhibitors.
Del Ray Dog Fest | Sunday, April 6 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | George Washington Middle School parking lot, Alexandria | $10+ | Bring your furry friend to this annual outdoor event featuring dog-friendly activities, dog menu items, live music, and vendors — stick around for “yappy hours” from 3 to 6 p.m.
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade | Saturday, April 12 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC | $25+ | Celebrate the bloom of cherry blossoms with the annual parade featuring colorful helium balloons, floats, marching bands from across the country, and celebrity entertainers.
Arlington Festival of the Arts | Saturday, April 26 + Sunday, April 27 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | N. Highland Street and Washington Boulevard, Arlington | Free | The festival is in its 11th year, featuring pottery, jewelry, photography, mixed-media, paintings, and more.
Tyler, the Creator performing with Earl Sweatshirt in 2013.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Live entertainment
Tyler, The Creator | Tuesday, April 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC | $230+ | The “See You Again” rapper takes the stage with Lil Yachty + Paris Texas.
Pink in the Park: Pink Beats | Thursday, April 3 | 5 p.m. | Water Park, Arlington | Free | Listen to live music by locals, dine on spring-inspired food and drinks from Water Park kiosks, and enjoy cherry blossom-themed decor, lawn games, and giveaways.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals | Monday, April 7 | 6:45 p.m. | Nationals Park, Washington, DC | $29+ | See Shohei Ohtani bat and pitch against the Nats.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Washington Capitals | Sunday, April 13 | 6 p.m. | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC | $64+ | Cheer on the Caps in their last regular season home game.
Theater
“The Tempest” | Thursday, April 3-Sunday, April 6 | Times vary | Harris Theatre at George Mason University, Fairfax | $15+ | Experience the Shakespearean tragedy that begins with a ship that’s at sea during a storm.
BalletNova Presents “Don Quixote” | Saturday, April 12 + Sunday, April 13 | Times vary | Capital One Hall, Tysons | $35 | Watch this ballet production based on the classic novel by Miguel de Cervantes.
Washington Ballet Presents “Alice (in Wonderland)” | Thursday, April 24-Sunday, April 27 | Times vary | Capital One Hall, Tysons | $25+ | Follow Alice through the rabbit hole in this ballet production with vibrant costumes, puppetry, and choreography.
Our colleagues in Raleigh, NC got a peek at Art of the Brick when the exhibition stopped by North Carolina.
Photo via RALtoday
For the fam
“The Greatest Show On Earth” | Tuesday, April 1-Sunday, April 6 | Times vary | EagleBank Arena, Fairfax | $18+ | The circus is coming to NOVA — watch world-class entertainers perform death-defying stunts for two weeks.
The Art of the Brick | Tuesday, April 1-Wednesday, April 30 | Times vary | Rhode Island Center, Washington, DC | $16+ | This awe-inspiring LEGO exhibit isn’t just for kids – everyone’s invited to visit a stunning collection of artworks built brick by brick.
Bluebell Weekend | Friday, April 4-Sunday, April 6 | Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville | $38-$180 | Spend the weekend camping at Bull Run Park + take part in activities like wildflower identification and a movie night.
Movies Under the Moon | Friday, April 11 | 8 p.m. | Van Dyck Park, Fairfax | Free | Bring a blanket, chairs, and your favorite movie snacks for a family-friendly flick — the fun starts with “Finding Dory.”
Seasonal events
Spring Egg Hunt | Saturday, April 12 | 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. | Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Arlington | $8 | Through April 20, pick up an egg hunt sheet at the nature center, search for eggs, and return with a completed sheet for a prize.
Egg-Streme Night Egg Hunt | Thursday, April 17 | 8 p.m. | Historic Blenheim, Fairfax | $5 | Ages 10-14 can join this egg hunt that’s a bit more challenging than usual — get there early for crafts and games.
Easter Buffet | Sunday, April 20 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, Mount Vernon | $25+ | Make reservations for a special Easter buffet including spiral-cut honey-glazed ham, roasted leg of lamb, and Martha’s hoecakes.
Fairfax HisTree Day | Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Historic Blenheim, Fairfax | Free | The city combines Earth Day and living history in this celebration with interactive activities, crafts, presentations, and tours.
Taste of Vienna | Saturday, April 26 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m. | Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Vienna | Free | Explore some of the best bites in Vienna, sip on beverages from the beer and wine tent, and listen to live music.
Earth Day Every Day | Sunday, April 27 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Lee Heights Shops, Arlington | Free | Celebrate Earth Day locally with live music, kids activities, the Arlington Art Truck, community exhibits, food and drink vendors, and a local art market.
Learn
Women in Business Networking | Wednesday, April 2 | 5-6:30 p.m. | M&T Bank, Arlington | $25+ | Expand your network + grow your business opportunities with this group of women professionals.
Writing Workshop with Fairfax County Poet Laureate | Saturday, April 19 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Fairfax | Free | Celebrate National Poetry Month with Angelique Palmer to hone your poetic craft.
Historic Garden Week Old Town Alexandria Tour | Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Alexandria Visitors Center, Alexandria | $55+ | This annual tour is your chance to explore private townhomes and secluded gardens along the streets of Old Town Alexandria.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.
