Is the festival free to attend?
Yes! Should I bring my camp chair? Yes! (Though we do have limited picnic-table seating and lots of lawn to spread blankets! Can I bring my dog? Yes! Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome on festival grounds. Will there be any shade? Yes! We'll have a few shade tents, and there are also some trees on the festival grounds. But bring that sun block! Will there be food and drinks for sale? Yes! We'll have food trucks on site, plus beer and wine sales on the Old Stone School patio. Will there be enough parking? Yes! We have a big field, just east of the Old Stone School—with road signs to direct you there. Is anything going on inside the Old Stone School? Yes! We hope you'll tour our "Art of the Trail" show—and meet our A.T.-inspired artists. And you can also enjoy our "trail talks" in the OSS auditorium. Please send us your questions—and we'll do our best to have answers!
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Old Dominion Land Conservancy returns this year as a sponsor of our festival. (Thanks!) In this guest blog, ODLC's Geoffrey Nichols tells us about their work to protect Virginia’s land and waterways for future generations. Are you looking to conserve rural land in Virginia? That's where Old Dominion Land Conservancy (ODLC) plays a part. ODLC works with landowners to protect important Virginia resources in perpetuity via conservation easement or land donations. ODLC partners with landowners who are interested in preserving their farmland, forest, wetlands and scenic assets—such as the Appalachian Trail viewshed. “We are blessed to have the Appalachian Trail in our backyard and protecting the view from the trail is vitally important. This makes the work of conserving land along the trail one of our highest priorities," explains ODLC Executive Director Henry Stribling. Last year, ODLC worked with landowners to protect more than 2,000 acres of land in Loudoun County with conservation easements. More than 1,100 acres of that land was in active agricultural use, helping to support everything from legacy cattle farms to the growing wineries in Loudoun. In addition to this, projects completed in 2023 have enabled ODLC to protect in perpetuity almost seven miles of Potomac River frontage and portions of many key tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay watershed throughout Northern Virginia. Under the leadership and guidance of ODLC, more than 20,000 acres of land have been successfully designated and preserved in conservancy. Today's guest post comes from Carol Lenhart of Birch Hollow Yoga in Hillsboro. Birch Hollow is a sponsor of the festival—and you can bid on a package in our auction to get yourself set up to begin your own yoga practice! Six Reasons Hikers Should Do Yoga We love hiking and being in the woods. Especially the challenge of a long and arduous trek through tough terrain. Or maybe a gentle stroll along a nice, flat scenic trail. Whatever style of hiking you do, yoga can be a great addition to your fitness habits. Here are some reasons why:
Carol Lenhart is a yoga teacher in Hillsboro, Virginia. She has been practicing yoga for over 35 years, and has been sharing the practice with others for 10 years. She loves all styles of yoga, and her favorite pose is “feet on the wall.” Carol lives on a farm with her husband Ben, their children and an assortment of animals. She enjoys hiking, cycling and paddling around the beautiful Virginia countryside and waterways. She can be found on Facebook and Instagram through @birchhollowyoga. Mike Wurman joins the festival this year to give an "Eat, Drink and be Literary" author's talk on Friday night, June 7, at the Old Stone School in Hillsboro, VA (a ticketed event). His work will be featured at the festival in our "Art of the Trail" invitational show, with a free opening reception on June 7th at 6 p.m. Completed in journal fashion, Mike's book A Sketch & A Prayer chronicles the miles and stories of his journey along the Appalachian Trail in search of inspiration. Filled with stories, drawings, pictures, tips and tricks, the book shows, first hand, the ups and downs of a long-distance hiker. These days, Mike is at work on his fourth book. We asked him to tell us how hiking the Appalachian Trail changed him and his art. After I moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to pursue a career as a pencil artist, I began to feel uncertain about my abilities as an artist—and as an individual. I had lost my passion for creating, and I stopped drawing. In 2014, I went hiking across the summit of a nearby, bald mountain named Max Patch, where I literally crossed paths with the Appalachian Trail. I was immediately inspired to draw again, but I also knew immediately the Trail was calling me to make the 2,200-mile pilgrimage from Georgia to Maine. Despite having no backpacking experience, two months later I left from Springer Mountain, Georgia, carrying two sketchbooks and an assortment of pencils, and I headed north. It often wasn't easy, but my journey