I was invited by a friend to join her for this festival yesterday. I was initially apprehensive…read moreespecially after reading some less than glowing reviews on Facebook but heck, I'm new to the country so I'm going to give almost everything a try (as long as it's within reasonable limits). The drive from Loudon to the festival site was beautiful. I went with low expectations and wanted to check out the food vendors however, the craft exhibitors were pretty interesting too. There were about 18 food trucks and stalls offering a wide variety of festival food. There was BBQ meats, kettle corn, ice cream, Mexican food, Asian food, waffles, espresso-based drinks, pepperoni rolls, butterfly potato, hotdogs, burgers and even an Oktoberfest-themed vendor. I had the Purple Piggy Pulled Pork Sandwich with Purple Mango Slaw, Smoked Mac & Cheese, and Baked Beans (made from scratch and not from a can) from Rolling Smoke Bar-B-Que's food truck. Cooked with wood fire, the tender pulled pork had a lovely smoky flavour. Don't miss the sides at US$4 each for a small portion. Though I've never been a fan of baked beans (scarred for life by canned beans), these were excellently smoky, sweet with maple syrup and was in all, a game changer. There are tons of food samples from dips to chips to slushies to coffee and wine (bring your ID) so you can get an idea of what you're buying. I didn't think I'd wind up buying anything but soon found myself buying quite a few soup kits, herbs, Chai tea, 3 bottles of wine and a handcrafted hardwood coin bank with an antique post office box door. The fair's on this weekend from 10 am to 5 pm. PS: Most of the vendors accept credit cards but bring cash as some only accept cash.

The Mountain Heritage Festival is an outdoor fall craft festival that takes place during three days…read moreeach September near Harper's Ferry. Besides crafts, there are fine arts vendors, music, wine, and food. Craft festivals are NOT my thing but I was invited on an outing and decided to try something new and I was not disappointed. Overview and Vendor Examples: There were close to 200 vendors onsite situated under large tents. Vendors sold items such as art glass, baskets, candles, bath and body products, clothing and accessories, dolls, dried flowers, furniture, jewelry, kitchen accessories, leather, metal, musical instruments, knives, photography, pottery, toys, etc. Some of my favorite non-food vendors were Forest Flower Jewelry which sold beautiful hand pressed flower necklaces, bracelets, etc. I also liked smelling all of the candle scents from the Pennsylvania Soy Candle Company. They went all out and transported a store full of candles to the festival. They had a large variety of scents such as Maple Bacon, Reindeer Poo, Nutty Taffy Apple, etc. There were lots of homemade soaps and lotions to choose from at various vendors as well. I did not intend to purchase anything but I bought a small bud vase, a pearl necklace, and three wine frappes. Food and Drink Samples/Vendors: At the end of the row of tents (or at the beginning if you wanted to start in a different direction), there are some great food and drink samples. I will mention a few favorites. A coffee vendor called Snookie Snookerwitz had vats of coffee and hot chocolate samples with flavors such as cinnamon hot cocoa (delish!), mint cocoa, hazelnut mocha, snickerdoodle latte, etc. Their station was really clean and inviting and the cocoa was great, albeit sugar laden. Meadowcroft Farm displayed a large array of relishes, pickles, salsas, pepper jellies, and jams. Their onion relish was really great. They had interesting items such as cinnamon pickles and cherry pecan jalapeño pepper jelly. One of the most popular vendors was Nectar of the Vine which served samples of mango and pomegranate wine slushies, or frappes as they like to call 'em. The pomegranate slushy was fantastic! I purchased several bags of the mix in various flavors (watermelon, pomegranate, and sangria). The bags were flying off the tables! The other food vendors provided samples of roasted nuts, dips and spreads, jams, syrups and a variety of sauces. You can look up any of these vendors via their website. Good to Know: You can consume wine samples on the grounds, but actual consumption of alcohol is prohibited on the grounds. Parking is attendant-guided, grass parking. Admission cost is $6- $7. The festival is opened daily from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. I visited on a Friday and it was perfect. It was likely much more crowded on the weekend. I had plenty of space to move about and was not overwhelmed by the crowds except at one clothing station. The vendors were low pressure and did not push their items. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Many of the items are expensive. Plan a budget ahead of time. Even expensive items tend to look less expensive the longer you are browsing. Pack a lunch if you are trying to eat healthy. Food vendors are onsite but they serve items such as ice cream, fries, deep fried vegetables, and burgers. Bring a backpack. Do not try to carry a heavy purse all day. Wear comfortable shoes Bring sunscreen Restrooms are Porta-A-Potties only

