Get Out Loudoun May 2026

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Main-level living homes by Brookfield Residential o er comfort and ease, with villa, garden, and single-family designs featuring personalization options, spacious interiors, and modern finishes for relaxed living and easy entertaining.

Experience the 55+ Active Adult Lifestyle at Hiatt Pointe at Snowden Bridge

Schedule a tour of the decorated models today and take advantage of limited-time

• Villa, Garden, and Single-Family Homes From the Mid $300’s

• Outdoor Swimming Pool and Hot Tub, Outdoor Patio and Kitchen, Gas Fire Table and Seating Areas

• Pickleball and Bocce Ball Courts, Community Clubhouse with Fitness Center and Yoga Studio

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• Minutes from Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment in Downtown Winchester and Nearby Rutherford Crossing Center

Loudoun Now

GET OUT LOUDOUN

Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, & hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music & arts scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.

CONTRIBUTORS

Douglas Rogers

Norman K. Styer

TO ADVERTISE

Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com

ART SCENE

The Leesburg Public Arts Commission is at it again. Check out the new Heart sculptures on exhibit around town.

DESTINATIONS

A team of craftsmen have been busy restoring historic structures at Oatlands. For John Van Vliet, it is a passion project.

TASTES

Brandon Frye’s friends said he made the best crab cakes. With the opening of his third restaurant, diners agree.

TRENDS

Ashburn podcaster finds a growing audience for conversation about a good smoke.

TUNES

Loudoun’s festival season kicks off with 12-band lineup at NOVA MusicFest.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for May.

LoCo Lion Brewery is getting into the spirit of America 250 with the release competing British and Colonial beers this month.

Raising a Glass to Some Revolutionary Beer

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS

Visit Loudoun

Our Founding Fathers were partial to a drink. George Washington distilled whiskey at Mt. Vernon and had a recipe for his own “small beer.” Thomas Jefferson grew grapes and tried to make wine at Monticello. Then there’s the famous story of the 1787 farewell for Washington at City Tavern in Philadelphia, where 55 delegates, including GW, drank more than 100 bottles of wine, liquor and beer just before signing the Constitution. All of which is to say, as we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th, we should do it with a glass in hand.

In Loudoun, home of the LoCo Ale Trail, sev-

eral breweries are going even further. They are making 250th commemoration beers, most of them to be released this month, well in time for the party.

LoCo Lion Brewery in western Loudoun leads the way with the release of two beers on Memorial Day weekend, what they are calling Battle of the Brews: The 1776 face-off. Representing America is the Colonial Cheer Black Lager, a brew enriched with authentic molasses, a key ingredient in Washington’s “small beer” recipe. It will face off against the honey-sweetened British Retreat Wheat Ale, a crisp, refreshing blend of malted wheat and local golden honey, honey being a popular ingredient in colonial times.

“It’s a battle of historical flavors, and we are leaving it to our patrons to decide which side should claim victory,” said Nigel Rourke, who co-founded the 26-acre brewery with his wife Laura Starego. Adding more flavor to the duel is the fact that Rourke is English and Starego American.

Down in Middleburg, the week before Memorial Day, Lost Barrel Brewing will release on tap its own tribute: Revolutionary Ale, an American Wheat Ale made with ingredients that were common in Jefferson’s time. A base of pale malt and malted wheat mixed with flaked maize (corn), it will also contain molasses, an ingredient abundant in the colonies due to trade with the Caribbean.

“The goal is a balanced ale with bready wheat character, subtle molasses complexity and a crisp finish – a glimpse of what a well-made colonial ale might have tasted like,” said brewmaster Chris Suarez.

Over in Waterford, Wheatland Springs Farm + Brewery will release its Liberty Estate

Wheat Ale, a beer made with new types of grain all grown at Wheatland and developed at Virginia Tech.

“Liberty Estate Wheat Ale isn’t a throwback recipe or historical cosplay,” said owner John Branding. “It’s a call to action for what the future of truly local American beer can be.”

