Get Out Loudoun for March 2024

GET OUT LOUDOUN

Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, and hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.

CONTRIBUTORS

Dana Armstrong

Hanna Pampaloni

Norman K. Styer

ON THE COVER

TO ADVERTISE

Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com

getoutloudoun.com

TUNES

Connor Daly wasn’t always a country music fan, but with his first album ready for release the singer/songwriter is heading to Nashville.

ON STAGE

Music therapy nonprofit A Place to Be brings The Grumpy Bunny’s message of kindness and forgiveness back to the stage this month.

WINE

Tremain Hatch got his start with grape growing as a teen on his family’s farm near Leesburg. Today, he is one of the state’s top viticulturalists.

WINE

Sixteen Loudoun wineries are in the running for the commonwealth’s top prize this month after scoring gold ratings in the Governor’s Cup competition.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for March.

Photo by Dana Armstrong

Connor Daly at Bear Chase Brewing near Bluemont.

Women Make Their Mark on Loudoun’s Thai Food Scene

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS, VISIT LOUDOUN

The highlight of this past New Year’s Eve for me was getting takeout. After dropping my 16-year-old daughter Madeline at a party in Round Hill, I stopped at Koyo Ramen, a new Japanese noodle bar in Purcellville, to pick up dinner for my wife and I. Exciting life, no?

But here’s the thing: It really was spectacular. I ordered grilled miso eggplant and the curry and truffle ramen, all of which were incredible, and while waiting for it I got chatting with the charming owner Puii Chaokrajang, and her sister-in-law chef, Annie Tumma, both natives of Thailand.

Puii, it turns out, is also the owner (with her husband Willy) of Finn Thai in Purcellville and four other Thai restaurants in the region. Six restaurants at the age of 36? Not bad.

“I moved to Loudoun in 2012. I love good service, fresh ingredients and making customers happy,” she beamed. She got the idea for Koyo

after sensing demand for more culinary variety in fast-growing Purcellville. Why not do Japanese noodles and who better to run it than her sister-in-law?

Tumma, 44, was living in Bangkok, and she jumped at the chance to move to Loudoun. She arrived in November 2023 and the restaurant opened in December.

“I’m just a mom who loves to cook,” she said. “I studied Ramen from a Japanese chef in Thailand. All the ingredients here are fresh and I make all the soups in-house and my own chili oil.”

With March being Women’s History Month, the evening got me thinking. How many other female Thai chefs and restaurateurs are changing the face of Loudoun’s Asian food scene? Many, it turns out.

At Thaiverse in Middleburg, chef-owner Priya Cameron does intensely flavorful twists on traditional Thai dishes such as a lime and chili salmon with lemongrass, green lime, garlic,

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

“I’m just a mom who loves to cook”

chili and coriander. Born in northern Thailand, Priya lived in the UK with her English husband before moving to the U.S. She recently opened a second Thaiverse location in Washington, DC. An empire beckons.

On East Broad Way in downtown Lovettsville is the wildly popular Daughter Thai owned by Nina Vitayanuvatti. When Nina opened, she was living in Culpepper and for the first year commuted two hours each way while also raising a young daughter. What to order? The flash-fried and roasted crispy duck.

Then there’s Seafood Lover, located in a nondescript strip mall in Sterling. Appearances

can deceive. The drab façade gives way to a stunning interior that’s a cross between a tiki bar, a crab shack and a beerhall, all hung with nautical decor. Chef-owner Thitima Juntasaen hails from landlocked northeast Thailand but here she delivers sublime seafood such as Pad Thai Lobster, Soft Shell Crab Curry and mounds of fresh oysters. You eat at bench tables large enough for a wedding party.

Thailand is a paradise to visit, but it turns out their female chefs have bought a touch of heaven here.

Tuck in.

Connor Daly On the Road to Nashville

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

During the past few years, Connor Daly has weathered the tried-and-true path from Northern Virginia to Music City countless times. The Ashburn-raised singer/songwriter is working to release a 15-song album this year. Centered around Daly’s vocals and guitar, this ambitious project will feature his emerging blend of Americana, folk, and singer/songwriter sounds and plenty of references to nature. Golden sunrises, nights under the stars, and driving along rural highways are all common themes in his music—likely the result of his time on the road.

