march 2014 recreation news

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March 2014 Volume 32/Number 3 www.recreationnews.com

plus Mid-Atlantic fi shing • Coastal Virginia section • Abingdon’s culinary scene • Civil War section • Berks Jazz Fest • Mason-Dixon Wine Trail • Nelson County trails • Cruise corner

Major Civil War sesquicentennial reenactments

coming this spring

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Sometimes my mouth waters looking over a menu. Not necessarily because I am hungry, but it’s just a reaction to what I anticipate I will experi-ence should I order that particular item. Most of us know this from the famous Pavlov’s dog exercise in classical conditioning. In other words, our re-sponses are learned from experiences. Pavlov’s dog knew the bell meant food is coming. We know a good menu likely means good food will be in our mouths pretty soon.

Online menus are great in helping us narrow down our options in choosing a restaurant, or, if the talent exists, providing us with ideas to create our own dishes. Most of us can agree that viewing the menu is of little use, and certainly not as satis-fying, without some action. We either need to find a place and dish to eat, or we need to create some-thing to satisfy — no, not just satisfy — to tantalize the taste buds.

The travel menu is similar to the dinner menu in many ways. First, not everyone will agree on

the best choice, or even whether the choice is palatable or not. Secondly, the menu for choosing travel options is larger and certainly more robust: videos, photos, reviews, options, and literally bil-lions of web pages to peruse. Like the food menu, there are clusters of options with common ethnici-ties, geography, and topical thrust. Some are pric-ier, others more economical. Reviews from other travelers can also help with the selection.

But reviewing the dining menu just isn’t satisfy-ing enough. It’s a game plan, but not the game. I want to taste the food. Smell the food. I want to enjoy the whole culinary experience, soup to nuts.

For me, travel is the same way. I love to look at menu after menu. I enjoy that Pavlovian salivation of mental anticipation. I check out the reviews, balance the budget, and when the time is right, place the order. And, just like at the restaurant, the story needs to end with a full belly. With travel, you can’t just read the menu about it, although for some exotic locales that may be the only option. But, afterwards, you’ll have the memories to last forever, as well as pictures to help that memory re-tain its vibrancy. It’s my hope here in these pages of Recreation News, we can be a part of your menu, your reviews, and, of course, make you salivate!

On our coverReenactors engage during the annual Battle of

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5 ~ Publisher’s note

6 ~ Editor’s note

8 ~ Travel Line

10 ~ Mid-Atlantic fishing

17 ~ Cruise corner

19 ~ Family travel

20 ~ Virginia’s Eastern Shore

22 ~ Norfolk’s dining scene

23 ~ Coastal Virginia museums

24 ~ Portsmouth treasures

26 ~ Follow Nelson’s trails

28 ~ Culinary Abingdon

29 ~ Pennsylvania wine and beer events

30 ~ Calendar of events

34 ~ Navigating Virginia’s heartland

36 ~ Spotsylvania reenactment

38 ~ New Market reenactment

40 ~ Antietam and Fort Frederick

42 ~ Adventures in taste

43 ~ Wine doctor

44 ~ Culture

44 ~ Style

45 ~ Music festivals

47 ~ Classified

TABLE OF CONTENTSTraveling: There’s a vast menu to salivate over

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With the crazy winter weather the Mid-Atlantic (and entire nation) has experienced, I hesitate to cite the old weather adage “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” Roller coaster tem-peratures, snow, ice, and rain have seemingly con-spired against getting off of your street, let alone to resorts, ski slopes, and museums.

Economists talk about pent-up demand in times of economic recovery, so if you feel the need to escape an unusual onset of cabin fever, you’re not alone. Assuming Mother Nature doesn’t hold

us hostage to icy streets and downed power lines through March, now’s the time to start planning those spring day trips and getaways and even the longer summer vacation.

Tourism offices are publishing their new visi-tor guides and seasonal attractions are starting to open. And Recreation News is here to help. This month, we take a journey along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, one of the world’s great en-gineering marvels, into Coastal Virginia’s cities. I lived in Virginia Beach ion the 1950s and well remember both the old ferry that crossed the Bay and the excitement that preceded actual construc-tion of the giant project.

We also have a whole section on fishing in the

Mid-Atlantic, and, while these areas are full of lakes, rivers, and streams, they are also full of family-friendly spots to visit if you’re not an avid angler. And, our Civil War section spotlights two major reenactments marking the 150th anniversary of significant battles plus a unique way to tour the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland.

Start your planning and get ready to enjoy the spring travel season!

Travelers’ toolboxu You may think you’d never have a use for mil-

itary-grade 550 parachute cord, but stories you’ll find at survivalstraps.com may change your mind. The cord that makes up the wrist bands, key fobs, and belts can come in handy in emergencies as well as on the battlefield.

u The folks at MrBeams.com design and sell a variety of battery-powered lanterns good for camping and power outages. The LED lanterns come in a variety of sizes and offer ultra-bright and regular settings.

u Coghlan’s is best known for camping gear and outdoor accessories, but one of the latest products is an umbrella that has an LED light in the handle. While it may be great on a camping trip, it’s also helpful in getting your key into the front door or just safely navigating a sidewalk. (cogh-lans.com)

Coming next monthu Virginia spring pull-out section

u North Carolina sampler

u Pearl S. Buck’s W.Va. birthplace

u Science spark

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Will winter weather lead to more travel this spring?


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An important part of March Madness in the Mid-Atlantic is the ACC Basketball Tournament, which most years showcases some of the top teams that will play in the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-ciation (NCAA) Tournament that follows.

To be played in Greensboro, N.C., the ACC tournament begins March 12 and runs through the championship game on March 16. If the games are sold out, you can watch the tournament on televi-sion.

ACC fever usually runs so high in Chapel Hill, N.C., that the town turns Carolina Blue when the Tar Heels play. There are many places to get in on the action here, but an all-time favorite is The Car-olina Inn on Pittsboro Street. Established by UNC alumnus John Sprunt Hill in 1924, the inn has been dubbed “the university’s living room” by Dr. Ken-neth Zogry, the inn’s official historian and author.

The inn is an ideal place to celebrate special events and to get a sense of Chapel Hill’s rich his-tory, which dates to 1795 when the university was founded. Upon your arrival, pick up a copy of the inn’s Historical Walking Tour brochure, featur-ing 12 stops on the main floor and a map of more than 700 displays and photographs featured in the guestroom corridors.

Every UNC athletic team since 1924 to win an NCAA championship is featured in displays at the inn, as is the original sheet music of school and fight songs from the 1920s to 1940s. You can also see reproductions of drawings made by John

White in the 1500s during the Roanoke settlement on the Outer Banks and reproductions of prints of North Carolina’s flora and fauna in colonial times by British naturalist Mark Catesby.

A member of Destination Hotels & Resorts and recipient of AAA’s Four Diamonds for 16 consecu-tive years, the inn features 185 beautiful guest rooms with period furnishings and luxurious linens. The inn’s Carolina Crossroads, winner of Forbes Travel Guide’s Four Stars for the past 13 years, is one of Chapel Hill’s premier restaurants. Menu selections (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are based on sustainability, incorporating local produce and organic ingredients, when available. Come April, Fridays on the Front Porch, featuring food and live music, returns to the inn and contin-ues through summer. This will be followed by Tail-gate Inn on the Front Porch during football season. (carolinainn.com)

While you’re in town, be sure to stroll down Franklin Street to see its many galleries, shops, and restaurants. Don’t miss the Carolina Basketball Museum (the first of its kind in the country), More-head Planetarium & Science Center, and Ackland Art Musem. Also worth the short drive is Historic Hillsborough, which dates to colonial times. (vis-itchapelhill.org)

In the Mid-AtlanticWinterthur in Wilmington, Del., is hosting an

exciting new exhibit, Costumes of Downton Abbey, March 1-Jan. 4, 2015. Featured are 40 exquisite costumes (on loan from Cosprop) from the award-winning television series, plus photographs and vignettes inspired by the fictional program and by real life at Winterthur. In addition to the exhibit, Winterthur will host a wide range of lectures, workshops, and events for adults and families fo-cusing on entertaining and country house life in Britain and the United States.

A co-production of Carnival Films and Master-piece, Downton Abbey depicts life in the aristo-cratic household of the fictional Earl and Countess of Grantham. Winner of a number of prestigious awards, the series is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed period dramas ever produced.

Advance purchase of tickets is strongly recom-mended. Timed tickets are required for this exhi-bition, which is included with general admission. (winterthur.org/downtonabbey)

Objects from Country Living: The Elizabeth John-

ston Prime Dollhouse Collection (one of the largest antique dollhouse collections in the country) will run through June 22 at the Kemerer Museum in historic Bethlehem, Pa. The exhibit invites guests to explore extravagant country houses, verandas, and gardens, patterned after German villas and French estates. (historicbethlehem.org)

European travelIf you’re planning a trip to Europe this year,

consider purchasing a special Eurail Early Bird pass, available to non-European residents through March 31, with a six-month, pre-booking window. The offer applies to first- and second-class Eurail Global Passes in all travel categories (adult, child, and youth), plus Saver Passes for groups of two to five persons are reduced an additional 15 percent. The 15-day pass includes two extra travel days; the 21-day pass, three extra days; and the one-month pass, five extra days. The Eurail Global Pass cov-ers 24 participating countries, nearly all of Europe (including free or discounted travel on some major shipping lines), and gives travelers the largest va-riety of countries to visit. (eurailgroup.org/eurail)

French Country Waterways, the only American-owned company that offers luxury barge cruises along France’s 17th-century canal system, will embark on its 30th season this spring, with daily motor coach excursions to historic towns and castles and other points of interest included in the itineraries.

Six-night trips on each of the company’s four barges depart on Sundays, April through October, with rates starting at $5,495 per person (double). Each barge comes with air conditioning and Wi-Fi, and guest rooms feature private baths and indi-vidual temperature controls.

A crew of six operates each barge, which can accommodates eight or 12 passengers. An on-board chef combines classic French cooking techniques with lighter, healthier fare, including a continental breakfast, buffet lunch, and four-course, candlelit dinner each day of the cruise.

Guests are offered more than two dozen wines, with half coming from Grand Cru or Premier Cru vineyards, and have access to the complimentary bar on board.

Meals also include an array of French cheeses, fresh croissants and baguettes, chocolates, and

continued on page 19


TRAVEL: FROM MARCH MADNESS TO DOWNTON ABBEY COSTUMES

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March is about the time of year that most of us begin to fish. Sure, there are those hardy “hivernants” who braved winter’s Arctic vortex, or maybe sidled down to Florida or points south for a fishing getaway. But, for the majority of us, active fish-ing begins in early spring.

The new year brings a range of new products and opportunities that reinforce the Mid-Atlantic’s reputation for quality sport angling, whether you are fly fishing in the region’s storied streams, looking for bass from a boat, or challenging the offshore species.

If you are into bass or lake fish-ing, this may be the year to consider one of the newer-generation, trail-erable fishing boats. Hull metals are harder, slicker, and more corrosion resistant, but with half the carbon footprint of previous materials. Some 2013 bass boats are still available, and a careful shopper can find a new 16-foot boat on a trailer with a 40hp outboard motor for less than $10,000, or under $12,000, nicely equipped.

Smith Mountain Lake, east of Roa-noke, Va., has been recognized by Bassmaster as one of the USA’s top 25 bass lakes. The lake has been

the site of the ESPN-sponsored and nationally broadcast Blue Ridge Brawl Pro Tournament, a Bassmaster Elite Series Event. The Oakley Big Bass Tour visits April 26-27. Franklin County, which borders part of the lake, also has Philpott Lake, another prime site.

Ron Howlin, a tournament bass angler and sales associate at Arundel Mills’ Bass Pro Shop in Maryland, recommends that angler stock up on “more rattletraps for March. Get chatterbaits ready for early spring.”

Howlin also expressed concern about the spread of the snakeheads in the Potomac River and forecast that the invasives are “going to be a big issue. They compete with the bass — they have a tournament every year and take out thousands of pounds of snakeheads.”

Offshore fishing also draws tour-nament anglers. At the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach hosts a full calendar of offshore and inshore competitions. Considered a “fish highway” that extends up the Del-marva Peninsula, the Mid-Atlantic coastline sees spring migrators — black drum, bluefish, croaker, floun-

der, red drum, sea bass, speckled trout, and tautog — following the ris-ing water temperatures. Along with the marine species, Virginia Beach also offers inland and freshwater fishing.

“Guiding in Cumberland Valley kicks in in March,” confirmed Gene Giza of Four Seasons Fly Fishing in Boiling Springs, on Pennsylvania’s storied Yellow Breeches. Spring is also time for the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, April 12-13, on the banks of South River in Waynesboro, Va. The festival has become an annual outdoor celebration of fly fishing and associated interests. More than 50 onsite exhibitors will present fly fish-ing equipment, fly tying, and guide services. Virginia wine tastings, microbreweries, local food, and live music will also be featured. (vafly-fishingfestival.org)

Catching up with technology

Regardless the type of fishing, chances are good that, this year, you

will add a sport-specific electronic device to your tackle box or fly vest. Along with your iPhone, you may choose a pocket-size GPS, different kinds of tracking devices, or a “per-sonal locator beacon” for those times when your cell phone just won’t do.

Power for those devices could come from a rollup, portable solar panel that also powers speakers, flashlights, or battery rechargers, and costs under $100.

A clever bit of new fishing tech-nology, Clearfield County, Pa.’s tour-ism website (visitclearfieldcounty.org/outdoors/hunting-fishing), carries links to Google Earth and its downloadable overlay of Penn-sylvania trout streams including Clearfield County’s protected brook trout waters.

The county also offers lakes hold-ing bass and walleye and rivers with plenty of room for fly fishing.

Several sportsmen’s clubs and an-gler groups sponsor annual tourna-ments and derbies.



Active fishing kicks off in March with new gear events

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The Mid-Atlantic attracts all kinds of anglers with pier fishing, world class fly fishing, lake fishing, and on-and off-shore fishing.

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Blue



Alleghany HighlandsYear-round in the lakes, rivers, and streams of the Alleghany Highlands, the fly fisher

can find wild reproducing trout, state stocked trout, trophy stocked trout on private waters, smallmouth and largemouth bass, native brookies, muskies, panfish. There are more trout than humans in these mountains where small outfitters, shuttle services, and other businesses go the extra mile to make your experience memorable.

The Jackson River offers a premier fly fishing experience with easy-to-find access points. Native brook trout streams can be accessed through the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson national forests.

Go after trophy trout in the private waters available at the Escatawba Farm section of Dunlap Creek. Escatawba Farm has the most productive waters on the creek, with numerous springs that guarantee cold, clear water for outstanding fly fishing. The proprietors limit the fishing to eight rods per day, guaranteeing hard-to-find weekend solitude during the spring.

Two lakes offer diverse fishing. Lake Moomaw is the result of Gathright Dam which creates great fishing for trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, perch, and panfish. The 2,530-acre lake has more than 40 miles of shoreline with marinas, campgrounds, and primitive camping sites on the lake.

Douthat State Park offers many opportunities as well. The lake and stream are stocked with trout during the spring and fall and provide bass and panfish opportuni-ties throughout the summer. The park is a destination in its own right, with some of the best mountain biking trails anywhere and great hiking trails as well.

Whether you’re looking for outstanding fishing or a family getaway, look no further than Virginia’s Alleghany Highlands where the folks are friendly, the fish plentiful, and the outdoor opportunities abundant. It’s Uniquely Alleghany! Check out visitallegh-anyhighlands.com or alleghanyhighlandsblueway.com for more information.

Blue Ridge HighlandsAlong the Blue Ridge Highlands Fishing Trail you will find some of the best fishing

in Virginia. Whitetop Laurel Creek, for example, is one of the state’s largest and most beautiful

trout streams. In Wythe and Grayson counties, you’ll find the New River which is ranked in the top

five best smallmouth bass fisheries in the nation!The South Fork of the Holston River in Smyth County features two special regula-

tion areas that help make the stream one of the premier trout fisheries in the com-monwealth.

There are two fee fishing areas along the trail — the Clinch Mountain Fee Fishing area and the stocked trout waters along Cripple Creek.

The fee fishing areas offer put-and-take trout fishing with the added advantage that trout are stocked several times weekly throughout the season.

If lake fishing is more your style, you are in luck! Hungry Mother Lake, which is located within Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, Va., is a really peaceful place to spend an afternoon, a weekend, or your entire vacation.

The countless Virginia state park amenities make it a great family destination.Another great lake destination is South Holston Lake, a 7,580-acre impoundment

operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Much of the reservoir is in Tennessee, but the Washington County, Va., portion of

the reservoir offers anglers more than 1,600 surface acres of water.Grab your tackle box and get “hooked” on the Blue Ridge Highlands Fishing Trail by

ordering a free guide today. (fishblueridge.com)


Clearfield CountySpring into the “backwoods. backroads. backwaters.”

of Clearfield County, Pa. Enjoy 102 miles of clean water, pure air, and an ecosystem unlike anywhere else.

Explore miles of protected streams where brook trout dance on the water, lakes that are streaming with bass and walleye, and rivers that have plenty of room for fly fishing. See why anglers from across the U.S. trek here year round.

Spring is the perfect time for those looking for a river adventure. Bring your kayak/canoe and enjoy the vari-ous skill levels of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River or paddle one of our lakes and enjoy breath-taking scenic views.

You will be mesmerized as you watch a graceful blue heron snatching up a perch from the water or see a bald eagle soaring across the skies.

Sit back and enjoy the summer sounds of the song-birds.

Enjoy birding in Clearfield County backwoods all year long.

This is a perfect time of year to explore the county with your GPS.

The Clearfield County Geotrail highlights area water-ways as we kick off the third leg of our popular Geotrail.

Let “Visit Clearfield County” help you plan your week-end away from home.

Check out VisitClearfieldCounty.org for road trips, coupons, and the perfect place to spend the night.

Like us on Facebook to share your “backwoods. back-roads. backwaters.” experience.

