Sierra Hull in Concert. 7:30 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. Visit www.birchmere.com for more.
Thursday/Aug. 10
Big Splash. 11 a.m. at Upton Hill Regional Park, at 6060 Wilson Blvd. A celebration of Transurban’s Big Splash Grant that funded summer camp programs in Arlington and Alexandria. Visit www.novaparks.com for more.
Saturday/Aug. 12
Garden Stroll and Ice Cream Social. 10 a.m.-11:30 at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road. Stroll the summer gardens with a Master Gardener docent, then cool down at an ice cream social in the 1784 Historic House. $12. Call 703-941-7987 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/.
Art of History. 10 a.m.-noon at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Art-focused tour of the “Centennial of the Everyday,” that views history through the lens of contemporary art. $15. Call 703-746-4242 or visit www.gadsbystavern.org.
Meet the Artists. 7-9 p.m., at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, 4915 East Campus Drive. Exhibitions "Zip Infinity," a series of acrylic paintings by artist Maremi Andreozzi and "The Time of No Time" by Nahid Navabwill be on display through Sept. 17.
Boardwalk Astronomy. 8-10 p.m., at Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd. Join naturalists on a tour of constellations, comets and other current events happening in the heavens above. $8. Call 703-768-2525 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/.
Aug. 12-13
8th Annual Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale. Various times, participating stores throughout Old Town and Del Ray. Visit VisitAlexVA.com/SidewalkSale for more.
Sunday/Aug. 13
An Outlandish Geek Tour. noon-1 p.m. at at the Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St. Learn about a few of the herbal medicines featured in Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series of novels, from cascara to dauco seeds. Tour recommended for adults only. $15. Visit www.alexandriava.gov/Apothecary or call 703-746-3852.
Summer Chamber Music Series. 3 p.m. Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Join trombonist Tyler Castrucci, along with violist William Neri, and cellist Molly Jones for an afternoon of chamber music. Free. Visit www.wmpamusic.org for more.
Medical Music Group. 4 p.m. at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, 4915 East Campus Drive. “Music You Can’t Refuse,” concert. $20-50, veterans and students free. Visit www.nvcc.edu/schlesingercenter/ or vanmmg@hotmail.com.
Artist Reception. 4-6 p.m. at the The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. Artist Leslie Nolan talks about her exhibit, “Seduction,” on display through Sept. 17.
Visit www.nvfaa.org or call 703-548-0035.
Documentary Film Tour. 7:30 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria. Hosted by Calek and SIR NOFACE Producer Justin Holstein, the "SIR NOFACE LIVES" tour offers attendees the chance to be among the first to see Calek's mind-bending SIR NOFACE documentary, which chronicles the Australian Government-sanctioned paranormal investigation of Cockatoo Island. Visit sirnoface.com for more information.
Tuesday/Aug. 15
Genealogy Talk. 1-3 p.m. at the Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road. Learn how to use various record groups to find your pre- and post-Civil War Virginia ancestors and their plantation from genealogist Char McCargo Bah. Visit www.mvgenealogy.org for more.
Wednesday/Aug. 16
Wake Up Wednesday. 7-9:30 a.m. at the Duke Street Tunnel Connecting Carlyle to King Street Metro. Free coffee with a purchase of a donut, entertainment from local performers. Every Wednesday through September. www.alexandriava.gov/CarlyleFun.
Thursday/Aug. 17
Garden Tour and Tea. 1-3 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road. Tour the glorious gardens with a Master Gardener docent who will lecture about Green Spring past and present. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea. $32. Call 703-941-7987 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring for more.
Sierra Hull in Concert. 7:30 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. Visit www.birchmere.com for more.
Aug. 17-Sept. 17
Wizard of Hip. Various times at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St. Featuring Thomas W Jones II as he journeys from adolescence to adulthood as Afro Jo with original music by William Knowles and two back-up singers. Call 703-548-9044 or visit www.metrostage.org for more.
Aug. 18-27
Alexandria Summer Restaurant Week. Area restaurants offer $35 for a three-course dinner or $35 dinner for two; select locations offering lunch from $10-20/person. Visit www.AlexandriaRestaurantWeek.com or call 703-746-3301 for more.
Saturday/Aug. 19
Casting Leaves in Concrete Workshop. 9:30-11 a.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road. Green Spring staff demonstrates casting and painting techniques and assists participants in making one to take home. $40 for the program plus $25 supply fee. Call 703-642-5173 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring for more.
Sketch Hike. 10 a.m.-noon, at Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd. Join park naturalist and artist Margaret Wohler at the park’s Norma Hoffman Visitor Center and hike up to Historic Huntley to sketch some of the Mason family villa’s historic architecture and landscaping. $8. Call 703-768-2525 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park/.
Gardening Author Talk. 3-4:30 p.m. at the Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen St. Nancy Lawson, a naturalist and columnist for All Animals magazine, will talk about her recent book, “The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife.” Visit alexlibraryva.org.
Sunday/Aug. 20
Tea and Princess Diana Lecture. 1-3 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road. Explore the many faces of Diana: fairytale princess, style icon, humanitarian and mother. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea. $32. Call 703-941-7987 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring for more.
Chamber Music Concert. 3-5 p.m., at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Cellist Randy Ward and pianist Chloe Sunyang Choi will play music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Vaughn Williams.Visit www.wmpamusic.org
Through Aug. 20
Open Invitation for Chorus. Rehearsals begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria campus, 5000 Dawes Ave. Email leckstein@nvcc.edu or call 703-845-6252.