Get Out Loudoun June 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

Alexis Gustin Norman K. Styer

ON THE COVER

Photo By Norman K. Styer

Lew Parker stands next to a grape vine he planted at his Willowcroft Farm in 1981, prior to establishing Loudoun’s first commercial farm winery.

TO ADVERTISE

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

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Inside:

TUNES

Shane Gamble has been a staple of Loudoun’s music scene for two decades but he says his best days in music are still to come.

OUTDOORS

The Zurchmeide farm family’s agritourism complex near Bluemont is expanding again, this time with miles of mountaintop hiking trails for patrons at their Dirt Farm Brewery.

HISTORY

Important roots of the American Revolution can be traced to a community meeting held in Leesburg 250 years ago this month.

WINE

Forty years ago, Lew Parker won his first winemaking award and helped a new agricultural industry take root in Loudoun County.

HAPPENINGS

Summer polo is back for Saturday nights at Morven Park.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for June.

The Perfect Longest Day

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS

We’ve been saying for weeks that summer is here, but summer only really kicks off later this month—Thursday, June 20 to be precise—the longest day of the year, also known as the Summer Solstice.

So how to enjoy the perfect longest day in Loudoun?

I’ll start mine with a yoga class. There are yoga studios throughout Loudoun, but Five Peaks has studios in Lansdowne and Purcellville and practices the hot yoga I like. The Purcellville location has a 6 a.m. class to set my mind right.

After that I’ll drive to King Street Coffee, Leesburg for my morning joe. Leesburg is home to the Coffee Corridor—at least seven great cafes and coffee bars within a few blocks—but I like King Street for the locally roasted Lone Oak beans and the red Adirondack chairs in the sun.

I don’t usually eat breakfast but it’s summer, so I’ll take my kids Madeline (17) and Whitaker (14) to the newly revamped Leesburg Diner on King Street for Eggs Benedict and blueberry pancakes. I love the pop art on the walls and the old-school booths up front.

We’ll shop Leesburg after. My daughter adores the trinkets at Sunflower Shack, the local artisan finds at Muz & Rose and browsing the albums at Dig! Records & Vinyl. My son could spend all day at Play it Again Sports looking at baseball gear.

By noon it should be getting hot. There are so many great public pools in Loudoun, from Volcano Island Waterpark in Sterling to Franklin Park and its waterslide in Purcellville. We like the quieter Lovettsville Community Center pool, though. They have deck chairs to lounge on and the water is always clear and refreshing.

Time for a late lunch. I’m going to suggest 1863 Kitchen & Taproom in Lovettsville down the road from the pool. The chef is an unsung hero of Loudoun’s culinary scene and the ship’s galley bar here is the perfect place to tuck into classic fish & chips.

It’s time for a light afternoon beverage. I arrange to meet my wife at Williams Gap Vineyard in

How should you close out the longest day this year? Perhaps at Fireman’s Field where the Purcellville Cannons welcome the Front Royal Cardinals in a Virginia Baseball League contest.

Round Hill. The 2024 Provence-style Rosé is out of this world, as are the views. On the way there though I stop in for a cold, crisp half glass of German-style Pilsner at Harvest Gap Brewery, part of the famous LoCo Ale Trail.

One of our family summer traditions is to watch the Purcellville Cannons collegiate league baseball team at Fireman’s Field. Before the game, I love grabbing a meal at Monk’s BBQ or Bia Kitchen in Purcellville but we also enjoy a table on the back porch of Magnolias at the Mill, adjacent to the W&OD bike trail. Here I’ll have a glass of Old 690 Lucky Buck IPA with my Black & Blue Burger; my wife pairs a Walsh Family Wine Chardonnay with the Almond Crusted Trout.

Then it’s off to the ballfield to see some wannabe Mike Trouts.

Happy longest day!

Photo by Douglas Graham

TUNES

Shane Gamble: The Best is Yet to Come

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

Maryland native Shane Gamble has been a staple in the Loudoun County music scene for nearly 20 years, playing at venues from Bluemont to Middleburg and Ashburn to Sterling.

His voice has been compared to a mix of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, with equal parts soul, rock, country and a little bit of ’90s grunge. He cites Petty as one of his biggest influences.