“One of the trips I just went down to fix two vocals, so I knew it wasn’t going to be long. I get two hours in the studio, so I was there for less than 24 hours. And in that time, I was driving nine-and-a-half hours there, nine-anda-half hours back,” Daly said.

“But I enjoy it because I know you have to put

in the work at this point in the process to get anything out of it.”

Where does this determination come from? It could be his dual athletic and musical upbringing. Daly grew up playing baseball before sampling golf, cross country running, and discus at Stone Bridge High School. Additionally, he studied classical guitar from seventh grade through his senior year in 2017.

But one of his musical turning points occurred during his first year of high school. At that time, he carpooled to school daily with his older sister, who often wielded her rights to the AUX chord.

“I despised country music. I think I liked Florida Georgia Line, but that was as far as I’d go. But driving with my sister every day, she loved country music so she would always play it. I started finding out it’s not that bad.”

Daly’s listening catalog expanded from pop wordsmith Ed Sheeran to Americana troubadour Jason Isbell and Luke Combs—a country

artist Daly was a fan of long before Comb’s recent rise to fame.

Although Daly attended George Mason University to study criminology and compete on the track and field team, his love for music never diminished. Away from the classrooms and discus throwing circles, Daly found himself singing and writing songs.

He discovered his voice years ago by chance. He and his friends used to play a karaoke game on the Nintendo GameCube. While his friends struggled to hit the notes of “You Found Me” by The Fray, Daly found he could reach them with ease. He admits he probably didn’t sound the best back then, but it was still a start.

“Just like anything, the voice is a muscle so the more you practice, the better you get. Being an athlete that’s a big mentality of mine: you can always improve if you put in the work. So, I just started singing, and over time it progressed and I got better.”

Daly completed his first song the summer after his freshman year of college.

“[I had] no real idea before doing it, just figured I’d try and see what happens. I showed my family … and they thought I wasn’t terrible, which was just the confidence boost I needed to keep going.”

By the next summer, Daly was already visiting Nashville to record demos. And by the time he graduated college in 2022, he had already written nearly 100 songs.

Rather than dive straight into a music career, Daly sampled another skillset: auditing. Coming off an internship during his senior year, Daly was offered a job as a special inspector general for the Department of the Treasury. He stayed in that role for a little over a year while starting to gig at breweries and wineries around Northern Virginia.

When the department was downsizing in fall 2023, Daly took it as an opportunity to make music his full-time career. Now he’s seen covering Ed Sheeran, Morgan Wallen, Garth Brooks, Eagles, and more—along with his originals—at gigs around the DMV and Nashville.

In addition to gigging, Daly released two music videos and four singles (separate from the upcoming album) in 2023. He recorded these singles at Starstruck Studio, a Nashville-based

management and recording company associated with music stars like Blake Shelton and Lauren Daigle. True to form, each of Daly’s songs is laden with vivid storytelling and metaphors to nature.

In “September Sky,” Daly writes about living in the moment with sunsets and star-gazing by a river with a special someone. “The Frame” paints his version of a picture-perfect life, trading the suburban white picket fence stereotype for a rustic house with a porch at the end of an old dirt road.

His most recent acoustic release, “Morning Sun,” is filled with intricate and soothing guitar fingerpicking. The chorus asks, “How am I supposed to just move on when I’m seeing your shadow in the Morning Sun?”

“I wish I could say [the song lyrics] come from actual stories in my life. I’m not a boring guy, but my life just hasn’t been too eventful, which is good up to this point at least with all the heartbreak songs. But I’ve always loved movies … and I’ve always been a pretty creative person, so I just think of a cool storyline and if it sounds like a good song, I put a melody to it.”

Most recently, Daly released his first professionally filmed music video. Directed by Nashville’s Will Gawley, “Wishin’” is a heartbreak song featuring panoramic shots of Ashland City, TN, and lyrics about wishing on stars for a special someone’s return.

With an album on the horizon and his music career climbing—even playing a writers’ round at the famed Listening Room Café in February—Daly plans on moving to Nashville in July.

“I think it was a good thing I was up here for the time I was, doing the things that I was. It’s going to be really beneficial that I got a good baseline down. I have live playing experience, a lot of songs under my belt written, and I’ve made a bunch of connections. I’ve gone down [to Nashville] to record music, so I have high-quality songs out that represent who I am,” he said.

