Northern Virginia Magazine

2 Northern Virginia Wineries Win Spots in the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup Case Northern Virginia’s Granite Heights Winery and Winery at La Grange each took coveted spots in the Virginia Governor’s Cup Case for 2026.

With a record of more than 670 entries, these were the 12 bottles named to the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup Case.

Old Dominion University Shooter Was a Former National Guard Member from Sterling The shooter at Old Dominion University is a former National Guard Member who lived in Sterling and served eight years in prison.

The FBI is investigating the shooting at Old Dominion University as an act of terrorism.

Town of Leesburg Purchases Rock Spring Farm Leesburg's Town Council approved a $5.75 million purchase of Rock Spring Farm. The town intends to use the property as parkland.

Positive Data Center News Alert: The town of Leesburg used over $5 million in data center revenue to purchase Rock Spring Farm.

Larger-Than-Life Bison Statues Are Coming to the National Mall Three towering bronze bison statues are making their way across the country from Colorado and will soon be on display at the National Mall.

Don't be alarmed if you find larger-than-life bison along the National Mall this month.

Police Ask for Help Identifying Nude Centreville Burglary Suspect FCPD detectives are asking community members for help finding a nude Centreville burglary suspect connected to four cases.

Over the last four days, a nude burglary suspect has entered four separate Centreville homes. Fairfax County Police are now looking for leads.

IndyCar Releases Course Details for Freedom 250 Grand Prix Race in DC Set for August 22 and 23, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in DC is the first‑ever auto race held on the National Mall and historic city streets.

Here's the latest on the IndyCar race coming to the streets of DC.

Wolf Trap Announces More Summer 2026 Shows The new additions at Wolf Trap include contemporary Christian pop, alt-country, and classic rock artists.

A dozen more acts are slated to perform on the Wolf Trap stage this summer.

7 New Restaurants in Northern Virginia From tacos and pizza to coffee and sushi, here are seven new restaurants in NoVA to put on your radar this month.

Just like the weather, the region's food scene is heating up with these new restaurant openings.

Saks Fifth Avenue at Tysons Galleria Is Closing Twelve Saks Fifth Avenue stores will close, including the locations at Tysons Galleria and in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Your days browsing the racks at NoVA's only Saks Fifth Avenue are coming to an end.

Think You Look Like JFK Jr.? Test Your Chances at This DC Lookalike Contest This weekend, dead ringers of John F. Kennedy Jr. will gather at a DC bar for a lookalike contest to see who takes the top prize.

Got the hair, the jawline, the Kennedy charm? DC is hosting a John F. Kennedy Jr. lookalike contest this weekend — and the winner walks away with cash and bragging rights.

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Potomac River in Fairfax Remains Under Recreational Advisory The Virginia Department of Health's recreational water advisory remains in place for a 4.7-mile portion of the Potomac River in Fairfax.

Planning to hit the Potomac? Officials say part of the river in Fairfax is still under a recreational advisory tied to the January sewage spill.

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Ilia Malinin Wins Fair Play Award for Olympic Sportsmanship Ilia Malinin, a figure skater from Vienna, won the 2026 Fair Play Award for a display of good sportsmanship toward Mikhail Shaidorov.

Fairfax’s own Ilia Malinin is getting global recognition for his sportsmanship at the 2026 Winter Games, earning the Olympic Fair Play Award. ⛸️

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Here’s When the Cherry Blossoms Will Reach Peak Bloom This Year The National Park Service predicts that the cherry blossom trees will hit peak bloom between March 29 and April 1.

Peak bloom for the Washington, DC cherry blossoms is officially on the horizon 🌸 According to the National Park Service, this year’s bloom prediction is in.

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Fairfax County Police Department Touts Success of Drone Program Fairfax County Police officials briefed the county on its "Drone as First Responder" program at a February meeting.

Police in Fairfax County are touting their drone program’s impact — drones are flying to incidents quickly to support officers and boost situational awareness.

northernvirginiamag.com/news/2026/03...

The Family Drive-In Will Reopen in Stephens City This Spring The Family Drive-In announced that it will reopen this spring. The drive-in's future had been uncertain after the land was put up for sale.

🎬 Big news: The Family Drive-In in Stephens City is officially reopening for the spring season — and they’ve already announced one of the movies hitting the screen.

