Get Out Loudoun February 2026

NEW YEAR. New Plan.

At The Villas at Westminster-Canterbury, you shape what comes next. Enjoy thoughtfully designed apartment homes with maintenance-free, lock-and-leave living and the confidence of a smart plan for the future. With only a limited number of Villas remaining, now is the time to align your 2026 goals with a Life Plan community ready for whatever comes next.

Take the Next Step

Schedule a personal tour, review current Villa availability, and discover how a new year in a new home can work for you at SVWC.

DISCOVER LOUDOUN

Explore the hidden gems of our county that still tell the stories of its colonial roots and showcase today’s diverse, thriving community.

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.

ON THE COVER

Photo by Douglas Graham

A stream near Bluemont flows through the ice during the prolonged deep freeze impacting the region following January's major snowstorm.

CONTRIBUTORS

Douglas Rogers

Norman K. Styer

William Timme TO ADVERTISE

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

ART SCENE

Roger Lancaster has spent years photographing Loudoun scenes. A selection of his work is on display at the Thomas Balch Library this month.

HISTORY

As the Town of Middleburg advances plans to restore the historic Asbury Church as special program will highlight its deep impact on the community.

TUNES

indie rock band Fields and Forests enters the local music scene with the release of its debut album.

HAPPENINGS

Join the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra for a special performance with rising star pianist Ying Li.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s best bets for February.

Happy Birthday AMERICA

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS

Visit Loudoun

2026 is a big year—the 250th Anniversary of American Independence—and with impeccable timing, the last home of a Founding Father President in private hands is about to open to the public. Welcome to James Monroe’s extraordinary Oak Hill.

Located just off Rt. 15, south of Leesburg, Oak Hill is the 1,200-acre estate where Monroe lived from 1794 until his passing in 1831. He built the main house on the grounds, wrote parts of the Monroe Doctrine on the property and over the years hosted Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, General Lafayette and other luminaries of the American Revolution. Now, pending approval by the Virginia General Assembly, the Conservation Fund is set to establish the property as Virginia’s first presidential home state park.

“Oak Hill is important because it was where Monroe returned to after he left the White House,” said Heather Richards, vice president and mid-Atlantic regional director at The Conservation Fund. “It has so many stories to tell.”

While the main house will not be ready for public tours in 2026, staff are building infrastructure on the wooded grounds for a series of public hiking trails. You will be walking in the footsteps of giants.

Given its rich heritage, Loudoun is dotted with other historic properties, among them George C. Mashall’s Dodona Manor, the Leesburg house turned museum where statesman-General George C. Marshall drafted the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Europe after World War II. Indeed, it was with this heritage in mind that the George C. Marshall International Center, along with six other local

—Heather Richards, vice president and mid-Atlantic regional director at The Conservation Fund

museums and cultural destinations, recently launched the Loudoun Heritage Pass, a multisite ticket package highlighting Loudoun’s role in the nation’s founding and story.

Valid through 2026, and costing $50, the pass offers visitors discounted admission to Morven Park, Oatlands Historic House & Gardens, the National Sporting Library & Museum, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum and the Marshall Center. Visitors are also encouraged to explore two additional free-admission sites: the Loudoun Museum and Aldie Mill.

“The Loudoun Heritage Pass is something we at the Marshall Center have dreamed about for a long time,” said Executive Direc-

tor Valérie Beaudoin. “It’s a powerful way to collaborate with our fellow historic sites and attract visitors to Loudoun. It is especially gratifying to release it as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday.”

Of course, there will be many other ways to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America’s founding. Talks, exhibitions, readings, festivals, parades and other events are set to take place throughout the year. Go to the Loudoun VA250 page at VisitLoudoun.org for more details and get ready to celebrate a very big American birthday.

www.visitloudoun.org

Balch Exhibit Features Historic Building, Landscape Photos

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg is featuring the photography of Roger Lancaster in its latest exhibit.

