Arbor Day
Arbor Day is an annual tree-planting and environmental celebration organized in the City of Fairfax, closely coordinated by the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC). 4 separate matters touch this plan or program; each has its own status.
Pat Rodio Park
Pat Rodio Park is a municipal park undergoing playground relocation and field improvements, funded in part by ARPA funds. The project began taking shape in October 2024 when staff identified the need to find a new playground location.
- Apr 9, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5Stakeholder Updates
The 40th annual Arbor Day celebration is scheduled for April 25th at Pat Rodio Park, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Willard Sherwood
The Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center (WSHCC) is a City of Fairfax project to develop a new health and community center, intended primarily to serve older adults and replace the aging Green Acres facility. The project faced an early setback in April 2025, when PRAB was informed it might not continue due to staffing and building security concerns, and all work on City trails projects was paused pending a City Council presentation on April 22, 2025.
- Apr 9, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5Stakeholder Updates
The 40th annual Arbor Day celebration is scheduled for April 25th at Pat Rodio Park, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Asian Festival on Main
The Asian Festival on Main is an annual outdoor festival in historic downtown Fairfax City, founded in 2021 by Wendy Wong (co-owner of Standard Barbershop) in partnership with the Old Town Fairfax Business Association (OTFBA) and community sponsors. Now in its sixth annual edition, the festival celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander cultures through cuisine, art, music, and dance, and has grown each year into one of the largest Asian festivals in the DMV region, drawing thousands of visitors from across the region.
- Feb 12, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5hCommunity Member Updates
Diana Gibson reported working with Sophia Chapin at the New School to create a youth poetry contest for Arbor Day, with a winner from each city school.
Urban Forest Master Plan
The Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) is the City of Fairfax's first comprehensive 20-year roadmap for stewardship of its urban forest, developed beginning in May 2024. The plan went through an extensive public engagement process including two steering committee meetings, multiple public open houses (July 2024, October 2024, October 2025), a public survey, stakeholder interviews, and presentations to the Planning Commission, PRAB, Environmental Sustainability Committee, and City Council at multiple work sessions.
- Oct 10, 2024Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 8bStakeholder Update – Environmental Sustainability Committee
Arbor Day will be held October 26 at Kutner Park.
- Feb 13, 2025Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 8bStakeholder Updates – Environmental Sustainability Committee
Arbor Day will be held alongside HisTree Day at Historic Blenheim in April.
- Jan 8, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 9Matters of the Members
Rusty Russell noted this Arbor Day marks the 40th anniversary of Fairfax's Tree City USA certification and is expected to be a more significant celebration than in prior years.
- Mar 12, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5bStakeholder Update – Environmental Sustainability Committee
The 40th annual Arbor Day event was noted as coming up soon.
- May 4, 2026School Board · item 1.06Arbor Day Student Poetry Contest Winners
[1.06] Arbor Day Poetry Contest winners from all four city schools were recognized at the meeting, each reading their poem and receiving a certificate and gift card. Superintendent Wright reported attending the Arbor Day Event.
- May 14, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5Stakeholder Updates
Arbor Day was reported as a huge success with 50+ people in attendance.
In full
In October 2024, the event was held on October 26 at Kutner Park. For 2025, it was planned to coincide with HisTree Day at Historic Blenheim in April. The 2026 edition was a milestone: the city's 40th anniversary as a Tree City USA (certified by the Arbor Day Foundation), making it a more significant celebration than prior years.
The 40th annual Arbor Day was held on April 25, 2026, at Pat Rodio Park from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and was reported as a huge success with 50+ people in attendance. A notable addition for 2026 was a youth poetry contest, organized in partnership with ESC and Sophia Chapin at the New School, drawing more than 35 submissions from all four city schools; winners from each school read their poems and received certificates and gift cards at the May 4, 2026 School Board meeting. The event also included tree giveaways and plantings, including a reforestation effort along a creek at Pat Rodio Park in partnership with volunteers, the ESC, and the city jobs program.
Mayor Catherine S. Reed proclaimed April 24, 2026 as Arbor Day in the City of Fairfax.