On top of these beers, Bear Chase Brewing is doing a limited release of its signature Merica lager in a can with a 250 design and Loudoun distillers Catoctin Creek and Mt Defiance are part of a Virginia-wide collaboration to make a trio of spirits—rum, gin and whiskey—honoring the Commonwealth’s history, craftsmanship and agricultural roots.

We reckon General Washington himself would be pleased.

Cheers and raise a glass to a revolutionary summer!

www.visitloudoun.org

Leesburg: A Town with Heart(s)

Paths Through Time by Lubna Zahid is on display on the Town Green.

After a year of work, the latest initiative of Leesburg’s Commission on Public Art is on display at locations around town.

The “A Town with Heart” project, conceived by The Global Local owner Tyra Flynn, features 10 heart sculptures painted by area artists. Each one highlights different imagery of life in Leesburg.

Commission Chair Jeanette Ward said selecting which 10 proposals to select for the project was difficult.

“Over a year ago, we had this idea, [Flynn] had this idea, to really celebrate Leesburg and all the things that people love about the town. So, we started putting wheels into motion. We got so many submissions from our call to artists and just such beautiful works of art,” she said. “They are just so individual to what everyone really sees in Leesburg and what makes it special.”

Mayor Kelly Burk said each work tells its own

story about living in Leesburg.

“Thank you for the talented artists whose vision, time and creativity brought this project to life. Your work will inspire residents and visitors for years to come,” Burk said. “These hearts are more than works of art. They are symbols of connection, creativity and pride we all share in Leesburg, our home.”

The works were created by Lubna Zahid, Alexia Friedland, Frank Ballato, Sabina Puppo, Andy Haas Schneider, Meaghen Flynn, Danielle Ferrin, Elizabeth Halliday, Alison Cromwell and Kebao Li.

They are on display at the Town Green, Leesburg Executive Airport, the western intersection of Market and Loudoun streets, Olde Isaak Walton Park, the intersection of Harrison and Loudoun streets, Eytopia, Balch Library, The Global Local, the Ide Lee Park tennis bubble and Leesburg Premium Outlets.

Learn more at leesburgva.gov/publicart.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE AMERICANA

The Loudoun County Art Advisory Committee and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services this month present “Red, White and Blue Americana,” an exhibition of more than 10 Loudoun County artists.

At the heart of the exhibition is the idea that our country’s strength comes from the many kinds of people who call America home, each contributing to their own traditions, experiences, and hopes for the future. The artists celebrate a nation that continues to grow more resilient as they welcome different voices and backgrounds, united by a shared belief in freedom and the promise of a better tomorrow. This exhibition encourages visitors to reflect on how far the nation has come in 250 years and to imagine how, by standing together, we can

shape the next chapter of the American story.

“Red, White, and Blue Americana” will be on display through May 29 at Gallery One, located in the lobby of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St. SE in Leesburg.

The public is invited to view the work Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

‘PLACES IN MY HEART’ AT BYRNE GALLERY

The Byrne Gallery in Middleburg this month features “Places in My Heart,” an exhibit celebrating spring through landscapes by five artists.

Works by Craig Arnold, Laura Bollettino, Katie Flack, Tobin Karicher, and Anne Stine will take visitors on a journey through the season of

The portico of the Oatlands mansion is undergoing a major restoration as the rotting Corinthian columns were replaced by carefully crafted replicas.

DESTINATIONS

A Nurturing Process

The Craftsmanship Of Historic Preservation at Oatlands

NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

When visitors tour Oatlands this year, they’ll undoubtedly take in the grandeur of the estate’s iconic mansion and visit the historic greenhouse just down the lane.

While strolling through time into the world of Virginia’s landed gentry, they may not notice the recently completed repairs that have been executed on the structures—among several carefully crafted restoration projects happening around the property since the National Trust for Historic Preservation took over control of operations two years ago.

Executing the work is a team of old-school woodwrights from Shenandoah Planing Mill near Charles Town, WV.

The Trust first called in John Van Vliet and his team in 2024 to replace the rotting

balustrade around the mansion’s front lawn and the Victorian fence around the terraced garden.

