About

A Mission Serving Our Entire Community

Fairfax County, Virginia, is a large and ever-changing community. Steeped in history, the county has seen tremendous growth and has a bright future. But in a place this big (get a sense of its size below) and this dynamic (also below), how does Fairfax County develop and maintain a strong community identity?

Celebrate Fairfax exists to fill this need. Our vision is to connect and celebrate our community. Furthermore, our mission is to develop and support community experiences that bring people together and create a sense of belonging. We envision a vibrant community for all, a place where people feel a lasting sense of community and connection. This is no small mission, but we have over four decades invested in this work. Our history is a special story of evolving with the needs of the County.

How do we do it? Every day looks a little bit different for the Celebrate Fairfax team. But first and foremost we fulfill our mission to build community by working in partnership. Everything we do is in collaboration with the stakeholders in our community ranging from county agencies, organizations, other nonprofits, elected officials, and community members. We all have the same goal to make Fairfax County a special place for all.

Our work is multi-layered, starting with three focus areas: placemaking, events, and special initiatives. Working in partnership in these areas, we celebrate people, art, recreation, and culture. Finally, we connect and engage across the community. Learn about all this work below and then see our impact.

Fairfax County by the Numbers

  • 406+ square miles
  • 1.2+ million people
  • 31,000 + employers
  • 2,000 + nonprofits
  • 2,000+ arts organizations
  • 190,000 students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Fairfax County at a Glance

  • Home to 11 Fortune 500 company headquarters, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Capital One Financial, General Dynamics, Hilton Worldwide, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and others.
  • Largest public research university in Virginia: George Mason University
  • If Fairfax County were a city, it would rank as the 10th largest in the United States, making it larger than major U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Miami.

Placemaking

Part of our mission as a nonprofit organization to celebrate Fairfax and its communities extends to placemaking. Placemaking is not a new idea, but has become a focus locally as a way to re-imagine and re-invent our community. The process for placemaking puts community participation at the center of the effort. The end goal of placemaking is to create quality public spaces that contribute to everyone’s health, happiness, and well-being. To learn more about placemaking, visit pps.org.

Events

Celebrate Fairfax collaborates, creates, and promotes events throughout the Fairfax County area. Our robust event calendar features things for all members of our community. We also host many events at The PARC and throughout the county.

Special Initiatives

With our deep roots in the community as an integral community building nonprofit for over 4o years, we have the opportunity to lead or support a variety of efforts year-round, annually, or per project. We are always evolving to meet the needs of the community, so be sure to check back to learn about new initiatives!

If you have a special initiative you would like to discuss, please submit an inquiry via our inquiry form.

Fulfilling Our Mission: CF Connect & CF Engage

CF-Connect_Circle

Get Connected

We connect you with information, resources, opportunities and more as a key component of building a vibrant community! First, learn how to connect with us through our communication platforms, and our CF Connect Guides to connect you to our community.

GET CONNECTED
CF-Engage_Circle

Get Engaged

There are so many ways to participate and get involved in our community through Celebrate Fairfax! opportunities for all to engage are another important aspect of our community-building mission. Learn about ongoing opportunities to engage and special CF Engage initiatives.

GET ENGAGED

Fulfilling Our Mission:
People, Art, Recreation, Culture

Finally, throughout all our work, we celebrate people, art, recreation and culture in Fairfax County, and work in partnership with diverse groups, organizations, and individuals:

people

People

We celebrate the every day lives and accomplishments of the people in Fairfax County, and provide opportunities for community members to connect and engage in our community.

art

Art

Fairfax County is known as a vibrant art community. We work in partnership with arts organizations to elevate the arts and provide opportunities for all to access and experience art.

recreation

Recreation

Activities done for enjoyment are important to celebrate in community. We provide free access to recreational opportunities as well as opportunities to meet recreational providers and learn more about their services.

culture

Culture

We provide opportunities for all to celebrate the customs, achievements, and institutions in Fairfax County.

Over 40 years of building community

Our history is intertwined with the growth of Fairfax County. Our nonprofit organization was officially formed in 1983 as a result of two years of work by a blue-ribbon panel comprised of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, elected officials and community leaders seeking a way to physically find a way to bring the residents together when it lacked a centralized downtown.

Out of this desire, the new nonprofit organization was formed, Faxfair Corporation, with the purpose of strengthening quality of life and building a sense of community in Fairfax County.

This mission was to be fulfilled by producing the Fair, educational and cultural programming, other public events and by collaborating throughout the County in support of community life.

