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23rd Annual
Leesburg
flower & garden
Festival
Leesburg Flower Ad_Layout 1 4/4/13 3:09 PM Page 1
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Thousands To Celebrate Spring At Leesburg’s Garden Festival Margaret Morton
mmorton@leesburgtoday.com
Just when we thought spring would never come—as March went out like a grumpy lion and April came in as a sour prune—warming days have finally appeared. By the time the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival rolls into town April 20-21, we will all know that spring, and maybe summer, has finally sprung. The festival’s 23rd edition looks set to repeat its annual miracle—turning the downtown into a sea of bloom and riotous color. The show offers something for everyone—lively entertainment for adults and children, a wide variety of food available to purchase, wine and beer tastings on the Town Green, plenty of plant materials, garden supplies and hardscape features from which to choose, and the popular designs depicted in the miniature gardens set up by area landscapers. What’s so magical about the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival is its atmosphere and pace—laid back and fun. Visitors can stroll at their leisure
through the five-block festival area, stopping now and then to rest their feet, taking in music from some great bands in Courthouse Square, while having lunch from food vendors, or eating at the many restaurants and cafés that line the area. The Wine and Beer Garden has expanded this year, with tastings available from Bluemont Vineyards, 868 Estates and Little Washington. Breweries, a fast-growing component in Loudoun, are well represented by MacDowell Brew Kitchen/Mud Hound Brewing Co., Lost Rhino, Corcoran and Starr Hill. There are some who come in early on either day, knowing just what they need to fill out their plantings; others want to stop and ask advice about a particular plant or a garden design to get ideas for their own intended masterpiece. One of the great benefits of the show is the willingness of plant vendors and landscape designers alike to give helpful tips and untiring advice to gardeners—in a mutual exchange that both appreciate. Some visitors just want to take in a great show in the setting of Leesburg’s 18th and 19th century Continued on next page
About The Festival The 23rd annual Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival will be held April 20-21 throughout the downtown area. Streets in the festival area—King from Loudoun to North, Cornwall from King to Wirt, and Market from Wirt to Church—will be closed to vehicular traffic Friday at 5:30 p.m. and reopened Sunday at 9 p.m. Festival hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Visitors are advised to leave their pets at home, especially if temperatures are warm. Any pets that are brought must be leashed and owners must have plenty of water for them, and must not leave them in a locked car. Parking is available in both the town and county garages and at Ida Lee Park, where a shuttle is available to ferry them to the festival area. Wagons are available at the Information Booth in the center of town to take purchases to the parking lot or the shuttle bus, but they must be returned. A $3 donation is suggested to help defray the costs of the festival. For information, call 703-777-1368; go to the www.idalee.org website or check the festival’s Facebook page.
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Overview
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downtown architecture that frames the festival area. Others want to explore the town, and cut through the festival area to Leesburg’s many shops behind the booths. And some make it a two-day adventure—the festival one day, then after spending the night in an area B&B or motel, heading out to Loudoun’s small towns, wineries and farms. The show’s original focus was on Leesburg, but today organizers seek to broaden the exposure for greater Loudoun. Now drawing in excess of 30,000 visitors each year, the festival is an award-winning regional horticultural showcase, attracting vendors from far and wide as well as local producers. This year’s tally will be about 150 vendors, according to event coordinator Rachael Goodwin. Along with the vendors, six nonprofits will be located in the Post Office parking lot: Leesburg Downtown Business Association; Loudoun Targets Lyme: Loudoun Humane Society; Piedmont Environmental Council; Paws 4 People; and Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers.
From her first year, when she managed the festival solo—an experience Goodwin describes as “daunting”—to this, her sixth year, running the show has been quite a ride. Goodwin is expecting the organization to be easier this year than last, when a large number of the parks and recreation staff members were new and had not experienced the festival before. “There’s no way [for anyone] to learn that fast,” she said. Four Town of Leesburg departments work together to make the weekend event come alive: parks and rec, police, utilities and public works. Crews from each put in hours of work to make sure the event goes off flawlessly. Running the festival is a big job. Leesburg Parks and Recreation staffers bear the brunt of the work, from directing the landscapers and vendors setting up Friday evening all the way through Sunday night’s cleanup. After all the work is done do they go out for a celebratory dinner? “No, I go to bed,” Goodwin said firmly. Continued on Page 6
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For many festival visitors, getting their loot home requires some sturdy carts. Fortunately, wagons can be borrowed from the volunteers and staff members at the fair’s central infomation booth.
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Overview
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Another thing that will help them this year is the information gleaned and evaluated from in-depth surveys staff members have conducted for the past two years. They’ve taken the feedback to heart and you’ll see some changes during this year’s festival. One suggestion in the 2012 survey, in line with the national push for more homegrown foods and better nutrition, was to provide healthy food and vegetarian offerings. Event organizers also have followed up on suggestions for better indications of where things are, including new signs that point out such things as “You Are Here” and directions to the nearest restroom—traditionally one of the most asked questions at the festival. It’s about the “little things” that can better the festivalgoer’s experience, Goodwin said. “We want to make sure we show people we hear them and offer what they want,” she said. According to Leesburg Recreation and Events Manager Jeremy Payne, every year the experience
One young visitor came ready for spring.
gained in running the show helps staff members meet the needs of visitors and vendors so “we can provide a broader customer experience.” What organizers seek to provide is the “total package—for kids and adults, new or old friends, who know they’re not going to the store to buy; there are 100 different ideas here, and dozens of things you didn’t think you needed,” Payne said. The show has a loyal clientele. And each year, it seems that customers, whether new or repeat, go away pleased. “And they come back because they remember,” Goodwin said.
