Nothing says hello holidays like a little shopping, delicious local seasonal food and wreath making! Bring your friends for an afternoon of fun at the beautiful and historic Huguenot Springs, home of the 2016 Purveyor of the Year, Manakintowne Specialty Growers. Shop original work by local artists, check out the silent auction and prepare to get crafty for the wreath making workshop. Bring your own snips and garden gloves, all other supplies and accessories provided.
Who doesn’t love a good music festival? Particularly when it’s at a winery, less than 30 minutes from Richmond, with optional camping, bonfires and pickin’ parties after hours! The Harvest Bluegrass Festival at Grayhaven Winery in Gum Spring fits the bill.
Saturday (9/24) and Sunday (9/25) from 11 to 6
Single Day Pass- $15. pp, $20 at the door. Two Day Pass- $25. pp, $30 at the door. Kids 17 and under attend free with parent!
Featuring a fantastic lineup of Virginia’s finest, including:
The Ridge Runners, Maidens Crossing, Heavy Duty, The Spenser Boys, Harper & Co., Rattlesnake Creek, Liza Bance Band
Great Food,, Handcrafted Virginia Wines & Sangria by Grayhaven Winery, Local Artisans, Kids’ Activities
Mandolin, fiddle & guitar Workshops
Plenty of Space for Pickin’ With Friends
Stuff You Can Bring:
RV’s (With reservation)
Dogs (Well behaved – on leash)
Lawn Chairs
Picnic Blankets
Coolers (Subject to security check)
Instruments
Please Don’t Bring:
Alcohol of Any Kind
Tickets on sale!
Call Grayhaven Winery for RV Reservations and Info:
Only a few more days left until the South African Food & Wine Festival! South African wine makers Tyrell Myburgh of Joostenberg Wines and MAN Vintners and Gordon Newton Johnson of Newton Johnson Wines will be here to represent their wines. We have amazing entertainement, great food and a Market Tent filled with wonderful South African spices, arts & crafts. Even the good weather we ordered is on it’s way!
Join us!
For a celebration of South African culture, wine, food & music!
Taste and purchase South African wines, from rare finds to iconic blends
Live South African music and dance performances by JuxtaPower and friends
Discover the exotic, multi-cultural cuisine of South Africa
Shop The Market for spices, arts & crafts imported from South Afirca
Enter for a chance to win two round trip tickets to South Africa, compliments of South African Airways!
Artist Spotlight: David Jenkins
David Jenkins – musician, singer, songwriter. Called the “White Zulu” from Empangeni, South Africa, David is an acknowledged master of traditional Zulu maskandi music. Read more on our festival Web site!
Artist Spotlight: Nomsa Mazwai
A SAMA award winning artist, Nomsa weaves the rhythms and melodies of jazz, afrocentric, drum ‘n bass, electronic and neo soul music into her own unique style. Visit Nomsa’s Web site and take a listen (we love them all, especially “Nguwe.”)
What about the weather?
So far, it looks good! Mostly sunny Saturday with only 10% chance of rain – a little higher for Sunday. Check weather.com with our Gum Spring zip code 23065 or look for weather updates on Grayhaven’s Web site. Remember Gum Spring weather can be quite different from D.C., Richmond or Charlottesville. The event is on rain or shine!
Purchase Tickets
Save $5 per ticket by ordering in advance (ends Thursday.) Visit our festival Web site to purchase:
It’s finally here! Tomorrow kicks off the first annual Rassawek Spring Jubilee Heritage & Wine Festival! The weather looks great, low 80s on Saturday and upper 80s on Sunday! Don’t forget your sunscreen, hats and walking shoes!! Live music, wine tastings, children’s activities and traditional demonstrations and living history all weekend.
The details are in…. Saturday 10-6 and Sunday, 11-5. Rassawek is on the north side of Route 6/ 35 Mile Drive in western Goochland, a few miles before the town of Columbia. Visit www.rassawek.com for further details.
HERITAGE SHOW
HILL TOP, GAZEBO & MUSIC STAGE
4-H Club Livestock & Archery, Alpacas, Miniature Horses, Mutton Bustin’, Barnyard Animals, Horses & Carriages, Beekeeping Demonstration, Local Artifacts, Early American Demonstrations, Plein Air Artists Painting Demos
FOOD
BBQ, Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Homemade Ice Cream, Milkshakes, Pecan Jacks, The Fudge and Sweet Shoppe
GAZEBO-CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
Bird House Project, Old Time Games, Corn Truck, Exchange Hotel Museum, Demonstrations
MUSIC STAGE
SATURDAY 21st
11am-12pm Thirteen Generations
12pm-1pm-Studabee
1pm-2pm- Ridge Runners
2pm-3pm-The River City Band
3pm-4pm-Cary Street Ramblers
4pm-5pm-Dixie Ridge
SUNDAY 22nd
11am-12pm-Statement
12pm-1pm-Grass Eclectic Company
1pm-2pm- Thirteen Generations
2pm-3pm-Good Natured Riot
3pm-5pm-Michelle Nixon and Drive
TREE HOUSE
The hollow tree found in the Innsbrook area and was erected here this spring.
