Get Out Loudoun for April 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

Douglas Graham

Hanna Pampaloni

Norman K. Styer

ON THE COVER

TO ADVERTISE

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

getoutloudoun.com

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TUNES

An emerging star in Loudoun’s music scene, Lillian Hackett garnered national attention with her appearance on ABC’s American Idol.

DESTINATIONS

After four decades of collecting and preserving artifacts of Loudoun’s sporting tradition, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting has expanded to offer new exhibit space in Middleburg.

ON STAGE

Tracy Hamlin continues to showcase the talents of top performers as her Sweet Jazz Festival expands to a two-day celebration this month.

HAPPENINGS

As part of Historic Garden Week activities across the commonwealth, the Leesburg Garden Club is putting the spotlight on the hidden treasures in Hillsboro.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for April.

Photo by Douglas Graham

Lillian Hackett performs during a George’s Mill barn dance last fall.

YOU GROW WHAT?

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS

On a recent afternoon, driving to a friend’s flower farm in Purcellville, I came across two lions. Not real lions: a pair of giant cast concrete statues guarding the entrance to a mansion on Allder School Road. It was a surreal sight. My friend, flower grower Page Hunnicutt Smithers of BlueSky Farm, told me the mansion belonged to the owners of a famous Fairfax Chinese restaurant, Peking Gourmet, and that in fields behind the mansion they grew acres of garlic sprouts to supply the restaurant. Page told me this as she watered her own unique crop—an extraordinary range of willows, snap dragons, daffodils, tulips, poppies, mums, larkspur and who knows what other flowers. It occurred to me that, come summer, this little corner of Purcellville will be a riot of scent and color.

Loudoun is famous for its grapes, grains, fruit and veggies, but to celebrate Spring and Earth Day (April 22), why not seek out some of the more unusual plants cultivated in our rich soil?

At Snickers Run Farm in Bluemont, the Durand family grows acres of delicious hard-neck garlic, which they sell at local farmers’ markets. Among the varieties: spicy Asian Tempest, eight-bulb German Hardy popular with local chefs and a tasty variety they have nicknamed Bluemont Music that’s good for slow cooking.

How about mushrooms? At Quartzwood Farm

near Hillsboro, the Sedlin family produces what they call culinary fungi: a range of shiitake mushroom varieties that grow on Virginia hardwood logs in the open air. Buy them fresh in season (April-October) or dried (dehydrated) year-round at the new Lovettsville Coop. Spice those dishes up!

Then there’s Loudoun tea. Tea is usually cultivated in the tropics, but at Green Hills Garden and Nursery in historic Taylorstown, the Lee family, immigrants from South Korea, grow authentic hand-plucked camellia sinensis. Buy it at Dominion Tea in Purcellville.

Need a palliative? In Lovettsville, retired Navy vet Jeff Boogaard is the founder-owner of Cannabreeze CBD Hemp Farm & Co where he grows, produces and sells a wide range of premium CBD and CBG hemp products, from oils, soaps and balms to edibles and gels. There’s even a stylish tasting room on site where visitors can sample and purchase products.

Finally, for one of the most unusual and unlikely crops of all, make your way to South Riding. There, at the 1,000-acre National Botanic Garden, alongside a cactus garden and Everglades-style wetland, owner Peter Knop cultivates the largest varietal bamboo forest in the US. You can’t buy the bamboo – the shoots go to feed the pandas and elephants in the National Zoo – but on select days in Spring, starting April 19-21, you can visit the gardens and see the forest for yourself.

You will have to pinch yourself that, yes, you really are in Loudoun.

Photos by Hillary Coley

At Green Hills Garden and Nursery near Taylorstown the Lee family hand pick authentic camellia sinensis—green tea—that is available for purchase at Dominion Tea in Purcellville.

2 Loudoun Performers Compete for American Idol Title

Two up-and-coming stars in Loudoun County’s music scene are getting national attention this spring after earning “golden tickets” to advance to the Hollywood round on ABC’s American Idol competition.

