Leesburg’s Flower & Garden Festival Returns April 26-27.
GET OUT LOUDOUN
Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, & hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music & arts scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.
CONTRIBUTORS
Katiana Dawn
Rich Gillespie
Douglas Rogers
Norman K. Styer ON THE COVER
Kids bound with the hounds during a break in the Loudoun Hunt Point to Point at Morven Park. TO ADVERTISE
Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com
getoutloudoun.com
HISTORY
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, a team of Loudoun historians is working to highlight the contributions of local residents in the fight for freedom.
WINE
Mike and Luanne Gutermuth have transitioned from being tasting room patrons to grape growers and winemakers—with award-winning results.
ON STAGE
Get Out Loudoun’s best bets for April. 14 22
The Loudoun School of Ballet is continuing its nearly 50-year tradition of training the next generation of dancers.
BEST BETS
Loudoun Springs to Life
BY DOUGLAS ROGERS
Visit Loudoun
Last September, Old Farm Winery at Hartland staged the inaugural LoCo Wine Fest. Ten Loudoun wineries served tastings in a refurbished timber barn, live bands performed on the front porch of historic Longfield Manor outside and a dozen food trucks and craft vendors were on site selling tasty treats and handmade products.
The event was such a success that instead of waiting a year to host the next one, the winery is rolling out the next LoCo Wine Fest this month, April 12-13. This time, 12 Loudoun wineries are slated to appear, among them Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg, William’s Gap Winery and 8 Chains North Winery, all fresh from Gold Medal wins at the Virginia Governor’s Cup in Richmond. Lost Rhino Brewing Company will be on hand to serve local ale for beer fans.
Loudoun is fun all year but, come April, the county springs to life with scores of fun events.
Sticking to wine, Saturday, April 5 is the annual
Loudoun Barrel Tasting experience where visitors join local winemakers for intimate tours of the cellars, enjoying tastings of yet-to-bereleased vintages straight from the barrel.
Loudoun is famous for grapes, but it’s also known for another large spring event. Make your way to historic downtown Leesburg on April 26-27 for the iconic 35th Annual Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival. Floral designers, landscapers, garden suppliers and vendors sell everything from bluebells and cherry blossoms to potted palms and geraniums and there’s live music, food stands and fun entertainment all around for kids.
Spring is also a time to get horsey. On Saturday, April 19, Glenwood Park hosts the annual Middleburg Spring Races, which has become as synonymous with the season as dogwoods and daffodils. Join race aficionados and fashionistas from Loudoun, DC and beyond as they picnic around the famous Alfred Hunt Steeplechase track and
Photo by Norman K, Styer
Equine enthusiasts will enjoy a double header weekend as horses and riders compete at the Middleburg Spring Races on April 19 at Glenwood Park and the Loudoun Hunt Point to Point on April 20 at Morven Park.
LOUDOUN SPRINGS TO LIFE FROM PAGE 4
cheer for some of the fastest hurdle horses in the world.
Not to be outdone, the following day, April 20, Morven Park Equestrian Center hosts the 58th Loudoun Hunt Point to Point: eight flat and hurdle races that include the wildly
popular Mrs. George C. Everhart Memorial Side Saddle exhibition race. Riders from across the country take part and fans in glamorous spring country attire set up tables and garden tents to enjoy picnics and local craft beverages while cheering on the horses.
Wine, flowers, horses and sunshine … have a bright spring!
www.visitloudoun.org
HISTORY
HOW IT HAPPENED HERE: A Guide to Loudoun in the American Revolution
BY RICH GILLESPIE GetOutLoudoun.com
There is a moment that becomes a focal point in the history of every nation’s creation story. For the United States, that point in time is at five in the morning of April 19, 1775—on the simple town common at Lexington, Massachusetts. There, Minutemen formed on orders of Massachusetts’ extralegal Provincial Congress stood facing troops of the Crown. Over 700 British “regulars” were marching through their rural town at dawn to seize “illegal” supplies gathered at nearby Concord, military supplies raised for defense of liberties against the threat of the Royal government’s oversteps.
