LOCKN’ Festival | On a particular weekend in late August, the normally serene setting of Oak Ridge Farm, in Arrington, Va., transforms into a lively concert venue for the burgeoning music festival called LOCKN’. This four-day festival celebrates all genres of music, hosting over 30 acts on multiple stages, with a scenic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains as its backdrop. The brainchild of industry virtuosos Dave Frey and Peter Shapiro, LOCKN’ is so named for the interlocking schedule of music that provides an almost continuous experience for the 30,000+ enthusiastic attendees. Now in its fifth year, fans have been treated to a wide range of bands, from regional to national, with acts from Tom Petty, The Wailers, Gary Clark Jr. and Phish, to Carlos Santana, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and My Morning Jacket taking their places in the lineup.
LOCKN’ 2015. (PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CP THORNTON)
DAY TRIPPING — NELSON COUNTY The Apple Shed | Named for its stellar variety of locally grown apples, The Apple Shed includes a wealth of local produce, as well as preserves and other homemade treats, all in a quaint storefront right on U.S. Route 29 north of Lovingston. 14
features ciders produced at its nearby 28-acre “farm-to-tap” cider barn in Wintergreen. Pub menu classics include nachos and poutine. Parents will especially appreciate the large playground outside. 17
Wild Wolf Brewing Co. | This brewery, established in 2011, features a restaurant where a variety of hand-crafted beers and food made from locally sourced ingredients are served seven days a week in a renovated century-old schoolhouse with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Located on Route 151, the property also includes a biergarten with a gazebo, koi pond and water wheel, a sports bar and a 15-barrel brewing facility. 15
Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery | This vineyard near Route 151 on Batesville Road is the 30-year project of the Gorman family, who moved to the property in the mid-1980s with the dream of owning a vineyard. With 15 acres under cultivation, the winery produces red and white varietals and blends. Cardinal Point Green, which takes inspiration from the vinho verde wine of Portugal, is produced by cofermenting chardonnay and petit manseng, creating a crisp, refreshing wine with a beautiful peridot hue. 18
Tuckahoe Antiques | An antique mall for nearly three decades, the building that houses it was originally an apple-packing shed built in 1939. The 10,000-square-foot space on Route 151 boasts items that run the gamut from early American furniture and collectible glassware to original paintings and more. 16
Blue Mountain Brewery | Pioneers of craft brewing in central Virginia, Blue Mountain Brewery, located on Route 151 in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, affords visitors beautiful views while its restaurant cooks casual fare to enjoy with a cold pint made from hops grown right on its farm. 19
Blue Toad Hard Cider Pub | Those looking for new horizons in craft beverage will appreciate this pub situated squarely on Route 151, which
Rockfish Gap Country Store | Originally built in the 1930s as a fruitpacking shed for local farmers, this country store at the base of Afton
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