This winter, they’ve been busy with two other projects.

THE GREENHOUSE

The small stone and glass building is historic in its own right, believed to be the second oldest propagation greenhouse in the United States.

Lori Kimball, Oatland’s senior manager of programs and education, said the greenhouse was one of the first buildings constructed on the plantation by George Carter, with work likely starting around 1810. It was built along the entrance to the estate—not to be missed by visitors.

“During Carter’s time, it was a symbol of his

wealth and status,” Kimball said. “But it also was a place during the winter months to be able to grow fruit. From some of the records that we have, he was buying what back then would have been called exotic plants and that was kind of a craze for rich people, mostly men, as a hobby.”

But after two centuries, deterioration, wood rot and broken pieces prompted a restoration project.

It wasn’t the first restoration for the greenhouse. It was badly damaged by a fire in the 1850s. And there was a renovation of some sort a few decades ago that introduced some non-historical alterations.

model was lost in a flood.

“I think it was Number 13 that was the project number for Lord & Burnham, which was an early one,” he said. The original details remain, including the sunburst window that was standard for the builder, and the venting system with hardware was part of the assembling package.

“There’d been a previous restoration, and it had just seen a lot of decay and rot—the window sashes and the bottom rails were rotted out from just time. They have an expected life, and it’s certainly been past that. But we did have enough detail to take them and replicate them exactly as they were built,” Van Vliet said.

The restored door at Oatland’s historic propagation greenhouse features the starburst window that is a signature of Lord and Burnham designs.

Van Vliet’s approach to the project started with a search for the original plans.

The greenhouse was a model from Lord & Burnham, known for building iconic, largescale Victorian-era conservatories. The company’s records are housed in the New York Botanical Garden’s Mertz Library, but Van Vliet found the documentation for Oatland’s

The restoration started with research.

“That’s really our work. We call it a kind of a forensic deconstruction. What was there? How did it work? We do a little homework back with Lord & Burnham and having such a prominent name we find a lot of history, and we could find this same detail in their catalogs … and then replicate it to scale,” Van Vliet said.

They mostly craft pieces with sapele, a tropical wood that replicates the density of trees harvested from the slow-growth virgin forests of colonial times. “It grows to that type of density in its environment now, and it mills well, and it ages well,” he said.

The team also replicated the original joinery, using only bronze or brass hardware to avoid iron rot.

“That’s really our passion,” he said of the ef-

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DESTINATIONS FROM PAGE 9

fort to revive the tradition of a pre-industrial age planing mill.

“You would have a local sawyer who might saw wood, and a carpenter might come out and take that sawn wood straight from the mill,” he said. “But back in the 1850s, at the beginning of what became the industrial age, the planing mill was a place to build a home. You would buy your two-by-fours, your windows, your trim, your lathe, and all of the kind of components of a home, and then it would be brought to the site and built.”

“As we got to the postwar era and the industrial age came on, you got more into the lumber yard-type of business model,” he said.

THE COLUMNS

K.

John Van Vliet stands next to the 60-foot lathe constructed at his Shenandoah Planing Mill to form new columns for the Oatland mansion portico.

doesn’t have the fluting and the emphasis, the details and everything else that is so unique to these,” Van Vliet said.

That craftsmanship was put to a greater test when Shenandoah was next contracted to replace the mansion’s six Corinthian portico columns, which had rotting bases.

The project started with the design and construction of a 30-foot lathe at the company’s Charles Town shop, which was already a woodworker’s Disney World filled with tools and machines used in the industry for more than a century.

“It takes a little ingenuity, a little faith, and some engineering,” Van Vliet said of building a new lathe to add into the mix.

The original columns are virgin white oak logs clad in decorative trim and topped with Corinthian capitals made from 44 handcarved pieces.

Shenandoah replicated that wood-core design.

“In today’s world, you would have a steel column encased with a fiberglass reinforced panel that was cast in a mold. But that

In the new columns, the wood core is encased in 12-sided staves, a barrel-like construction.

