The Secrets of Preserving Vegetables
When: Aug. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: Online
If you decided to plant your own garden this spring and now have more peppers and cukes than you know what to do with, this one’s for you. Rather than rush to eat everything before it goes bad, consider some of the recipes (canned dilly asparagus, fermented corn salsa, dried Asian broccoli crisps and more) offered by Angi Schneider, author of The Ultimate Guide to Preserving Vegetables. She’ll be sharing them in this virtual event hosted by One More Page Books. Participation is free.
Two-Day Distilling Workshop
When: Aug. 11-12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Falls Church Distillers,442 S. Washington St., Suite A, Falls Church
Did quarantine get you thinking about making your own bathtub hooch? If so, this two-day workshop by Mitch Abate, head distiller at Colorado’s Down Slope Distilling, and Falls Church Distillers’ Dr. Kallie Stavros, is a good place to start (and a step up from the bathtub). Participants will learn about everything that goes into spirits distilling, from water quality and grain mashes to equipment and infusions. Day two covers logistics, marketing and distribution for those looking to go enterprise level. $450 if you register before July 12; $500 after.
Arlington County Fair
When: Aug. 14-16
Where: Online
Hosting a traditional fair seemed too risky this year, prompting the Arlington County Fair’s volunteer board of directors to make the tough decision to cancel plans for an on-site event. But the show will go on, with a virtual format to include live-streamed artist performances, cooking demonstrations, local vendors and a baby goat fashion show! Check the website and Facebook for additional details as they develop, and consider making a donation.
Aspire House: McLean 2020
When: Opening Aug. 21
Where: 952 Mackall Farms Lane, McLean (and online)
Looking for some home decor inspiration? Don’t miss the opportunity to tour this showcase home in McLean, featuring rooms and vignettes by 30 designers, including Falls Church designers Allie Mann of Case Architects & Remodelers and Michael Winn of Winn Design+Build; and McLean designers Maria Galiani and Federica Asack; plus many other D.C.-area firms. Built by Artisan Builders with architecture by Harrison Design, the home itself reads as a contemporary homage to Jefferson’s Monticello. Timed tours (with occupancy limits) will take place Wednesdays-Fridays 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $45-$50. Virtual tours also available. Proceeds will benefit the Aspire Design and Home Diversity in Design Scholarship Fund.
NoVA Bookstore Crawl
When: Aug. 29
Where: Multiple locations
Covid-19 put the kibosh on Independent Bookstore Day (April 25), along with the inaugural NoVA Bookstore Crawl that was originally scheduled to take place on that date. Now our area’s independent bookstores are aiming for a late summer reprise. The book crawl—which encourages participants to stop by Bards Alley, Big Planet, Hooray for Books!, Old Town Books, One More Page Books, and Scrawl—has been rescheduled for Aug. 29. Bibiophiles who visit five or more stores will win a tote bag. Don’t forget to mask up. Participation is free, but hey–buy a book.