Events
Vernal Pool Adventures at Sky Meadows State Park
The appearance of frogs and salamanders is a sure sign of spring. Vernal pools, which are shallow pools of water that dry in the summer heat, provide a place for some very special amphibians to lay their eggs before returning to the land for the remainder of the year. Join a Virginia Master Naturalist on a visit to a vernal pool as we search for signs of these unique species. This guided three-tenths of a mile gentle walk will meet at the Sensory Explorers’ Trail in the picnic area and will last approximately one hour.
Register here. Registration is highly encouraged.
For more information on the Virginia Master Naturalists please visit their website.
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is open for self-guided walks daily for people of all ages and has adaptations for the blind and visually impaired. To learn more about this feature visit our website.
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Topiary Barbershop: Free Art & Nature Class for Kids & Teens
Basics of Pruning
Overview: Join our Arboriculture, Conservation, and Landscapes (ACL) team for an interactive workshop on pruning woody plants. The session will begin with an indoor presentation covering the fundamentals of pruning, including best practices and techniques for maintaining plant health.
Participants will then gain hands-on experience using and maintaining pruning tools, working with containerized plants to apply their new skills. The workshop will take place indoors and, weather permitting, outdoors under cover at our Pavilion. Please dress in layers and bring gloves and appropriate footwear for comfort and safety.
Light refreshments and snacks will be provided. This workshop is ideal for novice and exerperienced gardeners of all levels looking to enhance their pruning knowledge and techniques.
This event will take place on the Rokeby Farm portion of OSGF. The event will not include a tour of the formal garden, or main residence.
Together for the Love of Wine at Morais Vineyards
Join us at Morais Vineyard & Winery for a day of wine, flavor, and celebration as we indulge in the vibrant world of Virginia wines! 🍇 Enjoy tastings from participating wineries, soak in the stunning vineyard views, and savor an individual charcuterie box with your experience.
🎟 Tickets include:
✔ Admission to the festival
✔ A wine tasting from each participating winery
✔ A delicious individual-serving charcuterie box
Participating Wineries:
- Mountain Run Winery
- Morais Vineyards & Winery
- Rogers Ford Farm Winery
- Mattaponi Winery
- Magnolia Vineyards
- Nokesville Winery
- Lake Anna Winery
Food Vendors:
- Haute Cakes Food Truck
- Cousins Maine Lobster
- Thirteen Flavors Food Truck
This event is indoors and is inclusive to ticket holders only!
Vernal Pool Adventures
The appearance of frogs and salamanders is a sure sign of spring. Vernal pools, which are shallow pools of water that dry in the summer heat, provide a place for some very special amphibians to lay their eggs before returning to the land for the remainder of the year. Join a Virginia Master Naturalist on a visit to a vernal pool as we search for signs of these unique species. This guided three-tenths of a mile gentle walk will meet at the Sensory Explorers’ Trail in the picnic area and will last approximately one hour.
Register here. Registration is highly encouraged.
For more information on the Virginia Master Naturalists please visit their website.
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is open for self-guided walks daily for people of all ages and has adaptations for the blind and visually impaired. To learn more about this feature visit our website.
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Astronomy For Everyone at Sky Meadows
Historic Area.
Discover our International Dark-Sky Park! Our evenings begin with a half-hour children’s “Junior Astronomer” program, followed by a discussion about the importance of dark skies and light conservation. Then join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) Ambassadors for a presentation on the latest news in space research. Finish the evening by relaxing and enjoying the night’s beauty with the members of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) as they open their telescopes to public observation. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and/or blankets. Feel free to bring your telescope or binoculars for your own exploration.
To learn more about NOVAC and other local astronomy offerings please visit their website at https://www.novac.com/wp/observing/ .
To expedite your payment process, we encourage you to pay ahead online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/daily-pass . The confirmation code must be presented at the gate. To learn more about the Virginia State Park Annual Pass visit https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/passes .
Details:
-Registration is not required, but highly encouraged. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/astronomy-for-everyone-tickets-1077599110949 .
