By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun Another year, another great Christmas show by Encore Theatrical Arts Productions (ETAP): this past weekend we had a chance to see the latest production by this local group, and as always, the show did NOT disappoint! For 21 years now, ETAP has produced Broadway-style, high-energy shows that are so well done you almost forget this is a volunteer group starring mostly local students. These all-ages Continue Reading...
Hedbanz™ Electronic: a fun addition for your next game night!
By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun There are games of strategy, games of chance, games specific to a character a movie... and then there are games that are just plain fun. If you're looking for a great gift this holiday season or just a fun activity for when family and friends gather, take a look at the Hedbanz™ Electronic game. This is the fast-paced, team-based electronic version of the quick-question game of "what am I?" You may Continue Reading...
Talent and costumes make The Little Mermaid a standout show
By Amy J. Holmes for Fairfax Family Fun I absolutely love community theater and think it's important to introduce kids to the theater at a young age. I really love children's theater as it's for children by children. It's also a great time to completely unplug and enter a different space. My daughters and I had the pleasure of seeing Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre's (MCVVT) latest production, Disney's The Little Mermaid. I've seen Continue Reading...
Review: Disney on Ice presents Follow Your Heart
By Amy Holmes for Fairfax Family Fun I had the pleasure of going to the Disney on Ice presents Follow Your Heart on opening night at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax Virginia this past Wednesday. I've enjoyed going to several Disney on Ice shows over the past 10 years with my daughters and I have to say, this was one of the very best Disney on Ice shows I've seen. Nana came along with me and my daughters aged 11 and 10. We all truly enjoyed Continue Reading...
Plan a great Halloween party with Oriental Trading
We love to entertain, and one of our favorite times for this is Halloween. Few holidays let you have so much fun with decorations, foods, games, and outfits. One place where you can get all of this is Oriental Trading, which has a huge assortment of Halloween tricks and treats! Whether you're looking to make creepy crafts, hand out fun treats, decorate your "haunted mansion," or even find a great costume for Halloween night trick-or-treating Continue Reading...
Up close with the sharks at the National Aquarium
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com The National Aquarium is a source of pride for our region: this huge facility at Maryland’s Inner Harbor has won multiple awards – including being named one of the best aquariums in the United States by the Travel Channel in 2012 and frequently making “best of” lists for places to take kids – and it’s no surprise. The Aquarium holds more than 2,200,000 of water, and has more than 17,000 specimens Continue Reading...
Taste-testing the new Johnny Rockets 2.0
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com We are proud to team with Gigasavvy to let you know about its newly redesigned Johnny Rockets restaurants and menu offerings. Johnny Rockets: Quick, what comes to mind? Burgers, fries, shakes? Jukeboxes playing oldies, dancing servers, and an old-fashioned diner whose décor pays homage to the 1950s? For many people, it’s both the food and the retro design and feel that have given the restaurant chain Continue Reading...
Checking out the new Kona Grill
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com Ambiance, elegance, and...kids. If you think you can't have them all when it comes to dining out, give Kona Grill a try. We were invite to check out the new Kona Grill at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia, today, and it was a nice surprise! I had heard of Kona Grill but had not yet visited any of its restaurants (in Northern Virginia, there is another one in Arlington). What I found was a nice Continue Reading...
Review: Snow White at NextStop Theatre
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com Damsel in distress? Not quite. You (and your kids) may associate Snow White as a young girl who ends up lost in the woods, poisoned by her evil stepmother, and brought back from a spell by a prince. That story, based on an 1812 Brothers Grimm tale and featured classic Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (can you believe the movie turns 70 years old next year?), is not what you’ll find in Snow Continue Reading...
Review: Ringling Bros. Circus XTREME
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com The circus is in town! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Circus XTREME is a new production that is now at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax through April 17. What can you expect at this circus? Not the same ol', same ol', that's for sure! With a name that implies "extreme" acts, this production lives up to its name, with performers showcasing their strengths and skills with moves that seem Continue Reading...