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The popular wine garden has expanded to offer beer tastings as well.
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Big Crowds Help Build Big Business Ethan Rothstein
erothstein@leesburgtoday.com
More people congregate in downtown Leesburg for the annual Flower & Garden Festival—scheduled for April 20-21—than in any other spot on any other weekend in Loudoun County. The impact about 30,000 visitors have on the Town of Leesburg and the surrounding area is immeasurable. Many come from outside the area and stay at hotels in town, fill up restaurants and venture out of the downtown playpen to discover what else Loudoun has in store. Plenty of the attendees are Loudoun residents, but flock to Leesburg to view the landscape designs, get ideas for their gardens and purchase projects to work on over the spring and summer. While visitors are walking down King, Market, Loudoun and Cornwall streets, they see the stands of
businesses and organizations, but they also notice the businesses downtown they might not venture into this time, but to which they may return. “Some of our members benefit the day of [the festival],” Butch Porter, president of the Leesburg Downtown Business Association, said. “Those that don’t, they understand that they can benefit in the long-term from people who like what they see.” Although many of the booths, displays and landscape designs may block entrances and windows to the downtown merchants—which has presented problems in the past, Porter said—the business owners and the Leesburg Department of Parks and Recreation, which organizes the event, have found a happy medium in recent years by opening alleyways through the festival area to the shops behind. “We like the [Leesburg] Flower and Garden Festival, we participate,” Porter said. “We like 30,000 people downtown.” Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Lou-
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doun, said he and his staff will do some “spring cleaning” before the Flower and Garden show, as the visitor’s center in Market Station gets a good deal of foot traffic from people wanting to explore the surrounding area before or after the festival. “It’s really the kickoff to spring,” Kaler said. “People are able to get out and enjoy some fresh air.” Kaler said Visit Loudoun has only once done a week-by-week breakdown of hotel stays in Loudoun, but he said that study reveals a significant increase in room occupancy during the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival. According to a survey conducted by parks and recreation, 30 percent of visitors came from outside the county in 2012. What’s more, new businesses, like Leesburg Brewing Company on Loudoun Street, have tried to make sure they’re open in time to enjoy the massive crowds. Last year, customers reported spending an average of $35 in town. In 2011 and 2012, heavy rains dampened attendance on one of the festival’s two days. Last year, a reported 24,000 people visited the festival, but 20,000 came on Saturday because of the rain Continued on next page
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Impact
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on Sunday. Those numbers were disappointing—on sunny days in the past the festival has easily cleared 30,000 guests—but, even with a lackluster showing, the overall impact on the town was significant. “This year, we have our fingers crossed for two sunny days and expect crowds to swell to over 30,000,” Rachael Goodwin, parks and recreation’s supervisor of special events, said in an email. “Our continued goal is to make sure it is a festival that people want to come to year after year.” Rain or shine, this past week the weather has finally caught up to the season. Spring may be here in the calendars, but in Leesburg and Loudoun County the Leesburg Flower and Garden festival is when spring really starts. “This is the time that Leesburg comes alive,” Leesburg Economic Development Director Marantha Edwards said.
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Other Area Attractions During The Festival Weekend What: Middleburg Spring Races When: 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20 Where: Glenwood Park Racecourse, Middleburg Contact: 540-687-6545, msra@verizon.net What: Willowcroft Farm Vineyards Barbecue When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays Where: 38906 Mt. Gilead Road, Leesburg Contact: 703-777-8161, info@willowcroftwine. com What: Oatlands Ancient Technology Expo When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 20 Where: 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg Contact: 703-777-3174, www.oatlands.org What: Virginia Historic Garden Week, Waterford When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, April 22 Where: Waterford Old School, 40222 Fairfax Street, Waterford Contact: www.leesburggardenclub.org
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On The Menu:
Festival Food For Every Taste Food from 12 vendors will be a big draw during this year’s Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival. The various food booths are spread throughout the festival area, according to event coordinator Rachael Goodwin. The specific locations where one can find a wide variety of foods are: North King and King; East Market and Church; along South King; and also along W. Market streets. 2013 Vendors: Big Pan Parties, Jambalay Blue Ridge Kettle Corn, kettle corn NC Ribs, BBQ and ribs Cumberland Valley, burgers, corn dogs, chic tenders, fries, funnel cakes, strawberry shortcake Fresh Fruit Cup, fruit cups and smoothies International Grill, Green salad, pitas, gyros, steak and cheese, falafel Jr’s Italian Ice, Italian ice LB Concessions, Italian sausage, steak and cheese,
gyros, burgers, dogs, corn dogs, fried oreos Meadows Frozen Custard, frozen custard, rootbeer floats, apple dumplings Premiere Hospitality, quesadillas, tacos, Thai chicken/veggie wrap, sweat potato fries, turkey burgers Randy Radish, ravioli, avocado chimichurri, jackfruit BBC, tofu Rueben, brownies, cinnamon buns Taste of the World, teriyaki chicken, fried rice, lo mein
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The Vendors: Everything For Margaret Morton
mmorton@leesburgtoday.com