on the Trail strengthened my belief in myself and my love for nature. I realized I wanted to share that with others through my art. While I still work in pencil, I realized it was time to branch out beyond the black-and-white world of graphite so that I could truly convey the vivid imagery I experienced on the Trail each day. And so, I taught myself to draw with pastels, adding color to my art so I could better capture the wonders of nature. I've continued to be inspired to explore new adventures and landscapes. After the A.T., I thru-hiked the Colorado Trail and the West Highland Way in Scotland. With a sketchbook in hand, I'm always looking for my next great adventure. —Mike Wurman Meadows Farms Nurseries has been a major sponsor of our A.T. Festival from the start. We asked owner Jay Meadows about his connection to Loudoun and our A.T. Festival. Here's what he had to say: I have lived in Loudoun since 1972. I grew up in Sterling and graduated from Broad Run High School in 1979. We raised our kids in Ashburn—and, now, my wife Doreen and I are empty nesters in Round Hill. So, I have worked my way across the county over the last 50 years. My family owns Meadows Farms Nurseries, and we've been doing business in Loudoun all that time. I love the county and have enjoyed all it offers over the years. Great commerce, great sports, great schools, great people and wonderful opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. I love western Loudoun with its open spaces allowing me to own a little bit of land for hunting, fishing and gardening. Beyond my own home, I have a great appreciation for our local mountains and waterways. I love to kayak fish for smallmouth bass on the Shenandoah. Doreen and I like to hike—most notably we get out to the Thompson Wildlife Area every spring to view the trillium bloom. It is wonderful. We got involved with the original Round Hill Appalachian Trail Festival because it sounded like a worthwhile event to us. Living in Round Hill, we are interested in preserving the countryside all around us. The A.T. is a big part of that. In addition to being sponsors, we've been able to attend the festival most years. It's fun running into people we know, listening to the music, checking out the vendors and soaking up all the cool vibe. The Loudoun Appalachian Trail Festival is just around the corner on Saturday, June 8th, 2024 and we need your help to make it a success! We invite you to be a part of this extraordinary community event by volunteering. Volunteering at the festival is a fantastic opportunity for you to engage with the community, make new connections, and enjoy a day filled with outdoor-themed activities. To learn more about the available volunteer opportunities and to sign up, simply scan the QR code on this post or follow this link: loudounat.org/volunteer.
What inspired you two to thru-hike the A.T.? We both grew up in the Carolinas, and the Appalachian Trail was on each of our bucket lists for a long time. Devin is an Eagle Scout who grew up hiking sections of the A.T. with scouts and friends. While attending school in NY he hiked the PA, NJ and NY sections of the Trail and vowed to thru-hike one-day. Di hiked sections of NC/TN as a student and parts of NY when she was living in the city. The opportunity to thru-hike presented itself in 2022, and we jumped on the adventure! Trail names? Our joint trail name is "Double Ds." It was given to us by a shuttle driver and retired Amicalola ranger, Ron, who saved us from a snow storm the first week of our hike. A trail story to share? We were the beneficiaries of trail magic in the middle of Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness—TWICE! We were really low on food about five days into the wilderness. We weren’t sure how we were going to make it to the other side. As we were walking, really hungry and trying to ration what little food we had left, we crossed paths with a ridge runner who was out for her last hike of the season. We told her about our situation and admitted we should have known better by this point in our hike. She was super understanding and just happened to have her truck parked a mile down the road full of food! She hooked us up with a big lunch and sent us on our way with a couple days' worth of food. The next day we walked into a shelter for a lunch break. Two older couples sitting there immediately perked up and asked if we were thru-hikers. When we said yes, they were overjoyed. They had recently watched an A.T. documentary and wanted to become "trail angels." They’d been waiting at the shelter all day, and we were the first hikers they’d seen! It was early October and they had decked out the shelter with jack-o’-lanterns full of candy. When we pointed out that the critters in the 100-Mile Wildness might be attracted by the candy, they decided we needed to pack it all out with us. So, we walked out of there with about ten pounds of candy, snacks, beer and TP. We forced all the hikers we saw to take all the candy they could carry! In two days we went from almost