New signage honoring the late Rep. Gerry Connolly will be unveiled along the Cross County Trail at a public ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Lake Accotink Park.

The Fairfax County Park Authority announced the event, developed in partnership with Rep. James Walkinshaw, who succeeded Connolly in Virginia's 11th Congressional District. The unveiling begins at 10:30 a.m. at the McLaren-Sargent Pavilion. The trail stretches 41.5 miles from Great Falls to Lorton, passing through all nine supervisory districts.

The ceremony falls on National Public Lands Day, an annual volunteer event held since 1994.

Connolly's park legacy

Connolly, who died May 21, 2025, at age 75 from esophageal cancer, served as chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 2003 to 2009 before representing the 11th District in Congress from 2009 until his death. During his time on the board, he helped preserve more than 8,400 acres of parkland and championed the creation of what became the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.

The Park Authority Board formally renamed the trail in his honor in 2014. As board chairman, Connolly introduced the resolution to link existing trail parcels and secured funding for the project. According to the Park Authority's trail page, he described the trail during its creation as a gem worth protecting for future generations in a county urbanizing as fast as Fairfax.

Walkinshaw served as Connolly's chief of staff for more than a decade before winning a special election in September 2025 to fill the congressional seat. CBS News reported Connolly had announced weeks before his death that he would not seek reelection.

Volunteer opportunities

The Park Authority is also offering volunteer projects across the county on Sept. 26, including invasive plant removal, litter pickup and pollinator garden maintenance.

The event is free.

"Whether you spend a few hours removing invasive plants, picking up litter or simply joining us to celebrate the legacy of Gerry Connolly, every contribution helps strengthen the parks we all enjoy," Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole said in a statement.

Registration and full details are available at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/topics/national-public-lands-day. Residents unable to attend can find year-round volunteer opportunities through the county's Volunteer Management System at volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov. Questions can be directed to [email protected].