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Happy Monday,

Fall is giving up plenty of reasons to get out of the house. The calendar is filling up fast. Next weekend belongs to Occoquan, where the Fall Arts & Crafts Show takes over the historic district on Sept. 26-27. If you live or work in town, permits for parking under the Route 123 bridge during the show are available at Town Hall starting Tuesday at 9 a.m.

The holidays are on their way, and we'd love to fill November with recipes from our neighbors. If you have a holiday recipe you'd like to share, whether it's a family favorite, a potluck staple or something you only make once a year, reply to this email and send it our way. We'll share a selection in November and December.

As always, thanks for reading and for supporting local journalism.

Marie

The week opens mostly cloudy, then turns wet, with rain Tuesday and Wednesday and a few morning showers Thursday. Drier days follow, with rain chances of 19% or less for the Occoquan show weekend.

•     🌥️ Mon, Sept 21 — Mostly Cloudy, high 72°/low 63°, 16% rain

•     🌧️ Tue, Sept 22 — Rain, high 67°/low 55°, 86% rain

•     🌧️ Wed, Sept 23 — Rain, high 61°/low 54°, 78% rain

•     🌦️ Thu, Sept 24 — AM Showers, high 66°/low 52°, 37% rain

•     ⛅ Fri, Sept 25 — Partly Cloudy, high 71°/low 54°, 22% rain

•     🌥️ Sat, Sept 26 — Mostly Cloudy, high 73°/low 56°, 16% rain

•     ⛅ Sun, Sept 27 — Partly Cloudy, high 74°/low 56°, 19% rain

Occoquan's biggest art weekend is almost here. The Fall Arts & Crafts Show runs Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free, the show runs rain or shine, and more than 300 vendors will fill the historic district. New this year, the Art Park hosts short demonstrations and hands-on workshops all weekend.

Saturday, Sept. 26
10. The art of pressed flower framing — 11am, The Art Park
11. Clay sculpting class (pre-register) — 1pm and 1:45pm, Imagination Alley
12. Live music: Chris DeSantis Duo — 1-4pm, Mill St. Draft Garden
13. Curate your own perfume or cologne — 2pm, The Art Park
14. Pumpkin cat figurine with polymer clay — 2:30pm, The Art Park
15. Pumpkin floral arranging — 3pm, The Art Park
16. Family entertainment: Starwish Music — 3-4:30pm, Imagination Alley

Sunday, Sept. 27
17. How to make a flower wreath — 11am, The Art Park
18. Family entertainment: Fall into Storytelling — 11am-12pm, Imagination Alley
19. Road to Revolution ribbon cutting — 12pm, Mill House Museum
20. Live music: Vinny G JAMZ — 1-4pm, Mill St. Draft Garden
21. Create your own reed diffuser — 2pm, The Art Park
22. Introduction to fountain pens — 2:30pm, The Art Park
23. Family entertainment: Amazing Feat of Comedy — 3-4pm, Imagination Alley

Plan your parking. There is no visitor parking in town during the show. Free lots at the Lake Ridge Commuter Lot, the Route 123 Commuter Lot and the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton connect to a shuttle that costs $10 round-trip (kids 12 and under ride free). Parking restrictions begin Friday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m., and streets in the festival area close at 8 a.m. each day. Residents and business owners can pick up limited parking permits at Town Hall starting Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 9 a.m.

Source: Town of Occoquan

Full schedule and details

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Early voting in Prince William County began Friday, Sept. 18, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31. Through Oct. 16, only two sites are open: the Office of Elections (9250 Lee Ave., Suite 1, Manassas) and the DMV Woodbridge location (2731 Caton Hill Rd.). All six early voting sites open Oct. 18. Weekday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and voters need an acceptable form of ID. Ballots include three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution plus U.S. Senate and U.S. House races. Details are at pwcvotes.org.

Source: PWC Office of Elections

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Temporary left-turn restrictions and a detour begin Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Prince William Parkway and Minnieville Road interchange project and are expected to last about a year. Through traffic and right turns remain open in all directions, and a temporary detour road is in place. The $81 million project broke ground in May 2026 and is expected to be complete by winter 2028.

