George Washington Birthday Parade, Mardi Gras: NoVA, DC Weekend Events

VIRGINIA — The long Presidents Day weekend will bring a parade, Mardi Gras events and more to Northern Virginia and D.C.

One weekend highlight will be the George Washington Birthday festivities. Alexandria has a George Washington Birthday Parade as well as the Rededication of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial’s Cornerstone for its 100th anniversary. George Washington's Mount Vernon will offer Free Admission for George Washington's Birthday on Feb. 20 and 22. Another George Washington's Birthday Celebration will happen in Fredericksburg at Washington's boyhood home.

If you are celebrating Mardi Gras, check out events like Mardi Gras on Barracks Row 8th Street Weekend, Mardi Gras at The Wharf, Samedi Gras, Bourbon to U Street Mardi Gras Bar Crawl, Leesburg Mardi Gras Bar Crawl and Mardi Gras Brew-Ha-Ha Indoor Beer Festival.

One ongoing event kicking off this weekend is The Great Migration Light Show at NOVA Wild. NOVA Wild replaced Roer's Zoofari in the Reston area. Families can also get outdoors for ice skating at places like Reston Town Center, Washington Harbour in Georgetown and Sculpture Garden near the National Mall.

Below is a full roundup of events from Friday, Feb. 17 to Monday, Feb. 20:

Friday, Feb. 17

• The Great Migration Light Show at NOVA Wild begins, Reston (through April 9)
• Mardi Gras on Barracks Row 8th Street Weekend, Washington, DC (through Feb. 21)
• International Gem & Jewelry Show, Chantilly (through Feb. 19)
• The Town of Middleburg's 12th Annual Winter Weekend Sale, Middleburg (through Feb. 20)
• Smells Like Nirvana Tribute & Dead Original Live in Concert, Leesburg
• The Parlor Games Pop-Up, Alexandria
• SAVED BY THE 90'S, Falls Church
• BINGOAT: Bingo + Goats, Arlington
• 2nd Annual Capitol City Classic, Sterling (through Feb. 19)
• Faith in Peace: A Concert for the Human Family Event (Ukraine Benefit Concert), Washington, DC
• Mind Your Manners! Specialty Tour, Alexandria
• Brazilian Carnival: Make and Take/Take and Make, Burke
• Walker Grant Middle School Production of Shrek Jr. The Musical, Fredericksburg (through Feb. 18)
• Men on Boats by UMW Theatre, Fredericksburg (through Feb. 19)
• Throwback Thursday: 80s Night, Fredericksburg
• Bolivian Carnavales Pop Up Event, Alexandria (through Feb. 19)
• Ice Skating at Pentagon Row, Arlington (open until March)
• Escape to Margaritaville, Fredericksburg (through March 5)
• Ice Skating at Reston Town Center, Reston (through March 12)
• Ice Skating at Washington Harbour, Washington, DC (through March 12)
• Ice Rink at the Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC (through March 5)

Saturday, Feb. 18

• Mardi Gras at The Wharf, Washington, DC
• Chinese New Year Celebration, Woodbridge
• Film Screening - Lorton: Prison of Terror, Lorton (through Feb. 19)
• Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival, Washington, DC (through March 26)
• Bourbon to U Street Mardi Gras Bar Crawl, Washington, DC
• National Park Service Living History, Fredericksburg
• Leesburg Mardi Gras Bar Crawl, Leesburg
• Mardi Gras Brew-Ha-Ha Indoor Beer Festival, Merrifield
• Samedi Gras 2023, Purcellville
• MYHockey Congressional Cup, Leesburg (through Feb. 20)
• Old Glory DC vs. Chicago Rugby, Leesburg
• Walking Tour: “Black Business and Entrepreneurship in Fredericksburg, 1787-Present,” Fredericksburg
• Chili Cook Off at Settle Down Easy Brewing, Falls Church
• Winter Market, Manassas
• Happy Birthday, George! Fredericksburg
• Barks and Brews- Puppy Love Festival, Tysons
• Stout Fest 2023 - The Ultimate Dark Beer Event of the Season, Chantilly
• February Open House at Northern Virginia Model Railroaders, Vienna
• Concert: Washington Revels Jubilee Voices, Alexandria
• Batman, Cinderella, and Spiderman Host Family Festival, Tysons
• Step Show, Fredericksburg
• Tastes of Home: African American Culture and American Cuisine, Manassas
• Naturalist Walk: Winter Birds, Broad Run
• Ice Skating at Ice & Lights, Alexandria (weekends through Feb. 26)

Sunday, Feb. 19

• Pulitzer Prize Winner Nikole Hannah-Jones at McLean Community Center, McLean
• Boyz II Men, National Harbor
• Rock the Rink, Purcellville
• Impractical Jokers at Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
• Portrait Sketching Class, Leesburg
• Mardi Gras Concert & Pancake Supper, Burke
• Dyke Marsh Sunday Morning Bird Walks, Belle Haven

Monday, Feb. 20

• George Washington Birthday Parade, Alexandria
• Rededication of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial’s Cornerstone, Alexandria
• Free Admission for George Washington's Birthday, Mount Vernon (plus Feb. 22)
• George Washington's Birthday Celebration, Fredericksburg
• Mardi Gras Mojo Magick, Reston
• Huntley Meadows Monday Morning Birdwalk, Hybla Valley