no food to more than we could eat! Just more evidence that the Trail really does provide. How has your time on the A.T. impacted your life in the two years since you hiked? This experience will change you in ways you cannot prepare for. Post-trail depression is real, and our experience with it was severe. We found we're really over society. All we want to do is spend time outside with other folks who want to spend time outside. It feels great to return to the Trail and the community surrounding it. We’re weaving ourselves into the A.T. tapestry again this year, and it’s an incredible feeling. What inspired you to start up Nomadd Life, your company behind Double Ds DIRT? Nomadd Life actually started a couple years before our thru-hike when we were adventuring across the US and Mexico in our van, Lady. Why is your product called DIRT? Will you be adding new products? When you see it, you’ll get it! It looks a bit like dirt. But, we can guarantee that it’s the best DIRT you’ll find anywhere on Trail! We didn’t officially introduce DIRT until mid-April this year. We hope to add new products next year including dried mushrooms, shrimp and a veggie blend. We're thinking about calling the veggie medley "Wabbit Food." How are you getting DIRT in the hands of this year's hikers? We’ve been doing trail magic up and down the trail, giving hikers “DIRTy” quesadillas. We’re also partnering with trail town restaurants to add a limited-time special on their menu, and we're working on getting into outfitters and hostels so hikers can pick up DIRT in their resupplies. "Dig" some DIRT at the festival, and find more info on their new website: https://eatdddirt.com/. Frank Solivan and Jillian Lea return to the festival this year to perform on The Gap Stage at 3:30 on June 8th. Frank combines the pure, hard drive of classic bluegrass with contemporary acoustic music sophistication. Along with his band, Dirty Kitchen, Frank has toured the world and racked up a steady stream of accolades, including two Grammy nominations and two awards for IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year. Jillian Lea grew up playing classical, folk, jazz and Celtic music with her twin sister and music-loving parents. She was classically trained on the flute before focusing her attention on the penny whistle. In recent years, she has gravitated to the world of bluegrass and the upright bass. Jillian has toured with regional and national acts for decades. We asked Frank and Jillian about coming back to our festival. What about our A.T. Festival makes you want to return? We are thrilled to be a part of an event that celebrates the A.T. and the Great Outdoors. These places have been such a huge part of our lives and health that we cannot imagine living in a world that did not protect such places. Are you hikers? Hiking is what we do to find peace. It is our solace through hard times or overwhelming times. It is hard to describe the joy and comfort the woods lend. It is as though we know everything will be fine. Our favorite local place is Crow's Nest in Stafford. We also love to go around the reservoir at Mott's Run in Fredericksburg. Our go-to A.T. spot is accessed at Sky Meadows. We love the views and the challenge of the elevation changes. We are planning a multi-day hike from Sky Meadows to Harpers Ferry to take on the notorious "Roller Coaster." Gotta love the feeling of conquering a challenge. What's new/noteworthy with your music recently? We are excited to be taking our music to Martha's Vineyard this summer. We have never been there, and we can't wait to bicycle all over the island and maybe spot a whale! Frank is taking his full band to Bolivia this summer to celebrate distinct American culture and how music can bring people together across language and cultural differences. Morris Jensen loves to travel and paint. His sketches and paintings have recorded journeys in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, the U.S., Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya, France, Greece and Corsica. Jensen comes to the States this year to hike the A.T. in Virginia, sketching as he walks. He'll bring his new pictures to the festival's "Art of the Trail" show. We asked Jensen about his art and hiking. Does sketching enhance your hiking experience? I hike to sketch; nowadays, I rarely go out hiking or walking without taking a sketchbook. When sketching, I stop and get to see all sorts of things others may miss. As I sit quietly, the kingfisher returns to its fishing perch, the deer, having been spooked by a group passing by, returns to drink. The hardest thing to do, especially if hiking in a group, is to stop and sketch. You feel bad for holding the others up; so, let them go ahead and share the art with them later. What sort of sketches do you do on the trail? Mainly atmospheric rather than realistic. It depends a lot on the subject. An atmospheric sketch can only be captured at the moment; a realistic painting can be reproduced later from a photo. Other types of sketches that I like to