-Parking fees apply.
-Entrance gates close one hour prior to the program end time. Exit gates remain open.
For daily self-guided dark sky observation, please access the park via the Turner Pond entrance.
$10/car parking fee.
More info: 540-592-3556, [email protected]
Bridal Open House at Morais Vineyards
What You Can Expect:
Meet & mingle with talented vendors
Enjoy delicious food tastings
Wander through our breathtaking vineyard & wineryWords from Wild
Take into your heart the peace of wild things. Absorb the transformative words of writers who love the wild, read aloud by two Virginia Master Naturalists. Wake your senses and share what they tell you. The walk will be slow and often silent. This guided three-tenths of a mile gentle walk will meet at the Sensory Explorers’ Trail in the picnic area and will last approximately one hour. This program and the Sensory Explorers’ Trail are accessible for the blind and visually impaired.
For more information on the Virginia Master Naturalists please visit their website.
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is open for self-guided walks daily for people of all ages and has adaptations for the blind and visually impaired. To learn more about this feature visit our website.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Conservation Land Steward at Oak Springs Garden Foundation
Overview: Join Charlotte Lorick, Head of Biodiversity Conservation, for an insightful landscape walk and presentation on the principles and practices of conservation land stewardship. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of strategies for integrating a conservation-focused approach into land management. Charlotte will offer guidance on viewing residential landscapes as dynamic ecosystems and habitats, emphasizing the critical role of biodiversity in maintaining ecological balance. Participants will gain an understanding of the diverse conservation stewardship practices implemented at OSGF, along with a structured framework for applying these principles to their own properties, regardless of size
The Oak Spring estate, protected by Paul and Bunny Mellon as part of a conservation easement, features a rich mixture of fields, meadows, woods, streams, and wetlands. OSGF is actively stewarding the land to protect and foster wildlife communities on the estate. In accordance with the mission of the Foundation, OSGF’s Biodiversity Conservation Team is actively working to inventory the diversity of plants and animals on site, cultivate their habitats, and share these biotic treasures with the public.
What to Expect: This workshop will consist of an indoor presentation for the first 1-1.5 hours followed by a short walk to see the native wildlife garden and a native meadow planting. Please expect to spend some time walking across hilly fields and similar uneven terrain. Participants should arrive with proper footwear, sufficient water, and dress appropriately for the weather. Binoculars and digital cameras encouraged.
Weather Update: In the event of inclement weather or heavy rain, the event will be canceled and participants will be notified by Eventbrite email the day before.
Photo Release Statement: By attending this event, you consent to your likeness and image being used for ongoing promotional and marketing efforts.
Availability: This Stewardship presentation and walk will be capped at 15 participants. Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Eventbrite until full.
First Saturdays at Sky Meadows
Join us on the first Saturday of the month to experience the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of history at Sky Meadows.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by the Explorer Outpost table at Boston Mill Road Trail near the Park Office where we’ll have a table of discovery items for you to see and explore, and other self-guided activities for you to continue exploring the plants, animals and history of farming at Sky Meadows State Park.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tour historic Mount Bleak House. Discover the many stories and families of this 1840s house and how they shaped the history of Sky Meadows. Feel a part of their journey as you enjoy opportunities to view each room on a guided tour. Tours begin each 30 minutes from the front porch of Mount Bleak.
Noon to 3 p.m. Follow your nose to The Settle’s Kettle in the Log Cabin to see what is cooking on the hearth. Explore history through food and how it connects us to past generations. Explore farming practices of Virginians in the Crooked Run Valley and the influences of cooking traditions. Learn about the cooking methods of early European settlers and the African people who were enslaved here and were a part of life on this historic farm.
Noon to 3 p.m. Stop by The Farmer’s Forge located behind the Dairy Barn in the Historic Area. See where members of the Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac fashion iron into helpful tools and kitchen items used around the farm. To learn more about the guild visit their website.