“It’s definitely the right time to go down there. But I’m living here until then.”

To see where Connor Daly is playing next and stay in the know of his upcoming projects, check out his website connordalymusic.com or follow him on Instagram @connordalymusic.

3

4

21

31 October One Vineyard

7 Loudoun St., SW, Leesburg Octoberonevineyard.com

32 Old Farm Winery

23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com

33 Otium Cellars

18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com

34 Stone Tower Winery 19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., L’burg stonetowerwinery.com

35 Stonehouse Meadery

36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com

36 Sunset Hills Vineyard

38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

1 Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com

2 B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com

3 Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com

4 Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com

5 Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

6 Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com

7 Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com

8 Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com

9

37 Terra Nebulo

39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com

38 Three Creeks Winery

18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com

39 Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com

40 Village Winery

40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com

41 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards

38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com

42 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com

BREWERIES

10

11

12 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville

13

14

15

16

17

18

43 Walsh Family Wine

16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com

44 Williams Gap Vineyards

35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com

45 Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com

19 Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com

20 Old 690 Brewing Company 15670 Ashbury Church Rd., Hillsboro old690.com

21 Old Ox Brewery

44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com

22 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA

23 Solace Brewing Company

42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com

24 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

25 The Craft of Brewing 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn thecraftob.com

26 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Ln., Lucketts vanishbeer.com

27 Water’s End Brewing

1602 Village Market Blvd SE #120, Leesburg watersendbrewery.com

28 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery 38506 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com

A Place to Be Brings Back ‘A Grumpy Bunny’ Performance

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

AsEaster approaches, a small group at one of Loudoun’s community nonprofits has been preparing for the spring opening of “The Grumpy Bunny” play, set to premiere Friday, March 15.

“The Grumpy Bunny” tells the story of an Easter egg thief and a quest led by a good-natured neighbor to solve the mystery of the missing eggs. Woven into the family-oriendted comedy are meaningful messages about kindness and forgiveness, and how those qualities can help break through someone’s hard shell to get to know the real character inside.

Music therapy and arts nonprofit A Place to Be opened its Leesburg location, where the show will be performed, last November after being based in Middleburg for 13 years. Already this will be its third production at the new studio.

Eight cast members, led by Director Kyle Boardman and supported by over 20 other staff and volunteers, have been working hard to put on a show that not only provides family entertainment, but also teaches about the importance of treating others with respect.

Cast members are made up of members of A Place to Be’s team and clients with a differing array of abilities and life challenges. The organization integrates the therapeutic values of music and performance allowing them to experience performing, connect socially with others and work on a multi-layered creative process.

Media and Public Relations Coordinator Manny Vasquez said the performances allow for clients to practice their therapeutic goals on stage.

“Maybe someone has one line in the show and the line is just, ‘that’s for sure,’ but they maybe normally don’t speak at all and especially not in front of people,” he said. “These are kids that normally don’t even speak in front of their parents, so saying that one line is often the highlight of their year. We have kids who were in our shows 10 years ago who still talk about being in the show.”

Boardman, who first became involved with the nonprofit at 15 and has a background in music therapy, said his job is a blend of directing the show and helping the actors wherever they might need it.

“We’re so inclusive that in a way pretty much every cast member has a different baseline and

has sort of a different level of experience and comfortability. So, we always try to start a rehearsal with just something fun whether we get up and dance or we just sing or we just sit and catch up about our week and connect,” he said.

Boardman called the play “incredibly cute,” but said beneath that, the story is based in social-emotional learning.

“There’s a message written into the show and every show that we do. And it’s something that we’re trying to teach or educate on and in this case the message kind of is, the story is everyone feels certain emotions, being grumpy or being upset or angry. What’s important is how you treat the people around you and to approach everyone with kindness and respect because you never know what someone is going through,” he said.

He said during the performances, they will put mats down at the front of the audience at the edge of the stage and invite all the children of the audience to sit there to get the full immersive experience of the play.

Amy Stone, who has been part of A Place to Be since she was 15 and is acting in “The Grumpy Bunny” this month, said she helped design the stage and make it ADA-compliant with ramps on the front and sides, allowing her and others to access it easily in their wheelchairs.

