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Hey neighbor,
Pour something good, because this town has a lot to celebrate. The Mary Washington House, the home George Washington bought for his mother, is about to host its eleventh annual Bourbon and Boxwood fundraiser, complete with bourbon tastings and a silent auction, and this year it's toasting America's 250th too, on October 3. A week later, a golf course in Ruther Glen turns tee times into holiday dinners for local families, thanks to the Hub of Hope's very first tournament. In between, Stafford is getting its own food truck brand, downtown is getting its pumpkin spice crawl back, and somewhere out there, six strangers are about to become friends over dinner because a personality quiz said so.
Let's dive in.
Dori
Local Pulse: FXBG Edition
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250 Candles, One Really Good Bar Cart
America turns 250 this year, and Washington Heritage Museums's annual fundraiser, Bourbon and Boxwood, is toasting the occasion in style. Now in its eleventh year, the garden party takes its name from Washington's lucrative whiskey operation at Mount Vernon and his mother Mary's love of the boxwood hedges still growing in these gardens. It's held at the Mary Washington House, the home George bought for her so she could live near family in town. She spent her final seventeen years there, and it's the last place he saw her before she died in 1789.
Proceeds benefit all five of WHM's historic properties, which receive no city, state, or federal funding.
Photo Credit: Bear Roots Photography
Saturday, October 3, 6 to 9 pm, Mary Washington House and Gardens, 1200 Charles Street
Live music by Eagle Strings, heavy hors d'oeuvres by Dori Farrell Catering, full bar, bourbon tastings
Silent auction; top sponsors (Entertainment level and above) get reserved seating and a private cocktail hour
Evening garden party attire; it's outdoors on pavers, pavement, and grass
A Tee Time That Fills Holiday Tables
Every October, the Hub of Hope starts planning how to feed hundreds of local families through the holidays, and this year they're doing it with a golf club in hand. Swinging for HOPE, the first Knights of Pythias Memorial Tournament, tees off Friday, October 9 at Pendleton Golf Course, with every dollar raised going straight toward Hope for the Holiday Giveaways and the fight against food insecurity across the Greater Fredericksburg region.
The tournament doubles as a tribute. Knights of Pythias Lodge 22 is co-hosting in honor of the Lodge Brothers who spent decades showing up for charity golf days just like this one, so a foursome here is also a nod to the guys who built the tradition.
Friday, October 9, registration at 8 AM, shotgun start at 9 AM
Pendleton Golf Course, 6383 Declaration Drive, Ruther Glen
Best ball format, $500 per team of four or $125 per individual, includes green fees, cart, range balls, and lunch
Sponsorships from $250 to $1,000 with hole, contest, beverage cart, 50/50 Challenge, and t-shirt options
Lunch and awards wrap the day at 2 PM at Hope Heroes Southern Kitchen
Register your team or find sponsorship info at hubofhopeusa.com/golf.
A big thank you to our sponsors for keeping this newsletter free for the community🙏 Want your business in front of 52,000+ Fredericksburg-area neighbors? Become a sponsor. [email protected]
Locally Owned, Community Driven: Window World of Fredericksburg Does More Than Windows
Your home is one of the biggest investments you'll ever make. Katie Duvall and the team at Window World of Fredericksburg have spent over two decades making sure it looks and performs like it, specializing in replacement windows, doors, roofing, siding, and gutters. No high-pressure sales tactics, no gimmicks, just honest conversations, quality craftsmanship, and a promise that's never changed: superior products, professionally installed, at a guaranteed low price, backed by one of the strongest warranties in the industry.
They also give back to the community that's supported them from the start, including the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, Hub of Hope, the Fredericksburg SPCA, and Micah Ministries.
🪟 Windows, doors, roofing, siding, and gutters
🪟 Guaranteed low price, professional installation, strong warranty
Ready to fall in love with your home again? Start with a free estimate at windowworldfredericksburg.com, or call (540) 834-4244.