Lancaster has received numerous awards for his photography, including best Loudoun photo for two years running at the Waterford Fair. Many of his images have appeared in popular and photographic journals, and he has been the featured photographer in several issues of Grand Strand and Wander magazines. Many of his images can be found in private collections. Lancaster is an active member of the Northern Virginia Photographic Society.

Featured works on display include landscapes, historic barns, and springhouses from in and around western Loudoun.

Lancaster said his portfolio captures moments from Loudoun and surrounding counties, or the hunt country. He likes project-based photography, a venture that led Lancaster to photograph more than 130 barns in Loudoun County for

Wander magazine.

Lancaster’s photos are often infused with history. Many of the barns he has photographed were reconstructions of barns burned down by Union forces during the Civil War to deprive the Confederates of food sources.

After barns, he began his springhouses project. Later, he moved on to rural churches.

Lancaster said he’s still at it.

“I don’t get out as much as I used to, but I’ve got a collection of 400,000 photos,” he said. “I get a bigger kick now out of doing the processing and seeing what I can do with it—kind of like digital art.”

Lancaster likes making his photos look like paintings and pencil sketches.

He also enjoys nature photography, both getting shots of animals in action and creating panoramas of landscapes.

See Lancaster’s collection online at rogerlancaster.photos/images-of-loudoun-county-virginia.

The exhibit will be on display in the library’s lower-level meeting room through March. The gallery is open during the library’s operating hours: Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, please call 703737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva. gov.

Examine the Impacts of a Pause at County Photo Exhibit

The Loudoun County Art Advisory Committee and Parks, Recreation and Community Services is featuring “A Pause in Movement,” a photography exhibit by Bakhtawar Chaudhary, at the Gallery One space at the Loudoun County Government Center.

The collection brings together photographs that explore moments where motion slows, suspends, or briefly comes to rest. Across landscapes, natural forms, cultural patterns, and light-filled objects, the work focuses on transitional states rather than events, points where change is present but unresolved.

These images are not intended to document action or narrative. Instead, they examine what becomes visible when momentum pauses—light lingering on surfaces, color held in place, space opening for attention. Each photograph functions as an observation of duration, inviting the viewer to remain with the image long enough for subtle shifts to emerge.

Movement is understood as continuous, present in physical motion, environmental change, and the way we perceive each moment. By isolating moments of stillness within that continuity, the works are meant to consider how awareness deepens when time is allowed to slow, and how meaning accumulates in what might otherwise pass unnoticed.

A Pause in Movement will be on display through Feb. 27, at Gallery One, located in the lobby of the Government Center, 1 Harrison St. 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.

A sketch by Alfred Waud shows troopers from the 1st Maine firing their carbines during the 1863 Battle of Middleburg. Library of Congress

Discover LOUDOUN

MAKING CONNECTIONS FROM COLONIAL SETTLEMENTS TO WINE COUNTRY

Janney’s Mill in Waterford is a lasting example of the village’s role as a commercial center for Loudoun’s colonial settlers.

Three centuries ago, settlers began moving into the wilderness of western Fairfax County, part of a 5-million-acre land grant from King Charles II in 1649.

Quaker, German, and ScotchIrish farmers from Pennsylvania and Maryland established communities in the Loudoun Valley, and English settlers moved into the eastern and southern areas of the territory that would become Loudoun County.

There remains ample evidence of those early settlers around the county, with stone farmhouses in western Loudoun and plantations in the south, as well as communities like Waterford, which was designated a National Historic Landmark because of decades of

preservation that allow visitors to walk back in time. At Sweet Run State Park, visitors can learn about early industries, including providing timber for shipbuilding and making charcoal to fuel the armory operations at nearby Harpers Ferry.

