DEC 2023
Loudoun Now Your guide to Loudoun’s Entertainment Scene
Home for the Holidays Stay local this season and experience the magic of Loudoun’s historic towns, special holiday events and joyous moments with family over craft beverages or local fare. Go to visitloudoun.org or scan the QR code to plan your celebration today. #LoveLoudoun
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DECEMBER 2023
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Inside: 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 Doug Graham Renss Greene Hanna Pampaloni Norman K. Styer
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TASTES David Mata-Bruni has taken his passion to provide area residents with authentic flavors of Italy from a farmers market tent to the new Caffe Bottega in Leesburg.
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ART SCENE Lovettsville artist Kathleen Howsare finds her inspiration in the scenes provided by western Loudoun’s rural vistas and gravel roads.
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HOLIDAYS IN LOUDOUN Loudoun’s towns offer a hefty slate of activities to celebrate the season—and to visit local merchants as visitors work through their gift lists.
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DESTINATIONS Every visitor hopes their overnight night stay will include a room with a view. Donnie and Reagan Walker’s latest creation offers one.
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BEST BETS Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for December.
ON THE COVER Photo by Renss Greene Students at The Hill School ride a float during the 2022 Christmas in Middleburg parade. TO ADVERTISE Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com
DECEMBER 2023
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Photo by Douglas Graham
For more than 40 years, families have trekked to Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm near Round Hill in search of the perfect cut-your-own tree.
The Holidays at Home BY DOUG ROGERS, VISIT LOUDOUN
A year ago, thinking we were giving our kids Madeline (15) and Whitaker (13) the ultimate Christmas gift, my wife and I bought tickets to Cancun for the holidays. We flew out on Christmas Eve for a week on the beach in Mexico. Yet, far from being thrilled by this, my children were disappointed. Turns out they wanted to be home over the holidays. They were worried Santa wouldn’t locate the beach house and felt they were missing out on holiday lights, parades, shopping, nativity plays and tree decorating. This year we’ve learned our lesson and we’re staying home because there’s so much to do right in Loudoun. First up those lights and parades. Every town in Loudoun has them but on Saturday, Dec. 2 we will make our way to the spectacular Christmas in Middleburg: a parade of red-jacketed riders, foxhounds, horse-drawn carriages and a 1.5-mile-long procession of drummers, bagpipers, bikers and first responders. I have my eye on a “Sip & See” table at King Street Oyster Bar, the best seat in the house. Onto those trees. The following week we will bundle up and head to Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm outside Round Hill to pick our spruce. The family-run farm features hundreds and you 4
get to pick your own while touring the farm, hot apple cider in hand. Talking trees, we will also drive to Leesburg one evening for the Marshall Plan Tree Walk: a pathway through the grounds of George C Marshall’s Dodona Manor, past 17 beautifully decorated trees, each representing a European nation that benefited from the Marshall Plan. Then comes the entertainment. One evening on the weekend of December 9-10 we will make our way to Stagecoach Theatre Company in Ashburn for the production of Junior Claus, the musical story of the son of Santa and Mrs. Claus who has to take the reindeer reins from his down in the dumps father and go deliver gifts Christmas Eve. At least my son will feel that Santa has seen him. This same weekend we will also enjoy warm libations and carol singing while touring five beautifully decorated historic homes on the annual Hillsboro Holiday Homes Tour. A few days later, on December 21, 22 and 23, the Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company presents the timeless winter ballet, The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky’s classic score, at Loudoun Valley High School. My daughter is a theater kid so will bring her girlfriends. By now we are very much in the swing of things and Santa should have our coordinates. As the day approaches, my wife and I are wrapping gifts for the kids while they are hitting thrift stores and craft markets in Purcellville, Lucketts and Round Hill to find treasures for us. I fully expect an ugly Christmas Sweater and a pair of socks. It’s not a beach in Mexico but it’s going to be wonderful.
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DECEMBER 2023
Tickets Available at:
WWW.TALLYHOTHEATER.COM 19 W Market St, Leesburg, VA (703) 777-1665
COMING TO TOWN IN DECEMBER! SOL
D OU
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JINGLE JAM 12/8 DOORS 7:00PM 12/9 DOORS 7:00PM 12/10 DOORS: 1:00PM
A VERY SOULFUL CHRISTMAS WITH MORGAN JAMES 12/14 - DOORS 7:00PM
AMISH OUTLAWS HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
NEW YEARS EVE WITH THE REAGAN YEARS
12/22 DOORS - DOORS 7:00PM 7:00PM
12/31 - DOORS 7:00PM
DECEMBER 2023
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TASTE
Photo by Hanna Pampaloni
David Mata-Bruni stands with his parents, Vicenta and Luis Mata, in their shop Caffe Bottega Italiana on Fort Evans Road.