Singer/songwriters Sela Campbell and Lillian Hackett both garnered support from the program’s panel of celebrity judges—Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.

Campbell, a 17-year-old senior at Loudoun County High School, started playing guitar at age five and gained the attention of another Loudoun performer, Todd Brooks, by posting music covers on Instagram. His mentorship led to her first public performances, both solo and with other area bands. In 2022, she won the top solo performer award at the Loudoun Youth Battle of the Bands. While she has more than 100 cover songs in her repertoire, she has been focusing on her own songwriting releasing two singles—One Track Mind and Yellow Flowers. (Her full story was featured in our December 2022 issue.) Campbell’s audition, in Bryan’s hometown of Leesburg, GA, was not aired, although she was shown in several promos for this year’s competition.

Hackett, of Lovettsville, performed for the judges in Nashville and was shown briefly on two episodes during the audition phase of the program—including when she and her family posed with host Ryan Seacrest for a Christmas card photo. Her audition, featuring a performance of her song “Tennessee,” was broadcast, with Bryan offering encouragement as she moved to the next stage. “There’s just something really artistic about you that I like,” he said.

Starting in early April, American Idol will feature the Hollywood round the competition when Campbell and Hackett will compete with other Golden Ticket winners to earn one of 24 spots to advance.

Photo Courtesy of Sela Campbell Sela Campbell poses with her Golden Ticket following her American Idol audition in Leesburg, GA.

Stroll

See baby goats at Georges Mill Farm

Lillian Hackett Releases Single ‘Tennessee’

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

Lovettsville’s Lillian Hackett got the idea to audition for “American Idol” in early fall 2023 after seeing a concert of one of her favorite bands, The Swell Season, in DC. The opener for the concert had appeared in another singing competition.

“The whole time we were listening to him I was like, ‘Man, this is so cool. It’s my dream to play at this concert venue, and I’d love to be in this position.’ So, I told my mom, ‘I feel like this is a sign to sign up,’” said Hackett, a 17-year-old Woodgrove High School junior.

“I went online and I saw that the auditions, in terms of producers, were in a week. So, I totally did it on a whim, not expecting anything out of it.”

Her audition was part of “Idol Across America,” a nationwide live virtual audition process where participants would sing for producers over Zoom in the hopes of advancing to an audition in front of the judges.

Hackett remembers her initial audition taking place at 6 p.m. after school. Within the comfort of her bedroom, she progressed through a series of breakout rooms with different producers. At the end of the calls, the producers told her they’d provide an update in two to three weeks.

“The next day, they called me up and they were like, ‘Hey, we want you to come back on another Zoom call.’ I kept getting asked back and asked back, and then they eventually told me I was going to be auditioning in front of Katy [Perry], Luke [Bryan], and Lionel [Richie]!”

Photo by Douglas Graham Lillian Hackett, shown performing at a George’s Mill barn dance, cites Bob Dylan as one of her top songwriting influences.

For her audition in front of the judges, Hackett went to Nashville. At the airport, she even met fellow “American Idol” auditioner and Loudoun County-based singer Sela Campbell for the first time—the start of what would become a great support system for the both of them.

In the hours leading up to her audition, producers filmed Hackett for many interviews and B-roll clips. The rest of the time, she spent sitting and waiting with her family since she didn’t know when she would be called for her audition.

“I’m kind of glad that was the case because if I had known when I was going to audition, I think I would have gotten more nervous about it and overthought it,’ said Hackett.

Hackett released a single of the original song she performed, “Tennessee,” on all streaming platforms March 15.

Inspired by her dad, who is a musician, Hackett started learning the guitar around 10 years old and says she’s been writing songs for as long as she can remember. While Bob Dylan is one of her greatest songwriting inspirations, her musical influences include the bluegrass, folk, and old-time music she often heard at local music venues, music festivals, and the neighborhood barn dances of her childhood.

