ArtsFairfax invites you to “fall into the arts” with artoberVA, a month-long celebration of local arts & culture in Fairfax!
From October 1-31, 2026, ArtsFairfax wants you to stay curious and stay local to take advantage of arts and culture deals and free events for National Arts and Humanities Month.
2026 artoberVA Offers
October 1-31
The Bold Bakery in Chantilly creates fresh, specialty goods that exude warmth in every bite. With a unique selection of handcrafted muffins, cookies, and cakes, enjoy pastries made with the finest ingredients.
artoberVA Offer: Use “ART26” online or mention “artober” in person at the Ashbrook or Reston EatLoco Farmer’s Markets to enjoy 10% off purchases of $10 or more.
October 1-31
Liz Edelson Design is a graphic design studio based in the Washington, D.C. area providing custom branding, print, and digital design services to socially responsible and impact-oriented businesses.
artoberVA Offer: 15% off graphic design services for arts nonprofits.
October 2
Conservatory Ballet
Join Conservatory Ballet at their Great Falls studio to meet their instructors and learn more about their ballet and dance programs, class levels, and enrollment.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 2-11
NextStop Theatre
The Second Best School Shooting is a U.S. Premiere comedy about grief, friendship, and what happens when one tragedy is eclipsed by another. Presented by NextStop Theatre, a nonprofit professional theater based in Herndon, producing intimate, boundary-pushing theatrical experiences.
artoberVA Offer: $30 tickets with code ARTMONTH30
October 4
McLean Community Center with McLean Project for the Arts
McLean Artfest is a juried festival showcasing over 30 local & regional visual artists from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. This one-day fine arts show, sale and festival features contemporary art, Children’s Art Walk, children’s art tents, gourmet food trucks, a beer and wine garden, interactive art experiences, a live stage and more.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 3
City of Fairfax
Fiesta Fairfax! is a community celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month in Fairfax City featuring cultural performances, music, food, and artisans. Enjoy folkloric dances and live band performances at Old Town Square in the heart of Old Town Fairfax.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 6-10
Fall for the Book
Northern Virginia’s largest festival of literature and the arts returns October 6-10. All Fall for the Book events are FREE. Registration is advised, especially for festival headliners and New York Times best sellers Stephen Graham Jones (The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, The Only Good Indians) and Celest Ng (Little Fires Everywhere, Everything I Never Told You).
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 8 – 25
1st STAGE
An award-winning regional theatre in Tysons, 1st Stage produces thought-provoking performances in an intimate setting. Catch their season-opening production of Betrayal by Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter.
artoberVA Offer: $25 tickets with discount code ARTOBERVA.
October 8 – November 1
Creative Cauldron Stage
The Helen Hayes Awards-recommended Monsters of the Villa Diodati at Creative Cauldron Stage was originally commissioned as part of their “Bold New Works for Intimate Stages.” Discover the professional theatre in Falls Church dedicated to providing affordable, enriching, and diverse experiences in the performing and visual arts to Northern Virginia audiences.
artoberVA Offer: $25 tickets with the code ARTOBER (excluding opening night).
October 9
Resonance Improv Alliance
In Dark & Stormy, the line between who is solving the crime and who is haunting the scene is blurred… Resonance Improv Alliance will put on a brand-new, completely unscripted mystery to be created, unraveled, and solved right before your eyes—and then never performed again.
artoberVA Offer: 2-for-1 tickets with ARTOBERVALAUGH
October 9-24
Providence Players
Providence Players of Fairfax, an award-winning, community-supported membership theater company, brings Cactus Flower to vibrant life with wit, romance, and irresistible fun. A charming tangle of love, lies, and unexpected truths, this classic screwball comedy reminds us that love has a way of blooming when we least expect it.