When the singer-songwriter first emerged on the scene, he said he started as a rock singer following the sounds of 1990s bands like Dave Mathews Band, the Wallflowers and Matchbox 20 with his first two albums heavily influenced by the rock bands.

Gamble said he always loved music, writing his first song at 16, but said he never really thought about doing it for a career.

“I never had the aspiration to make a living playing music. I thought it would be something else. Then I graduated college and started playing gigs,” he said. “When I first started, I thought it was cool, I had one gig a week then two.”

He began playing three to four shows a week, sometimes traveling 50 miles away, then coming home and working as a substitute teacher in a nearby school division.

He decided with that many shows a week, he would do it full time and stepped away from subbing.

His third album, a self-titled, 12-song collection released in 2011 featured his breakout song “Turn My Way” and had more of a country feel to it.

“I wrote this song, and it really kind of had something. It had that special thing you look for in a song, where when you write it it’s like, ‘oh man, this is really connecting with me,’” he said.

It not only connected with Gamble, but with thousands of fans across the United States as it was played in heavy rotation on Sirius XM’s country station The Highway.

But that success took some time.

He said he wrote it in 35 minutes in an empty townhouse in Frederick, MD, as he and his wife were moving into a new home. He pitched the song to several producers, including Rick Beato, who called him from Atlanta and told him he thought the song was a hit and wanted to produce it.

After trying to get the song on every radio format for over a year, Gamble said he was ready to give up, but his manger convinced him to talk

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

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to a publicist in New York who mostly worked with hard rock artists.

He did, thinking he had nothing to lose.

“I told him, ‘If I can’t break this song, I think I’m done. I’ve done 250 shows this year,’” he said. But then nothing happened, at least that is what he thought.

A few months later as he was picking up his daughter from preschool another dad recognized him and said he had just heard his song on the satellite radio channel.

“I didn’t believe him, so I turned on The Highway and there was my song playing on the biggest country station in the world,” he said.

Gamble’s song reached a worldwide audience and he had 16 year olds posting on Twitter that they wanted to marry his voice.

The publicist put the wheels in motion to get his song on the radio and it wound up on The Highway as a “Highway find” where it climbed the charts, topping out a number one. Gamble moved to Nashville, as an unsigned artist and worked to put out more songs and albums.

Despite watching his song climb the charts and do well for over a year, things happened behind the scenes at the recording studio he was working with. Eventually the person who was greenlighting Gamble’s projects was fired and one by one people who had supported him disappeared. In time, his song was no longer played on the satellite radio station.

Undeterred, he said he took what he made from his single and kept producing music, recording a song that was written by a friend that went to number 38 on the Billboard charts—a pretty amazing feat from an unsigned artist without the money and power backing him—and went on a nationwide tour between 2016 and 2018 while still doing regional shows and writing songs for his next album.

When his tour ended, Gamble went back to his roots of playing at wineries and breweries in Loudoun. Then COVID-19 hit and everything stopped not only in the entertainment industry but all over the world.

He said he remembers playing his last show in March 2020 at Bear Chase Brewery. The next

week everything was shut down.

He said during the pandemic he engaged with fans through live streamed concerts and writing sessions and has released 13 songs since 2020 with a focus on getting back to his roots as a singer-songwriter and not writing for a label or country radio like he said he did for his fourth album, “American Heart.”

He released a 16-track album in 2023 called “Night Like This” and several singles over the past few years including, “Forgiveness” and “Promise Land” in 2022 and “Indiana Sunset” in 2024.

He also began booking heavily at area venues once things started opening up again.

Gamble said he loves to play in Loudoun because of the venues, the atmosphere and the people.

“There are so many little boroughs in Loudoun. You can play in Ashburn and it’s like its own little submarket, then you go to Middleburg and its totally different. There are so many people here and it’s a great place to do a large volume of shows,” he said.

He said he loves his fans and loves that they talk to him about previous shows and ask him to play his songs.

“I like to mix it up and every show is different. I start by playing covers then weave in my own stuff. Some people prefer the ’90s covers, others ask me to play the original. I really don’t care what I play I just want them to have a great time,” he said.

Gamble said he has no regrets from his time in Nashville and continues to see the blessing in being able to perform for a living while juggling his job of being a husband and father to two girls.

