This week in Ashburn: the county fair rides out its final days, Bob Dylan plays Wolf Trap, free concerts land right on the plaza, and there's a hard Friday deadline to register for the Aug 4 primary.
The 5-second plan
Best overall — thru Sat: the
Loudoun County Fair is in its final days — midway, livestock and a demolition derby, about 15 minutes out.
Best with kids — all weekend: beat the heat at
Volcano Island waterpark, Algonkian.
Best music night — Sat: free on the plaza with
Party Fowl at One Loudoun, or
Bob Dylan at Wolf Trap if you're up for the drive.
Best daily habit: today's Ashburn puzzle (below).
🧠 Before you go — today’s Ashburn puzzle. Two minutes, keep your streak. Play →
Editor's Pick
The Loudoun County Fair rides out its final days — thru Sat 7/25. The county's biggest once-a-year draw is at the fairgrounds in Leesburg through Saturday: 4-H livestock, a carnival midway, bull riding and a mini demolition derby. It's $13.50 for adults and $5.75 for kids online, and about a 15-minute drive. If you've been meaning to go all week, this is the weekend — it won't be back until next summer.
This Weekend
Our best bets. The rest of the slate's down in Extra Credit.
The big music night — Fri & Sat 7/24–25: Bob Dylan with Lucinda Williams and Jimmie Vaughan, 7 p.m. at
Wolf Trap, Vienna — a living legend and two roots-music greats under the stars. The biggest ticket of the weekend if you're up for the ~40-minute drive.
Free on the plaza — Sat 7/25: cover band Party Fowl plays rock, pop and country 7–9 p.m. at
One Loudoun — lively, free and steps from home.
Easiest Friday out — Fri 7/24: Summer Strings brings Levi Stephens for free acoustic music 6–9 p.m. on the
One Loudoun plaza, with dinner right there.
The home team — Fri–Sun 7/24–26: the Nationals host Arizona for a three-game weekend series at
Nationals Park — an easy day-trip for a game, about 50 minutes down.
Sunday morning run — Sun 7/26: the =PR= Bash 5K & 1K starts and finishes at
One Loudoun at 8 a.m., with post-race snacks; $45 / $35, all ages welcome and right in Ashburn.
Free Saturday concert — Sat 7/25: bring a blanket to Leesburg's Town Green for a free Beatles tribute from Mostly Fab, 7–8:30 p.m. via
Summer JAMS — about 15 minutes out.
Quirkiest night — Sat 7/25: a wireless-headphone Silent Dance Party, 7–8:30 p.m. outdoors at
Loudoun Station District Park — free and walkable.
For the dancers — Sat 7/25: beginner merengue, bachata and salsa lessons plus social dancing, 6–9 p.m. at
Solace Brewing, Sterling — free lesson, low-key night out.
Family
If you've got kids, the waterpark is the easy all-weekend yes.
The easy yes — all weekend: slides, a lily-pad walk and zero-depth entry at
Volcano Island, Algonkian — open Fri–Sun 11 a.m.–7 p.m. (to 6 the rest of the week); $16, $12 under 48". Works from toddlers to tweens.
Monday reset — Mon 7/27: Rocknoceros brings its sing-along hits to the
One Loudoun plaza at 11 a.m. — free, and timed for little ones.
Farm day — Fri–Sun 7/24–26: cut-your-own sunflowers plus a play area, baby goats and bakery treats at
Great Country Farms, Bluemont, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. — wide-open play for toddlers to grandparents.
Sunday movie — Sun 7/26: Movies Under the Stars screens The Parent Trap at 6:30 p.m. at
Loudoun Station, with hula-hoop fun before the film — free and in-neighborhood.
What Actually Matters
The one to act on: Friday is the hard voter-registration cutoff.
Register to vote — by Fri 7/24: Friday is the last day to register for a regular ballot in the Aug 4 primary.
Early in-person voting runs through Aug 1, including weekend hours at the Ashburn Recreation Center.
The power line, where it stands — updated: after the state's SCC approved Route 3A for the Golden-to-Mars line at the end of June, the Loudoun County School Board voted July 13 to appeal that decision to the Virginia Supreme Court and to ban power lines on school property. So the route is approved but now under appeal; the county lays out the timeline on its
transmission lines page, and there's a joint public meeting on the route July 29.
Registration Radar
Fall sports sign up over the summer — the deadlines worth putting on the fridge.
Loudoun Soccer — Fall Rec: K–12 registration is open now and closes
Aug 7, with first games Aug 29; $188–$210. Earlier means better placement —
register here.
Dulles Youth Basketball (Winter 2026-27): open now at $200, stepping up to
$225 after Aug 1 and again Sept 1 — register before Aug 1 to save (
details).
Save the Date
Ashburn Village Kids Triathlon — Sat 8/8: a swim-bike-run for ages 6–15 at the Lakes Rec Center right in the Village; $55 / $60. These fill up —
sign up now.
Peach Fuzztival — Aug 1–2: peach-picking, peach treats, contests and live music at
Great Country Farms, Bluemont — a beloved annual farm weekend.
Loudoun Wildlife 30th Butterfly Count — Sat 8/1: the 30th annual community count is open for sign-ups now, all ages and experience levels, beginners paired with experienced counters (
register).
Asia In a Bite Food Festival — Aug 29–30: a two-day Asian food festival with 40+ vendors and a live DJ at
One Loudoun — a big in-Ashburn food weekend to put on the calendar.
🎒 Extra Credit
A couple more worth a look this week — grab what you like.
Saturday morning market: the
EatLoco farmers market at Ashbrook runs 9 a.m.–1 p.m. — produce, food vendors and local makers, year-round and close to home.
Movie in the week ahead — Thu 7/30: a free outdoor screening of Zootopia with complimentary popcorn on the
One Loudoun plaza at 8 p.m.
Live life, together.
Today’s puzzle is waiting 🔥
Two quick local word games — W&OD and The Interchange. A couple of minutes a day, a streak to protect, and a neighborhood leaderboard. Play today’s game →
Which of these are you actually going to?
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