Get Out Loudoun April 2022

APRIL 2022

The Cup Returns

Loudoun Now Your guide to Loudoun’s Entertainment Scene

and

you

thought

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...all there was to do at a winery was to taste.

{ReseRvations Recommended–always fRee} There's taste and so much more!

Saturday, April 9 from 1 - 3 p.m. | Join an exclusive Vines to Wines Tour led by Bill Travis. Enhance your enthusiasm, enjoyment, and appreciation for a good bottle of wine.

AND

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visit our calendar online for our full april listing of musical

Sunday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Meagan Blais, Owner of CharGoaterie & Co. brings you the art of making cheese boards.

performances and events.

Scan to reserve your space on www.exploretock.com/doukeniewinery.

houRs: Tuesday – Friday 12 - 5 p.m.

Saturday + Sunday 11 - 6 p.m.

Monday – Closed

foR ReseRvations go to: www.doukeniewineRy.com Exclusive seating for guests with children and/ or dogs at Adirondack chairs along pond, reservations recommended.

Outside food not allowed

14727 Mountain Road Purcellville, VA (540) 668-6464

www.doukeniewinery.com

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.

ON THE COVER Cana Vineyard’s Melanie Natoli is the first woman winemaker to win the Governor’s Cup. Photo by Norman K. Styer TO ADVERTISE Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com

APRIL 2022

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SPRING BLOOMS The streets of downtown Leesburg will host two celebrations of Spring this month. The Flower and Garden Festival returns to the historic district following a two-year absence.

WINE Cana Vineyard’s Melanie Natoli made history with her 2019 Unité Reserve—the highest scoring wine in the commonwealth this year and winner of the Governor’s Cup.

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GARDEN CELEBRATIONS The Garden Club of Leesburg leads tours of some little-seen private landscapes in town.

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DESTINATIONS Serious golfers and happy hour crowds alike are taking swings at Leesburg newest golf venue.

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HAPPENINGS Join in Loudoun’s largest Easter egg hunt at Ida Lee Park.

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BEST BETS Get Out Loudoun’s picks for April.

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April offers lots of opportunities to the season of renewal, culminating in Leesburg’s Flower and Garden Festival and historic garden tours at month’s end.

Celebrating Mother Earth

BY VISIT LOUDOUN

Friday, April 22 is Earth Day, but why limit your Mother Nature celebrations to a single day?

Spring is here, the sun’s starting to shine and it’s time to get out into the great outdoors.

Fortunately, April in Loudoun has fun Gaia friendly events, activities, and attractions galore.

Firefly Cellars in Hamilton gets things underway April 2 with Petals & Poses, a 45-minute yoga class on the lawn of the winery followed by a floral design workshop hosted by Angela Rabena of Ashburn-based Bloom2U. The ticket includes a glass of wine. You’ll deserve it.

Sticking to the floral and wine theme, on April 24 Casanel Vineyards and Winery hosts a creative “Paint and Sip” experience. Sit in beautiful spring sunshine at the winery and get instructions on painting wildflowers and leaves on a wine glass, which you then take home with you. After you’ve christened it with a pour of the award-winning 2017 Petit Verdot that is.

It's a big month for flowers.

The 32nd annual Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival takes place April 23-24 in downtown Leesburg. Visit with floral designers, landscapers, garden suppliers and vendors, the latter selling everything from bluebells and cherry blossoms to potted palms and geraniums.

As an adjunct to it, on April 24 and 25, the private gardens of several homes on Cornwall Street, Leesburg will be open to the public as 4

part of the Garden Club of Virginia’s annual Historic Garden Week. The largest “open house” event in America, Garden Week has been going strong since 1929. Guests are invited to dine on King Street afterwards.

For a more active outdoor experience, put your running shoes and pink shirt on and join the Middleburg Cherry Blossom 5K Run and 1 Mile Pooch Prance for Breast Cancer event, also held April 24. The run takes place in and around Middleburg finishing at the Middleburg Community Center with food, drinks, and live music. The Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Foundation raises money for women in Loudoun and neighboring Fauquier County to receive mammograms, biopsies, surgeries, and other cancer treatments.