Over the years of constantly refining the inventory at the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival, organizers have roamed further afield in the search for interesting products. And, as word gets out about Leesburg’s horticultural showcase at regional and national shows, interest increases in applying to be a juried vendor each year. Vendors come from all over, according to event coordinator Rachael Goodwin—from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey—to name some of the states represented. And that’s in addition to the many local and regional vendors at the show. The core of items for sale remains plant material, with dozens of vendors exhibiting a wide variety—trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, herbs and hanging baskets. Commonly seen at the festival are customers toting large, colorful hanging baskets back to their car. But, where once the emphasis was almost exclusively on plant material, vendors now include purveyors of just about everything connected with the garden. Gone are the days when, unless they were avid gardeners, the male of the species did not have quite the same depth of product to survey as his female companion. Today, he has plenty. To cite just a few of the many vendors at this year’s festival providing garden supplies and hardscape elements—there are grills for summer cooking; garden tools and deck furniture from vendors such as Leesburg’s T.W. Perry; solar panels from Solar 4 Leesburg LLC; greenhouses from De Little ‘O Greenhouse; decks from Deckscapes of Virginia LLC; furniture from Aldie Peddler Outdoors; fanciful birdhouses from Hand Crafted Birdhouses; awnings from Montgomery Shade & Awning Ltd; mowers from Jamie’s Small Engine Repairs or Bad Boy Mowers; garden seating from EZ Hang Chairs, sunrooms from Four Seasons Sunrooms; and sheds from The Tin Shed—the list goes on. And those cited above are just a few of the many purveyors of similar products, so the shopper has plenty of options from which to choose. Garden statuary and art has become a large compo-
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nent of the festival as people have become interested in complementing the plant materials with stone or brick walkways, edgers and decorative motifs in the garden. The Copperman is one of many purveyors of copper decorative items. “They’re all very different,” Goodwin said of the many copper artists at this year’s show. Glass items in the garden are popular, from decorative touches such as garden art glass by Garden Spires, a new vendor from Maryland or Kris Krafts Stained Glass. There is also a large number of potters this year, including new ceramicist Mark Poole Pottery, again all with very different styles, according to Goodwin. Statuary comes from vendors including Frivolous Cottage Garden, from New York, which has an eclectic collection of ironwork statuary, sort of “shabby chic,” Goodwin said. Garden gloves, clothing and especially hats are popular—from Hats Galore & More and Rich’s Seagrass Hats, another new vendor—among others. There is all sorts of inventiveness as vendors put a new spin on traditional items, such as Presentability’s hanging baskets. The second-year vendor replaces the usual plastic “basket” for decorative hangers done in copper or with beading. “They’re one of the quirkiest vendors,” Goodwin said. Speaking of quirky, there’s Sportula—as the name suggests the vendor sells large spatulas for the
One shopper has what she wants as she heads for home.
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grill, but with various sports team logos on them. Decorative items for the garden include art wine bottles from Uncork’d Creations and goblets from Glorious Goblets. Looking for garden planters? Planter World has many. Or there are decorative items from Gourds by Suzanna, baskets from Rich’s Hand Carved Root Baskets, environmental pieces from Earth Saver Wind Sculpture and ironwork from Hunt Country Iron. And the intriguingly named Yellow Dog Home offers big pieces of stone and outside furniture, so large “they have to have a crane to get them in,” Goodwin said. But the heart of the vendor exhibit remains the plant materials, where a dizzying panoply is spread out for the shopper’s delight. Canny, and experienced, buyers bring some sort of wagon with them so they can lug either a tree, large shrub, or collection of smaller plants back to the car without breaking their backs. Again, there’s a wide variety available. “The emphasis is toward the natural,” Goodwin said, citing the continuing fascination with heirloom plants and “one-of-a-kind” species as well as products made from nature.
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The Loudoun Master Gardeners also have some of the festival’s most popular offerings. Landreth Seed—the oldest seed company in the country—is back and always is a big draw. Aunt Bea’s Backyard Beehives offers a view of traditional beekeeping and what it takes to produce honey in the backyard, all naturally raised. Fragrance is big, with garden oils and essences popular. Renaissance Lavendar is new this year, swelling the ranks of that wonderful addition to anyone’s
closet, while Essence de Provence also adds to the fragrance scene. Popular local vendor The Chili Man is also back, with flavors that go from burning zing to milder varieties. Those that love peonies can head for Princess and The Peony, while dahlia lovers can visit the National Capital Dahlia Society’s collection of those summer beauties. Holly Heider Chapple Flowers again will offer her bunches of freshly cut flowers—all from her garden near Lucketts. And the best way to find what you want is to wander through the exhibit, taking your time and examining what each vendor that interests you has to offer. For the vendors, the perfect scenario will be two days of perfect weather. A caveat to that is knowing how much inventory to bring—there’s nothing worse than being sold out by the end of the first day. If vendors are lucky and live near Leesburg, they can always make the trip to replenish. But it’s a fine juggling act. And vendors had better be ready to go before the opening bell, as determined and knowledgeable “early birds” will be in the festival area even before the official opening at 10 a.m. Once the curtain goes up, it will be a busy two days for vendors and organizers alike until the last customer leaves and exhibitors can pack up their belongings and head home.