Leesburg—a 60-acre subdivision developed

LOUDOUN CONTINUED ON 10

by Nicholas Minor at the intersection of the Carolina Road and the Potomac Ridge Road—was established as the county seat when Loudoun County was created in 1757 and named for John Campbell, the fourth earl of Loudoun, who was then serving as commander-in-chief of British forces in North America during the French and Indian War. The Town of Leesburg’s TourLeesburg app offers information on sites of historical significance around town.

Loudouners were early supporters of the American Revolution, including 59 men who signed the Loudoun Resolves on June 14, 1774, protesting the punishment of Massachusetts colonists following the Boston Tea Party seven months earlier. During the war, 1,746 Loudoun men—more than any Virginia locality—served in Washington’s Continental Army or with the local militia. Loudoun’s people and places that played a role in the

founding of the nation are being featured in a series of ongoing programs sponsored by the Loudoun VA250 Committee. For more details, go to visitloudoun.org/loudoun250.

While Loudoun wasn’t a battleground in the Revolution, several Civil War engagements were fought in its fields—many of which are little changed today.

Most significant was the Oct. 21, 1861, Battle of Balls Bluff, an early Confederate victory on the banks of the Potomac River near Leesburg. The battleground is now a regional park

featuring hiking trails and is the third smallest national cemetery. Volunteers provide guided tours on weekends from April through November.

Loudoun also was the site of cavalry battles. In the October 1862 Battle of Unison, Gen. J.E.B. Stuart clashed with Union forces to cover the retreat of the Confederate troops following their defeat at Antietam. In June 1863, Stuart’s units were back in the area, clashing in battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville to shield the Confederate army’s march north to Gettysburg. Robert E. Lee’s army would pass through northwestern Loudoun weeks later on retreat from that battle. Today, much of those battlegrounds are preserved in private hands. Mt. Defiance

A 12-pounder

Napoleon cannon, like those used by the North and South during the Battle of Middleburg, is on display at NOVA Parks’ Mt. Defiance Historical Park near Middleburg.

Historical Park on the western edge of Middleburg, helps tell the story.

The county also was home to the only Union fighting force from Virginia, the Loudoun Rangers, and a frequent stomping ground for Confederate raider Col. John S. Mosby.

After the Civil War, the county endured a period of economic stagnation but rebounded as an agricultural breadbasket. That’s one of the stories told at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum in Sterling.

After rail service ended in 1968, most of the W&OD railroad right of way was converted to a regional park.

An important asset for the county’s farmers was the W&OD Railroad, which transported goods from Loudoun’s fields to the urban

area and the Port of Alexandria starting in 1859. The railroad also bolstered Loudoun’s status as a summer getaway, with communities from Paeonian Springs to Bluemont offering boarding houses and retreats for families feeling Washington’s oppressive heat. After the trains stopped running in 1968, much of the right of way was converted into a 45-mile-long regional park.

Loudoun changed little during the first half of the 20th century, with a population hovering around 20,000 people.

That changed with the 1962 opening of Dulles Airport. While the nation’s first jetport was relatively little used during its early years, the federal project also involved construction of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line, opening eastern Loudoun to suburban-scale development. An assemblage of nearly 1,800 acres of farmland became Sterling Park, the county’s first planned community.

That Sterling Park initially was marketed as a “Caucasian-only” community was hardly shocking in a county that was the last in Virginia to integrate its public schools—more than a decade after the landmark Brown v. Board Education ruling. Today, county leaders are doing more to uncover and celebrate the community’s Black history, from the resources collected at the Historic Douglass High School to efforts to bring together the descendants of enslaved families at Oatlands.

After Sterling Park, many developments followed, as eastern Loudoun dairy farms and cornfields were converted to new residential communities and Loudoun annually ranked among the fastest-growing counties in the nation.

While the county’s planning strategies had always envisioned keeping western Loudoun rural, growth pressures and the changing

Lew Parker stands next to one of the first cabernet sauvignon vines planted at Willowcoft Farm Vineyard in 1981.

nature of farming increasingly threatened that vision.

