<cal1>THURSDAY/SEPT. 8
<cal2>Author Dr. Charles P. Poland Jr. will discuss his book, "The Glories of War: Small Battles and Early Heroes of 1861," for adults at 7:30 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Book copies will be available for sale and signing. Call 703-830-2223.
<cal2>Teen book discussion for ages 12-18 at 7 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-502-3883 for book title and theme and to register two weeks in advance.
<cal1>FRIDAY/SEPT. 9
<cal2>2nd Flight Productions, Centreville's theatre company, presents the rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar," opening today. Performances will take place at the Cramer Center in Old Town Manassas. Tickets may be purchased online at www.2ndflightproductions.com, at the door or by calling 703-927-5438. Admission is $15 for Friday and Saturday evening performances and $12 for Sunday matinees. For more information or directions, visit the 2nd Flight Productions Web site or call 703-927-5438.
Stories and activities about small wonders for children ages 15-23 months with adult at 10:30 a.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to sign up two weeks in advance.
"Honk!" Auditions. The Center for the Arts, 9419 Battle St., Old Town Manassas, is hosting auditions, today and tomorrow, for Pied Piper Theatre's fall show, "Honk!" directed by Ken Elston. This Broadway adaptation of "The Ugly Duckling" features a variety of songs and dances and will be performed Nov. 12, 13, 19 and 20. Actors, singers and dancers ages 8-18 are needed. Auditions are by appointment only. How to Audition classes are available Sept. 6-8. Call the Center for the Arts at 703-330-2787 for more information or to schedule an audition.
<cal1>SATURDAY/SEPT. 10
<cal2>The Friends of The Kennedy Center volunteer program needs volunteers to assist with the 21st annual Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival from 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. This event features free performances and activities for people of all ages. A variety of positions are available, including stage crew, crowd management and hospitality assistants. Volunteers are asked to work a four-hour or all-day shift and to attend an orientation. Volunteers for afternoon shifts are especially needed. Call the Friends office at 202-416-8301 to request an application.
Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church presents the 13th annual Fall Festival and Antique Car Show and is in need of car show enthusiasts. The church is located at 43987 John Mosby Highway, Chantilly. Help is also needed with sponsorship, children's activities, bake sale, silent auction, flea market, set-up/tear-down and parking. Anyone willing to help should contact Ann Marie Smith at 703-421-2767 or Pam Hummel at 703-327-9295.
Historic Manassas, Inc. and Old Town Manassas merchants and galleries are hosting their annual old-fashioned sidewalk sale with bargains of all varieties from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Historic Old Town Manassas. Rain date is Sept. 17. For more information about Historic Manassas or its partners, contact Marianne Gesotti, marketing for Historic Manassas Inc., at 703-361-6599 or at mgesotti@historicmanassas.org.
"Honk!" Auditions. The Center for the Arts, 9419 Battle St., Old Town Manassas, is hosting auditions for Pied Piper Theatre's fall show, "Honk!" directed by Ken Elston. This Broadway adaptation of "The Ugly Duckling" features a variety of songs and dances and will be performed Nov. 12, 13, 19 and 20. Actors, singers and dancers ages 8-18 are needed. Auditions are by appointment only. How to Audition classes are available Sept. 6-8. Call the Center for the Arts at 703-330-2787 for more information or to schedule an audition.
<cal1>SATURDAY/SEPT. 10-12
<cal2>Fairfax Art is having a membership meeting and framing demonstration by Ana Gross of Framemasters, 12-4 p.m., at the Green Acres Center, 4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax. Then on the 12th there will be a reception and art show, 7-9 p.m., Old Town Hall, 3999 University Dr. Fairfax (second floor). Admission: Free. Refreshments served. Free parking in nearby city lots. For information call 703-352-ARTS ext. 5.
<cal1>SATURDAY/SEPT. 10-11
<cal2>The National Capital Cat Show will be coming to the Dulles Expo and Conference Center. The event will run from 9:30 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at the door and will be $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and $24 for a family of four. New this year will be an agility competition. The show will also include cat-related items for sale, rescued cats for adoptions, and many gorgeous show cats.