SAYLOR CABIN, BUILT IN 1844
The Saylor cabin was first cabin on the property in 2003, moved from St. Paul’s Chruch Road in Goochland.
The Cherokee cabin was second cabin on the property, moved from Cherokee Road in Richmond, VA. The Cabin was originally built in 1910 and moved to Rassawek in 2006. This cabin was obtained from the Brisco Guy family.
The Greenhouse is from James Madison’s Montpelier, it is a 1910 Lord Burnham Greenhouse. Stories and Tales will be playing periodically throughout the day inside the cabin, a documentary of local people.
WINERIES
Byrd CellarsWinery, Grayhaven Winery, Saude Creek Winery, Mattaponi Winery, New Kent Winery, First Colony Winery
FOOD
Chocolates by de Rochennet Chocolatier, The Bakery Farmville, Grapevine Restaurant
What is 35 Mile Drive? Literally 35 Mile Drive is another name for River Road West, a scenic Virginia byway in the Richmond, Virginia area. The stretch of road in question runs 35 miles through Goochland County. Some highlights from the road….things to do, places to see, right in Richmond’s back yard.
Let’s start at the Henrico/Goochland county line and head west.
Tuckahoe Plantation- Thomas Jefferson’s boyhood home. He attended the one roomed school house still there and open to visitors. Could it be that TJ’s appreciation for architecture and domes was inspired by the domed schoolhouse ceiling? Like many a historic property, Tuckahoe is believed to have a few supernatural residents. A popular destination for filmmakers, you could say that Tuckahoe is Goochland’s Little Hollywood. Today, Tuckahoe has a farmer’s market on Sunday afternoons during the summer, selling their grass-few beef, eggs and other seasonal items.
Mother Mary of the Church Abbey- Since 1994, it has been the home of fifteen monks living in the Benedictine tradition. It is also houses the Shroud of Turin Center, a workshop destination for scholars and the faithful. There is a gift shop with monk-made items like sweets, jams, honey, textiles and a bookshop. Also, it is home of Benedictine Academy and the Bobby Ross Field. Ross (class of ’55) is a famed football coach and inductee into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Thistledown Alpacas- Goochland has a growing alpaca population. Several farms are open to the public.
Brookview Farm- A certified organic farm. 2007 Stewards of the Land, a national award by the American Farmland Trust! They sell their organic grass-fed beef through Lulu’s Local Food Co-op.
James River Work Center- The state farm. Home to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Greener Pastures Program. Rescued racehorses are given a second chance at life when their racing careers are over due to age, injury or performance. Horses are matched with offenders in a training program. Offenders graduate with a Groom Elite certification, giving them job skills to work in the horse industry. Many of the horses are available for adoption. It’s the only program of its kind in Virginia. Now home to 30 horses with 30 Groom Elite graduates! The TRF National President , Robin Williams, started the program and lives in Goochland.
You could say the state farm is Little Hollywood West. HBO’s John Adams was filmed here. Boston harbor and Braintree still sit waiting for a sequel perhaps on the Powhatan side.
Tanglewood Ordinary- A historic property family-dining Southern style! Fried chicken, anyone? Don’t miss their collection of Post magazines.
Tucker Park at Maiden’s Crossing- Goochland’s newest river park in development. Will be the site of a music ampitheater, birding platforms, trails, fields and primitive boat launch.
Brightly Bed & Breakfast- Historic B&B, one of only two in Goochland. Beautiful gardens.
Nadolski’s Butcher Shop- Specialty boutique butcher with locally sourced meats, specialty items, sausages, wine, beer and cheese. Home of many special events.
Goochland Courthouse- Built in 1826 by Cumberland builder Valentine Parrish and Dabney Cosby (a Staunton brickmason who had worked for Thomas Jefferson at UVA.) TJ’s influence is seen in the architectural details including the Tuscan portico, full Tuscan entablature, temple form and color scheme of red brick and white trim. Did you know, the brick wall was built around the complex to keep out wandering cattle!
White Hawk Music Cafe- Goochland’s musical metropolis! Combines music education (over 100 students in guitar, piano, voice, banjo, mandolin) with live performances and cafe food. A gathering spot with pickin’ parties every Thursday night, open mic on Tuesdays, and live music on the weekends.