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Bluemont
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324 Blueridge Kettle Corn 325 Premier 326 NC Ribs
LIGHTFOOT
SOUTH KING
001 Gutter Helmet Systems 002 Bath Fitters 003 Washington Gardener 004 SS Fragrances 005 Barn Again 006 Marianne Cordyack Pottery Studio 007 Blue Ridge Bonsai 008 Bear Garden Contracting 009 Loudoun Breast Health Network (LBHN) 010 Hand Crafted Birdhouses 011 FireRobin Pottery 012 Lala’s Leaves 013 Onice 014 Garden Commander, LLC 015 All Natural Pictures 016 Stem 017 Marissa Molinaro 018 Temalle Ltd 019 Princess and The Peony 020 Frog Music Garden 021 Solar 4 Leesburg, LLC 022 Frivolous Cottage 023 Glorious Goblets 024 Glass Pockets by CMS 025 Off The Wall Art 026 Out of the Woodwork
201 West Winds Nursery, LLC 202 Shade Tree Farm 203 Avant Garden 204 R & L Landscapes, Inc. 205 Big Pan Party 206 Hunt Country Iron 207 Sittin’ Easy, Inc 208 Willowsford 209 Sprinklers by Mick 210 Spring Thyme Nursery 211 Old Town Grill 212 Loudoun County Master Gardeners 213 De Little ‘O Greenhouse 214 Blooming Hill 215 Meadows Frozen Custard 216 Sinbad Crafts and Plants and Fly-Trap Farm 217 Inspirational Gardens 218 Gourmet Creations 219 Rich’s Hand Carved Root Baskets 220 Sweet Tea Clothing Co. 221 Handcrafted by Us 222 Leesburg Gardens
WEST MARKET 100 Wildwood 101 Nica-Art 102 Renaissance Lavender 103 Radical Roots Farm 104 Gourds by Suzanna 105 GreenWorks Landscaping, Inc. 106 TW Perry 107 Kris Krafts Stained Glass 108 Landscape Associates, INC 109 Pristine Acres/ Craig Sundecks and Porches 110 L Gifts & Home Furnishings 111 Loudoun Hounds and Virginia Cavalry 112 Fresh Fruit Cup 113 Taste of the World 114 LB Concessions 115 The Randy Radish 116 The Chile Man 117 Vermont Nature Creations 118 Landreth Seed 119 Leesburg Police Department 120 Bare Escentuals
EAST MARKET 301 River’s Edge Landscapes 302 Barbara Badenhope 303 Northern Virginia Community College 304 Natural Butterflies 305 Greenscapes by Design 306 The Parsonage Handmade Soap 307 Celestial Gardens, Inc. 308 Echo Ridge Nursery 309 The Copper Master 310 Incredible Edible Birdhouses 311 Loudoun Medical Group, PC 312 Putnam Hill Nursery 313 Beyond the Cork 314 Susanna Farm Nursery 315 Town of Leesburg Environmental Advisory Commission 316 Leesburg Tree Commission 317 Jackson River Gallery 318 The Tin Shed 319 Cedar Point Woodworks 320 Walking on Broken Glass 321 Hats Galore & More 322 Presentability 323 Yellow Dog Home
LOWER NORTH KING 400 Through the Garden 401 Holly Heider Chapple Flowers LTD 402 Leaf Me Alone 403 Deckscapes of Virginia LLC 404 Farmhouse Flowers & Plants 405 Layng’s Flower Farm 406 Evergreen Landscapes 407 Fly Home Birdhouses 408 Hoffner’s Handwoven Baskets 409 Sunflower Cottage 410 Aldie Peddler Outdoors 411 Montgomery Shade & Awning Ltd 412 Virginia Hardscapes 413 Copperman 414 Moon Creek Farm 415 Glade Valley Nursery 416 Twin Oaks Hammocks 417 Four Seasons Sunrooms 418 The Cottage of Herbs 419 DRC Studio 420 The Herb Lady 421 Bad Boy Mowers 422 Jamie’s Small Engine Repairs
UPPER NORTH KING 500 Sislers Stone 501 Oil Creations by Gail, LLC 502 Foundation of the State Arboretum 503 Jim’s Bonsai 504 Valley View Greenhouse 505 Planter World 506 PDS Carved Stone 507 EZ Hang Chairs 508 Nat. Capital Dahlia Soc. 509 Grounds for Nature 510 By The Cottage Door
WINERIES Bluemont Vineyards 868 Estates Little Washington
511 X-Treme Products 512 Sportula 513 International Grill 514 Cumberland Valley
CORNWALL 600 Essence de Provence 601 Mark Poole Pottery 602 Unique Bulbs 603 Richard’s Seagrass Hats 604 Loudoun County Waste Management & Recycling Program 605 Nancy Jane Artisan Jewelry 606 The Potting Bench Nursery 607 Special Olympics Loudoun County 608 Deerbusters 609 Betty Jane’s Sweet Delights, Inc 610 Uncork’d Creations 611 Aunt Beas Backyard Beehives, LLC 612 Garden Spires 613 Bruce Ciske Pottery 614 JR’s Italian Ice 615 A Little Unique 616 Oatlands 617 Sweet Springs Hammock 618 St James Episcopal Church 619 Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy 620 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County
NON PROFITS NP1 Leesburg Downtown Business Association NP2 Loudoun Targets Lyme NP3 Loudoun Humane Society NP4 Piedmont Environmental Council NP5 Paws 4 People NP6 Loudoun Volunteer Care Givers
BREWERIES MacDowell Brew Kitchen/ Mud Hound Brewing Co. Lost Rhino Corcoran Starr Hill
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A happy child makes a happy parent—and Special Events Supervisor Rachael Goodwin and her Parks and Rec staff make sure they have plenty of activities for young visitors to the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival, whether it be face painting, daubing outsize plywood animal cut-outs, clogging, theater or wriggly wildlife denizens.
