FEB 2024
Farm Museum Celebrates 20 Years Page 16
Loudoun Now Your guide to Loudoun’s Entertainment Scene
Tickets Available at:
WWW.TALLYHOTHEATER.COM 19 W Market St, Leesburg, VA (703) 777-1665
Coming to Town in February!
BALLYHOO!
CARBON LEAF
JOHN 5
CREED FISHER
2/10 - DOORS: 7PM
2/19 5 OORS - DOORS: 7:00PM 7PM 2
2/16 - DOORS: 7PM
2/22 - DOORS: 7PM
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FEBRUARY 2024
Sohale Photography
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Favorites in Loudoun’s winery and brewery scene, Summer Drake and Eric Chandler began their musical collaboration in an elementary school hallway.
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.
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ON STAGE Three of Loudoun’s big band ensembles will take the stage at Old Ox Brewery this month for a jazz showcase.
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WINE Loudoun’s winemakers are looking to the hills of Uruguay for lessons that will continue to boost the quality of their work.
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HAPPENINGS Storyteller Sheila Arnold leads a Valentine’s week exploration of love through stories, skits, poetry and song at the Franklin Park Arts Center.
CONTRIBUTORS Dana Armstrong Norman K. Styer ON THE COVER Photo by Norman K. Styer A classic Farmall H is featured in the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum’s display featuring the Legard family, who farmed in the county for more than 100 years. TO ADVERTISE Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com
FEBRUARY 2024
TUNES Summer and Eric began signing together in an elementary school hallway. Today, they are in-demand performers in Loudoun’s live music scene.
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DESTINATIONS Take a step back in time to explore the roots of Loudoun’s agriculture industry and lifestyle at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum.
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BEST BETS Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for Feburary.
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Fabulous February: Kindra Dionne’s Guide to Commemorate This Holiday-Filled Month
BY DOUGLAS ROGERS
Contrary to what most people think, February might well be the most fabulous month. Sure, it’s cold, dark and wet, but from Galentine’s Day and Valentine’s Day to Mardi Gras and National Margarita Day all wrapped up in Black History Month, it’s also a time of love, fun, friendship and celebration. To guide us through the best way to enjoy February, we asked Kindra Dionne, owner of Fifty-Leven, the first black-owned wine company in Loudoun, about her perfect month. She didn’t disappoint. “For Galentine’s Day (Tuesday Feb. 13) me and my girlfriends will go to Precious Nail Salon in Leesburg. Their Bomb Spa Pedi ($65) is incredible. We are all French 75 connoisseurs so after that we’ll go to Bourbon Bayou Kitchen in Ashburn, which has the best champagne cocktails in town. The bar is so chill and the staff are amazing.” February the 13 also happens to be Mardi Gras 4
but that won’t interfere with Kindra’s girl’s day out. “Breaux Vineyards in Hillsboro has hands down the best Mardi Gras experience in Loudoun” and fortunately the Breaux family—Cajuns from Louisiana—are holding the event four days earlier, on Feb. 10. Titled Samedi Gras, enjoy live music, parade beads, king cake, a costume contest, Breaux wines and Cajun cuisine from the Jambalaya Man and Nanny’s Louisiana Kitchen. Come Valentine’s Day – Feb. 14 – Kindra recommends slowing down. “I would start with a massage at the Woodhouse Day Spa in the Village at Leesburg and then pop over for some comfort food at First Watch. Order the turkey, gravy, biscuits and a cup of hot cocoa. The best.” For the ultimate romantic dinner experience, though, she suggests staying home. “Loudoun has amazing personal chefs and Daniella Williams from Cucinamore is one of the best. She makes an Italian dinner in your own
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home and teaches you the art of Italian cooking while she does it.” As for wine for the evening, order a bottle of Kindra’s Fifty-Leven. National Margarita Day follows Feb. 22 and Kindra has no doubt where she’s going. “Los Tios in Leesburg makes the best. They are huge. Try the blackberry and mango margarita—the Matrimonio.” As for Black History Month, Loudoun is full of surprises. “I love that Black history in Loudoun is so rich. Take a stroll down Market Street in Leesburg to the courthouse and the bricks are marked with excerpts from MLK’s speeches. The Thomas Balch Library is a beautiful repository of information on Black history. Then there are all the local Black businesses to support—Johnny Ray’s Soul Food, Elevation Cakes & Sweets, Dennis Stanley’s Chantel’s Bakery, Londa’s Laboratory, a catering business Yolanda Latimer started during Covid. There is so just much.” Happy February everyone – and enjoy the celebrations.