“Whether I do it signed to a major record company or not, If I’m playing music for a living and getting to play for fans every day that is where it is at for me. I have no regrets, I’m still enjoying it and I still love it,” he said. “The best is yet to come.”

Hear Gamble’s work and see his latest show schedule at shanegamble.com.

SHANE GAMBLE FROM PAGE 6

Dirt Farm Brewing Opens Ridgetop Hiking Trails

BY NORMAN K. STYER

For nearly nine years, patrons have made their way up to Dirt Farm Brewery to take in its striking ridgetop views and creative craft beers.

Now, they can go even higher.

Owners Bruce and Janell Zurchmeide have opened more than three miles of hiking trails that wind though the 800-acre Blue Ridge property, another expansion of the family’s decades-long efforts to encourage more people to connect with agriculture and nature.

“It’s another cool experience for our customers,” Janell said. “It stays on brand with what our farm offers. We want people to come out, exhale, sweat a little bit and get a little activity.”

The project builds on the brewery’s “Dirt Don’t Hurt” philosophy that brings people close to nature and creates a special sense of place through a family farming tradition that started with pick-your-own operations at Great Country Farm and now spans three decades and includes four generations, a winery, a brewery, a cidery and events spaces.

The trail—and its 400-foot elevation change from 800 to 1,220 feet—is just the latest fitness challenge at the brewery, which also hosts yoga sessions, 5K and 10K races, and its daunting pre-Thanksgiving hill climb up the property’s steep driveway.

Bruce Zurchmeide said they’ve been working on the trail project for about a year.

“This first trail is three and a half miles, but there might be 10 miles of trails up there that we haven’t touched,” he said.

And while the trails are only open to hikers—and their leashed dogs—the couple hopes to include opportunities for mountain bikers in the future.

The private trail will be open during business hours. Hikers may use it for free with the hope that they will support the brewery by grabbing a meal from the Kitchen Workshop or enjoy a pint. Users also may donate to help support trail maintenance by using a QR code posted at the trailhead.

Dirt Farm Brewing is located at 18701 Foggy Bottom Road near Bluemont. Learn more at dirtfarmbrewing.com.

Loudoun’s Dining

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

Commemorating Loudoun’s Revolutionary War History

Ateam of volunteers coordinating events to commemorate the 250th anniversary the American Revolution—the semiquincentennial—has several programs planned this month.

On Saturday, June 15, a commemoration of the signing of the Loudoun Resolves will be held at the county courthouse in Leesburg. The declaration marked local residents’ first formal participation in the movement that would lead to the revolution.

The resolves were signed on June 14, 1774, when Loudoun County “freeholders and other inhabitants” met in the courthouse to “consider the most effectual method to preserve the rights and liberties of N. America, and relieve our brethren of Boston, suffering under the most oppressive and tyrannical Act of the British Parliament.”

Those signing the document declared their loyalty to Britain and the king, but objected to taxation without representation following Britian’s imposition of the Intolerable Acts in the wake of the Boston Tea Party. They also declared a boycott of East India Company products and stated their intent to participate in civil war if necessary to protect the rights of colonists. Similar declarations were later adopted in other Virginia counties and in other colonies.

The program, starting at 2 p.m., will feature colonial reenactors and talk on the significant of the residents’ actions.

On Sunday, June 22, residents again be invited to gather at the courthouse for the unveiling of a new historical marker that is part of the Lafayette Trail. The program documents the significant events that occurred during the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824-1825 tour of the

Photo by Renss Greene

Members of the Sgt. Maj. John Champe Chapter of the Virginia Sons of the American Revolution celebrate the anniversary of the Loudoun Resolves in June 2022.

24 U.S. states. The last surviving major general of the Revolution, his service was celebrated by resident throughout the nation, including several events in Loudoun County, during his farewell tour. The new marker memorizes Lafayette’s attendance on Aug. 9, 1825, at the baptism of two daughters of William Temple Thompson Mason at his Temple Hall farm north of Leesburg. President John Quincy Adams and former President James Monroe also attended. The program begins at 10 a.m.

Through June 16, the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum in Sterling is hosting a traveling exhibit created by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Battlefield Trust. The interactive exhibit, “The American Revolution Experience,” provides a deep into pivotal moments during birth of the nation firsthand. The museum, located at 21668 Heritage Farm Lane, is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $5. Learn more at heritagefarmmuseum.org.

