Craft beer fans, and fun-loving folks in general, will have two opportunities to celebrate Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg this month. (Yes, the Munich Oktoberfest actually does start in September.)

On September 18, the Fredericksburg Capital Ale House will celebrate Oktoberfest in downtown Fredericksburg with a block party in front of their Caroline Street location. The event will kick off at noon and continue until 10:00PM. This will be the second annual event for Capital Ale House in Fredericksburg. Entertainment will be provided by the SGTEV Hirschjager German dancers and German music by Heidi und Heimat, The Continentals & Low’n’Brows. A large children’s area will include three inflatable attractions, face painter and balloon artists. Food and beverages will be available. Other Richmond are Capital Ale House locations will celebrate Oktoberfest on September 24th & 25th, and October 2.

After you've spent the work week recovering, the party starts again the following weekend. The Blue & Gray Brewing Company will hold their 8th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest all weekend long, September 24, 25, & 26. Family-friendly fun activities include sing alongs, a stein holding contest, Oompah music, ginger bread walk, K-9 demonstration, face painting for the kids, and the Low’n’Brows. And of course, plenty of the ever-popular Oktoberfest Beer from Blue & Gray Brewing will be available along with other Blue & Gray beers. See the event page for the complete schedule of events.

The newly opened Lee's Retreat Brewpub at Blue & Gray will be serving delicious German foods and pastries. Beer will be available for sale in 12oz or 16oz mugs, or a 33.8oz (maas) commemorative stein. Festival hours are Friday 5:00PM-10:00PM, Saturday 11:00AM-7:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00PM-4:00PM.

It's a great month to be a craft beer fan in Fredericksburg!

A new service from the city alerts residents to city events, status and more.

Visit https://www.fredericksburgalert.com/ to register to receive txts, email or get a pager notice for a variety of notices from the city. (A pager, what's that again?) Already there are more than 40 groups of notices to sign up for. Everything from local traffic, river reports, to Parks&Rec events, even local volunteer opportunities.

Those with children in school will surely like the school closing notifications. The advantage is you get to pick and choose those alerts that are important to you and your family.

The FLS reports that the site is largely funded by Homeland Security, allowing the city to offer similar capabilities as the surrounding counties. Hopefully the city organizations will continue to keep their feeds up to date.

Probably one of the best family benefit of living in the city is the Dixon park pool. From friendly staff, to fun children's area, to a mini-water slide, this has to be one of the funnest items in the inventory of city parks. And the best part for people living in 22401, it's FREE. Last year the city debated charging a fee for residents, but the generosity of Dorris Buffett and the Sunshine Lady Foundation saved the summer by donating the cost of admission.

It’s here again.  It’s Virginia’s tax free holiday for school supplies and clothing.  The holiday runs from Friday, August 6 – Sunday, August 8, 2010.  Each eligible school item must be priced at $20 or less and each clothing and footwear item must be priced at $100 or less. 

Eligible School Supplies:                             

Binder pockets

Binders

Blackboard Chalk

Book bags

Calculators

Cellophane tape

Clay and glazes

Compasses

Composition books

Crayons

Dictionaries and thesauruses

Dividers

Erasers (including dry erase marker erasers and dry erase marker cleaning solutions)

Folders; expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila

Glue, paste, and paste sticks

Highlighters

Index cards

Index card boxes

Legal pads

Lunch boxes

Markers (including dry erase markers and dry erase marker kits)

Musical instruments, musical instrument accessories, and replacement items for musical instruments

Notebooks

Paintbrushes for artwork

Paints (acrylic, tempera, and oil)

Paper; loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board and construction paper

Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes

Pencil sharpeners

Pencils

Pens

Protractors

Reference books

Reference maps and globes

Rulers

Scissors

Sheet music

Sketch and drawing pads

Textbooks

Watercolors

Workbooks; and

Writing Tablets

This is an all inclusive list.  Computers are not eligible, however, some retailers may choose to pay the taxes for consumers who purchase this type of item. 