They were then turned—rotisserie-style—on the lathe to create the taper required for Roman columns. That’s another mathematical calculation to determine the transition points as the column narrows from its 22inch base to its 18-inch top.

Over three days of slow turning on the lathe, each 2,000-pound assemblage was shaved down to about 1,700 pounds.

The columns were sealed with dolphinite, a flexible waterproof bedding compound used in shipmaking.

“That’s really where the care and the craft come in. It’s looking at that joinery and really thinking about water, not only migration, but condensation, accumulation, all of those things,” Van Vliet said.

It was a lack of attention to water that led to

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DESTINATIONS FROM PAGE 10

the column replacement, he said.

The columns had been repaired in the 1970s when rotting bases were cut off and new wood blocks were set in. At some point after that, the columns’ weep holes were painted over—trapping moisture inside.

It wasn’t an obvious mistake, going unnoticed for decades and even during a dozen or more inspections by Van Vliet and his crew. One day, he poked around a bit more and pulled a chunk of caulk from a hole. Then a pattern of closed weep holes suddenly became obvious.

“You really have to look at all that stuff and just not just fix it, but really understand the good things and understand the bad things,” he said.

In the new columns, a short piece of rope at the base serves as wick to remove moisture from the interior of the columns. That solution will ably perform that critical function— as long as no one “fixes” it later. “That will be the trick— from here on out don’t paint that. Do not apply paint here,” Van Vliet said.

studies on them, be able to see the marks and the handmade nails and the things that those who were enslaved on the property did, because this is their handiwork, and this is their expertise, and, their craftsmanship,”

Salazar-Porzio said. “Obviously, we want to tell their stories more, and we want to be able to do that through this kind of evidence.”

For Van Vliet, completion of the columns project comes with a mixture of relief and pride.

“I love working with the Trust, because they

The work to remove the columns and put the new ones in place was completed in early April, just as the estate was reopening for tours after the winter break.

Kimball and Oatlands Executive Director

Margaret Salazar-Porzio said that the Oatlands team is eager to spend time with the removed columns to see how they were constructed. Dating back to the 1820s or 1830s, they would have been constructed by enslaved labor from materials collected nearby.

“We’re taking down these 200-year-old columns, and we’ll be able to do some forensic

are passionate. It’s very mission-focused,” he said.

“It’s an honor to be able to be part of it. It comes with a lot of responsibility to make sure it’s right. That’s why when we’re given things, we actually do a pretty deep dive,” he said, recalling the greenhouse research. “All we’re trying to do is to rejuvenate this historic place and keep it alive. It’s a nurturing process.”

Oatlands is located at 20850 Oatlands Planation Lane off Rt. 15 south of Leesburg. It is open for tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Learn more at oatlands.org.

1 50 West Vineyards 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com

2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com

3 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com

4 The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

5 Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com

6 Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com

7 Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com

8 Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com

9 Bozzo Family Vineyards 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com

10 Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg canavineyards.com

11 Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com

12 Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com

13 Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 Little River Turnpike, Aldie chrysaliswine.com

14 Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com

15 Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com

16 Domaine Fortier Vineyards 13235 Miltown Road, Lovettsville domainefortier.com

17 Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

18 Droumavalla Farm Winery 14980 Limestone School Rd., Lucketts droumavalla.com

19 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com

20 Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com

21 Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com

22 Farm de Vine 15960 Short Hill Road, Hillsboro farmdevine.com

23 Firefly Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com

24 Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

25 Good Spirit Farm Winery 35113 Snickersville Turnpike, Round Hill goodspiritfarmva.com

26 Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com

27 Hidden Brook Winery 43301 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg hiddenbrookwinery.com

28 Hiddencroft Vineyards 12202 Axline Rd., Lovettsville hiddencroftvineyards.com

29 Hope Flower Farm & Winery 40905 Stumptown Road, Waterford hopeflowerfarm.com

30 Kalero Vineyard 36140 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro kalerovineyard.com

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 Petit Domaines

37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville thepetitdomaine.com

35 Stone Tower Winery

19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., Leesburg stonetowerwinery.com