Of course, any eco-celebration should include animals.

The Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy hosts numerous birding excursions in April including Birding Banshee on April 9 through Banshee Reeks Nature Reserve. But you don’t need an organized event to enjoy wildlife and wilderness.

Hikers will love the plants, deer herds and Potomac River views of Red Rock Wilderness Overlook Regional Park, while 68-acre Rust Sanctuary just a short drive west of historic downtown Leesburg has abundant fauna and birdlife along its forest trails.

Happy Earth Month!

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APRIL 2022

@georgesmillcheese

Hold baby goats at George’s Mill Farm

Morven Park

Stroll through Morven Park

@blooms2u

Try Petals & Poses at Firefly Cellars

@pics.by.greg

Hike to Bear’s Den Overlook

Spring has Sprung in Loudoun Find your happy place with Mother Nature this Earth Month. Scan the QR code for events and ideas!

#DCsWineCountry | #LoveLoudoun | #LoCoAleTrail APRIL 2022

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Vendors at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival offer everything from striking garden art to hard-to-find plant varieties.

Flower & Garden Festival Returns Downtown For three decades Leesburg’s annual Flower & Garden Festival has performed double duty as Loudoun’s premiere celebration of spring’s arrival and its largest tourism event.

After the pandemic forced the cancelation of the festival in 2020 and a scaled-down version last year, the town is preparing to welcome its typical crowd of 20,000 to 30,000 visitors to the downtown historic district April 23-24.

More than 125 vendors will fill the streets with seasonal blooms, herbs, gardening supplies, outdoor furniture, and more.

In addition to the exhibits, festival goers can enjoy music, entertainment and activities for the kids, a rooftop beer garden, and festival foods.

Guests will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite landscape display in the People’s Choice Landscape Competition. Ballots can be picked up at the Gazebo or at the landscaper’s display. Completed ballots should be placed in the birdhouse at the Gazebo by noon on Sunday so that the winner can be announced that afternoon.

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Portions of King, Market, and Cornwall Streets will be closed for the event, however parking will be available in the Town Hall parking garage using the Loudoun Street entrance. Additional parking will be available throughout downtown and a free shuttle service, from Ida Lee Park, will run continuously throughout the day.

The Flower & Garden Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, rain or shine. Pets are not permitted.

This year’s presenting sponsor is Loudoun Medical Group. Other festival sponsors include C2 Operations, Country Buick GMC, Heartland Foods, Kitchen Saver, LeafGuard, Loudoun Now, McLean Mortgage Corporation, Mountcastle Medical Spa and Laser Center, Polaris Financial Strategies Group, Power Home Remodeling, Washington Gardener and Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. For more information, call Ida Lee Park Recreation Center at 703-777-1368 or go to flowerandgarden.org.

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APRIL 2022

APRIL 2022

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WINE

Photo by Norman K. Styer

Winemaker Melanie Natoli and Cana Vineyards co-owner Lisa Petty display the Governor’s Cup and the top-winning Virginia wine, their 2019 signature estate 2019 Unité Reserve

Governor’s Cup Returns to Loudoun: Cana’s Natoli Takes Top Wine Award

BY NORMAN K. STYER

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or the third time in five years, a Loudoun County winery has earned the top prize in the Governor’s Cup competition.

During the annual event in Richmond last week, Gov. Glenn Youngkin presented the award to Melanie Natoli of Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg for her 2019 Unité Reserve. The estate red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was selected as the top entry among 615 wines submitted by more than 100 Virginia wineries.

Natoli is the first woman winemaker to win the cup in the 40 years of the competition.

Three other Loudoun wines ranked among the top 12 in the competition—taking slots in the Governor’s Case. Also selected were Cana’s 8

2019 Le Mariage, 50 West Vineyards’ 2019 Ashby Gap, and Maggie Malick Wine Caves’ 2020 Albariño.

Overall, 20 Loudoun wineries took more than 100 medals during this year’s competition. The Barns at Hamilton Station led the pack with four of the 16 gold medals awarded to 10 local wineries.