Franklin County, Pa.Franklin County, Pa., is home to wonderful limestone

springs with plenty of wild trout to attract anglers! The Conococheague Creek has two branches. The East Branch has its source in the South Mountains and actu-ally forms the boundary between Franklin and Adams counties. The West Branch has its source in the north-west corner of Franklin County. Both begin as a trickle, widening as they flow through public lands. The East Branch flows through Caledonia State Park and Michaux State Forest, while the West Branch runs through the Buchanan State Forest.

Both branches have plentiful pockets of wild rain-bow, brown, and brook trout. The shade of the forests and the many springs and spring creeks keep the water cool. Eventually, the two branches join together at Gre-encastle, Pa., and flow into Maryland and the waters of the Potomac River.

Spring creeks are another source of wild trout in Franklin County, including several spring creeks within 25 miles of Chambersburg. The Falling Spring Branch is one of the most popular wild trout streams in the country. Presidents, senators, and other celebrities have fished the Falling Spring for more than a hundred years.

Fishermen from the four-state region mark their cal-endars for the annual Chambersburg Trout Derby. The 2014 Chambersburg Trout Derby is May 3-4, and is the nation’s number one trout derby with 600 fish-in pay-outs from $25 to $2,000 — more than $25,000 in regular prize money. There’s the Annual BIG TROUT CONTEST with estimated payout of nearly $2,000, and a raffle with more than $3,500 in prizes, including a guided fishing trip. The Trout Derby, organized by the Chambersburg Noontime Lions Club, provides good sport and fantastic prizes. Even better, it has raised more than $250,000 to support community projects, events, and organizations.

May 3-4, 2014 | troutderby.comDoDineStayFranklinCountyPA.com/Trout

Compete for $25,000 in 600 fi sh. Plus raffl e prize, Big Trout Contest & $30,000 Vehicle Contest.Mark your calendar and get ready for the Chambersburg Noontime Lions Trout Derby. You won’t want to miss this exciting event featuring a variety of games and prizes. Nation’s largest Trout Derby has given over $250K to the local community!

866-646-8060 | ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com | Facebook.com/FCVBen

“America’s #1 Trout Derby...”

Chambersburg Trout Derby


Mid-Atlantic FishingSpecial Advertising Section



Crawford CountyFlowing through the heart of Northwest Pennsylvania, French Creek is nationally

recognized as one of the most ecologically important waterways in America. Host-ing more than eight species of fi sh and an astonishing 27 species of native freshwa-ter mussels, the French Creek Watershed is considered one of America’s “Last Great Places” by the Nature Conservancy.

French Creek is an offi cial Pennsylvania Water Trail and upper and lower water trail maps and guides are available from the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bu-reau. (visitcrawford.org)

The French Creek Watershed connects thousands of people to the natural world with experiences that inform, invigorate, inspire, and sustain the spirit. The quality of these experiences is inextricably linked to the health of the environment, and con-servation efforts in the watershed are conducted with a keen eye to maintaining the balance between improving access for as many people as possible, and protecting the quality of the region’s natural resources.

French Creek’s main branch is navigable for its entire length from the Union City Dam to its confl uence with the Allegheny River at Franklin, a distance of approximately 76 miles by water. When water levels are elevated, some boating is also possible upstream from the Union City Dam. There are several public access points along the entire length of French Creek and fl oat times between access points vary from one to seven hours.

Boating is also permitted on lakes and reservoirs in the watershed. Motor restric-tions apply to most of these bodies of water, and all boats must be registered with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission if they are launched or removed at commis-sion-operated access areas.

Opportunities for hiking and wildlife watching are available throughout the watershed on state and federal lands, with most offering cleared, marked trails to facilitate access.

Virginia State ParksGet your feet and fi shing line wet this spring and summer at Virginia’s state parks,

where you’ll fi nd some of the best fi shing holes and fi shing piers in the Old Dominion. Fishing opportunities range from shoreline ocean fi shing at False Cape State Park to bayside crabbing at First Landing State Park to riverside fresh water fi shing at Leesyl-vania State Park.

There’s even a whole lake stocked with trout at Douthat State Park, so now’s the time to get your fi shing gear untangled and ready to go!

Virginia State Parks’ licensed piers are great for families or fi rst timers who may not want to invest in a state fresh/saltwater fi shing license.

Because the piers are licensed, you just pay a small daily fee in addition to a parking charge.

Check virginiastateparks.gov for information on which parks have licensed piers and which require a Fishing ID (FIP) number from the Virginia Marine Resources Divi-sion.

Make your fi shing experience a real getaway. Kiptopeake State Park on Virginia’s Eastern Shore has six-bedroom lodges, a licensed fi shing pier, and a boat launch — perfect for a spring fi shing trips. Douthat State Park has one-, two-, three-, and six-bedroom cabins perfect for family fi shing trips.

Both Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge and York River State Park in Williams-burg are day-use parks with great fi shing opportunities. Leesylvania is perfect for fi sh-ing in the Potomac River, and York River has a licensed fi shing pier and boat launch as well as a freshwater pond near the park’s visitor center.

Find out more about Virginia State Parks and fi shing opportunities at virginiastate-parks.gov. The new parks mobile site and pocket ranger app is up and running! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for great weekly discounts and coupons. See you outside this spring!


Virginia Fly Fishing Festival

Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13. More than 50 exhibitors will feature the latest fly fishing equipment, guide services, and destinations. Beginner to expert anglers will enjoy nonstop lectures on where, when, and how to fly fish in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Fly fishing legend Lefty Kreh will be on hand, as well as Fishy Fullum, Wanda Taylor, Tracey Stroup, Ed Jaworowski, Beau Beasley, and Bob Clouser. Casting classes and demos are featured all weekend, as well as Virginia wine tastings, microbrews, local food, and live music. Children 16 and under, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free and dogs with owners are welcome. Check out all the fun at vafyfishingfestival.org.

Warren County, Pa.Nestled in the hills, valleys, and

woods there is a secret treasure trove of hidden waterways in North-western, Pa. We in Warren County have decided that we can no longer keep these abundant waters to ourselves! Therefore, we extend an invitation to you to come and enjoy the country life, close to the city, and relax as you fish and fly fish in the moving waters of the Brokenstraw Creek, Allegheny River, and in the outlets of the Kinzua Dam, among many others. Our rivers are stocked all year long with your favorites. So come on over to Warren County, Pa. The trout, walleye, and small mouth bass are waiting for you!

www.VisitFranklinCountyVA.org • 540-483-3030

Discover Our Natural CharmSurrounded by two picturesque waterways – Smith Mountain Lake and Philpott Lake –

Franklin County is over�owing in outdoor adventure and scenic, natural beauty.

APRIL12-13 2 0 1 4S O U T H R I V E R

A festival for all advanced, beginning and curious anglers.

WAYNESBORO

vaflyfishingfestival.org

14th Annual Warren County,Pennsylvania

Find Someing Remarkae

TAKE FLYING LESSONSThe County of Bath is an enticing place filledwith scenic vistas, local flair and excitingadventures just waiting to be discovered.

Fly Fishing in Bath

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Franklin County, Va.Situated along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Franklin County offers boundless

outdoor recreation. Wind along scenic bike trails, kayak more than 70 miles of blue-ways, or reel in trophy bass at two popular lakes. Smith Mountain Lake, along the county’s eastern border, offers an array of recreational activities including tournament fishing. At the county’s southern border, Philpott Lake is considered Virginia’s best smallmouth bass and trout reservoir. Take a break from the outdoors with historic experiences at the Booker T. Washington National Monument and the Blue Ridge In-stitute and Farm Museum. Join locals at daily jam sessions along The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, or stroll along the streets of historic downtown Rocky Mount to shop the unique, creative works of a variety of local artists. Franklin County also celebrates year-round events including the Pigg River Ramble, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, and the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival.

County of BathNestled in the Virginia’s Western Highlands, the County of Bath is home to the

George Washington National Forest, Douthat State Park, Lake Moomaw, Dominion Back Creek, and the Cowpasture and Jackson rivers. The area offers stunning vistas, dark starlit skies, clear, cold streams, and a wide range of recreational opportunities. Known for its fly fishing, the county’s streams and most lakes are stocked with brown, brook, and rainbow trout. Anglers also catch large and small mouth bass, bluegill, crappies, catfish, and more.

In addition to fishing, you can hike or bike the mountainous terrain and soak in the soothing minerals springs of the Jefferson Pools. Expect to see white tail deer, wild turkey, black bear, and other game animals within the vast woodlands. Enjoy art, an-tiques, and craft galleries, as well as outstanding concerts at the Garth Newel Music Center. Come see for yourself and find something remarkable.


I S N ’ T I T T I M E F O R A L I T T L E

U.O.U.



Chesapeake, Va.Fishing — whether salt water or freshwa-

ter, on shore or offshore, Chesapeake, Va., has it.

“There are plenty of places to fish in Chesapeake. There are lots of lakes here. There are places to put your boat in or, if you are like me and not a boat person, there are lots of places to fish either from a pier or a bank,” says Gail Titus, owner of Gail’s Bait and Tackle for 23 years.

Another reason to fish in Chesapeake, according to James Waters, owner of Bob’s Fishing Hole: “Our (fishing) season never ends.”

The city has 22 miles of fishing thanks to the Intracoastal Waterway which passes through the city. These deep water canals, the Northwest River, and a variety of other spots make for a year-round sport in Chesa-peake. The year-round aspect produces dif-ferent types of fish — everything native to the area, Waters says.

When water temperatures are low, speck-led trout are plentiful in Hot Ditch, where fishermen land citation-size speckled trout, puppy drum, or an occasional striped bass.

Bait fish gather in the Elizabeth River’s southern branch because discharge from the

Dominion Power Plant creates warm waters and a heated haven. This allows for a plenti-ful food supply to bring in speckled trout, drum puppy, and striped bass on occasion.

Northwest River Park’s freshwater lake is stocked in the spring and anglers reel in bass, crappie, and catfish. Lake Drummond is the commonwealth’s second largest lake. Located in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, it has lower pH levels which produce bowfin, longnose gar, and crappie.

Boaters can use the Elizabeth River Boat Landing and Park and can access the Intra-coastal Waterway though Great Bridge Locks Park and Top Rack Marina. Charter captains can also take you on a trip to remember.

Places such as Great Bridge Lock’s Point, located where the Albemarle and Chesa-peake Canal meets the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, provide ample opportu-nities for fishing from the banks of the area’s waterways.

In June, fishing opportunities turn into festivals during the Family Fishing Rodeo and Grandparents Fishing Day at Northwest River State Park. Boat rental is available, as well as bank fishing.

Chesapeake offers plenty of overnight accommodations and restaurants. (visitchesapeake.com)

Fishingcontinued from page 10

“Industry wide, technology is getting cheaper to make,” said Rich Dennison of Tochterman’s Fishing Tackle, America’s oldest tackle store, in Baltimore. “Even in lures,” he continued, “Liv-ingston is making a hardbody lure with a light and speakers!”

Dennison sees last year’s trends in lures continuing into 2014. “Like last year, it’s going to be small baits. Also hard baits, like the (Rapala) Scatter Rap Shad and Crank. Also, the Live Target Bait Ball.”

He also mentioned a line of soft plastic shrimp made by Sav-age. “They have a nice action and a weedless hook. When they dive, all the legs waddle back and forth.”

Dennison has noticed a trend to more unusual color combina-

tions in trolling baits. “It’s called the ‘electric chicken.’ It’s a chartreuse green and a brilliant bubble gum pink — a soft plas-tic bait. For fly casters, there is a Clouser minnow and the color is ‘tutti fruit.’ I’ve been told that in green-stained water, that color combination appears tan-ish.”

Dennison has also noticed an uptick in the number of female anglers. “In the fly fishing de-partment, I have begun to stock items specifically for women — these are not women who come in here with their boyfriends or husbands. These are anglers in their own right.

“The new big thing,” he con-tinued, “is the striper quota. We want to see how that works out — last year, we had the best striper season, with a big push into the fall. It’s hard to forecast this coming season.”

— Reed Hellman


There’s something about being on the water. Throughout history, water has been closely linked to survival; after all you can’t live long without it. It

can be a source of food and a source of recreation. Relaxing breezes counter summer heat. There’s a serenity about water, too, perhaps because of the stillness or because of the soothing sound of the gentle lapping of the water on the shore.

Psychologically, vacationers seek these relax-ing qualities, so it’s little wonder that so many vacations are water-oriented. We love the beach,

love the islands, love cruises, and perhaps due to our native roots, absolutely love the Chesapeake Bay. So captivating is the bay that the famous au-thor James Michener moved to the region to write the epic novel Chesapeake.

The bay varies in many ways, far beyond just its 200 miles of length. At its widest point, more than 30 miles shore to shore, it is impossible to

see from one shore to the other. These broad areas only handle small craft on calmer days as storms can bring waves with heights exceeding 10 feet.

But, it’s not just the seafood rich waters that draw enthusiasts; it’s the miles of shoreline. It is estimated that half of the estuarine shoreline in the continental United States exists right here in the Chesapeake Bay. More than 11,000 miles of shoreline with all its tributary rivers and creeks makes it larger than the entire shoreline of the west coast. This shoreline creates sce-nic beauty year round, and it forms the habitat of countless waterfowl. There is just so much to explore.

Over 200 new & brokerage powerboats on displayFree seminars & children’s interactive activitiesPaddleboard & Surfboard SimulatorsDemo Boat Rides Kayaks, canoes, rowing shells & inflatibles

Over 100 new & brokerage boats on display Catamarans, mono hulls & inflatables Sailing equipment, electronics & accessories Over 100 maritime exhibitors on land Cruisers University: learn all about cruising

Bay Bridge Marina - Stevensville, Maryland City Dock - Annapolis, Maryland

in our front yard.

Beat the crowds. Run wild! Join us for a springtime getaway.

Oceanfront accommodations & oceanfront dining

all year long!

Call (800)33-BEACH www.boardwalkplaza.com

2 Olive Ave. & Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach DE


There’s nothing like cruising the captivating Chesapeake Bay

c cRUISE orner

c cRUISE orner

michelle & karl teel

Where to cruiseCruise to historic Smith Island, Md., discov-

ered by the intrepid Capt. John Smith in 1608, from either Point Lookout on the western shore or Crisfield on the east. You can make the journey as a day trip or take an overnight trip to one of the nation’s oldest settlements. The Tyler family has been offering cruises here for years and has it down to a science with the best itineraries and an authentic touch. (410-425-2771, smithislandcruises.com)

Insider tip: Ask about the deals for Recreation News readers.

Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Cruises offers a great day on the bay where the already spectacu-lar scenery is supplemented by great lighthouse views. Spend the night at the Lazy Jack Inn, owned by the friendly captain, Mike Richards, and his wife, Carol. It’s a great way to see the Bay, learn some history, check out Tilghman Island, and truly experience the Eastern Shore vibe. Mike and Carol have a real talent for making you feel at home. (chesapeakelights.com, lazyjackinn.com).

Cruising on your ownRecently, we started cruising on our own and it

is addicting. We began our boat search by check-ing out a variety of craft, seeking both the best fit, as well as the best deal. We found that an “express cruiser” best fit our needs with small galley, bath-room, dining area, sleeping accommodations for up to six, and a size big enough for stability, but not so big as to break the bank. We can’t speak highly enough about the folks at The Baltimore Boating Center. They patiently walked us through our investigating process, answered countless questions, explained the upside and downside of every boating option, and ultimately helped us find a great deal on a boat that matched our desires to a tee. They even got us trained in navi-gation, helped with marine insurance decisions, and later, handled all our maintenance and winter storage. Check them out and ask for Bill, Brenda, or Jim. Tell them you want the Recreation News treatment! (410-687-2000, baltimoreboatingcenter.com)

After only a few times out we were comfortable with navigation basics, docking, and operating the boat’s systems. In short order, we discovered the joys of waterfront dining. Sometimes, just a trip on the Bay to enjoy a glass of wine and a sunset is enough. Other times, a fine meal is in order, and there is no shortage of restaurants equipped with docks to handle the boat. Some even have live music. All have spectacular views. Thanks to smartphones, we can just drop a pin to mark our marina, which makes it easy to find our way home any time of day or night we wish to return.

Overnight cruisingThe next adventure level involves overnight

stays. Sure, you can drop anchor in a safe harbor and enjoy the solitude, or you can visit one of the countless small waterfront towns. For a nominal fee, typically $20-$30, you can dock at an over-night “transient” slip. This will get you not just a place to park for the night, but also electric-ity, phone, internet connection, cable television hookup, and fresh water connection. Within walk-ing distance, you’ll typically find restaurants, mu-seums, and all the fascinating offerings of a small maritime town.

Bigger towns or cites to visit on the bay and its tributaries include Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. Smaller towns on the north end of the bay include Rock Hall in Kent County and Havre

de Grace in Harford County. The Eastern Shore of-fers Oxford and St. Michaels in Talbot County, and the Kent Island Narrows in Queen Anne’s County. Head towards Wicomico and Dorchester counties for Salisbury and Cambridge.

Our favorite itinerary would be checking out Calvert Cliffs and ending up in Solomons in Cal-vert County for a visit to the lighthouse and Calvert

Marine Museum followed by one of the great out-door concerts.

Sometimes, it’s not a town, but a bay destina-tion. Hart-Miller Island State Park offers a cool visi-tor center and great swimming beaches. Baltimore and Washington both have excellent fireworks dis-plays to enjoy from the water. Why not get ready for a cruising summer?


Family time on the Bay is a great way to spend an leisurely afternoon.

Coves along the shoreline of Middle River, just off Chesapeake Bay, yield smooth sailing harbors and a restaurant right around the bend,

Michelle Teel

Michelle Teel

If you’re like most parents, you don’t have to convince your kids to eat something sweet, and with maple sugar festivals cropping up all over the Mid-Atlantic this month, it’s easy to find one close by to satisfy the kids with sweets and fun.