Caffe Bottega Brings Corner of Italy to Leesburg BY HANNA PAMPALONI
A little corner of Italy became a culinary destination this summer when David Mata-Bruni opened Caffe Bottega Italiana with his parents Luis and Vicenta Mata along Fort Evans Road. The sandwich shop and food market features items that are almost exclusively imported from Italy. Mata-Bruni sources them from a New York-based importing company, where he used to work, before moving to Northern Virginia almost three years ago. Visitors can shop for many Italian ingredients and products in the market including cannoli, pasta, sardines, aged balsamic, olive oils, bread sticks and much more. Or shoppers can step into the café side of the building to choose from arancini, an array of specialty meats and 6
cheeses, pastries, coffees, sodas, chocolates, sandwiches and pizza. Each of the items are specialty, high quality Italian products, including the pizza crusts, which are handcrafted in Rome. “It’s a specialty mixture of grains, handcrafted, naturally leavened, no artificial chemicals, slowly leavened and really delicious when you get it crispy,” Mata-Bruni said. When his former boss, a supplier of imported European goods to New York and New Jersey restaurants decided to expand to Washington, DC, he chose Mata-Bruni to run that branch. After he decided last minute that the financial risk of investing to expand south wasn’t worth it, Mata-Bruni decided to make a go of it on his own.
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He moved to Sterling and opened a weekly farmer’s market tent at One Loudoun with his parents to see if the demand in Northern Virginia warranted a specialty shop. It did. “We would have a box and in four hours, people would come and take everything,” he said. Mata-Bruni said it’s important for people to know his shop isn’t the same as a New Yorkstyle deli with Italian influence. “The point of the store really is Italian foods, the real foods,” he said. He said he spends a large portion of his marketing budget to provide sampling products so people can experience the authenticity and quality of what he serves. Shoppers can expect a variety of tastings like Stracchino cheese, porchetta, pancetta and sundried peppers drizzled with Balsamic vinegar while they wait for their sandwiches to be prepared. He said the store often serves as a place where Loudouners can come and be educated about quality products and good food. “Sometimes more is less,” Mata-Bruni said. “Especially Italian food, but also all European food is focused on quality. … When [customers] take a bite [of Italian meat] they’re like, ‘oh my god, this is so good,’ and I’m like ‘I just told you 15 minutes ago,’ but they don’t believe me until they taste it.” DECEMBER 2023
And while visitors may view the food as a treat, Mata-Bruni said it doesn’t have to be. “I don’t want this to be a luxury store. That’s not the point of the store. Over here it’s called luxury, but over there [in Italy] it’s called food,” he said. Desserts offered at the shop include chocolate cake, cannoli made fresh every two days, tiramisu and specialty chocolates from a 140-yearold chocolate maker in Milan. Shipments with fresh products arrive from New York every one to two weeks with some items, like the Buffalo Mozzarella, make it from Italy to the shop within a week. The market also offers Italian coffee beans and ground coffee for shoppers to prepare at home in addition to espresso-based drinks in the sandwich shop. Mata-Bruni said he plans to expand and improve the shop to offer an even wider variety of products such as prepared charcuterie boards, panettone, pandoro, frozen take-home meals and an entire room dedicated to Italian wines. Caffe Bottega Italiana is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. Learn more at bottegaitalianacaffe.com.