“I draw a lot of my [songwriting] inspiration from personal experiences, but I’ve recently started to delve into writing more from other people’s point of view like my friends and family. Other times, I can be sitting around and I see or hear something that will spark a hook or an idea for a song and I go with it,” said Hackett.

“My most recent original song, “Time is a Thief,” was a tribute to my grandmother and how as time passes, my memories of her have started to fade. The stories shared by those who have known her much longer help me to know her a little more. It’s a reminder to share the stories of our loved ones so that their legacy lives on.”

When Hackett isn’t writing songs or playing gigs around the area, she is hard at work in her academics. She’s involved in her school’s class council and multiple honor societies. Plus, she volunteers as a math tutor for elementary schoolers and works at the local pool during the summer. Beyond that, you’ll likely find her enjoying the great outdoors.

“My family is very into hiking, backpacking, and camping. We recently—well recently as of two

or three years ago—went on a backpacking trip in Vermont for a month or so. It was a little less than 200 miles. Nature is definitely something that I love, and it plays a big part in my songwriting, too.”

This spring, there will be many opportunities to see Hackett perform her songs. She opens for Low Water Bridge Band at the Tally Ho Theater in April. Then in May, she’ll hit the festival circuit, playing at Cannon Fire Country Music Festival in Maryland and Fallsburg Summer Stage in Kentucky—where she is planning to play her first full set of completely original music. No matter the outcome of her “American Idol” journey, Hackett plans to keep music in her life past high school, throughout college, and into her future career.

“I’m leaning toward maybe being in the music industry. I don’t know what that entails or involves yet, but being around music, I just love the community. That’s also what “Idol” made me realize: I love being around people who love music just as I do.”

Among her upcoming performances is an April 6 appearance with the Low Water Bridge Band at the Tally Ho Theater. Learn more atlillianhackettmusic.com.

Photo courtesy of Disney/Eric McCandless

Museum of Hounds and Hunting Expands to Middleburg, Showcases More Artifacts

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

The Museum of Hounds and Hunting North America last month celebrated a big step in the organization’s growth with a ribbon cutting at its newest location in downtown Middleburg.

The museum opened in 1985 and has been operating from the Morven Park mansion near Leesburg ever since with the goal of preserving art and artifacts from the sporting tradition.

Director of Operations Katrina Ryan said opening a second location in Middleburg made sense because of the town’s long history as a fox hunting destination.

“Now, we’re in the middle of horse country,” she said.

Co-founder and board member Donna Rogers said the museum had been looking for the perfect location for nearly five years before a friend suggested the four-story brick building on Washington Street. She said the building was a “good fit” and that the town has given the organization a warm welcome.

The expansion will allow the museum to showcase a more of its artifacts and fox hunting memorabilia.

“We have so much more than we’re able to [show at once] so we’re going to be able to rotate more now,” Rogers said.

Ryan said the two locations offer different in experiences for visitors.

“These two sides, they complement each other,” she said. “At Morven Park, we have large exhibition space on the walls with high ceilings with

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Museum of Hounds and Hunting North America co-founder and board member Donna Rogers stands in the organization’s new Middleburg location on Washington Street next to a print out of the former president and painting depicting him fox hunting in the area.

which we can exhibit very large paintings. We can exhibit many paintings both as exhibits and for sale. … So, it’s a different feel.”

Rogers said the museum has curated pieces of artwork and memorabilia through estate sales, auctions and donations.

“This one,” Rogers said pointing to a painting on the second museum’s second floor, “was donated by Paul Mellon when we first opened. This was part of his famous art collection.”

The displays include artwork by Ben Marshall and Jean Bowman, photography by Howard Allen, newspaper clippings, antique fox hunting items including horns, riding gear, letters, books, dishes and a life-size George Washington who stands next to a painting depicting him foxhunting in the area.

“George Washington learned how to foxhunt from Lord Fairfax while he was surveying his property,” Rogers said, adding that having the new location on a street named after the first president felt right.

