The sights and sounds to be found in and around Loudoun are sure to please even the most "culture-savvy." Not only are we in the enviable position of being part of the Washington metropolitan region, but the variety of programs, opportunities and offerings available gives us something to do or see at any time. From music, theater and dance to festivals, wine tastings and home and garden tours, Loudoun certainly offers plenty to tickle your arts and culture fancy.

Music

Music lovers of all ages with every taste in melody will be delighted by what Loudoun has to offer. Treat yourself to concerts and performances given regularly throughout the year by the Loudoun Symphony, Loudoun Concert Orchestra, Loudoun Chorale, and Loudoun Community Band.

Enjoy performances by prominent local and national musicians offered as part of the Bluemont Concert Series. These performances, once held primarily during the summer on the courthouse steps in Leesburg, are now year-round events held at sites all around Loudoun and beyond. Or consider taking in a performance offered by Purcellville’s Neal Concert Series, which features local classical musicians. If bluegrass is more your style, you can enjoy Bluegrass Music Evenings, held weekly between October and April at the Lucketts Community Center.

Theatre and Dance

For those looking for drama or dance, Loudoun’s many community theater groups and dance troupes will surely please even the most discriminating theatergoers. These groups have delighted audiences for years with top-quality performances at affordable prices. Loudoun Ballet Company, for example, complements its professional, salaried dancers with apprentices and dancers chosen from among the Loudoun School of Ballet’s students. The company’s popular "Nutcracker" and "Peter and the Wolf" productions delight sell-out crowds year after year.

Museums and Living History

Two estates in particular give us a glimpse of the past and serve as host to many contemporary local events. Morven Park, a 1,200-acre estate just outside Leesburg, is a popular venue for cultural, educational and historical programs. The last home of former Virginia Governor and Mrs. Westmoreland Davis, Morven Park’s mansion houses the Davis’ eclectic collection of furnishings, art and memorabilia. Visitors also enjoy Morven Park’s Winmill Carriage Collection, which contains more than 70 antique horse-drawn vehicles, as well as the Museum of Hounds and Hunting, which is also found on the grounds.

Oatlands Plantation serves as an outstanding living illustration of what life was like during Virginia’s plantation area. Built in 1803 and listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oatlands’ restored antebellum mansion is also the site of many contemporary events and activities. The mansion features antique furnishings, a beautiful period library, and family photos of the William Corcoran Eustis family, who entertained Washington, D.C. leaders and socialites during the 1920s and 1930s. Visitors can tour the mansion, the extensive gardens and the carriage house.

Other worthwhile historic stops in Loudoun include the Loudoun Museum, where visitors can view artifacts that depict the county throughout its history; and the International Equestrian Center, which hosts premier steeplechase events each year.

Several living history and reenactment programs transform parts of Loudoun during the course of the year. Perhaps the largest of these is August Court Days, a weekend event that returns Leesburg to the year 1774, when the fight for independence was upon the colonists. During this program, Leesburg’s courthouse and village green bustle with villagers and shopkeepers, militia men and street performers. Spectators might find themselves witness to an 18th century wedding or even sit in on an authentic colonial court trial.

Also popular are the now famous Leesburg "hauntings" tours, held in October each year. Participants tour 18th and 19th-century homes and hear the many tales of colonial residents who "still call Loudoun home." In addition, many homes and estates are dressed up in period decoration for annual holiday tours, while others treat visitors to home and garden tours, letting them go back in time and enjoy the "Loudoun of yesterday."

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