FEBRUARY 2024
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TUNES
Jennifer M. Becker Photography
Summer & Eric’s Musical Metamorphosis BY DANA ARMSTRONG
For friends and Americana/folk musical collaborators Summer Drake and Eric Chandler the past four years of gigging around Loudoun County has meant countless opportunities to create meaningful moments for their audiences. During one brewery gig, the duo learned a couple’s wedding song on the spot for them to dance to. At a winery, a music buff whipped out pink, star sunglasses after hearing the first strums of “Rocketman.” And one summer day, they sang “Happy Birthday” to a 100-year-old World War II veteran. The man’s daughter taught them a couple of lines of Polish to make the serenade even more special. But long before creating all those moments, the two were making a positive influence in another way: as elementary school teachers. Summer and Eric, as they are known on the music circuit, first crossed paths at Mountain View Elementary School in Purcellville, where they had neighboring classrooms. “Eric would bring his guitar to school, and at the end of the school day, I would hear him out in the hallway playing guitar. My music, it was 6
reawakened. I would come out and say, ‘Oh my gosh, what are you doing?’ And we would start harmonizing and singing,” Drake said. When Drake first transitioned into elementary teaching, she thought her singing days were behind her. She grew up in Sterling and CountrySide, and her early hobbies included singing and playing the saxophone and piano. After college, she moved to New York City to continue studying singing and acting and landed a job with a children’s musical on the West Coast. In that role, she performed around 20 shows weekly at different elementary schools. “My favorite part was when teachers invited us back into their classrooms … but then we would get back in our tour bus and leave. I just thought, I kind of want to still be there with the kids and hang out with them. So, the stage was losing its appeal at that point.” She went back to school to earn her teaching license and spent the next 23 years in elementary teaching, which led her to her fateful encounter with fellow teacher Eric Chandler. “From the moment we sang together for the first time in the school hallway, I just liked how
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our voices sounded together,” Chandler said. Eric’s introduction to music was through playing trumpet from grade school through high school in Buckhannon, WV. But it wasn’t until later in life that his brother would help him unlock his true passion for music. “My brother took up [the guitar] around 1998/1999. He taught himself. Within a few months, he could play it perfectly, and he had never done anything musical ever,” said Eric. “I think the sibling rivalry, competitive part of me thought, well if my brother can do it, then I certainly can. So, I had him teach me. We would spend hours on the phone—because he was in North Carolina, I was in Winchester [at the time]—just going back and forth. He’s teaching me songs and coming up with parts, and we started writing our own lyrics.” Around the same time, Chandler started his career as an elementary school teacher. Years later, when he was teaching at D.G. Cooley Elementary School in Clarke County, a fellow teacher learned about his songwriting and suggested incorporating music into the classroom. Over time, Chandler’s students would return home singing songs about Virginia’s watersheds, counting by twos, ancient China’s inventions, and more. He even launched a YouTube channel with his original children’s songs, racking up thousands of views. Summer & Eric’s first performances would be for school assemblies and the morning announcements. Although they wanted to explore other musical genres, life was busy. Drake stopped teaching to become a full-time stay-at-home mom. And outside of the classroom, Chandler had his own family to tend to. Like many others, the two finally found that time during the initial COVID shutdowns. Summer & Eric started practicing together—albeit on separate sides of an open-air garage—and learning songs outside of the children’s repertoire. Just as they remembered, their voices synched perfectly. They even describe themselves as “musical soulmates” with a sibling-style relationship. “Now that [my brother is] gone, I tell Summer ‘You’ve kind of taken his place.’ Having someone who thinks like you, gets your sense of humor, and likes the same kind of music—there was something like a hole that happened in my heart because my brother died. Then I meet her and FEBRUARY 2024