36 Sunset Hills Vineyard

38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

37 Terra Nebulo

39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com

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

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

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

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

5 Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com

6 Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

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

8 Dynasty Brewing Company 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com

9 Eleven Eleven Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

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

1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com

2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com

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

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

BREWERIES

11 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com

12 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap

13 Honor Brewing Company 42604 Trade West Dr., Sterling honorbrewing.com

14 Lark Brewing Co. 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com

15 Loco Lion 36577 Hesketts Lane, Hillsboro locolion.com

16 Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 Little River Turnpike, 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

19 Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com

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

1 Henway Hard Cider Company 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont henwayhardcider.com

2 Loudoun Cider House 43376 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg loudounciderhouse.com

3 Mt. Defiance Cider Barn 495 E. Washington St., Middleburg mtdefiance.com

4 Wild Hare Hard Cider Cabin 106 South St., Leesburg wildharecider.com

42 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.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

21 Route 7 Brewing 20051 Riverside Commons PL, Ashburn route7brewing

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

23 Stockyard Brewery 12428 Mountain Road, Lovettsville stockyardbrewery.com

24 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

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

26 Water’s End Brewing 1602 Village Market Blvd SE #120, Leesburg watersendbrewery.com

27 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery 38506 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com

28 Whites Ferry Brewery 42484 Whites Ferry Rd. Leesburg, Va. whitesferrymanor.com

Catoctin Creek Distillery 120 W. Main St. Purcellville catoctincreekdistilling.com 2 Cool Spring Distilling 37871 Nicewarner Lane, Lovettsville coolspringdistillery.com 3 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

4 Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery 495 E. Washington St., Middleburg mtdefiance.com

Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com

Rave Reviews Drive

Frye’s Crab Cake Co. Expansion

NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Brandon Frye got into the restaurant business after friends and family members raved that his crab cakes were the best around.

Soon after opening a second location for his Frye’s Famous Crab Cake Co. eateries in Ashburn last year, the glowing reviews got national attention with a ranking on Chowhound’s best crab cake list.

The Haymarket resident is a dedicated foodie who built a following with his Food Dude USA restaurant reviews.

“I was trying to be the next Guy Fieri for

a while. I filmed, I would say, at least 100 places up and down the East Coast,” he said. While coming close to landing a network deal, in the end executives didn’t see the need for a “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” clone. He put down the camera when COVID hit.

Opening a restaurant wasn’t necessarily a life goal.

“I just love food, OK? Just always loved food,” he said. And I’ve been making crab cakes for a long time and bringing them to family events. Everywhere I took them, people were like, ‘Oh, my God, these are amazing.’”

TASTES FROM PAGE 14

Then while shooting a review at a famed Baltimore crab cake venue, he realized that his recipe might outdo Maryland’s best. He started selling crab cakes on Facebook.

“It just kept getting bigger. I had people coming in my driveway picking up crab cakes. The following Christmas, I probably sold 2,000,” he said.

Then he opened his first restaurant, a carry-out storefront, in Manassas. Last year, he expanded to the Ashburn Eats! Restaurant Plaza along Waxpool Road. This year, he is opening a third location in Gainesville, while also exploring opportunities to offer franchises.

So, what makes a good crab cake?

“Good meat is number one, with not a lot of stuff in it,” he said. “Most people go wrong because they put too much stuff in it— breading, green peppers, all that nonsense. Ours is almost just all meat, for the most part. You’ve got to have a binder. We use mayonnaise and some seasoning. There’s not much to ours.”

Frye said it is not all about the crab meat.

“Our other food’s awesome too. Everything’s homemade, our chicken sandwiches, our shrimp. We use wild-caught seafood. We don’t really do anything cheap,” he said.

Frye’s Famous Crab Cake Co. is located at 44650 Waxpool Road, #100. Learn more at fryescrabcakes.com.

TRENDS

Building a Business with Conversation and a Good Smoke

As a young bank trainee, Stephen Mann was introduced to the world of cigars and bourbon while tagging along with his senior lender mentors on sales calls.