The New Jersey native Natoli came to Virginia to work as a physical therapist, but with a budding interest in wine discovered while earning her master’s degree in at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

“Wine is something that I was never exposed to when I was younger. It wasn’t around. It wasn’t in the region. It wasn’t on the table. My family didn’t drink it,” she said.

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APRIL 2022

BEST BETS

In college she began reading more about it and taking some classes with an eye toward taking a deeper dive into the industry in retirement. But just five years into her PT work, the passion for wine took a stronger pull.

While she liked her work, “I just found something I love more,” she said. “It just got to a point where I couldn’t ignore it.”

She took a job working a tasting room on weekends and then started working parttime as an intern and apprentice under Doug Fabbioli at Fabbioli Cellars north of Leesburg.

Today, Fabbioli is known as one of the most influential leaders of Loudoun’s wine industry. When Natoli joined his operation in 2009, Fabbioli’s winery was undergoing rapid growth.

“When I first started there, it was just a row of barrels in his basement,” she said.

By the time she left Fabbioli following the 2013 harvest, she was working as the assistant winemaker.

She joined Cana Vineyard as winemaker and vineyard manager in 2015, three years after the Bell family began transforming a portion of the 43-acre hay farm into a vineyard.

Lisa and Bryce Petty, native Northern Virginians with a passion for agriculture, purchased the property in 2018. They witnessed the conversion of farmland to housing developments over the years. “A winery was something we had in the back of our minds for a long time,” Lisa Petty said. “It has been a really fun experience.

It’s been really cool.”

Cana Vineyard’s 2019 Unité Reserve earned the highest average score from the panel of judges that evaluated the wines based on appearance, aroma, flavor, commercial suitability, and overall quality.

All entries must be made from 100% Virginia-grown fruit to be eligible.

The grapes used in Natoli’s top-winning GOVENOR’S CUP

APRIL 2022

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We don’t want to be called the ‘next Napa.’

We’re Virginia.

In the Case Looking for the best wines in Virginia? Here are the 2022 Governor’s Case selections, including four wines you can find at Loudoun tasting rooms: • Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg 2019 Unité Reserve, 2019 Le Meriage • 50 West Vineyards 2019 Ashby Gap • Barboursville Vineyards 2020 Vermentino Reserve • Maggie Malick Wine Caves 2020 Albariño • Michael Shaps Winery 2019 Chardonnay • Pollak Vineyards 2017 Meritage • Rockbridge Vineyard 2018 V d'Or • Shenandoah Vineyards 2019 Reserve Red • Stinson Vineyards 2017 Meritage • Trump Winery 2015 Brut Reserve • Wisdom Oak Winery 2019 NINETEEN For more information about the Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition and a complete list of winners, go to virginiawine.org/governors-cup

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GOVENOR’S CUP

wine were all grown on Cana’s hillside just east of Middleburg. As an estate wine made with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot grapes, she said the blend naturally is different each year.

But she knew 2019 was special.

“The blend on this vintage, the 2019, the vineyard did it. I didn’t do it,” she said. “I grew the grapes, but the blend is the vineyard and it is because there was so little of it.”

The 2019 vintage generated great fruit, but in lower quantities as the weakened vines recovered from the challenging 2018 growing season. She fermented the Cabernet Franc and Merlot together and the later harvesting petit Verdot separately. However, because there was so little fruit, she pressed and aged all three together in new French oak barrels.

Having a Loudoun winery again win the cup is celebrated as a confirmation of the high quality the county’s winemakers strive for.

“I am so proud to bring it to Loudoun. I got lots of messages real quick from lots of Loudoun County winemakers happy to see it come home,” she said. “We believe in what we’re doing up here, so it is nice.”

The commitment to make top-quality wines is critical as the industry continues to grow.

“We want someone who goes into a tasting room whether it is up here or anywhere in the state to get something fantastic no matter where they are,” Natoli said. “We are proud of our Virginia wines, so we want them to be Virginia. We don’t want to be called the ‘next Napa.’ We’re Virginia.”

Typically, they would age separately before deciding on the blend. “This time it was like you guys are all going together because that is all I have,” she said. “We only put up 70 cases— that’s all I had from those three red grapes.”