In 1998, the county developed a new plan, “The 200,000-Acre Solution,” to promote investment in rural enterprises that would keep land open and provide an alternative to suburban sprawl. The growth of new forms of agriculture on smaller farms, wedding destinations, vineyards, and, most recently, limited breweries grew from that strategy.

Today, Loudoun County is widely known as DC’s Wine Country, with nearly 50 wineries and almost 1,000 acres of grapevines. But it all started on a ridge just west of Leesburg four decades ago when Lew Parker bottled Willowcroft Farm Vineyard’s first vintage of Riesling. Those first vines, located just up the hill from the barn that serves as the tasting room, are still producing.

Similarly, Loudoun’s now popular brewing industry can trace its roots back to a pioneering

Lost Rhino Brewing Company founder Matt Hagerman stands with the brewing equipment originally used by Ashburn’s prioneering Old Dominion Brewing Company.

enterprise. Old Dominion Brewing Company opened in an Ashburn business park in 1989, one of the first craft brewing operations in the region. While the brewery was sold and closed in 2007, many of its employees went on to open new Loudoun breweries and train the next generation of brewers. And its tradition continues at Lost Rhino Brewing Company, where owner Matt Hagerman still brews with equipment moved over from Old Dominion.

All that combines to make the county Virginia’s tourism leader—perhaps not unlike its role a century ago—as visitors and residents alike continue to discover all that Loudoun has to offer.

Discover Loudoun’s Hidden Gems

This month, Get Out Loudoun asked our county supervisors to highlight a space they view as a littleknown treasure in their district they wish more of their constituents would discover. Four responded to highlight favorite dining and gathering spots as well as a place to get away from the hubbub around us.

ALGONKIAN DISTRICT – JULI BRISKMAN

AUTHORS BEST-SELLING ICE CREAM

44933 GEORGE WASHINGTON BLVD.

Authors was opened in 2024 by Ahmed Shaffi who started the family business after a hobby turned career at the encouragement of his friends.

Briskman said the little shop tucked away along George Washington Boulevard is truly one of Loudoun’s hidden gems.

“Their ice cream is fantastic, and it’s all hand crafted,” she said.

The shop partnered with Briskman for a community bike ride event last summer, providing the perfect, and cool, finish to a hot day.

“It was awesome, because they have a little truck that they can bring…so if you ever want to have Authors come to your event, or to your swim meet, or your sporting event or something like that, they could definitely come with their portable ice cream truck,” Briskman said.

Her favorite flavor? Chocolate.

ASHBURN DISTRICT – MICHAEL TURNER

CLYDE’S WILLOW CREEK FARM

42920 BROADLANDS BLVD.

Located in Broadlands since 2006, Clyde’s was constructed using reassembled historic buildings. It includes four bars and a variety of dining rooms.

“I think Clyde’s is the epitome of Virginia-cana, Americana,” Turner said.

He said he loves the history that each themed room represents. While Turner frequents many

restaurants in the Ashburn District weekly, Clyde’s is one he never misses.

“I started coming here in April of 2009 and I have been here every Sunday I’m in town for 16 years,” Turner said.

He’s often served by the same waitress, one who’s become a friend over the years, he said.

His favorite menu item? A well-done cheeseburger, extra crispy fries and a double scoop of chocolate ice cream.

“It’s just a place I love come, read a book and eat,” he said.

BROAD RUN DISTRCIT – SYLVIA GLASS

BLEND COFFEE BAR

43170 SOUTHERN WALK PLZ.

Blend is located in the Southern Walk Plaza shopping center of Broadlands and boasts an industrial-rustic interior space.

Glass said she happened upon the coffee shop a few years ago and fell in love with its aesthetic.

“It just seemed like a little cool spot, like I’m in the city somewhere, because you don’t really see that much,” she said.

For Glass, the shop has served as a meeting place, caffeine refueling station, and a date-night destination.

