Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University

Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend? 🌸

Bring your mom to the first-ever OLLI Ideas Festival - An Open House for Curious Learners on George Mason University’s Fairfax campus! Enjoy inspiring conversations, interactive classes, demonstrations, and a fun day of lifelong learning together.

And if you’re still searching for the perfect gift, an OLLI membership is a thoughtful way to give connection, curiosity, and community all year long. 💛 Learn more: https://olligmu.augusoft.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=1050

Join us at the OLLI Ideas Festival for an inspiring, behind-the-scenes art experience:

🖌 Artist Hour w/ Brianna Camp
🗓 Saturday, May 9
⏰ 12:40–1:40 PM

Meet OLLI Mason artist-in-residence Brianna Camp as she brings her large-scale oil paintings to life. During this interactive session, she’ll share insights into her creative process, discuss her upcoming exhibition, and offer a live painting demonstration.

✨ Stop by, ask questions, and experience art in the making.

View full schedule and RSVP today: https://olli.gmu.edu/ideas-festival/

🍵✨ Come for the ideas — stay for the treats!

If you’re attending the OLLI Ideas Festival - An Open House for Curious Learners this weekend, don’t miss these delicious featured sessions that combine culture, conversation, and snacks. 😋

👩‍🍳 Meet the Restaurateur
📅 Friday, May 8 | 1:50–2:50 PM
Meet Dina Daniel, founder and chef behind Fava Pot — the first Egyptian restaurant in the DMV. From launching a food truck to opening multiple locations, Dina will share her inspiring immigration and entrepreneurship journey. Plus, attendees can enjoy sample treats from Fava Pot!

🍵 Tea Ceremony Experience
📅 Saturday, May 9 | 12:40–1:40 PM
Join Jenny Yu of The Blooming Hour for an authentic Chinese tea ceremony featuring guided tastings, traditional brewing demonstrations, and snacks to enjoy along the way.

There’s still time to register for the FREE, rain-or-shine festival! Come learn, taste, and explore with us this weekend at George Mason University. 🙌

RSVP and learn more: OLLI.gmu.edu/ideas-festival/

🍴 Attending the OLLI Ideas Festival - An Open House for Curious Learners? Stop by and grab something delicious from our visiting food trucks on Friday from 11 AM - 2PM!

🔥 Turkish Kabob House will be serving up fresh Mediterranean favorites including kabobs, wraps, rice bowls, and more — the perfect midday pick-me-up.

🌮 The Roaming Coyote rolls in with bold Tex-Mex flavors featuring handcrafted tacos, burritos, nachos, bowls, and housemade salsas.

Come hungry and enjoy some amazing local food with us this weekend! 🙌

The Roaming Coyote

Curious minds, this one’s for you!

The first-ever Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University Ideas Festival kicks off TOMORROW — and there’s still time to RSVP!

📅 May 8–9
💲 FREE
☔ Rain or shine (Note: Walk & Talk may be cancelled due to rain)

Expect two days packed with inspiring classes, hands-on activities, demos, music, wellness sessions, art, history, and conversations designed for lifelong learners age 50+. Highlights include watercolor painting, tai chi, chair yoga, and a special panel on “Global Perspectives on Longevity.”

Whether you stay for one session or spend the whole weekend exploring, this is a great chance to connect, learn something new, and discover everything OLLI Mason has to offer.

RSVP + more information here: https://OLLI.gmu.edu/ideas-festival/

ArtsFairfax

🌿 Find your voice in nature this weekend

Join us at the OLLI Ideas Festival for a creative and refreshing session:

✍️ Nature Poetry Writing
🗓 Saturday, May 9
⏰ 11:10 AM–12:10 PM

Step outside and let the natural world inspire you. Guided by 2022-2024 Fairfax Poet Laureate Danielle Badra, you’ll explore OLLI’s outdoor spaces and turn your observations into vivid, meaningful poetry—no experience needed.

Danielle Badra, an award-winning poet and educator, brings a wealth of experience from her work with literary journals, national festivals, and the George Mason University community. Her acclaimed collection Like We Still Speak earned the Etel Adnan Poetry Prize and highlights her powerful, reflective voice.

🍃 Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just curious, this session offers a chance to slow down, observe, and create.

View the full schedule and RSVP today: https://olli.gmu.edu/ideas-festival/

As part of the OLLI Ideas Festival, don’t miss this inspiring session:

👩‍🍳 Meet the Restaurateur w/ Dina Daniel
🗓 Friday, May 8
⏰ 1:50–2:50 PM

Hear the incredible story of Dina Daniel—founder and chef behind the first Egyptian restaurant in the DMV. From starting with a humble food truck to growing multiple locations, Dina will share her journey as an immigrant entrepreneur and what it takes to build a successful business.

🌍🍽 Her story blends culture, resilience, and passion for food—offering a unique perspective on leadership, identity, and community.

Check out the full schedule and RSVP today: https://olli.gmu.edu/ideas-festival/

Fava Pot

📅 One week to go!

The OLLI Ideas Festival - An Open House for Curious Learners is just around the corner—join us for one session or stay for them all! One highlight you won’t want to miss:

🚶‍♀️ Walk and Talk Club
🗓 Friday, May 8
⏰ 12:10–1:40 PM

Take a guided walk over to George Mason University’s campus for a vibrant tour of public art, exhibits, and collections. This approximately 2.6-mile round-trip walk offers fresh air, great conversation, and inspiring sights (weather permitting).

🎨 Along the way, you’ll experience We All Belong (2025) by MasPaz—a stunning mural celebrating connection, community, and the natural world. Filled with vivid imagery of animals, plants, and symbols of learning, the piece reflects the diversity and shared humanity of the Mason community.

From doves and foxes to rainbows and Baobab trees, every element tells a story of belonging and reciprocity. It’s more than art—it’s a reminder that the world is our home.

👟 Come walk, connect, and be inspired.

RSVP today: https://olli.gmu.edu/olli-ideas-festival-rsvp/

The OLLI Mason Ideas Festival schedule is LIVE! 🎉

Get a first look at all the classes, demos, and activities happening at the OLLI Mason Ideas Festival, May 8–9.

From art and music to wellness and lifelong learning, there’s something for everyone 50+.

Join us for one session, one day, or the whole weekend!

View the full schedule + RSVP: olli.gmu.edu

City of Fairfax Government

What happens when we slow down and really look at a work of art? OLLI Mason members participated in a facilitated course at Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) in Reston that utilized a guided practice of “slow looking” to engage more deeply with contemporary art. They explored how color, form, and material can spark memory, curiosity, and connection—without needing prior art knowledge. This winter term course challenged OLLI Mason members to look to broader ideas around art, culture, and philosophy, offering a springboard for continued personal exploration beyond the gallery walls.