The photos by Allen include snapshots of the Kennedy family who frequented Middleburg during their summers away from Washington, DC.

“We gather everything we can that we think will add to [the museum,]” Rogers said.

Ryan said the new location also will allow for more community activities including tea, children’s programs, educational lectures, and fireside chats.

“Throughout the summertime, in our lovely garden, we plan to have receptions for members. … We plan to be a very active museum with happenings throughout the year,” she said.

But Ryan said the expansion doesn’t mean that things will slow down at their Morven Park location either with the upcoming annual painting exhibition and sale and member benefit over Memorial Day weekend and plans to host the Old Dominion Hounds for their 100th anniversary.

“In terms of legacy, in terms of artifacts, memorabilia and artwork, we have been able to collect or amass for almost 40 years,” Ryan said.

To learn more or become a member, go to mhhna.org.

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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

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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

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12 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville

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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

Tracy Hamlin’s Sweet Jazz Festival is Back and Bigger an Ever

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

Jazz fans rejoice! Tracy Hamlin’s Sweet Jazz Festival triumphantly returns on April 19 and 20 at The National Conference Center in Lansdowne. Housed indoors and expanded into a two-day extravaganza for the first time, the event is already capturing the attention of music lovers from near and far.

“I went with a younger line-up than I typically go with, but these are some of the most soulful jazz artists of the last decade. All of them have solo projects that are just sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard jazz charts,” said Tracy Hamlin, organizer of the festival.

Friday night’s headliner, Jeff Bradshaw, is a solo trombonist from Philadelphia who time and again proves to get audiences on their feet. Saxophonist Marcus Anderson has worked with Prince and played in the touring bands for Stevie Wonder and Liv Warfield—plus, he dances like James Brown.

Violinist Karen Briggs, who has performed with Yanni and Diana Ross, has been known to receive a standing ovation after every song. And that’s just a taste of the immense jazz talent dis-

played by all 10 of this year’s festival performers.

“All [of the artists] bring something unique and amazing to the experience. People really get confused about jazz. Some people think it’s boring. … What I love about all of these folks is that they have a level of energy that they completely blow people’s minds.”

One of the featured artists also happens to be Tracy Hamlin herself.

Hamlin is a force to be reckoned with. Her multi-hyphenate musical résumé includes being a world-touring solo artist who’s performed in over 50 countries, singing as a lead backup vocalist for Gloria Gaynor, creating her own record label and executive producing multiple solo albums, teaching Music Appreciation to students with Dyslexia, and serving as a National Trustee for The Recording Academy—better known as The Grammys.

Originally from Baltimore, Hamlin moved to Loudoun County in 2010. Once she discovered the wealth of wineries and restaurants the county offered, she would frequently go on “staycations” in the area with her husband.

“When I thought about all the amazing wineries, I’m like wine pairs really well with jazz. So,

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni Songstress Tracy Hamlin performs for an audience at the Lodge at Hansen Park during A Night of Jazz and Soul on Oct. 26, 2023.

I connected with Buddy Rizer from Economic Development and he introduced me to Beth Erikson at Visit Loudoun, and that’s how Sweet Jazz was born,” Hamlin said.

The idea for the festival emerged out of her nine years of experience organizing a private annual jazz festival on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia—a place she calls her second home.

She hosted the first Sweet Jazz Festival outdoors at Tarara Winery in 2018 and did so again in 2019. Calling upon her connections from the St. Lucia jazz festivals, she was able to convince many top jazz artists to come to perform in Loudoun.

The festival halted during COVID in 2020, and since then she has hosted four smaller jazz concerts. But this year, for her seventh event, she is thrilled to bring back the festival experience to full scale—this time, indoors so as not to risk unpredictable weather.

Even more than the music, the festival is about giving back to the community. At all of the past jazz festivals and concerts she’s organized, Hamlin donates a portion of the ticket sales to charities and chooses Loudoun County students from low-income families to receive musical scholarships to Catoctin School of Music.

