The African American Foundation of Manassas City and Prince William County is hosting its 31st annual African American Heritage Festival tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 3). at Metz Middle School from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This festival has been a staple in the community for over three decades, each on the first Saturday of August. It is also a free event.
“[The festival is] a cherished tradition that brings our community together in celebration of our shared culture and history,” Curtis O. Porter, vice chairman of the festival, said. “Through art, music, food and fellowship, we pay tribute to the resilience and achievements of African Americans while also giving back to our neighbors in need. We invite everyone to join us for a day filled with joy, unity and empowerment.”
This year, the festival will present two initiatives: distributing school supplies to local children and Empowering S.E.L.F., a nonprofit, is offering more than 500 free books.
There will also be a wide array of activities and entertainment at the festival, including live music, interactive exhibits, cultural demonstrations and food. Pop Middle Male Chorus from Ebenezer Baptist Church, True Soul Band, 7-Step Hand Dance Academy and Jimi Smooth and Hit Time Band are some of the acts lined up.
Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger and Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chair At-Large DeShundra Jefferson will be in attendance.
The schedule of the event is below.
- 10:55 a.m.: Introduction by Curtis Porter with David-Younger and Jefferson
- 11 a.m. to noon:Â Rev. Isaac Howard and Singers, Howard Ministries Church (Centreville)
- 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.:Â Pop Middleton Male Chorus, Ebenezer Baptist Church (Woodbridge)
- 1 to 1:20 p.m.:Â Posh Hair Studio (Gainesville)
- 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.:Â True Soul Band
- 2:45 to 3 p.m.:Â Classic Car Show awards
- 3 to 3:30 p.m.:Â 7-Step Hand Dance Academy (Manassas Park)
- 3:40 to 3:55 p.m.:Â Martial Arts, Premier Martial Arts (Manassas)
- 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.:Â Jimi Smooth and Hit Time Band
If you go to the event, feel free to send in your photos to [email protected] to be featured on Potomac Local News!
Fredericksburgâs annual Agricultural Fair kicks off Friday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. The Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant will be held Thursday, July 25.
The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair's website says it was established in 1738 and is the oldest fair in both Virginia and the United States. The range of entertainment has varied over the years, from Williamsburg comedians in 1752 to horse racing by the Fredericksburg Jockey Club in 1774, then hot air balloons in the 1880s. The fair has weathered interruptions with no events from 1881-1886 and during the Great Depression in the mid-1920s. It was revived in 1948 by a group of local farmers and the Jaycees, a non-profit community organization.
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The Fredericksburg SPCA Fur Ball Gala will be held Aug. 24 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
This year's theme is Old Vegas, in the style of the Rat Pack. In addition to a silent and live auction, the 6 p.m. event will feature specialty cocktails and entertainment casino games.
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The Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation and Prince William County Parks & Recreation will host a special event at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. The event marks the 15th anniversary of the Centre's appearance on an episode of the television show Ghost Hunters.
The event will occur at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, 12229 Bristow Road, Bristow. The evening begins with a free screening of the "Ghost Hunters" episode from 7 to 8 PM. Following the screening, there will be a ghost tour from 8 to 9 p.m. The tour costs $15 per person, and advance tickets are recommended. Tickets will be available starting August 6th at pwcparks.info/hptickets.
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Prince William County sold out the first event of their Fatherhood Initiative relaunch this weekend following a pause from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Prince William County Department of Social Services aims to relaunch this initiative to “help fathers more effectively engage with their children.”
“The initiative educates fathers on how to support the mothers of their children, spend quality time with their children and build strong relationships with them,” the department stated in a release.
The initiative was established in 2012 following a review by the state’s Department of Social Services of the county, which demonstrated that the father’s voice was “not heard when making decisions” about children; the county decided to launch this program to ensure fathers became actively involved.
In addition to hosting events, the initiative sponsors support groups to help fathers with any questions they have about becoming more involved in their children’s lives.
“Empowering fathers to actively engage in the lives of their children is crucial for building strong families and a thriving community,” Â Prince William County Department of Social Services Deputy Director Phyllis Jennings-Holt said. “The relaunch of the Fatherhood Initiative holds the promise of not only strengthening individual family units, but also contributing to the overall wellbeing and success of Prince William County.”
“Guests will take part in a mock trial where we take court cases from the 1800s and we give everyone different roles,â Paige Gibbons Backus, historic site manager at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre & Lucasville School, said in a press release. âThey go through the court case, hear the evidence and then decide if someone is innocent or guilty and we tell them if they changed history or not.â
The jail was built in tandem with the Brentsville Courthouse in the 1820s and served as the “center of law and order” for the county until 1893, the release stated. The county seat moved to Manassas, so the jail transitioned to a women’s dorm for the teacher’s college in the defunct courthouse. It was then renovated to become a private residence then the county park authority’s jail space.
Since those days, the jail has been restored by the Office of Historic Preservation to return to its original appearance. A museum is now the main occupant of the building, detailing its own history and that of Brentsville.
Up to five people can sleep in a single, air-conditioned cell and attendees will receive a light breakfast on Sunday morning, which is included in the $120 registration fee.
Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger is kicking off the third year of her mid-day summer meet-ups on Friday at noon, this time at the newly renovated Manassas Museum.
The meet-ups kick off Friday and will run through Aug. 30. They will be held on the patio of the Museum from noon to 1 p.m., but may me moved inside depending on the weather.
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Fredericksburg Main Street has announced "Downtown Movies in the Park," which will take place at Riverfront Park. This community event invites residents and visitors to enjoy movies under the stars with family-friendly films, themed activities, and more.
Starting at 6:30 PM, attendees can engage in activities before the movies begin at 7:00 PM. The series offers a lineup of movies and themed events to enhance the experience.
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The Manassas Museum will host a lecture on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., focusing on the critically acclaimed book, "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson.
The lecture will delve into the themes explored in Wilkerson's book, which examines historical social hierarchies and how perpetuating this dehumanizes vast sections of society. The book emphasizes that caste is not solely about race or class, but about power â who holds it and who does not.