“My husband and I are with a dance group; we

do salsa and bachata. So, they’ll have lessons out here on their patio,” Glass said.

The shop also often hosts local markets that Glass said she likes to frequent and often finds something to take home.

“I’ve bought jewelry here and books. A lot of different small businesses come out here,” she said.

Her favorite item on the menu? A mocha latte.

LEESBURG DISTRICT – KRISTEN UMSTATTD

EDWARDS LANDING PARK

901 POWHATAN CT NE

Edwards Landing Park has the advantage of bordering the Potomac River and offers connecting trails to three other publicly owned parks—Potomac Crossing Park, Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park and Veterans Park.

Red Rock Wilderness Park is not far downriver, but there is private land between that and Edwards Landing Park. The hike from the park pavilion off Powhatan Court to the Potomac River is about 4/10 of a mile, but hikers need to be ready for a couple of steep sections getting down to the river.

A new, steeper, and more direct trail has been beaten down as an offshoot from the main trail to the Potomac.

“When I was last there, someone, probably not the town, had strung a rope line from tree to tree to hang onto and I could see why, because that new trail is vertical. As you look east at the river from Edwards Landing Park, you’ll be looking at Harrison Island,” Umstattd said.

That is also the case with any of the views from this string of four publicly owned parks. These trails are not heavily used, especially in winter.

“Most of the days I’ve been out there, I’ve been the only one on this section of trail,” she said. “It’s pretty quiet; you hear the occasional bird or squirrel, and, if you’re lucky, a deer huffing at you to back off, but that’s about it.”

Family Friendly Feline

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

A rendering of proposed renovations to the

The Stories of ASBURYCHURCH

As part of its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Town of Middleburg will hold a special program on Feb. 11 with a Black History Month theme.

The three-hour program will include a public presentation of the schematic design plans for the Asbury Church Restoration Project and the public premiere of the Oral Histories Project videos.

The 2,660-square-foot Asbury Church

on North Jay Street was established in 1829 and has been used as a Methodist Episcopal Church, a storehouse, a Civil War government depot and hospital, and as the African American Methodist Church starting in 1864. The building has been vacant since 1994. In 2014, it was donated to the town, which is undertaking a restoration of the property.

HISTORY CONTINUED ON 20

Classic romance Modern comfort

Loudoun offers timeless venues, rolling vineyards, and a rich sense of place — paired with the amenities and expertise to bring your vision to life. Whether you’re popping the question or planning the celebration, this is where love stories are thoughtfully poured and beautifully told.

For more information on Middleburg’s America 250 February Celebration, Oral Histories Project, or the Asbury Church Restoration Project, go to middleburgva. gov/AsburyChurch.

In 2025, the town contracted with Caandor Ventures, a professional videography firm, to record the oral histories of 12 individuals who were either former congregants of the Asbury Church or who participated in significant events/activities related to the local African American community. Through this project, a total of 11 videos were created—10 telling the stories of Barbara Scott Evans, Angela Hatcher, Jim Roberts, Betty Nelson, Reverend William Swann, Ollie Hall, Dianne Swann Lewis, Helen Hall, Tutti Perricone, Asbury Lloyd, Regina Banks and Elaine Tibbs, and one highlighting the impacts of the Asbury Church, Shiloh Baptist Church and Marshall Street Community Center, located in Bureau Corner, on their lives and on the Middleburg community. The result, town leaders say, is a power-

ful, compelling sharing of personal stories about the local community and the history of the desegregation of Middleburg, the large number of African American businesses that supported Middleburg in its early years, and how the African American community was a family that watched over its members, protected them, encouraged them and helped form who they are today.

Also during the program, representatives from the Glave & Holmes architectural firm will provide an update on the town’s plans for restoring the interior and exterior of the church so it can be used as an interpretive site and for small group gatherings/meetings.