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State Department Employee Killed 1 Woman and His Own Dog in Road Rage Stabbing Two people and a dog are dead and three are injured after a road rage incident  escalated into a stabbing and police-involved shooting.

Police have released new details about the road rage stabbing on I-495 that left two dead and three injured, saying the suspect was a State Department employee.

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Amazon Data Services Buys George Washington University's Ashburn Campus George Washington University has sold its Ashburn-based Virginia Science and Technology Campus to Amazon Data Services for $427 million.

Amazon Data Services has purchased George Washington University’s 122-acre Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn for $427 million.

northernvirginiamag.com/news/2026/03...

Fairfax Casino Bill Advances to Full Virginia House This is the farthest any variation of the SB 756 bill, known as the Fairfax Casino bill, has advanced since first being introduced in 2023.

A bill that would let Fairfax County host a casino has cleared the House Appropriations Committee and now heads to the full Virginia House for a vote.

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2 Dead, 3 Injured After Road Rage Stabbing Incident on I-495 Two people and a dog are dead and three are injured after a road rage incident  escalated into a stabbing and police-involved shooting.

Officials say a road rage incident on I-495 near Annandale ended in multiple stabbings, two deaths, and a police shooting.

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Fairfax County Warns of Burglaries Targeting Asian American Business Owners Fairfax County police detectives are investigating eight home burglaries targeting Asian American local business owners.

A string of burglaries in Fairfax County has prompted a public warning from police, who say members of the Asian American business community have been targeted.

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New Dick’s Sporting Goods Concept Coming to Tysons Corner Center Dick's House of Sport is set to replace the Lord & Taylor space at Tysons Corner Center that has been vacant since 2020.

🧗‍♂️⛳ An experiential House of Sport from Dick’s Sporting Goods will open in Tysons Corner Center's former Lord & Taylor spot, blending gear with fun features like climbing walls and simulators.

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Data Center Developer Buys Ashburn Office Park for 4 Times Assessed Value Data center developer Cologix has purchased an industrial office park in Ashburn for $375 million, four times the property’s assessed value.

An Ashburn office park has sold for more than four times its assessed value after being purchased by a data center developer.

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These Are the 10 Most Popular Baby Names in Virginia From Liam to Charlotte, these are the baby names that were most popular throughout the state of Virginia in 2025.

What are Virginia parents naming their little ones? 🍼 Check out the state’s 10 most popular baby names here.

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Vote for Northern Virginia's Best Italian Restaurant in the 2026 NoVA Wars: Italian Edition Whether its tortellini, lasagna, or classic spaghetti and meatballs, tell us which NoVA restaurant is serving up the best Italian cuisine.

Craving Italian food? 🍝 Vote for your favorite restaurant in our 2026 NoVA Wars: Italian Edition. Voting for Round 1 closes on February 26.

Cast your vote at: northernvirginiamag.com/food-and-dri...

King Arthur Baking Company Announces Northern Virginia Store Changes King Arthur Baking Company provided updates on social media about two Northern Virginia locations to start the month.

King Arthur Baking Company is extending its pop-up at Fairfax Corner and is opening a permanent store with a baking school in Old Town Alexandria. 🍞

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6 Book Club Recommendations from Northern Virginia Booksellers Booksellers from some of Northern Virginia’s independent bookstores share their recommendations for book club books.

Your next book club favorite might be on this list 📖 Check out six buzz-worthy recommendations from Northern Virginia booksellers.

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Victor Hoskins Is Leaving Fairfax's Economic Development Authority After nearly seven years leading the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority,Victor Hoskins is returning to the private sector.

After nearly seven years of driving job creation and economic growth in Fairfax, long-time EDA leader Victor Hoskins is leaving his post.

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New George Mason Program Offers Teaching Scholarships Goerge Mason University has announced the Future Ready Teachers initiative to offer scholarships and career assistance to teaching students.

Big news for future educators 🎓 George Mason University is launching a new program that offers teaching scholarships and career support.

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DC Big Flea Antiques Market Moves to New NoVA Venue The DC Big Flea, previously held at the Dulles Expo Center, will be held on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, at Manassas Mall.

Antique lovers, take note 📦 The DC Big Flea is relocating to a new NoVA venue, packed with vintage pieces and unique finds.

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(📸 photo courtesy Continues Arcade; courtesy Tysons Corner Center (Level99) and courtesy Escape Room Herndon)