t’s official, 2025 might be one of the best years yet. Northern Virginians have so much to look forward to, from the return of the giant pandas to celebrating 50 years of Kings Dominion to so many new openings. You won’t want to miss any of these 25 events and attractions in 2025.
By Colleen Kelleher, Michele Kettner, Erica Moody, Maggie Roth, and Anjoleigh Schindler
It’s Giant Panda Party Time
Mark your calendar. The National Zoo’s adorable new residents Bao Li (pronounced BOW-lee) and Qing Bao (pronounced ching-BOW) make their public debut this month. Hop online now to get free entry passes to see these fuzzy black-and-white bears explore their renovated habitat. There’s no doubt you’ll fall in love.
Local Lion Brewery Opens in Hillsboro
The newest stop on the LoCo Ale Trail is set to open in April. Loudoun County resident Laura Sorgo and her husband named their Hillsboro brewery for two African lions buried on the property. (We’ll get them to tell us the full story over a beer.)
Get Moving at Dulles Town Center
The new attractions coming to Dulles Town Center will have you challenging yourself, your friends, and your kids. At Always in Motion, a ninja and parkour gym set to open early this year, you’ll try obstacles you never expected. Later in the year, you’ll be able to test your skills at 810 Billiards & Bowling while the kids jump about at the Sky Zone trampoline park.
Kings Dominion Celebrates 50 Years
The Doswell park with 60-plus rides is going all-out to celebrate its golden anniversary. This summer, expect to be hit by a wave of nostalgia while also being in awe of everything new — including the debut of Rapterra, the world’s tallest and longest launched wing coaster.
A 2nd Helping of Ruthie’s All-Day
The acclaimed meat-and-three restaurant we love in South Arlington comes to Fairfax Corner in the fall. Chef Matt Hill says the menu will be similar to the first location, with mouthwatering brisket, mac and cheese, and buttermilk biscuits. The new spot, across from REI, will have 210 seats, including an outdoor patio.
Climb to New Heights at Movement Fairfax
Plan to build strength while having fun when this state-of-the-art climbing and fitness gym opens at Fair Oaks Mall. Slated for late 2025, it’ll have bouldering areas and climbing walls that reach 50 feet. Plus, you can look forward to classes, kids’ programs, a boutique yoga studio, and a gear shop.
Alex Ovechkin Eyes NHL Scoring Record
The countdown to 894 goals is on the minds of fans across the DMV. As of press time, Ovechkin was fewer than 30 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. After missing time due to a broken leg, our fingers are crossed that the Great 8 can still top the list by the season’s end.
Olympic Warmups Gallop into Morven Park
Horses. Riders. Jumps. It’s time to start learning all things equestrian. OIympic-level competitions are coming to Leesburg’s Morven Park International Equestrian Center in October, and they’re open to the public. Some of the riders in the U.S. Equestrian Open of Eventing will likely be in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. ESPN will broadcast the finals.
Ebbitt House Comes to Reston Station
If you’re a fan of the Old Ebbitt Grill in DC, get excited. Clyde’s Restaurant Group will launch the first-ever spinoff of the historic saloon, and it’s set to pull in to Reston Station this year. Look forward to cocktails, American fare, and oysters galore.
An Open-Air Market Comes to Dulles
Virginia’s only open-air market opens in the Dulles Town Center’s parking lot this spring. Get ready to stroll around and check out small NoVA businesses and startups on Sundays. The folks behind the effort promise lots of variety and plan to capitalize on what we all love: diverse ethnic food options.
Puttshack Makes Its NoVA Debut
This summer, Puttshack opens its tech-infused mini golf course at Reston Station. The nine-hole course automatically keeps scores for you (sorry, cheaters!) as you try to sink your shot on holes that resemble air hockey, beer pong, and Connect Four. Winners and losers alike can enjoy cocktails at the bar.
Grab Tickets for Must-See Theater
Big things are happening on stage this year. Head to The Kennedy Center to catch Legally Blonde The Musical, Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, and, in late January, the world premiere of Schmigadoon! Plus, Capital One Hall will feature Chicago in the spring, and The National Theatre will host productions of Annie and Ain’t Too Proud.
Celebrate 20 Seasons with the Washington Nationals
Just like that, it’s been 20 years since baseball returned to DC. The Nats’ celebratory anniversary season kicks off when the hometown team takes on the Philadelphia Phillies during the home opener on March 27. Watch for more 20th anniversary announcements closer to the start of the season.