The Feb. 11 program at the Middleburg Community Center begins at 5 p.m.

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THROUGH THEIR EYES:

The Experience of Black Families in Waterford

Join historians Bronwen and John Souders, authors of “A Rock in a Weary Land, a Shelter in a Time of Storm: African-American Experience in Waterford, Virginia” for a Feb. 7 discussion about the experiences and family stories of Black residents in Waterford from the late Revolutionary era through the mid-20th century.

The free program will be held starting at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Waterford Old School.

Following the lecture, the Waterford Foundation will offer a docent-guided walking tour to dive more deeply into the African-American

history in the National Historic Landmark village.

By 1830, one in four households in Waterford was headed by free Blacks. During the tour, visitors will be able to hear the stories of the families who lived here and helped build Waterford into the place we know today, while experiencing their surroundings and exploring buildings including the Second Street School and John Wesley Community Church.

Tickets for the 90-minute tour are $20 and may be purchased in advance at waterfordfoundation.org/event.

History Talk: A Story of Hope & Freedom

Historian Kevin Dulany Grigsby will share the stories from his latest book, “A Story of Hope & Freedom,” during a Feb. 28 presentation at the Oatlands Carriage House.

The program will highlight the powerful history of the Proctor family of Virginia and explore themes of resilience, freedom, and legacy through meticulous historical research and storytell-

ing. Grigsby follows the family’s courageous and resilient journey through the horrific perils of slavery and their struggles as free people of color in Virginia before and after the Civil War.

The free program begins at 2 p.m. Reservations are not required. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Learn more at oatlands.org.

TUNES

LOUDOUN BAND RELEASES SENTIMENTAL DEBUT ‘ maybe next year ’

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

Four-piece Loudoun indie rock band Fields and Forests released its debut album “Maybe Next Year,” tapping dreamy guitars and smooth vocals in the nine-track reflection on finding hope in trying times.

The band includes guitarist and vocalist Travis Hare, drummer Glen Boysko, guitarist and producer Gio Hernandez, and bassist John McRae.

Hare said the album is about being, “stuck in a moment that’s difficult and sort of hoping that

at the end there’s some wisdom.” That message is delivered across the album through indie rock soundscapes with slowcore synth and guitar passages that bend into higher energy riffs and drums.

Band members said they drew inspiration from Wilco, Radiohead, Pavement, and R.E.M. when crafting the album. Hare is tapped into the contemporary alt-country scene and said art-

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ists like MJ Lenderman and ThisisLorelai were in headphone rotation during the creative process.

Fields and Forests will play shows throughout the DMV, starting with a show on Feb. 28 at the Epicure on King in Alexandria. Ben Anderson will take up the bassist mantle going forward, as McRae left the band for a work opportunity.

Hare, a PR and marketing professional, said he spends most of his time channeling his creativity for others.

“I feel like I don’t get a lot of time to be creative for myself,” Hare said. “To me, that’s what this project has really become is—a way of expressing myself. … I’m so fortunate to have these other three guys to get in a space and be able to feel vulnerable to create.”

The band members all played in different musical acts to some degree, Hare said. In the vocalist’s case, he played with a band in college. After graduating, Hare moved to DC, practicing his acoustic guitar in a 700-square-foot apartment.

In 2020, he moved to Bluemont, where his new home provided him the space to turn up his amp and experiment. Hare started writing again around the time he lost a friend to cancer. Before passing, she told him, “Life is short.”

“It sounds cliche, but I was getting it from a person who was going to die very soon,” Hare said. “She was very young. It really sort of inspired me to get moving on this creative drive that I have and want to actually do something with it.”

Experiencing a strong desire to play with and in front of people again, Hare hit Craigslist. To his surprise, the website had a thriving music community filled with people linking up online.

“I met with a bunch of cool people and a handful of weirdos, and I chose the weirdos,” he said.