The 67th Annual Pennsylvania Maple Festival (March 29-30 and April 2-6) in Meyersdale has a large variety of activities, including a horse-pull-ing contest, auto shows, a historical pageant, and a parade. There’s even an old-time tractor show, a quilt show, and craft booths. At the Kids’ Corner, children can make their own crafts and get their

faces painted. And, of course, there are maple-centric foods and demonstrations galore. The low admission fees ($5 for adults, $1 for children 6-12, free for children 5 and under) make this an afford-able family activity. (pamaplefestival.com)

For one day only (March 2, noon to 4:00pm), the Maple Sugar Festival in Dauphin County, Pa., at Fort Hunter Park is open and free to all. Maple products will be available for taste testing and pur-chase. View a “sap to syrup” demonstration and let the kids explore the children’s discovery areas. (717-599-5188)

The Maple Festival & Pancake Breakfast in Car-roll County, Md., provides a pancake breakfast (with real maple syrup, of course) all day on March 2, 10:30am-3:00pm, at the main building at Camp Hashawha. You’ll see tree tapping, sap boiling, and period demonstrations, with costumed inter-preters in the Martin Cabin talking about life in the 1850s. Kids will love the arts, crafts, and face paint-ing, as well as the short planetarium shows.

“The festival gives you a chance to get out after a long winter, tap the trees, spend time with your family, eat pancakes, and enjoy something that comes straight from nature,” says Dawn Harry, park naturalist for Bear Branch Nature Center and Hashawha Environmental Center. Admission is $5 per vehicle as a suggested parking donation. (410-386-3580)

Learn about the sweet process of making maple syrup at the 44th annual Maple Sugar Fes-tival in Maryland’s Cunningham Falls State Park. Talks happen every hour on the hour, 10:00am-2:00pm on the days of the event: March 8, 9, 15, and 16. Kids can make maple syrup-related crafts and hear a story about maple syrup. The bluegrass music and pancake and sausage breakfast that’s sold throughout the day will be hits for everyone in the family. (301-271-7574)

The Highland Maple Festival in Monterey, Va., is all about tradition: this year marks the 56th an-nual festival, (March 8-9 and 15-16) and in 1999, the Library of Congress designated it as a “Local Legacy.”

Kids love seeing how maple syrup is produced “from tapping the trees to boiling it down to bot-tling it,” says Tiffany White, of the Highland Cham-ber of Commerce. Vendors sell arts and crafts, and some even do demonstrations. Each Saturday, there’s live entertainment at the Highland Center with bluegrass music and clogging. The area is “one of the most southern parts of the country that can still produce maple syrup in the quantities that we do,” says White. (highlandcounty.org)


Visit one of the region’s many maple syrup festivals this year

family travel I theresa gawlas medoff

The Maple Festival at Bear Branch Nature Center in Carroll County, Md., includes demonstrations of period crafts.

Boiling the sap is part of the process at the Maple Festival & Pancake Breakfast, March 2 in Carroll County, Md.

Kids love seeing the maple sugar process at the Highland Maple Festival in Monterey, Va.

Hashawha Environmental Center

Hashawha Environmental Center

Highland Chamber of Commerce


family event I

Free in D.C.The nation’s capital welcomes spring with beauti-

ful blooms, tours, and cultural events at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, March 20-April 13 (nation-alcherryblossomfestival.org) . . . Learn about fitness and nutrition at the Health & Fitness Expo, tied in with the National Marathon, on March 15 at the D.C. Ar-mory (rocknroll.competitor.com) . . . Hear the inside story behind the The Monuments Men film in a March 16 lecture at the National Gallery of Art (nga.gov).

— gwen woolf

It’s Women’s History Month, and Prince William County, Va., is hosting three Saturday events devoted to women’s roles during the Civil War. On March 8 (11:00am-4:00pm), take a guided tour of the Ben Lomond Historic Site in Manassas to learn more about the pioneer-ing role women played in the Civil War.

On March 15 (11:00am-3:00pm), costumed historians at Brentsville Courthouse Historic

Centre in Bristow bring to life the duties women and children performed while run-ning a mid-19th-century household. You and the kids are free to join in and help. On March 29 (11:00am-4:00pm), sample the art, fashion, and food of the Civil War era at Rippon Lodge Historic Site in Woodbridge. (discoverpwm.com)

— theresa gawlas medoff

Prince William Co. celebrates women in the Civil War

TRAVEL LINEcontinued from page 9

confections. Each itinerary features a dinner with complimentary wines at a Michelin-starred restau-rant.

For an additional charge, guests may enjoy hot air ballooning, weather permitting. (fcwl.com)

Visitors to the Czech Republic will find Prague’s spring celebrations in full swing between mid-March and mid-April, with annual Easter markets, special programs at castles and museums, musi-cal concerts in the city’s most beautiful buildings, and restaurant menus featuring traditional Easter foods.

The Moravian city of Brno will host the Easter Festival of Sacred Music, Apr. 13-27. Another popular musical event is the Prague Spring Inter-national Music Festival, held May 12-June 2.

Following tradition, the festival will open with Smetana´s cycle of symphonic poems, My Country, performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de

Radio France. (czechtourism.com)

Other travel newsNational Geographic Traveler has just issued a

new travel book which gives the inside scoop on places that locals like to visit. Where the Locals Go: More Than 300 Places Around the World to Eat, Play, Shop, Celebrate, and Relax is available in pa-perback (amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com). Arranged by continent, the guide suggests res-taurants, markets, festivals, and events favored by residents of featured towns and cities.

“This book is a sparkling, surprising collection of off-the-beaten-track finds, ah-hahs, neighbor-hood secrets, and the pleasures of those who live in a place 24/7,” writes National Geographic’s Keith Bellows.

He suggests checking the book for ideas before heading to the concierge desk.

Westin New York Grand Central’s new Family Fun Package, available for stays through March 31, starts at $229.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary room up-

grade (if available), four passes for the Local or Express audio tour of Grand Central Station, and a New York-themed backpack and travel activity kit for junior travelers. Located on 42nd Street in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the hotel is conve-nient to many attractions. (westinnewyorkgrandcentral.com/familyfun)

Tourism to Israel set an all-time record in 2013, with 3.54 million visitors from around the world. Among that number were 257,000 cruise passen-gers, also a record. The largest group of visitors, about 20 percent, came from the U.S., followed by Russia, France, Germany, and the U.K. The Israel Ministry of Tourism estimates that 53 percent of all incoming travelers are Christian and 28 percent are Jewish.

The ministry also estimates that the most visited tourist sites are Jerusalem’s Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolo-rosa, and Mount of Olives. (goisrael.com)

Carol Timblin welcomes travel news at [email protected].

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The excitement was apparent even to an elementary schooler in 1950s Virginia Beach. Word spread that construction would soon begin on one of the world’s engineer-ing marvels, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The enormous proj-ect would create a 23-mile span of low-level trestles, two bridges, and two tunnels, and replace an old, time-consuming ferry system to con-nect two distinctly different areas of Virginia. The state’s Eastern Shore, rural and loaded with opportunities for outdoor recreation, is at one end of the span, while the Hampton Roads area, with its busy ports, urban areas, and resort at Virginia Beach, is at the opposite end.

Since it opened in 1964, more than 116 million vehicles have crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, enjoying an experience that saves East Coast travelers 90 miles on the trip to Coastal Virginia, in addition to avoiding the stress of traffic snarls on I-95. For many, crossing the span is a bucket list item because it is con-sidered the world’s largest bridge and tunnel complex and “one of the seven engineering marvels of the world.”

But the experience is much more than a scenic crossing of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Granted, the scen-ery is superb, with wildlife putting on a show throughout the year. You’ll

find seagulls, ducks, pelicans, and migratory birds in the air and might catch seals sunbathing on the rocks of the manmade islands or dolphins and whales on the surface of the water.

More than a crossingUnlike most bridges, the Chesapeake Bay

Bridge Tunnel encourages you to stop and enjoy the view and more. Coin-operated viewing ma-chines provide a closer look at the wildlife as well as the tankers, container ships, and military ves-sels that regularly pass through the two deep-wa-ter channels on their way to and from the Hampton Roads ports and Baltimore, Md.

A Shipwatcher’s Guide helps you to identify the types of military vessels you might see and a nearby exhibit relates the history of the Navy on the Chesapeake Bay.

“The amenities on the southernmost island offer a truly unique stopping point like no other,” said Jeff Holland, the facility’s executive director.

The Chesapeake Grill and Virginia Originals shop, operated by Christopher and Kellson Sav-vides, provides a full-service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner with terrific views, as well as Virginia-made gifts and other products.

Insider tip: The Chesapeake Grill also offers to-go items for a faster meal and a covered out-door eating area during the summer months.

Stretch your legs in Virginia Originals, adjacent to the restaurant, where you’ll find more than 60 labels of Virginia wines, plus Virginia craft beers and handmade items from Virginia artists. There are plenty of unique gifts and souvenirs so you can take home a piece of Coastal Virginia.

The 625-foot Sea Gull fishing pier is also on the southernmost island and is yet another reason to slow down and enjoy the crossing experience. It’s a great place to catch bluefish, trout, and other local favorites, but if you don’t have fishing gear, don’t worry. Virginia Originals also offers rent-als. No fishing license is required and the pier is

Eagle Festival | April 19 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Festival information: 703-339-2385


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When the journey is as exciting as the destinationChesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel marks its 50th anniversary this year

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel includes a unique stopping place with restaurant, Virginia Originals gift shop, fishing pier, and great views.

Va. Tourism Corp.

d EASTERN SHORE CELEBRATES ARTS

Situated on the Chesapeake Bay near the bridge-tunnel, Cape Charles has long been a favorite haven for boaters. Now it’s also a destination for art lov-ers.

The Cape Charles Our Town Project used a $50,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help enhance the town as an arts destination. The grant is primarily used for the group’s fl agship event — the Harbor for the Arts Festival. Last year’s inaugural two-week festival offered 30 free events. Venues varied from Strawberry Street to the restored Palace Theatre.

This year the August festival will change slightly with the entertainment portion primarily on the weekend. The week days and nights will be dedi-cated to lectures and workshops related to the arts.

A plein air event is also planned.

The Cape Charles area has plenty of bed and breakfast inns as well as the Sunset Beach resort to provide accom-modations. Sunset Beach Inn also includes new RV camp sites on its prop-erty as well as its beach-side restaurant and bar.

Arts and crafts are only part of the story at YMCA Camp Silver Beach, which each year attracts campers from the Washington area.

With loads of ac-tivities packed on 151 beautiful acres and 1,200 feet of pristine Chesa-peake Bay beachfront, campers build confi -dence and learn les-sons packaged in water adventures, woodland walks, and campfi re sing-a-longs. There is a 4-to-1 camper-to-staff ratio.

On the northern part of the shore, Chincote-ague’s annual Easter Decoy and Art Festival presents both local and national carvers and art-ists April 18-19. It’s an event that draws decoy collectors and art lov-ers from throughout the region.

wheelchair accessible and provides cleaning sta-tions and a certifi ed weighing station. Take what you catch with you and enjoy it that night!

Modern technology aids tripCurrent technology enhances the trip across

the 50-year-old span. E-Z Pass allows participat-ing drivers to pass through the gated toll lanes quickly, but if the family dog is traveling with you, opt for the regular toll booth to get a seagull-shaped dog treat.

Travelers can receive up-to-date weather and road conditions on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel by following the facility on Twitter @Fol-

lowTheGulls. You can even enhance your crossing experience by downloading a narrated iPod tour which provides a brief history and interesting facts about the engineering marvel.

Low-key events marking the half-century mile-stone are planned throughout the year, including a celebratory event April 15 on One Island on the Bay.

Tunneling to the futureAs the facility’s bridges, tunnels, causeway, and

approach roads mark 50 years, plans are under-way to build parallel tunnels, completing the dual lane traffi c pattern for the entire trip. Construction

will begin with Thimble Shoal Channel Tunnel and the total project is expected to be complete by 2021.

Now, more than fi ve decades later, crossing the bridge-tunnel and thoughts of the new construc-tion still excite that former elementary schooler. Make the crossing and fi nd out why for yourself!

For more information Cape Charles: capecharlesbythebay.com

Chincoteague Tourism: chincoteaguechamber.com

Eastern Shore Tourism: esvatourism.org

Sunset Beach Inn

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32246 Lankford Hwy Cape Charles, VA

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32246 Lankford Hwy Cape Charles, VA

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New RV Camp Sites available now!

PUT YOURSELF IN THE PICTUREYMCA Camp Silver Beach is the ultimate all-inclusive summer experience for ages 8 to 16.

Call 1-877-231-2012 or visit CampSilverBeach.org for information.

YMCA CAMP SILvER BEACH 6272 YMCA Lane, Jamesville, VA 23398

2014 le Tour de ShoreBike Ride

Saturday, May 17, 2014Enjoy our country roads and beautiful scenery!

Rides start at 8am - choose from a 17-, 30-, 55- or 70-mile route.

• Register online at esvachamber.org• Early registration fee - $45

• After April 15, 2013 - $55 • Day of Registration - $60• Ages 7-15 - $25 • Under 7 - FREE

BBQ Lunch will be included and served from 11am-1:30pm at Onancock School.

Phone (757)787-2460, email [email protected]

or visit our website at esvachamber.org Hosted by the Eastern Shore of VA Chamber of Commerce

Portion of the proceeds will benefitThe Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence

SALISBURY CYCLE & FITNESS


For lovers of fi ne art and food, Norfolk makes a perfect spring get-away.

Amid breathtaking water views, Virginia’s port city offers a rising tide of temptations covering every palette and palate.

After an extensive renovation, the

Chrysler Museum of Art will reopen in May.

Its world-respected holdings will shine even brighter in its revamped 220,000-square-foot space, includ-ing two new wings fl anking the en-trance.

A new “In the Box” space will

showcase digital creations, starting with Orbit 3, Jennifer Steinkamp’s nature voyage that melds real and virtual elements.

“Every gallery has been renewed, every object reinstalled. New inter-pretive materials and programs will truly bring art to life,” said museum director Bill Hennessey. “We’ll be the same wonderful, welcoming place, just bigger and better.” Mu-seum admission is free.

The museum’s renowned glass studio remains open during the ren-ovations with free daily demonstra-tions at noon Wednesday through Sunday.

The museum’s new Wisteria Café will add to Norfolk’s artful cuisine scene that, like the Chrysler, has re-cently expanded.

“I’ve lived in several Navy towns and this one stands out for its array of locally-owned restaurants committed to supporting local farmers and com-munities,” said Sarah Withrow King.

These appetizing developments and eco-friendly transit such as the Tide light rail and NET electric buses make this a good time to visit.

Beverage and food toursThe hard part is deciding where

to dine, explaining the popularity of multi-stop food tours. Coastal Food Tours of Virginia (coastalfoodtours.com) recently added a tour focused on Norfolk’s historic Ghent neigh-borhood.

Launched last summer, Taste Tide-water Tours (tastetidewater.com) fi lls its motor coach with visitors excited to discover Norfolk’s hot new liba-tions scene.

Stops include new Mermaid Win-ery, Virginia’s only urban winery; O’Connor Brewing; and Smartmouth Brewing Company, which in its fi rst year is already winning national awards.


visitnorfolktoday.com | 1-800-368-3097

Discover great dining, festivals and fun in Norfolk. This vibrant coastal city has a hip pub and restaurant scene including local craft breweries and Virginia’s first-ever urban winery and tasting room. With over 125 outdoor events and more than 80 chef-owned restaurants mixed in, the fun never stops!

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Virginia Living Museum

Over 30 Parks

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Feast on fi ne art and food in ‘happening’ NorfolkThe city’s treats include its newly revamped art museum and terrifi c tapas

The Chrysler Museum re-opens in May after extensive renovations.

Norfolk Tourism

The Civil War Battle of Hampton Roads proved the supremacy of iron over wood and also pitted the CSS Virginia against the USS Monitor, an en-counter that changed naval warfare for all time. The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Va., com-memorates the battle March 7-9, 152 years after the events, with a weekend of family activities.

Visitors paying regular admission to the museum that weekend can experience living history encamp-ments, 19th-century music, a meeting with Abraham Lincoln, and a lesson about Civil War photography.

On a Friday day-long motor coach tour you can visit sites from the 1862 Peninsula Campaign that were documented by illustrators and photog-raphers. You’ll get tips on creating your own “Then and Now” shots. The excursion costs $145 and includes an evening reception with Abraham Lincoln.

Saturday brings three special events that are free with museum ad-mission. Gary Adelman provides a photographic tour of the Civil War’s eastern theater from Harpers Ferry to Ap-pomattox, from Wash-ington to Richmond, and from the Shenandoah Valley to the James River.

Also on Saturday, historian Harold Holzer sits down with Lincoln interpreter George Buss for a conversation about events of the 1860s.

Finally, on Saturday, top restaurants and caterers in the area will compete in a food-tasting event featuring traditional 19th-century dishes such as pepper-pot, Mulligatawny soup, and skillygalee.

Sunday’s special program looks at restoration then and now featuring before-, during-, and after-treatment photographs of many of the 200 tons of corroded and decayed artifacts recovered more than a decade ago from the USS Monitor. Museum conservators and curators will walk you through the conservation process. The program is also free with museum admission.

Learn moreBattle weekend: battleofhamptonroads.com

virginia I staff

Commemorating the battle of the ironclads at Mariners’ Museum

The whimsical and delightfully colorful works by master illustrator and artist Charley Harper (1922-2007) are returning to the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News in Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper, March 15 through April 27.

Harper’s life-long love of nature inspired his work and his creativity takes viewers on an artistic and en-vironmental journey shared by people of all ages.

Harper was best known for his highly stylized wildlife prints, posters, and book illustrations. He called his style “minimal realism,” capturing the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements.

His nature-oriented artwork is often contrasted with the realism of John James Audubon and the simplicity found in Inuit art.

There will also be interactive art activities based on Harper’s style, including tangrams, large puzzles, an alphabet art table, and rubbing sta-tions. Budding artists can sketch a natural science item from the museum’s collections.

Museum admission is $17 for adults and $13 for children ages 3-12. Ages 2 and under are free. (757-595-1900, thevlm.org)

Start your adventure at www.MarinersMuseum.org1-800-581-SAIL (7245)I64, Exit 258A, Newport News, VA

Take a voyage of discovery to

AMERICA’S NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

Home of the

USS Monitor

Center

New Exhibition Opening May 2014

Highly stylized wildlife art andhands-on art activities

March 15 - April 27

Easter HolidayA 2 night stay with breakfast and our delicious brunch on Easter Sunday.

Lots of fun for all the family with live music and children’s activities including the largest Easter egg hunt in Virginia Beach.