Children’s Stage
This year, the children’s area again will be staged on West Cornwall Street, in front of St. James’ Episcopal Church. The music roster at the Children’s Stage is done in manageable 45-minute time slots, so kids can listen to the music or, if the attention span wanders and they want to do something different, they can go off to the staff-managed games area. Goodwin says this year’s lineup offers a good mix of old and new performers. Saturday’s schedule is as follows: First up at 11 a.m. is Kidsinger Jim, new to the show this year. As his name suggests, he does kids’ songs, sing-alongs and interactive music. He is followed by popular one-man band Uncle Pete, who is such a crowd draw that parents often call to see when he is performing so they can schedule their attendance around him, Goodwin said. Urban Evolution brings a different flavor. Last year, during the group’s first attendance, “they had such an overwhelming crowd reaction,” Goodwin said of the dancers’ street performance and urban setting acrobatic tricks. “They’re phenomenal,” she said. Celtic Rhythm, another crowd pleaser, once more is back to delight young audiences with its lively Irish dance tempos Another dance group, Zumba, brings a program specially for young audi-
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The front steps of Loudoun’s historic courthouse are transformed into a performance venue during the Flower and Garden Festival.
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steps. InterAct Story Theater closes out the six acts for the day with storytelling and puppetry. Sunday’s entertainment schedule for young audiences features five acts, starting with great favorite Blue Ridge Wildlife, a presentation of wild
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Entertainment Continued from Page 19
animals of various shapes and appeal—always a great hit with children. Another new group, More Than Cheer, LLC, which partners with flag football, gives a presentation of cheerleading, sure to get attention. Urban Evolution returns for a repeat performance, followed by crowd favorites Uncle Pete and Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers to close out the day on a high note.
Courthouse Stage
Music for the adults is on the Main Stage, on the steps of the Loudoun County Courthouse. Particularly on a nice day, one sees people sprawled on the grass, maybe having lunch, taking a rest from the main festival while they enjoy some great bands, many of them local. Goodwin says her aim is to select a blend of known and less known sounds and groups for the roster, and she seems to have hit the mark this year.
Each time slot is 90 minutes long, usually with a half-hour break between each segment. First up Saturday at 10 a.m. is VOX POP. In its second year at the festival, the a capella group will bring its “great glee club type sound,” a definite hit last year, according to Goodwin. Another new group is the local Take 4 + 1 Jazz Quintet, with its upbeat jazz sound. Popular Baltimore, MD-based group Crawdaddies returns from last year, with its unusual combination of Louisiana’s Cajun, zydeco and blues with North Eastern’s roots rock, Americana and ska influences. “It’s a definitely different sound—they add a lot,” Goodwin said. Newcomer 19th Street Band trio—two guys and a girl—closes out Saturday’s offerings. It’s another unusual group, Goodwin said, of the threesome’s crowd-pleasing eclectic mix of modern and classic tunes in a style she describes as “an acoustic mix of popular rock, country, Celtic and bluegrass songs.” An interesting feature of that group is that each member is a classically trained musician. Local performer, and a teacher in the Loudoun County public schools, Andre Hawk is back again. “He’s a big local performer,” Goodwin said. Hawk is
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also new and local, claim roots rock, Americana, alt country, blues and psychobilly folk punk as their origins. Calling themselves “hard to classify,” the musicians say they cover a range “from Al Green to Johnny Cash, Elmore James to Elvis Costello, Tom Waits to Talking Heads.” And the musicians proudly claim no song is sacred or safe from their further interpretation, not do they ever play the same tune the same way—even their own originals. “We blend Bakersfield, New Orleans, Memphis and SoHo— with a little Nashville and Chicago thrown in,” they said. One member of the group is also a vendor in the show, “so that’s how we heard of them,” Goodwin said. In addition to pulling in good local groups, Goodwin said she wanted to bring back some of the old crowd favorites. And the final performer of the day fits that bill—local great, the well-known Gary Gary Smallwood will close out the festival starting a Smallwood. 3:30 p.m. Sunday. After the finale, audiences wend their way followed by 7th Son WV. The group was rained out homeward, having heard some great music. “We last year in its first performance, so it’s a first for the want to make it better and better each year,” Goodblues and classic rock performers also. win said. The appealingly named Orphans of Twang,
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CHILDREN’S STAGE Cornwall Street in front of St. James Episcopal Church
SATURDAY 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Noon-12:45 p.m. 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m. 4 p.m.-4:45 p.m. 5 p.m.-5:45 p.m.
