So, have you already picked out what you’re wearing to Founder’s Day 2011?  The dress code is rather liberal, but if you wear a fisherman’s cap or a turtleneck, you need to know that Mr. Simon will not consider this an homage.  It is poor form to try to outshine the birthday boy.

The founder in question will celebrate his 97^th birthday and we too shall celebrate him and Reston on historic Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday.  There will be musical performances and Reston Museum wishes to welcome guests to come see the renovated space and research where exactly the first traffic light in Reston appeared.  Hint:  There’s still one there.

Come be a part of the Reston “Video Story-Telling Project.”  Local citizens are invited to have their recollections of our historic place recorded for posterity.  However, the Reston Museum is governed by folks who have indeed met you all.   As a result, the opportunity is limited to those who call in advance and book time with a camera. 

We can’t have ad hoc contributions to this historical document.  All we need is a weepy Restonian hopped up on some micro-brewed nonsense wanting to tell future generations about “fancy bollards” to undermine the tone of the project.

The highlight of the day will, of course, be the Founder’s Day Treasure Hunt.  The prizes are generous and everyone who completes the hunt will receive a medal.   This quest is limited to 200 people.  You had better show up well before the 1:30 p.m. start time.

Now, I like to give my readers a little added advantage and I strive to provide a daily service to the community.  As a result, I’m going to give you some treasure hunt intel.  First of all, if any one of you dummies refers to the event as a “scavenger” hunt, you will be eliminated.  No cemeteries and no scavengers in Reston.  That’s the policy.

Secondly, I have it on good authority that the first clue is going to be an easy one.  You will all be instructed to begin at Reston Museum and then head out to find (drum roll please) someone who has seen the bald eagle in Reston.  You had better run because it has gotten so a person can’t swing a cat without hitting an eagle enthusiast (Is that a bad metaphor in this context?  I’m sorry.) 

Anyway, you will find one of these people (all of whom have already been identified, vetted, and congratulated) and he or she will provide you with the next hunt item which will be…well, here things get a little hazy.  It appears that the Reston Museum people want you to find something reminiscent of the early days of Reston but my spies received conflicting information.  Just to be safe, you should be prepared to locate either a paperback on consciousness-raising, a macramé owl, or a brochure from an est Seminar signed by Werner Erhard.

So, readers, go forth and prepare.  Dig out your Earth Shoes.  Only talk about organic produce.  Carry hemp bags around and put your children in cooperative preschools.  Wait a second, we’re already doing that. 

I hope Gallagher is performing.  He’s hilarious.