Drummer Boysko was in a punk band called Celebration Summer before the pandemic, often playing and recording music in DC. After feeling

pleased with the band’s success, he decided he wanted to change his direction musically.

Boysko saw Hare’s ad and the two made a connection at a microbrewery along the W&OD Trail. The band started playing as a three piece in 2022, with bassist McRae. Seeking another guitar player, the group eventually found Hernandez.

Hare called Hernandez the band’s “production wizard.” He plays the synths throughout the record and produced and engineered the album.

Hare said the band has been sort of “onboarding” their latest member Anderson since November.

“He’s been a really great addition to the band,” Hare said.

During the album’s creation, the band was tightening its sound with live shows in DC. After practicing in Sterling, they began recording in Hernandez’s basement. Hare and Boysko both said experimenting in the basement was some of the most fun they had while recording.

Forced to record one instrument at a time due to constraints, they started to see potential for adding in “ideas you can’t maybe do with a fourpiece” Hare said. Trying “weird stuff” with synths and pedals, Hare said the band got completely lost in the process.

It was during that process that they came up with ideas like sequencing the upbeat “We Can’t Even Talk” after the more ambient and experimental opening track “From Hudson.”

On March 21, Fields and Forests plans to host a “proper record release party” at Bluemont’s EE Lake Store. Kevin Knight is slated to play an acoustic show opener.

“We’ll charge like five bucks from people to get in. We’ll sell records. It should be a really cool time,” Hare said.

“Maybe Next Year” is available for streaming on all digital platforms. Limited edition vinyl copies are also for sale on the band’s Bandcamp page.

Leesburg Listening Room Concert Series

Kicks Off Third

Season

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The Leesburg Listening Room Series, an annual live music showcase featuring local artists in small downtown venues, is back for another season.

The Leesburg Movement, the town’s Main Street program, is in its third year of hosting the concert series.

The season opened in January with a show at the Wldwst boutique featuring Piper Stewart, a finalist of Loudoun’s 2025 Battle of the Bands; Ebony Nicole, a singer-songwriter whose music blends indie and R&B soundscapes influenced by worship music she studied in Australia; and Loudoun music scene veteran Andrew McKnight, a folk and Americana artist with 10 solo records under his belt.

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Concert organizer Vanessa Borg said the concerts, on top of being a way to see incredible acts, are a great community builder.

“A lot of people have said this was such a neat place to meet my neighbors,” Borg said.

“There’s some people who come out and end up sitting right next to someone who lives on their block who they’ve never talked to.”

Listening Room Series concerts give attendees a chance to get to know more about the artists’ music-making process. During the show, artists often tell personal stories and break down the inspirations behind their original music.

The ticket sales help support the artists.

“There are really talented people right in our backyard who are making pennies on Spotify,” Borg said. “It’s a very grassroots community led effort to put money into the hands of local musicians and hopefully help them create more work.”

Three more listening room concerts are planned this year, on Feb. 21, March 21, and April 25.

This month’s concert features Justin Trawick and Wyatt Nichols’ Silver Charm Place on Feb. 21 at Simply Yoga, 11 W. Market St.

Shows are limited to 30 tickets. Learn more at leesburgmovement.com.

The concerts are BYOB events.

lh loudoun happenings 02.2026 Get

MIDDLEBURG WELCOMES SHOPPERS FOR WEEKEND SALE

Join the Town of Middleburg on Feb. 1316 for the 15th annual Winter Weekend Sale. The sale, co-sponsored with the Middleburg Business & Professional Association, will be held Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday and Monday as posted by shops.

Many of the shops will have discounts on everything from shoes to children’s clothes to fall and winter fashions, as well as specials in some of the town’s restaurants. White and blue balloons will be located outside participating stores.

Learn more at visitmiddleburgva.com.

WINTER BIRDING FIELD TRIP

Winter brings a variety of attractive waterfowl to our area and the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy is planning a special a field trip to get an up-close look at the beautiful birds.