Kidsinger Jim Uncle Pete Urban Evolution Celtic Rhythm Zumba Bull Run Cloggers InterAct Story Theater
SUNDAY Andrew Hawk performs Sunday starting at 10 a.m.
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11 a.m.11:45 a.m. Noon-12:45 p.m. 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
Blue Ridge Wildlife More Than Cheer Urban Evolution Uncle Pete Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers
MAIN STAGE/ COURTHOUSE LAWN SATURDAY 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m. 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.
SUNDAY
10 a.m.-11 a.m. Noon-1:30 p.m. 2 p.m.-3:15 p.m. 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
VOX POP TAKE 4 + 1 Jazz Quintet Crawdaddies 19th Street Band
Andrew Hawk 7th Son WV The Orphans of Twang Gary Smallwood
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Survey Highlights Festival Strengths The results of last year’s survey of visitors to the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival provided some interesting insights about festivalgoers, as well as useful information about how they rated the festival and things they thought could be improved. Those findings closely mirror those of a survey conducted in 2011, according to event coordinator Rachael Goodwin. In general, the festival received high consumer success ratings, with 99 percent of those surveyed on the spot indicating their experience met or exceeded expectations, using words such as “great,” “spring” and “beautiful,” in their responses as to what the festival meant to them. In post-event surveys, 92 percent said they “definitely or probably” would attend next year. The message that resonated the most was “Shopping—vendor variety,” selected by one out of three attendees and cited as “the most important” in their decision to come to Leesburg. It also was selected most often across all demographic and geographic breakouts in the region. According to the on-site survey, the average spending per attendee is $34.99. Drawing from that figure, it’s estimated the festival creates total direct spending in Leesburg of $839,760 over the two days, including all Visit Historic Homes & Gardens
●
spending—hotel, eating and drinking, gas, taxi, shopping, entertainment, festival admission tickets, etc. Because of rain on Sunday last year, average spending per travel party decreased 21.1 percent from Saturday’s sunshine. The downside of two years in a row of constant or heavy rain on one of the two festival days is not just the spending impact, but the deterrent for first-time visitors thinking about making the trip. Good weather is required for first timers to matriculate into loyal repeat attendees and become advocates via word of mouth. The survey also found those attending are from a high-earning and loyal consumer base, who, on average, said they were attending for their fourth time. Attendees indicated their total household income on average to be $110,459. The average age of an attendee is 48 and 56 percent live outside Leesburg. In the area of needed improvement, parking was often cited as a key weakness—and may have been exacerbated by the one bad-weather day of each of the past two years. Attendees also suggested better control of the parking garages, citing “gridlock” within the facilities. Staff members, at least early in the event hours, may be present to help smooth traffic flow.
Stroll through the Village
●
Celebrate Historic Garden Week
Join the Leesburg Garden Club for a historic event!
April 22, 2013, 10am–5pm
Tour headquarters Waterford Old School, 40222 Fairfax Street, Waterford, VA
Tickets may be purchased at the Old School or any of the homes on the day of tour. In advance at the following venues: The Marshall House (formerly Dodona Manor), 217 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA Loudoun Convention & Visitor Center, 112-G South St., SE, Leesburg, VA Leesburg Vintner, 29 S. King St., Leesburg, VA Oatlands Plantation, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Ln., Leesburg, VA The Pink Box, 12 N. Madison St., Middleburg, VA
The Leesburg Garden Club, in concert with the Garden Club of Virginia’s 80th Anniversary of Historic Garden Week, presents a walking tour of Waterford, VA. Join us as six homes and garden gates open for you to explore. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $30 online at vagardenweek.org or at the venues at left. Purchased the day of for $35. For more information about the tour visit leesburggardenclub.org or call 540-338-5453.
Leesburg Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club of Virginia. Tour proceeds fund the restoration & preservation of Virginia’s historic gardens.
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Judging The Fair If it’s good ideas you need to create your own perfect garden in your backyard, there’s no better place to find them than the Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival landscape design exhibit in the center of the exhibit area. For years, the landscape design exhibit has been the source of visual pleasure as well as a treasure trove of inspiration and practical advice on how to design a garden, how to intersperse different plants, shrubs and trees and how to blend them in a harmonious whole with water and hardscape features, such as fountains, pools, trellises and stone walls. Over the years, the contest has attracted a number of regional landscapers, many of whom return each year. To many, especially those residents who wander downtown the Friday evening, the wonder of seeing a garden slowly rise from the bare tarmac, piles of dirt, sand, mulch and shrubs lying on their sides, is nothing less than miraculous.
