With more than just a few degrees Fahrenheit separating Sept. 10 and 11, the two days of the annual Burke Centre Festival, the massive community event once again signaled the end of summer and beginning of fall in more ways than one.

“It always seems to kick off fall,” said former Burke resident Jim Miller, who was demonstrating traditional Okinawan Karate from a Burke Centre Conservancy class.

“I like the community aspect of it -- so many different cultures enjoying themselves,” Miller said.

Miller’s booth was just one of more than a dozen outreach booths at the festival, that included local politicians, churches and temples, and Fairfax County government and services.

There were also around a dozen each of food vendors and sponsor booths, and about 100 crafters.

One fairgoer of Burke said she likes that families have a chance to “see police officers and firefighters as a more friendly aspect” at their vendor booths.

The Burke Veterans of Foreign Wars, local Boy Scouts troop members and politicians supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock), Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41) and Rep. Gerry Connolly participated in a patriotic opening ceremony for the festival, which fell on the weekend of September 11.

The festival was organized by the Burke Centre Conservancy. For more information, visit www.burkecentreweb.com or call 703-978-2928.