Enjoy Some Holiday Cheer at Santa Lights Manassas and the Christmas Parade on Dec. 1-2

In honor of the holiday season, your city invites in the holiday spirit at Santa Lights Manassas and the Christmas Parade. The family-friendly holiday events take place over the course of two days, December 1st and the 2nd. It begins on Friday night with the lighting of the tree and continues into Saturday morning when the Christmas parade comes to town.

Come to the Manassas Train Station to greet Santa and Mrs. Claus as they arrive on the train at 5:15 p.m. on December 1st. Then follow them over to the museum lawn, where they'll light the tree, and then Santa will settle in for an evening of fielding holiday requests from Manassas kids. Take a spin around the ice-skating rink or enjoy the kid-friendly games and the holiday photo booth at the Harris Pavilion. The following morning, come to downtown Manassas for the Christmas parade. Santa will make another guest appearance, along with many locally crafted holiday floats, starting at 10 a.m.

Public Domain/Pixabay/QueenCarolyn

Craft Your Own Thanksgiving Centerpiece at the Center for the Arts on Nov. 19th

Chances are you already have your Thanksgiving menu all figured out, from the mashed potatoes to the pumpkin pie. But you may have forgotten about one integral component of every Thanksgiving table: the centerpiece. Don't panic; you still have time to right this wrong. Come to the Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop at the Center for the Arts on Sunday, November 19th.

From 2 to 4 p.m., Doug Burroughs of The Flower Gallery will use his skills as a florist to help you create an autumnal centerpiece as beautiful as your Thanksgiving feast. The centerpiece will be stunning, but it won't overpower your spread of Thanksgiving dishes. It will mix curving willow branches with a fall-inspired trim and other seasonal extras. You don't need any previous experience to attend the class; just pay the $55 class fee and come ready to learn.

Ice Skating at Harris Pavilion Is Back!

Looking for a fun place to usher in the holiday season? Head to Harris Pavilion, link arms with some friends, and glide around Manassas's ice rink! Open seasonally, this outdoor ice rink features a "quality sound system, premium lighting, and satellite music."

Hours depend on the day, with the longest days being Friday through Sunday. Admission runs $8 per adult and $7 per child 10 and under, with skate rentals available for an extra $5. If you think you’ll become frequent skaters, consider a season pass or a 10-visit pass to save a couple dollars.

If you’re looking to take it up a notch and learn the basics of the sport, try the 4-week long Learn to Skate session. The class is only $70, so it's definitely worth it, or you could even gift it during the holidays.

Public Domain/Pixabay/marikav

Design Your Own Cajun Meal at Shakin Crab

Shakin Crab only opened in Manassas three months ago, but it has already amassed more than 50 online reviews for its contemporary take on classic Cajun food. Shakin Crab invites its customers to take part in the creative culinary process, allowing them to select their seafood and seasoning. Choose from a list of seafood that includes crawfish, King Crab legs, and shrimp (or combinations of two). Then pick original Cajun, lemon pepper, or garlic butter seasoning—or go for all three. Finally, choose your level of heat, from non-spicy to downright fiery.

If you prefer your seafood fried, Shakin Crab still has plenty of options for you. Its fried baskets come loaded with crispy oysters, catfish tenders, or even soft shell crab. You can also nibble on some Cajun or buffalo wings with sweet potato fries, hush puppies, or onion rings on the side.

Support Local Animals and Enjoy Family Fun at the Autumn Festival on Oct. 29

Nonprofit organization Caring Hands Animal Support and Education is all about rescuing animals in the Manassas area, but it needs your help to do it. Come out and show your support at the Autumn Festival on Sunday, October 29th at Jennie Dean Park. From 12 to 2 p.m., the park will play host to activities for the entire family—including any four-legged members.

The focal point of the fest is a 1K Howl o' Ween Walk on the trail at Jennie Dean Park at 1 p.m. Register for the walk ($25 for adults and free for kids), and bring along your pup to celebrate Howl o' Ween a bit early. All of the funds raised will go to local organizations that are rescuing, housing, and placing animals in the area. While you're at the park, check out the other family-friendly attractions, such as the inflatables, the games for kids, and the local food and drink vendors.