Stone was also integral in forming the organization’s inclusive touring show, The Same Sky Project.

“My whole goal with Same Sky was to create a production where people like me were represented, because when I was in high school I would go to assemblies and I wouldn’t see myself,” she said. “And I thought, ‘hmm maybe we can fix that.’”

A Place to Be was founded in 2010 by Tom Sweitzer, who wrote “The Grumpy Bunny” script and Kim Tapper. Their mission is to create community, belonging and hope through music therapy, performance and the expressive arts.

Tickets to the show are $5 and can be purchased at aplacetobeva.org. Showtimes are Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 16, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Sunday March 17, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Learn more about what A Place to Be offers at aplacetobeva.org/programs.

WINE

Hatch Named State Grower of the Year

BY NORMAN K. STYER

Two decades ago, Tremain Hatch was put to work planting grape vines on his family’s Leesburg-area cattle farm, perhaps not the favorite use of time for a high school kid. Today, he is recognized as a critical resource in Virginia’s wine industry.

The Virginia Vineyards Association named Hatch as its 2024 Grower of the Year. The award recognizes his work to advance the commonwealth’s wine grape industry as both viticulture research and extension associate at Virginia Tech and viticulturist at his family’s Zephaniah Farm Vineyard near Leesburg.

“He has been involved in the industry since he was a teenager and has become one of the most respected viticulturists in the state,” stated Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, who presented the award at the VVA’s annual Winter Technical Meeting. “His determination and drive have helped Virginia’s wine industry to thrive and become a tremendous economic driver for the commonwealth.”

Zephaniah Farm operated a dairy operation until 1986, when the family turned to other products— beef cattle, fruit trees, and strawberries among them. In 2002, they planted rows of wine grapes.

“I think there’s probably a fair reputation that high schoolers are maybe not the best and most willing helpers on a farm,” Hatch recalled during a recent interview. “And so I did my fair share, but it wasn’t until I went away to school that I realized, wow, that the farm really is something special and something that I really want to be part of.”

Now he works with vineyards around the state as part of the extension service to make their farms—and their wines—as successful as possible. Since 2010, he has served as a viticulture extension associate at Virginia Tech’s Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester where his responsibilities include vineyard troubleshooting, site evaluation, and responding to requests from growers and aspiring growers for viticultural assistance. Currently, his research focuses on evaluating protective culture in vineyards and seedless table grape evaluations.

He left the farm to attend college in North Carolina, pursuing a degree in geology. It was at a time when industry leaders were looking for a replacement crop for tobacco.

“There had been wineries there for the past 30 years, but really, right around the early 2000s there was a lot of interest and people were installing new vineyards,” Hatch said. “It is always

Photo by Norman K. Styer Tremain Hatch stands in the vineyard at Zephaniah Farm Vineyard where his wine journey began as a teenager.

exciting when land is going into agriculture and I think the state recognized that and put some energy into exploring and more possibilities are there.”

He used his knowledge of soils and land shapes to help determine the most suitable places for growing grapes. But it was an internship in northern Italy after school that piqued his interest in winemaking.

He returned home to take his first job in the industry working with Loudoun wine pioneer Lew Parker at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, the county’s first winery.

“I learned a lot about how to put all the pieces together,” Hatch said. “Lew’s been doing this for a long time. He’s got a good instinct of putting together the growing, the winemaking, and the wine sales. It was a really good introduction to operate on a small winery in Virginia.”

The experience also helped him to realize there was more to learn.

“I had a lot of questions about why we did a lot of things in the vineyards. I figured this is a good time to go back to school and find the answers that I needed as far as why we do certain things. Sometimes at the farm level it’s hard to justify digging deep into some of those questions. I had a wonderful experience to work with a guru and somebody that really gave me a lot of information about how grapes grow in the environment and how they exist in this environment. It was really good opportunity for me,” Hatch said.

After completing graduate school at Virginia Tech, he worked at the much larger Barboursville Vineyards in Orange County.

“I got a broad spectrum of experience there. And then after that, I was hired back to Virginia Tech. They had an extension position where I was statewide, and served as a resource for new and experienced growers to field questions about production and troubleshoot issues. I learned so much by traveling around the state and learning from folks that were doing this,” he said.

