Can you guess the oldest community tradition in Great Falls? Annual Fourth of July parade? Farmer’s market at the Village Green? Lighting of the Christmas Tree?

Nope. It’s the weekly ritual where residents can bring their garbage and recycling to the parking lot of Great Falls Elementary School on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and noon. Known as the “parkout,” this low-cost garbage disposal service has been around since the 1930s, when Great Falls was nothing but farms, a firehouse, and Buck’s general store. In 2003, Fairfax County transferred operations to a local nonprofit, run by unpaid community volunteers.

Click here to read all about the Great Falls Parkout in Great Falls Connection.

To join the parkout, visit www.greatfallsparkout.com/join-the-parkout-click-here