Whether you are rooting for the Seahawks or Patriots, or just a fan of the commercials, this Sunday’s Super Bowl is a great opportunity to gather with friends and enjoy the local establishments in your EYA neighborhood.

Photo by @Cliff1066 Flickr. This holiday season, venture off King Street to nearby Carlyle District for Alexandria’s acclaimed Holiday Market. Located just three blocks from King Street Metro station in John Carlyle Square, the event is a lively European-inspired Holiday Market, complete with arts, crafts, gifts, European fare, sweet treats, specialty beverages, Santa appearances, kids’ activities and live entertainment.

It’s time to kick off the holiday season! Stop by Fountain Plaza in downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, November 15th for the annual Re-Imagining the Holidays Tree Lighting Celebration. Not your traditional tree lighting ceremony, this event features “Silver Symphony,” a 35-foot tall public art installation made of chimes, bells, pinwheels and ribbons! Starting at 6 PM, the celebration will also include live entertainment, giveaways, hot cocoa, shopping and dining deals and more. Musical instrument donations will be collected to benefit local area schools.

It’s coming! The annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade will make its way through downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, November 22nd. The parade will feature over 100 attractions including floats, giant balloons, fire engines, classic cars, marching bands, colorful dance troupes and more. This year, a brand new 12-foot inflatable turkey will make its debut and as usual, the parade will conclude with a special appearance by Santa.

Photo courtesy of Flickr's tawest64. Looking for some Halloween fun? From the Silver Spring Zombie Walk to trick-or-treating at the local boutiques, check out these ghoulishly good events taking place in your EYA neighborhood.

On Monday, September 22nd, Washington area drivers will take part in a worldwide movement to support sustainable transportation by pledging to go car free or car-lite. Car Free Day is an international event that takes place in 1,500 cities across 40 countries to celebrate alternative forms of transportation.