From $146.95 per adult sharing.For reservations, call 757.424.5511

5641 Indian River RoadVirginia Beach, VA 23464FoundersInn.com


virginia I staff

Virginia Living Museum exhibits Harper’s artwork

The historic seaport town of Ports-mouth, Va., will charm visitors of all ages.

A single square mile nestled along the Elizabeth River makes the Olde Towne section easily walkable with all of its at-tractions close at hand.

Quiet tree-lined streets, cobblestone walkways, and 18th-century homes con-trast with views of sail boats, tugs, and naval vessels along the waterfront, and museums and shops along High Street.

A ride across the bustling Elizabeth River on a paddle-wheel ferry is one way to begin your exciting journey.

Three 150-passenger ferries operate every 30 minutes daily between Water-side Norfolk and High Street and North Landing in Portsmouth for a modest price.

“Olde Towne Portsmouth is home to one of the largest collections of architec-turally noteworthy historic homes and churches in America,” said David Schulte, who promotes Portsmouth. “Our water-front location at Mile Marker Zero of the Intracoastal Waterway makes us a magnet for boaters.”

Come stroll the walkway along our water-

front. Wend your way to our lightship and

naval shipyard museums. Continue

wandering and you’ll discover our huge

Children’s Museum and our famous

tree-lined streets shading homes more

than 250 years old. Close by, too, are

the most intriguing of shops and a truly

sumptuous selection of chef-owned

restaurants. And what a delight it is to

discover so many of the charms of this

historic seaport are all within one very

walkable square mile.


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The charm of Olde Towne Portsmouth awaits visitorsHistoric waterfront community boasts variety of museums for every interest

Portsmouth’s historic district has a large collection of architecturally noteworthy homes and churches.

Va. Tourism Corp.

Museums line Portsmouth’s streets

The Children’s Museum of Vir-ginia on High Street, is the largest children’s museum in Virginia with a whopping 72,000-square-feet of fun and activity and the extensive Lancaster Antique Toy and Train col-lection.

Through May 18, a special exhibit, Tree Houses, features a large indoor tree house with hands-on activities about animals, forestry, tracking, and natural artifacts.

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, also on High Street, may seem small, but it’s packed with fas-cinating artifacts, exhibits, and tid-bits of history that will surprise and delight.

You’ll enjoy learning the history of our nation’s oldest and largest naval shipyard, which is still in operation just down the street from the mu-seum.

The Lightship Portsmouth Museum has a waterfront location on London Street one block behind the Naval Shipyard Museum. This colorful, well-preserved 1916 lightship is fun to explore for adults and kids alike. You’ll marvel how a crew of 15 men could live for months in such tight quarters. The ship opens weekends starting March 1, and will be open

Tuesdays through Sundays during the summer.

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum on High Street is a two-story, state-of-the-art facility that cel-ebrates Virginia’s nearly 300 great athletes, past and present. The ex-perience includes hands-on exhib-its, including a NASCAR simulator, virtual exercise equipment, and the opportunity to test the speed of your baseball pitch.

The Railroad Museum of Virginia, on Crawford Circle, is a restored fi ve-car train with a 1910-era steam locomotive, on tracks with a depot-style platform. Visitors can enjoy a self-guided and/or guided tour, both which include visits inside two walk-through mail cars loaded with arti-facts. The museum is open Fridays and Saturdays, 10:00am-4:00pm.

All Portsmouth museums are open Tuesdays through Sundays until Memorial Day, after which they are open daily until Labor Day, unless otherwise noted.

Individual and combination tickets are available.

Other Things to DoThe Olde Towne Antiques to Flea

Market is located in the Middle Street Garage at the corner of Mid-dle and London streets, which means

rain won’t slow you down as you wander around stalls of more than 100 vendors on the fi rst Saturday of the month.

FirstEvents is held the fi rst Friday through Sunday each month. Busi-nesses throughout Olde Towne offer

special events and activities, plus some museums offer free admission during those weekends.

Learn morePortsmouth Tourism: visitportsva.com


Call 877-290-0607 to make your Reservation.Call 877-290-0607 to make your Reservation.

Winter Escape from $81Stay & Play from $99

wintergreenresort.com


Waterfalls combine romance with the raw power of nature and March is the time to catch the show in Nelson County, Va. Waterfalls with names like Crabtree, White Rock, and The Falls near Lovington put on a show as their usual tumble turns into a torrent fueled by melting snow.

Generally, the show reaches its

peak toward the end of March. You can hike to Crabtree Falls,

the tallest in the East, by tackling a 2.2-mile round trip on a trail which branches off of the Appalachian Trail. The hike will test you, but the series of five falls that cascade more than 1,200 feet present a view that is worth the effort.

Nelson County combines trails that attract hikers, cyclists, and bird-ers with trails that lead to wineries and breweries.

There’s a four-season resort and interesting sites such as the museum that recalls the iconic television show The Waltons near author Earl Ham-ner’s home and another that recalls

the devastating effects of Hurricane Camille that dumped 27 inches of rain on the area in a matter of hours in 1969.

Pharsalia, an Antebellum planta-tion dating to 1814, celebrates its bicentennial this year by expand-ing its programs, including the May 17-18 Folk Life Festival. More than 20 classes and workshops are sched-uled covering crafts, flower arrang-ing, and photography, among other topics. (pharsaliaevents.com)

Make no mistake, rural Nelson County, accessed by Rt. 29 and lying between the Blue Ridge Parkway and the James River, has plenty to recom-mend it, whether you’re bringing your own bike, fishing rod, or just a thirst for Virginia wine or craft beer.

Long known for its wineries, Nel-son County is also home to other craft beverages. Bold Rock Cidery is undergoing a $3 million expan-sion, but offers free tastings and tours 11:00am-5:00pm every day. John and Robin Washburn partnered with world class cider-maker Brian Shanks who moved to Virginia from New Zealand to establish the opera-tion about two years ago.

Devil’s Backbone Brewery will soon open another restaurant and a distillery to broaden its appeal.

Spring was made for outdoors

The Appalachian Trail crosses through 25 miles of Nelson County including some of its most challeng-ing climbs in the Virginia portion of the great north-south hiking trail.

There are a lot of less strenuous parts of the Appalachian Trail to enjoy, as well as hikes to points off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the ribbon-like national byway replete with sce-nic vistas.

The Rockfish Valley Loop Trails, part of the Virginia Birding and Wild-life Trail, are mowed grass and dirt, and nearly flat, so they are suitable for almost anyone interested in com-bining some exercise with a bit of bird watching.

The Nelson County tourism site offers lots of hiking options with di-rections and parking instructions as well as both mountain and road bik-ing trails and enjoyable motorcycle routes ranging up to 31 miles.

Other forms of outdoor recreation beckon visitors, too. Horseback rid-ing, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and hunting are waiting in the nooks and crannies of the mountain communi-ties.

virginia I jane and marvin bond

Spring means outdoor fun in rural Nelson County

Pharsalia, an antebellum plantation, celebrates its bicentennial this year and hosts a Folk Life Festival May 17-18 as well as more than 20 classes and workshops during the year.

Like free tickets?

Like free dinners?

Like free concerts?

Just Like Us!


Nelson Co. Tourism

WintergreenPerhaps the best known of the area’s

outdoor recreation hubs is Wintergreen. The four-season resort winds down its ski season in March with a Spring Fling weekend March 7-9, including a final Rail Jam on March 8. But there is plenty more to enjoy as the sun melts the snow and the mountains take on their spring coat of green.

One favorite wintertime activity that re-opens Memorial Day weekend is The Plunge Tubing Park. Imagine being ten stories high and traveling over three foot-ball fields in a summer tubing adventure. The summer version substitutes a slip-pery product called Neveplast that lets you tube without snow or water.

The Discovery Center is the place for plenty of outdoor activities. Adventure seekers can take a fast ride on the Zip. It’s filled with thrills and chills and carries you 900 feet in less than 30 seconds, so don’t blink!

Use the bungee trampoline, a hybrid trampoline-bungee apparatus that en-ables jumpers to reach heights of 25 feet or more, or tackle the climbing wall, a 25-foot structure with a belay apparatus on top, featuring varying degrees of dif-ficulty. Or, you can keep your feet on the ground playing miniature golf.

Hiking at WintergreenWintergreen offers spectacular views

of the Blue Ridge Mountains and The Rockfish and Shenandoah Valleys. There are more than 30 miles of marked hik-ing trails to explore. Access trails wind around the two mountain peaks, Devils Knob and Blackrock. Perimeter trails cir-cumnavigate the resort with access trails that break off for shorter hikes.

Fly fishingWintergreen is close to some of the

best fly fishing Virginia has to offer. Quiet valley ponds and lakes, cascading moun-tain streams, and the nearby James River provide guests with a variety of angling opportunities.

Wintergreen’s fly fishing services can accommodate both inexperienced and expert anglers.

Wintergreen’s Orvis-endorsed instruc-tors have the perfect classroom setting at Lake Monocan to introduce students to the art of fly fishing, or anglers can experience the thrill of fishing for trout in the mountains or smallmouth bass on the legendary James River with a knowledge-able and friendly guide.

For more informationNelson Co. Tourism: nelsoncounty.com

Wintergreen: wintergreenresort.com

nelson countyVIRGINIA

Nelson County Visitors Centernelsoncounty.com

434.263.7015

relax. nelson style.

Experience the Sunrise Side of the Blue Ridge.

From our mountains to the mighty James River.

Wear yourself out at our wineries, breweries and

eateries, then hit the sack in a cozy cabin or bed & breakfast.


There are more than 30 miles of marked hiking trails to explore at Wintergreen Resort, just one part of the extensive network of trails in Nelson County.

www.recreationnews.com410-638-6901

fax: 410-638-6902Mailing Address:

1607 Sailaway CircleBaltimore MD 21221

Wintergreen Resort

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In southwest Virginia, the mountains of Wash-ington County are thawing out, turning green, springing back to life. Redbuds are about to burst open like purple fireworks on every hillside, and farmers are back in their wet brown fields. Here in the grassy piedmont surrounding Abingdon, the county seat, a centuries-long agricultural heritage is still very much alive. Even in subdivisions close to town, spring means tilled-up swaths of dirt ev-erywhere you look. This is backyard-garden coun-try. It’s enough to make you hungry.

Luckily, a five-block walk down Abingdon’s Main Street takes you to upwards of a dozen can’t-miss dining options. Add outdoor recreation in every direction and a surprisingly energized nightlife, and you have all the ingredients for a lively but leisurely taste of springtime in the moun-tains.

First, make sure to visit the Saturday morning Abingdon Farmers Market to take in the scene as much as the flavorful locally raised food. If you’re a morning person, you might even want to show up at 8:00am just to witness the moment when fiercely loyal shoppers, waiting in line for the opening bell, snatch up their favorite vendors’ much-prized local asparagus. Or, take your time and show up later; hot coffee, baked goods, and an all-local, ev-erything-from-scratch breakfast stand called Farm Food will kick you into gear.

Just around the corner is Babycakes, once a modest cupcake booth at the Farmers Market, but now a thriving casual restaurant with a full lunch menu.

Burgers made from local grass-fed beef, gooey paninis, hearty salads and, of course, a long list of gourmet cupcakes make this a stop worth making,

especially for those traveling with children. Visitors of almost any age will enjoy a hike or

bike ride along the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile gentle wind from Whitetop Mountain back to Abingdon that intersects with the Appalachian Trail at its midpoint near Damascus. (In late spring, look for through-hikers attempting all 2,100 miles of the AT, or hop on for a quick side hike of your own.) The Creeper Trail offers a glimpse of just about everything this region boasts: dense forests, sloping farmland, small towns, and quiet streams. The Virginia Creeper Bike Shop rents bicycles and offers a shuttle service to the top, and the historic Martha Washington Inn & Spa has a shuttle for its guests.

Also at the Martha Washington, Sisters Ameri-can Grill boasts an excellent beer and wine list and rotates its menu seasonally, ordering all it can from the Rooted in Appalachia network of local farmers. Or, go for variety and book a ticket on a “Tastes of the Town” trolley tour — they take place once a month, on a Tuesday — to enjoy a small food-and-drink pairing at each of five local restaurants, many of them Rooted in Appalachia partners. A favorite stop is Figaredo’s, with its upscale-but-cozy Italian vibe and popular risotto dishes. Each tour has a seasonal theme, and spring promises to highlight the best of all those mountain gardens.

For evening entertainmentThe changing seasons also bring the opening

of the 81st season at the Barter Theatre, Virginia’s State Theater. Look for crowd-favorite comedies like Don’t Cry For Me, Margaret Mitchell and clas-sic musicals like Man of La Mancha. The theatre’s

café now serves sweets from Abingdon’s own An-thony’s Desserts.

Everything’s good, but try the cheesecake; this beauty pretty much demands that the English language come up with a word that describes something even more decadent than “decadent.” The theater’s Barter Stage II opened a renovated dining venue, “Bob’s at Barter,” in February with brand new lunch and dinner offerings.

Thirsty? Wolf Hills Brewing Co. began in one founder’s basement barely five years ago. Now, it supplies restaurants from Richmond to Knoxville, stocks its Trooper Alley IPA and Honey Cream Ale in cans at area grocery stores, and packs its tast-ing room with visitors four nights a week. It also brings musical acts ranging from Jonathan Scales Fourchestra’s jazz fusion to Dave Eggar’s hard-driving cello.

At the tap, look for seasonal brews like a citrusy Belgian IPA this spring.

Just south of downtown, the Heartwood visitor center is a one-stop hub for soaking up the best of Appalachia. Look for fine work by regional artisans, live music, and great food, including a Thursday night barbecue and Sunday breakfast and lunch.

Grab a cup of locally roasted Zazzy’z coffee be-fore you leave town. The shop invokes its roaster’s Irish roots by offering a full Irish breakfast on weekends, and also sells current books by re-gional writers.

Fuel up, and take a piece of the Virginia high-lands home with you.

Learn moreAbingdon tourism: visitabingdonvirginia.com


virginia I paige campbell

Dining and entertainment in the Abingdon, Va., area

pennsylvania I jane and marvin bond

Celebrate new wineTwo Pennsylvania wine trails celebrate the new-

est vintages on Saturdays and Sundays this month by inviting you into the cellars and tasting rooms for an inside look before the bottling process begins. The Mason-Dixon Wine Trail’s Tour de Tanks takes place noon-5:00pm at wineries located within an hour of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Tickets are $25 each ($15 for designated driv-ers) and can be purchased online (yorkpa.org) or by calling 888-858-YORK. Your passport is valid at all participating locations along the trail and for all weekends in March.

With more than 20 wineries participating, it’s a

good thing the event lasts all month. Even so, it’s a lot of ground to cover so it’s a good idea to check out the sample itineraries for logical groupings. The itineraries also offer dining and shopping pos-sibilities along the way.

Barrels along the BrandywineThe six wineries along the Brandywine Valley

Wine Trail offer a similar barrel-tasting event each March weekend, noon-5:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at bvwinetrail.com

d MARCH IS CRAFT BEER MONTHA dozen craft brewers in the Hershey-Harrisburg area are presenting a March Craftness event March

22-23 and 29-30, from noon-5:00pm each day. Brewers will hold “craft classes” at each of the participating breweries and provide special tastings and a souvenir glass. The craft beer trail leads from Lancaster in the south to Lebanon in the north and from Carlisle in the west to Ephrata in the east. Most offer food pre-pared onsite. (hersheyharrisburgbeer.com)

SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE March 15, 11:00am-4:00pm. Parade steps off at noon and in-cludes fire trucks, classic cars, high school marching band, Irish dancers, horses, local pageant winners, and the Easter bunny. 3300 Dill Smith Dr., Fredericksburg, Va. 540-371-7799, bluean-dgraybrewingco.com

SAINT PATRICK’S SNAKESMarch 15-16, 2:00-4:00pm. Come meet several friendly serpents and create a slithery craft. Robert E. Lee Park, 1000 Lakeside Dr., Baltimore, Md. 410-887-4156

MID-ATLANTIC QUILT FESTIVALThrough March 2. Features a Merchants Mall (with more than 250 vendor booths) showcasing quilting supplies, textiles, an-tique quilts, books, sewing related craft items, kits, sewing ma-chines, and clothing. Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Dr., Hampton, Va. 757-315-1610, quiltfest.com

CHOCOLATE FESTIVALMarch 1, 11:30am-3:30pm. There will be family fun, baking con-tests, and tastes of sinful desserts baked by some of the finest local restaurants, chefs, and chocoholics. Rehoboth Beach Con-vention Center, Rehoboth Beach, Del. downtownrehoboth.com

MAPLE SUGARINGMarch 1-2, 2:00-4:00pm. Learn the art of turning sap into syrup from our rangers. Take a hike to tap trees, see sap cooked into syrup, and taste some maple syrup made at the park. Robert E. Lee Park, 1000 Lakeside Dr., Baltimore, Md. 410-887-4156

TATTOO ARTS FESTIVALMarch 7-9. During the event, interested attendees have the option of speaking with tattoo artists from across the country and having the work performed on site at the convention cen-ter. Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, Va. 757-484-1319, hrtattoofest.com

CHOCOLATE AND WINE TOURMarch 8, noon-4:00pm. Maryland Wine’s Vino 301 will trans-port you to Parfections store where the tour begins. Tastings of handmade gourmet truffles and a chocolate and wine pairing. 301-807-2683, vino301.com/wine-tours.html

MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVALMarch 8-9, 15-16. Learn about the process of making sap into syrup. Kids can enjoy free games, stories, crafts, and live music in large heated tents. Cunningham Falls State Park, William Houck Area, 14039 Catoctin Hollow Rd., Thurmont, Md. 301-271-3423, visitfrederick.org

REFUGE SYSTEM BIRTHDAY BASHMarch 15, 10:00am-3:00pm. Live animals, live music, children’s activities and crafts, and wildlife habitat tram tours. Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, Md. 301-497-5760

HOME AND GARDEN EXPO March 15-16, 10:00am-5:00pm. The entire upper concourse of Ripken Stadium will be completely transformed for one week-end only into a Home and Garden Extravaganza as well as a Health and Wellness Fair, bringing you the latest trends in how to keep fit. 873 Long Dr., Aberdeen, Md. 410-688-4117, north-ernchesapeakeexpoevents.com