she kind of fills that hole of being able to do that,” Chandler said. The success of performing their first open night at MacDowell’s Beach in Leesburg eventually led to regular gigs at Coach’s Corner in Purcellville, Harvest Gap in Hillsboro, and beyond. Now, they play around 100 shows a year performing cover songs and originals. The signatures of Summer & Eric are their powerful, tight, and syncopated harmonies and full-band sound, despite being a duo. Chandler strums guitar and sings while Drake takes on singing and percussion—including the stomp pedal, tambourine, and cajon. They compare their music’s rhythmic, acoustic quality to one of their biggest influences, The Lumineers. “When you go play at a [brewery or winery] a lot of the times people want to hear something they’re familiar with. We try to still provide that. But we try to do it in a way that maybe they haven’t heard before. Like the words and the tune is somewhat familiar but it’s not going to be in the way that they hear it on the radio,” Chandler said. That’s the case for Summer & Eric’s first recorded cover, an acoustic Americana spin on Prince’s “Little Red Corvette,” which they recorded at Mixtape Studios in Alexandria. They look forward to expanding their recorded catalog with original songs, including their latest release “Ampersand.” From school hallways to brewery and winery stages and now the recording studio, Summer & Eric feel they’re just getting started in their musical careers. Being able to reawaken their original love for music, especially now that they’re middle-aged, is what they’re most grateful for. “We don’t take it for granted. I mean we don’t know how long this will get to last. But we’ll do it as long as we can. As long as people book us, we’ll keep making music,” Drake said. “I think that’s my favorite line in our original. It says, ‘It’s time to finish my metamorphosis.’ And that’s really where we are right now.” Summer & Eric’s original song “Ampersand” and cover of “Little Red Corvette” are available all major streaming platforms. Follow them on Facebook (Summer and Eric Duo) and Instagram (@summer_and_eric_duo) to stay in the know of their upcoming performances.
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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 FEBRUARY 2024
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
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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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ON STAGE
BATTLE OF THE BIG BANDS PLANNED AT OLD OX The Loudoun Jazz Society has organized the “Battle of the Loudoun Big Bands” to be held Feb. 9 at Old Ox Brewery. The Franklin Park Big Band, Loudoun Jazz Ensemble and Swing Shift perform over six sets from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Performances are Feb. 16-18 and 23-25 at Theatre at Seneca Ridge Middle School in Sterling. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at sterlingplaymakers.org/tickets or at the door.
The origins of the Loudoun Jazz Ensemble and Swing Shift go back to the 1990s and Franklin Park, while the youngest, has been entertaining audiences for more than a decade. They follow in the footsteps of Benny Goodman’s, Count Basie’s, and Duke Ellington’s bands of the 1930s and ’40s. While listeners may be familiar with jazz trios or quartets, the big bands usually have five saxophones, from soprano to baritone; four trombones; five trumpets; and a percussion section of keyboard, bass, guitar and drums. “Old Ox loves supporting local musicians. There’s clearly an audience for jazz in Loudoun County,” said Ox Old president Chris Burns, president. “We’re extremely excited to host three local and very talented jazz groups. We can’t wait to offer a platform to share their music with our community.” Tickets are $18 in advance at loudounjazzsociety.org, and $20 at the door. Student tickets are $10. STERLING PLAYMAKERS PERFORM ‘LAUGHING STOCK’ Tickets are on sale for Sterling Playmakers' production of Charles Morey's “Laughing Stock.” In the words of director Sarah Hardy, the play "pokes fun at the different personality types that are drawn to theater and the too funny it can't be real scenarios we find ourselves in with each production, as well as highlighting the tender moments, the heartwarming times that keeps us crazy theatre folks coming back for more." 10
SYMPHONY PRESENTS ‘TRUTH & TRANSCENDENCE’ The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concerts will celebrate the power of nature to transcend and the irrepressible abilities of the human spirit to find transcendence and truth. It’s part of LSO’s season-long celebration of “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness.” Under the direction of maestro Kim Allen Kluge, “Truth & Transcendence” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb.11 at Independence High School in Ashburn. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and free for children 12 and under. For more details and tickets, go to loudounsymphony.org.
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In your hand, anywhere, anytime. Download the LoudounNow mobile app today from the Apple App or Google Play stores.