“It’s a spectacular wine,” Petty said. “I think there is a lot of depth and complexity to it. You can taste all the different pieces.”

Antiques... Food & Wine... ART!

“2019 was great. Things got riper. Flavors developed in places that they can’t always hit,” Natoli said.

However, because of the limited quantity, the medal count isn’t likely to grow for the 2019 Unité Reserve. Entering it in other competitions is unlikely.

But if there is an accolade to win, Natoli said the Governor’s Cup it is. She had never won a gold medal in the competition before, but got her first two this year.

“The Governor’s Cup for us in Virginia is our most important competition. You’ll see all the wineries around the state, if they don’t enter anything else, they enter that. And we put our best wines in that because we want them to show well,” she said.

Previous cup winners in Loudoun were the Barns at Hamilton Station’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon in 2017 and 868 Estate Vineyards’ 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito in 2020.

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Laundry Light by Tara Will

GOL

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APRIL 2022

APRIL 2022

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WINERIES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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

10 Bozzo Family Vineyards

19 Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery

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35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 John Mosby Hwy., Middleburg canavineyards.com Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie chrysaliswine.com Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com Crushed Cellars 37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville crushedcellars.com Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

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18195 Dry Mill Rd., Leesburg drymillwine.com Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com Firefly Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com Hidden Brook Winery 43301 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg hiddenbrookwinery.com

28 Hiddencroft Vineyards

34 Stonehouse Meadery

40 Village Winery

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12202 Axline Rd., Lovettsville hiddencroftvineyards.com Lost Creek Winery 43285 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg lostcreekwinery.com Maggie Malick Wine Caves 12138 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro maggiemalickwinecaves.com Old Farm Winery 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com Otium Cellars 18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com Stone Tower Winery 19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., L’burg stonetowerwinery.com

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36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com Sunset Hills Vineyard 38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com Tarara Winery 13648 Tarara Ln, Leesburg tarara.com Terra Nebulo 39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com Three Creeks Winery 18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com

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40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com Willowcroft Farm Vineyards 38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com Walsh Family Wine 16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com Williams Gap Vineyards 35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com

BREWERIES 1 Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com

2 B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com

3 Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com

4 Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com

5 Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

6 Beltway Brewing Company 22620 Davis Dr. Ste 110, Sterling beltwaybrewco.com

7 Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com

8 Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com

9 Crooked Run Brewing Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com

10 Crooked Run Brewing Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

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

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

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

14 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com 15 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap

16 House 6 Brewing 4427 Atwater Dr., Ashburn house6brewing.com

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

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

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

20 Ocelot Brewing Company

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

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

23 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA

24 Phase 2 Brewing 19382 Diamond Lake Dr, Lansdowne Phase2Brewing.com

25 Rocket Frog Brewing Company 22560 Glenn Dr. #103, Sterling rocketfrogbeer.com

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

27 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

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

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

30 Wheatland Springs Farm 38454 John Wolford Rd., Waterford

23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com

BREWERIES & WINERIES 1 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com

2 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com

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

Contributed

The central formal garden at 211 Cornwall St. follows a tranquil white and green color palette with peonies, hydrangea, white lavender, and roses.

Historic Garden Week: EXPLORING CORNWALL STREET

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or one week each April, the Garden Club of Virginia invites the public to tour inspired private landscapes, public gardens and historic sites across the commonwealth, this year offering 28 tours organized by 48 member clubs located from the foothills of the Shenandoah Valley all the way to the beaches of Tidewater.

Locally, the Leesburg Garden Club is organizing a tour of several special spaces along Cornwall Street in the historic district on Sunday, April 24 and Monday, April 25. Tour tickets are $40 in advance and $50 for day-of purchase.

The St. James' Episcopal Church, at 14 Cornwall St., will serve as the headquarters for the tour. The church traces its history to the early 1700s in Loudoun County. This Richardsonian Romanesque structure, built in 1897, was designed by Washington, DC, architect Leon E. Dessez. The sanctuary is illuminated by two signed Tiffany windows, in addition to several windows from the Heaton Firm, in England. The building was damaged by fire in 1929 and was rebuilt in 1931, according to its original design.