FREE COMMUNITY DAYMarch 16, noon–5:00pm. Learn more about the quilt tech-niques, materials, and processes on view in the exhibition “Workt by Hand”: Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts through in-gallery demonstrations by area quilt-guild members. The Na-tional Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-783-5000, nmwa.org

MARYLAND DAY CELEBRATIONMarch 21-23. Stroll through downtown Annapolis or visit His-toric London Town and the Annapolis countryside to enjoy educational tours, costumed reenactors, art exhibits, and kids’ activities. Sites throughout the Four Rivers Heritage Area, Md. 410-222-1805, marylandday.org

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVALMarch 29, 12:30-4:30pm. Enjoy our tenth year of traditional Japanese music, dance, art, and martial arts demonstrations, and the Japanese garden and cherry trees. 1398 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 757-385-2992, vbgov.com

WEDDING FAIRMarch 30, noon-3:00pm. Specialists in food, photography, fash-ion, and all things nuptial will be on hand to guide you through the quintessential Historic Inns wedding experience. Governor Calvert House, 58 State Cir., Annapolis, Md. alchemidesign.tick-etleap.com/hiaweddingfair/t/calendar

HORSE WORLD EXPOThrough March 3. Hundreds of vendors, mounted demonstra-tions, and educational activities. Farm Show Complex, Harris-burg, Pa. horseworldexpo.com

BALTIMORE BOAT SHOWThrough March 3. The Progressive Insurance Baltimore Boat Show brings the newest boats and accessories as well as fun and educational activities to get you thinking about warmer weather. Baltimore Convention Center, One W. Pratt St., Balti-more, Md. baltimoreboatshow.com

MARYLAND HOME AND GARDEN SHOWMarch 1-2, 7-9. This spring’s show features 300 exhibitors and more than 15 huge, lush, fully-landscaped gardens brimming with vibrant color as part of this year’s “Color My World” theme. Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, Md. mdhomeandgar-den.com

PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOWMarch 1-9. Fabulous design, live entertainment, culinary dem-onstrations, gardening how-to workshops, and lectures by experts. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St., Phila-delphia, Pa. 215-418-4700, theflowershow.com

ANTIQUE ARMS SHOWMarch 15-16. The show is the largest all-antique weapons show in the country up to and including WWII weapons. There will also be exhibits hosted by various exhibitors among them Revo-lutionary War and Civil War reenactment clubs and the Harper’s Ferry Museum. Cow Palace at Maryland State Fairgrounds, Ti-monium, Md. 301-865-6804, baltimoreshow.com

REACH FOR THE STARS FIGURE SKATING March 17, 8:00am-8:00pm. Witness individual and team events throughout the day from skaters of all ages from Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Free. Piney Orchard Ice Arena, 8781 Piney Orchard Pkwy., Odenton, Md. 410-672-7013

CHESAPEAKE BEACH RESORT BRIDAL SHOWMarch 22, 2:00-5:00pm. Visit the Spring Bridal Show to meet the best vendors in the area. Florists, deejays, bakers, and other vendors will be there for planning with ease. 4165 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach, Md. 410-257-2735, cbresortspa.com

SPRING LOVE WEDDING SHOWMarch 30, 2:00-5:00pm. After registration, there will be three area exhibitors. At 2:00pm, doors will open to the second of three areas named The Virginia Ballroom to meet and greet more of the participating exhibitors. The third area will feature a 4:00pm fashion show. Princess Anne Country Club, 3800 Pacific Ave., Virginia Beach, Va. 757-428-4141, showbride.com

80’S RETRO RUNMarch 1. We’ve been in the lab, sweating neon bullets and con-cocting the biggest, wildest, totally awesome 80s Retro Run you could ever imagine. 797 E Patrick St., Frederick, Md. 919-831-4199, 80sretrorun.com

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL USA MARATHONMarch 15. Race organizers have announced a new finish line festival location at RFK Stadium. Runners will start on Constitu-tion Ave., Washington, D.C. runrocknroll.com/usa

5K RUN AND KIDS FUN RUNMarch 22, registration at 7:00am. Race benefits the Montpelier Foundation. Registration includes a race t-shirt and free house tour. James Madison’s Montpelier, 13384 Laundry Rd., Montpe-lier Station, Va. 540-672-2728, montpelier.org

BALTIMORE ANNAPOLIS SAILING CLUBYear-round. Offers day sailing events and seminars in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, D.C., and sailing excursions on the Chesapeake Bay. Membership free. 410-394-9483, mdsailing.com

QUANTICO ORIENTEERING CLUB Hosts map and compass activities most weekends in the greater Washington, D.C., area. Suitable for all ages and skill levels; free beginner instruction. qocweb.org

POTOMAC APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUBLeads weekly hikes and work trips in greater Washington area. Contact PATC for more information. 703-242-0965, patc.net

APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUBLeads hiking, bicycling, canoeing, and conservation events in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. amc-dc.org

SENIORS EXERCISE FOR A BETTER LIFEExercise for free Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30-11:15am. Cora B. Wood Senior Center, 3601 Taylor St., Brentwood, Md. 301-699-1238, pgparks.com

FITNESS CENTER SENIOR CLASSESPrince George’s County Sports and Learning Complex, Lando-ver, Md. 301-583-2626, pgparks.com

WASHINGTON AREA ROADSKATERSYear-round, check website for dates and times. Skaters leave from White House, Washington, D.C. meetup.com/washington-area-roadskaters

CENTER HIKING CLUBVarious hikes and locations in D.C. metropolitan area. 703-751-3971, centerhikingclub.org

FREESTATE HAPPY WANDERERS Various walking trails and locations in Maryland. 410-437-2164, ava.org/clubs/freestate

WANDERBIRDS HIKING CLUBSundays. Various hikes and locations in Virginia. 703-242-0315, wanderbirds.org

SWIMMING AND WATER EXERCISE Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00-8:00am. Glenarden/Theresa Banks Complex Pool, 8615-A McLain Ave., Glenarden, Md. 301-772-5515

BACH IN BALTIMOREMarch 2, 4:00pm. Hear J.S. Bach Cantata 111 and Cantata 35 as part of the organization’s First Sunday series. Christ Lutheran Church, 701 S. Charles St., Baltimore, MD bachinBaltimore.org

THE DUKE UNIVERSITY CHORALEMarch 9, 4:00pm. Some 45 young singers blend their voices in a program of music from the Renaissance to the present and the centuries in between, from motets to spirituals, folk songs of several cultures, Broadway, and contemporary classical rep-ertoire. One Chevy Chase Cir., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-363-2202

CROOKED ROAD FESTIVALMarch 20-22. Instrument makers and players will be featured opening night with pre-performance demonstrations and dis-plays. Bluegrass traditions and transformations on March 21. A celebration of old-time music and dance on March 22. Cen-ter for the Arts, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va. 540-231-5300, artscenter.vt.edu

BERKS JAZZ FESTMarch 28-April 6. A major East Coast jazz festival with major stars in intimate venues in and around Reading, Pa. berk-sjazzfest.com

THE BOTTLING WORKS426 E. Main St., Romney, W.Va. 304-496-8201, thebottlingworks.com

SEA CHANTEY NIGHT: MYRON PETERSON IN CONCERTMarch 6, 7:00-9:00pm. A sing-along evening of salty tales and ballards from the seafaring life. Havre de Grace Maritime Mu-seum, 100 Lafayette St., Havre de Grace, Md. 410-939-4800, hdgmaritimemuseum.org

THE LIFE OF FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINSThrough Mar. 2. The sweet and inspiring, and hilarious, portrait of a passionate music lover who believes that “what matters most is the music you hear in your head.” 1st Stage Theatre, 1524 Spring Hill Rd., McLean, Va. 703-854-1856, 1ststagetysons.org


March 20 - Spring Begins

HOLIDAYS

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

NOW SHOWING

MUSICOrchestra/Band/Classical/Choral

Jazz/Blues/Country

Popular/Other

Theater

March 2014

HENRY VThrough March 3. See Shakespeare’s stirring battlefield drama. Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St., SE, Washington, D.C. folger.edu/theatre

THE YOUNG LADY FROM TACNAThrough March 9. A tale of how tales are born from Peru’s Nobel Prize winner, Mario Vargas Llosa. In Spanish, with English sub-titles. GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. gala-theatre.org

THE DRESSERThrough Mar. 23. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a backstage tale of life upon the wicked stage and the power that theatre has to lift the human spirit in times of great strife. Ev-eryman Theatre, 315 West Fayette St., Baltimore, Md. 410-752-2208, everymantheatre.org

FABULAS MAYASMarch 1 at 10:00am and March 8 at 1:00pm. In this entertaining children’s play, the Creator and Shaper provide lessons about life through the creatures they create to populate the earth. Atlas Performing Art Center, 1333 H St., NE, Washington, D.C. 202-399-7933, intersectionsdc.org

MAMMA MIAMarch 4-9. A celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends, and new family found. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-628-6161, thenationaldc.org

MAN OF LA MANCHAMarch 14-15. The legendary Don Quixote’s dream is alive as he embarks on a quest to lay siege on the windmills and to win the heart of Aldonza, his beautiful muse. 140 West Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore, Md. 410-900-1150, lyricoperahouse.com

MOONSHINE MURDERSMarch 29, 6:30pm. Ticket price of $45 includes dinner and show. Clarion Hotel, 233 Lowe Dr., Shepherdstown, W.Va. 304-870-7010

RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALThrough March 2, 10:00am-9:00pm. Offers a vast array of film screenings, educational panels, Q&As, live musical perfor-mances, and entertainment events. Byrd Theater, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond, Va. 804-219-0675, richmondfilmfestival.com

DOCUMENTARIES AND SHORT SUBJECTSMarch 2, 11:00am-2:00pm. Showcasing Academy Award-nominated films. Seating is on a first–come, first–served basis; screenings are free. William G. McGowan Theater, 700 Constitu-tion Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. archives.gov/dc-metro/events

BLACK BOX: CAMILLE HENROTMarch 5-June 15. The first museum in the United States to pres-ent French artist Camille Henrot’s Grosse Fatigue, an energetic and poetic 13-minute video on the creation of the world. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

WOMEN’S HISTORY DOUBLE FEATURE March 15, 1:00 and 2:30pm. Enjoy films and dialogue with Af-rican-American women filmmakers about the power of black women’s beauty. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Suite 400, Baltimore, Md. 443-263-1800, rflewismuseum.org/node/12091

ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVALMarch 18-20. The festival will present 170 films at over 70 ven-ues across Washington, D.C. Many films will be free. dcenviron-mentalfilmfest.org

ANNAPOLIS FILM FESTIVALMarch 27. The festival will take place throughout Annapolis, including Maryland Hall, for the opening night party, films throughout the weekend, and Best of the Fest event. Check website for films and locations. 410-263-5544, marylandhall.org

BRITISH INVASION: THE BEATLES AND THE ROLLING STONESMarch 6-9. The Washington Ballet presents a thrilling and emotional all-British journey featuring two rock ballets: Trey McIntyre’s A Day in the Life set to the music of The Beatles and Christopher Bruce’s iconic Rooster set to the driving sound of The Rolling Stones. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Per-forming Arts, Eisenhower Theater, 2700 F St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-416-8000

LINE DANCEWednesdays, through Mar. 15. Seniors ages 60 and over. Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Rd., Lando-ver, Md. 301-583-2400

DANCE PROGRAMSWeekends, 7:30-11:30pm. Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. fridaynightdance.org

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AT THE KATZEN ARTS CENTERWard Circle, Massachusetts and Nebraska Aves., Washington, D.C. 202-885-1300, american.edu/cas/katzen

AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM800 Key Hwy., Baltimore, Md. 410-244-1900, avam.org

THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

CARRIAGE HOUSE GALLERY AT EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J. 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, capemaymac.org

CARROLL ARTS CENTER TEVIS GALLERY91 Main St., Westminster, Md. 410-848-7272, carrollcounty-artscouncil.org

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDENIndependence Ave. and Seventh St., SW, Washington, D.C. 202-633-1000, hirshhorn.si.edu

LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, Md. 410-557-9570, ladewgar-dens.com

MARYLAND HALL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS801 Chase St., Annapolis, Md. 410-263-5544, marylandhall.org

MONTPELIER ARTS CENTER9652 Muirkirk Rd., Laurel, Md. 301-953-1993, arts.pgparks.com

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ARTNational Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-737-4215, nga.gov

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, Md. 301-695-1864, civilwarmed.org

THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION1600 21st St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-387-2151, phillipscol-lection.org

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM OF MARYLAND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, Md. 443-263-1800, africanamerican-culture.org

SHAKESPEARE GALLERYFolger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St., Washington, D.C. 202-544-7077, folger.edu

SURRATT HOUSE MUSEUM TOURSSurratt House Museum, 9118 Brandywine Rd., Clinton, Md. 301-868-1121, surratt.org

THE TEXTILE MUSEUM2320 S St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-667-0441, textilemuseum.org

TUDOR PLACE HISTORIC HOUSE AND GARDEN1644 31st St., Georgetown, Washington, D.C. 202-965-0400, ext. 109, tudorplace.org

VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS200 N. Blvd., Richmond, Va. 804-340-1400, vmfa.museum

THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM600 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org

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Dance

Films

Resources and Institutions Directory

Military Through the Ages brings reenactors from the Middle Ages to modern times to the Jamestown Settlement, March 15-16.

Exhibits

Jamestown Yorktown Foundation

ALEX PRAGER: FACE IN THE CROWDThrough March 9. Presents Prager’s latest body of work by the same title, elaborately staged crowd scenes, both poignant and revelatory, alongside earlier photographs and video works. The Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-639-1700, corcoran.org

YOUNG ARTISTS EXHIBITIONThrough Mar. 24. An exhibition showcasing art by preschool through 8th grade students from our partner school Takoma Education Campus. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-387-2151, phillipscollection.org

BETWEEN SOLITUDE AND BELONGINGThrough Mar. 29. The internationally celebrated Swedish art-ist Maria Friberg explores the themes of isolation, erosion and stability in her recent photographs and video work. CONNER-SMITH, 358 Florida Ave., NE, Washington, D.C. 202-588-8750, connersmith.us.com

WORKT BY HANDThrough April 27. An exhibition that explores the presentation, contextualization, and interpretation of historical quilts. The Na-tional Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-783-5000, nmwa.org

BOOK BINDINGS FROM THE GILDED AGEThrough May 18. This focus show of approximately 20 rarely seen examples from the Walters’ rare book collection will ex-plore techniques and materials that were employed to show-case the book binder’s craft. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org

THE BUSINESS OF ILLUSTRATED CALENDARSThrough May 18. This exhibition introduces visitors to the once-thriving, lucrative business of illustrated calendars. Brandywine River Museum, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, Pa. 610-388-2700, brandywinemuseum.org

GRAVITY’S EDGEThrough June 15. Spanning the period 1959-1978 and featuring works by canonical East Coast Color Field painters. The Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Ave. and Sev-enth St., SW, Washington, D.C. 202-633-1000, hirshhorn.si.edu

PRINTS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE KAINEN COLLECTIONThrough June 29. The exhibition explores themes of human life and passion, the place of man in nature, and the urbanization of society. The National Gallery of Art, National Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-737-4215, nga.gov

ARCHITECTURAL BOOKSThrough Aug. 17. Some books survey a variety of architectural works, while others focus on a specific building. National Gallery of Art, National Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Consti-tution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-737-4215, nga.gov

A REVOLUTIONARY SPIRITThrough Oct. More than 30 vivid paintings, drawings, prints, wa-tercolors, and sculpture present an overview of the revolution-ary art movement that flourished in Germany. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

RYAN MCGINNESS: STUDIO VISITThrough Oct. 19. The exhibit will explore this contemporary art-ist’s creative process for his 2009 painting “Art History Is Not Lin-ear.” The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Blvd., Richmond, Va. 804-340-1400, vmfa.museum

COSTUMES OF DOWNTON ABBEYThrough Jan. 4. Original exhibition of designs from the televi-sion series created so visitors experience the fictional world of Downton Abbey and the contrasting world of the du Pont fam-ily’s Winterthur. Wilmington, Del. winterthur.org

FASHION MEETS SCIENCE: INTRODUCING NYLONThrough Jan. 25. Hagley’s exhibition discusses the early devel-opment of nylon and its impact on the fashion industry. Hagley Museum, 200 Hagley Rd., Wilmington, Del. 302-658-2400, hagley.org

GARRY WINOGRANDMarch 2-June 8. Revealing the full breadth of his art for the first time,Garry Winogrand brings together some 190 of the artist’s most iconic images — many never before exhibited or repro-duced. The National Gallery of Art, National Mall between Third and Seventh Sts. at Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-737-4215, nga.gov

SHIFTING GEARSMarch 5-30. Ana Elisa Benavent’s trademark color expressionism explores revival, healing, reinvention, and change. Foundry Gal-lery, 1314 18th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-463-0203, found-rygallery.org

BASEBALL AND BECOMING AN AMERICANMarch 13-Oct. 26. Features more than 130 original objects, in-cluding game-worn uniforms, game-used objects, correspon-dence, newspaper accounts, board games, awards, baseball cards, signed baseballs, Jewish ritual objects, and ballpark give-aways. National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall E., Philadelphia, Pa. 215-923-3811, nmajh.org

FRONT ROOM: STERLING RUBYMarch 16-June 15. An exhibition of provocative soft sculptures by acclaimed artist Sterling Ruby. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONSMarch 2, 1:30-3:00pm. Fairfax County Park Authority archaeolo-gist Christopher Sperling shares investigations into the Old Col-chester Park and Preserve that give us a better understanding of life for Colonial Virginians and Native Americans. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. 703-642-5173, fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring

JAMES MADISON’S BIRTHDAY March 22, 11:00am. The celebration will include a musical pre-sentation by the United States Marine Corps Band and remarks by Michael Signer, lecturer in the Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics. James Madison’s Montpelier, 13384 Laundry Rd., Montpelier Station, Va. 540-672-2728, montpelier.org

