Occoquan Celebrates 50 years with ‘I Heart OCQ’ Fall Festival

It’s time to show how much you love Occoquan.

The town of Occoquan is celebrating 50 years. In commemoration of this milestone, Events and Community Development Director Julie Little asked vendors at the town’s annual craft show to make special items with the town’s name on them, so people could show their love.

“I asked them to come up with a special or limited edition item for the show. They came up with some really beautiful things and I’ve been able to designate them in the program with an ‘I Heart OCQ’ symbol and ‘I heart OCQ’ emblem on their tents so that patrons can see they had a special or limited edition item,” said Little.

The I Heart OCQ items will appear at this year’s annual Fall Craft Show, September 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., respectively.

Photos of the I Heart OCQ items have appeared on the town website in advance of the craft show. “It was a really neat way to see how our vendors could relate to our history,” she said.

Little said their Spring show was well received and the vendors really “went to town” showing off their creativity.

“We had a quilling artist come up with a beautiful quilling art (the art of folding paper), a beautiful design with a five and a zero, all floral details. We had a metal maker create a compass rose that said Occoquan, VA on it,” Little said, “We had hand-painted watercolors that showed the river. We had some really beautiful things.”

One of the vendors, Jordyn DeCroes of Z & J Custom Creations said she likes how the show caters to the local residents of Occoquan. Z & J Custom Creations specializes in creating signage and home decor. DeCroes said for the Spring craft show, they made a compass of reclaimed steel with the coordinates of Occoquan.

DeCroes said they chose a nautical theme since the town is on the water. She said they received positive feedback their creation in the Spring show so they plan to bring it back for the fall.

DeCroes said the compass will be available for purchase in multiple finishes. “It was very popular and we had a lot of interest,” she said.

DeCroes said that they are also adding another piece to their collection for the fall show. “We are creating the state of Virginia cut out with a heart near Occoquan. This is a piece of wall decor about 20 inches wide,” she said.
Alexandra O’Leary of Art by Alexandra showcases her original glass jewelry at the Occoquan Craft Show. “I use a process called flamework,” says O’Leary,” I melt over a torch, mixing propane and oxygen, shaping the glass.”

O’Leary created a special feather to celebrate Occoquan’s 50 years.

“The name Occoquan means end of water,” says O’Leary, “In commemoration of Indian settlers, I did a feather and made it blue for the water.”

O’Leary said this particular limited-edition piece was difficult to make because you have to create the lines for the feather but she is very pleased with it.

“The town is a very friendly group,” she says, “The event is well organized. Everything runs really smooth. I’ve fallen in love with the town.”