Eligible Clothing Items:

Aprons, household and shop

Athletic supporters

Baby bibs and clothes

Baby receiving blankets

Bandanas

Bathing suits, swim trunks, cover-ups and bathing caps

Beach capes and coats

Belts and suspenders

Bibs

Boots

Choir and altar clothing

Clerical vestments

Coats, jackets, and windbreakers

Corsets and corset laces

Costumes (sold not rented)

Coveralls

Diapers, children and adult, including disposable diapers

Dresses

Ear muffs

Footlets

Formal wear for men and women (sold, not rented)

Fur coats and stoles, shawls and wraps

Garters and garter belts

Girdles

Gloves and mittens for general use

Golf clothing, caps, dresses, shirts, skirts, pants

Gym suits and uniforms

Hats and caps

Hosiery

Insoles, inserts for shoes

Jeans

Jerseys (both athletic and non-athletic)

Lab coats

Legwarmers

Leotards and tights

Lingerie

Neckwear, including bow ties, neckties, and scarves

Nightgowns

Overshoes and rubber shoes

Pajamas

Pantyhose

Raincoats, rain hats, and ponchos

Robes

Rubber pants

Rubber thong/flip-flops

Sandals

Scarves

Shirts and blouses

Shoes and shoe laces

Shorts

Skirts

Slacks

Slippers

Slips

Sneakers

Socks and stockings, including athletic socks

Steel toed shoes

Suits

Suspenders

Underwear

Uniforms, athletic and non-athletic

Vests

Wedding apparel, including veils (sold not rented)

This list is not all inclusive. 

If you would like more information on the 2010 Virginia Tax Free Holiday for school supplies and clothing, please click here.

The 272nd Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair is in full swing!  This is the oldest fair in Virginia and quite possibly the oldest fair in the united states.  Originally the fair was held twice a year.  Cattle, everyday necessities, goods, and other merchandise was sold.  Horses racing, hot air balloon rides, and circuses have also been a part of the fair’s history.  Today the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair focuses on livestock competitions and sales, music acts, the Miss Fredericksburg Pageant, food, and carnival rides.  This year the Board of Directors have brought back a clown circus, petting zoo, and animal races – this time it is pigs and other small animals; as well as a Demolition Derby, motor sports, Barbarian Fight Club, beer concessions, and smoked turkey legs. 

The Fair’s Hours of Operation are:

Monday – Thursday        5pm-10pm

Friday -                                3pm-10pm

Saturday -                           10am-10pm

Sunday -                               12pm-10pm

Gates close at 10pm, but rides continue to operate until 11pm.

Cost of Admission:  Adults: $7    Seniors:  $5    Children Under 3:  FREE 

Tuesday Admission:  Adults and Seniors:  $2   Children Under 3:  FREE

Here are some highlights for this week’s events:

Monday, August 3

5:00 PM                 Fast Action Motorsports

5:00 PM                 NOJOE’s Clown Circus

5:00 PM                 Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

7:00 PM                 R & R Productions Demolition Derby (Motorsports Park)

8:00 PM                 Teen Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant Ages 13-16  (Fairway Stage)

Tuesday, August 3 – $2.00 Day!

5:00 PM                 Fast Action Motorsports

5:00 PM                 NOJOE’s Clown Circus

5:00 PM                 Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

7:00 PM                 Will Gravatt (Country/Western) (Fairway Stage)

Wednesday, August 4

5:00 PM                 Flower Show

5:00 PM                 Hot Dog/Pig Racing

5:00 PM                 Fast Action Motorsports

5:00 PM                 Kamp Kreatures Puppet Stage Show

5:00 PM                 Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

7:00 PM                 Colgate Country Showdown with Brian Strobel  (Fairway Stage)

7:00 PM                 R & R Productions Powder Puff Demolition Derby  (Motorsports Park)

Thursday, August 5

5:00 PM                 Hot Dog/Pig Racing

5:00 PM                 Fast Action Motorsports

5:00 PM                 Kamp Kreatures Puppet Stage Show

5:00 PM                 Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

7:00 PM                 Barbarian Fight Club  (Fairway Stage)