FEBRUARY 2024
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WINE
Loudoun Winemakers Look South for Industry Boost BY NORMAN K. STYER
Plans to build a partnership with winemakers in Canelones, Uruguay could help take Loudoun’s wine to a new level. That’s the view of local industry leaders who see strong connections between the two growing regions. The Board of Supervisors last month approved a $100,000 exchange program with the county’s South American sister city, using tax revenue collected on hotel stays that must be used to promote tourism. Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson said Canelones’ grape-growing climate is very similar to Loudoun’s, offering the opportunity for winemakers on both sides of the equator to learn from each other. “There are 16 varietals of wine that are shared between Canelones and Loudoun County,” she said. “Which is remarkable in its own state, but the one that we are most excited about is a relatively obscure grape for the U.S. palate called Tannat. In Loudoun County, we grow 75 tons of Tannat and Tannat happens to be the national grape of Uruguay. And so, it is something that is a logical bridge between these two destinations.” “Tannat can be a differentiating factor for DC’s 12
wine country,” Erickson said. “It is something that we know that people who like the bold reds will come to, to taste an experience.” Ben Sedlins, Loudoun’s 2021 wine grower of the year, has made two trips to Uruguay to work during the harvest season in 2012 and 2018. “There is a lot going on there that we can learn from,” he said. While the soils are different, Uruguay’s heat and humidity are similar to Virginia’s climate, and vineyards there grow many of the same grapes that perform well in Loudoun—Albariño, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng and Tabnat. Tannat is a red wine grape was historically grown in southern France. Today, it is considered the national grape of Uruguay. At least 20 Loudoun vineyards grow Tannat. “It’s an interesting style of wine that can help us,” said Doug Fabbioli, who has won awards for his Fabbioli Cellars’ Tannats. “It’s a hardy, dynamic red.” He sees the potential for Tannat to play a significant role here. Already wine makers like Todd Henkle at Lost Creek Winery are finding success adding Tannat to traditional Bordeaux blends. “It really takes us to another level,” Fabbioli said. Beyond the grapes, he sees value in the handson experience the program’s intern exchange
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can offer to those working to learn the wine business. Under the plans, three to five interns from Loudoun will join during the harvest at Uruguay vineyards in coming weeks and then interns from Uruguay will participate in Loudoun’s harvest this fall. “The best way to learn is in the cellar,” said Fabbioli, who has trained several of today’s Loudoun winemakers who worked with him as interns. The interns who will be part of the exchange program will get experience doing the manual labor in the vineyards and working with winemakers to understand the decisions they make. “The value is pretty strong from an industry standpoint,” Sedlins agreed. The opportunity to work in the vineyards of Uruguay offers the potential for “fabulous growth for people at the beginning of their wine journeys,” he said. And Sedlins said, Uruguay, like Loudoun, is just beginning to build a reputation for producing high-quality wines. “We want to keep getting better,” Fabbioli said. “It’s getting us to another level.”
Now Showing
Ride the Cyclone - Teen Musical Theatre February 3, 9 & 10 at 7:00pm, February 4 & 10 at 2:00pm Abra Cadaver - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre February 4, 18 at StageCoach Theatre Studio in Ashburn February 16 at Belly Love Brewing in Purcellville (no dinner) February 17 at Casanel Winery in Leesburg│February 24 at Oatlands in Leesburg February 25 at C’est Bon by Savoir Fare in Round Hill March 1 at StageCoach Theatre Studio in Ashburn (no dinner) │ From Bond with Love: A 007 Musical Showcase - Cabaret March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 & 24 at 7:00pm I Shot the Sheriff - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at area historical venues, wineries, and breweries March - May
▪ Magic ▪ Improv ▪ Storytelling ▪ And More! All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted. Registration is open for After School Theatre Classes for ages 5 - 19. 20937 Ashburn Road Suites 115 and 120 Ashburn, VA 20147
www.StageCoachTC.com FEBRUARY 2024
571-477-9444
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HAPPENINGS
Storyteller Sheila Arnold Celebrates Love The Franklin Park Arts Center will feature a special program by master storyteller Sheila Arnold on Feb. 10 starting with a reception at 7 p.m. The interactive program will share tales of love through stories, skits, activities, poetry and song. The event also includes a catered dessert reception where celebrating couples will be invited to create a Valentine Message Bottle from the candy bar; to tell the story of how they met in only five words and be serenaded by familiar love songs. Tickets are $20-$30. Suitable only ages 21 years older. Learn more at franklinparkartscenter.org.
will include former Miss Virginia Victoria Chuah, whose brother Luke rides at LTR. “National Velvet” will be shown at 7 p.m. The program is reminiscent of an event hosted by Elizabeth Taylor at the community center in the 1970s to support the equine therapy program, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Tickets are $50 in advance at nvfashionshow. eventbrite.com $75 at the door. Money raised will be used to build a platform for the Surehands lift at Loudoun Therapeutic Riding and to replace and add fencing on the farm as well. Learn more at ltrf.org.
