Press Release: 2024 REston Founder's Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
Media Contact:
Alexandra Campbell, Executive Director
703.709.7700 | alex.campbell@restonmuseum.org

Reston, VA – Reston Museum will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Founder’s Day on April 6th, 2024. The event will be held at Lake Anne Plaza from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Founder’s Day began as a celebration of Reston’s Founder Robert E. Simon Jr.’s 90th birthday in 2004, featuring the unveiling of Zachary Oxman’s sculpture of him. The
event has continued every year since, showcasing how Reston’s community continues to live the legacy established by Simon.

“Founder’s Day this year is extra special for several reasons. Besides being the 20th anniversary of Founder’s Day, the event will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
Reston documentary Reston: Another Way of Living and is in remembrance of what would have been Simon’s 110th birthday,” says Alexandra Campbell, Executive Director of Reston Museum.

The Founder’s Day celebration will start with a morning community cleanup at 11 am.  The afternoon program will kick off with a reading of Reston’s 1966 dedication and remarks from local elected officials. Following until four o’clock, there will be performances by local groups, exhibits, and new this year, a “Pages on the Plaza” book fair celebrating local authors, bookshops, and community organizations.

The performances will start with Trout Fishing in America, an acclaimed national touring company that is giving Reston ‘sneak preview’ of the evening’s performance.  Following will be community performances including South Lakes High School Drama, South Lakes High School Drumline, and many more are expected. Exhibits by Reston Children's Center (celebrating over 50 years in Reston!), Famous Restonians exhibit, and an exhibit by the League of Reston Artists. Throughout the day, storytimes, author talks, and family-friendly activities will be held throughout the plaza.

“The addition of a Book Fair as a component of Founder’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate Reston’s living legacy and also April as National Poetry Month and National School Library month. Featured in the program this year is Reston’s Used Book Shop, which has been at Lake Anne Plaza since the 1970s and is Reston’s oldest bookshop still here today,” says Campbell.

Book Fair booth attendees include over a dozen authors of several genres including fiction, nonfiction, youth, mystery, thriller, and more.

The draft program can be viewed here: https://www.restonmuseum.org/event-details/founders-day-2

While attendees can dine lakeside at Lake Anne Plaza establishments, special for the day includes a selection of local food and beverage vendors joining the celebration.

Those interested in participating in the community clean-up should contact Ha Brock at Ha@reston.org.

Learn more at https://www.restonmuseum.org/event-details/founders-day-2. Founder’s Day is presented by Reston Museum and Reston Community Center with support from Public Art Reston and hosted by Lake Anne Plaza. Founder’s Day Community Cleanup is managed by Volunteer Reston.

About Reston Museum
Reston Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Reston’s past, informing the present, and influencing the future of Reston. Reston Museum preserves a collection of archival material and artifacts related to the history of Reston, many of which are exhibited at the Reston Museum. Located at Lake Anne Plaza,  Reston Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday free of charge. Reston Museum also conducts educational and public programming, exhibitions, and public events including the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta, the Reston Home Tour, and Founder's Day. For more information, please visit www.restonmuseum.org. Programs are supported in part by Reston Community Center.