Learn more about the semiquincentennial and upcoming events at visitloudoun.org/ loudoun250.

1 50 West Vineyards 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com

2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com

3 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com

4 The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

5 Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com

6 Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com

7 Bogati Winery 35246 Harry Byrd Hwy., Round Hill bogatiwinery.com

8 Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com

9 Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com

10 Bozzo Family Vineyards 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com

11 Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 John Mosby Hwy., Middleburg canavineyards.com

12 Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com

13 Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com

14 Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie chrysaliswine.com

15 Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com

16 Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com

17 Crushed Cellars 37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville crushedcellars.com

18 Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

19 Droumavalla Farm Winery 14980 Limestone School Rd., Lucketts droumavalla.com

20 Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery 18195 Dry Mill Rd., Leesburg drymillwine.com

21 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com

22 Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com

Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com

Fire y Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com

Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com

Greenhill Winery & Vineyards

Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg

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

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 Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

36 Sunset Hills Vineyard

38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

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

BREWERIES

10 Dirt Farm Brewing 18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont dirtfarmbrewing.com

11 Dynasty Brewing Company 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com

12 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

13 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com

14 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap

15 Honor Brewing Company 42604 Trade West Dr., Sterling honorbrewing.com

16 Lark Brewing Co. 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com

17 Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com

18 Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Rd. #142, Ashburn lostrhino.com

19 Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E. Market St., Leesburg loudounbrewing.com

1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com

2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com

3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.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

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

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

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

22 Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com

23 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA oldoxbrewery.com

24 Solace Brewing Company 42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com

25 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

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

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

28 Water’s End Brewing 1602 Village Market Blvd SE #120, Leesburg watersendbrewery.com

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

4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery 22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com

40 Years of Wine Industry Evolution

BY NORMAN K. STYER

Forty years ago this year, Lew Parker bottled Willowcroft Farm Vineyard’s first vintage of Riesling made from grapes grown on a ridge just west of Leesburg. Today, Loudoun’s wine industry—long branded by Visit Loudoun as DC’s Wine Country—anchors the state-leading tourism destination as measured in visitor spending.

Parker and other of the county’s wine pioneers could not have envisioned how grapes would transform, and help preserve, Loudoun’s agricultural landscape.

“We’re making world-class wines, and it came from a beginning that is hard to imagine,” Parker said during a panel discussion during Visit Loudoun’s annual meeting last month.

The first grape vines he planted on his Mt. Gilead property in 1980 died because of farmer error, planting them in nitrogen-rich garden soil

that fueled too rapid growth. Vines planting the following season took root and continue to produce fruit today.

“The industry was so young and there really wasn’t anybody in Loudoun or Virginia that knew very much about making wine,” Parker said. “Today, the county is full of world-class winemakers.”

At the time Parker started growing grapes, agricultural experts were still discouraging the enterprises. However, other state leaders were embracing the nascent industry.

“Even before USDA and the extension service thought it was wise, Virginia passed the farm winery act in in 1980 that intended to both conserve agricultural land and also promote agriculture,” Parker said. “Then—even though none of us knew anything—they hired a state enologist, Bruce Zoecklein, in about 1987 and they

Photo by Norman K. Styer

Lew Parker inspects newly flowering grapes at his Willowcroft Farm Vineyards near Leesburg.

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

Since bottling its first vintage in 1984, Willowcroft Farm Vineyards has earned

awards and medals, many displayed on the tasting room wall.

YEARS OF WINE FROM PAGE 16

hired a state vina culturalist, Tony Wolf. So, there are two highly qualified professionals that they brought in on the state payroll and they certainly were part of a turning point for Virginia.”

Parker also was part of another event that proved critical to efforts to grow Virginia’s wine industry, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that started in 2000 as Middleburg winery owner Juanita Swedenburg successfully led efforts to break barriers to internet-era interstate commerce by challenging monopolies of large wholesalers and state laws that prohibited the direct sale of wine from out-of-state wineries to consumers.

Over the past 40 years, Parker has won more than 400 medals for his wines. The first, a silver cup from the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, came in 1985 for his first Riesling vintage bottled in 1984—40 years ago. Most recently, three more medals were added to the tasting room wall from this year’s international Pacific Rim Wine Competition.