Back home, Hatch has seen the evolution of Loudoun’s wine industry since planting the first vines on the family farm. He’s an integral part of the family’s winemaking.

“My dad’s the winemaker. My sister and I share in that role—my sister is stronger in the cellar than I am. She’s got a really good palate. It’s good that we can work together as a team and bounce

ideas off each other and I think we can make better wine by doing that,” Hatch said.

Like many in Loudoun’s wine industry, he highlights its collaborative nature.

“It’s super satisfying that I’m from Loudoun. It means a lot to see more vineyards and more vineyards doing well. I’m excited about that. I’m excited to see a lot of land still in agricultural production,” he said. “We share so much. When we see something do well or we see something not working well, we hear that experience. It allows us to increase in quality more rapidly than if we did not communicate like.”

Hatch’s statewide award came with accolades from some of most influential leaders in the industry.

Tony Wolf, the Virginia Tech viticulturist who was a driving force in the Virginia wine industry for over 35 years, hired Tremain twice—once as a field and lab assistant and then a viticulture research and extension associate after he completed the master’s program.

“Tremain has the perfect combination of excellent work ethic, viticultural knowledge, and personal demeanor that makes him an excellent extension educator,” Wolf stated. “Tremain knows how to grow high-quality grapes, and he is more than willing to share that knowledge with others. He is entirely deserving of the prestigious Grower of the Year Award.”

Mizuho Nita, who heads the Grape Pathology Department, met Hatch Tremain when he joined Virginia Tech in 2009. Last year, Hatch joined him on a trip to Japan where they conducted seminars, workshops, wine-tastings and in-field consultations. “We had the opportunity to interact with over 200 growers in three weeks,” Nita said. “As a result, Tremain is now a well-known viticulturist in Japan, too.”

Hatch is appreciative the award.

“I feel really fortunate to be recognized for this because it’s a group of people I really respect and really appreciate the ability to work, he said. “So this honor means a lot to me.”

Hatch can be found hiking through vineyards making groundcover suggestions or other recommendations, you can sample his family’s wines— and perhaps enjoy a fresh-grilled hamburger from the farm—at Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, at 19381 Dunlop Mill Road west of Leesburg. Learn more at zephwine.com.

WINE

16 Loudoun Wineries Score Gold

Virginia’s wine industry leaders will gather in Richmond this month to celebrate their best work during the 2024 Governors Cup competition.

This year, judges tasted more than 750 entries, with 137 wines from 79 wineries earning gold medal ratings.

Sixteen Loudoun County wineries earned 27 gold medals and will be in consideration for the top awards—a place in the Governor’s Case of the commonwealth’s 12 top wines and the elite prize—the 2024 Governors Cup.

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyard, the first Loudoun winery to win the cup in 2017, led the pack with four gold ratings. Breaux Vineyards and Sunset Hills Vineyard each scored three golds. Top winners will be announced March 7 during a gala at Main Street Station in Richmond.

Loudoun’s award-winning wines are:

50 West Vineyards: SILVER 2020 Ashby Gap, Cabernet Franc, Rosé of Sangiovese, Vidal Blanc, 2022 Viognier

8 Chains North Winery: GOLD 2022 Albariño SILVER 2020 Furnace Mountain Red, 2020 Hot Donkey, 2022 Lo.Co. Vino, 2022 Peacock Farm Rosé, 2022 Pink Link, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

868 Estate Vineyards: SILVER: 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 Grandale, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Bleu Frog Vineyards: BRONZE 2021 Mad Frog

Bozzo Family Vineyards: SILVER 2020 2nd Act, 2020 La Famiglia Bozzo, 2021 Carolyn B Petit Manseng

Breaux Vineyards: GOLD 2017 Meritage, 2019 Meritage, 2019 The Fog Nebbiolo Reserve.