TOUR OF THE PENINSULA CAMPAIGNMarch 7, 9:00am-6:30pm. Join USS Monitor Center curator Anna Holloway and Civil War historian and photographer Fran Du-Coin on a motor coach trip as they examine historic sites that were documented by the dozens of artists and photographers operating in the area in the 1860s. The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Dr., Newport News, Va. 757-596-2222, mariners-musem.org

BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS WEEKENDMarch 7-9. Experience living history encampments and dem-onstrations, listen to 19th-century music, enjoy family programs and games, learn about Civil War photography, and meet Abe Lincoln. The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Dr., Newport News, Va. 757-596-2222, marinersmusem.org

JOHN SINGLETON MOSBY March 8, noon-12:30pm. This program will explore John Mos-by’s background and training and reveal how a sickly, bookish boy became “John Mosby, Partisan Ranger.” The Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Va. 855-649-1861, moc.org

HISTORY SYMPOSIUM: VICTORIAN AMERICANMarch 8, 8:30am-3:30pm. Explore this period of transformation and innovation in American life through lectures, living history performance, and exhibits. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. 703-642-5173, fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring

MILITARY THROUGH THE AGESMarch 15-16. Hundreds of reenactors spanning the centuries of military history from the Middle Ages to modern times at Jamestown Settlement. The Civil War 150 HistoryMobile will be present for this year’s event. Jamestown Settlement, 2110 Jamestown Rd., Williamsburg, Va. 757-253-4838, historyisfun.org

USS MONITOR’S TURRET REVEALS HER SECRETSMarch 22, 1:00pm. USS Monitor Center director Dave Krop will share some of the most interesting stories and secrets discov-ered while archaeologists and conservators performed exca-vations and treatments within the revolving gun turret. The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Dr., Newport News, Va. 757-596-2222, marinersmusem.org

WAR OF 1812 IN ANNAPOLIS TOUR March 22, 10:30am-12:30pm. Francis Scott Key will take you to many stops including where Key attended college and where the U.S. Navy first demonstrated itself as a force to be reckoned with. 1 Dock St., Annapolis, Md. 410-268-7601, annapolistours.com

OLD MARYLAND FARM ACTIVITIES Old Maryland Farm, 301 Watkins Park Dr., Upper Marlboro, Md. 301-218-6770 or 301-699-2544, pgparks.com

MONTPELIER MANSION TOURSSundays, 1:00pm and 2:00pm. Montpelier Mansion, Rt. 197 and Muirkirk Rd., Laurel, Md. 301-953-1376

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN FLY FISHING RODSMarch 5, 7:30pm. Free March monthly meeting with R. Getty Browning of the St. Croix Rod Company. Davidsonville Family Recreation Center, Queen Anne Bridge Rd., Davidsonville, Md. 301-249-6399

OPEN BOATSHOP WOODWORKING PROGRAMMarch 7, April 18, May 9, and June 9. Participants can attend one session or all four, with class size limited and pre-registration needed. Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 213 N. Talbot St., St. Michaels, Md. 410-745-4980, cbmm.org

ICEMAN’S LAST HOURSMarch 7, 7:00-9:00pm. Primitive technology expert Guy Neil will discuss artifacts found with the body and what they tell us about Otzi’s life and death. Sherwood House at Cromwell Valley Park, 2002 Cromwell Bridge Rd., Parkville, Md. To make reserva-tions, call 410-887-2503

EARLY SPRING CONTAINERSMarch 16, 1:30-3:00pm. Chanticleer Garden’s Jonathan Wright will show you how to plant up beautiful early spring contain-ers that will thrive and warm up any cold day. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. 703-642-5173, fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring

PHOTO BEACH BASHMarch 13. The Coastal Camera Club of Sussex County, Del. holds a photographic conference and exhibit at the Atlantic Sands Hotel with lectures, exhibits, and workshops. Register in ad-vance at photobeachbash.com.

STAINED-GLASS CLASSOngoing. Mat About You Gallery, 3774 Old Columbia Pike, Elli-cott City, Md. 410-313-8860, mataboutyou.com

ADULT ART COURSESBaltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

GALLERY TALKSThursdays, 1:00pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 2:00pm. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore, Md. 443-573-1700, artbma.org

SECOND SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT TALKSSecond Sunday of every month, 2:00pm. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Md. 410-547-9000, thewalters.org

TRADITIONAL ART CLASSES Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster, Md. 410-386-3880, carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org

FOUR CENTURIES WALKING TOURMarch 1, 8, 15, and 22, 1:30-3:45pm. Our colonial-attired tour guides bring history to life as you visit key sites, including the Maryland State House and the U.S. Naval Academy. 1 Dock St., Annapolis, Md. 410-268-7601, annapolistours.com

CAPE MAY, N.J.Historic district, moonlight trolley, and Cape May sampler tours. Cape May, N.J. 800-275-4278, capemaymac.org

MARITIME HISTORY WALKING TOURSSecond and fourth Saturdays, 10:00am. Fells Point Visitor Cen-ter, Baltimore, Md. 410-675-6750, preservationsociety.com

SUMMIT POINT RACINGPark features three road-racing circuits used for amateur auto-mobile, kart, and motorcycle racing, high-performance driver education, and emergency training for local and federal law enforcement. Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, W.Va. 304-725-8444, summitpoint-raceway.com


WASHINGTON WIZARDS AT HOMEMon., March 3 vs. Memphis, 7:00pmWed., March 5 vs. Utah, 7:00pmWed., March 12 vs. Charlotte, 7:00pmSat., March 15 vs. Brooklyn, 7:00pmWed., March 26 vs. Phoenix, 7:00pmFri., March 28 vs. Indiana, 7:00pmSat., March 29 vs. Atlanta, 8:00pmThe Washington Wizards play home games at Verizon Center, 601 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20004. More information: 202-661-5050, nba.com/wizards

WASHINGTON CAPITALS AT HOMESun., March 2 vs. Flyers, 12:30pmSat., March 8 vs. Coyotes, 7:00pmFri., March 14 vs. Canucks, 7:00pmSun., March 16 vs. Maple Leafs, 3:00pmTue., March 25 vs. Kings, 7:00pmSat., March 29 vs. Bruins, 12:30pmThe Washington Capitals play home games at Verizon Center, 601 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20004. More information: 202-397-SEAT, washingtoncaps.com

DC UNITED AT HOMESat., March 8 vs. Columbus, 7:00pmSat., March 29 vs. Chicago, 4:00pmDC United plays home games at RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. More information: 202-587-5000, dcunited.com

PRO SPORTS

Featured Exhibitions

Lectures/Workshops/Classes

History

TOURS

OTHER

CALVERT COUNTY RESTAURANT WEEKThrough March 2. Some of the most popular restaurants in the county have created special menu items. Check website for participating restaurants in Calvert County, Md. 410-535-4583, choosecalvert.com

ANNAPOLIS RESTAURANT WEEKThrough March 3. Nearly 40 establishments are expected to participate in this annual cu-linary event that provides the perfect oppor-tunity to sample new restaurants and enjoy old favorites. Check website for participating restaurants in Annapolis, Md. annapolisrestau-rantweek.com

SHERLOCK HOLMES WEEKENDMarch 14-16. Get into the spirit of things by donning Victorian attire. Stalk the gaslit streets in search of clues and compete for the $250 grand prize and a variety of other valuable gifts as you attempt to solve the mystery. Cape May, N.J. 609-884-5404, capemaymac.org

ANTIQUE AUTO SWAP MEETMarch 28-29, 8:00am-3:00pm. 706 Agriculture Center Dr., Westminster, Md. 301-829-2000, sugarloafmountainaaca.org

HOMESCHOOL DAYMarch 31, 9:00am-5:00pm. Take a guided hike of the old growth forest, sit in on the Constitutional Convention, read from James’ bookshelf, and play colonial games. James Madison’s Montpelier, 13384 Laundry Rd., Montpelier Station, Va. 540-672-2728, mont-pelier.org

SPRI

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14

V I R G I N I A A R T S F E S T I V A L

Full Festival schedule at vafest.orgor call 1-877-741-2787.

Plan your 2014 Festival trip to historic, beautiful Coastal Virginia.

JOSHUA BELL, violin

JOANN FALLETTA, conductorVirginia Symphony Orchestra

MAY 2-4“As close to perfection as anything on Earth.”

SANDLER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, VIRGINIA BEACH

CHRYSLER HALL, NORFOLK

FERGUSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, NEWPORT NEWS

FESTIVAL WILLIAMSBURGMAY 22-25

“Amazing speed...explosive power...and linear grace...”

RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY MAY 23

When they get together on stage, it’s truly an event.

BÉLA FLECK ANDABIGAIL WASHBURN MAY 24

Leave your cares behind for this swinging soireé!

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY MAY 25

JAMES CITY COUNTY • NEWPORT NEWS • NORFOLKPORTSMOUTH • VIRGINIA BEACH • WILLIAMSBURG

DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEMVirginia Symphony OrchestraVirginia Chorale

A jubilant return to the dance world!CHRYSLER HALL, NORFOLK

MAY 17-18

APRIL 24-27

VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL TATTOO

A grateful nation thanks and honors our Vietnam veterans and their families. SCOPE ARENA, NORFOLK


Send announcements to: Calendar, Recreation News

204 Greenwood Road Linthicum, MD 21090

or e-mail to [email protected].

Norfolkcontinued from page 22

“We’re a family-owned service staffed by multi-generational locals with a passion for our region’s his-tory, culture, and local products,” said Rex Hamaker Jr. “Coastal Vir-ginia is fairly unique among East Coast destinations for the proximity of its wineries, breweries, farms, and fisheries, providing richer offerings for locally sourced meals.”

“You don’t have to worry about driving. They picked us up, we had a great lunch at Smartmouth,” said U.S. Navy employee Greg Crisp about a Taste Tidewater Tour. “We thought we knew beer, but Lisa (Hamaker) opened our eyes...we learned about stouts, lagers, pilsners...what foods go with what beers, which are good for cooking.”

He favored the dark beers, such as Smartmouth’s rich, smooth Bashor American Brown ale.

More and more restaurants are taking advantage of the region’s bounty, with most of the foodie ac-tion centered in the historic Ghent neighborhood.

In an elegant townhome, Press 626 Café’s tables overflow with creative salads and rich soups. Newcomers include the Green Onion, where spe-cials range from port-poached sea-sonal fruits to designer pancakes, and Streats, which has a global, artsy vibe.

International flavorsFitting for a port city, international

flavors abound. “Our recipes are a mix of Middle

Eastern, Mediterranean, and Ameri-can flavors,” said chef Zeynep Guler at Pasha Mezze. “Our cooking meth-ods leave you feeling vibrant, lively, and energetic.”

At Bardo Edibles + Elixirs, tapas are priced to suit every budget. Choices include bite-size banh mi, “Dip Sum” donuts, truffle edamame, craft cocktails, and alcohol-free cit-rus-berry infused lemonade.

Locals have voted Azar’s Café & Market the best restaurant for healthy eating.

Its Moroccan, Lebanese, and Greek dishes, which include herb-accented falafels, creamy baba ga-nouj, and feather-light pita points, reflect the family business’s com-mitment to fresh, organic ingredi-ents.

Next door, Luna Maya serves made-from-scratch Bolivian interpre-tations of Mexican fare. The owners, who are sisters, relocated to this huge modern space after outgrowing previous locations.

Don’t skip the chips and dips of rich roasted chipotle and whipped guacamole.

The burrito campesino’s spinach tortilla overflows with borracho beans (beer-spiked pintos), toma-toes, mushrooms, caramelized onion, poblano peppers, and cilantro-lime potatoes.

By the restored Naro Theater, No Frill Bar and Grill attracts crowds for creative entrees including a porta-bello mushroom crowned with sun-dried tomato pesto.

Savor the house sesame-orange-ginger vinaigrette by ordering a rice bowl or salad.

Craving bagels? You’ll find plain to chocolate chip, all house-baked, at Yorgo’s Bageldashery. It’s the building decorated with a field of painted sunflowers.

For sweet treats, even for those with food allergies and dietary preferences, visit Carolina Cupcak-ery. It’s so popular that locals fill its weekly secret-sharing baking classes.

Steps from the Chrysler Museum of Art, Page House Inn pairs home-cooked breakfasts with antique-laden lodging in a sumptuous late-1800s mansion.

Just make sure to leave room for lunch around town.

You can’t taste all of Norfolk’s temptations in one trip. You’re al-ways welcome back for seconds.

For more informationChrysler Museum: chrysler.org

Norfolk Tourism: 800-368-3097, visitnorfolktoday.com

Page House Inn: pagehouseinn.com

Through the early spring of 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia retreated from Petersburg and Richmond, Va., to Amelia and Farmville, and then to Appomattox, where Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Locals call this area the “Best Part of the Civil War … The End,” and want visitors to know there’s more to the story than surrender, and much more to do here than read historical plaques.

The land is as much a part of the Civil War as

blue or grey uniforms, and today, thousands of acres in Virginia’s heartland are preserved for fu-ture generations.

Getting there is an easy drive south through countryside on Route 360 from Richmond or on Route 460 off of I-95. Rolling hills, fi sh-stocked lakes, state parks, and forests with bicycling and hiking trails spread out amid large tracts of family farmland and cross through small towns. Virginia’s heartland communities serve up theater, music, re-

gional cuisine, and amazing fi nds for savvy shop-pers.

It’s all here to enjoy while you journey for in-sight into the most seminal time in American his-tory.

Parks preserve history and moreThe last major battles of the Civil War were

fought at Sailor’s Creek in Amelia County. The day after the battles, Confederate troops crossed High Bridge, which rises 125 feet over the Appomattox River, and burned part of it, hoping to slow pursu-ing Union forces.

Today, Sailor’s Creek and High Bridge are Vir-ginia state parks. Three more parks in this region, Holiday Lake, Bear Creek Lake, and Twin Lakes, offer large bodies of water, forests, well-main-tained trails, and fully-equipped cabins.

High Bridge Trail State Park is a 31-mile rails-to-trail conversion and is open to hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders.

Visitors can see some of the original Civil War-era brick piers that are adjacent to the 20th-century bridge. The trail crosses several villages and can be accessed in downtown Farmville, where bikes are available for rent on Main Street.

Visitors who want a shorter walk to the bridge may park in an honor-pay lot on River Road.

Sailor’s Creek Battlefi eld Historical State Park and the Virginia’s Heartland Regional Visitors Center in Farmville feature historic photo exhibits of the High Bridge.

Interpreters at Sailor’s Creek say that renowned Green Front Furniture in Farmville operates in a warehouse made from High Bridge Civil War-era bricks.

The state park battlefi eld provides tours of the Hillsman House, a residence used as a Union hos-pital after the battle, and a new park visitor center features compelling quotes and photographs that vividly describe the last days of the war.

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civil war I sue bland

Celebrate the end of the Civil War by exploring Virginia’s heartland

Reenactors fi re a cannon at Sailor’s Creek State Park, site of one of the fi nal engagements before Appomattox.

Virginia State Parks

Marking the battle for Civil Rights

Another important landmark in Farmville, the Robert Russa Moton School, is now a museum that depicts a student-led charge for equality in schools in 1951.

The teens won their case as part of the 1954 Su-preme Court Brown v. Board of Education ruling. The Heartland Visitor Center on East Third Street displays a piece of the tar-paper school’s chalk-board, a gift of the Moton Museum in 2011. The blackboard plaque reads:

“Prince Edward County, Because of you…With you.”

Nearby, Twin Lakes State Park features two lakes built in the 1940s by Civilian Conservation Corps workers while staying at Camp Gallion, one of the few CCC camps staffed by African-Ameri-cans.

During World War II, Camp Gallion was used as a German POW camp. Today, Cedar Crest Conference Center on Prince Edward Lake caters to group events; a guarded swimming beach at Goodwin Lake draws families with children, and miles of hiking trails in the park and surrounding state forest attract outdoor enthusiasts. Prince Ed-ward Lake is a haven for anglers, as are the many other lakes in the region.

Close to Twin Lakes and Route 460 is the Sandy River Reservoir with 740 acres of water stocked by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fish-eries. Footsteps down the road, the Sandy River Retreat and Adventure Park operates a high ropes obstacle course.

The largest in central Virginia, the course has 52 aerial obstacles and 13 zip lines. Owner Candice Smith loves to help children and adults who want

a challenging physical experience and will offer canoe rentals and paddling trips on the Appomat-tox River this summer. Her hand-hewn log cabins with sophisticated-casual decor bring a welcome soft touch after treetop workouts.

The two-year-old Museum of the Confederacy facility at Appomattox, down the street from the national park site where the Civil War surrender took place, displays Gen. Robert E. Lee’s dress uniform and sword, and, for a short time, his death

mask. The museum’s Josie Butler says, “We in-terweave six themes: Lee, the Army of Northern Virginia, the Confederate government, women and children, civilians, and African-Americans.” An electronic wall with 100 faces tells the stories of people you meet in the exhibits.

Learn moreBest Part of the Civil War…The End: bestpartofthecivilwar.org

The Best Part of the

CIVIL WAR


At the Museum of the Confederacy’s Appomattox facility, an electronic wall of 100 faces tells the stories of people you meet in the exhibits.

Museum of the Confederacy

“Sometimes it’s just a moment,” says David Childs about how Civil War reenactments resonate with spectators.

Amid the swirling sights, sounds, smoke, and emotional turmoil, you can get a glimpse into what your great-great-grandfather experi-enced on the battlefield.

The commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Virginia battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 1-4, will be a great opportunity to capture such mo-ments.

Childs is part of the Mason-Dixon Alliance that will present the reen-actment in partnership with Spot-sylvania County. It will be one of two major reenactments in May, the other being the Battle of New Mar-ket, May 15-18.

Several thousand reenactors from as far away as Canada, plus horses and cannons, will converge on land near Spotsylvania Courthouse where some of the actual fighting occurred. The site is a 60-mile drive from Washington.

Commemoration eventsPublic events get under way on

Friday with a 1:00pm symposium in the historic courthouse featuring local historians, Confederate Cem-etery tours, and Civil War-era music on the Courthouse Village Pavilion lawn at 7:00pm.

