July 3, 2024
E-Newsletter
July 4th Events; Northern Virginia’s Business Ties to Europe; Interstellar Dreams Launches in Reston
(Fireworks over Mount Vernon. Photo credit: Virginia is for Lovers.)
Independence Day Events in Fairfax County and the National Capital Region
Are you looking for a great way to celebrate Independence Day? Various neighborhoods in Northern Virginia organize their own festivities, including parades, concerts, fireworks, dinner cruises, and so much more in local parks, creating a festive atmosphere that brings people together to honor the nation’s independence. Here are just a few of the places to celebrate the holiday on July 4th, according to Visit Fairfax:
Mount Vernon:
Town of Herndon:
Great Falls:
- 4th of July Fireworks, Great Falls Village Centre Green
- Great Falls 4th of July Hometown Celebration
City of Fairfax:
Washington, D.C.:
- 4th of July Fireworks on the National Mall
- A Capitol Fourth Concert
- National Independence Day Parade
And, see more fireworks on July 13th in neighboring Old Town Alexandria:
(Photo credit: Visit Fairfax.)
Find out about more July 4 activities in Northern Virginia Magazine and InsideNoVa.
How Northern Virginia’s Ties to Europe Boost and Sustain the Local Economy and Environment – and What More Can be Done
Northern Virginia’s business and economic ties to Europe was the focus on a June 26 webinar hosted by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. The featured speakers were Victor Hoskins, President and CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; Dr. Daniel S. Hamilton, Senior non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University SAIS; and Jill Kaneff, Senior Regional Demographer at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Dr. Dale Medearis, Senior Regional Planner at Northern Virginia Regional Commission, was the panel facilitator.
Fairfax County: Gateway U.S. Location for 100+ European Companies
Fairfax County is home to more than 400 foreign-owned companies from across the globe. The $8.7 trillion transatlantic economy employs more than 16 million workers in mutually on shored jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. Ties are particularly strong in portfolio investment, banking claims, trade and affiliate sales in goods and services, digital links, energy, mutual R&D investment, patent cooperation, technology flows, and sales of knowledge-intensive services.
The transatlantic economy has special effects on Virginia in general and Northern Virginia in particular. Six of the ten largest foreign investors in Northern Virginia are from Europe (the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands). Together, these six countries invest approximately $4 billion into 570 foreign-owned establishments creating approximately 30,000 jobs – predominantly in the science, technical services and information sectors.
More than 100 continental European companies are currently part of the dynamic and diverse business community in Fairfax County. For more information on European companies in Fairfax County, click here.
Interstellar Dreams Launches Aerospace Camp at Reston Town Center
Interstellar Dreams Space Center launches the next generation of aerospace leaders at space camp in Reston Town Center. (Photo courtesy of Interstellar Dreams.)
With the global space industry expected to reach $1 trillion by 2040, a rapidly increasing number of career opportunities will be available at commercial space companies, as well as at government agencies and defense-related companies. With Fairfax County and the Greater Washington region emerging as a global hub for the aerospace industry, Robin McDougal founded Interstellar Dreams, a program of the Pearl Project Institute for Innovation in S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) literacy, a nonprofit organization with the goal of fostering future space talent in the region and across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Sponsored by Leidos and Boston Properties, Interstellar Dreams wrapped up the first session of its Summer Space Exploration Camp on June 24 at its space center pop-up hub at the Reston Town Center. Interstellar Dreams has a new take on a summer space camp, designed for rising 6th graders through rising 9th graders, that blends “hands-on” fun and “minds-on” tech with their imagination to launch the future of space exploration. Interstellar Dreams incites passion and cultivates an awareness of S.T.E.M. careers in the emerging commercial space industry. Participants use their imagination to design the future of space exploration and space tourism. While building on the history of space exploration, the role of satellites, and careers in aerospace, campers solve problems using critical thinking techniques.
Click here to check out Interstellar Dreams magazine.
During the press conference, the students presented their week-long aerospace learning experience about “The Road to Mars” to parents and guests from Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce.
Click here to see The Road to Mars Press Conference Guide, which includes photos of the space center event.
Registration is open for upcoming camps: (The focus of the camp is noted.)
- Session #2: July 8-12: The Interstellar Lunar Gateway
- Session #3: July 15-19: Earth is Changing: Observe with Micro-Satellites
- Session #4: July 22-26: Planet Hunters Unite: Search for Strange New Worlds
- Session #5: July 29-August 2: The Ferocious Sun
- Session #6: August 5-9: Space Travelers, Living and Working in Space
- Session #7: August 12-16: Space Entrepreneurs: Design a Space Business
Click here for registration information.
(Image courtesy of Interstellar Dreams.)
FCEDA Hosted and Sponsored Events
August 1, 2024 — Tap into the Future with UVa and Virginia Tech. Join FCEDA for a luncheon at AWS Skills Academy with career center representatives from University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Network with UVa and VT career leaders and other employers and learn how to tap into the next generation of talent. FCEDA is excited to host representatives from Virginia Tech’s Pamplin School of Business, as well as the University of Virginia Career Center who will showcase how to build your company’s brand on their campuses. Take your talent pipelines to the next level and tap into stellar talent from these flagship schools. Click here to register.
August 20, 2024 — MIT Employer Summit: Recruit the Leaders of the Future. FCEDA is proud to host the career leaders from MIT Sloan Business School and MIT School of Engineering in an online panel focused on talent. Learn how to build your brand on this campus and attract top candidates to your organization. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to promote your company and gain access to MIT’s career centers. Click here to register.
FCEDA is Here to Help Your Business Thrive
Fairfax County EDA is here to connect businesses of all kinds to resources and information. For direct assistance, email the FCEDA at info@fceda.org, or call 703-790-0600. If you have company news or announcements to share, email FCEDA at News@fceda.org.
