The annual Stafford County Agricultural and Homemaking Fair is this weekend, October 17 through 20. The fair is located at University of Mary Washington’s Stafford Campus, 121 University Boulevard. The fair is open Saturday from 12 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. In addition to vendors, rides, and carnival treats, Saturday and Sunday will feature Children’s Power Wheel Derbies and Pedal Tractor Pulls.
Next week, the Fredericksburg Nationals will host FredNats Fall Fest on Oct. 25. The family event is free to attend, but parking is $6 per vehicle. In addition to a pumpkin carving contest, the stadium will feature arts and crafts, fall-themed foods, goats, and trick or treating on the concourse. Pumpkins must be labeled with contact information, carved and dropped off during the week for the competition. Costumes are encouraged. FredNats Fall Fest is open from 6 to 9 p.m.
The annual Art and Wine Festival will be held at Caledon State Park on November 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and November 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This family-friendly event features local art, wine tastings, live music, and food trucks. Attendees can enjoy free wagon rides, archery, and camping programs. Tickets are $25 online or $30 at the gate, with free admission for children and non-tasters. Pets are welcome but must be leashed. The festival will proceed rain or shine.
Press release:
The annual Art and Wine Festival will take place over two days at Caledon State Park on Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The festival is an annual crowd pleaser with family-friendly activities and music for all to enjoy. There will be tastings available from local wineries, delicious foods available for purchase from local food trucks and vendors along with beautiful art on display from artists.
“Experience the beauty of fall along with the spectacular variety of local art, flavorful wine and rhythmic music,” said Caledon State Park Manager Nina Cox. “This event is sponsored by our Friends Group, and we are so grateful for everything they do for our park. We hope you come out and celebrate fall with us.”
The park will be offering free wagon rides several times during both days as well as archery and camping programs led by the “Let’s Go” staff.
Tickets are required for each day and are available online at Zeffy for $25 or guests can pay $30 at the gate. Non-tasters and children enjoy free admission.
The Art and Wine Festival is a pet-friendly event. All pets must be supervised and kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Pet owners must clean up after their pets.
This event will be held rain or shine.
For more information, visit the Caledon State Park website.
There’s still time to secure your spot for one of the most exciting fall events in Prince William County—the Fall Reverse Raffle & Dinner. This Saturday, October 19, 2024, the event promises an evening of fun and a chance to win the $10,000 grand prize.
The event, hosted by Volunteer Prince William, is a fantastic way to spend an evening and supports the Untrim-A-Tree program, which helps provide Christmas to 4,000 local children and 800 seniors in need at Christmas.
Event Highlights:
– Only 300 tickets available
Every ticket includes dinner for two and two drink tickets per person. A cash bar will also be available.
– 50/50 raffle for extra chances to win.
– Bring a new toy donation for the Untrim-A-Tree program.
You don’t have to be present to win the $10,000 grand prize. Donations are tax-deductible.
Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Prince William County Fairgrounds, 10624 Dumfries Road, near Manassas. Dinner will start at 6:30 p.m., and the raffle will kick off at 7 p.m. Even if you can’t attend, your participation will help make the holidays brighter for children and seniors in the community.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit Volunteer Prince William’s website.
Dear Readers,
We are excited to present to you the second installment of our History and Heritage Feature Series, sponsored by Sentara. This special series celebrates the rich cultural heritage and history of Prince William County, Stafford County, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg.
We will delve into the historical events, landmarks, and personal stories that have shaped our communities. From in-depth articles on significant historical milestones to spotlights on notable landmarks and engaging oral histories from long-time residents, our series aims to connect you with the past in a meaningful and enlightening way.
We are proud to partner with Sentara, a name synonymous with community involvement and support. Sentara’s sponsorship helps make this series possible, allowing us to bring these important stories to you while highlighting their commitment to preserving our local history.
Join us as we explore the places, events, and people that tell the story of our region’s past. Understanding our history is crucial to building a better future and maintaining the rich traditions that define us.