The 70-some small-town farmers had drilled avidly several times a week as they had in every Massachusetts town in the previous months as tensions built. On this morning, they could do little but act as an “army of observation” and let the regulars pass on. They could share intelligence of what they saw to higher officers and the Provincial Congress moving forward. But the lead British grenadiers and light infantry did not pass by. They confronted these minutemen, ordered them to disarm and disperse, a virtually impossible order for the Minutemen to comply with. In their
confusion, the British troops were led toward the defiant locals, muskets loaded, bayonets at the ready, eager for a confrontation. Then a shot, followed by volleys, then a bayonet charge by the regulars. Minutemen and gawking civilians ran for cover. The British relentlessly pursued. A Regular was nicked in the thumb, but eight Minutemen were mowed down, nine others wounded. When the out-of-control British troops were finally called to order by Lt. Col. Francis Smith, the men were allowed to fire several further volleys in the air, followed by a round of loud shouted huzzahs. The troops then marched on to their mission at Concord, seven miles further from Boston. But the news of what they’d done raced ahead to Concord before them. By the end of the day, the “Lexington Alarm” was known in every Massachusetts town.
In 10 days, the “Bloody Butchery of the British Troops” had become legendary from New Hampshire to Georgia and out on the frontier. The news arrived in Leesburg via post rider from Alexandria on April 28. As Virginian Patrick Henry predicted HISTORY CONTINUED ON 18
FIREHOUSE
THUR. 4/3 - DOORS: 7PM
WINE
One of Loudoun’s newest wineries celebrated a milestone last month with the bottling of its first vintage with owngrown fruit.
Those white wines mark the next step in the journey of Mike and Luanne Gutermuth, who turned their passion for wine into a new family business, Good Spirit Farm.
Starting in early 2021, they transformed a 42-acre cattle farm near Bluemont into a flower farm and then to an eight-acre vineyard where they cultivated three white and three red grape varieties, including the Argentinian flagship Malbec that is not yet common in Virginia.
After First Harvest, Medals Mount for Good Spirit Farm
BY NORMAN K. STYER GetOutLoudoun.com
Like many winery owners, the Gutermuths’ road to starting a wine business began in the tasting rooms of other vineyards.
“I think that love of Virginia wine and the experience of
going to Virginia vineyards throughout the throughout the state developed our passion,” said Mike, who retired from the Department of the Navy. “Four or five years before we retired,
we started looking for vineyards and wineries, and then we got more experience during that process with what it’s going to take for us to do it.”
When they couldn’t find a suitable turnkey operation to step into, they purchase the Bluemont farm and got to work building it themselves. They planted Pinot Blanc, Petite Manseng, Albariño, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Luanne said Loudoun’s collection of small farm wineries and its ecosystem of industry support were important reasons to settle here.
Good Spirit Farm is located along the historic Snickersville Turnpike near Bluemont.
“Clearly the county, the Department of Economic Development and Visit Loudoun they really want to support and make sure that the wineries are successful, and building on that the winery community is really collaborative,” she said. “We’ve benefited quite a bit from being a part of that and learning from other winemakers and consultants who are based in Loudoun. It’s a great place to be.”
GOOD SPIRIT CONTINUED ON 16
50 West Vineyards Earns Governor’s Case Slot
2021 The Aldie Heights Cuvée by 50 West Vineyards is among the 12 top Virginia wines selected for the 2025 Governor’s Case showcase.
The results of this year’s Governor’s Cup competition were announced last month in Richmond.
This year’s top honor went to Barboursville Vineyards near Charlottesville for its 2023 Vermentino, a white wine with 100% Vermentino grapes, grown on the vineyard’s estate.
In its 43rd year, the competition received over 600 entries from over 140 Virginia wineries, cideries and meaderies.
It was the sixth Governor Cup win for Barboursville Vineyard and the fifth for Luca Paschina, a third-generation winemaker who came to the Virginia winery in 1990 and has been a leader in helping to build the industry’s quality and reputation.