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The flag of General George C. Marshall hangs above the pew where he regularly worshiped.

21 Wirt St.: This 1894 Queen Anne-style house has been modernized over the years by the current owners, who are only the fifth family to own the property. The gardens are filled with spring bulbs and perennials, including mature tree peonies and weigelia. Several types of coral bells are used in the garden. The rear yard is framed by mature American boxwood and viburnum, creating a hedge for privacy.

Flowering fruit trees, a vegetable garden, a small fishpond garden, statues and arbors are some of the additional treasures in the rear and side yards.

209 Cornwall St.: The Colonial Revival home, designed by Joanne Tiffany, was built in 1950. It was constructed on the foundation of an early 19th century residence, and later used as the Black Cat Ordinary, which was destroyed by fire in 1948. The property was previously owned by Burr Powell Harrison, Jr., a renowned champion of historic and environmental preservation, and his wife, Agnes Harrison, founder of Keep Loudoun Beautiful, member of the Leesburg and Fauquier-Loudoun garden clubs, and a board

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GARDEN WEEK

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APRIL 2022

GARDEN WEEK

member of the Garden Club of Virginia. Three large cisterns are buried beneath the rain garden to collect stormwater for irrigation. The lot features mature trees, Japanese holly, Chinese snowball viburnum and climbing roses. A row of 165-year-old boxwoods anchors the back of the property. Dogwoods, Amelanchier, hellebores, daffodils and tulips provide springtime blooms.

The gardens feature lavender, phlox, liatris, cardinal flower, and aromatic asters.

211 Cornwall St.: The original 2-1/2 story brick section was constructed in 1788. The yard is organized according to four “rooms” delineated by ornamental trees, boxwoods, and yew hedges. The side yard, framed with hellebores, star magnolia, dogwoods, and hydrangeas, draws visitors back toward the second area bounded by the back porch, fountains, crabapple trees and a potting shed. The central formal garden follows a tranquil white and green color palette with peonies, hydrangea, white lavender, and roses. A fourth room contains raised beds for vegetables, a cutting garden for seasonal flowers and a workshop.

215 Cornwall St.: The original portion of this Federal-style brick home was built in 1824 and included a front parlor, side hall with stairs leading to a second-floor bedroom, and a detached brick kitchen. 19th and 20th-century expansions include a dining room connecting the main house to the original kitchen, a 1960s wing with a family room and bedrooms, and a guest cottage at the rear of the property.

The current owners converted a rear porch into a breakfast room adjacent to the original kitchen and restored the brick patio designed by acclaimed landscape architect M. Meade Palmer.

The gardens include boxwood, spring bulbs, and flowering trees.

Tickets are available at Visit Loudoun and the George C. Marshall International Center or by mail before April 12 to the Leesburg Garden Club, PO Box 2006, Leesburg, VA 20177.

Proceeds from the tour fund the restoration and preservation of Virginia's historic gardens and provide graduate level research fellowships for building comprehensive and ongoing records of historic gardens and landscapes in the Commonwealth and support the mission of the Garden Club of Virginia.

Now Showing Death of a Time-Traveler - Murder Mystery Dinner April 2 & 9 at Oatlands in Leesburg

Something Different - Children’s Fairy Tales & Folklore April 2 at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn

Come N’Get Some Anja! - One-Woman Comedy Drag Show April 23 at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn

Mr. Lorah’s Classroom - Long-Form Improv Farewell Performance!

April 29 at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn

Painting Churches - Staged Comedic Drama May 6 - 21 at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn

PLUS montly Magic and Improv Shows Check out more upcoming shows on our website!

20937 Ashburn Road Suites 115 and 120 Ashburn, VA 20147

www.StageCoachTC.com APRIL 2022

571-477-9444

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DESTINATIONS Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Tap In General Manager Adam Fridy takes a swing on St. Andrews Links course at the new Leesburg indoor golf and entertainment venue.