Virginia’s climate remains a challenge for winemakers, with constant threats of hurricanes and frosts.

“We have vintages that stand out in both directions because it’s Virginia. So, we have years in which we had fabulous weather. We had a terrible weather,” Parker said. “We’ve been able to make good wine. And some years we haven’t made good wine. That’s either because I screwed it up or because of the weather.”

After 40 years of winemaking, Parker continues to discover more about the craft.

“I think growing grapes and making wine is kind of a lifetime project. There’s always more to learn, always ways to try to do better. And a guy like me, who basically has an engineering and technical background, it’s kind of a life-enhancing project,” he said.

WINE AT A DESTINATION

If Parker planted the roots of Loudoun’s wine industry, it was operations like Breaux Vineyards near Hillsboro that helped transform wineries into a visitor experience. Winery President

40

Photo by Norman K. Styer

more than 400

Jennifer Breaux recalled her father Paul’s search for land to start a winery.

“He decided that Loudoun was going to be home for him because it was so beautiful,” she said, adding he also recognized the importance of the proximity to the Washington, DC, region. When they bought the farm on the western slope of the Short Hill, the property had three acres of grapes, along with horses, hay, and soybeans.

They, too, set about learning to make wine in the untested region, a process that included hiring Parker’s winemaker, Dave Collins, to lead the effort.

“We were really kind of throwing things against the wall to see if they’d stick. Even today, we’re writing the book on how to do it on the East Coast,” she said.

But the family also realized it wasn’t just the wine that was important.

“When we opened our doors, very quickly we saw that Loudoun was ready for this industry. They wanted a place to go for recreation, a place to go to enjoy the beautiful outdoors,” she said.

She recalled a transformative Saturday after a posting on America Online—then the public’s primary connection to the internet—highlighted Breaux Vineyards as a weekend daytrip destination. Her father was quickly overwhelmed with visitors and realized they would have to both plant more vines and build a larger tasting room.

Today, Breaux Vineyards covers 400 acres with more than 100 acres under vine. In March, its 2019 The Fog Nebbiolo Reserve was selected as one of the top 12 wines in the commonwealth during the annual Governor’s Cup competition.

Doug Fabbiloi, known as the godfather of Loudoun’s wine industry because of his work training winemakers and grape growers, said that despite the successes, there are challenges ahead. Not the least of those, he said, are the impacts of climate change as grape farmers deal with increasingly severe weather conditions.

But wineries need more local support as well— from local customers and government leaders and regulators, he said.

“The simple economics of winemaking is that we want our wines to be taken home and enjoyed,”

One of the first cabernet sauvignon vines planted at Willowcoft in 1981.

great. But we base our business on our community being our customers and our guests—folks who are going to take that wine home and share it with their family, share it with friends. We’re proud of what we’re doing.”

When starting Fabbiloi Cellars, he intended to be running a wholesale operation. “But people came,” he said. “Now, I realize I’m in the entertainment business, too.”

Photo by Norman K. Styer

HAPPENINGS

POLO SEASON OPENS AT MORVEN PARK

The Polo on the Park summer Saturday night tradition kicks off June 8.

For seven weeks, visitors are invited to the historic 1,000-acre estate near Leesburg to picnic at the arena and cheer on the top polo players through two fast-paced matches.

“We’re thrilled to offer polo to the community again this summer,” said Stacey Metcalfe, Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation/ Morven Park’s Executive Director and CEO.

“Each year proves to be better than the last, and it has become the can’t-miss event and the best party in Loudoun. We are excited continue the tradition this year.”

The first match begins at 7 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to picnic and enjoy their beverage of choice on the terraced viewing area next to the arena.

General Admission car passes are $40 and special tailgate spots may be reserved. For the full schedule and tickets, go to PoloInThePark.org.

Polo in the Park provides an up-close experience with the Sport of Kings on Saturday nights during June and July.

CELEBRATING THE AT

The Appalachian Trail Festival will take place Saturday, June 8 at the Old Stone School in Hillsboro.

It is the fifth year for the event, which celebrates the opportunities afforded by the nation’s longest and oldest marked footpath. The 2,190-mile trail follows the county’s western boundary atop the Blue Ridge.