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FXBG’s Got It
Highlighting a few things worth knowing around town:
A New Buzz in Stafford's Food Scene
Flavor Hive is coming soon to Stafford, bringing small-batch, unique food products made with locally-sourced, high-quality ingredients. The brand already runs food trucks and permanent locations in Glen Allen, Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and now it's Stafford's turn to get flavors worth remembering. Learn more: flavorhive.com
FXBG Pumpkin Spice Crawl Returns
The FXBG Pumpkin Spice Crawl is back Saturday, October 24 from 3 to 7 pm, sending crews through 15 downtown Fredericksburg shops for an afternoon of shopping, strolling, and fall fun. Your ticket unlocks a free gift or experience at every stop plus exclusive discounts at participating businesses, and you can move through downtown at your own pace. Tickets are limited and non-refundable within 36 hours of the event, so grab yours before they're gone. Learn more and get tickets: simpletix.com/e/pumpkin-spice-crawl-2026-tickets-290356
Making New Friends in FXBG Just Got a Lot Easier
The FXBG Neighbors Dinner Club seats six strangers together at a great downtown restaurant on Wednesday, September 30 at 6 pm, no planning required beyond showing up hungry. A quick personality quiz handles the matching and the reservation is already made. Grab your seat, or sign up for a future dinner: fxbgneighbors.dnnr.io
Spooky Sips Kick Off Bowman's Holiday Cocktail Series
A. Smith Bowman Distillery is launching its Holiday Cocktail Series with October's Spooky Sips theme, and each session pairs a guided distillery tour with a festive cocktail class built around one of Bowman's award-winning spirits. Sessions run noon to 1 pm on Sundays, October 4 and October 18, with Fall Forward and Winter Wonderland themes following in November and December. Guests enjoy the finished drink, mingle, and take home a recipe to recreate at home, and you can sign up for one session or several. Learn more and register: asmithbowman.com/events/holidaycocktailseries
5 More Days to Spice Up the Food Bank's Shelves
The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank's Spice of Life drive wraps up soon, and you can drop off spice donations all month long at the main warehouse, 3631 Lee Hill Drive, Fredericksburg. Today, September 26, volunteers are also collecting food and spices at grocery stores across the City of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford. Learn more: fredfood.org/Spice-of-Life
What’s Happening In & Around the ‘Burg
Here are some of the top events happening soon. Always check with the venue for the latest details. Got an event coming up? Add it to our calendar.
Saturday, September 26
2nd Annual Oktoberfest | 12:00PM
Location: Laudenbach Brewing, 45 Centreport Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: We will have a day full of music, food, beer and activities!
Comedy and Wine | 7:30PM
Location: City Vino, 100 Hanover Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Four comics paired with four wines and a light snack.
Community Block Party | 10:00AM
Location: Historic Kenmore, 1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: A historic estate with archaeology and living history stations, a scavenger hunt, reproduction kitchen, and open-house tours of the Great House.
Fall Craft Fair | 12:00PM
Location: Adventure Brewing Company, 4 Hazel Park Ln, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Featuring handmade crafts, artisan goods, jewelry, home decor, and a taco truck.
Fallapalooza | 1:00PM
Location: Spotsylvania Towne Centre, 3102 Plank Road
Fredericksburg, VADescription: A fall-themed community event with seasonal activities and shopping in one stop.
FXBG Fall Fairy & Dragon Festival | 11:30AM
Location: Belmont Christmas Tree Farm, 7533, Belmont Road, Spotsylvania County, VA
Description: Celebrates the whimsical world of fairies and dragons with a variety of activities for all ages.
Location: Fredericksburg Baptist Church, 1019 Princess Anne Street Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Brings together music that celebrates hope, connection, and the moments of light that carry us through difficult times.
Oktoberfest | 12:00PM
Location: Full Distance Brewing, 650 Corporate Drive, Suite 101, Stafford, VA
Description: We're bringing a taste of Bavaria to Stafford with a full day of great beer, German-inspired food, live music, competitions, prizes, and plenty of Oktoberfest fun.
Oktoberfest | 11:00AM
Location: Wilderness Run Vineyards, 11109 Plank Road, Spotsylvania, VA
Description: Free family event will also feature beer, music, pretzels and food trucks.
Patawomeck Tribe Shrimp Feast | 3:00PM
Location: Patawomeck Museum & Cultural Center, Stafford, VA
Description: An evening of great food, live music, and community!
Virginia Rum Runners | 9:30PM
Location: 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Company, 1140 International Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Featuring Chris Stapleton, Doobies, ZBB, Waylon and more!
4th annual Virginia Witches Pride | 10:00AM (through September 27)
Location:
Description: We will have venders, crafters, artisans, readers, demonstrations, workshops, events, and more!
Sunday, September 27
4th Annual Community Day | 12:00PM
Location: Colonial Forge High School, 550 Courthouse Road, Stafford, VA
Description: A day of food, fun, and fellowship that provides information, sharing and tools for strengthening the community.
Blind Bourbon Tasting | 3:00PM
Location: Reclaim Arcade, 2324 Plank Rd, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: A blind bourbon tasting with four 1-ounce pours, inviting guests to rate whiskeys without labels or stories.
Coffee Dough Bowl Workshop | 12:00PM
Location: POUR by Fifth Scents Candle Co., 900 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Candle-pouring class where you create a custom coffee-scented candle in a dough bowl, with a drink included from a pop-up cafe.
Fall/Halloween Bookmarks | 1:00PM
Location: Tales and Tails Book Cafe, 1010 Charles Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: Celebrate the cozy season with us at a hands-on crafting event where creativity meets autumn magic!
Troop 21 4th Annual Auto Show | 11:00AM
Location: Classic Iron, 10802 Patriot Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA
Description: We hope to see all the cars from previous years and some cool new ones at this years show!