In 1997, our nonprofit organization changed its name from Faxfair Corporation to Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. to better align with the type of work the organization was doing in the community.

Since we were created decades ago, Fairfax County has experienced tremendous growth and development. Alongside these changes, our work has evolved and developed, while staying true to the mission of building a vibrant community.

We are best known for producing the Celebrate Fairfax! Festival from 1981-2019, a world-class event spanning three days and tens of thousands of participants. But beyond the Festival, we have always been an integral part of developing our community.

As we emerge from the pandemic as a community, we have reimagined our work to take the experiences of coming together as a community from the 3 days of the festival and find innovative ways to support the community 365 days a year. Learn more about the history and evolution of Celebrate Fairfax and Fairfax County through the timeline below.

Milestones in Celebrate Fairfax & Fairfax County History

  • 1980 Fair Oaks Mall opens
  • 1981 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors launch blue-ribbon panel to produce a county fair (Fairfax Fair)
  • 1981 Fairfax Fair hosts Virginia State Championship Chili Cook-Off at George Mason University
  • 1982 Interstate Route 66 opens between Rte. 495 and Washington D.C.
  • 1983 The organizers of the Fairfax Fair formed the Faxfair Corporation as nonprofit organization
  • 1983 Faxfair Corporation organizers conduct a site location analysis of 10 potential locations for a permanent venue including: George Mason University, Bull Run Park, Tysons Westpark/Westgate, Lee District Park, Eleanor C. Lawrence Park, Lake Fairfax Park, Robinson School, Frying Pan Park, Fair Oaks Shopping Center, Wolf Trap Farm Park, New Fairfax County Government Center (vacant land)
  • 1983 Dulles Toll Road groundbreaking ceremony
  • 1984 In partnership with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Faxfair Corporation creates the “Salute to Lord & Lady Fairfax”, an award ceremony named after the founders of Fairfax County, to recognize and honor outstanding residents in each magisterial district for their dedication and service to the Fairfax community (This ceremony still continues today!)
  • 1985 George Mason Patriot Center opens with a special National Basketball Association (NBA) contest between Washington Bullets (Washington Wizards) and New York Knickerbockers (New York Knicks)
  • 1986 Fairfax Fair hosts over 50,000 people on George Mason’s campus
  • 1987 Fairfax Fair holds its 1st 10K Race and begins transforming from the “old-fashioned county fair to a high-tech urban festival”
  • 1987 Fairfax Fair annual Chili Cook-Off features White House Press Secretary Jim Brady as ones of the judges
  • 1987 The Rotary Club of Vienna launches ViVa! Vienna!
  • 1988 Fairfax Fair expands to 3 days
  • 1988 Tysons Galleria opens
  • 1988 Reston Town Center breaks ground
  • 1988 W & OD Trail is completed
  • 1988 The partnership to create the Dulles Expo Center formed (opened in 1995)
  • 1989 Fairfax Fair adopts the tag line “Celebrating Fairfax County”
  • 1990 Fairfax Fair hosts over 100,000 attendees and introduces a new “Hands-on Arts & Science Activity Center” at the event
  • 1991 Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is created by Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE)
  • 1992 The new Fairfax County Government Center opens
  • 1992 Fairfax Museum and Visitors Center opens
  • 1992 FaxFair Corporation creates “Heritage Day”, the dedication of the new Government Center
  • 1993 Fairfax Fair moves to the new Fairfax County Government Center
  • 1993 FaxFair Corporation creates “Ecoloday” – Fairfax County’s 1st Environmental Festival
  • 1994 FaxFair Corporation receives “Virginia Energy Award” in recognition of contribution to improved energy efficiency in Virginia
  • 1994 FaxFair Corporation donates park benches to the new Government Center (look for them, still there today!)
  • 1994 Fairfax County Park Authority launches their summer concert series
  • 1995 FaxFair Corporation receives the Silver Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Television Public Service Announcement produced in partnership with Fairfax County Government Television.”
  • 1995 Fairfax Fair reaches a record of over 140,000 attendees
  • 1996 Olympic Flame carried through Fairfax County on its way to the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA
  • 1997 Fairfax Fair expands to host a weeklong of events including “Fairfax Fair’s Web Building Contest” in partnership with The Boeing Company and “Get-On-The-Web-Day” in partnership with Thomas Jefferson High School of Science & Technology, and “High Tech Career Fair” at the Government Center
  • 1997 FaxFair Corporation changes name to Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. to better align with its work in the community
  • 1997 Ecoloday changes name to “Fall for Fairfax”
  • 1998 “Fall for the Book” festival is created by community organizers
  • 1999 Fairfax Fair uses tagline “Virginia’s Fair of the Future”