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ART SCENE
Light, Shadows and Color: ARTIST FINDS INSPIRATION IN LOUDOUN’S OUTDOORS BY HANNA PAMPALONI
Kathleen Howsare can’t remember a time when she wasn’t an artist, when she didn’t love art, or when she wasn’t inspired by the world around her to create art. While some artists need to travel far and wide to find their inspiration, Howsare just steps outside the door of her Lovettsville home. As she walks along the gravel roads in western Loudoun, she can’t help but notice the way sunlight makes its way through the trees or bounces off a stream creating a reflection. She’s been known to stop her car in the middle of a winding road to snap a quick photo and preserve the memory of a perfect moment so she can capture it in her artwork later. “I love every minute of it,” she said. “Artists get stressed about things, and things are hard and things don’t always go right but we love it, every minute of it. I don’t know what I’d do without it. Everywhere you drive and everywhere you look you’re looking at things like ‘oh, that’s beautiful’ and ‘oh, I’d like to paint that.’” 8
Her paintings focus mainly on landscapes, trees and water with occasional buildings and animals. “It’s just a never-ending search for something simple like the shadows on trees or just a path,” she said. “I’m just constantly looking and observing. It's about light and shadow and time of day and color, too.” Howsare said her style of art was influenced strongly by two instructors—one in high school and one at college. Both leaned toward impressionism in their own work. “I really like impressionism although I wouldn’t call mine strictly impressionistic,” she said. “You kind of develop your own style and I don’t know what you would call mine. It’s representational. It looks like the real thing, but I guess it’s slightly impressionist.” She said her style has evolved over the years from being more stringent in her detail to more “loose.” “I used to put like all the leaves in or all the stones in, but I wouldn’t do it like that anymore,” she said. Her work is crafted mainly with acrylics on canvas and wood and she sketches first with chalk before building layers of color with both a brush and a palette knife.
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Howsare said Loudoun’s artist community is both welcoming and tightknit. She belongs to the Loudoun Sketch Club, a volunteer organization of artists across a variety of mediums. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful group of really dedicated people,” she said. “It’s all levels of artists. Anyone can join no matter what your skill level and everybody gets along really well. It’s just fabulous.” Howsare attended Mary Washington College where she earned an art degree but after graduating realized the term “starving artist” existed for a reason. When she wasn’t able to find work, she went back to school, earned a teaching certificate and a master's degree and began a three-decade career in public education. She taught art to elementary-aged children in West Virginia and in Fairfax County, something she said was a difficult experience but worth it. “It is very hard, and it can be very stressful,” she recalled. “There are lots of rewarding experiences. I absolutely love the kids and when they run up and hug you and say ‘art is my favorite.’ Then, they create things they didn’t know they could.”
DECEMBER 2023
In addition to her years as a public servant and membership in the sketch club, Howsare donates a portion of the proceed from her paintings to area charities, including Loudoun CARES Annual Art Auction and A Farm Less Ordinary. Her work will also be on display and for sale at the Long Branch Historic Farm and House near Millwood during December and January and during its Gala and Winter Art Show Dec. 2. Locals who visit Howsare’s home studio will be welcomed by walls covered in detailed landscapes and may even recognize some of the views as Loudoun’s most popular locations. “I just want people to kind of feel how I’m painting,” she said. “How much I love the outdoors and nature. Sometimes I see things and just get emotional. It’s just so much to see and I’m just so thankful I get to see what I see and express myself. When a painting works, and I’m happy with it, it makes me feel really good.” Learn more about Howsare’s work and the exhibit at Long Branch Historic Farm and House at visitlongbranch.org/christmasgala or follow her on Facebook @KHowsoreArt. There will also be a reception hosted at the farm and open to the public Dec. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m.
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WINERIES 1 2
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50 West Vineyards 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com Bogati Winery 35246 Harry Byrd Hwy., Round Hill bogatiwinery.com Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com 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 GET OUT LOUDOUN
21 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com 22 Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com 23 Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com 24 Firefly Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com 25 Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com 26 Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com 27 Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com 28 Hidden Brook Winery 43301 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg hiddenbrookwinery.com 29 Hiddencroft Vineyards 12202 Axline Rd., Lovettsville hiddencroftvineyards.com 30 Lost Creek Winery 43285 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg lostcreekwinery.com DECEMBER 2023
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
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
Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com
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 Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com 17 Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Rd. #142, Ashburn lostrhino.com 18 Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E. Market St., Leesburg loudounbrewing.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
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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
BREWERIES & WINERIES 1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com
DECEMBER 2023
2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com 3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com
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4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery 22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com
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HAPPENINGS
THE HOLIDAYS IN LOUDOUN During the holiday season, Loudoun’s towns offer a wide variety of events popular both with local families and visitors from around the region.