“Luca Paschina and his team at Barboursville Vineyards embody the passion and pioneering spirit of Virginia wines. Their dedication to excellence is evident in every vintage they produce, showcasing an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and innovation,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin stated. “I am honored to recognize Barboursville’s achievements and the lasting impact they continue to make on Virginia’s world-class wine region.”
Only one Loudoun wine was selected this year for the Governor’s Case, the top 12
GOVERNOR'S CUP CONTINUED ON 16
Leesburg’s Flower & Garden Festival Returns April 26-27
Loudoun’s largest celebration of spring’s return, Leesburg’s Flower and Garden Festival, will be held April 26-27 throughout the downtown historic district.
More than 125 vendors—landscapers, gardening suppliers, plant sellers, outdoor living businesses, furniture makers, and more—will fill the downtown blocks of King and Market streets during the weekend.
The event also includes musical performances and entertainment on three stages along with an assortment of food trucks, children’s activities in a special family area on the Town Green, and a rooftop beer garden.
The weekend’s musical entertainment includes a full roster of popular performers, including Hilary Veltri, David Thong, Joey Hafner, Tejas Singh, Zach Jones, Gary Smallwood,
and Lenny
The festival, founded in 1990, is produced by the Town of Leesburg, with efforts from many different departments, including Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Leesburg Police, and Leesburg Utilities.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday— rain or shine. Admission is free. Pets are not permitted.
For a listing of vendors, a festival map, full entertainment schedule and more, go to flowerandgarden.org.
Meisha Herron,
Burridge with Tim Rumfelt.
1 50 West Vineyards 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com
2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com
1 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com
ON STAGE
Behind the Stage at the Loudoun School of Ballet
BY KATIANA DAWN GetOutLoudoun.com
The Loudoun School of Ballet in Leesburg is a Loudoun staple of performance opportunity, a creative hub, and place with training of technical precision. The students who attend classes are part of a hard working and determined community who thrive in a high intensity environment that pushes dancers to the peak of their ability.
The Loudoun School of Ballet opened in 1977 with the goal of bringing excellent dance training to the area. The school branched out to create the Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company in 2016 to give devoted dancers additional training and performance opportunities outside the traditional classroom and recital setting.
The quality of instruction directly impacts the suc-
cess of the school and company. Two of the artistic directors for Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company speak to the quality of leadership and education that the students receive while attending and dancing with LSB.
Maureen Miller, current artistic director with the Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company and director of LSB’s ballet department, became ballet mistress for the school in 1993. Her journey as an artistic director for the company began in 2004 after winning a choreography competition at the school.
Originally from Australia, Miller completed her Royal Academy dance exams and went to France to study internationally at the age of 18. She then danced in Slovenia for almost five years at the Slovene National Ballet Company where she toured throughout Europe. Upon leaving the Slovene National Ballet company, Miller made her trek to America. On this side of the Atlantic, Miller has danced for Maryland Ballet in Baltimore and has taught at a multiplicity of schools in the D.C. area including Capital Ballet, Maryland Youth Ballet, the
Loudoun School of Ballet Artistic Directors Maureen Miller and Emily Maroni
LOUDOUN BALLET FROM PAGE 14
Washington Ballet, and Catholic University Ballet.
Miller’s teaching is a combination of all her ballet backgrounds and techniques.
“While it’s still under the ballet umbrella all the trainings are slightly different so you can have Russian training, English training–there’s so many; French, Italian,” she said. “There’s many different styles and our dancers are adaptable so they can switch between each style, but we do more English. The technique doesn’t change. It doesn’t matter where you dance in the world, the technique stays the same.”
Miller’s impact reaches beyond the walls of the dance school and into the Loudoun community. In recent news, Miller was nominated by the Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls for the induction into the Loudoun Women’s Hall of Fame.
Artistic Director Emily Maroni grew up dancing at the Loudoun School of Ballet. Her career continues as she dances alongside others in the LBPAC community. Initially, her path led to Hollywood and the commercial dance scene there.
Maroni danced in music videos, commercials and
projects of all sorts. The pandemic in 2020 brought Maroni back to Loudoun. As the performance scene has slowly reawakened, she jumped right back into dance. She is preparing for an upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center.