It didn’t take hold right away.

“I was a kid. I didn’t like the taste of bourbon. I couldn’t stand the smell of cigar smoke. It was disgusting. I didn’t want anything to do with it,” he recalled.

That was in 1996. Decades later, cigars and cigar culture are central to his lifestyle—and the foundation for a growing business.

The Ashburn resident runs Stogie Hub, an online boutique for cigar accessories, and is building an audience for his Burn & Learn podcast series.

While a casual smoker for many years, Mann was fully introduced to the cigar community after moving to the West Coast in 2015.

“When I first got to Seattle, it probably took me about three months to get on with Microsoft, but it only took me, like, 30 days to find the private cigar lounge,” he recalled. The club was open 24 hours a day and proved to be an excellent networking site for the job seeker.

Today, he has a much deeper understanding of the business that gets accomplished as colleagues enjoy cigars and cocktails.

“I would say it’s probably second only to the golf course,” he said. “I never really got a strong interest in golf, and then I had a herniated disc, so I never really picked up golf.” But he would join the 19th hole gatherings back at the clubhouse. “A fair amount of work gets done there. I think you’d be surprised. You hear it all the time, but it’s serious, it’s accurate, it’s actually true.”

Turning his appreciation for cigars into a busi-

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TRENDS FROM PAGE 16

ness started with cleaning up things around the house—interesting accessories he had collected in his travels. He built a website to offer them to other aficionados. The inventory included elaborate, limited-edition cigar boxes, cutters, and torches and the like. The site is evolving into a collector’s space for people looking for manufacturer-branded items.

To support the online store, Mann launched a podcast that focuses on the cigar lifestyle. Unintentionally, it has become its own business.

Episodes are mostly recorded in the thirdfloor cigar lounge at the Rebellion Bourbon Bar & Kitchen in downtown Leesburg.

He interviews a variety of guests—tech guys, entrepreneurs, sports figures, lawyers, and more. “Not everyone is focused or has expertise in the cigar arena, but everyone that comes on the podcast has an interest in the cigar lifestyle and will always have a cigar during the conversation,” Mann said.

Burn and Learn?

“The burn part, obviously, is that we’re coming together to share and talk about a great cigar. And the learn part is that, whoever the guest is, we want to spend some time delving into their background and better understanding what it is they’re doing, how they got to where they are, and what we can learn and glean from life lessons from their experiences,” he said.

A favorite guest is Theresa Wessling, the tobacconist at Georgetown Tobacco who is on the board of the Premium Cigar Association. “When she speaks, people really listen,” Mann said.

Mann said the best episode so far featured his 26-year-old daughter and her friend who wanted to learn how to smoke cigars. “So, I made an episode out of it,” he said. “That was the most popular of all the episodes because

TRENDS CONTINUED ON 19

NOVA MusicFest Kicks Off Festival Season

TUNES

The music festival season opens Memorial Day weekend with the return of NOVA MusicFest at 868 Estate Vineyards near Hillsboro on Sunday, May 24.

In its sixth year, the day-long festival features 12 bands and is a fundraiser for Cancer Can Rock. The nonprofit was created by veteran producer Jim Ebert to support musicians with cancer by recording their work.

Several times each year, Ebert and a team of musicians work with artists to their record songs, as well as their words in a video interview. The organization has provided recording sessions to more than 60 artists.

“Jim Ebert is just amazing in terms of the number of artists that they have been able to assist through Cancer Can Rock,” said 868 owner Nancy Deliso. “Some of those are hard to watch without a tissue right next to you.”

The festivals at the winery have raised nearly $100,000 to support Ebert’s work.

In addition to supporting musicians in their cancer journeys, the festival is a destination for music fans from around the region, setting

it apart from other concerts on the local winery circuit.

“I think that the primary way that it’s changed is in attracting new audiences to 868. With NOVA MusicFest, many of the musicians come from Baltimore and Washington, DC. So, they have followings in those areas that come out and discover rural Loudoun County,” she said. “The number of people who’ve never been out this far west, that’s exciting.”