So excited that the full festival is back! For a long time after COVID, there was just the food…read moretruck and baked goods, which have always been a wonderful treat. Adding a huge tent with live music, Greek dancing, and lots of tables for seated dining made for a marvelous community experience.

Annual Greek Festival was affordable and less crowded Greek festival then other similar festivals…read more People danced and there was a lot of food - something for everybody. The food was very good and servers not stressed out, but very accommodating. There were no food lines and there was a plenty space to sit. The best part was a glass for Greek draft beer that the servers kindly wash for you (after beer is gone) before you take it home as a memento. This is my tenth different Greek festival I attended at it was not the best or worst but it was the only one that offered a glass to take home. I wish other 70 ethnic festivals offered it as well - I would have had quite a collection. I was happy to support a Greek church in America. Opa!

My family and I wandered into this festival, thinking it was a farmers market or street fair. Boy,…read morewas I excited when I found out it was a beer festival. It took me a while though--I first ran into The Gypsy Catwalk mobile boutique, which was next to a homebrewers' association tent. So I'm talking to the super nice woman, thinking if I donate some money, I get some beer tastings. She had to explain to me that it was a whole festival. The brew part: you can walk around for free. There's food trucks and other vendors, which is great. If you want to taste, it is $25 for five pours (ten tickets) and a small glass. There's a VIP option as well, but I didn't look into that. The blues part: different blues bands playing in one section of the park, and people brought blankets/chairs. The website lists over 20 different breweries, but I didn't count while I was there. However, I did find some new favorite beers, such as Pale Fire's Smokin' Scottish and Troegs' DreamWeaver Wheat. Each brewery was offering two different beers, and each pour was two tickets each. Plus, the homebrewers' association was offering tastings, and you didn't have to use your tickets (but I did donate). I tried a seasonal one from them and loved it, and got a pretzel necklace. I enjoy the blues, and the band we heard (Hypnotic Willie, I believe) was great. I could've stayed there all day, and would love to make a day of it (or weekend) and return next year. Yes, it's not as big as something like Snallygaster, but it's also not as crowded and I had a fantastic time. If I lived nearby, I definitely be here yearly, and if you are planning to visit, or need a day trip, you might want to time it around Brew and Blues.

My husband and I stopped here while waiting for a dinner reservation and to wind down after…read morepartaking in the Apple Butter festivities. The stone steps led to an art gallery featuring Bill, Lori, and Jeanette Gregory. Bill and Lori takes wonderful scenic photography and make wonderful stone sculptures for placing in and outside of the house - Jeannette is the master stuffed teddy bear creator. If you are into scenic photography, this place is for you. The stone sculptures were amazing, and my favorites were the heart-shaped ones, the cutting of the 'rock' bread, the bunnies, as well as the figurines on logs. We plan on purchasing these to decorate our lawn. There were also log stools that I found to be oh-so-neat! You can also see more of the sculpture masterpieces outside of the gallery, the trail winding around the front of the place. Jeanette's stuffed bears were pretty impressive - she showed me an album of all of her creations and of her work; I found it so cool that people can provide her the fabric (someone's t-shirt, jeans, favorite quilts/blankets, fur coats, etc.) - she can use these in order to create a memory in a bear form - she uses high-grade polyester for the filling as well as high-quality acrylic eyes. You can also request clothes for the bears and any other customizing you want. The bears range in sizes, so you can pretty much request whatever. I thought that this was so neat, so it would be a wonderful and a personal present for the young and old alike. They also have a cute dog named Tink who was extremely precious and sweet. This gallery is definitely a treat to stop by to chit chat with the ever so sweet Bill, Lori, and Jeanette; be sure to check out their work - I am all about supporting local artists! You will not be disappointed, and your house will definitely have that something special with their impressive creative rock sculptures! +stone sculptures! +Jeanette's customized bears +ask for Bill, Lori, and Jeanette