<cal1>SUNDAY/SEPT. 11
<cal2>The Northern Virginia Democratic Women's Group will have a meeting from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Centreville Regional Library, Room 2 (14200 St. Germain Dr, Centreville). Join other area women for lively conversation and companionship. We will be working on signs for Centreville Days and discussing ideas for activities in the coming year. Bring a donation of a commercially wrapped snack item to be included in Support Our Troops in Iraq care packages. For information, contact Stephanie Hando at handohartman@cox.net.
<cal>SUNDAY/SEPT. 11-12
<cal2> Theatre For The Community (TFC), a small professional theatre company, will hold auditions for Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Harvey," on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 6-9 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 12, from 7-9 p.m. Callbacks, if necessary, will be announced at the auditions, which will be held at The Cramer Center, located at 9008 Center St. in Old Town Manassas.
The production will be directed by Lucile Hood and will run Nov. 4-20, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at The Cramer Center.
TFC is seeking six men and six women. No appointment is necessary. Prepare for cold readings from the script. All roles are open and paid. Contact TFC at (703) 365-8350 or cramercenter@comcast.net or visit www.cramercenter.com.
<cal1>MONDAY/SEPT. 12
<cal2>Storytime for children ages 2-5 with adult at 10:30 a.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to register two weeks in advance.
Reading book discussion group on "Sunwing," by Kenneth Oppel, for children ages 9-12 with adult at 7 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library, located at 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to register two weeks in advance.
Learn to use online databases for homework or personal research for ages 8 and up on Mondays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26 at 7 p.m. and every Tuesday in September at 4 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly. Space is limited. Call 703-502-3883 to register two weeks in advance.
<cal1>TUESDAY/SEPT. 13
<cal2>Join the Fairfax County Police Department and Costco at Chantilly crossing for child seat inspection and installation. Police officers will be on hand to talk about bicycle safety, personal safety and home security. The event will last from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
<cal1>TUESDAY/SEPT. 13
<cal2>Stories and activities about hide-and-seek fun for children ages 2-3 with adult at 10:30 a.m. at Centreville Regional Library, located at 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to register two weeks in advance.
Stories and activities designed to promote reading interest for children ages 4-5 with adult at 1:30 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to register two weeks in advance.
All-male book discussion for ages 9-11 with adult at 7 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-502-3883 for book title and to register two weeks in advance.
<cal1>WEDNESDAY/SEPT. 14
<cal2> The Fairfax Chapter of Amnesty International meets at 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble’s coffee shop on Fair Lakes Parkway. New members are welcome to discuss and write letters on human rights problems around the world. AI Fairfax will have a booth at the Reston Multicultural Festival on Sept. 17, and will join AI Leesburg in a showing of “Journey to Sudan” at the Tally Ho Theatre in Leesburg, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. New members are welcome at all events.
<cal2>The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax area will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the home of Lois Page, 7902 Bracksford Court, Barrington. A non-partisan organization open to both men and women, the League of Women Voters encourages an informed and active role in the government. Meetings are free and guests are welcome. For directions, call the hostess at 703-690-0908 or the membership chair at 703-830-8198. For a more convenient time or location, visit www.lwv-fairfax.org or call 703-658-9150.
Book discussion group for adults at 7:30 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly. Free. No registration necessary. Call 703-502-3883.
Mothers & More, a support organization for women who have altered their career path to care for their young children at home, meets on the third Wednesday of each month in Braddock Hall at the Kings Park Library, 9000 Burke Lake Road, Burke, at 7:30 p.m. Visitors welcome. Call toll free 866-716-7766 or visit www.novamoms.org.
