The 80th Waterford Fair returns October 4 to 6, offering you a chance to experience arts, crafts, live entertainment, and tours throughout the charming historic Loudoun County village. The fair, the oldest juried crafts fair in Virginia, features 79 artisans from Virginia and the mid-Atlantic. You can explore a variety of handmade goods, including pottery, jewelry, and fine art.
New this year, the event will include a collaboration with Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery, which will debut the “80th Anniversary Waterford Fair Beer.”
Tour 11 historic homes and gardens, as well as Civil War and Quaker cemeteries. A reenactment of a school day in a 19th century classroom takes place in the village’s one-room schoolhouse.
Enjoy bluegrass music. Musical acts include the Danny Knicely Trio; the Plate Scrapers; Fiddlin’ Dave Van Deventer and Morgan Morrison (half of the Furnace Mountain Band); and Ashlee Watkins and Andrew Small. All performances are included in the price of admission.
Family activities include making a penny rug, a stenciled floor cloth, or trying your hand at the potter’s wheel and making a clay pot. There will be a magic show. Children can also earn a Waterford Explorer badge when they complete a scavenger hunt.
The fair will offer food and Talbott’s Tavern will serve Loudoun County wines and craft beers.
The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with an early bird option for Friday at 9 a.m. Tickets are available online or by phone, with advance purchases offering savings of up to 35 percent. Gate prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, military, and students, and free for children 12 and under.
On Saturday, there’s an intimate cocktail party at the Braden House. Tickets for the Waterford on the Rocks event cost $80 per person and are available online.
Feature image courtesy Waterford Fair
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