The Hillsboro Hoedown The Town of Hillsboro invites area residents to kick up their heels and have a boot-stompin' good time Saturday, Feb. 17 for a hoedown at the Old Stone School.
LTR Recalls ‘National Velvet’ in Fundraiser Loudoun Therapeutic Riding will host a fashion show and special screening of the 1944 film “National Velvet” on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Middleburg Community Center.
The event features Stay All Night, with all the classic string elements of a bluegrass band, and will be led by caller Bill Wellington who will provide instructions to seasoned square dancers and beginners alike on the floor.
The fundraiser will begin with a reception at 5 p.m. and a fashion show featuring clothes from Middleburg retailers including Highcliffe Clothiers, Zest, Chloe’s and Lost Barrel. Models
All ages and abilities are welcome. The event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $22 at the door.
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Learn more at oldstoneschool.org
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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
FEBRUARY 2024
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DESTINATIONS
Farm Museum Celebrates 20 Years BY NORMAN K. STYER
As the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum enters its third decade, its leaders continue their work to tell the story of the county’s agricultural industry. According to co-founder Bill Harrison, a longtime farmer and county agricultural extension agent, the idea to preserve the history of Loudoun’s farming community began in 1995 as the county was experiencing unprecedented rapid growth. “We all saw what was happening in this county,” Harrison said, who began working in Loudoun in 1963 when the 26,000 residents were outnumbered by cattle and sheep. “We saw what was happening to agriculture and how it was changing. We wanted to make sure that we saved the history and the knowledge of farming. That's why this museum exists.” The museum was incorporated in 1998, construction began in 2000, and the doors opened in the fall of 2003. The museum’s main exhibit hall, now named in Harrison’s honor, features a tapestry that covers the wall depicting the changing nature of Loudoun’s agriculture through centuries, 16
starting with Native Americans clearing the land and then the growth of the wheat, beef cattle, dairy, and orchard industries, and the wineries of today. Harrison recalls his effort to build the wine industry by holding grape-growing classes each spring as part of the Extension Office’s educational programs. “So, I brought our wine growing people in here to help do the education work and you see how the industry has taken off,” Harrison said. “I feel like I had just a little hand in getting that started.”
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Anne Marie Chirieleison, the museum’s director for the past three years, said the project continues to have strong community support. “Sometimes when you come into a museum or an organization, different folks are thinking in different directions. The board might be thinking one thing, the staff might be thinking one thing, and the volunteers might be thinking one thing. I can tell you that here at the farm museum, we are all thinking in the same direction—and there is not a price tag that you can put on that mission,” she said. Exhibits feature the stories of 10 generations of Loudoun farmers and include recreations of a general store—built with materials from the actual Waxpool General Store and Post Office—a one-room schoolhouse, and a country kitchen, along with a blacksmith shop and a collection of tools and equipment from the workhorse era of farming. The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is located at 21668 Heritage Farm Lane inside Claude Moore Park in Sterling. It is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Learn more at heritagefarmmuseum.org. FEBRUARY 2024
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Best Bets
02.08.24 That 1 Guy Thursday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Mike Silverman, the inventor and player of The Magic Pipe, combines elements of classical music with electronica during his one-man concert performance that is equal parts music, technology, science, art and spectacle.
02.09.24 Women in Blues Friday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards thebarnsathamiltonstaion.com Carly Harvey & Mary Shaver, backed by Bad Influence, perform a special show emceed by WPFW’s Elliott Gross.
02.24.24 Jed DuVall as Johnny Cash Saturday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. Two Twisted Posts Winery twotwistedposts.com DuVall returns to Two Twisted to present the sounds and sights of the legendary Man In Black.
02.24.24 Pat McGee & Friends Saturday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Two decades after the release of his first CD, the DMV favorite performs the songs from “From The Wood” as well as other Pat McGee Band favorites. 18
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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
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The Wine Reserve at Waterford
Vanish Farmwoods Brewery
Goosecup
King Street Oyster Bar
Let Your Love Take Flight! Discover your passion for Loudoun’s craft beverage scene this February! Explore local breweries, wineries, distilleries, coffee shops and more. Scan the QR code to craft yourself a taste-filled day!
#DCsWineCountry | #LoveLoudoun | #LoCoAleTrail 20
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