Kick Off the Holidays with Tree Lighting, Breakfast with Santa

Get in the holiday spirit this weekend with three days of winter fun. Eat pancakes with Santa, take a candlelight tour downtown, and celebrate the start of the holiday season with a tree lighting.

Keep reading for your day-by-day schedule guide for kicking off the holidays in Fairfax City.

FRIDAY

• Celtic Christmas with Síor-Óg and Friends: This Old Town Hall performance features traditional Irish band Síor-Óg, a Christmas-themed storyteller, champion Irish step dancers, and more. Old Town Hall, 8-10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: Festival of Lights and Carols and More

• 8 a.m.: Breakfast with Santa. Enjoy pancakes, sausages, bagels, orange juice, milk and coffee at this benefit breakfast for the Fairfax City Volunteer Fire Department. Santa will drop by the breakfast at Fire Station No. 3 to join the fun. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for kids. Guests will get a chance to win raffle prizes and can take a guided tour of the fire station and trucks. This event is not part of the Festival of Lights and Carols.
• 11 a.m.: Lunch with Santa. Kids get to dig in a Chick-fil-A lunch with cookies and juice at the . There will be a special celebrity guest. Lunches start at 11 a.m., 12 and 1 p.m. Call 703-385-7858 for tickets. There may be a few tickets left at the door, but don't wait, seats fill up fast. Tickets cost $6 per child. Limit 10 per person. Ages 12 and under.
• 1 p.m.: Listen to musicians at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 2 p.m.: Girl Scout Service Unit 55-6 performs at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 2:30 - 5 p.m.:  students perform at Old Town Hall.
• 3 p.m.: Listen to Kol NoVa and Friends Multigenerational Jewish Choir at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 3 - 5 p.m.: Visit with Santa at Old Town Hall. Bring your camera.
• 3:30 p.m.: Performance by Steve Hung at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 4 p.m.: Listen to singers at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 4:30 p.m.: Performance by Steve Hung at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 5 p.m.: Good News Ringers of Centreville United Methodist Church performs at Kitty Pozer Garden.
• 5:30 p.m.: Join the Jubil-Aires and Good News Ringers in carols and watch the holiday tree lighting. 
• 6 - 7 p.m.: Candlelight tours at .

Parking: There is free parking at the Old Town Plaza parking garage (all spaces are open to the public on weekends) and in various small lots throughout downtown Fairfax City. Garage entrances are on Chain Bridge Road and University Drive.

Shuttle Bus: The city will drive families from the Sherwood Community Center to Kitty Pozer Garden via a "Polar Express" shuttle bus from 12-3 p.m.

Other Festival Events: Families can stop by the fair's petting zoo, and enjoy smores and hot cider throughout the day.

More Lights: An animated holiday light display at Kitty Pozer runs every evening at 5 until Jan. 8.

SUNDAY

• What was Christmas Like for 17th Virginia Infantrymen during the Civil War? Reenactors will give you a glimpse at this Civil War Interpretive Series event at Historic Blenheim. 12-4 p.m.
• Fairfax Art League Holiday Party: Stop by for live entertainment, food and drinks from the wine bar. Old Town Hall, 5 p.m. Click here to learn more about the Fairfax Art League.
• Carols at Truro Church: Sing carols with Truro's own musicians and then join the congregation for a reception. Truro Church, 7-8 p.m.

to see photos from last year's tree lighting.