Mount Vernon salutes our first commander-in-chief during its annual Independence Day event! Watch dazzling made-for-daytime fireworks shoot off over the Potomac River. Listen to the roar of the cannon fire while viewing special military re-enactments throughout the day.

An American Celebration includes an inspirational naturalization ceremony for 100 new citizens with a special keynote address, daytime fireworks, military re-enactments, a special wreathlaying ceremony, free birthday cake for all (while supplies last), and a visit from the “first” first couple, “General and Mrs. Washington.” Enjoy a performance by the National Concert Band’s during its “Red, White and Blue” concert. Spend a truly inspiring day at a truly inspiring place.

September 17 & 18, 2016 10AM-5PM Saturday & Sunday Rain or Shine!! (No rain date)
Old fashioned family fun at a “Green” Country Fair featuring traditional crafts (juried), local art & authors, craft & farming demonstrations, music: traditional, blues & country, 10k race, free Children’s Fair, farm animals, Llamas & Alpacas, Quilt Display, Blacksmith, homemade food, interactive Indian Village, pie-baking/pickle-making contest, antiques & collectables, local wine-tasting, breweries & gourmet treats, Historic Slide Show, bee-keepers & hives, model railroad display & antique caboose, pre-Civil War Country Store, Farmer’s Market, and more, set in historic village in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. No Pets! RT. 734-Snickersville Turnpike, off Rt. 7, Loudoun County, Virginia
$5 ADULTS/under 10 FREE! FREE PARKING! INFORMATION: www.bluemontfair.org or 540.554.2367 (VM)

Come to the Waterford Fair and return to a day from an earlier time. Tour historic houses, watch juried artisans demonstrate techniques of traditional craftsmanship, stroll through the Old Mill and vintage barns transformed into galleries for painting, traditional crafts, dried flowers, and more.

Traditional Crafts
Since the first Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit in 1943, the number and variety of craft demonstrators has risen steadily. This is a “teaching Fair,” and so we choose traditional artisans who will inform our visitors about traditional crafts through the demonstration of their work and techniques. And as you stroll through the village you may see a furniture maker carving a delicate design for a cabinet, a blacksmith twisting a glowing rod of iron, a potter shaping clay, a frame being painted, candles being dipped, or pewter being hammered into shape–all skills once commonplace in Virginia’s agricultural villages. We select traditional artisans not only for their mastery of skills and prominence in the field, but for their thorough knowledge of the craft and its significance in years past. Our craftspeople encourage and welcome visitors, both adults and children, to participate in a “hands-on” experience during the demonstrations.

Homes Tours
Village residents open their doors and share the history of their unique homes.  Docents welcome you and speak about the history, architecture and furnishings of these dwellings. You will be introduced to the cast of colorful characters who once inhabited these fascinating houses. They were Quakers and staunch abolitionists, slave-owners, merchants, artisans, freed slaves, warriors, and idealists.

Music, Civil War, and Living History
Friends and families, adults and children all delight in lively performances of traditional music and dance; re-enactments by Colonial and Civil War-era militia and historical interpretations of historic village life Civil War re-enactors maintain camps in Waterford for the weekend. Soldiers march through the streets. And there is music everywhere—string bands, troubadours, barbershop, gospel, classical, folk, and traditional.
Farming as it used to be
Come see antique farm equipment complete with demonstrations of early farming machinery and methods. Enjoy hayrides, shelling corn with a hand cranked sheller, interactive demonstration of how wheat was separated by hand from the chaff, how wheat is threshed, and see an antique hay baler in action.

Hungry or Thirsty?
Food for every palate: barbeque ribs and pulled pork, vegetable wraps, artisanal sheep cheeses, homemade sodas, ice cream, kettle corn and freshly squeezed lemonade are just a few of the possibilities. And jams, apple butter, and soup mixes to take home.
You can also cleanse you palette with locally crafted wines and beers.
Art & Photography Exhibits
The Fair includes an art and photography exhibit, along with a popular Art Mart where you can purchase works of art by local artists.