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“The best free show on earth,” marveled one resident some years ago on watching the evolving spectacle. The designs have grown in sophistication and quality over the 12 years landscape architect and Leesburg Parks & Public Space Planner Bill Ference has run the landscape design contest. In response to that higher quality, Ference said the judging categories were changed last year—from a simple first, second and third place finish to one winner in three different categories: Best Overall Presentation; Outstanding Technical Craftsmanship and; Outstanding Creativity. While those qualities also were recognized in the previous overall point counts, the new ratings have provided more focus and weight for those three categories, recognizing individual strengths among the landscapers. Traditionally, the two-or-three-member judging panel walks around the landscape design exhibits on Saturday morning, armed with clipboards and pencil, as members study each garden intently. Results are posted at the main entertainment stage in the early afternoon. But, as in the past, visitors get to weigh in with their choice—which they note gleefully is often different from that of the judges. That award, which is posted on Sunday morning is important, because it shows organizers—and the landscape designers—what they’ve taken in and evaluated as they tour the festival. Under the new format, the 2012 winners were River’s Edge Landscapes, for best overall presentation; West Winds Nursery, for outstanding technical craftsmanship; and Wildwood Landscaping, for outstanding creativity. The People’s Choice also went to Wildwood. This year, there will be nine landscapers joining the competition, most of them taking the larger 14 feet by 16 feet spaces, with a couple using the smaller 10 feet by 16 feet areas, Special Events Coordinator Rachel Goodwin said. Over the past decade, designers have become ever more creative in marrying water, stone, brick and wood with shrubs, trees and plants. Trellises are twined with wisteria or ivy, flowering trees hang gracefully over a gazebo, stone walls enclose a lush garden, while a fountain spills into a stone-lined pool at the rear of the garden. In one version, children bend over an oblong
25
pool, mesmerized by the coins that have been thrown pungent smell fills the night air. Only after most of the into it, or fascinated by watching goldfish flash through heavy stuff is in place in each garden area are some of the water, while another features large boulders and the exhibit vendors brought in that night, extending a huge spherical stone fountain with water bubbling farther up each block. The remaining vendors come in gently out of the top and spilling down its sides. A very early Saturday morning. wrought iron bench sits on a small patch of grass, sur- As the landscaping crews continue through the rounded by spring bulbs, just waiting for a weary visitor night, putting the final details on each design, eventuto sink down gratefully for a spell. ally it’s time to give a last water, then head wearily for And what seems a perfect miniature garden, assem- home to catch a few hours sleep before being back in bled overnight, to the viewer has taken far longer, and place ready to greet the public at 10 a.m. Saturday. “Just involved more work—and expense—than might seem another day at the office,” one quipped after last year’s apparent to the casual eye. Landscapers will have spent contest. long hours in design before even beginning the intricate For the designer, the pay-off is the work that comes work of pre-assembly and the final task of raising a after the contest, sometimes quite a long time later. For garden between 6 p.m. Friday and opening bell the fol- the public, the benefits are solid: the visualization of lowing morning. what can be achieved with different design features so a The landscapers are the first to be brought into the gardener of any expertise level can see not just how to central festival area and placed, radiating out along the translate ideas into reality but to do that at home, and four immediate blocks of King and Market streets. For what could work in their garden. Best of all, the package most of Friday evening, they have it all to themselves. of ideas is presented in a compact, miniature size so it Cabinet & Furniture Forklifts and trucks bearing sand, brick and stone—all is not overwhelming, but easy to grasp and to visualize play their part as the perfect garden slowly rises from the oneself actually doing at home. Re-Finishing Cabinet & Furniture Best of all, the designers and their crews are endbare asphalt. After Workers scurry around, placing trees, shrubs lessly patient and helpful in answering questions and Cabinet & and Furniture After Re-Finishing spring bulbs under a heavy cover of mulch, whose proffering free advice. That’s a bargain you can’t beat.
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Building A Backyard Overnight
1
2
Getting started. The River’s Edge crew carefully lifts the heavy pieces down to the ground;
3
Building the wall;
... almost there in the wee hours. Continued on facing page
4
27
I
t took the better part of the night and back-breaking labor, but the results were worth it as Paul La Point and his River’s Edge Landscapes company came away with the Best Overall Presentation award
during last year’s Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival. From the 6 p.m. start when the crews were brought into the staging area, it was a long night ahead as they slowly built an elaborate garden just outside the Sonabank building on East Market Street. By the time the last feature had been installed under arc lights, the viewer saw an imposing, neatly laid brick wall ending in stone piers as a backdrop to massed groundcover plantings and shrubs and trees on either sides. A stone-edge niche contained a statue of a young girl looking out to a small courtyard, with the whole composition edged with more stone. A table and chairs completed the design.
23rd
A N N UA L
LEESBURG
28
Judging The Entries
25
th
anniversary 1988-2013
Leesburg Today is proud to once again sponsor the Leesburg Flower &
Garden Festival.
D
uring this year’s festival we invite you to visit our new offices at 19 N. King St., view the results of a nine-month renovation to one of downtown Leesburg’s oldest buildings and meet with members of the Leesburg Today staff. We look forward to seeing you at the festival.
