The Valley Wakes Up
If you drove down Route 11 this week, you might have noticed something different. The willows along Cedar Creek are showing their first green, the farm stands near Stephens City are posting “Opening Soon” signs, and the conversation at every coffee shop from Berryville to Strasburg has shifted from “when will winter end” to “have you seen the crocuses?”
Spring in the Northern Shenandoah Valley doesn’t arrive all at once. It creeps in — a warmer afternoon here, a robin on a fence post there — until one morning you step outside and realize it’s been spring for a week and you just now noticed.
Apple Blossom Festival Preparations
Winchester is already buzzing with preparations for the 99th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Volunteers are meeting at the Frederick County Parks office every Saturday morning, and this year’s parade route has been confirmed along the traditional Loudoun Street corridor.
Strasburg Friday Night Live Returns
Mark your calendars: Strasburg’s beloved Friday Night Live concert series returns March 20th on the town square. The opening night lineup features local favorites The Valley Drifters.
New Business Alert: Stephens City
A new farm-to-table restaurant is opening on Main Street in Stephens City next month. “The Rooted Table” promises locally sourced ingredients from valley farms within a 30-mile radius.
Community Spotlight: Berryville’s Little Free Libraries
Berryville residents have installed three new Little Free Libraries this winter, bringing the town’s total to seven. The latest one, painted in the Clarke County High School colors, sits at the corner of Church and Main.
That’s your week in the valley. See you next Friday.