  • 2000 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Gold Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Volunteer Program”
  • 2001 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Gold Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best New Fund-Raising Program”
  • 2001 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Bronze Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Educational Program”
  • 2001 Fairfax County Parkway completed
  • 2001 Fairfax Fair changes name to “Celebrate Fairfax! Festival”
  • 2002 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Silver Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Community Outreach Program”
  • 2002 Fairfax Corner opens
  • 2023 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Silver Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Community Outreach Program”
  • 2003 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. creates new fine arts and wine tasting festival called “Fall for the Arts”
  • 2003 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. creates new community workshop series called “Events101”
  • 2003 Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Smithsonian’s second air and space museum, opens
  • 2004 Fall for Fairfax receives “Top Twenty Events in the Southeast” award from the Southeast Tourism Society
  • 2005 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Gold Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Solicitation Program”
  • 2005 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Gold Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association for “Best Overall Sponsorship Program”
  • 2005 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. receives the Bronze-Tie Grand Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals & Events Association
  • 2005 Fairfax City celebrates 200th anniversary
  • 2005 1st Wegmans opens in Fairfax
  • 2006 George Mason University men’s basketball team reaches the NCAA’s final four (1st for Mason)
  • 2006 Clemyjontri Park opens
  • 2008 Workhouse Arts Center opens to the public
  • 2010 Celebrate Fairfax transitions the Events101 workshop series into the “Northern Virginia Events Network (NoVEN) Annual Conference”
  • 2010 Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. launches new winter-themed family festival called the “Frostival”
  • 2010 Paradise Springs Winery opens in Fairfax as the 1st winery in the County
  • 2010 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopts the Tysons 50-Year Comprehensive Plan
  • 2011 Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Civil War
  • 2012 Celebrate Fairfax launches the “Celebrate Fairfax Community Spirit Scholarship” program
  • 2012 1st Production Brewery in Fairfax opens – Forge Brews Works
  • 2013 Burke Lake Park celebrates 50 years
  • 2014 Capital Beltway celebrates 50 years
  • 2015 Fairfax County hosts the World Police & Fire Games and Celebrate Fairfax produces the Athletes Village in Reston Town Center
  • 2016 Celebrate Fairfax partners with Fairfax County and the Workhouse Arts Center to produce the 1st Workhouse Brewfest
  • 2017 Fairfax County celebrates 275th anniversary
  • 2018 Tysons Corner Center celebrates 50 years
  • 2018 The St. James opens its 450,000 sq. ft. flagship sports and wellness complex in Springfield
  • 2019 The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) celebrates 50 years
  • 2020 Fairfax County declares COVID-19 state of emergency (March)
  • 2020 National Army Museum opens
  • 2020 Fairfax County is the home to 11 Fortune 500 Headquarters
  • 2021 Fairfax County approves next phase to build the 1st ski resort in Northern Virginia at the former Lorton landfill
  • 2021 Wolf Trap celebrates 50 years
  • 2021 Capital One Hall opens and the Capital One opens Fairfax County’s 1st “urban sky park” on the rooftop called The Perch
  • 2021 Celebrate Fairfax launches 1st Block Party series and the 1st “Made in Fairfax Shop Local Market” at the PARC at Tysons
  • 2022 Dulles International Airport celebrates 60 years
  • 2022 Silver Line Metro opens
  • 2022 George Mason celebrates 50 years
  • 2022 Celebrate Fairfax moves headquarters to PARC at Tysons, an innovative cultural community hub, and launches year-round engagements
  • 2022 Celebrate Fairfax transitions to year-round events throughout Fairfax County and launches several new events including Braddock Bark, Let’s Go Expo, Grand Opening of Sully Community Center, The Mural Debut at the PARC, Celebrate Fairfax Kids at Springfield Nights Concert Series
  • 2022 Celebrate Fairfax unveils new logo and branding
  • 2023 Fairfax County Government Center announces new plans for the property based on the fast-paced growth of the community
  • 2023 COVID-19 Local Emergency Declaration Ends in March
  • 2023 Celebrate Fairfax in partnership with Fairfax County and ConnerStrong Foundation launches 1st You Are Not Alone 5K Fun Run
  • 2023 Capital One Park in Tysons opens state-of-the-art baseball stadium
  • 2023 Fairfax County opens Patriot Park North – the County’s 1st Sports Tourism Facility
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