Round Hill, Bluemont and Hillsboro are certified AT communities dedicated to supporting and promoting the trail.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Old Stone School grounds will feature vendors, an art show, children’s activities, trail talks from hiking experts, and live music performances from the Short Hill Mountain Boys, Justin Trawick & The Common Ground, Frank Solivan and Jillian Lea, and Shannon Bielski and Moonlight rive. Some 2,000 people attended last year’s event.

On Friday, June 7, the school will host a Eat, Drink & Be Literary talky by AT hiker, artist an author Mike Wurman. The ticketed event begins at 6 p.m.

The school is located at 37098 Charles Town Pike.

Learn more at loudounat.org.

LEESBURG OFFERS SUMMER JAMS DOWNTOWN

The Town of Leesburg’s Summer Jams concert series opens June 8 for a 10-show schedule.

The series kicks off with the island sounds of Caribbean Vibe and on continues on Saturday nights through the Aug. 17 performance by Justin Trawick and The Common Good. The schedule includes a roster of Loudoun favor-

Gary Smallwood and Michael Fath return to the Town Green on Aug. 3 for a Summer Jams performance.

ites—Tommy and Kim, The Johnny Kasun Trio, Sela Campbell, Torrey B, Pebble to Pearl, Rook Richards, Mostly Fab, and Smallwood & Fath.

The free concerts will be held on the Town Green, 25 W. Market St., beginning at 7 p.m.

No smoking or pets are allowed. Lawn chairs and blankets are suggested. In case of inclement weather, the show will be cancelled.

For the full schedule and more information, go to idalee.org.

Now Showing

The Phantom of the Opera - Summer Camp Musical Theatre

June 28, 29, July 5 & 6 at 7:00pm June 29, 30, July 6 &7 at 2:00pm

Murder on the British Express - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

June 29 & July 13 at Oatlands in Leesburg│July 20at ONO Offshore in Chantilly

August 3 at Casanel Winery in Leesburg│August 9 at Creek’s Edge Winery in Lovettsville August 17 at Savoir Fare in Round Hill│August 23 at Effingham Manor in Nokesville

Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic - Summer Camp Musical Theatre

July 12, 13, 19 & 20 at 7:00pm July 14 & 21 at 2:00pm

The Aristocats KIDS - Summer Camp Musical Theatre

July 20 & 21 at 11:00am and 2:00pm

▪ Magic ▪ Improv ▪ Sketch Comedy ▪ And More! All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted. Registration is open for Summer Camps for ages 5 - 19.

GETOUT Best Bets

06.15.24

Chris Timbers Band Saturday, June 15, 6 p.m. Crooked Run Fermentation crookedrun.square.site

The Chris Timbers Band represents a style of music that’s a combination of country, contemporary jazz, blues, rock and “alternative soul.”

06.16.24

Charles Esten Sunday, June 16, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Best known for his acting roles on CMT’s Nashville and Netflix’s Outer Banks, the singersongwriter release his first solo album, Love Ain’t Pretty, in January.

06.29.24

Sensational Soul Cruisers Saturday, June 29, 6 p.m. Tarara Winery tararaconcerts.com

The 11-piece horn group fronted by four soulful vocalists pay tribute to old-school, classic soul, R&B, Motown and disco with a dance party on the Shadow Lake stage.

06.29.24

Sela Campbell Saturday, June 29, 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Green idalee.org

During a year that has included an appearance on American Idol and her high school graduation, the country music singer-songwriter performs a free show at Leesburg’s Town Hall.

SUNDAY JUNE 30 4 - 10 p.m.

MUSIC FEST, FOOD, FUN BEERS & WINE A FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR! On The Gap Stage The DARBY BROTHERS Joey & The Waitress

FRIDAY

NIGHTS

Lawn opens at 6 p.m.— Old 690 Beers, Wines, Ford’s Fish Shack, Moo-Thru & More

J ULY 5 Jumptown

JULY 12 22 Late

JULY 19 Dunlap & Mabe

JULY 26 Jules & The Agreeables

AUG. 2 Don’t Look Up!

AUG. 9 H ard Swimmin’ Fish

AUG. 16 Rick Reaves Jazz Band

AUG. 23 Born Cross Eyed

AUG. 30 Texas Chainsaw Horns

SEPT. 6 Mostly Fab