Silver Breaux Vineyards 2019 Nebbiolo, 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve, 2022 Rosé, 2022

Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Six Degrees, Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg: GOLD 2022 Albariño. SILVER: 2021 Petit Verdot, 2021 Unité Reserve, 2022 Petit Manseng, 2022 Rosé of Cabernet Franc

Carriage House Wineworks: GOLD 2020 Barouche, 2021 Petit Verdot. SILVER 2020 Merlot. BRONE 2022 Petit Manseng

Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District: GOLD 2021 Norton Locksley Reserve Silver 2021 Norton, 2022 Viognier Reserve

Doukénie Winery: GOLD 2020 Petit Verdot. SILVER: Doukénie Winery 2020 Barrel Select

Seyval, 2020 Tannat, 2020 Vintner’s Reserve, 2021 Barrel Select Chardonnay, 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 Hemera. BRONZE 2021 Cabernet Franc

Endhardt Vineyards: GOLD 2020 Fervor Red, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Upper Block. SILVER 2020 Petit Verdot, 2022 Chardonnay, 2022

Reverie White, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Lower Block. BRONZE 2022 Blanc de Cabernet Franc

Fabbioli Cellars: SILVER 2019 Petit Verdot, 2019 Tre Sorelle, 2022 Cabernet Franc, 2022

Petit Manseng. BRONZE 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve

Greenhill Vineyards: GOLD 2021 Tannat, SILVER 2022 Riesling

Hillsborough Winery, Brewery & Vineyard: GOLD 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 Petit Verdot. SILVER: 2019 Onyx, 2021 Ruby, 2022 Opal

October One Vineyard: GOLD 2022 Albariño. SILVER 2022 Viognier

Sunset Hills Vineyard: GOLD 2021 Mosaic, 2022 Chardonnay, 2022 Viognier. SILVER: 2020 Sunset White, 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2022 Petit Manseng. BRONZE 2021 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards: GOLD 2020 Cabernet Franc, 2020 Petit Verdot, 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2022 Viognier. SILVER: 2019 Meritage, 2020 Malbec, 2021 Cascina, 2021 Chardonnay, 2021 Malbec, 2021 Petit Verdot, 2022 Cascina. BRONZE 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 Meritage

The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek: SILVER: 2019 Allure, 2020 Allure, 2021 Genesis,2021 Petit Verdot, 2022 Chardonnay Barrel Select. BRONZE 2021 Allure

The Wine Reserve at Waterford: GOLD 2022

First Harvest Petit Manseng. BRONZE 2021

Gila Petit Verdot

Three Creeks Winery: GOLD 2020 Cabernet

Sauvignon, 2022 Muscat Ottonel. SILVER

2020 Cabernet Franc, Three Creeks Winery

2020 Melange Rouge, 2021 Petit Manseng, 2021 Rose, 2021 Tannat, 2021 Viognier, 2022 Chardonnay, 2022 Vidal Blanc. BRONZE 2022

Petit Manseng

Twin Oaks Tavern Winery: SILVER 2021 Chardonnay. BRONZE 2021 Hawk Mountain, 2021 Raven Rocks Red

Two Twisted Posts Winery: SILVER 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2021 Chardonnay, 2022 No Way

Rosé, 2022 Piebald White, 2022 Traminette. BRONZE 2022 Chardonnay, 2022 Voignier

Walsh Family Wine: GOLD 2021 Paeonia. SILVER 2019 Late Harvest Petit Manseng, 2020 Russ Mountain Merlot, Bethany Ridge

Petit Manseng, 2021 Bethany Ridge Tannat, 2021 Dutchman’s Creek Cabernet Franc, 2022

Bethany Ridge Chenin Blanc, 2022 Bethany

Ridge Viognier

Williams Gap Vineyard: SILVER 2021 Fieldstone, 2021 Round Hill Red, 2021 Round Hill

White, 2022 Black Label Chardonnay, 2022

Petit Manseng. BRONZE 2021 Merlot

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards: BRONZE 2022

Merlot

Zephaniah Farm Vineyard: GOLD 2020 Friendship. SILVER 2020 Adeline, 2020 Cabernet Franc, 2022 Amber Limited, BRONZE 2020

Three Captains Red

HAPPENINGS

TOP RIDERS COMPETE AT MORVEN PARK

Morven Park will host more than 250 riders March 30-31 during its annual Spring Horse Trials.

The weekend features an equestrian discipline known as “eventing,” in which each horse and rider combination must compete in dressage, show jumping, and cross-country.

The event takes place Saturday and Sunday— both over Morven Park’s cross-country course, known as one of the best in the world—and show arenas.

The event is open free to spectators who will get an up-close look at some of the sport’s top riders.