Limited to 12 participants, the field trip, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., will include visits to several local hotspots favored by many of the species that regularly visit the county. Registration is required.

Learn more about the tour and other offers of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy at loudounwildlife. org/event.

Out

On Stage

YING LI PERFORMS WITH LOUDOUN SYMPHONY

Pianist Ying Li, a rising star who has dazzled on stages from New York to Berlin, will perform Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano

Concerto during a special concert at Lightridge High School on Feb. 15.

Li has won numerous international awards and has performed with world renowned orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra and Stuttgart Philharmonic.

Prepare for an afternoon of sweeping emotion, profound beauty, and symphonic mastery. The program also features Brahms’

STAGECOACH THEATER PRESENTS ‘MISS GULCH RETURNS!’

Co-stars Ryan Kincade and Chris Wingert celebrate the iconic villainess from The Wizard of Oz with two performances of Fred Barton’s one-man musical comedy “Miss Gulch Returns!”

The cabaret-style romp features sharp wit, showstopping songs, and hilariously overthe-top storytelling in a reimaging of Almira Gulch as a misunderstood diva determined to reclaim her reputation.

Performances will be held starting at 7

Symphony No. 4, the composer’s final and most introspective symphony.

The program begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $40 at loudounsymphony.org.

COOKING UP COMEDIES

The Loudoun Lyric Opera this month presents a pair of culinary comedies as part of its MainStage Series.

“Baking with Divas” includes “The Italian Lesson’,” showcasing Mrs. Clancy’s humorous, relatable struggles with language studies amid distractions, and “Bon Appétit!” presenting a lively operatic baking show starring Julia Child.

The show will be performed Feb. 14, 15, 21 and 22 at the Dreamscapes Performing Arts Center in Sterling.

For more information and tickets, go to loudounlyricopera.org.

p.m. Feb. 21 and Feb. 28at the StageCoach Theatre Company stage at 20937 Ashburn Road. Tickets are $30 and are available at stagecoachtc.com.

FOUR VOICES – NO APOLOGIES

Friday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.

The Barns at Hamilton Station thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

Patty Reese, Juliana MacDowell, Michelle Dupwe and Mary Shaver team up for a night of songstress power. $15.

SCOTT AINSLIE

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org

The renowned acoustic blues guitarist, singer and songwriter learn old-time southern ballads, banjo and fiddle tunes, and blues from elder musicians throughout the South. The Music for Dessert concert will be 45-60 minutes without an intermission. $15.

SAM BUSH

Friday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

The Father

of Newgrass blends bluegrass, jazz, and rock influences into an energetic live show with virtuosic mandolin playing and soulful vocals that capture the essence of American roots music. $54.

LANCO

Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

The American country music band from Nashville is known for blending modern pop-country sounds with heartfelt, storytelling lyrics and best recognized for their breakout hit “Greatest Love Story.” $45.

BIG COUNTRY BLUEGRASS

Saturday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. Lucketts Community Center

luckettsbluegrass.org

Big Country Bluegrass, formed in 1987 by Tommy and Teresa Sells, is known for its energetic, heartfelt traditional bluegrass style that resonates with audiences everywhere. $22.

Loudoun’s Attractions

CATTY CORNER CAFE

A place where cat lovers can come together, spend time in our cozy lounge, drink coffee, and get the chance to meet our amazing rescue cats. With the option of even being able to adopt and give them their forever home.

CATS - COFFEE - COOKIES

116 E. Market Street, Leesburg VA703-944-4158

cattycornercafe.com

DOUBLE X ARCHERY

Northern Virginia’s Premiere Archery Pro Shop and Indoor Range ARCHERY SERVICES - LESSONS - RENTALS

500 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 540-206-0041 doublexarchery.com

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

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 elds. 17195 Southern Planter Lane Leesburg, VA 20176 703-777-2414 • morvenpark.org