Orapax- 700 acre hunting preserve for quail and pheasant. Customers come from over 39 states and six countries!!
Rapalee Taxidermy- Showroom open to the public, see dynamic mounts of over 100 animals from around the world.
Byrd Cellars Tasting Room- Sample wine from three local vineyards. Part of the 35 Mile Drive Wine Trail which includes Grayhaven Winery, Windsong Winery & Byrd Cellars.
Rassawek- Stunning property, home to the Spring Jubilee Heritage & Wine Festival May 21-22. Vineyard (Byrd Cellars) and village of reclaimed structures with historical value. Available for private rentals. Can see three counties and the James River corridor from the gazebo (formerly of 6th Street Marketplace!) Two restored log cabins, James Madison’s Montpelier greenhouse (now the wine tasting room,) music pavilion, ponds and trails. Named for the original Monacan Indian settlement along the river nearby.
The Rassawek Spring Jubilee Heritage & Wine Festival is coming May 21-22! You won’t want to miss Goochland’s new festival. With six Virginia wineries (including host Byrd Cellars) on hand for tastings and tours, several music stages, kid’s activities, antique cars and farm equipment, steamboats, fishing rodeo, early homesteading demonstrations, arts and crafts, home-cooked food….there is truly something for everyone!!
Perhaps the biggest draw is the location itself. Perched high on a hill overlooking the James River, with views of Goochland, Fluvanna and Cumberland, Rassawek is home to a vineyard and a village of salvaged structures that create a beautiful rustic atmosphere unlike any other.
Leading up to the big event, 35 Mile Drive is giving away tickets via a Twitter treasure hunt. Follow us on Twitter @35miledrive and look for the clues as they are posted. Follow the clues to the hidden tickets ($40 value!) We are hiding these tickets all over Goochland…so stay tuned!
Tickets are $20 per adult (couples are $35) for admission to the Wine festival and Heritage show. Heritage show only is $10. So…put on your thinking cap!
The Spring Jubilee Heritage & Wine Festival at Rassawek in Goochland County will be May 21-22. Enjoy Byrd Cellars and six other Virginia wineries, a variety of music stages including bluegrass, old time, blues and country, traditional arts and crafts, antique cars and farm equipment, fishing derby, wholesome food, early American homesteading demonstrations including hearth cooking, canning, spinning and bee keeping, 4H livestock show and children’s activites.
Tickets for the wine festival and heritage festival are $20 for adults/ $35 a couple. Tickets to the heritage festival only are $10. Children 12& under are free.
Follow us on Twitter (@35miledrive) to join in the ticket treasure hunt! Follow the clues to find your own tickets to the event compliments of the 35 Mile Drive Association! Stay tuned for the first clue.
A new event is debuting in Goochland! The Rassawek Spring Jubilee is a two-day celebration that will showcase the cultural, musical, agrarian and artistic traditions that are the heart and heritage of Goochland County. The Rassawek Spring Jubilee will feature a variety of activities and demonstrations designed to connect Goochland’s unique rustic past with its current crafts, talents and commerce.
Features include a jam-packed music stage, fascinating Virginia traditional arts demonstrations, unique youngster activities and delicious wine tastings throughout the day. The event also boasts a fishing contest in the many lakes on the property, wholesome food provided by local producers and farmers, and dozens of gifted artists and antique vendors.
Byrd Cellars and 6 other Virginia wineries
Music that highlights our rich musical heritage. Bluegrass, Old Time, Blues & Country!
Traditional Arts & Crafts vendors such as specialty pottery, textiles, black smithing, crafts & antiques
Antique cars and farm equipment displays • Fishing Contests in the ponds for youth & adults
Wholesome food vendors
Early American homesteading demonstrations such as hearth cooking, caning, spinning & bee keeping
Goochland 4H Club livestock show and childrens activities
Where else can you find fine arts and crafts, wine, specialty beer, live bluegrass music, alpacas, farm fresh produce and meats, General Cornwallis, a beagle, Halloween festivities and a scenic drive (ride) along River Road less than 30 minutes from Richmond!
The 35 Mile Drive Courthouse Village Fair, Goochland, VA
Saturday, October 30
Spend a day in the country at the Goochland Courthouse Village Fair this Saturday!
Spend the day in Goochland! 35 Mile Drive Courthouse Village Fair!
Make a note….The children’s costume contest and party portion of the Monster Mash & Music Fest is from 4 pm to 5 pm. Starting at 5 pm (until close) enjoy live music, wine and beer, coffee, smoothies, cafe food and Halloween festivities. Costumes encouraged! Visit www.whitehawkmusiccafe.com for more information.
The 35-Mile Drive Presents Visit Goochland 