Haymarket Day 2024 was a huge success! First of all, the weather could not have been more…read morebeautiful. The entire event was extremely well organized, starting with the shuttle bus that took visitors to and from Tyler Elementary throughout the day. The parade began promptly at 10 AM and was well organized. Great assortment of vendors along the parade route and a fun Kidzone was set up in the park. It was an overall wonderful, fun-filled day for all.

Haymarket Day 2011 was held today - Saturday, September 17, 2011! (It's still going on as I type…read morethis). As in years past - the main route through Old Town Haymarket was closed to vehicular traffic for the all day event (Route 55/Washington Street). An awesome parade was held (pretty awesome for a small town!). Started the day with a nice cup of steaming hot delicious coffee from Cupcake Heaven, then found a spot along Washington Street to watch the parade and take photos. Lots of entertaining participants in the parade: The Battlefield HS Marching Band, cheerleaders, several local dance troops, several martial arts groups, the Fairfax County Police motorcycle officers (in precision formations), Cub/Boy Scouts, musical groups, local politicians, church groups, civic groups, local businesses, the Geico Gecko, the Chik-fil-A cows, Santa Claus, and a lot more! The parade was considerably longer with more participants than ever. There is also a large vendor area in front of Town Hall and down Washington Street with lots of vendors of all sorts, arts and crafts, games, food and beverages, stages with music, and a lot more! The weather was perfect, cool and overcast, no rain, the place was packed with local residents. It is a great event and it's so wonderful to see so many folks come out with their kids, many brought their dogs, and everyone seemed to be well behaved. I really like the small town atmosphere of Haymarket and the sense of community we have here!

Peruvian festival is a festival of happy and friendly Peruvians and friends of Peru that just…read morecelebrated its 30th anniversary. The parking was good, no entrance fee, a lot of free stuff (ice creams, water, bags, jello's, etc...), plenty of Peruvian food choices. Entertainment was rich and fun as you can tell by the pictures - they even had the horses do the tricks... I had food that I had never tried before: Anticuchos - marinated and grilled calf hearts, was delicious meal, with the taste and texture close to a calf liver. Picarones - Peruvian doughnuts were soft and sweet. I was expecting they will be soggy but they were perfect, melting in mouth. This festival is very colorful, and had all the colors under the sun, not just red and whites (their flag). The festival is family friendly and even had a NPS stand where kids can learn and touch objects. Only problem with that is the lack of alcohol (I would have loved a Peruvian beer) but that is a small price to pay for an excellent Peruvian experience.

Use my discount code "JASMIN" to save on your tickets! Enjoy your visit!…read more It was so much fun exploring magnolia meadow farms with my friends, enjoying all the fall festivities! Plenty of activities to do with friends, family, or loved ones this season! Marylands BEST Fall Festival @magnoliameadowfarms Thurmont, MD Now until October 27th 10 am-6 pm (Fri & Sun) 10 am-10 pm (Saturday) $15pp - Online $20pp - At the Door ~Discount Code: "JASMIN" for $ off your tickets! ~Comment below "Fall Festivities " and I'll DM you the booking information! Admission Includes ~Maryland's LARGEST Corn Maze ~ Hayrides ~ Farm Animals ($4 per feeding cup) ~ Mini Zip Lines ~ Slides ~ & More!! Extra activities ~ Pumpkins (.79cents per lb) ~ Flower picking ($20-$25) ~ Food & Drinks ~ Private Bonfires ~ Apple Cannon ($4-$7) ~ Gem Mining