New On The Scene: Tap In Leesburg

BY NORMAN K. STYER

A

new golf venue opened in Leesburg last month, offering customers the opportunity to take a swing on some of the challenging courses across the country and around the world.

Located in Leesburg’s Virginia Village shopping center, the business is expected to attract a blend of friends gathering for a social evening out and hard-core golfers seeking to lower their handicaps. The center’s seven bays of state-ofthe-art Trackman golf simulators can address both of those groups and more.

In rolling out the new venture, Virginia Village owner Brian Cullen is drawing on his experience launching the Ashburn Ice House decades ago.

He sees the business opening with a “public skate” approach, with groups coming in for 16

hourly rentals to shoot a round of virtual golf at one of 143 courses available in the library—from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews—and enjoy a beer and a burger.

In the months ahead, the program will expand with golf leagues, instructional clinics, and summer camps.

And while the space is well suited to the happy hour crowd, corporate team-building events and birthday parties, Cullen sees the simulator technology as a big attraction for serious golfers who want to hone their game—ranging from extra practice to sophisticated swing analysis— and for newbies interested in learning the sport.

Tap In is located at 38-E Catoctin Circle in Leesburg. Learn more at tapinleesburg.com.

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nstyer@loudounnow.com APRIL 2022

Tickets Available at:

WWW.TALLYHOTHEATER.COM 19 W Market St, Leesburg, VA (703) 777-1665

Coming to Town this April!

TWO SHOWS!

COMEDY NIGHT IN LEESBURG PRESENTED BY DC IMPROV

TAB BENOIT

4/9 - 6:30PM & 9:00PM

4/7 - 7:00PM

FOZZY W/GOLD FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH, KRASHKARMA, THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR

FIREHOUSE

4/18 - 7:00PM

4/29 - 7:00PM

HAPPENINGS

THE GREAT EGG HUNT Hundreds of youngsters will gather at Leesburg’s Ida Lee Park on Saturday, April 9 to join in the county’s largest Easter egg hunt.

The event is open to children ages 1-6, with hunts scheduled by age group. Each participant will receive a collection bag at the beginning and a treat bag at the conclusion of the hunt.

There is a $10 fee and preregistration is required. Learn more at idalee.org.

EARTH DAY AT FRANKLIN PARK On Saturday, April 23, residents of all ages are invited to Franklin Park to learn about environmental and conservation topics. As part of the Earth Day activities, the park will host a mini farmer’s market, feature music from a DJ, and offer lots of tips on living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Admission is free. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For details, go to franklinpartartscenter.com.

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APRIL 2022

Check out

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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Tab Benoit

BEST BETS

04.07

Ronnie and Rob McCoury bring their traditional Bluegrass back to the B Chord stage during a full day of spring break fun and music.

TAB BENOIT Thursday, April 7, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Tab Benoit is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist who has built a 30+ year career on the foundation of his gritty and soulful Delta swamp blues and acquiring a devoted legion of fans along the way.

04.22

THE DIRTY GRASS PLAYERS, FLETCHER’S GROVE AND CRIS JACOBS

04.09 TRAVELIN’ MCCOURYS W/ STRINGUS KAHN

Friday, April 22, 6-10 p.m.

B Chord Brewing Company bchordbrewing.com A night of jam band joy from some regional favorites.

Saturday, April 9, 2-10 p.m.

B Chord Brewing Company bchordbrewing.com 20

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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 over its 260-year history, with an ever-changing selection of special exhibits on Native American settlements, World War II memorabilia, the county’s role in the Civil Wars, along with displays of antique clothing and furniture.

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

* During the COVID-19 pandemic, many venues have limited hours of operations and special requirements such as advance reservations. It is best to call ahead before making your visit.

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BEST BETS

04.30 PURCELLVILLE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL Saturday, April 30, noon to 7 p.m.

Dillon’s Woods/Bush Tabernacle purcellvillemusicandartsfestival.com The free, family-oriented event includes live music and performances on multiple stages, an art show, fun activities, and artisan and food vendors.

MY KID BROTHER Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com After a successful West Coast tour last fall, My Kid Brother returns to their hometown stage.

Find more best bets online at getoutloudoun.com

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