“Music saved my life. Music changed my life. And had I not pursued a career as a singer, I would have become a product of my environment,” said Hamlin.

“That is why I decided to use this platform to give music scholarships. Because if I can save one life, I’ve done a mighty thing. But we’ve already shaped, changed, and molded the lives of many students from the scholarships.”

Past scholarship recipients include a saxophonist and a drummer, who were both fifteen at the time, and a voice student. Hamlin even provided the voice student with private singing lessons and invited her to accompany Hamlin backstage at concerts as her assistant.

As a result of the scholarships and the quality musical instruction they receive, many of the recipients discover opportunities to do “big people’s gigs,” as Hamlin describes it, such as opening for concerts and being booked for private events. The students are then well on their way to start pursuing music careers.

This year, Hamlin plans to give away four scholarships—the most to date—and the festival will

also benefit two causes that are near to Hamlin’s heart. The Tigerlily Foundation is a national organization that provides resources for breast cancer patients, and the Young Kings Movement is a local non-profit that offers mentoring and life skills coaching for young men ages 13 to 18. Some of the young men will be assisting Hamlin during the event. Plus, Hamlin was able to secure luxury car dealership Lamborghini Washington as a sponsor. In addition to hosting a Lamborghini car rally on April 13 that raises money for the Young Kings Movement, two of their cars will be on display during the festival for attendees to have Instagrammable moments. In yet another of Hamlin’s accomplishments, she is also the immediate past board chair for Visit Loudoun. She claims to always be wearing her “tourism hat,” evidenced by how well the festival integrates with the rest of Loudoun’s amenities and activities—including Leesburg’s Flower & Garden Festival on April 20 and 21.

With the Sweet Jazz Festival being in the evening, guests can have all day to experience Loudoun. Hamlin encourages everyone to stay and make a special weekend out of it. For a sample itinerary, we asked Hamlin to curate her perfect weekend if she was a festival attendee.

“I would arrive on Thursday. I would go to dinner at DC Prime. And I would wake up early on Friday. I would start my day at one of the wineries, then I would go over to Lansdowne for a spa day. … Then Friday night I would go back and rest up for the festivities later that night.”

“Saturday morning, I would wake up and probably go to a farmer’s market, to Leesburg outlets, hit another winery, go to [her favorite boutique] Misguided Angels, and then go back, eat, and rest up for the Saturday night festivities.”

Experiencing the best of jazz, wine, and the community all in one weekend—what more could you ask for?

“The Sweet Jazz Festival is not just about music, it’s about empowerment,” said Hamlin. “It’s about giving back to the community. It’s about helping small businesses. It’s important to me, and that is why I do this.”

Tracy Hamlin’s Sweet Jazz Festival is on April 19 and 20 at The National Conference Center. The performances start at 7 p.m. and General Admission tickets are $99. For tickets and more information, go to sweetjazzfestival.us

This Green Plot Shall Be Our Stage, a work

by Anne Stine

The Byrne Gallery in Middleburg will feature the “Nature’s Narrative” exhibition during April.

The exhibit will showcase Anne Stine’s encaustic on wood panel paintings that delve into the intricate connection between Earth and humanity, examining this relationship through the lens of Nature.

The collection of nature-themed paintings displays her passion for the beauty of nature, specifically regarding its geometry, patterns, colors, and textures in geological formations and the forest understory.

The exhibit will be on display April 3-28 and is open to the public. A reception will be held on Saturday, April 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. There will be an artist’s talk on Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m.

Learn more at thebyrnegallery.com.

Check out

Loudoun’s Attractions

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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

HAPPENINGS

LEESBURG’S FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL RETURNS APRIL 20-21

Loudoun’s largest celebration of spring’s return, Leesburg’s Flower and Garden Festival, will be held April 20-21 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, Levi Stephens, Julia Kasdorf, Lil’ Maceo, Gary Smallwood, Juliet Lloyd, Scott Kurt, Ken Wenzel, Doin’ Time, Scott Hertz Clark, and Duck Chuck Goose.