do and ones I like to give away are 8x6-inch postcards of simple views as I’m hiking along, a hill crest, a fallen tree, or stump, a small bridge. I can then add a person's figure to these sketches at camp on an evening or on zero days. I attach my contact details to the back to stay in touch. And sometimes I get commissions this way. What art supplies do you carry with you on a hike? There's no one best kit to carry—as all trips differ from each other albeit a day hike, a few days camping or a six-week Camino trip. Now, I’ve seriously had to rethink my kit for my three-month Appalachian Trail project, mainly because I need to be able to carry everything I'll need along the trail, including food and water. I will carry two paint boxes, both designed for travelling. My first holds 14 pans and is for general painting. The second—a Painters Pocket Palette—holds 12 colours for mixing more greens, greys and earth colours, plus a few reds. (My go-to red is Alizarin Crimson.) You need to know your colour wheel and keep the old paint in your paint box corners for those greys needed to paint tree branches, rocks and rainy skies. I am not a brush snob; I take old brushes, cut them down to about six inches and throw them into a zip bag. I'll carry large and small flat brushes, various rounds, a short and a long rigger and a trimmed fan. By far the heaviest thing I carry is paper, so it's best to give it away. I cut and carry about 60, 8x6-inch rectangular sheets of watercolour to paint on and give away as gifts or exchange for beer, snicker bars and tea bags. Other items I carry are sponges, a folding water pot, a kneading eraser, a viewfinder, a spray bottle and a folding seat. I also bring a craft knife for trimming pencils to a chiselled edge. This all adds to my weight, which is why I need a separate front pack. All in all it weighs about 2 kilos/ 3.5 lbs. What will you be working on as you hike? I'll be sketching many more scenes than painting them because it puts less pressure on me to produce full watercolours. I'll also carry a small sketchbook for details like fallen trees, the fire pit next to a shelter, a lone privy and the interesting old bridges. Also, local fauna and flora. All these subjects can, with the aid of photo references, be added to a full painting once I’m back home in my studio. This leaves my main sketchbook free for fuller scenes. I will do a few full watercolours, as show pieces for the A.T. Festival, and for this I will need a dozen or so sheets of high quality paper. This needs to be transported in a lightweight but solid case to avoid damage and humidity. Pen and wash is primarily an urban sketching technique that can be adapted for landscapes. Using a permanent ink pen I first draw the subject before filling in the colour, a handy method to capture details in topics such as stone and wood shelters and sign posts. Lisa Kovatch of Simply on Union has supported our A.T. Festival as a vendor from the start, and she returns this year with her ever-popular Chestnut's Beeswax Food Wraps—plus more! Her eco-minded wares are a perfect reflection of the festival's mission of environmental protection. Here's a guest blog from Lisa: As a child, I lived in Kenya, where vibrant hues and bold patterns dominate textiles and where the landscape we explored on family camping safaris was vast and untamed. Creativity and resourcefulness abounded, and remain traits I value to this day. I use traditional methods to make useful, eco-friendly products with a whimsical, modern twist. When I learned that microplastics are in our waterways and even in the food we are consuming, I was motivated to reduce the use of plastics in our household. My CHESTNUT'S line of reusable Beeswax Food Wraps, a compostable alternative to single-use plastic wrap, has grown to include small-batch, plant-based soap for the kitchen and bath, natural lip balms, and shampoo bars. I love the alchemy of making cold-process soap and blending essential oils to scent my products, which delight the senses while being kind to the environment and our skin. All my packaging is compostable and/or recyclable. I enjoy helping others achieve a zero-waste lifestyle that is both stylish and fun! My little studio is tucked into the rolling Blue Ridge foothills near the Shenandoah River in lovely and historic Bolivar, West Virginia. I feel fortunate that there are so many wonderful local trails that I can easily access from my front door, including the Appalachian Trail, and that I am able to watch the seasons unfold in the hills around me. As an A.T. "dreamer" myself, I love looking out my studio window and seeing the thru-hikers walk by on their way north in the summer. I keep my yard kind of wild and it's not uncommon for hikers to remark that they like the "toilet paper" I have growing—mullein plants! |
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This page features artwork by Mike Wurman, an artist invited to participate in this year's Art of the Trail show.
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