The town’s holiday tree lighting will be held at the Town Green Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. Lights, live music and holiday characters will add to the night’s festivities. The town will also host the 33rd Annual Holiday and Fine Arts and Crafts Show at the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will feature local and regional artisans selling handmade items like candles, stained glass, carved wood, jewelry, table linens and more. The town’s Christmas and Holiday Parade will be held Dec. 9, with a rain date of Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. The parade will run from Ida Lee Park down King Street and end at Fairfax Street. Parade participation is open to the public. PURCELLVILLE
LEESBURG Leesburg’s Holiday celebrations start Dec. 2 with a tree lighting on the Town Green and finish with a holiday parade through Historic Downtown Leesburg Dec. 9. 12
The Town of Purcellville will hold a tree lighting ceremony Dec. 1 at the Purcellville Town Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m. The holiday market and LEGO display will be held at Bush Tabernacle Dec. 9 beginning at noon. The event will feature local artists and
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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 • fordsfishshack.com Lansdowne-19308 Promenade Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176 (571) 333-1301 • fordsfishshack.com South Riding 25031 Riding Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20152 (703) 542-7520 • fordsfishshack.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 fine-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 fine 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
DECEMBER 2023
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HOLIDAYS IN LOUDOUN FROM PAGE 14
The town’s Christmas parades will take place Dec. 2 with the Middleburg Hunt Review at 11 a.m. and the Traditional Christmas Parade at 2 p.m. Spectators must purchase parking tickets in advance. Have A Dickens of Christmas will take place in two celebrations with a dog show Dec. 9 and a larger celebration Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Carolers, dancers, actors, musicians and shop owners gather to celebrate the holiday and enjoy renditions of “A Christmas Carol.” Carriage rides through town will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays during December crafters. An ornament workshop will be set up in the Loudoun Valley Community Center hosted by the Purcellville Arts Council, the Train Station Advisory Board and the community center. It will be held Dec. 9 from 1 to 6 p.m. Those wishing to take a photo with Santa can bring their own camera to the Purcellville Train Station Dec. 9 from 2 to 5 p.m. The town’s Holiday Light Tour map will be available beginning Dec. 9 for the rest of the month hosted by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Learn more at christmasinmiddleburg.org. LOVETTSVILLE Lovettsville’s Love Winter festivities are back with a full month of holiday festivities throughout town. The annual Cocoa Crawl will take place Dec. 2 with participating businesses and be followed by a 5 p.m. lantern making workshop at the community center and the Lantern Parade at 6 p.m. The parade will be followed by the town tree lighting and a performance by the Lovettsville Elementary School Chorus. The town’s menorah lighting will take place on the third day of Hannukah Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Town Square. On Dec. 10 the Light Up Lovettsville Contest judging will take place as a group of judges tours the town and picks winners in a variety of categories, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The winners will be announced at the following Town Council meeting Dec. 14 The newly renamed Kris Kindle Mart is back this year as the Lovettsville Christmas Market and will take place at the Game Club Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
MIDDLEBURG Christmas in Middleburg will begin Dec. 1 with the town’s tree lighting and continue all month long as community members gather for parades and Charles Dickens-themed celebrations. The community will celebrate a Christmas tree lighting at The Woolley Fox on Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. 14
ROUND HILL The Town of Round Hill, Santa & Mrs. Claus and the Round Hill Fire Department will host this year’s annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 East Loudoun St. Community members are invited to bring
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DECEMBER 2023
family and friends to the Town Park to enjoy a free holiday celebration including caroling, hot cocoa, cookies, crafts for kids and a first-hand view of the Town Park holiday decorations. Santa Claus will light the tree. Afterward, the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department will host a family dinner at 5:30 pm, at the firehouse, 4 Main St. A $5 donation is requested. HILLSBORO Hillsboro will welcome visitors on Saturday, Dec. 9 for its annual Holiday Homes Tour. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. historic sites along the town’s main street will be open to visitors. Guided tours and live performances will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. with candlelight tours starting at 5 p.m. Tours depart from the Old Stone School. Learn more at oldstoneschool.org.
Now Showing
Melekaliki-Murder - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre December 1 & 3 at ONO Offshore in Chantilly│December 2, 9, 16 & 17 at Oatlands in Leesburg December 8 at Effingham Manor Winery in Nokesville December 10 at Bright Box in Winchester│December 15 at Creek’s Edge Winery in Lovettsville Junior Claus - Musical Comedy December 9, 16, 21, 22 & 23 at 7:00pm and December 10 & 17 at 2:00pm Ride the Cyclone - Musical Theatre January│20, 26, 27, February 3, 9 & 10 at 7:00pm January 21, 28, February 4 & 10 at 2:00pm Abra Cadaver - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre February 17 at Casanel Winery in Leesburg│February 22 at Wild Hare Cidery in Berryville (no dinner) February 24 at Oatlands in Leesburg│February 25 at C’est Bon by Savoir Fare in Round Hill ▪ Magic ▪ Improv ▪ Storytelling ▪ And More! Check out more upcoming shows on our website!