This year’s competition will feature 16 divisions, from Beginner Novice through Intermediate. Competition begins at 8 a.m. and will end at approximately 5 p.m. each day. Sturdy walking shoes are recommended.

Enter the competition center via Tutt Lane off Rt. 15 just north of Leesburg.

Learn more at movernpark.org.

YOUTH BANDS BATTLE FOR TOP PRIZE

The 19th annual Loudoun Youth Battle of the Bands culminates March 15 at the Tally Ho Theater.

Sponsored by Loudoun Youth Inc. and the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.

Organizers held three preliminary competitions

2023 Battle of the Band winner Sheltered perform at the Tally Ho Theater during last year’s finals.

starting in December, with the top performing youth bands advancing to the finals. Each band and solo performer will play a 15-minute set on the big stage.

Tickets are $8. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Hundreds of kids will converge at Ida Lee Park on March 23 for the annual Easter egg hunt.

IDA LEE PARK HOSTS COUNTY’S LARGEST EGG HUNT

The hunt is on for Easter eggs at Ida Lee Park. The event will be held March 23 starting at noon.

Open to children ages 1 to 8, with hunts scheduled by age group.

Each child will hunt for empty Easter eggs and receive a treat bag at the conclusion of the hunt. The Easter Bunny will also be for pictures. Pre-registration is required by March 22; there will be no day-of registration. The cost is $10. For registration and details, go to idalee.org.

TARARA CONCERT LINEUP ANNOUNCED

The organizers of the Tarara Summer Concert Series have announced the performance lineup for its 25th season with tickets on sale.

The Saturday evening concerts will kick off Memorial Day weekend and run through September—19 shows in all—on the outdoor stage at the Tarara Winery near Lucketts.

As usual, the season kicks off with a performance of ’80s hits by The Reflex on May 25. It ends with The Legwarmers on Sept. 28. In between, the lineup includes Doc Martin and the Flannels, The British Invasion, Bruce in the USA, Def Leggend, The Sensational Soul Cruisers, Stilfer’s Mom, Turnstiles, Groovalicious,

White Ford Bronco, Chapel Hart with Scott Kurt & Memphis 59, Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band, Gonzo’s Nose, Elizabeth’s Furance, Boat House Row, High Noon, Kelly Bell Band, The Classic Rock Experience, The Legwarmers, High Noon, with two more bands yet to be announced.

For tickets, season passes and more details, go to tararaconcerts.com.

Gonzo’s Nose returns to the Tarara Summer Concert Series Aug. 24 for a reunion show.

GETOUT Best Bets

03.16.24

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band

Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m. | Tally Ho Theater | tallyhotheater.com

The two-time Blues Music Awards nominees are led by Reverend Peyton, who is considered to be a premier finger picker with a reputation as both a singularly compelling performer and a persuasive evangelist for rootsy, country blues.

03.25.24

The Nighthawks

03.26.24

Spafford

The Nighthawks

Monday, March 25, 6 p.m.

The Barns at Hamilton Station thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

Tuesday, March 26, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

With some 30 recordings and local and international awards to their credit, The Nighthawks are still churning out new material while drawing on more than four decades’ worth of signature tunes for their legendary live shows.

The Arizona-based rolls into Leesburg for a mid-week show performing their blend of multiple genres of music including rock, funk, jazz, reggae, ska, and electro-pop.

Check out

Loudoun’s Attractions

œ

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.

21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, VA 20164 (571) 258-3800 • heritagefarmmuseum.org

LOUDOUN MUSEUM

With a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts, the Museum tells Loudoun’s story from pre-1600 up until today, with a selection of special exhibits featuring the history of Virginia Wine, the Early Republic era, and the County’s role in the US Civil War, along with a timeline of Loudoun County history. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for upcoming events and public programs!

16 Loudoun Street SW Leesburg, Virginia 20175 (703) 777-7427 • loudounmuseum.org

MORVEN PARK

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

OATLANDS HISTORIC HOUSE & GARDENS

The 415-acre Oatlands estate, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers tours of the historic mansion, extensive gardens and outbuildings that include the oldest standing greenhouse in the South. Exhibits focus on the lives of the Carter and Eustis families who building the estate, as well as the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked there.

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg, VA 20175 703.777.3174 • oatlands.org

Sleeter

Bears Den

Bluemont

Summit Ropes