Gates are open from 9:00am-5:00pm on Saturday, with the Wil-derness reenactment at 2:00pm. Luminaries will light the Confederate Cemetery at 6:30pm. On Sunday, gates are open 9:00am-3:30pm with the Spotsylvania Courthouse battle at 1:00pm.

Prominent historian Gordon C. Rhea is expected to speak. Spe-cial church services will be held at 10:00am onsite, and at 9:00am and 11:00am at Zion United Methodist Church.

The Wilderness reenactment will focus on Saunders Field, where the fighting in the dense woods sparked fires that caused horrific suffering.

Childs says vignettes to be de-picted include soldiers retreating with their backs to the enemy and a

fistfight that erupted over a Zouave soldier’s gaudy uniform.

For the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse reenactment, trenches will be dug to represent the Mule Shoe Salient, a U-shaped bulge in the Confederate lines.

Bloody Angle, a bend in the salient, was the scene of more than 20 hours of sustained combat and savage hand-to-hand fighting that left bodies piled as high as five deep.

Over the weekend, you can meet the soldiers at their campsites, hear period music, and see living history demonstrations on such topics as Civil War medicine, making bullets, spying, and homefront activities. You also can view exhibits at the Virginia Civil War HistoryMobile and the Spotsylvania County Museum.

People who had ancestors in the war are encouraged to bring infor-mation to share at the descendants’ tent.

Sutlers and food vendors will be available.

Families are encouraged to attend

and dress appropriately for field conditions. “We want them (specta-tors) to “take away an appreciation for the rich history that we’ve got right here that’s available to them,” says Debbie Aylor, who promotes the county. “You can’t go into the fu-ture without knowing your past.”

About the battlesIn the first major battles since Get-

tysburg, the forces of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee collided May 5-6, 1864, in the Wilderness, and May 8-21, 1864, at Spotsylvania Court-house, an important crossroads. During three weeks of fighting, there were 35,000 Union and 22,000 Con-federate casualties.

Though neither side could claim victories, the battles encouraged Grant to turn his army south toward Richmond, the Confederate capital, in an offensive known as the Over-land Campaign. Lee would sur-render to Grant 11 months later at Appomattox Courthouse, effectively ending the war.

Explore the nation’s beginnings at Jamestown where America’s first permanent English colony site

is preserved at Historic Jamestowne, and Jamestown Settlement living-history museum provides a

glimpse of 1607 life.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and scents of this meticulously restored 18th-century colonial capital city,

Colonial Williamsburg, where patriots ignited the cause for freedom and laid the groundwork for creation

of this great nation.

At Yorktown, discover the lives of people who witnessed the Revolution at Yorktown Victory Center living-history

museum, and walk the ground where America’s independence was won in 1781 at Yorktown Battlefield.


civil war I gwen woolf

Capturing the ‘moments’Reenactment marks 150th anniversary of Wilderness and Spotsylvania battles

Reenactors from the 11th Virginia Volunteers plot strategy for the battle.

Spotsylvania Co. Tourism

Why are the battles important?

“Here the tide that carried a nation to war’s end swelled to its greatest height and took its final di-rection,” says John Hennessy, chief historian with Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

He says the battles marked “a fundamental change in how the war was waged. Grant refused to accept the verdict of battle and simply pushed on and on. This had immense implications for the men involved. They faced a grinding human ordeal unlike anything they had seen before. More than that, Grant’s willingness to simply push meant heavy casualties, which challenged the nation’s commit-ment to war.”

If you prolong your stay, you can visit the actual battle sites within Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Saunders Field is a clearing at the intersec-tion of Hill-Ewell Drive and State Route 20, where you can see ves-tiges of earthworks and visit an exhibit shelter. Near Spotsylvania Courthouse, you can see the ter-rain at Bloody Angle, where 20,000 Union soldiers poured from the woods down into a ravine and up a ridge in repeated assaults against the enemy. The open field — far

from traffic — is quiet and looks much like it did in 1864.

The National Park Service also is planning sesquicentennial events in connection with the battles, featuring talks, real-time guided walks, bus tours, and living-history programs. The park service will hold the opening ceremony for the entire 1864 Overland Campaign on May 3. More activities are planned May 4-6; May 8-12 (including a 22-hour vigil at Bloody Angle on May 12); and May 17-18.

Spotsylvania County offers many other historical, cultural, and rec-reational activities, including Lake Anna.

Need to knowOne-day tickets are $12 in ad-vance; $15 at the gate; and free for ages 15 and under. There is $5 parking at the event, and free parking at Courtland High School on State Route 208 with shuttles to the site. Proceeds will go to historic preservation and the Spotsylvania Museum.

Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse commemorative weekend: 150spotsylvania.com, 540-507-7205.

National Military Park programs: nps.gov/frsp, 540-373-6122.


A Union artillery unit fires its cannon as part of last year’s reenactment of the Battle of Spotsylvania

Spotsylvania Co. Tourism

Any sojourn through the central portion of Vir-ginia’s Shenandoah Valley will take you there. Halfway between Staunton and Winchester is the truly historic ground of the New Market Battlefield, a National Historic Landmark.

Gathering every soldier he could find on that third Sunday in May of 1864, Confederate Gen. John Breckenridge desperately but successfully attacked and repulsed a larger advancing Union force under Gen. Franz Sigel.

Yet the Battle of New Market, fought on May 15, 1864, would be the Confederacy’s last victory in the Shenandoah Valley.

This spring, the crossroads community of New Market pauses for a special four-day, 150th anni-versary commemoration of the battle.

But three years into our nation’s Civil War Sesquicentennial, you might ask, “Why all the at-tention to this relatively small scrap in the Shenan-doah Valley when tens of thousands were being killed and wounded simultaneously under Lee and Grant to the east in the Wilderness and at Spotsyl-vania Courthouse?”

It’s a fair question with a simple answer: The Battle of New Market is the only occasion in Ameri-can history in which a student body charged to vic-tory in pitched combat.

Yet there are other compelling, if lesser known reasons to visit this memorable field. Troy Mar-shall, director of the Virginia Museum of the Civil War on the site says, “New Market Battlefield State Historical Park is the site of the oldest annual battle reenactments in the nation.” It’s also one of the few battles that continues to be reenacted on the actual fighting ground.

A century ago, when the fight was reenacted in 1914 on its 50th anniversary, 28 Virginia Mili-

tary Institute veterans of the battle, “New Market Cadets” as they are still known, attended and wit-nessed the commemoration.

Nine years later, the reenactment had grown to such prominence that Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler, a double Medal of Honor recipient, brought more than 3,000 Marines from Quantico in 150 trucks to restage the fight.

And, despite rain on 28 of the previous 30 days, 150,000 spectators showed up to witness the spec-tacle.

This year’s sesquicentennial schedule of events begins on May 15, with Maj. Troy Marshall’s per-sonalized tour of the battlefield, which requires pre-registration.

On May 16, the battlefield opens to the pub-lic at 10:00am. The opening gun salute begins at 11:00am.

Insider tip: To get into the real grit of combat, be sure to visit the Bushong Farmhouse where Jacob and Sarah Bushong and their family hid in the cel-lar during the fight. The bloodstained parlor of their home, that greeted them in the battle’s after-math, remains to this day.

Around the Bushong farm, vivid living his-tory portrayals throughout the day will give you a grasp of the challenges confronting the Signal Corps, the dexterity of loading and firing muskets, the sights and sabres of leather-cracking cavalry, and the sanguine horrors of Civil War medicine.

At 3:30pm, take in the reenactment of the open-ing conflict of May 13, 1864 — Thunder Along Smith Creek.

Living history portrayals continue at the Bush-ong Farm, May 17, 10:00am-2:00pm, including artillery demonstrations, a formal historical pre-sentation, and Saturday’s reenactment which com-

mences at 2:30pm and will cover the May 14, 1864, opening engage-ment of the Battle of New Market.

The climax at New Market, fought on May 15, 1864, and resulting in the Confederate vic-tory, is scheduled for May 18 at 2:00pm. As on every day, the New Market Battlefield and


civil war I gregg clemmer

Student soldiers’ valor commemorated in Virginia Visit New Market this May for four-day anniversary of historic battle

A living history interpreter welcomes guests to the Bushong Farm where the family took refuge as the battle raged around their home.

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Virginia Civil War Museum will open to the public at 10:00am.

But before the fighting com-mences, you’ll be able to review camp life and living history at the Bushong Farm or attend the church service in the Activities Tent, also scheduled to begin at 10:00am.

Here, you might want to con-template the words of VMI Cadet Beverly Stanard, writing to his mother three days before the battle. Yearning to join the Southern cause, 19-year-old Stanard remained under the Institute’s strict student regula-tions.

Now, called up from Lexington

in the spring of 1864, he seemed to have his chance.

“I told you that you had better let me join Lee at once, that this could be the way, but you must not make yourself uneasy about me. I will take care of myself.”

But such was not to be. In the legendary charge of the VMI Cadet Corps, which resulted in 47 wounded and 10 dead students, Stanard lost his life.

For more information:New Market Battlefield: 866-515-1864, vmi.edu/museum/nm

150Anniversary Reenactment

New Market!May 16-18, 2014

The nation’s oldest reenactment — fought on the original ground!

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Interstate 81, Exit 264 in Virginia’s Shenandoah ValleyNew Market Battlefield State HiStorical ParkNew Market, VirgiNia 1.866.515.1864

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d FILMS NEW AND OLD TELL THE STORY OF NEW MARKET

Every year, thousands of visitors to the New Market Battlefield view the Vir-ginia Civil War Museum’s Emmy-award winning film Field of Lost Shoes. Now, a second Field of Lost Shoes is about to be released near the 150th anniversary of the Battle of New Market.

Directed by Sean McNamara and starring Tom Skerritt, Jason Isaacs, and David Arquette (who hails from Virginia), this graphic depiction of the Cadets’ desperate but victorious charge across the rain-soaked, muddy battlefield just north of the Bushong home is already garnering considerable attention. Filmed in Virginia near Powhatan and Lexington, with iconic scenes shot at VMI, Field of Lost Shoes confronts this stirring dilemma of students stepping away from their youth and into war.

The towns of Sharpsburg and Big Pool, both located in Western Maryland about 70 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., bear witness

to a pair of confl icts that are some-times overshadowed. Yet the Battle of Antietam in 1862, and the French and Indian War 108 years earlier, to

this day remain integrated into the life fabric of the citizens residing and working there.

The Visitors Center in Sharpsburg prepares visitors to Antietam Na-tional Battlefi eld with exhibits and a 26-minute fi lm about the bloodiest day in American history. You can pick up a map of the self-guided drive through the 9-mile battlefi eld tour road with 11 stops at interpre-tive markers and stone monuments along the way.

Tour by carriageAs an alternative, consider taking

the fascinating, almost hair-raising, venture into this hallowed ground given by Bonnymeed Farm Horse and Carriage Tours.

Living history narrator Bill Licliter recounts the events of the bloodiest one-day battle in American military history as you travel in a horse-drawn rig through the acres of roll-ing land.

History books record the Sept. 17, 1862 battle fought near Antie-tam Creek as the fi rst major battle of the Civil War to be fought on Union ground. It ultimately ended in a draw, with Union Gen. George B. McClellan’s troops forcing Con-federate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his battle-fatigued Army of Northern Vir-ginia south across the Potomac into the Shenandoah Valley.

Licliter, through his well-researched narrative, places his passengers in the middle of the ac-tion with chilling detail of military maneuvers — the waiting, the fi r-ing, the howling of Rebel and Union voices, the moans of the dying, the

thousands already dead, and, then, the chilling calm after the storm. As horse and rig, driven by his wife, lumbers through and around the now desolate and solitary acres, these seldom heard stories of both warring sides, brother fi ghting brother, un-fold dramatically.

“We think our narratives by horse and wagon of Antietam Battlefi eld are the most fascinating way to experience the battle,” noted Licli-ter. “There’s just something about being out in the open carriage: it is very intimate (and) authentic. You hear, smell, and get immersed in the living history!

“We think the picnic narratives are spectacular,” Licliter continued. “Riders can get on and off the rig at the different homesteads, peer in the windows, walk the grounds, hear about what the families that inhab-ited these houses did in preparation of the oncoming battle, and then enjoy a period style picnic at the Roulette Farm.”

It’s an up-close and personal way for visitors to immerse themselves in the Battle of Antietam — a veritable “you are here” step back in time.

Fort Frederick spans 258 years

Fort Frederick State Park located 28 miles northwest of Sharpsburg offers hands-on history lessons for all ages both inside and outside the giant fortress built during the height of the French and Indian War in 1756. Its imposing 18-foot stone wall envelopes 1½ acres on which two 2-story reconstructed barracks face each other.

www.marylandmemories.com • 888-257-2600

Visit Hagerstown-Washington County, Maryland!

Fort Frederick State Park is truly unique, and the largest stone fort built by a British Colony!

Antietam National Battlefield is the most pristine battlefield park in North America, site of America's "Bloodiest Day."

Discovery Station, in Downtown Hagerstown, is a family-friendly sciencecenter museum with wonderful hands-on exhibits for all ages!

April 5, 2014 | 10 A.m. until 4 p.m. Ring in the New Museum Season!

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For complete program details, call (301) 600-4047 or (800) 999-3613

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151 S. East St., Frederick, MD.

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civil war I marie gullard

Monuments to strife and grounds of glory at Maryland’s Antietam and Fort Frederick

Fort Frederick’s gates guarded the place of refuge for settlers on the western frontier during the French and Indian War and guarded the C&O Canal during the Civil War.

Randy Gullard

There is also a well and powder magazine. A 12-foot wide double gate insured the protection of the British, the Colonial Militia, and Maryland forces as they staved off the French, thus preventing ag-gressive land claims. In an ironic turn of events, the fort would later serve as a prison for captured British soldiers during the Revolutionary War.

“There are many ways visitors can enjoy the fort,” noted park ranger Bob Study. “Costumed living historians perform living history demonstra-tions throughout the day (enacting) the tasks that were done during the French and Indian War.”

Programs include raising and lowering the fort’s flag, military drills, and even musket firing demon-strations.

Walking through the cold, dark rooms of the barracks, today’s visitors can experience what ev-eryday life was like for its stalwart inhabitants.

“The two reconstructed barracks house a mu-seum with artifacts discovered during a number of archeological digs,” Study continued. “In one of the barracks’ rooms, visitors are encouraged to try on clothing, test the straw beds, and even try their hand at fire starting, the 18th-century way.”

The Friends of Fort Frederick host an 18th-cen-tury market fair, now in its 20th year. Held during the last weekend in April, it serves as a fundraiser for the park.

“[The fair] features 150 vendors of 18th-century reproduction merchandise as well as period cloth-ing, tents, and camps,” Study added. “Many of the participants are true craftspeople and reproduce everything from firearms and powder horns to clothing and jewelry.”

The park also offers campgrounds, fishing, hik-ing, picnicking, and biking on the Western Mary-land Rail Trail.

Need to knowCarriage tours of Antietam Battlefield are pre-

sented seven days a week with three standard narratives a day or one four-hour picnic tour with 24-hours advance notice. Prices range from $45 per person to $299 for a two-person picnic and battlefield narrative or $339 for four people. (304-876-1307, bonnymeedfarm.com)

The 18th-century market fair at Fort Frederick is April 24-27 (9:00am-5:00pm, Thursday-Saturday;

9:00am-3:00pm, Sunday) and features hundreds of reenactors and ven-dors selling paintings and prints, books, camp gear, muskets, lanterns, pottery, tinware, cop-perware, and fireplace and cooking hardware. Adults, $5; ages 6-12, $2. (301-842-2155, friend-soffortfrederick.info)

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The monument to the Irish Brigade is among the many memorials that dot the Antietam National Battlefield.

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Randy Gullard

Salt appears on almost every dining table in the country. From the most modest lunch counter to the most haute restaurant, salt is ubiquitous. Even fast food eateries provide salt packets for patrons in a hurry.

Why? What is it about salt that makes it such a culinary standard? Granted, that salt is essential for animal life, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. But, our relationship with salt is much more extensive than simply something to sprinkle on popcorn.

Despite its domestic stature, salt is a naturally occurring mineral substance composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), and generally mined from beneath the ground or extracted from sea water. Salt is the main mineral constituent of sea water, with the open ocean having about 35 grams of solids per liter, a salinity of 3.5 percent.

Salt is one of our oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings. Salt also forms an important method of food preservation. Table salt, a refined salt containing about 97 to 99 percent sodium chloride, usually has an anticaking agent added to make it free-flowing and may contain additives, such as minute amounts of iodide or iron, that ad-dress specific health concerns.

Because the tissues of animals contain larger quantities of salt than plant tissues, vegetarian diets can require supplemental salt.

Kosher salt, though refined, contains no iodine and has a much larger grain size that makes it ideal for many cooking tasks. Some kosher salt is certified to meet religious dietary requirements,

but this is not true for all salt labeled as kosher.

Visiting a Frederick salt shopDifferent natural salts have different chemical

compositions depending on their source, giving each one a unique taste. “Each salt from each re-gion has a different flavor,” said Kerry Cummings, owner of The Salt Pig, a Frederick, Md., specialty shop dealing in exotic salts, peppers, and hot sauces. “Peruvian pink will taste so different from Himalayan.”

Because naturally occurring salts are mined or evaporated from seawater or salt springs, each location’s salt has a characteristic flavor or tex-ture. “French Grey is the straight ahead flavor of salt,” explained Cummings. “Redmond sea salt is slightly pink. It’s mined from Jurassic Era deposits in Utah. Sherpa pink from the Himalayas is also naturally a pink color. And, Kala Namak, known as ‘Indian Black’ is actually pink also. It has sulfur in it and is good for Indian foods.”

While Cummings’ salts do not contain any man-made contaminants, unrefined sea salt can contain traces of magnesium and calcium halides and sul-phates, traces of algae, salt-resistant bacteria, and sediment particles, all of which can impart color, flavor, or texture. The calcium and magnesium salts add a faintly bitter note, algae has a mildly fishy flavor, and sediment can color the salt. Fleur de sel (flower of salt), a natural sea salt, is hand-harvested from the surface layer of evaporating brine in salt pans, before it sinks to the bottom. Because of its relative scarcity and its labor-intensive production, fleur de sel is one of the most expensive salts.