This year’s line-up features 12 bands, kicking off at 11:30 a.m. with Greek & the Freak. Performances continue with Laura Cashman, Summer & Eric, the Juliet Lloyd Band, The 19th Street Band, the Mary Ann Redmond Band, the Eric Scott Band, the Deana Bogart Band, the Melissa Quinn Fox Band, and Scott Kurt performing a Tom Petty tribute. Personal Moose closes out the show with a set starting at 6:50 p.m.

In addition to the music, the festival includes food trucks and vendors offering items including women’s clothing, jewelry, pottery and

TUNES CONTINUED ON 19

TRENDS

FROM PAGE 17

of her generation. She popped reels from that episode on her TikTok, she put it on her Instagram, and that had a ton of views. People really like that.”

He said young people have a curiosity about cigars but are intimidated. “They’re not going to walk into a lounge and ask a lot of questions. So I’m hoping that that episode we did will serve as a platform for them to get a base level of knowledge so that they feel comfortable.”

In fact, young adults, along with women, are driving growth in the industry as more boutique and experiential smoking lounges pop up across the country.

Although, when setting up his cigar accessory website, Mann had no intention of making a business out of it. But he is well-positioned to ride the wave.

“I have been surprised by the amount of activity and all the things that I need to do now. To be honest, I didn’t really sign up for all of this, but it is what it is, and I’m grateful and happy for it, and I’m just super excited about what the future holds,” he said.

TUNES FROM PAGE 18 tie-dye items.

NOVA MusicFest is the first of three music festivals 868 will host this year. Crowds will return June 7 for A Fest Less Ordinary, a benefit for A Farm Less Ordinary that provides employment to adults with intellectual, developmental or cognitive disabilities, and on Sept. 6 for LoCoFest, a fundraiser to provide equipment to area musicians.

NOVA MusicFest is a ticketed event. Advance tickets are $35, with an option to purchase four tickets for the price of three. For full details, go to 868estatevineyards.com.

Dodona Manor

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loudoun happenings 05.2026 Get

PARKS & REC SPONSORS 5TH ANNUAL FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL

Experience a day filled with food, fun and games with Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services at the fifth annual PRCS Food Truck Festival at Segra Field near Leesburg on Saturday, May 9.

Enjoy a variety of activities, regional food vendors, and resources available in Loudoun County, offering something for everyone in the family.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature more than 15 food vendors, beverages for all ages, retail vendors, as well as live music from area musicians. Activities include axe throwing, a splatter paint and rage room, and scavenger hunts.

EXPLORE THE ART OF TIE DYE IN HILLSBORO

A collaboration between the Hillsboro Ruritans and the Town of Hillsboro to benefit Loudoun Hunger Relief will bring tie dye novices and aficionados together on Saturday, May 23 to learn about the rich history of the colorful textile art form, get expert instruction, and receive materials to create their own works.

The event also includes a free Next Wave

Attendees should use the main entrance of Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park, located at 42405 Claudia Dr. near Leesburg

Admission is free. For details on vendors, activities, and entertainment, go to loudoun. gov/PRCSFoodTruckFest.

concert starting at 5 p.m. and showcasing top young musical talent from across Loudoun performing on The Gap Stage. Bands include Dogs of Puerto Rico, Dukes of London, Valhalla, UV Index and Suncrest.

The tie dye event will start at 10 a.m. and include 14 sessions in Hillsboro’s Old Stone School, during which each group will get a short course on the history of the art of tiedye and demonstrations of various techniques from experienced artists. Registration includes the instruction, T-shirts, materials for tying, and a session at the ink station. Children may accompany adults.

There also will be food trucks, including the Ruritans food trailer, beverages and local beers and wines, Moo Thru ice cream, and wares from vendors at the Fruits of the Gap Market.

Out

For more information and Art of Tie Dye tickets, go to bit.ly/Hillsborotiedye.

DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE RETURNS

The annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2026 returns to Leesburg on Sunday, May 17.