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.

HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK IS COMING TO HILLSBORO THIS YEAR.

As part of America’s largest “open house,” the Leesburg Garden Club invites the public on a walking tour of three historic properties, the renovation of Hillsboro’s main street, and a celebration of Hope’s Garden, Loudoun County’s first public native-plant garden Sunday, April 21 and Monday April 22.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the town dates back to 1752, and serves as a rest stop along the Appalachian Trail. From an

early public-school building to a 250-year-old restored colonial inn, and Hillsboro’s only architect-designed home/art studio, guests will be offered a rare glimpse into spectacular privately owned homes and gardens. Properties on the tour are the Hillrose Cottage, Janney Purcell House, Fieldstone Farm

Also, during Earth Day on April 22 Bartlett Tree Experts will be offering free tree saplings. Each year for one week in April, over 25,000 visitors worldwide tour beautiful homes and gardens across Virginia during Historic Garden Week organized by the Garden Club of Virginia. The 2024 event encompasses 30 plus tours organized by the 48 clubs. Nearly 200 private homes, gardens and historical sites will be open. Tickets for the tour are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. The tours run 1-5 p.m. April 21 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 22, starting at the Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike.

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. For more information and tickets, go to vagardenweek.org. HAPPENINGS FROM

Check out

Loudoun’s Dining

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FORDS FISH SHACK

Consistently voted Loudoun residents’ favorite place for seafood, Ford’s offers fresh seafood in a family-dining atmosphere at three locations, as well as a catering arm and a food truck operation.

Ashburn-44260 Ice Rink Plaza, Ashburn, VA 20147 (571) 918-4092 • fords shshack.com

Lansdowne-19308 Promenade Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176 (571) 333-1301 • fords shshack.com

South Riding 25031 Riding Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20152 (703) 542-7520 • fords shshack.com

SPANKY’S SHENANIGANS

Known as one of the Loudoun’s favorite bars, Spanky’s Shenanigans is a popular destination from its morning breakfast menu to its ample roster of live music performers.

538 E Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 777-2454 • spankyspub.com

LIGHTFOOT RESTAURANT

Inside an historic bank building in downtown Leesburg, the Zagat-rated Lightfoot provides both a ne-dining experience and a gathering place for locals. Executive Chef Ingrid Gustavson serves up American cuisine with southern and ethnic accents.

11 North King Street Leesburg, VA 20176 703-771-2233 • lightfootrestaurant.com

TUSCARORA MILL

Known by locals as Tuskies, the restaurant is located inside a restored 19th century grain mill in Leesburg’s historic district. Offering everything from locally sourced ne dining to a casual bar experience, it’s been a dining destination for more than three decades.

203 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 771-9300 • tuskies.com

GETOUT Best Bets

04.06.24

Gary Smallwood

Saturday, April 6, 3-6 p.m.

Flying Ace Farm flyingacefarm.com

An afternoon of classic rock, country rock and blues with a Loudoun favorite.

04.11.24

The 69 Eyes

Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

The Finnish band fronted by Jyrki 69 brings its “goth and roll” style to Leesburg.

04.13.24

Superstar: The Carpenters Reimagined

Saturday, April 13, 7:30 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center franklinpartartscenter.org

Acclaimed vocalist Helen Welch presents The Carpenters’ catalogue of 1970s hits in a style all her own in this Gold Star performance.

04.20.24

Juliana MacDowell & Mike Ault

Saturday, April 20, 2-5 p.m.

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards thebarnsathamtilonstation.com

Singer/songwriter Juliana MacDowell performs her latest works with guitar master Mike Ault.

Danger Bird & The Grateful Allman Experience

Saturday, April 20, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Celebrate 420 with the music of Neil Young, the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band and The Band.