Weekend: Wagon Rides, Canine Cruise, Pirate Fest + Downton Abbey Tea

What are you up to this weekend? There's plenty going on. The following information is courtesy of Fairfax County Parks & Recreation:

Saturday, July 26

Build Your Own Birdhouse  
Learn about bird friendly plants and build your own bird house at Riverbend Park from 10 a.m. to noon. The cost is $15 per person. Register online. For information, call 703-759-9018.

Build Your Own Bee House  
Learn about local pollinators and use some invasive plants to build homes for native pollinators at Riverbend Park from 1 to 3 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. Register online. For information, call 703-759-9018.

Campfire Saturdays: Flying Squirrels 
Explore Royal Lake Park with a naturalist and look for flying squirrels. S'more ingredients are provided; hot dogs welcome. The cost is $6. Register online. For information, call 703-451-9588.

Park Manager Walk and Talk 
From 4 to 6 p.m., join Manager Kevin Munroe on a free walk at Huntley Meadows Park. Find out about the wetland restoration project. Register online. For information, call 703-768-2525.

Dinofest in Nature Playce  
Children ages three to eight explore Hidden Oaks Nature Center's Dinoland and unearth a real fossil to keep from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Search for hidden dinosaurs and tracks. Make a fossil impression to take home. The cost is $6. Register online. For information, call 703-941-1065.

Campfire Bats, Bugs, and Owls Oh My! 
Watch for bats, attract some bugs, and call for owls at Hidden Oaks Nature Center from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. Bring a toasting stick; we provide marshmallows. The cost is $6. Register online. For information, call 703-941-1065.

Reptile Campfire  
Join a naturalist at E.C. Lawrence Park for a night hike from 7 to 8 p.m. to learn about native reptiles that become nocturnal during the warmer months. Roast marshmallows and make s'mores. The cost is $6 per person. Register online. For information, call 703-631-0013.

Junior Club Championship 
Players (age 17 and under) compete in an 18-hole individual stroke play tournament at Jefferson District Golf Course starting at 9 a.m. Advance registration is required by July 23. The cost per player before July 21 is $55 for Junior Program members/ $65.00 for non-members. The cost after July 7 is $60 and $70. The rain date is August 2. To register, call 703-573-0443.

Pirate Fest at Lake Fairfax  
Pirates, privateers, and ports of call, ahoy! This new festival at Lake Fairfax Park celebrates Virginia's seafaring past from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Join with Ships Company Chanteymen singing traditional sea chanteys, tavern tunes and pirate ditties. Explore up-close the quarter scale ship called the "Lion" and learn sailor skills. Experience the life of a sailor firsthand with our many fun activity stations, including a pirate-themed tour boat ride. Wear your most dashing pirate clothes and enter our costume contest. Find out about global trade in the 18th century and discover the luxury goods that compelled pirates to sail the seven seas. Tickets are $10 in advance online; $12 at the gate. Register online. For information, call 703-222-4664.

Garden Photography: Creative-Documentary  
Horticulturalist and garden photographer Karen Rexrode show you ways to take creative garden photos from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Green Spring Gardens. Learn to use composition and time of day to record changes in your garden and to highlight what design elements are working or not. The cost is $18 per person. Register online. For information, call 703-642-5173.

Sunday, July 27

Out is In: Outdoor Play Every Day 
Six to ten-year-olds learn traditional outdoor games including hopscotch, escargot, and SPUD at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. This free one-hour program is offered at 10 a.m. on 7/1 and 2 p.m. on 7/27. For more information, call 703-941-1065.

Blacksmithing Demonstrations 
Watch the blacksmith fire up the forge at Colvin Run Mill Historic Site, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. For more information call 703-759-2771.

Canine Cruise 
Treat your canine companion to a special cruise from 7 to 8 p.m. aboard Lake Accotink Park's pooch-friendly pontoon tour boat. The fee is $6 per person. Passengers must be age eight or older and accompanied by a paying adult if under age 16. To register, call 703-569-0285.

Wagon Ride: Visit to the Corn Crib 
Riverbend's meadow was once farmland. Journey back in time and enjoy children's activities from the 1900s and visit the corn crib from 11 a.m. to noon. The cost is $5. Register online. For information, call 703-759-9018.

Tea: Downton Abbey - Fabulous Flapper 
In the 1920s, a new kind of woman was born. She voted, drank, smoked and danced the Charleston. She wore short hair and short skirts. How shocking! From 1 to 3 p.m. at Historic Green Spring, we'll explore the Flapper Girl and her unique image and attitude and discuss her portrayal through the characters of the popular TV series Downton Abbey in its fourth season. The $29 fee includes an English tea. To make a reservation, call 703-941-7987.