When the leaves change color and the weather gets cooler, it’s time for Centreville Day. This year’s celebration is the 25th annual, and it’s set for be Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., in Historic Centreville Park, 5714 Mount Gilead Road (off Braddock Road, across Route 29 from the IHOP).

The festivities include a parade, live music performers, martial arts, swordsmen, dancing, a pet pageant, children’s activities, food and crafts. Admission is free, and free parking and shuttles will be available at The Trinity Centre, 5860 Trinity Parkway, off Route 29.

“Centreville Day is a fun event,” said event organizer Cheryl Repetti, president of the Historic Centreville Society. “We aren’t a huge festival, but we have heart. Centreville Day not only celebrates community, but helps create a sense of community in all who attend. It brings people together; and together, we all create a day that stands out from the others.”

And, she continued, “We don’t all represent a particular point of view or come from a specific group. Folks come from all over and have all sorts of reasons for being at Centreville Day. Some want to have fun outside with the kids without spending a small fortune, while others want to learn about Centreville’s history, meet new clients, find a church, see live entertainment or buy that perfect gift for their loved ones.”

The fun begins at 10 a.m. with opening ceremonies at the main stage near St. John’s Episcopal Church, also on Mount Gilead Road. Local Girl Scouts will lead the pledge of allegiance and Supervisor Kathy Smith (D-Sully) will welcome the crowd and present the Centreville Day Citizen of the Year award.

Parade

Organized by American Legion Post 1995, the Centreville Day Parade will be led by the Chantilly Academy’s Air Force JROTC. Participants also include both new and antique fire and police vehicles, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, members of the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office and more. McGruff the Crime Dog may also appear. Anyone can join in the fun – even children with decorated bikes and scooters, and costumes are encouraged.

The parade will start assembling at the end of Wharton Lane near Wharton Park Court at 10:30 a.m. It’ll kick off at Wharton Lane at 11 a.m., passing the stage shortly before noon and continuing along Mt. Gilead Road to Braddock Road. Residents living north of Wharton Lane will notice brief, rolling, road closures as the parade passes by.

Prizes of $50 will be awarded to the Most Enthusiastic and Most Patriotic groups. Advance registration is appreciated for planning purposes or to be considered in the parade judging; go to www.CentrevilleDay.org. Direct any questions to parade coordinator Steve Hunter at geoshunter@gmail.com.

Children’s Activities

At Centreville Day, children don’t have to wait until Halloween to wear their costumes. They can dress up and go trick-or-treating through the community marketplace on Mt. Gilead Road. while their parents browse the booths of crafters, local businesses, churches and nonprofits.

Also planned are a variety of free activities, including a climbing wall, slide and History Train rides. And the women of Alpha Delta Kappa will host face-painting, sack races, a tug-of-war and an orange maze. Children will get to make their way through a candy-store obstacle course and smash pumpkins by shooting them out of a cannon.

They can also enjoy hands-on history at Mount Gilead, which was built as a tavern in 1785. It’s one of the oldest, surviving buildings in Centreville, dating back to the original crossroads village of Newgate, and it’ll be open for guided tours. Outside on the lawn, Sully Historic Site volunteers will help children dip candles, write with a quill pen and make simple toys to take home.

Also on the lawn will be the Swordsmen of the 18th Century. Long-time Centreville residents Charlie and John Anderson will demonstrate their swashbuckling skills and share their knowledge with the crowd. Meanwhile, attendees may also find another group of living historians, Pirates for Sail, also camped on Mount Gilead’s lawn. (Centreville was once home to a pirate).

Entertainment

As masters of ceremonies, Westfield High students Nathan Marshak and Anthony Repetti, will host several, local performers at the main stage. Pirates for Sail, a group of singing privateers, will get things off to a lively start at 10:40 a.m. Then, after the parade, The VaDeatles – comprised of teachers mainly from Stone Middle School – will cover songs of the Beatles and other rock bands at 11:45 p.m.

