Shenandoah Sips

Belle Grove is thrilled to announce the inaugural Shenandoah Sips Festival, a celebration of wines, spirits, ciders, and other fine beverages crafted in Virginia. It will take place on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.bellegrove.org. 

This exciting event offers a unique opportunity to discover and indulge in the exceptional flavors crafted by talented local producers. Guests with tasting tickets will receive a souvenir glass and can sample from Virginia-based beverage providers including Cobbler Mountain Cidery (Delaplane), Copper Fox Distillery (Sperryville), Honey and Hops Brew Works (Front Royal), Mattaponi Winery (Spotsylvania Courthouse), Misty Mountain Meadworks (Winchester), Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery (Middleburg), North Mountain Vineyard & Winery (Maurertown), Reservoir Distillery (Richmond), Saga Meadery (Front Royal), Springfield Distillery (Halifax), Twisted Pines Farm & Vineyard (Staunton), Wild Hare Hard Cider (Berryville), Williams Gap Vineyard (Round Hill), Winchester Ciderworks, and Your Pure Store (Winchester). For beer lovers, tastings will be available from Honor Brewing (Loudoun and Fairfax), Port City Brewing (Alexandria), and Aslin Beer Co. (Herndon, Alexandria, Virginia Beach).
The tasting ticket also permits guests to purchase products by the glass, can, bottle, or case. A complimentary bag check will allow guests to safely store their purchases so that they may enjoy all the activities at the event, such as free tours of the historic Manor House and chef demonstrations.

Shenandoah Sips features live music all day. From 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Meisha Herron and her band will take the stage performing acoustic blues, soul, jazz, and rock. From 2:30-4:45 p.m. the Souled Out Band will play funk, R&B, soul, and top 40 dance favorites.

There will also be family-friendly activities hosted by Play Favorites toy store (Front Royal) and the White Lightnin' Barrel Train.

Food trucks participating in Shenandoah Sips are Daily Buzz Café (Stephens City and Middletown) selling hot dogs, nachos, mac and cheese, hot pretzels, churros, and iced coffee and tea, Billy Sous serving their signature sandwiches, Wayne’s Delicious Eats preparing seafood favorites like lobster rolls and crab cakes, and Laura’s Lemons vending handcrafted lemonade and charcuterie boards. Additional food vendors include Josephine’s Kitchen making perogies, Uncle Beehive’s Ice Cream, Happy Creek Cheeses, Blue Ridge Popcorn, and Bad Ass Pickles.

Belle Grove is part of “Hungry for History,” a ten-day event that explores local food traditions in Winchester, Frederick County, and Clarke County. During Shenandoah Sips there will be chef demonstrations throughout the day. These include the Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah, Chef Kari Rushing of Vault & Cellar (Middletown), Chef Proprietor Jan Van Haute from Inn at Vaucluse Spring (Stephens City), Baker Geisset LeJeune from Two Moms and a Cupcake (Shepherdstown), Chef Paula McDade of Goldfinch Chef Services (Northern Virginia), and a demonstration about bread by Belle Grove’s volunteer historic recipe interpreter and tester, Valerie Haddox.

There will be more than 20 artisan and merchandise vendors at Shenandoah Sips that highlight local crafts, products, and businesses. A full list is available on the event website. The Belle Grove Museum Shop in the Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center will be open during the festival, and it is the perfect place to find local history books and unique items made by area artists and producers.

Advanced tasting tickets are on sale now for $30 at www.bellegrove.org or in the Belle Grove Museum Shop. On the day of the event, tasting tickets may be purchased for $35 at the gate (cash and credit cards accepted). Admission includes a souvenir tasting glass, all tastings, access to all vendors, performances, demonstrations, and tours of the historic Manor House. General admission is $15 for visitors who do not wish to do tastings, are designated drivers, or who are under age 21. The designated driver ticket includes two complementary non-alcoholic beverages but does not permit purchase of any alcoholic beverages. Shenandoah Sips is a rain or shine event.

Sponsors for Shenandoah Sips include Crescent Cities Charities, Carper’s Wood Creations, Shenandoah Country Q102, 99.3 The Fox, and Kiss 98.3, Shenandoah Valley Orthodontics, and Bret Hrbek, Financial Advisor of Edward Jones in Front Royal.

For the latest information, visit www.bellegrove.org or www.facebook.com/BelleGrove. Guests may bring chairs and pop-up tents, but pets, large backpacks, and outside food or drink may not be brought onto festival grounds. Belle Grove is off Route 11 at 336 Belle Grove Road just south of Middletown, Virginia 22645. It is conveniently located to I-81 (use exit 302) and I-66.

Belle Grove is a non-profit, historic house museum on 283 acres that is still farmed today and has panoramic Shenandoah Valley views. It is a National Trust for Historic Preservation site and a partner in the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. Events like this are significant annual fundraisers for Belle Grove’s preservation and education programs.