Welcome to Just Outside DC — the local newsletter that’s like peanut butter to your weekend’s jelly.

THE BIG IDEA

Micron investing $2.17B to expand operations in Manassas VA

Virginia, let's raise a glass (or a bag of chips, if you're feeling punny) to Micron, the semiconductor giant dropping a cool $2.17 billion to expand its Manassas operations.

Now, you might be thinking, "Sure, that's a lot of money, but what's in it for us?" Well, let me break it down for you, my friend.

We're not just talking about some fancy new buildings – this expansion is all about meeting the growing demand in some seriously impressive industries like automotive, aerospace, defense, and industrial markets.

And if that's not enough to get you excited, how about this: thanks to the federal funding from the CHIPS and Science Act, as well as some sweet incentives from our beloved Commonwealth, this expansion is going to help drive economic growth and keep the US at the forefront of technological advancements. Yep, we're talking about securing our future as a global leader in innovation.

Our very own Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are practically doing backflips over this announcement. Warner, who authored the CHIPS Act, said it "strengthens our nation's semiconductor supply chain, creates good-paying jobs, and reaffirms Virginia's leadership in the future of American manufacturing." And Kaine? Well, he's all about that economic competitiveness and national security, declaring that "ensuring the U.S. can produce chips is critical" for both.

Interim City Manager of Manassas Doug Keen couldn't be prouder, calling it a boost for the city's "growing economy" and a reflection of their "strong partnership with the nation's leading memory chip manufacturer."

Bulletin Board 📌 

Reader Restaurant Recommendation: One of our readers, Catherine, recommends you guys check out Rice Paper. It’s one of the many family-owned restaurants at Eden Center in Falls Church. Catherine says they’ve got some of the best Vietnamese food around!

QUICK HITS

• Here are the 10 most expensive homes sold in Northern Virginia this year 👀 

• If you stayed home this holiday season, you know all too well that Christmas was not-so-snowy this year. Fingers crossed for a bit of snow on Sunday and Monday this week 🤞 

• Five people won the million dollar lottery prize in Virginia, including these two NoVA residents 🎰 

• The giant pandas at the National Zoo are making their public debut this month! 🐼 

LIVE EVENT LOWDOWN

• Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club | the bizarre annual tradition is back in DC. WWE meets Broadway meets Elvis (21+) 🎙️ 

• First Saturdays | a kid-friendly art festival at the National Gallery of Art tomorrow morning 🧑‍🎨 

• Crafts & Cider | sip on some cider and work on some crafts tonight at Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria 🍻 

• McLean Winter Block Party | the 4th annual event is back with entertainment, food, and more on Saturday afternoon ❄️ 

• Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest | come face-to-face with magical creatures this weekend Morven Park in Leesburg 🦉 

• Adventures of Prince Achmed | the National Gallery of Art is screening what is considered the first-ever feature-length animation! 🎞️ 

• Little Comedies | a captivating production that combines physical theater, dance, and mime to create an unforgettable journey through fantasy and comedy in Arlington 🎭️ 

• Kids Crafts | a free kids arts and crafts workshops every Saturday this month in January in Alexandria 🧶 

• Hoops & Hounds | bring your dog to the Wizards game on Sunday for the first ever Hoops & Hounds event! 🏀 

• Visual Humor Art Exhibit | the opening reception of the Del Ray Artisans community’s latest exhibit kicks off tonight! 🍾 

• NoVA Sports Card Show | a family-friendly sports card, memorabilia, and collectibles exchanging event in Arlington on Saturday 🏒 

• Four Course Birthday Brunch | L’Auberge Chez François in Great Falls celebrates the birthday of their founder, Papa François Haeringer on Sunday 🍷 

• Skate Spectacular | the final day of this family-friendly public skating event is this Saturday at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. ⛸️ 

• Winter Euphoria Market | an assortment of vintage vendors together under one roof this Sunday at Dulles Expo Center 🛍️ 

• & Juliet | a hilarious musical that answers the question… what if Juliet didn’t end it all after Romeo? Playing at the Kennedy Center until Sunday 🎶 

• Learn to Dance | Forever Dancing Ballroom in Bailey’s Crossroads is having an open house on Saturday where you can learn all kinds of styles of dance (for free!)🕺 

• History Hyenas are doing a live podcast at the Lincoln Theatre in DC later this month, and there’s tickets still available! 🎟️ 

• Chocolate Making | learn about the 18th century way of making chocolate at Mount Vernon this weekend 🍫 

• Band Battle #28 | the preliminary round continues this weekend at Jammin’ Java in Vienna 🎸 

• First Day Dupont | a free evening art walk open to the public at Dupont Circle every first Friday 🎨 

• Tarot Reading | complimentary tarot readings (for entertainment purposes only) at Solace Brewing Co. in Sterling 🔮 

• Seasons Greening | stroll through a decked out version of the U.S. Botanic Garden — open until Jan. 5th 🪴 

• Ghost Doctors | a paranormal UFO tour/investigation on Saturday at the Air and Space Museum in Chantilly 🛸 

• Salsa & Bachata Sunday Social | dance classes, social dancing meetups, plus food and cocktails in DC this weekend 💃 

• HCC Beach Resort | the Herndon Community Center transforms into a tropical paradise this Saturday 🏖️ 

• Fireside Stories | tall tales and yummy treats at Lovettsville Community Park tonight 🔥 

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

Are you new here? We write about the latest stories and events happening in Northern VA every week.

If you like what you just saw, you can get posts like this delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon. Just use the form below to get signed up! 📮 

Want to sponsor the newsletter?

Look, we get it. Your business wants more customers.

And our kind, intelligent, and good-looking audience members want to find out about great local products and services.

Does that sound like a win-win to you? Fantastic. You can reach us here.

Let’s dance! 💃