Photo courtesy of festival
The Bull Run Wine Festival is set for Sept. 26-27 at the Winery at Bull Run.
Fall wine season arrives in Fairfax County later this month when the Bull Run Wine Festival returns to The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville for its second fall edition.
The festival runs Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, from noon to 5 p.m. each day, with pouring ending at 5 p.m. The winery sits on a 225-acre working farm vineyard adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park, roughly 30 miles west of Alexandria — close enough for an easy day trip, far enough to feel like actual countryside.
More than a dozen wineries are scheduled to pour (as of Sept. 12), including 8 Chains North, Barrel Oak, Ingleside Vineyards, Mattaponi Winery, North Mountain Vineyard, Notaviva Farm Brewery and Winery, Old Farm Winery at Hartland, Ovoka Farm, Pollak Vineyards, Prince Michel, Quièvremont, Saga Meadery, The Estate at White Hall and the host winery. Eavesdrop Brewery of Manassas is the featured brewery, and organizers say more partners may be added.
General admission is $48 and includes tastings from every participating winery and the brewery, plus a souvenir 6-ounce festival glass, a winery passport and a pencil for taking notes as you go. A VIP ticket, listed at $104.99 for a limited time, adds an 11 a.m. entry — a full hour before general admission — along with reserved indoor and outdoor seating, complimentary small bites and access to the winery’s production facility, where several wineries will pour premier bottles for VIP guests only.
Live music runs both afternoons. Saturday brings the Rook Richards Duo from noon to 3 p.m., followed by On Tap Band from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday features Rossman & Snow from noon to 3 p.m. and Hancock & Espo from 3 to 6 p.m.
Six food trucks are on the schedule: Two Smooth Dudes, Catalyst Hot Dog, Skrimp Shack, The Eaterie, Four Guys and California Taco. An artisan market will also be set up on the grounds. Food truck and vendor purchases are separate from the ticket price.
A portion of net ticket proceeds goes to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, the Arlington-based nonprofit that supports families of fallen American service members. The winery has partnered with the organization on previous festivals.
Before you go
The festival is for ages 21 and older only, and no one under 21 — including infants — is permitted in the festival area. Bring a photo ID for check-in. The winery’s main tasting room and family section, both behind the festival grounds, stay open to the general public during the weekend.
Tastings take place outdoors on Hillwood Lawn, in front of the Hillwood ruins and the vineyard, under large tents. The festival happens rain or shine. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome — organizers ask that you take them out of their bags before check-in to speed things up — but personal tents and canopies are not.
Outside food is allowed in the winery’s adult and family picnic sections, but not inside the tasting room, on the patios or under the festival tents. Outside beverages are prohibited under Virginia ABC rules. Dogs aren’t permitted in the festival area, though the winery’s dog park section remains open.
Parking is free and available in front of the tasting room and production buildings, with overflow behind the vineyards and attendants directing traffic. Re-entry is allowed with a wristband, so you can run bottles out to the car and come back.
Tickets are available at bullrunwinefestival.com. The Winery at Bull Run is at 15950 Lee Highway, Centreville.
- Winery count. Fourteen wineries plus Eavesdrop are listed as of Sept. 12, but the page says “more coming soon.” I hedged with “more than a dozen” so the story doesn’t go stale. The eats page was updated Sept. 10, so the truck list is current as of this week.
- Eavesdrop Brewery’s location. I put it in Vienna; confirm from their site before publishing.
- Parking is free — the FAQ describes the lots but doesn’t say “free.” It almost certainly is, but I’d either confirm with the winery or cut that word.
- VIP price. Listed at $104.99 “for a limited time,” so it may rise before the 26th. Consider “starting at” or drop the number.
- Taxes and fees. Both prices are pre-tax on Tock. Might be worth a parenthetical.
- Address. The winery uses 15950 Lee Highway on its own materials. Fairfax County has renamed stretches of that corridor in recent years, so double-check what you want in print.
- TAPS link goes to taps.org; the festival’s own charity partner page is an alternative if you’d rather point there.
Contact for follow-up: Dean Gruenburg, general manager, (540) 406-1712, dgruenburg@wineryatbullrun.com. Main tasting room: (703) 815-2233.
Photos: The festival site has usable event photos on the ticket page — worth asking Gruenburg for high-res versions and a foliage shot of the Hillwood ruins, which is the most distinctive visual the venue has.
SEO note: “Virginia wine” and “wine festival” are both in the headline and lede. If you want the Fairfax County hook stronger for search, “Fairfax County” could move into the headline in place of the winery count.