Thank you for your continued support of local journalism.
Uriah Kiser
Founder & Publisher
Potomac Local News
Annaburg Manor Unveils First Phase of Renovations, Opens to Public
This Saturday, the City of Manassas will celebrate the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Annaburg Manor, a historic estate built in 1892 by the Portner family. Once a nursing home and hospital, the manor was purchased by the city in 2019 with the vision of transforming it into a public park. After years of renovations, the first phase of the project is complete, opening the grounds to the public.
Mary Helen Dellinger, Curator at the Manassas Museum, spoke about the challenges the city faced while restoring the manor. “The single biggest challenge for us was that there were no architectural plans showing what the building looked like before. We don’t know what the inside of it looked like during Portner’s time; we only have pictures of the outside,” Dellinger explained. Changes made by previous owners complicated efforts to determine which parts of the house were original and which were later additions. To aid the process, the city worked with Portner’s descendants and used old photographs.
The restoration of Annaburg Manor was more of a renovation than a true historical restoration, according to Dellinger. “The home was in rough shape. There was mold, debris, and old systems that needed to be replaced,” she said. While they chose not to fully restore the home to its original 1892 condition, the team aimed to stay as faithful as possible to its historic design.
One notable feature of the renovation is the addition of a fountain to the manor’s grounds. While the original fountain was custom-cast and could not be replicated, a new fountain was installed that pays homage to the original water feature. “It’s not the exact sculpture that was there, but I think it’ll make the house look nice and is a nod to the original fountain,” Dellinger noted.
Beyond the structural renovations, the project aims to enhance the community’s green spaces. “One of the things we heard from the community was that there was nowhere in that area of town that was walkable,” Dellinger shared. Annaburg Manor is expected to provide much-needed green space where locals can relax and enjoy nature.
Looking ahead, there are plans for further development. While the public will initially only be able to tour the grounds, Dellinger hinted at future events and rental opportunities. “You’ll be able to rent the space for any kind of event,” she said, adding that the manor’s spacious porch would make it a picturesque wedding venue, with meetings and other gatherings possible inside the house.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 19, at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas.
Stafford County Public Schools will host its 14th annual Band Together to Fight Hunger Program on November 4, 2024. The event will be held at Mountain View High School at 7 p.m.
In 2005, Mountain View High School welcomed its first Band Director, Doug Armstrong, a Virginia Tech graduate who helped establish Hokies for the Hungry, a fundraiser supporting the local food bank in Blacksburg, VA. Inspired by this, Armstrong created Band Together to Fight Hunger in Stafford County to help the community. The annual event gathers five high school marching bands—Mountain View, Colonial Forge, Stafford, Brooke Point, and North Stafford—to perform their shows.
Approximately 397 students will participate this year. Admission to the event is a donation of non-perishable food items. The event holds a concession stand, offers a 50/50 lottery, and sells “shout-outs” that family members can use to send messages to their band students. T-shirts and sweatshirts are also available for purchase. All proceeds from concessions, lottery, merchandise, and shoutouts go to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank.
Coordinated by band parents from all five schools, alongside Deirdra Hazeley, Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts, and Hunter Berry, Director of Engagement for Stafford County Public Schools, the event serves as a season finale for the marching bands. Each performs its halftime show, followed by a combined performance with a guest conductor. Over the past 13 years, the event has provided more than 350,000 meals to the food bank, with 2023 marking a record 56,786 meals.
For 2024, the goal is set at 50,000 meals. Donations may also be made online.
Mountain View High School is located at 2135 Mountain View Road.
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The annual Independent Book Festival returns to Fredericksburg on October 12, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverfront Park. Founded in 2015 by local authors James Noll and Chris Jones, the festival offers writers a platform to promote their work, attend panels, and network with other authors.
