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 finding innovative ways to support 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
1980-1989
The 1980’s
- 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”
1990-1999
1990’s
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”
2000-2009
Early 2000’s
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
2010-2019
The 2010’s
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-Present
COVID Presents Unimaginable Challenges
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
Today we are headquartered at The PARC at Tysons, and focusing on bringing our decades of experience in community building to work in partnership and through engaging the community to make Fairfax County a vibrant place to live, work or play.
Learn more about our mission, and our team!