7:00 PM                 R & R Productions Demolition Derby (Motorsports Park)

Friday, August 6

3:00 PM                 GEICO NASCAR Appearance

3:00 PM                 Hot Dog/Pig Racing

3:00 PM                 Fast Action Motorsports

3:00 PM                 Kamp Kreatures Puppet Stage Show

3:00 PM                 Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

4:00 PM                 Rides Opens

7:00 PM                 Tonny Petersen’s Hell Drivers (Motorsports Park)

7:00 PM                 Colgate Country Showdown with Brian Strobel & Glen Shelton  (Fairway Stage)

Saturday, August 7

10:00 PM               Livestock Judging – OPEN

10:00 AM               GEICO NASCAR Appearance

10:00 AM               Hot Dog/Pig Racing

10:00 AM               Fast Action Motorsports

10:00 AM               Kamp Kreatures Puppet Stage Show

10:00 AM               Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

11:00 AM               Rides Opens

1:00 PM                Mud Bog (Motorsports Park)

7:00 PM                Steve Jarrell (60’s/ Beach Music) (Fairway Stage)

Sunday, August 8

12:00 PM               Carolina Camel Ride, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

12:00 PM               GEICO NASCAR Appearance

1:00 PM                 Rides Opens

 2:00 PM                Gospel Music  (Keith L. Armstead) (Fairway Stage)

 

Just received this in a comment - thanks!

Sat, Jul. 31 - Family Fun Festival & Avatar at Unity Church of Fredericksburg!

From 4pm-7pm 3607 Lafayette Blvd. UCoF Family Fun Festival! Planning a silent auction with gifts and services. Will play games like musical chairs, a cake walk, bean bag and water balloon toss, to name a few. Will have a moon bounce, crafts, prizes, and face painting too! Come enjoy food, music, bingo and lots of fun!

Tickets are just $3.00 for ages 5 & up. Our 50/50 Raffle tickets are on sale now, and the winner will be announced on the 31st. You need not be present to win. 7:00pm Avatar! The movie is free.

Brewers from Starr Hill, Blue Mountain, Devils Backbone, and South Street breweries got together last week to create a special beer. Five brewers from these Virginia breweries met at Starr Hill on Friday to create a Black IPA style beer. Jacque Landry, (partner & brewer South Street Brewery) Matt Nucci, (brewer and co-owner Blue Mountain Brewery) Mark Thompson, (owner and brewmaster Starr Hill) Aaron Reilly, (brewer Devils Backbone) and Jason Oliver, (head brewmaster Devils Backbone) all contributed to the effort. The special brew will be released at the Brew Ridge Trail Music Festival on August 21.

Nelson County Life has photos from the brew day, along with more information. Brewer Jason Oliver was also featured in a video interview with Charlottesville station NBC29.

See this post for details on how you can win two free tickets to the Brew Ridge Festival.

Photo courtesy Nelson County Life.

The second annual Brew Ridge Trail Music Festival will take place on Saturday, August 21 at the Concert Grounds at Devils Backbone Brewery in Nelson County. Music and beer will combine for a family-friendly, fun-filled day.

The festival will showcase 16 craft beers from national and world acclaimed breweries that line the Virginia Brew Ridge Trail: Blue Mountain Brewery, South Street Brewery, Starr Hill Brewery and Devils Backbone Brewing Co., the 2010 World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster (Jason Oliver) for a small brewpub. Both tasting and full portion pours will be available for purchase.

Discounted advance tickets can be purchased online or at local outlets. Complete ticket information is available here.

Wednesday evening we attended the Twilight Tattoo at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. This regal performance features Soldiers from The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" and other proud men and women of the U.S. Army. It is quite an amazing performance. It was refreshing to see so many young people in attendance filled with patriotic American pride.

What's that you say? Where's the beer connection? Well, according to MilitaryTattoo.org, a tattoo is defined as "a military display consisting of music, marching, and exercises. [from Dutch taptoe, shutting off of taps, signalling the closing of taverns at the end of the day].

So there you go.