Get Outdoors at Reservoir Park
Bike, hike, or canoe at Loudoun County’s newest destination at Beaverdam Reservoir in Ashburn. Operated by NOVA Parks in collaboration with Loudoun Water, you can rent a paddleboard or kayak, fish for largemouth bass, or pack a picnic basket and relax surrounded by nature. Sorry, there’s no swimming since this is a source of drinking water.
The Army Celebrates Its 250th Birthday
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War and the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday. (The Army started on June 14, 1775.) To celebrate these milestones, the National Museum of the U.S. Army in Fort Belvoir will have a special exhibit on the history of the Revolution.
Audi Field Hosts FIFA Club World Cup
The first-ever FIFA Club World Cup comes to Washington, DC. Audi Field, home to D.C. United and the Washington Spirit, is one of 12 hosts for the monthlong soccer tournament (June 15 to July 13). Clubs from across the world will compete, including Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Inter Miami.
Head to Summer Concerts at Wolf Trap
Summer nights are best spent in your feelings on the lawn at Wolf Trap. This year, we’ll indulge in emo classics from the Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessional (a match made in millennial heaven), the date-night melodies of English singer-songwriter James Blunt, the soothing cello of Croatian artist Hauser, the lasting comedy of “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the bluegrass brilliance of Alison Krauss.
Go on a Shopping Spree
Want a new wardrobe for the new year? Tysons Corner Center will welcome luxury retailer Chloé (the first one in the DC area), and Potomac Mills will open a new Primark for budget-friendly attire. Plus, One Loudoun is undergoing a major expansion, with new tenants like Arhaus, Tatte Bakery & Café, and others still to be announced.
Banana Ball Is Back in the District
After a sold-out performance in 2024, the Savannah Bananas head back to Nationals Park for two nights of can’t-miss exhibition barnstorming baseball (June 27 and 28). If you’ve seen highlights on ESPN, you know you shouldn’t expect an average ball game. Be ready for dance breaks, trick plays, and surprise lineup changes.
Meet Me on the Rooftop
Sipping a drink with a view is the vibe we’re looking for in 2025, and there are two new hotel rooftop bars headed our way. AC Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott Reston opens this month near the Reston Town Center with its chic all-season SYN Rooftop Lounge & Bar. And Leesburg’s Hotel Burg, expected this summer, will have a 2,500-square-foot rooftop lounge and bar with a 10-foot fire pit.
Check Out New Museums
Expand your worldview with new music, history, and art museum exhibits. Stop at the new Go-Go Museum to learn about DC’s official music genre. Plus, two new galleries will open at the National Air & Space Museum this spring, and the National Portrait Gallery will show rarely seen works by Amy Sherald beginning in September.
Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair Comes to Loudoun
This annual free, family-friendly event will be in Loudoun for the first time on March 16. At Waterford’s Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery, which grows grain for its small-batch beers on the property, there will be a vendor market, exhibitors, and a grain classroom where guests can learn how to cook and bake with local grains.
WorldPride Comes to DC
An estimated 3 million guests arrive in the region this June, as Washington, DC, hosts WorldPride and commemorates the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations in the city. Expect three weeks of festivities and advocacy, including a Shakira concert, a parade, a music festival, and a march. Alexandria will get in on the fun, too, with a Pride-themed art event at the Torpedo Factory, a market and drag show at Port City Brewing Co., and the annual Alexandria Pride Fair.
Level 99 at Tysons Corner Will Challenge You
Get ready for a grown-up playground when this live-action entertainment venue comes to Tysons Corner with more than 50 physical, mental, and mystery challenges for teams of two to six players. Compete in scavenger hunts, duels, and puzzles, then have a brew at the 300-seat taproom and a farm-to-table meal from its scratch kitchen.
Chef Tarver King Launches Waverly Springs
The former head chef of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm plans to open his new restaurant, farm, and eight-room boutique inn just outside Waterford to the public in the fall. Set inside a 1600s stone farmhouse, the 20-seat dining room will surely feature surprising seasonal fare from the 17-acre farm on site that grows mulberry, apple, pawpaw, plum, and peach trees as well as black truffles.
Feature image courtesy Savannah Bananas