With her return back to the area, Maroni began teaching at LBS and served as artistic director for the past two years.
“I fell into teaching while I was still doing my schooling. I graduated and fell in love with choreography. One of our artistic directors had retired so I took the position of ballet mistress during our Nutcracker season,” she said.
Miller and Maroni are constantly collaborating and learning from each other as they work to inspire their students and audiences. As choreographers, both have had original works t performed by the Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company, including a Harry Potter-inspired work titled “The Wizard” by Maroni.
The two artistic directors share a style described as is very lyrical and soft and that has a lot of feeling in it. “But yet we can still turn around to a mean Don Quixote,” Miller adds.
GOOD SPIRIT FROM PAGE 9
“I don’t think we could have done this on our own,” Mike said, also citing the support of resources and expertise from Virginia Tech’s extension service. “There’s a really large community of grape growers, and we get together several times a year and just really pour into the technical detail of growing grapes, climate, pests, sustainability. We really cover a lot, and those are extremely helpful, especially to new grape growers.”
The transition from managing shipbuilding contracts to grape farming has been challenging and rewarding, he said.
“I’ve had some successes and failures along the way. I learned very quickly about weather its influence on agriculture. I learned a lot about bugs and what kinds of things they can do. But there’s no better place for me, and I don’t care
GOVERNOR'S CUP FROM PAGE 9
wines in the competition.
whether it’s 90 degrees out or 10 degrees, right out in the vineyard is a wonderful place to be,” he said.
Although last fall was the first harvest for their home-grown grapes they already had success with their wine-making.
Working with Nate Walsh and Kent Arendt at Walsh Family Wines, Good Spirit Farm already has medals to display. Their 2023 Albariño won a gold medal during this year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup competition and took the title of Best Albariño in last fall’s 2024 Loudoun Wine Awards, where they also brought home three silver medals.
In addition to creating good wine, the Gutermuths are enjoying their integration into the Bluemont community.
“What’s the most fun, at least for me, is just getting to know
50 West Vineyards’ 2021 Aldie Heights Cuvée is a blend of Tannat, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 26 months in French oak barrels. The grapes were grown at Shenandoah Springs and Shenandoah Ridge vineyards near Woodstock.
Other wines selected for the Governor’s Cup case were:
• Barboursville Vineyards, 2017 Octagon
• DuCard Vineyards, 2023 Cabernet Franc Vintners Reserve
• King Family Vineyards, 2021 Mountain Plains Red
• Michael Shaps Wineworks, 2022 Chardonnay
our customers, having regulars, and having people who live in this area, who we may not have met, come here and become friends. Then you start building a relationship. In a small way, it’s like building a community, which that that’s been very, very rewarding,” Luanne said.
Surrounded by land preserved under conservation easement, the winery overlooks a broad valley and offers particularly noteworthy sunset views.
It a view not only enjoyed by the winery’s visitors.
“When I can make myself sort of stop and go sit on the deck and look out there, I can say, ‘Yeah, this is good.’ There’s something very grounding about it,” Luanne said.
Good Spirit Farm is located at 35113 Snickersville Turnpike near Bluemont. Learn more at goodspiritfarmva.com.
• Paradise Springs Winery, 2023 Cabernet Franc, Brown Bear Vineyard
• Potomac Point Winery, 2023 Albariño
• Trump Winery, 2018 Sparkling Rosé
• Valley Road Vineyards, 2023 Petit Manseng
• Veritas Winery, 2023 Monticello White
• Winery at La Grange, 2023 Petit Manseng.
Two Loudoun wineries earned new Best in Show honors.
For the first time, standout wines in categories with the most submissions presented with Best in Show honors. This year’s winners include Breaux Vineyards’ 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon and Carriage House Wineworks’ 2022 Petit Verdot Reserve.
LOUDOUN BALLET FROM PAGE 15
In addition to performing works created by their artistic directors, students in the company are diligent about bringing classic ballets to life. The annual Nutcracker performance is a popular holiday excursion that brings the community out and fills up auditoriums quickly. Varying between seasons, shows have included “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Little Mermaid,” and “Peter and the Wolf.”
