NOVA with Trent / The Fairfax edition

Nightlife
in Fairfax.

Local breweries, a seasonal city concert and an independent cinema offer several ways to spend an evening.

Sources checked 2026-10-19. Check the official links for current hours and availability.

Fairfax

Chubby Squirrel Brewing

Chubby Squirrel Brewing, 10382 Willard Way, Fairfax VA

Go for

Try beer brewed on site with pub food such as burgers, wings, poutine or pierogies, and add a game of pinball. The taproom is on Willard Way rather than Old Town’s main intersection.

Before you go

Check the current tap list and food service before going. The operator lists parking and a dog-friendly porch; confirm any particular event and use its seating guidance when planning a group visit.

Sources checked 2026-10-19.

Fairfax

Commonwealth Brewing — Fairfax

Commonwealth Brewing, 10426 Main Street, Fairfax VA

Go for

Visit the Main Street taproom for beer, wood-fired pizza or coffee, depending on the time of day. Its Fairfax calendar includes activities beyond ordinary food and drink service.

Before you go

Select Fairfax when opening the events calendar: the brewery also has a Virginia Beach location. Book any ticketed activity through its own event page and check kitchen hours separately from taproom hours.

Sources checked 2026-10-19.

Fairfax

Audacious Aleworks — Fairfax City

10940 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA

Go for

Choose a Fairfax Boulevard taproom with a full kitchen, twenty taps and a program of trivia and other events. It provides a different location from the brand’s Falls Church branch.

Before you go

Navigate to 10940 Fairfax Boulevard and select Fairfax City in the operator’s calendar and menu. Both taproom addresses contain the word Fairfax, so the street name and city matter.

Sources checked 2026-10-19.

Fairfax

Rock the Block

Old Town Square, 10415 North Street, Fairfax VA

Go for

Hear a seasonal outdoor concert in Old Town Square, with room for a chair or blanket and a city-run evening atmosphere. The program offers an alternative to an indoor bar or ticketed theater.

Before you go

Check the current season’s listing and weather notices; concerts are not a year-round weekly service. Follow the designated beverage-area rules and leave outside alcohol at home. The final listed 2026 date is October 23.

Sources checked 2026-10-19.

Fairfax

Cinema Arts Theatre

9650 Main Street, Unit 14, Fairfax, VA

Go for

Build an evening around a film at the independent theater in Fair City Mall. Its mix of ordinary screenings and film programs gives non-drinkers a substantive evening option outside the brewery circuit.

Before you go

Choose the actual date and showtime before purchasing tickets. Special programs such as Montage Mondays may have separate arrangements, and a listed title does not mean it plays at every session.

Sources checked 2026-10-19.

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