Digital Discovery Fair: Explore. Learn. Connect.
Next date: Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 01:00 PM
to 04:00 PM
Arlington County's Digital Equity Initiative invites everyone to join us for this free community event! At the County's first Digital Discovery Fair, residents of all ages and skill levels can explore emerging technology, build digital skills, connect with local resources, and receive personalized tech support, all in one place. Snacks available while supplies last!
- LEARN – Attend presentations and hands-on workshops
- PLAY – See tech in action and try out tools
- CONNECT– Chat with local organizations offering digital skills training and affordable access to the internet and devices
- GET HELP – Tech Help Bar – Get friendly one-on-one support; BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and bring your questions!
To help us plan for the fair, registration is encouraged but not required.
Register for the Digital Discovery Fair
Interested in exhibiting at the Digital Discovery Fair, giving a presentation, or hosting a workshop? We still have room and are recruiting until September 25. See the Call for Proposals(PDF, 112KB)!
Schedule
Coming soon!
LEARN
Keynote Presentation: Digitally Invisible Book Talk
In this fireside chat, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee will discuss her book Digitally Invisible, in which she "argues that achieving digital equity is crucial for the future of America’s global competitiveness and requires radical responses to offset the unintended consequences of increasing digitization.”
Dr. Lee is a senior fellow in Governance Studies and the director of the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at the Brookings Institution, where she also serves as co-editor-in-chief of the TechTank blog and The TechTank Podcast. Her research focuses on the intersection between technology and social justice in areas that range from universal access to communications to the design and application of artificial intelligence models.
Moderated by Ben Childers, Cool/Scary AI
Hands-On Workshop: AI Fundamentals - Effective Prompting
Join the Upskilling Labs to learn how AI works and how to prompt it for effective use. Participants will leave understanding how to craft more effective prompts and evaluate the output. Bring a smartphone or laptop.
Short Presentations
These 20-minute presentations will be offered twice during the event.
Click here for the list of presentations
All Clear: How to Safely Wipe your Laptop/Phone for Donation/Sale: Thinking about donating or selling an old device? Join Computer CORE and e-Waste Warriors to learn how to safely remove your personal information, reset your laptop or phone, and make sure your data doesn’t follow your device to its next owner.
Should I Use AI for That? Join Dr. Barbara Fillip to work through several everyday tasks and decide whether AI, conventional search, another tool, or a person is the better choice. Participants leave with a simple decision checklist.
Become a Volunteer Digital Navigator/Tech Helper: Put your tech skills to work in your community! Learn how you can volunteer with Computer CORE to help adults build digital skills, troubleshoot technology, and navigate everyday digital challenges. No need to be a tech expert; there are a variety of ways to help.
How to Customize Your Smartphone to Make it Work Better for You: Join House Call Tech to learn how to personalize your smartphone, make it easier to use, and get more out of the features you already have. Separate sessions will cover iPhones and Android devices, with time for attendees to follow along and adjust their own settings. Topics will include increasing font size, customizing ringtones, simplifying your home screen, reducing spam calls, and setting up Emergency SOS.
Is It Real? How AI Is Changing the Scam Game: AI is making scams harder to spot—from convincing voices and videos to highly personalized messages. Join Arlington County’s Cybersecurity Team to learn the red flags that can help you pause, verify, and protect yourself before you click, call, or send money.
Beyond “Good Answers:” Communicating Your Value in an Interview: A strong interview is more than simply answering the questions—it’s about communicating your experience, strengths, and value in a way that connects with the interviewer. Join Capstone Tech to learn how AI tools can strengthen and tailor a candidate’s response. Participants will walk through real interview examples and receive hyper-specific feedback on what makes a response effective—and how small changes can make an answer more clear, confident, and compelling.
PLAY
Virginia Tech’s Internet of Things
Virginia Tech’s Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab will feature Internet of Things (IoT) projects, including toy car prototypes and working traffic light circuits built with Arduino microcontrollers. Guests can walk through the display, observe the projects, ask questions, and learn how each is coded.
Meet Ava
Join the Digital Innovation and Cloud Division of Arlington’s Department of Technology Services to interact with Ava, the County’s Chatbot. Chat with staff how the County is planning for AI.
CONNECT
Laptop Donation Station
Have an old laptop sitting around? Clear out your old tech, give it a second life, and help someone get connected!
eWaste Warriors and Computer CORE will be on-site to accept donations for responsible reuse and recycling.
Donations must be less than 25 lb.
Exhibitors & Organizations Present
Cool/Scary AI, FCC, Pink Space Theory, and more! Click to expand the full list
GET HELP
Tech Help Bar
Have a tech question? Computer CORE and their team of friendly tech helpers will be available to answer questions and provide 1:1 personalized tech support. Staff are multilingual and can provide support in English, Spanish, Dari, Arabic, Amharic, Urdu, and Hindi.
Accommodations
Arlington County provides accommodations as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please email or call at least 5 days prior to the event to request accommodations: digitalequity@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-5027(Elise Cleva, Communications Specialist).
When
-
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 01:00 PM
- 04:00 PM
Location
Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., 22201, View Map
38.8839486550239, -77.10724624232928
1015 N. Quincy St. ,
22201
Central Library
1015 N. Quincy St. ,
22201
Digital Discovery Fair: Explore. Learn. Connect.