This month—April 26-27—the company will perform “Don Quixote” at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville. As they work toward the show, Maroni said their days are hectic, filled with planning, choreographing, teaching classes, and extra rehearsal preparations. Even though the days are long, she finds the effort is rewarding because of the work ethic of the students and the support they give each other.
“I’ll say I’m so thankful for the group of kids that we have right now because they are so positive and eager to learn, They’re supportive of each other and in the dance world sometimes that’s hard to find. That just makes the energy with it so much easier on our ends. The kids are willing to work hard and you take it week by week,” Maroni said. The school is active on social media and specifically popular on Tik Tok which provides viewers a feel for their community and work that goes into their shows.
To see more of the work and for details of upcoming events go to lbpac.org and lsofballet.com or follow them on their social media platforms.
during the Third Virginia Convention in Richmond on March 23, “the next gale that sweeps from the North will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms.” And so it had. The Revolution was on. Men began marching to Boston. And the Loudoun “Independent Company” formed the previous November was called to arms to drill on the courthouse lawn.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the creation of the United States, the Virginia General Assembly has established the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) to guide the commemoration and examination of its ongoing story and impact. The Commission invited each county and city in the commonwealth to create a committee to further these aims at the local level. Loudoun County quickly responded. Our committee, formed in 2022 and officially recognized by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors in May 2023, became one of Virginia’s first. The Loudoun VA250 committee is made up of representatives of historical and preservation organizations, museums, historic sites, libraries, Loudoun County Public Schools, Visit Loudoun, Loudoun Parks & Rec, interested incorporated towns, and many others working together. It is the committee’s hope to leave Loudoun’s citizens, students, and visitors with a greater understanding of Loudoun’s Revolutionary past and a deeper investment in its future.
We are excited to announce that after two years of work, Loudoun’s committee has published its collectible guide for the anniversary—A Guide to Loudoun in the American Revolution—released on Feb. 27. This 40-page guide is a handbook for Loudoun’s citizens, students, visitors, and teachers to understand Loudoun and its experience 250 years ago. You will find background on Loudoun at the time, an exploration of attitudes regarding the revolution, how Loudoun sided when the Revolutionary War came, a chronology of events here, what Loudouners contributed to the war, a list of key participants, along with where to visit today, what to read, what to look for online, and how best to participate with your friends, co-workers, and family. The guide includes a map of Loudoun in 1775 as well as photographs and paintings. Best of all, the guide has no advertisements, didn’t cost Loudoun County citizens a penny, has been carefully vetted by a team of historians working with the committee—and is free! A gracious grant from the Van Huyck-Chockley Family Foundation, a
component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, has paid for the printing to make it freely available to Loudouners. The guide will be available in April—timed with the beginning of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.
On the cover of this new guide is a sculpture located on the lawn of the Loudoun County Courthouse in Leesburg, where the Loudoun Independent Company drilled 250 years ago. It depicts a Loudoun family during the Revolutionary War—a man with his musket going off to fight, a woman and child staying at home to run the farm to feed our army and the population. It is an idea launched during our last major commemoration of the Revolutionary Era fifty years ago—the 1976 “Bicentennial.” The statue was completed and dedicated far more recently, in 2015, but in 1976, when the effort began, we had just come through a contentious era. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, youth rebellion, the Watergate scandal and more had left America divided and exhausted. The lengthy citizen-led campaign to leave a memorial to the American Revolution resulted in this statue of not just a heroic man, but of members of his family as well. In a time of contention, the goal was to unite us.
Of course, Loudoun County has expanded significantly in fifty years. Our population demographics have evolved since in 1976. Our sensibilities are different, our questions about the past are even different.
We wonder now about the British and wartime loyalist perspective. We yearn to know more about those not included on the 1976 statue, about Loudoun’s 1770s enslaved population for example, or about what had happened to the original Native American population that once was here, or about our diversity ethnically and religiously at that time. While historians in 1976 were beginning to seriously delve into many of these questions, we’ve made great strides in that half century both in what we know and what we wonder. We’ve approached this guide with these modern questions in mind and to leave Loudouners in 2076 some knowledge of who we are.