All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted. 20937 Ashburn Road Suites 115 and 120 Ashburn, VA 20147
www.StageCoachTC.com DECEMBER 2023
571-477-9444
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Destinations
Photo courtesy of Waterford Reservations
A Treetop View: Vacation Rental Goes Vertical BY HANNA PAMPALONI
For years, tourism entrepreneurs Donnie and Reagan Walker have been developing unique vacation rental properties in western Loudoun. Their latest creation is the most creative yet. The Hummingbird Treehouse is nestled in the treetops in a forest north of Waterford. Donnie Walker said he framed the treehouse himself with many of the building’s features showcasing reclaimed materials. One of the bedframes was created with boards from an old deck. Molding in the living room came from boards from old tables. 16
“Pretty much all the wood, everything is from right down the street at the farm,” he said. The Walkers, who operate several vacation rentals as part of their Waterford Reservations business, said they had received a lot of support from Visit Loudoun, the Loudoun County government staff over the past year. “That really makes what we do possible,” Donnie Walker said. “We had so much fun doing this together,” Reagan Walker said. “We want to keep doing it for years to come and keep bringing people out to western Loudoun to really appreciate all this that we have.” The Hummingbirds Hideaway Treehouse has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a full kitchen, and a living room with a TV. Learn more at waterfordreservations.com.
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Check out
Loudoun’s Attractions
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 fields. 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
DECEMBER 2023
GET OUT LOUDOUN
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GETOUT
Best Bets
12.16.23 Jack Russell’s Great White Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
12.9.23
“Rock Me” and “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” were 1980s mega hits for the LA rock band.
Ryan Jewell Saturday, Dec. 9, 2-5 p.m. Harvest Gap Brewery harvestgap.com Fresh off the release of his third album “Same Bar, Different Town,” Singer/songwriter Ryan Jewell performs in Hillsboro.
12.30.23 My Kid Brother Saturday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com My Kid Brother returns to their hometown stage for their annual year-end concert with Cat Janice.
12.16.23 Chris Timbers Band Saturday, Dec. 16, 5-8 p.m Vanish Farmwoods Brewery vanishbeer.com
12.31.23
The Chris Timbers Band represents a style of music that's a combination of country, contemporary jazz, blues, rock and alternative soul. The band continues to revamp old songs while writing and recording new ones.
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Gary Smallwood Sunday, Dec. 31, 1-5 p.m. Bear Chase Brewery bearchasebrew.com Loudoun favorite Gary Smallwood closes out 2023 with an afternoon performance on the Blue Ridge.
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DECEMBER 2023
HOLIDAY CHEER ON STAGE Since 2007, the centerpiece of Loudoun’s holiday season concerts are the Dec. 8-10 performances by the all-star Jingle Jam Band at the Tally Ho Theater. But if you didn’t secure your tickets when they went on sale last month, you missed out on seats for this year. But you’re not totally out of luck for live performances of holiday cheer. Ornament: Tribute to Trans-Siberian Orchestra Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Ornament is an 11-piece rock orchestra that performs holiday songs set to rock, blues and gospel arrangements with a full light show.
Old Dominion Chorus: Christmas Concert Saturday, Dec. 9, 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org The Old Dominion Chorus presents its annual holiday show to showcase the most popular songs of the Christmas season in the a cappela vocal style.
Eric Byrd Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas Friday, Dec. 22, 7 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org The Eric Byrd Trio, ambassadors of gospel, blues and jazz for over 20 years, performs the music from the classic Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to this beloved Christmas classic.
Morgan James: A Very Soulful Christmas Thursday, Dec. 14, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Fresh off the release of her new album “Memphis Magnetic” and Christmas album “A Very Magnetic Christmas,” soul singer, Broadway veteran and concert favorite Morgan James showcases her brand of original soul music and holiday classic covers with a dynamite band.
DECEMBER 2023
Amish Outlaws Amazing Holiday Spectacular Friday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com The Amish Outlaws return to Leesburg with their special brand of holiday cheer.
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