Source: Prince William County Communications Office

The Phase 2 detour at the Sudley Road, Centreville Road and Prescott Avenue roundabout project began Sept. 14 and restricts right turns from Centreville Road onto Sudley Road. Through Sept. 30, crews are removing sidewalk, curb, gutter and asphalt at the northwest corner near Walgreens and excavating for the parking lot islands and the southbound Centreville Road Lane. Expect a daily single-lane closure on southbound Centreville Road, right-lane closures on northbound Sudley Road and northbound Prescott Avenue, and a ramp closure with flagging from northbound Prescott to eastbound Centreville, with two through lanes open on Prescott. Construction started in June, and the city plans to finish in summer 2027.

Source: City of Manassas Engineering Department

Project page

Prince William County personal property and business tangible taxes are due Monday, Oct. 5. Payments can be made online at tax.pwcgov.org, and payments after Oct. 5 face a 10% late penalty. Taxpayer Services (703-792-6710) is offering extended in-person hours Oct. 1, 2 and 5.

Source: Prince William County Government

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Wonder held its grand opening Thursday, Sept. 17, at Smoketown Station (13257 Worth Ave., Woodbridge). The concept lets customers order from more than 20 restaurants in a single order for dine-in, pickup or delivery, and orders at the Woodbridge location carry $0 delivery fees. Wonder is also running a roundup donation program at the location benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank.

Source: Wonder news release and wonder.com

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•     Are you a local business owner? Reply to this email — we’d love to feature you.

•     Volunteers wanted: VFW Post 7916 (204 Mill St., Occoquan) is looking for volunteers to help at the Fall Arts & Crafts Show, Sept. 26–27. Sign up at volunteersignup.org/EYDTY.

Tue, Sept 22

•     Occoquan Show Resident Parking Permits — Town Hall, pickup begins 9am

•     Fall 2026 Veterans Virtual Guitar Workshop Series (Levels I & II) — Tuesdays, Sept 22–Nov 10, Veterans and the Arts Initiative, registration required

Wed, Sept 23

•     Arrow Gaming Rewards Night — VFW Post 7916, 204 Mill St., Occoquan

•     OmniRide 40th Anniversary Community Open House — OmniRide Transit Center; Local Food Drive 4–8pm benefiting Northern Virginia Food Rescue; Time Capsule Ceremony 7–7:20pm

•     In Service of Theater: A Staged Reading Program for the Military and Veteran Community — Wednesdays, Sept 23–Oct 28, Veterans and the Arts Initiative, registration required

Sat, Sept 26

•     Pop Up Art Shop: A Day for Art & Coffee — The Culture Cafe, 8002 Crescent Park Dr., Gainesville, 8am–2pm, presented by Onyx Art Group

•     Buzz Bookstore Grand Opening — 406 Mill St., Occoquan

•     Neabsco District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred Event — Dale City Commuter Lot, 14050 Gemini Way, 10am–2pm, free

•     Oktoberfest at Water’s End Brewery — Lake Ridge, 12–10pm, Oktoberfest beer release, stein-holding contest at 2pm, bring your WE 1L tankard

•     Oktoberfest at American Legion Post 364 — 1pm

Sun, Sept 27

•     The U.S. Army Field Band — Hylton Performing Arts Center, 3pm, ticketed

Sat–Sun, Sept 26–27

•     Occoquan Fall Arts & Crafts Show — 10am–5pm both days, free, rain or shine — See our full guide

Farmers Markets This Week

•     Dale City Farmers Market — Sundays, 8am–1pm, 14090 Gemini Way, open through November

•     Historic Manassas Farmers Market — Thursdays, 8am–1pm, Harris Pavilion

•     Haymarket Farmers Market — Saturdays, 8am–1pm

•     Nokesville Farmers Market — Saturdays, 8am–1pm

•     Gainesville District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred Event — Sat, Oct 3, Supervisors Office, 13575 Heathcote Blvd., 8am–2pm, free

•     Classical Quilling with Stephanie McGee — Sat, Oct 10, 1–4pm, Central Library, 8601 Mathis Ave., Manassas; beginner class presented by the Prince William Art Society, supplies provided, limited to 20 students, register at princewilliamartsociety.com/register

•     Haymarket Day — Sat, Oct 17, 10am–4pm

•     Brentsville District Dumpster Day — Sat, Oct 17, George Mason Sci Tech Campus, Occoquan Parking Lot, 10am–2pm, free

•     Manassas Ballet Theatre presents Jazz in Motion (season opener) — Fri–Sat, Oct 23–24, 7:30pm, Sun, Oct 25, 3pm, Hylton Performing Arts Center

See you next week.

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