If most of us studied the American Revolution in school at least to some degree, the 250th commemoration will allow us all a chance to renew
HISTORY FROM PAGE 18 and deepen our personal understanding of this crucial era in the founding of our country. The Loudoun VA250 Committee hopes that by providing a publication like this one along with programs and activities, residents and visitors alike will learn about the Revolution on a local level here in Loudoun County. It makes a difference knowing history right where you live.
As the new guide’s editor, I’m excited by its completion. We’ve been working on this for two years, with input from a number of members of the Loudoun VA250 committee representing the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area, the Thomas Balch Library of History and Geneaology, the Loudoun Museum, the Lovettsville Historical Society, the Black History Committee, NovaParks, Oatlands, the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, the Loudoun County Public Libraries and two local DAR chapters. It’s amazing what you can accomplish working together. A Guide To Loudoun in the American Revolution, we hope, will answer questions about Loudoun’s complicated Revolutionary past and shine a light on resources available to help you understand and appreciate it.
You’ll be able to find the new guide at town offices, Loudoun County Public Libraries, Loudoun County
community centers, the Thomas Balch Library of History & Genealogy, The Loudoun Museum, The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, Oatlands, Morven Park, Dodona Manor, Aldie Mill, Temple Hall Farm, Claude Moore Park, Franklin Park Arts Center, the Waterford Foundation, the Middleburg Museum, the Lovettsville Museum, and the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. Social studies educators in our schools will also receive copies as well as each school’s library.
In addition to this publication the LoudounVA250 committee has developed and ongoing series of history talks and exhibits that put the spotlight on local people, places and events that played a role in the fight for independence. To learn more, go to visitloudoun.org/loudoun250 or follow our local VA250 efforts on Facebook at LoudounVA250.
Richard Treat Gillespie is a is a retired history educator and public historian living in Taylorstown. He is historian emeritus at the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association after serving a decade as its director of Education, in charge of the heritage area’s school and public programming to promote interest in the historic landscape in Loudoun, Clarke, Fauquier, and western Prince William counties. Previously, he taught U.S. History for 30 years at Loudoun Valley High School, helping to partner his students with a variety of historic sites and historical organizations, emphasizing local history and preservation wherever possible.
lh loudoun happenings 04.2025 Get
GARDEN WEEK SHOWCASES HISTORIC HUNT COUNTRY PROPERTIES
Historic Garden Week is coming to Middleburg this year.
Since 1929, Garden Club members across Virginia have showcased their efforts to conserve lands, preserve historic landscapes, promote the love of gardening and artistic design with statewide tours of historic gardens.
This year’s tour features 29 different tours April 26 through May 3.
Locally, four properties near Middleburg will be open for visitation, hosted by the Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club and the Leesburg Garden Club.
Ellerslie is a recently renovated property included in the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens in 2020. Benton is the home of a former Garden Club of Virginia President and included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Also on the tour is The Pond House, a charming property with low
WELLNESS DAY IN MIDDLEBURG
The Town of Middleburg will celebrate a commitment to healthy eating and active living during its Wellness Day on Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the community center.
Attendees of all ages will learn more about health and fitness from local professionals and visit over 20 vendor booths. Vendors and presenters include May Aesthetics, Brain treatment center of Ashburn, the Salvation Army, Light of Lotus Massage, Imagine Life Coaching, and Middleburg Smiles, to name a few.
The gardens of Ellerslie near Middleburg will be open for ticketed tours as part of this year’s Historic Garden Week program. 04.26~05.3
wet areas, shady woodlands and open sunny meadows. Also, Little Oak Spring, the former home of Paul and “Bunny” Mellon is open for touring on Thursday and Friday, and requires a separate ticket.
To see the full tour brochure and get tickets, go to gcvirginia.org/historic-garden-week.
Proceeds from the tours support the restoration and preservation of the commonwealth’s historic gardens, provide research fellowships for building comprehensive records of historic gardens and landscapes, and support the mission of the Garden Club of Virginia.
The health-focused day begins with a 5K race and a 1-Mile Kids Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. The races will start and finish behind the Middleburg Community Center.
