This Saturday is supposed to be a pleasant fall day, partly sunny with temperatures in the low 60s. Its a good thing, as four Alexandria schools, public and private, will hold fall fairs on the 16th, each with a slightly different twist.
The festivities will take place at Maury Elementary, Alexandria Country Day School and Burgundy Farm Country Day School, while Browne Academys will be held at Cameron Station.
Fall fairs are a fun part of the school calendar. Theyre typically held about six weeks after the start of the school year, a day set aside for amusement and a break from the hectic flurry of studies and sports descending on families this time of year. The fairs are also important fundraisers for the parent-teacher organizations, which help pay for things like teacher wish lists, school equipment and student scholarships.
The fairs also serve as recruitment tools for schools, as neighboring children and their parents can spend a few enjoyable hours not only having fun, but checking out the culture and facilities at a prospective school.
Its also a chance for the schools to give something back to the city, as these carnivals usually have something fun for all ages.
The Maury Elementary Fall Festival will run from noon to 4 p.m., at 600 Russell Road. Activities include a book fair, arts and crafts, a bake sale, moon bounces and other rides. The Burger Joint will have burgers for sale. All rides and activities are free, but the Maury PTA would appreciate donations to help cover costs.
Alexandria Country Day School is holding its 20th annual Big Top Country Market, with carnival games and rides with prizes, airbrush tattoos, spin art crafts, clowns and balloon animals, a cake walk, a marketplace with local vendors and a barbeque caf from Famous Daves. The Country Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2400 Russell Road.
Browne Academy is teaming with the City of Alexandria for the fourth consecutive year to hold a Fall Family Festival. The event will be held at Armistead L. Boothe Park, 520 Cameron Station Blvd. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a mini-pumpkin painting booth, pony rides, fire department displays and activities, a nature center, moon bounce, hay rides, refreshments and more.
Burgundy Country Day Schools Fall Fair will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3700 Burgundy Road. It will include games, food, live performances, crafts and artisans, a haunted house, a pumpkin patch, a used book sale and a kids closet sale. Alumni are invited to gather at the library to reconnect with friends and faculty.
This Saturday, of all the days in the fall, there is no excuse to sit inside the house. Go support, or check out, a local school. If you happen to be a glutton for enjoyment and make it to all four festivals, let us know at the Times. The first person to provide proof they attended all four carnivals gets two free tickets to the Little Theatre of Alexandrias next play, The Visit, which starts October 23.