The event brings together hundreds of motorcycle riders in classic and vintage style to support men’s health initiatives. The event raises funds for the Movember Foundation, focusing on prostate cancer research and mental health programs.

Riders will gather at Motorcycles of Dulles at 9 a.m. before departing at 10:30 a.m. to follow a curated route through Loudoun County, concluding at Lost Barrel Brewing near Middleburg.

“This ride is about more than motorcycles—it’s about showing up for men’s health,” host JJ Cooney said. “Each year, we see the impact grow—not just in funds raised with more than $100,000 over the past six years, but in

UPPERVILLE HORSE SHOW

The oldest horse show in the U.S. returns June 1 with more than 1,200 horse and rider pairs competing during the weeklong event at the historic Grafton Farm and Salem showgrounds.

In its 173rd year, the event also includes shopping and food and special activities for children. Parking and admission are free. A highlight of the show is the $200,000 FEI 4* Upperville Jumper Classic on Sunday, June 7. There’s also a Pup Parade on Saturday, June 6, to which the public is invited to participate.

conversations started and lives touched.”

Participants must register in advance at gentlemansride.com and are encouraged to fundraise in support of the cause.

Since its founding in 2012, Distinguished Gentleman’s Rides around the world have raised over $60 million to combat the leading causes of death among men.

Founded in 1853 as a one-day show to encourage better breeding and care of horses, the show has grown to a weeklong tradition with thousands of equestrian pairs competing in a variety of disciplines. Many of the continent’s top professional riders as well as amateurs will compete.

For more information and the weeklong show schedule, go to upperville.com.

Leesburg’s downtown gift shop over�lowing with Virginia’s southern hospitality!

Virginia Peanuts

Souvenirs and T-shirts

BBQ & Hot Sauces

Chocolates & Treats

Local Honey

Virginia College Gifts

History Books

Homemade Candles

Local Art & Pottery

Virginia Stuf�ies & Toys

FREE GIFT!

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Lots of Postcards

Client & Employee Gifts

Wedding Welcome Bags

Virginia Gift Baskets!

EXHIBITS FROM PAGE 7

renewal.

There will be an artists’ reception from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 16, and an artists’ gallery talk starting at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 31.

The Byrne Gallery is located at 7 W. Washington St. in Middleburg. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Learn more at thebyrnegallery.com.

ULANOWSKY OPENS 2

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITS

Photographer Philip Ulanowsky has two exhibits of his black and white images on display.

“Artists & Artisans—15 Portraits,” an exhibit of environmental portraits of local fine artists will be on exhibit at the Middleburg Library through June. Artists’ website addresses accompany the exhibit, allowing visitors to view their work as well and draw a connection to the portrait. Each artist was selected for the exceptional quality of his or her work, and the portraits were made in a collaborative effort over the course of 2025, using a 4x5 sheet-film camera.

At the Loudoun County Law Library in Leesburg, “The Silver Image” exhibit features a collection of photographs selected by Ulanowsky. That show continues through June.

Wednesday, May 13, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Following the release of his latest album, “WROC,” the rock guitarist and Mr. Big co-founder performs fully seated show in Leesburg. $35.

BRANDON WAYNE AND HIS LONESOME DRIFTERS

Friday, May 22, 7 p.m.

The Barns at Hamilton Station thebarnsathamiltionstation.com

The mid-century style classic country and hillbilly boogie band from central Virginia performs a ticketed show at the barns. $25.

NOVA MUSICFEST

Sunday, May 24, 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

868 Estate Vineyards 868estatevineyards.com

Twelve bands perform to support the Cancer Can Rock nonprofit. Tickets are $35.

CITIZEN SOLDIER

Sunday, May 24, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

The rock band fronted by clinical therapist Jake Segura incorporates emotional lyrical themes on mental health into their music.

May in Loudoun. Make the Most of It.

From the vineyard patios of DC’s Wine Country® to farm trails, outdoor dining and fields coming into full bloom, there’s more to do in Loudoun this May than one weekend can hold. Fortunately, it’s right in your backyard.

Scan to explore what’s happening in Loudoun this month.