White Hall Hounds will also host “Hugs with Hounds” at the finish line.
For additional information and race registration go to the town’s special events page at middleburgva.gov or call 540-687-5152.
Out
04.12~13
LOCO WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS TO OLD FARM WINERY
The LoCo Wine Festival returns April 12-13 at the Old Farm Winery at Hartland near Ashburn.
In its second year, the festival includes tasting from participating wineries and the featured Loudoun brewery. There also will be music performances, artisan vendors and food trucks.
This year’s event benefits The Arc of Loudoun, a Leesburg-based nonprofit that provides support and education opportunities for children with disabilities and their families.
“We’re so fortunate there are great people like Loudoun’s winemakers who aren’t just focused on making great wine—they’re also using their amazing talent to support good causes like a just, equitable world for people with disabilities,” The Arc of Loudoun CEO Lisa Max said. “We’re all looking forward to an amazing weekend at the LoCo Wine Festival sharing great wine, our story, and resources for people with disabilities and their families.”
The festival runs from noon to 5 p.m. both days, rain or shine.
Tickets, available at are expected to sell out in advance. Learn more at locowinefestival.com.
PURCELLVILLE HOLDS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
Bring your family and friends to the 11th annual Purcellville Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 26 from noon to 7 p.m., rain or shine.
This free, family-friendly event, held at Fireman’s Field Park located at 250 South Nursery Avenue, will feature 20 live music performances on four stages, an art exhibit, games, and other activities. Nearly 40 local artisans, nonprofits, and food and drink vendors will also be there.
The Bush Tabernacle Skating Rink will be transformed into the Art Hall with displays from local/regional artists, performances, an art demonstration, and activities.
The festival will also feature games for all ages, face painting, glitter tattoos, sidewalk chalk art, and t-shirt decorating. Handcrafted jewelry, candles, wooden items, skincare items, food, drink, and more will be available for purchase. Several local organizations will have displays and information.
Learn more at purcellvillemusicandartsfestival. com.
FRANK VIGNOLA TRIO
Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m.
Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org
One of the world’s most acclaimed guitarists, Frank Vignola brings his trio from their current residency at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York City to the Loudoun stage.
Friday, April 18, 7 p.m.
Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
Enjoy the classic hits of one of pop music's most iconic groups with a tribute that captures the essence of ABBA’s unforgettable sound.
THE NIGHTHAWKS
Monday, April 14, 7 p.m.
The Barns at Hamilton Station thebarnsathamiltonstation.com
Mark Wenner and the legendary blues band performs on the intimate tasting room stage. Advance tickets required.
CHRISTIAN LOPEZ
Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m.
Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
The multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter returns for a night of music with Enslow and Justin Trawick joining.
MAMMA MANIA
Loudoun’s Attractions
CATTY CORNER CAFE
A place where cat lovers can come together, spend time in our cozy lounge, drink coffee, and get the chance to meet our amazing rescue cats. With the option of even being able to adopt and give them their forever home.
CATS - COFFEE - COOKIES
116 E. Market Street, Leesburg VA703-944-4158 cattycornercafe.com
DOUBLE X ARCHERY
Northern Virginia’s Premiere Archery Pro Shop and Indoor Range ARCHERY SERVICES - LESSONS - RENTALS
500 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 540-206-0041 doublexarchery.com
LOUDOUN HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM
Travel through time to meet the 10 generations of Loudoun County residents who built this county and left their mark on the land. Exhibits include a schoolhouse, general store, Native American artifact display and the American Workhorse Museum Collection.
Morven Park is a 1,000-acre historic estate on the edge of Leesburg that was home to Virginia governor and agricultural pioneer Westmoreland Davis. Tours of the Greek Revival mansion include 16th century Belgian tapestries, Spanish cassones, hundreds of silver pieces, Hudson River Valley paintings, and Asian treasures. The estate also features the Winmill Carriage Museum, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America, formal boxwood gardens, miles of hiking and riding trails, and athletic elds. 17195 Southern Planter Lane Leesburg, VA 20176 703-777-2414 • morvenpark.org