Explorer Outpost and Mount Bleak House Tours are subject to volunteer or docent availability.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Backwoods Survival for Hunters and Hikers
Successful hunting and outdoor adventure depends on good planning and preparation, especially with the skills needed to survive the unexpected. When it comes to the outdoors, hunting and hiking pose the greatest risk of becoming lost, or worse; being lost, injured and unprepared to survive the elements. When your cell phone loses power and your GPS can’t find a signal, your best hope for making it through, are the skills you’ll learn in this 4-hour block of hands-on, survival training. Led by expert instructors, you’ll practice advanced techniques for making fire in difficult situations. You’ll discover the most efficient methods of using essential survival gear. And, you’ll learn to use those special features of map, compass and the natural surroundings guaranteed to keep you out of trouble, or enable self-rescue when the worst happens. Bring a friend and let us help get you ready for your next outdoor adventure.
Registration is limited to 20 participants and there is a minimum age requirement of 12 years.
Registration is required. Register here: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/223932.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: No.
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: Yes.
Children welcome: No.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Ephemerals Workshop: Botany and Bloom Series
As the weather warms to spring, explore what is in bloom on the park’s trails with Shenandoah Chapter Virginia Master Naturalist Paul Guay. Discover the beauty and diversity of spring ephemerals such as toothwort and bloodroot. Begin in the park’s Carriage Barn with an informative introductory presentation on ephemeral flowers, their associated pollinators, tips and tricks to their identification and more. Following the presentation, join an approximate 3-mile guided hike along the park’s forest edge trails. Bring water and lunch to eat along the trail, dress appropriately and wear sturdy shoes.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Break Week at Sky Meadows: Flavors of the Past
Step back in time and experience the flavors of the past! Watch an open-hearth cooking demonstration, churn your own ice cream the old-fashioned way, and explore the historic Mount Bleak House on a guided tour. Discover how food was prepared and enjoyed in the 19th century at Sky Meadows!
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Break Week at Sky Meadows: Footsteps Through the Forest
Join Sky Meadows interpretive rangers to discover the trails and explore the park’s natural resources through guided nature hikes throughout the day. Each easy hike will last approximately 1.5 hours.
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Little Explorers’ Nature Quest. Begin at Mary’s Shelter in the Picnic Area for an easy children’s hike geared toward elementary-aged explorers and their families. Registration is highly encouraged. Register for either time slot here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-explorers-nature-quest-tickets-1245138465669?aff=oddtdtcreator.
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Woodland Wonders Tree Hike. Begin at the Log Cabin in the Historic Area for an easy guided hike for middle school-aged explorers and their families. Registration is highly encouraged. Register for either time slot here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/woodland-wonders-tree-hike-tickets-1245144784569?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Break Week at Sky Meadows: Sky High Kite-Making Adventures
Let your creativity take flight! Join us for a hands-on kite-making experience, where you will design and build your own kite before testing it in the open fields of Sky Meadows. Learn about the science behind flight and discover how kites played a role in the Civil War. Fun for all ages!
Join the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry (NOVAAR) Club as they discuss the science, engineering, design, and mathematics of flight.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: $10 per kite-making kit.
Registration required: Yes.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Break Week at Sky Meadows: Self-Guided Adventures
Explore on your own with self-guided programs throughout the day. Create your own adventure or choose from one of the following self-guided activities:
The Snowden Trail Tree Identification Hike (PDF) : https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/document/SK-Snowden-Tree-ID-Field-Guide.pdf
Discovery Backpacks : https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2024-12-19-14-19-49-216592-co1
Junior Ranger Booklets: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2024-12-19-14-11-59-463619-hw7Junior Ranger Booklets
Geocaching: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2024-12-19-14-23-23-450252-a9
Stop by the Picnic Area to explore the following self-guided opportunities:
The Children’s Discovery Area is a Nature Explore Certified Outdoor Classroom. Six fun-filled play stations, which focus on farming, nature and history, invite kids to create art, make music, build, dance, climb, dig and crawl. It also features a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail.
