Family Day Welcomes Neighbors and Kicks off Latino Conservation Week

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On a bright September afternoon, Annandale Community Park was alive with the sounds of laughter, nature and curiosity. Families gathered for FACETS’ Family Day, held Sept. 12 as a kickoff to Latino Conservation Week (Sept. 13-21), and Hidden Oaks Nature Center was proud to be part of it. This is the second year Hidden Oaks has partnered with FACETS to coordinate Family Day for Latino Conservation Week.

Children’s eyes lit up as they met frogs and toads with Hidden Oaks naturalists Cesia Lobo and Cecilia Sellars, who explained how these small amphibians help keep local ecosystems healthy. Parents leaned in, eager to learn about nature programs that spark curiosity and connect kids to the outdoors. Just steps away, crafts, games and lunch in the park brought families together, turning a Saturday afternoon into a joyful community celebration.

For many attendees, Family Day was a first introduction to Hidden Oaks and nearby Park Authority sites such as the Audrey Moore Rec Center. By simply being present in the park, families discovered welcoming spaces and programs they had not realized were so close to home. That is the heart of events like this — opening doors, building connections and making sure every resident knows they belong in our parks.

The event was organized through FACETS’ Opportunity Neighborhoods initiative, which brings together community partners and resources based on needs identified by residents. According to FACETS, many Annandale families surveyed had never visited Hidden Oaks, the Audrey Moore Rec Center or other nearby facilities. Family Day helped change that, showing families how many programs, spaces and opportunities are available in their own neighborhoods.

Hidden Oaks was honored to be part of this effort, helping to weave conservation, culture and community into a single, joyful afternoon. We look forward to welcoming these families back to Hidden Oaks and to parks across Fairfax County—because every story, every culture and every voice belongs in nature.

Learn more about how the Park Authority builds connections across communities at Mi Conexión al Parque.

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About Fairfax County Park Authority

About Fairfax County Park Authority HISTORY: On December 6, 1950, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors created the Fairfax County Park Authority. The Park Authority was authorized to make decisions concerning land acquisition, park development and operations in Fairfax County, Virginia. To date, 13 park bond referenda have been approved between 1959 and 2016. Today, the Park Authority has 427 parks on more than 23,000 acres of land. We offer 325 miles of trails, our most popular amenity. FACILITIES: The Park system is the primary public mechanism in Fairfax County for the preservation of environmentally sensitive land and resources, areas of historic significance and the provision of recreational facilities and services including: • Nine indoor Rec Centers with swimming pools, fitness rooms, gyms and class spaces. Cub Run features an indoor water park and on-site naturalist • Eight golf courses from par-3 to championship level, four driving ranges including the new state-of-the-art heated, covered range at Burke Lake Golf Center • Five nature and visitor centers. Also nine Off-Leash Dog Activity areas • Three lakefront parks including Lake Fairfax, Lake Accotink and Burke Lake, with campgrounds at Burke Lake and Lake Fairfax. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax, Our Special Harbor Sprayground at Franconia as well as an indoor water park at Cub Run Rec Center • Clemyjontri Park, a fully accessible playground in Great Falls featuring two acres of family friendly fun and a carousel, as well as Chessie’s Big Backyard and a carousel at the Family Recreation Area at Franconia Park • An ice skating rink at Mount Vernon Rec Center and the Skate Park in Wakefield Park adjacent to Audrey Moore Rec Center • Kidwell Farm, a working farm of the 1930s-era at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, now with historic carousel • Eight distinctive historic properties available for rent • A working grist mill at Colvin Run in Great Falls and a restored 18th century home at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly • A horticulture center at Green Spring Gardens in Annandale • Natural and cultural resources protected by the Natural Resource Management Plan and Cultural Resource Plans, plus an Invasive Management Area program that targets alien plants and utilizes volunteers in restoring native vegetation throughout our community • Picnic shelters, tennis courts, miniature golf courses, disc golf courses, off-leash dog parks, amphitheaters, a marina, kayaking/canoeing center • Provides 263 athletic fields, including 39 synthetic turf fields, and manages athletic field maintenance services at 417 school athletic fields. PARK AUTHORITY BOARD: A 12-member citizen board, appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sets policies and priorities for the Fairfax County Park Authority. Visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/social-hub/ for Fairfax County Government's Comment Policy.

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