Welcome to Just Outside DC — the only local newsletter that’s hotter than leather car seats in the summertime.

THE BIG IDEA

People are leaving NoVA in favor of Virginia’s countryside.

For the first time since 1830, Fairfax County’s population is shrinking.

Even Loudoun, longtime champion of suburban growth, didn't grow much at all last year, according to the Weldon Cooper Center at UVA.

Where is everyone going, you ask?

Answer: little rural spots like Middlesex are the new hotness.

(who’d have thought a place that sounds like a tiny English village would be so alluring?)

Now, whether this comes down to penny-pinching remote workers searching for lower costs of living, or just people craving more nature is hard to say.

One thing is clear though — people fleeing places like Fairfax County is not a good sign, at least economically…

Some skeptics are saying stuff like "It’s just a blip, they'll all come flocking back to the DC metro area eventually!" 

But with remote work sticking around and suburbs/rural areas getting increasingly swanky, I wouldn't be so sure.

Bottom line — if you're dreaming of crowd-free nature trails over gridlocked highways, it seems like all the cool kids are moving to the sticks these days.

Maybe one day the next hit Netflix show will be about the adventures of Goochland County's hot new arrivals?

Together with Active

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Coffee makers inevitably build up scale, oil, and residue over time-- that impacts mineral balance, water temperature and flow. So you might not actually be getting the full flavor of your beans.

Luckily ACTIVE comes with a whole year supply of tablets to easily clear this build-up, so you can keep not thinking about it!

Taste the ACTIVE Difference Today!

Bulletin Board 📌 

📺️ * TV static noises * 📺️ 

We interrupt this newsletter to let you know… we’ve created a local job board!

If you’re hiring and would like to promote an open position in the newsletter, you can reach out to us here for more info.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming…

Reader Restaurant Recommendation: One of our readers, Robert, recommends you guys check out The Study in Old Town Alexandria.

By the way, if you want us to mention your favorite restaurant in the newsletter, just reply to this email. We’ll add it to our list so we can give you and the restaurant a shout-out :)

QUICK HITS

• Tysons has the priciest apartments in the region with a median rent of $2,666 per month 😵‍💫 

• Someone asked ChatGPT to roast Northern Virginia and this is what it had to say… 🤖 

• Howard University got a $175M donation from Mike Bloomberg 🎓️ 

• Watch out for this new E-ZPass text message scam -- aka “smishing” meaning SMS-based phishing 🎣 

LIVE MUSIC

• Bruce Springsteen & The East Street Band are performing at Nat’s Park tomorrow night.

• Rob Thomas is performing with the National Symphony Orchestra tonight at the Kennedy Center.

• Rosslyn Jazz Fest | Arlington’s most popular outdoor music festival returns to Gateway Park tomorrow.

• Reggae on the Lake | the 3rd annual festival is back at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston tomorrow.

Wolf Trap

• Waxahatchee (tonight)

• Julieta Venegas (tomorrow)

Jiffy Lube Live

• Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top (Sunday)

• Deep Purple (Saturday)

• Falling in Reverse (tonight)

LIVE EVENT LOWDOWN

• Five Dollar Comedy | a curated (and affordable) lineup of local comedians at The State Theatre in Falls Church tonight 🎙️ 

• DC State Fair | the fair is back for it’s 15th year in a row at Franklin Park tomorrow in Washington D.C. 🌸 

• US Asian Festival | cultural performances + mouth-watering dishes from across Asia — at Loudoun One in Ashburn tomorrow 😋 

• Bethesda Row Arts Fest | the DMV’s largest outdoor fine arts festival is happening this Saturday and Sunday 🎨 

• Fairfax City Restaurant Week | the last two days of this year’s event are this Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the list of participating restaurants 🧑‍🍳 

• 100th Anniversary Parade | celebrate one hundred years of service by the Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company tomorrow. There will be 70+ antique and modern trucks, kids activities, and more 🚒

• Burke Centre Festival | the two-day celebration of the Fairfax County community is back this weekend 🎡 

• Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is playing at the Workhouse in Lorton throughout the weekend 🦇 

• Fall Fun Fest | celebrate the vibrant colors and crisp air of autumn at Gaver Farm in Frederick MD 🍁 

• RhinO’fest | Lost Rhino Brewing Co in Ashburn is doing an early Oktoberfest celebration all day tomorrow 🦏 

Thanks so much for reading today’s issue of Just Outside D.C.

If you’re new here, we write about the latest stories and events happening in Northern VA every week.

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Let’s dance! 💃