Sea salt may have a more complex flavor than table salt when sprinkled on food. However, when used during the cooking, the food ingredients can mask subtle differences in the salts.

Visiting The Salt Pig, in downtown Frederick’s Shab Row, can be a beginner’s course in the finer points of using salt. Cummings stocks a wide vari-ety of gourmet edible salts from around the world, including sea salts, mineral salts (fine and course ground), flakes, finishing salts, smoked salts, fla-vored salts, salt slabs, and stones. She also carries a selection of locally handcrafted “salt pigs” — tra-ditional ceramic clay or unglazed pottery salt con-tainers — from a variety of artisans, and assorted whole peppercorns, grinders, microfiles, mortars, and pestles.

“I got the idea for Salt Pig while traveling with friends in Savannah,” said Cummings. “I figured that Frederick is a foodie town and it would be a good fit. Flavored and specialty salts are becom-ing more and more common. My cooking and fin-ishing salts are all naturally occurring.

Finishing salts add texture and appearance. Smoked salts are naturally smoked, and the fla-vored salts have added ingredients. Vintage mer-lot, one of my favorites, has a merlot flavor and kind of a purple color.”

For a different perspective on salt, visit Salt-ville in southwest Virginia. Since the 1780s, inland saline marshes were the source of the town’s salt-based industries. Salt wells were drilled for industrial brine production. Saltville was the first “fully infra-structured company town,” and saw two Civil War battles as the Union attempted to starve the Confederacy by overtaking the supply of salt.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Smoked Alderwood Sea Salt

Courtesy of The Salt Pig (salt-pig.com)1/2 cup rolled oats2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon cinnamon1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened3/4 cup brown sugar, packed3/4 cup granulated sugar1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/2 teaspoon lemon juice2 eggs3 cups semi-sweet, chocolate chips1-1/2 cups chopped walnutsAlderwood Smoked Sea SaltGrind oats in a food processor or blender until

fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, bak-ing soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another medium bowl with an elec-tric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips and nuts to the dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well blended.

For the best results, chill the dough overnight in the refrigerator before baking the cookies or put in the freezer for about 30 minutes and in between batches. Roll about 1/4 cup portions between hands and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart. Sprin-kle each cookie with Smoked Alderwood sea salt. Bake in a 350°F oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until cookies are light brown and soft in the middle.

Reed Hellman is a professional writer living in Alberton, Md. Visit his website at reedhellmanword-smith.com, or e-mail your questions and comments to [email protected].

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Ubiquitous salt GETS FANCYadventures in taste I reed hellman

The Salt Pig in Frederick, Md., offers flavored and specialty salts for sale.

Salt Pig


Although it’s March, it’s not spring yet and there’s plenty of cooler weather ahead, especially in the evenings. For a change, I thought I’d write about something I’ve been enjoying a lot this past winter. I’m talking about hot alcoholic drinks to take the cool edge off. Nothing’s finer than a scin-tillating, warm concoction or hot toddy beside a roaring fire or to finish off a good meal.

At the top of my list of hot insulators are coffee-based drinks. Caffeine and alcohol make for a very bracing pick-me-up. Coffee and many li-queurs, topped with whipped cream, mesh beauti-fully. “Irish Coffee” is always a perennial favorite. The original blends Bailey’s Irish Cream with Irish whiskey. Try substituting the Irish whiskey with hazelnut-flavored Frangelico for a “Nutty Irish-man.” What could be better than a coffee-flavored liqueur with coffee itself? Mix Kahlua and Tequila with coffee for a “Mexican” or Tia Maria and light rum for a “Jamaican.”

Tea and other drinks, tooThere are numerous hot delights for tea lov-

ers that will tickle your taste buds. The original “Hot Toddy” is made with tea, brandy, whiskey or rum, honey, and lemon. Great anytime, and really soothing for a cold! For something really different, check out “English Punch,” especially for large gatherings. Combine dark rum, dry red wine, strong tea, sugar, orange, and lemon juice for a real crowd pleaser. I really like “Blueberry Tea.” This warm elixir marries Grand Marnier, amaretto,

orange pekoe tea, and a slice of orange. Tangy, tasty and delicious!

Spirits and liqueurs are divine with hot choco-late and cocoa. Simply mixed with brandy, rum or whiskey, they play beautiful music together. You might try a “Snuggler,” blending white crème de menthe, peach liqueur, vodka, and cocoa drizzled with whipped cream, for a hearty eye-opener. A “Butter Baby” utilizes butterscotch schnapps with cocoa.

Milk-based hot drinks are also popular. Blend Benedictine and hot milk together for a “Milk & Honey.” One of my faves is a “Tom and Jerry,” which is hot milk enhanced with an egg, simple syrup, dark rum, brandy, and grated nutmeg. I also really like a “Snow Honey” — add clover honey, Cognac, and nutmeg to hot milk.

Wine lovers will enjoy “Hot Mulled Wine” that blends together red wine, star anise, ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, honey, and pear eau-de-vie. Another variation is “Hot Spiced Wine,” teaming up red wine, white wine, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, brown sugar, brandy, and oranges.

Hot apple cider in an “Indian Summer” is grand. Marry some apple brandy, sugar, and cinnamon with your hot cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick. A “Hot Apple Toddy” fuses hot cider with whiskey, sugar, cinnamon, and a lemon wedge.

There are many other hot drinks to take away the chill. Try a “Hot Buttered Rum” where but-ter, brown sugar, vanilla, dark rum, and spices

come together in hot water for a warmer-upper that’s sure to please. A “Burning Bush” combines hot water, Irish whiskey, and honey with a lemon wedge. Rum aficionados will dig a “Grand Rum Toddy.” Hot water, rum, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and a lime wedge meld admirably in this worthy sipper.

These are but a few of the hundreds of hot alcoholic drinks around for cool weather enjoy-ment. Exact recipes can be found online. Trust well-documented favorites or be experimental and create your own. Whatever the base liquid you use (coffee, tea, cocoa, milk, wine, cider, or water) do not bring it to a boil, but serve hot, before mixing. Boiling might affect the flavors of the other ingre-dients being utilized. Also, remember that these drinks contain alcohol and, combined with their warm temperature, may cause drowsiness, so sip responsibly. Enjoy.

“The Wine Doctor” is Edward Finstein, award-winning author, TV/radio host, renowned wine journalist, international wine judge, professor of wine, and consultant. Website:winedoctor.ca Twit-ter: twitter.com/drwineknow Blogspot: thewined-octor.blogspot.com Doc’s Grapevine: winedoctor.ca/docs-grapevine.html Facebook:facebook.com/EdwardDocFinstein?fref=ts

Editor’s note: Doc’s award-winning comic wine mystery novel, Pinot Envy, is now available online and at bookstores.

Hot alcoholic drinks are perfect for cool spring evenings

wine doctor I edward finstein

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As if awakening from a long win-ter’s nap, Maryland attractions will spring to life for Maryland Day com-memorations in March.

Maryland Day, on March 25, is a state holiday that marks the found-ing of the colony of Maryland, the third permanent English settlement in America and the first established under the principle of religious tol-eration.

The colonists, who had arrived aboard the ships the Ark and the Dove, erected a cross on St. Clem-ent’s Island on March 25, 1634, to give thanks for a safe landing. Special events are planned in Annapolis and Historic St. Mary’s City to honor the occasion.

Elsewhere in the area, Four Riv-ers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town and South County will sponsor its seventh annual Maryland Day celebration March 21-23. (His-toric London Town and Gardens is a 23-acre museum and park south of Annapolis.)

“Annapolis and southern Anne Arundel County have unforgettable heritage sources and they’re dying to share them with the public,” says Carol Benson of the Four Rivers orga-nization.

“They’re making a special ef-fort to welcome visitors ... they have spruced up for the new season.”

Free admission to many sites

A long list of historic, cultural, and environmental institutions (some of them pricey) will offer free or $1 ad-mission for Maryland Day. Many of the sites are reopening after a winter break, while some are usually open on a limited basis. Tours, speakers, special exhibits, hands-on activities, and living-history presentations are planned.

Three of the historic sites in An-napolis — William Paca House and Garden, Charles Carroll House, and Chase Lloyd House — were resi-dences of signers of the Declaration of Independence. The Paca House and the Hammond-Harwood House, both National Historic Landmarks, are popular Maryland Day attractions.

Among other options, you can take guided tours of the Naval Academy, the Maryland State House, and the Maryland State Archives. You can practice hand tonging at the Annapolis Maritime Museum and help construct oyster habitats at a Chesapeake Bay Foundation facility. Some of the ven-ues will have eco-stations to encour-age recycling and “green” practices.

New this year will be a program at St. Johns College about the music of the War of 1812, including the birth of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The

Mitchell Gallery will have an exhibit of more than 45 prints, paintings, and texts on loan from leading museums.

The Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts will have an Art Fest on March 23. A former high school renovated into an arts center, the facility will have performances, demonstrations, gallery events, and hands-on activi-ties to enjoy.

Local archeologists will explain recent archaeological findings at the circa 1870 Henry Wilson farmstead in Galesville, Md., the home of a freed slave.

Organizers suggest you start your tour in Annapolis at the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Confer-ence and Visitors Bureau at 26 West St. or the City Dock Information Booth, where specialists can help you plan your activities. You also can pick up a Maryland Day Passport there and get it stamped as you visit the various attrac-tions. Free shuttles running on a circuit will be available between the venues.

Kite flying and pompHistoric St. Mary’s City in southern

Maryland, an outdoor living history and archaeology park where the

state’s first settlement was located, will offer pageantry and free admis-sion 10:00am-4:00pm on March 22.

Since kite flying was a Colonial pastime, you are encouraged to bring your kite and send it aloft on the grounds from 10:00am to noon. There also will be children’s crafts, a scaven-ger hunt, and “jousting,” the Maryland state sport. Living-history presenta-tions at Smith’s Ordinary, the Indian Hamlet, the Spray Plantation, and aboard a replica of the Maryland Dove will take place throughout the day.

The official program begins at 1:00pm at the visitor center, featur-ing dignitaries, the militia, and the Ceremony of the Flag, carried by children representing each Maryland jurisdiction. An a cappella chorus from St. Mary’s College of Maryland will perform at noon and 2:30 p.m. in the reconstructed Brick Chapel in Historic St. Mary’s City.

Learn moreFour Rivers Heritage Area: 410-222-1805, marylandday.org

Historic St. Mary’s City: 800-SMC-1634, stmaryscity.org


style I wendy hellman

Maryland Day celebrations are packed with activities

culture I gwen woolf

If we strictly followed the de-signer’s trends for this spring, the real women of America would never leave their houses. Many of the outfits are so far out, they’re laughable. Un-matched tops and bottoms that make us chuckle. Outfits with prints so bold that they make skinny models look huge. And, that warrior look, topped with eight-inch feathers sprouting out of one’s head, may not be for real women, either.

The exposed midriff is every-where. A big trend this season is short and boxy cropped tops, which do little to cover the belly button. Most real women are loathe to bare their midriffs.

Let’s get real. The looser fit pro-vided by the short tops is good for the real women, except for the obvious fact that they are really short. Boxy jackets, knitted tops, T-shirts, and blouses are all the rage. But, they are cropped short, too.

Alas, layers can provide the solu-tion. Also, slim bottoms or single-color outfits make people appear slimmer.

What about pants? Lots of cropped pants. One exception is voluminous, soft, wide-legged palazzo pants. They come in both dressy and casual styles, and even some of these will be

cropped. Real women are bound to find the right fit, as such a large vari-ety of capris are being shown.

Shoes are another area where real women can excel. Sneakers, flat-laced or unlaced oxfords, slipper flats, and loafers are on the scene. Slip-on sneakers are gaining popular-ity. Round-toe ballet flats and gladi-ators are classics and are in style every season. Wear strappy sandals to show off those ankles in capris.

Now, let’s investigate skirts. They still come in all the usual lengths, but tea length is new this spring. It falls between midi and maxi lengths. Straight and flared skirts are popular. Something called a trumpet skirt, which is fitted on the thigh but flares out with insets and godets (an extra piece of fabric inserted in a skirt) further down the skirt, are especially strong. Culottes — split or divided short pants that look like skirts — are in, too.

Colors vary from the very splashy to the demure. Huge splotches of dif-ferent colors competing on one piece of clothing rival lovely pastels. You can avoid the bold prints and add pastel colors such as lime and baby blue to your wardrobes. If you don’t have on any pastel colors, add pastel accessories.

Spring FASHIONS

With Grammy-award winners such as Gregory Porter, Randy Brecker, and Lalah Hathaway on board, you know the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest, from March 28 through April 6 in Reading, Pa., will be a hit, too.

Porter won Best Jazz Vocal Album for Liquid Soul at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in January and also was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Hey Laura” from Liquid Soul. Brecker won Best Jazz Ensemble Album for Night in Calisia, a CD collaboration with Wiodek Pawlik. Hathaway won Best R&B Performance for “Something,” a collaboration with Snarky Puppy. Over all, nine artists who will appear at the Berks Jazz Fest received 10 Grammy nomi-nations this year.

The 10-day festival, which is presented by the Berks Arts Council, has been drawing big names and big crowds for 24 years. Last year, it attracted jazz enthusiasts from 36 states and Eu-rope, according to the festival’s John Ernesto.

This year’s event will feature more than 300 artists presenting some 130 concerts, including 40 major ticketed shows, Ernesto says. A variety of venues are used, ranging from small clubs to 1,800-seat arenas. Reading, a 140-mile drive from Washington in southeastern Pennsylvania, is the county seat of Berks County.

“We try to present a very diverse show,” says Ernesto, pointing out that musical styles represented include jazz, blues, and gos-pel. He says the festival has “a very friendly atmosphere and the artists are very acces-sible” to fans. Over the years, he has watched the festival grow into “a true com-munity event.”

Among some of the other major performers slated to appear are Grammy-nominee Boney James, who will give the open-ing night con-cert on March 28; Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Rich-ard Elliot, Jeff Lorber Fusion, and Maysa. Fest favorities Brian

Culbertson and Keiko Matsui also will be return-ing.

Some of the shows will pay tribute to artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steely Dan, Sly & The Fam-ily Stone, and the Allman Brothers. Highlights will include an All-Star Jazz Jam on April 3, and Kirk Whalum’s “Gospel According to Jazz Celebra-

tion,” on April 6, a repeat of last year’s popular fest finale. Check the festival’s website for details on artists, show schedules, and venues.

The festivalWhat: Boscov’s Berks Jazz Festival

When: March 28-April 6

Where: Variety of venues in Reading, Pa., area

Tickets: 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com

Info: 610-236-4744, berksjazzfest.com

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music festivals I gwen woolf

Berks County’s jazz fest features Grammy winners

Boney James is among the major performers at the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest.

Berks Jazz Fest

Mark your calendars because this very special show is back again! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® and the NIH/NOAA/HHS R&W invite children of all ages to join the Ringling Bros. team in the all-new, all-live 143rd edi-tion of The Greatest Show on Earth! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® comes to the Verizon Center on March 19, “Built to Amaze.”

The foundation is set and the rising anticipation of high energy, high jinx, and hilarity is ready to be trans-ported by colorful circus machinery and unleashed from shipping crates right before the audience’s eyes. Surprise and wonder delights audiences with over-the-top feats of strength, agility, and courage. Anything can happen! Circus performers from across the globe create the perfect blend of athleticism and bravery, where power meets fearlessness and amazement has no bounds.

Andre McClain, ringmaster and America’s favorite cowboy, accompanied by his horse Comanche, takes the Ringling Bros.® reins and, leads his “Built To Amaze” team of more than 110 of the world’s best performers

from 17 countries, along with 95 exotic and domestic animals, creating never-before-seen heart-pounding performances.

At this show, Ringling Bros. will introduce fans to Alex and Irina Emelin of Russia, a nine-time international award-winning comedic animal-presenting duo, and to the Tower Tumblers, a troupe of competitive aerial athletes from the Ukraine who launch themselves from trampolines to scale, repel, and pass through a three-story high translucent tower.

Ringling Bros. also brings a spirited and fiery compe-tition of basketball with the next generation of whirling unicyclists, the legendary King Charles Troupe hailing from New York City.

Magnificent elephants, ferocious tigers, astonishing acrobats, and awe-inspiring aerialists are engineered into one spectacular performance.

Celebrate the tradition and experience its modern flare of twists, turns, and excitement so intense you’ll be tempted to cover your eyes. From the blueprints to the band, the crates to the clowns, the hammer to the high

wire, witness the perfect mix of marvel and majesty in an imagination equation where the impossible comes to life.

Your escape from the everyday begins one hour be-fore show time when you make your way to the arena floor.

The free All-Access Pre-Show allows families to inter-act with the stars and mingle with an amazing group of acrobats, aerialists, animals, clowns, and jugglers. And, the show hasn’t even started!

So grab your cotton candy and be prepared to be whisked away into a whirlwind of action and adventure.

Join us for the 17th Annual Children’s Premiere Night hosted by the NIH R&W, benefiting the NIH Charities on March 19 at 7:00pm with the FREE Pre-Show at 6:00pm.

You won’t hear about this on the radio or television because this night is only for special invitees from the NIH R&W ... and you and your friends and family are in-vited!

This event is a fundraiser for the NIH Charities and is a wonderful opportunity for the R&W to provide a magi-cal evening to many special needs children in the local metro area.

Over the years, with your help, we have treated more than 25,000 deserving children to the circus. The NIH R&W has a goal to fill the entire Verizon Center with friends and family, so we need your help. Pass the word along to all your friends and family and have them join you for this special evening.

Get your ticket for this once-in-a-lifetime night of fun by calling the R&W Activities Desk at 301-496-4600 or by completing the online order form at fedesp.org.

Tickets available include Circus Celebrity - front row/interactive seating where you become part of the show $82.50 (reg. $113), Front Row $58 (reg. $78), VIP $43 (reg. $58), Section 111 & 112 (best seats) $26.50 (reg. $38).

So, don’t delay. We have the best seats in the house for this special R&W hosted evening, but they won’t last long! We’ll see you at the circus!


recgov.org I advertorial

This March, the circus is built to amaze17th Annual Children’s Premiere Night benefits NIH Children’s Charities

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