Other entertainers include: Powerworx Dancers, the Youth Choir of the Fairfax Choral Society, Hallelujah Tae Kwon Do demonstration team, Korean harmonica and autoharp players, and the Northern Virginia Wu Shu Academy. Check for the annual, hula-hoop contest time, plus additional acts, at www.CentrevilleDay.org or the Centreville Day Facebook page. See sidebar for the full, entertainment time schedule.

Pet Pageant, Blessing

For the third year in a row, Centreville Day will go to the dogs — and the cats, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits and mice, The Centreville-Chantilly Rotary Club is sponsoring a Pet Pageant for pets of all kinds.

The pageant is set for 2 p.m. at the main stage. There’s no registration fee, but a registration form is available at the Centreville Day website. Families are welcome to bring more than one pet, and certificates will be awarded in categories such as Most Unusual Pet and Most Creative Costume. A raffle is also slated with prizes donated by local pet stores and veterinarians. For more information, contact Cammy Gawlak at cgawlak@verizon.net.

In addition, the Rev. Carol Hancock will be blessing a variety of pets throughout the day at the Saint John’s tent on the lawn of the historic church. Hot coffee will be available and the church and grounds will be open for tours. Discover the door in the ceiling or explore the old cemetery.

Food

An international selection of foods will be available at the food court between Mt. Gilead and the Safety Expo area. Smokes BBQ will return with pulled pork and other barbecue items, and Danibelle’s Lite and Sweet food truck will offer savory shawarmas and sweet baklava. New this year is Thai food from Bangkok House Restaurant, plus seafood from Bonefish Grill. Enjoy a large variety of quesadillas provided by Buena-Dillas!

History

“From its earliest settlement in the 1760s to the dynamic and culturally diverse community it is today, Centreville has a long and interesting history,” said Repetti. “And it’s celebrated each Centreville Day in the very places where that history happened.”

Just down the street from St. John’s is the Spindle Sears House. Purchased in 1933 from a Sears catalog and shipped here by train, this tiny house will be open for tours led by Ellanor C. Lawrence Park historian Allison Hartley.

Besides the guided tours of Mount Gilead, cookies and teas will be offered on the home’s porch by the Irongate Bakers in period garb. Mount Gilead is also one of the stops for the county Park Authority’s History Train, driven from the Sully Historic Site by Matt McNeal.

The train will take attendees between stations on the lawn at Mount Gilead and Braddock Road. Repetti advises visitors to get off the train at the Braddock Road stop and “stroll down the hill to explore the Old Stone Church – the Church of the Ascension – where you can tour the historic church and meet Rachel and her array of antique science instruments and curiosities.”

Also there will be more baked goods, plus a ploughman’s lunch for sale. There’ll be free face painting and antique science instruments. And the nearby Havener House and Stuart-Mosby Museum will be open for tours, too. The Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum on Braddock Road features items related to the lives of cavalrymen Gen. JEB Stuart and Col. John Mosby.

Safety Expo

The Safety Expo near the Spindle Sears House is one of Centreville Day’s most popular attractions. Attendees get to meet local first responders and other public-safety personnel, learn about the services they provide and find out how to deal with emergencies in the home or community. And Sheriff's Office personnel will make child IDs.

Police and fire-and-rescue vehicles will be on display and, if possible, a police helicopter. Other participants will include the National Poison Control Center, Washington Gas, Miss Utility, Fairfax Communities of Trust and the county’s Office of Emergency Management

Sponsors

Almost all activities are free, thanks to the support of Centreville Day’s vendors and sponsors, including NOVEC, the Korean Central Presbyterian Church, Goodwill Centreville, Apple Federal Union, Sandy Spring Bank, CPA Bryan Hunt, Historic Centreville Society, Rotary Club of Centreville-Chantilly, American Disposal Services, Sign-a-Rama of Centreville, American Legion Post 1995, Centreville Chiropractic Center, the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Friends of Historic Centreville.

General Information

Centreville Day is organized by and benefits the Friends of Historic Centreville. It’s a nonprofit that puts on Centreville Day in partnership with the Park Authority to encourage residents to discover the Centreville’s rich history. For more information, follow “Mrs. Spindle” at www.CentrevilleDay.org.