The new categories instituted last year will again be the basis for judging in 2013. Judges are selected by event staff from a broad pool of qualified and impartial individuals who have extensive experience in the fields of landscape design; residential and commercial design-build; horticulture research and education; and landscape architecture. After reviewing the design criteria Saturday morning, the judges will inspect the exhibits and collectively evaluate each one. At 1 p.m., they will record the point scores allotted and discuss each entrant’s merits. Bill Ference, who runs the landscape contest for the town, says while the judges use the design criteria as tools in coming to their scores, the final decision as to the winner in each category will be determined by collaborative agreement. • Best Overall Presentation (cash award of $750): The award is given to the entrant whose garden has scored the highest number of criteria points as determined by the judges’ site visits and discussions. • Outstanding Technical Craftsmanship ($500): This award is given to the exhibitor whose garden shows the finest quality of materials and workmanship as defined by the criteria. Outstanding Creativity ($500): The third award is given to the landscaper whose garden exhibits the most originality and features elements that are unique, provide human interest or humor, and/or convey an identifiable mood or theme as defined by the criteria. Under the contest rules, entrants may only win one of the three landscape awards. Results will be posted at 2 p.m. Saturday. The popular People’s Choice award will be made by festival attendees through ballots they submit to the festival information booth, with the results announced Sunday morning. The point system is fairly intricate for each category. Design Principles count for 10 possible points; Originality, five points; Suitability and Quality of Plant Materials, five points; Creative and Effective use of Hardscape Elements and Garden Amenities, five points; Labeling and Educational Value, five points; and Overall Aesthetic Appeal, five points. The contest criteria also find that if an entrant has violated festival rules regarding use of an allotted space, or engages in conduct considered detrimental to the event, he or she may be fined a deduction of five points.
29
Sponsors Provide Financial Backing, In-Kind Support Every event is beholden to sponsors for their financial support and the Town of Leesburg is indebted to the following supporters. This year’s Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival has a number of major sponsors, headed by presenter Loudoun Medical Group and followed by Willowsford Virginia, Loudoun Hounds, Virginia Cavalry and bareMinerals. Other sponsors include Bath Fitter, Leesburg Today and Ashburn Today, Washington Gardens, Dulles Greenway, WINC FM 92.5, the Loudoun Times-Mirror and Lightfoot Restaurant. What’s less known, and equally important, is the in-kind support that can make all the difference to event organizers. Those helping by providing locations and services this year include: Attorney Robert Sevila, for use of a gravel parking lot on North King for residents who cannot access their normal parking area because of the festival-related street closures; the legal firm of Atwill, Troxell and Leigh, for use of its parking area on Cornwall as a festival picnic area; Sonabank, which provides the staff headquarters during the festival; the Leesburg downtown post office, which is the nonprofits’ location; Caulkins Jewelers, which allows landscape designers to park behind the store; St. James Episcopal Church, which allows its parking lot to be used throughout the weekend; and Loudoun County Courts, which permits the grounds to be used for the main entertainment stage on the courthouse steps.
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Leesburg’s
TREE COMMISSION
E
stablished in 1995, the Leesburg Tree Commission is comprised of seven members appointed by the Town Council for their interest and knowledge in urban forestry. This Commission’s vision is to provide leadership to enhance, expand and preserve the tree canopy for the benefit of the community. They are dedicated to promoting tree preservation and planting within the Town, providing a healthy and diverse tree canopy, as well as ensuring an aesthetic quality of life for all citizens. The Town’s Urban Forestry Management Plan was approved in 2006 to guide Leesburg’s efforts to recover the loss of tree canopy and enhance all tree-related benefits by recommending strategies and actions to improve their urban forest management in an equitable, economic, and sustainable manner.
At This Year’s
Flower and Garden Festival
O
n Saturday, April 20th, Leesburg will celebrate Arbor Day, when Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd accepts Leesburg’s 24th Tree City USA Award during the Leesburg
Flower and Garden Festival. This annual award will be presented by the Virginia Department of Forestry on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation. The 1:30 p.m. ceremony is scheduled for the festival’s stage on the Loudoun County courthouse courtyard.
A
lso stop by the Tree Commission’s display booth (located in front of East Market Street post office), to:
• Learn more about hiring an arborist for your trees
with a FREE copy of “How to Hire an Arborist”
• And get your FREE give-away London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia) seedling
• Plus a SPECIAL DRAWING chance for Leesburg town residents to win one-of-ten, large potted London Plane Tree – Leesburg’s designated
WWW.LEESBURGVA.GOV
2013 Arbor Day Tree
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How To Hire An Arborist To Improve The Health of Your Trees
Around your home or along our streets, trees are one of our most valuable assets and long-term investments. Like any investment, trees require careful decisions and the occasional advice and service from a professional — an arborist. This tree specialist can safeguard your trees and save you from the consequences of their neglect or the wrong decision. Here are twelve tips to help you when selecting the right arborist: 1. Check in the phone directory, as a listing at least indicates some degree of permanence. 2. Beware of door-to-door solicitors, especially after a damaging storm. 3. Do not be rushed by a bargain and never pay in advance. 4. Ask for a certificate of insurance. 5. Request local references. 6. Seek those with related professional memberships. 7. Use those with professional arboricultural training and certification and local business licensing. 8. Get a second opinion and an estimate. 9. A good arborist offers a wide range of tree-related services. 10. Avoid those who routinely top trees as a sole pruning method. 11. Never allow the use of climbing spikes if the tree is to remain. 12. Beware of someone who is eager to remove a living tree … This should be the last resort. Source: Adapted from The National Arbor Day Foundation, “How to Hire an Arborist” Tree City USA Bulletin No.6 This valuable tree care information has been brought to you as a public service by Leesburg Today and the Town of Leesburg Tree Commission.
32
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