Fairfax County Celebrates International Dark Sky Week

Parks offer stargazing, education, and ways for residents to reduce light pollution.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:00pm

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A highly textured, abstract painting in earthy greens, blues, and oranges, depicting the interplay of natural and artificial light across an urban landscape through sweeping geometric shapes and precise botanical spirals, conveying the delicate balance between light and darkness.Fairfax County's parks play a vital role in preserving natural darkness and allowing residents to rediscover the beauty of the night sky.Fairfax Today

Fairfax County, Virginia is inviting the community to experience the beauty of dark skies and take steps to protect them during International Dark Sky Week, April 13-20. The Fairfax County Park Authority is highlighting the importance of reducing artificial light to preserve natural darkness, support wildlife, and improve energy efficiency across the region's urban and suburban landscapes.

Why it matters

Excessive artificial light can wash out the stars, disrupt wildlife, and impact human health. Fairfax County's parks play a critical role in preserving natural darkness, offering opportunities for stargazing, education, and conservation efforts to bring back the night sky.

The details

During the week, the county is encouraging residents to use responsible outdoor lighting practices at home, dim lights at night to support migrating birds, reduce glare and light trespass in neighborhoods, report dark sky lighting on the Watch the Green Grow website, and explore astronomy programs and night-sky experiences at county parks. Residents can also borrow Dark Skies Kits through the public library to measure light levels in their communities.

  • International Dark Sky Week is April 13-20, 2026.

The players

Fairfax County Park Authority

The government agency responsible for managing the county's parks and natural areas, which play a key role in preserving dark skies.

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What’s next

Fairfax County residents are encouraged to take action during Dark Sky Week and continue their efforts to reduce light pollution year-round.

The takeaway

By working together to protect the night sky, Fairfax County can improve energy efficiency, support wildlife, and allow residents to rediscover the beauty of a starry night - small changes that can have a lasting impact on the local environment.