Came here on a Saturday for the fall festival. Had bought tickets online which is a bit cheaper…read more Everything's pretty spread out in a large open field. On one end they had hard cider, beer and wine for sale and a stage with live music which was nice. They also sell apple cider, apple cider donuts, and food. The fries were good but crap dip was a bit watery. There's a fire pit area for groups that you can reserve ahead. Great spot for date night or a family outing- there's a lot for kids to do- a pile of tires to climb, barrels for them to play with, a giant inflated pillow bounce area. They have a good variety of farm animals you can feed (goats, horses, bulls, etc). You can also pick sunflowers/wildflowers, go on a hay ride, do the corn maze, and there's a little train for kids. In the main building there's a small farm store with fresh kettle corn you can watch them pop on site, pastries jams etc. Only suggestion is to improve the crab dip and add more activities for adults. More of a one time visit spot, probably would only come back if they are other activities next year.

The pimento cheese and the pork chop are AMAZING!!!! Excellent beer selection. Great ambiance…read more And a very cool bar upstairs.

One day, I will be the brains behind having something like this in my hometown. A nice arts center…read morethat is in a great location, with tons of happenings, people working and buzzing around, local support and with a sprinkle of working with the public school system arts classes. Accessible, clean, cute, artsy, and more. Why cant every town have this? Host events? Run by retired people and/or giving people with disabilities a chance to work, too? A large enough event space to host larger events. What a dream. Also, the coolest art project I have ever seen. It was hot upstairs though - poor circulation?

Occupying one-half of the building it shares with Retrodini, Lion's Lair has the feel of a folksy…read moreart gallery and features unique home accents. Blown glass vases, ceramic fruit bowls, makeup clutches woven from brightly colored plastic shopping bags, acrylic landscapes, table lamps atop knotty, reclaimed tree branches, panhandle covers stitched from recycled fabrics... The everyday art is tasteful, subtle, and often whimsical. On a rainy afternoon, browsing this shop was a really enjoyable way to pass some time.

I am sad there is only one review to date, so this must be fixed!…read more This little shop was the heart of my trip to Berkeley Springs and I will be sure to go back to the town for this shop again! It is a quaint shop neighboring with a painted glass and rock store. The location is wonderful, and the inside is like stepping into a dream. Whether you are looking around for pure shopping reasons, or if you are just browsing, you will find something in this shop that is just too irresistible to pass up! The owner was wonderful to chat with and I am thankful we met on a slow day to gain from just conversing with her. The items she carries were all wonderful! I had to go to this store twice just because I needed more of her items! I bought a hand weaved tortilla warmer from Guatemala, banana leaf weaved frogs, gourd art, and a set of earrings. All are fair trade items and each came with a wonderful description of where they are from, and possibly even a little story behind it. For example, the earrings were made in Cambodia. They are crafted from melting down land mines, ammo shells, and other objects of hate and destruction. After melted, they take that hate, and turn it into something beautiful like the earrings that I purchased. Just going into this store made me feel happier about life. Even if you think this store is not going to be your thing, give it a chance and check it out. To finish this review, I leave you with their buying policy, as quoted from Anne Lappe: "Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want."

I have been going to the Loudoun County Fair basically all of my life. It is THE thing to do for…read moresummer fun for all ages in Leesburg. I had a blast with my son and my friends. I look forward to enjoying the fair for the years to come! I really enjoyed the vendors, the animals, the events, and the games. Didn't go on any rides this year but I've enjoyed the rides here several other years. My favorite fair to go to in the summer!

Pathetic excuse for a fair. Even a small county fair…read more I love fairs. Big and small. I knew this one was small, so I had low expectations, but you can see the entire fair in about 7 mins. And....it's costs $15 to get in. And $5 to park. So $20 bucks for the world's smallest fair. I went soon after the fair opened, and none of the rides were operating and only half the food vendors were open. What did I get for my $20? Very very little.