artoberVA Offer: 15% off ticket orders with code ARTS15
October 14
City of Fairfax
Join the opening reception for AB EX FFX, a powerful exhibition dedicated solely to the raw energy and profound emotional depth of abstract expressionism. On view in the Rotary Gallery at Sherwood Center in the City of Fairfax.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 16
City of Fairfax
This concert by Alfred Yun, a Korean-American jazz pianist and composer whose music is influenced by his upbringing in both Korea and the United States, is part of the Old Town Hall Performance Series.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 17
Mason District Arts Council
The Mason District Arts Council, formed in 2024 as a volunteer effort by a local group of artists and supporters in the Mason District, will put on a festival featuring over 50 booths, including local artists, community art projects, kids activities, an art supply exchange, and live performances.
artoberVA Offer: free admission
October 17
Better Said Than Done
Better Said Than Done, whose mission is to educate and provide opportunities for performance, discussion, and community building through the art of storytelling, invite you to “Ghost in the Machine: Terrifying Tales of Technology,” featuring Jason Howard, Jenn Kamara, Joe Morice, Jack Scheer and others.
artoberVA Offer: Get 2 tickets for $20
October 17-18
Great Falls Studios
For two days, visit the private studios down the beautiful back and main roads of scenic Great Falls with the 23rd annual Great Falls Studios Art Tour. From remodeled barns and converted garages to group studios, view artists working and displaying in a variety of spaces.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 18-24
Conservatory Ballet
From October 18–24, Conservatory Ballet is inviting new dancers to experience a class completely free of charge. Whether your dancer is taking their very first steps into ballet or looking for a new studio to call home, this is the perfect opportunity to meet the teachers and explore Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and more.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 23
City of Fairfax
ARTScreen is a film series celebrating the arts. Visit the Sherwood Center for free popcorn, refreshments, candy, and a showing of “Knives Out,” a murder mystery with modern day twists.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 25
Herndon Regional Wind Ensemble
Fall for Music with Herndon Regional Wind Ensemble, which offers local musicians a professional environment to assemble and play for their mutual enjoyment, provide cultural and educational enrichment for the community through public performances, and promote further development of musical skills in musicians of all ages.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 26
Conservatory Ballet
Families of all ages are invited to dress up and enjoy a afternoon of dancing, a costume contest, Halloween games, treats, and a short introductory ballet class for Conservatory Ballet’s Spooktacular Ballet Bash — a Halloween Open House & Costume Party in Great Falls!
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
October 29
Mary Voutsas
Praised as a “powerful” and “enthralling pianist” by Washington City Paper, Dr. Mary Voutsas presents Gods & Dances, a solo recital tracing a path through Hellenic piano music, at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
artoberVA Offer: Free admission
November 5-29
NextStop Theatre
Step into the ring for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, a Pulitzer-Prize finalist comedy that body-slams the world of pro-wrestling, pop culture, and the performance of identity. Presented by NextStop Theatre, a nonprofit professional theater based in Herndon, producing intimate, boundary-pushing theatrical experiences.
artoberVA Offer: $30 tickets with code ARTMONTH30
November 13
Great Falls Philharmonic
Join the Great Falls Philharmonic at Capital One Hall’s The Vault for Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. Blending music, theater, and dance, this fully staged this timeless tale in a brand new production by acclaimed director Corinne Hayes.
artoberVA Offer: Seniors can purchase discounted tickets at $35
December 11-19
City of Fairfax Theatre Company
A hallmark of City of Fairfax Theatre Company productions is the opportunity for many generations to appear onstage together. Buy in advance for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, featuring a dazzling score and well-known standards including the perennial title song,
artoberVA Offer: Mention artoberVA to receive $5 off tickets purchased in October.
March 11
Greater Washington Chinese Dance
Based in Herndon, Greater Washington Chinese Dance offers rigorous and comprehensive training in ethnic, contemporary, and classical genres of Chinese dance. This Spring, see their ensemble at When Seasons Bloom at Capital One Hall.
artoberVA Offer: 20% off tickets with code ARTS20
Are you a local artist, arts-centered business, or arts organization? Fill out the artoberVA interest form to participate.
Check back here for newly added arts partners, or click on the button below and use the “artoberVA” filter on our events calendar to view offers by date.
artoberVASM is a service mark of CultureWorks, Inc. Used under license by ArtsFairfax.
