Things to Do in Herndon, VA This September: NatureFest and the Start of My Favorite Season
If you live in Herndon and you have kids, grandkids, or you just genuinely love this town, mark your calendar right now. September in Herndon is when this community really comes alive, and this year kicks off with one of my favorite events.
I've lived in Herndon since 2002. I have three kids who grew up going to events exactly like the one I'm about to tell you about, and after 24 years of calling this town home, I still get a little excited every time fall rolls around and the community starts gathering again. If you're looking for things to do in Herndon, VA this September, let me start with the big one.
NatureFest is back at Runnymede Park on September 27th from 1 to 5 pm. It's free, no tickets required; you just show up. If you haven't spent an afternoon at Runnymede Park, you're missing one of the most beautiful green spaces in Northern Virginia, and NatureFest is the perfect excuse to finally go. Interactive nature stations are set up throughout the park, plus a Bird Bingo game the kids always end up loving more than the adults expect, the Web of Life game, and nature exhibits that make learning feel like playing. It's low-key, it's outdoors, and it's exactly the kind of afternoon that reminds you why you live here in the first place.
Here's the address if you want to plan around it: 195 Herndon Parkway. September 27th, 1 to 5 pm, completely free.
But NatureFest is really just the opening act. September in Herndon tends to bring out the best of the town before the weather turns. The W&OD Trail, which runs right through the heart of town, is at its best this time of year. The heat of summer breaks, the crowds thin out a little, and you get these long golden evenings that make an after-dinner walk or bike ride feel like the whole point of living somewhere like this. If you haven't walked the stretch near downtown Herndon, especially around the caboose and the old train depot, September is the month to do it.
Downtown Herndon itself is worth a slow Saturday morning this time of year too. Grab coffee, wander past the shops along Elden Street, and if you time it right, you might catch one of the smaller pop-up markets or community gatherings that start showing up as the weather cools. This is a town that likes an excuse to get together, and September gives it plenty of them.
If you've got older kids or you're an empty nester now, don't assume events like NatureFest are just for young families. I've run into plenty of neighbors there over the years who show up simply because it's a beautiful place to spend a Saturday, no kids required. That's the thing about Herndon that I don't think people fully understand until they've lived here a while. It's not really about any one event. It's about a town that consistently gives its residents reasons to show up for each other.
I get asked a lot, usually by people looking to move here, what actually makes Herndon different from the dozen other towns in Northern Virginia they're considering. And honestly, this is my answer every time. Yes, it's a great location. Yes, the schools are strong, and the commute options are solid, and the real estate market here has held up well. But the thing that makes it home, for the families I've watched settle in over the years and for me, is exactly this. A free Saturday afternoon at Runnymede Park with Bird Bingo and a couple hundred of your neighbors.
If you're new to town or just haven't made it out to a community event yet, September is the month to start. Between NatureFest, the trail, and downtown finally getting its cool weather energy back, there's no better time to get a real feel for what this town is about.
About LeAnne Anies & The Fox Homes Team
LeAnne Anies has been a Herndon resident since 2002 and leads the Fox Homes Team at Samson Properties, one of the most-reviewed real estate teams in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area with 2,155+ five-star Google reviews. LeAnne has personally sold 158 homes in Herndon alone, part of a career total of 375+ homes and $229M+ in sales volume. She's an NVAR Platinum Top Producer, a Washingtonian Top Agent, and a military spouse who understands firsthand what it means to put down roots in a new community. When she's not helping local families buy and sell homes, you'll likely find her at a community event like NatureFest, because for LeAnne, real estate has always been about the town, not just the transaction.