Public Domain/Pixabay/skeeze

Lil’ Bowl Transports Diners to Thailand in Every Bite

It would be easy to miss Lil' Bowl. The eatery consists of a counter tucked away in Fresh World, a global grocery store in Fairfax. But the eaters who've been fortunate enough to stumble upon it seem to agree that Lil' Bowl offers authentic Thai and Japanese food, and it's definitely worth a visit.

Lil' Bowl only opened two months ago, but the positive reviews are already rolling in for its small plates, noodle dishes, and sushi rolls. You can't go wrong with the pad Thai, a classic dish of rice noodles, bean sprouts and bean curd, scallions, and crushed peanuts in tamarind sauce. Choose chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, seafood, or veggies to headline your Pad Thai. You can also opt for one of the signature sushi rolls, like the Bangkok roll. It showcases cucumber, asparagus, crab stick, and spicy masago inside with a mix of seafood and a dash of herbs and spices on top. Round out your meal with the Thai iced tea or mango-mint lemonade.

Public Domain/Pixabay/Simon

BadWolf Brewing Company’s Fall Festival Brings Local Beer, Food and Music to Manassas on Oct. 7

BadWolf Brewing Company is part of a local community of beer brewers, so when it hosts the BadWolf Brewing Company's Fall Festival on Saturday, October 7th, expect to see more than BadWolf beers on tap. Ornery Beer Company, Tin Cannon Brewing, Heroic Ale Works, and Growling Bear are just a few of the other local breweries who will pour pints for guests.

That being said, BadWolf's brewers do have a few things up their sleeves for Fall Fest. Their BadWolf Pumpkin Saison is set to make its annual debut at the festival, as is a specialty cask beer. The brewery will also debut new brews, including a smoked IPA, a coffee stout, and Dunkelweizen. Bacon's BBQ, Stay Cheesy, and The Frenchman will provide the food. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, which entitles you to six pours and a souvenir glass. Kids are welcome, too, as there will be coloring books, chalk, and live music. The fun begins at 2 p.m.

Test Out Your Improv Chops During Unscripted DC on Oct. 7

If you're looking for some fun improv that doesn't require you to venture outside of Manassas, come to Unscripted DC at Jirani Coffeehouse. The cafe is tucked away in Old Town Manassas, and it hosts an improv night once a month. The next Unscripted is coming up on Saturday, October 7th at 8:30 p.m., and if you buy tickets now, they're only $5 apiece.

Real Life Productions hosts the evening of improv, inviting some seasoned actors to take the stage and play a series of short-form games. The twist? Other improvisers will be selected from the audience—including total novices and maybe even you. If you don't want to actually get up on stage, you can chip in by offering a setting or a scenario when the improvisers ask for help from the audience.

Bring Your Family to See “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” This October

This Halloween season, the Manassas Ballet Theatre and the Manassas Ballet Theatre Orchestra team up to bring audiences a freshly choreographed rendition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It maintains all of the spook and intrigue of the original, but also showcases the graceful movements of professional ballerinas.

Follow the twisted tale of Ichabod Crane as he fights for the hand of the fair and wealthy Katrina in Sleepy Hollow—encountering the Headless Horseman along the way. The Manassas Ballet Theatre will recreate the story on stage three nights in a row right before Halloween comes to Manassas, from October 21st to the 22nd. The eerie show kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets start at $25, but for a better spot, you can splurge on a $65 center orchestra seat.

Bring the Whole Family to the 35th Annual Fall Jubilee in Manassas

The 35th Annual Fall Jubilee in Manassas welcomes the arrival of autumn on Saturday, October 7th with a slew of family fun. It kicks off in historic downtown Manassas at 10 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m., filling the day with pumpkin picking, pumpkin pie eating, and a few activities that have nothing to do with pumpkins, but everything to do with fall.

Spend an hour or two browsing the booths stocked with handcrafted items that local artisans have made. Other booths will showcase community organizations offering services or general information for guests. Then check out the live bands and other kid-friendly entertainment. You can play games, enjoy food and drink from local vendors, or leave the kids at home and check out the Beer and Wine Garden at this year's Fall Jubilee. The event is free to attend.

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