October 1, 2021

Did you make it to the Bluemont Fair? The weather was great and it was a lot of fun, but all isn’t lost if you didn’t get there as there are several other annual local fall events that may also be of interest. For example, the Waterford Fair starts today and runs through the weekend with the hours each day being 10 until 5. If you’ve attended previous Waterford Fairs, you’ll know they feature traditional hand crafts and have artisans not only selling, but also demonstrating their work. This year’s demonstrators include a gunsmith, a master mason, and local historian and mapmaker Eugene Scheel. Living history is another part of every Waterford Fair with costumed interpreters and reenactors sharing what life was like from Colonial America through the Civil War. There will also be garden tours this year rather than house tours. For more information, check out their website at https://www.waterfordfairva.org/.

From October 15-17, the Ravenwood Faire, a Medieval/Renaissance Faire, will be held at the Frederick County Fairgrounds. While that’s technically in Clear Brook, VA, it’s near Winchester. There will be entertainers—singers, dancers (to include Celtic Rhythm School of Dance, Loudoun County’s oldest Irish dance school), magicians—and demonstrators, but they won’t be the same ones who will be at Waterford Fair. Instead, attendees will have a chance to see Viking weapons and armor demos, wood and bone carving, leather knife sheath making, Celtic penannular brooch making, etc. (I had to look up “penannular,” which means having the shape or design of an incomplete circle, and now I’m curious . . .) In previous years there were falconers and jousting. There will even be axe throwing; see https://ravenwoodfaire.us/news/. It will be a very different vibe from Waterford Fair, but also fun.

For those of you who are wondering about Cecil, he’s not yet been able return to work as he’s still in physical therapy for his hand. Therefore, the store will be closed October 4-11 as we take a little vacation. It’ll be interesting to see if we come home with any antiques. We usually do! Meanwhile, please continue to call the store before you visit to ensure Bob isn’t out on a delivery. And, if you’d like to help Cecil, the link to the GoFundMe page is: https://gofund.me/fc604f44

Have a great month!

Lynne & Bob McCann