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Hey neighbor! 👋
Halloween is tomorrow, and our family plan below has you covered, from tonight’s trunk-or-treat in Falmouth to candy dropping from the sky at Shannon Airport. We’re also in peak fall color, so we’ve rounded up spots across Stafford, King George, and Spotsylvania worth the drive.
As Veterans Day approaches, meet Valor Ranch in King George, which offers no-cost restorative experiences for service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. And local business owners, claim a free spot in our Holiday Gift Guide by November 6.
Grab your coffee and let’s dive in. 🌊
Dori
Local Pulse: FXBG Edition
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A Place to Slow Down: Valor Ranch Offers Healing Through Horses and Community 🐴
On 120 acres in King George, Paige and Steve Rosado have built a place where those who serve can finally rest. Valor Ranch, a nonprofit founded by the couple, offers no-cost restorative experiences for injured service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. It opened its gates on Veterans Day 2022.
Guests choose their own experience:
Ride or groom a horse, try archery, or work in the woodshop
Create art, walk a trail, or gather by the creek
Meet the ranch’s miniature donkeys, goats, chickens, and turkeys
The guiding idea is simple: meet people where they are. The ranch runs on more than 100 volunteers, with no paid staff, who give over 25,000 hours a year. Each year it serves more than 100 military and first responder families and roughly 300 local students on field trips.
Steve served 10 years in the Navy, and two of the couple’s sons serve today. As Veterans Day approaches, Valor Ranch is a reminder of what it looks like to take care of those who have taken care of us.
Learn more: valorranch.us
Caledon State Park, Photo Credit: Virginia Dept of Conservation and Recreation
Peak Fall Color Is Here: Where to Go Around FXBG Right Now 🍂
The leaves are putting on their best show of the year, and you don’t have to go far to see it. Here are spots across Stafford, King George, and Spotsylvania worth a walk, a picnic, or a scenic drive.
Stafford County
Government Island: a former stone quarry turned park with a two-mile trail and water reflections that photograph beautifully
Patawomeck Park: open spaces and tree-lined trails near the Potomac River, great for a picnic with river views
Duff McDuff Green Memorial Park: wooded walking trails with open fields and dense foliage
Curtis Memorial Park: woods, meadows, and lake views
Chichester Park: walking trails through open fields and dense foliage
Abel Lake Reservoir: boating, fishing, and fall scenery for family outings
King George County
Caledon State Park: forested trails and Potomac overlooks, especially along Boyd’s Hole and the River Trail
Barnesfield Park: open fields framed by hardwoods near Route 301, good for walks and picnics
Machodoc Creek and the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail: wooded trail corridors made for cyclists and hikers
Spotsylvania County
Lake Anna State Park: more than 3,000 acres, about 10 miles of lake frontage, and 15+ miles of trails
Spotsylvania Court House, Chancellorsville, and Wilderness battlefields: historic grounds with fall foliage, ideal for pairing history with nature
Worth the drive
Maymont: gardens, a nature center, and wildlife trails in Richmond, a short trip south
Color changes fast, so check each park’s website or social pages for current conditions before you go. Start early for the best morning light, dress in layers, and make a day of it by looping through the three counties and ending in downtown Fredericksburg.
See the full guide: fxbgneighborsconnect.com
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]
Local Business Owners: Get Your Free Spot in the Holiday Gift Guide
Every gift bought from a neighbor pays a local paycheck and keeps the places we love open. The new Fredericksburg Area Local Gift Guide makes shopping local the easy option.
Launches Tuesday, Nov. 10 and runs through Small Business Saturday
Covers Stafford, Spotsylvania, the City of Fredericksburg, Caroline, and King George
Reaches 73,400 neighbors through this newsletter, our social media, and our December magazines
Free for any business that serves our area (national chains excluded), from shops and restaurants to salons, classes, and experiences
Halloween Is Tomorrow: Your Family-Friendly Plan, Hour by Hour 🎃
Friday, October 30
Trunk-or-Treat at Ink Cave Tattoo, 6 to 9 PM, 1101 Potomac Ave in Falmouth: decorated mini trucks, candy for kids in costume, and a moon bounce.
Saturday, October 31
Family Costume Stroll and Treats on the Streets, downtown: the stroll lines up at 8:30 AM at VRE Lot B, 405 Caroline St, and steps off at 9:30 AM. Trick-or-treating at downtown businesses runs 10 AM to noon. Free.
Halloween at the Market, Hurkamp Park, 9 AM to 1 PM: Halloween fun plus local artists and crafters at the Saturday farmers market.
Halloween Open House at the Fredericksburg Area Museum, 10 AM to 5 PM: trick-or-treating, a scavenger hunt, face painting, spooky crafts, and a photo booth. The FredNats’ purple monster, Gus, stops by from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Free.
Harvest Festival Fly-In at Shannon Airport, 10 AM to 4 PM: a haunted hangar tour, aviation-style trick-or-treating, and candy drops from the sky. Airplane rides cost extra.
Fall Festival and Trunk-or-Treat at Fredericksburg Church of Christ, 5:30 PM, 336 Riverside Dr: free candy and lawn games for the whole family.
Find more Halloween events with times, addresses, and links: fxbgneighborsconnect.com/p/fredericksburg-halloween-events
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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.
Friday 10/30
Halloween Season Ghost Tours with Access to the Masonic Lodge - Held Friday 10/30 and Saturday 10/31, this guided tour shares ghost stories and local mysteries beginning at the Masonic Lodge and Cemetery.
Halloween Eve: A SOUND OF THUNDER with special guest METALLIFUN - Celebrate with heavy metal, bluegrass-inspired metal covers, arcade games, food, and drinks at Reclaim Arcade.
Halloween Pop up & Costume Contest - Support local artists, enjoy live music, and enter the costume contest at Strangeways Brewing Fredericksburg.
Saturday 10/31
FREE Pokémon & Sports Card Show - Browse, buy, sell, and trade Pokémon and sports cards with hundreds of vendors at Fredericksburg Field House.
Karaoke Halloween Night - Sing karaoke, play games, and compete for costume prizes at Strangeways Brewing Fredericksburg.
Fun Land After Hours Halloween Event - Enjoy an adults-only costume night with unlimited attractions, arcade games, and drink tickets at Fun Land of Fredericksburg.
Sunday 11/1
Sunday Hike - Meet fellow dog lovers and take a shelter dog on local trails starting from Old Dominion Humane Society.
Buffalo Bills Backers Game - Cheer on the Bills with food, fun, and a raffle at Hard Times Cafe - Four Mile Fork.
Karaoke With a Magician - Enjoy karaoke and magic alongside special beverage discounts for local heroes at Adventure Brewing Company.
Monday 11/2
Pour. Pause. Reflect Creative Reset Experience - Slow down with guided art-making, reflection, and optional group sharing at Adventure Brewing Company.