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is an easy 0.3-mile trail that invites visitors of all ages and abilities to discover nature using their senses. A project of the Shenandoah Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists, the trail has features for the blind and visually impaired. Download an audio tour of the Sensory Explorers’ Trail here.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Spring Habitat Detectives
Take a spring walk of exploration with two Virginia Master Naturalists in this first of a series of seasonal walks planned for children. Use your five senses to find clues to how various organisms – plants, animals, and more – work together to survive in this forest community. Recommended ages 7 – 11, with parents, of course. This guided three-tenths of a mile gentle walk will meet at the Sensory Explorers’ Trail in the picnic area and will last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
For more information on the Virginia Master Naturalist Shenandoah Chapter please visit their website.
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is open for self-guided walks daily for people of all ages and has adaptations for the blind and visually impaired. To learn more about this feature visit our website.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Stars & Guitars
Experience the magic of an unforgettable evening celebrating Earth Day at our Stars & Guitars special event. Gather your loved ones, pack your blankets, and immerse yourself in a night of music, food and wonder under the moonlit skies with spectacular views of the Virginia Piedmont and Crooked Run Valley.
Enjoy foot-tapping tunes of Pictrola, a DC-area band that “fuses modern bluegrass style with rock, jazz, folk, swing, and jams, performing a mixture of originals and fun takes on crowd favorites.” Indulge your taste buds with an array of delicious offerings from various food vendors dishing up favorites. Enjoy a picnic or savor your favorite treats while soaking in the twilight. During the concert intermission, learn about the significance of Earth Day and why we celebrate it from park rangers and community partners.
OTHER DETAILS
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
EmailOther details Address: [email protected]
Earth Day Service Project at Sky Meadows
Sky Meadows will celebrate Earth Day by introducing visitors to the Homegrown National Park Initiative, which is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate our planet’s biodiversity. The event will begin with a showing of Homegrown National Park’s What’s the Rush, a 25-minute-long video which encourages a new culture where we all make a difference by removing invasive species and planting natives where we live, work and play. After the video showing, participants will hike to the Hadow Trail, where experienced Trailblazers and members of the Shenandoah Chapter of Master Naturalists will assist in the identification and removal of invasive garlic mustard. Collected garlic mustard will be used to make garlic pesto for a biodiversity-enhancing snack! All tools and supplies will be provided. All ages are welcome and no experience is required. Total hike to and from the work site is approximately 2 miles. Please wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and comfortable hiking shoes. Bring work gloves, water, a snack (optional), bug spray and sunscreen.
Registration is highly encouraged. Register here.
About Earth Day
In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, Virginia State Parks offers a range of special events and activities highlighting the importance of conservation and sustainability. Visitors are invited to participate in educational programs, guided nature walks, wildlife observation, tree plantings and service projects to help preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the state’s 43 parks.
Other details
Standard parking or admission fee applies: Yes. $10
Extra fee: No.
Registration required: No.
Children welcome: Yes.
Phone: 540-592-3556
Email Address: [email protected]
Astronomy For Everyone at Sky Meadows
Historic Area.
Discover our International Dark-Sky Park! Our evenings begin with a half-hour children’s “Junior Astronomer” program, followed by a discussion about the importance of dark skies and light conservation. Then join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) Ambassadors for a presentation on the latest news in space research. Finish the evening by relaxing and enjoying the night’s beauty with the members of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) as they open their telescopes to public observation. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and/or blankets. Feel free to bring your telescope or binoculars for your own exploration.
To learn more about NOVAC and other local astronomy offerings please visit their website at https://www.novac.com/wp/observing/ .
To expedite your payment process, we encourage you to pay ahead online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/daily-pass . The confirmation code must be presented at the gate. To learn more about the Virginia State Park Annual Pass visit https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/passes .
Details:
-Registration is not required, but highly encouraged. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/astronomy-for-everyone-tickets-1077599110949 .
-Parking fees apply.
-Entrance gates close one hour prior to the program end time. Exit gates remain open.
For daily self-guided dark sky observation, please access the park via the Turner Pond entrance.
$10/car parking fee.
More info: 540-592-3556, [email protected]