<cal1>SEPT. 14-21
<cal2>An all-star line-up of authors and performers at the seventh annual Fall for the Book Festival, which will be presented Sept. 14-21 at George Mason University's Fairfax campus. For updated information, visit www.fallforthebook.org. Highlights include:
*Wednesday, Sept. 14 - Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan, author of Four Perfect Pebbles, talks about her experiences; acclaimed poet Jack Gilbert samples his latest collection; best-selling economist Richard Florida discusses The Flight of the Creative Class: The New Global Competition for Talent.
*Thursday, Sept. 15 - Novelist Walter Mosley kicks off the national tour for his new Easy Rawlins mystery, Cinnamon Kiss, and best-selling mystery writer J.A. Jance celebrates the 20th anniversary of her J.P. Beaumont series.
*Friday, Sept. 16 - Mark Winegardner, author of The Godfather Returns, discusses the legacy of Mario Puzo's book; Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning films are also screened.
*Saturday, Sept. 17 - The Northern Virginia Writing Project hosts writing workshops for children and welcomes an array of children's book authors for readings; Saturday evening, Mark Winegardner returns for a reading from The Godfather Returns.
*Sunday, Sept. 18 - National Book Award winner Tim O'Brien, author of Going After Cacciato, The Things They Carried and five other novels, delivers a reading from his work.
*Monday, Sept. 19 - Rick Moody, author of The Ice Storm, reads from his new novel, The Diviners, and best-selling novelist Sharyn McCrumb reads from her latest, St. Dale.
*Tuesday, Sept. 20 - Alexandra Robbins discusses Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, and Khaled Hosseini reads from The Kite Runner as part of the "All Fairfax Reads" program. [Note: Hosseini appears at Fairfax County Government Center; to reserve up to four free tickets for this event only, contact 703-324-8414 or LibraryEvents@fairfaxcounty.gov after Sept. 6.)
*Wednesday, Sept. 21 - Novelist Pat Conroy accepts the Fall for the Book Prize.
<cal1>THURSDAY/SEPT. 15
<cal2>Mothers First is dedicated to supporting women who have chosen to alter their careers to raise their children at home and will hold meetings on Thursdays, Sept. 15 and 29 from 10:15-11:30 a.m. at the Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Activities include parent/child morning meetings and field trips, moms' nights out and lectures. Call 703-827-5922 or visit www.mothersfirst.org.
<cal2>The Naomi Project, a free, confidential, interfaith program sponsored by the Virginia Council of Churches, needs volunteers who will be trained to serve as mentors to at-risk pregnant women and new mothers. Mentors provide positive reinforcement and encouragement, help clients learn about good health during pregnancy, locate needed information and services, model sound parenting skills and support their clients as they plan for healthy, stable futures. The next training session for volunteers is four Thursday evenings this fall — Sept. 15, 22, 29 and Oct. 6 — at the Fairfax County Government Center from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Spanish-speaking volunteers are especially needed. Contact Pilar Jones at 703 860-2633 or naomiproject@hotmail.com, or visit www.naomiproject.org.
Storytime for children ages 2-5 with adult at 1:30 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 St. Germain Drive, Centreville. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-830-2223 to register two weeks in advance.
Stories and activities for children ages 24-35 months with adult at 10:30 a.m. at Chantilly Regional Library, located at 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly. Free. Space is limited. Call 703-502-3883 to register two weeks in advance.
<cal1>SATURDAY/SEPT. 17
<cal2>The Awakening Music Festival brings Christian artists including Jeremy Camp, Tree63 and Warren Barfield to Bull Run Park in Centreville, on Saturday, Sept. 17. With activities including a rock climbing wall, giant slide, gladiator jousting, moon bounce, pony rides and games, the festival combines a positive message with a day of fun – while raising support for Joe Gibbs’ Youth for Tomorrow organization.
Admission is $12.50 for advance tickets, $15 at the door; children six and under are admitted free and a group of 10 or more pay only $10 per person. Tickets can be purchased from iTickets (1-800-965-9324; itickets.com) and CCauthority (1-877-777-4TIX). Gates open at noon; performances are scheduled between 12:45-10 p.m. More details are available on the Web at www.awakeningfest.com.