Noll, who began his independent publishing journey in 2013, visited over 24 events in a single year—including comic cons, horror cons, and book festivals—in an effort to learn about the industry. “The travel was exhausting, but I realized nobody was hosting a book event in Fredericksburg,” said Noll. “So, I decided to make it happen.” He partnered with local writers Amy Bayne and Chris Jones to launch the festival. Though Bayne left the team in 2018, Noll and Jones continue to run the event.
Noll has written several sci-fi novels and numerous short stories, while Jones is an award-winning journalist who has authored two books and contributed to five others.
This year’s festival will feature a variety of speakers between 10:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., covering topics such as children’s literature, sci-fi, and the challenges of independent publishing. The talks will range from 15 to 30 minutes each. Spaces for authors have sold out, with 80 authors signed up to attend. A map of their locations is provided online with the authors’ names and genres.
The festival has hosted a full slate of speakers and panels every year. While it remains a one-day event, organizers are considering expanding it to two days in the future, with one day dedicated to workshops and business sessions for writers, and one day for festival activities.
The full event schedule is available online.
Fun Land Fredericksburg is set to host the Harvest Fest on Saturday, October 12, from noon to 6 p.m., aiming to support the Fredericksburg Food Bank. The event will feature over 20 vendors with crafts, foods, and home goods, alongside a new Live Corn Maze attraction.
Guests are encouraged to contribute to the festive food drive by donating three non-perishable items, earning a $5 discount off the $10 entry fee. Daniel Glover, General Manager, expressed excitement about engaging the community to fight hunger and spread joy during the giving season.
Press release:
Fun Land Fredericksburg, an indoor family fun park with various attractions, food, and entertainment, invites the Fredericksburg community to fall into fun at Harvest Fest from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Fun Land Fredericksburg is accepting donations for Harvest Fest, a festive food drive supporting the Fredericksburg Food Bank. It will feature more than 20 vendors offering a variety of crafts, foods, and home goods, and well as a brand-new Live Corn Maze attraction.
“We are so proud and excited to be able to help families in our community fight hunger in this way,” said Daniel Glover, General Manager of Fun Land Fredericksburg. “We hope everyone will come out and help us raise awareness and food and spread some joy this giving season.”
There will be a $10 entry fee, and guests are encouraged to donate three nonperishable food items to get $5 off.
Take a look at some highlighted events.
Saturday (Oct. 5)
- Nature Hunters, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (Woodbridge)
- N? Pikake L?hio Wai Kaulele, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (Triangle)
- Manassas Jubilee, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Old Town Manassas)
Oct. 8
- Aging in Place Workshop, 1 to 3:45 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Board of County Supervisors meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 9
- Mental Health Awareness Community Event, 1 to 4:30 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 10
- Dale Boulevard Transit Priority Study Public Meeting, 6 to 8 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 11
- Kid’s Night Out, 6 to 9 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 12
- Neabsco District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Battle of Bristow Station Anniversary Weekend, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Bristow)
- All-County Public Safety Expo, Noon to 5 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Bristoe Station Luminary, 7 to 9 p.m. (Bristow)
Oct. 14
- First Tee Benefit Golf Tournament, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Triangle)
Oct. 15
- Board of County Supervisors Work Session, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 17
- Marina Way Extension Project Public Hearing, 6 to 8 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 19
- Zumba for Breast Cancer Awareness, 8 to 9:30 a.m. (Woodbridge)
- Irongate Community Dumpster Day, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Manassas)
- Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Manassas)
- Fall Festival: Pat White Center’s 50 Anniversary Celebration, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Manassas)
- Seals on Wheels, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Haymarket)
- Full Moon Hike, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 22
- Board of County Supervisors Meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 23
- KABOOM! Build Week at Fairmont Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Manassas)
Oct. 24
- Sunrise Nature Hike, 7:30 to 9 a.m. (Nokesville)
Oct. 26
- Gainesville District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Gainesville District)
- National Drug Take-Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Multiple locations)
- Family Night Out: Movie in the Park, 7 to 9 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Oct. 28
- Community Safety Listening Session, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Manassas)
