Events, Business Growth Creating Community Feel At Vint Hill

Posted on May 31, 2016 by

The sight of several thousand people congregating around over 100 vendors and a stage full of local musicians, singers, and dancers last September was, in many ways, a major milestone for Vint Hill. The scene that played out at the inaugural Vint Hill Fall Festival underscored that the former U.S Army Base is becoming the focal point of a community–a gathering place for locals and a destination for people looking for a place to spend the day.

Establishing Vint Hill as a community hub was the primary focus of Vint Hill Village, LLC’s second year of stewardship at the property. The ownership group bought more than 200 acres at Vint Hill on May 22, 2014, and immediately set out to create a sense of place and purpose amid the historical property.

“The past year has seen a series of significant steps as we work toward our goal of creating a Main Street community in the heart of Vint Hill,” says Ed Moore, Vint Hill Village, LLC president. “Our events, including the fall festival and this year’s block parties, are great examples of how Vint Hill can be a community gathering place, while the progress of shops and retail outlets continue to draw visitors and customers. We’re very encouraged by what’s happening here every day.”

The inaugural Vint Hill Fall Festival, held Sept. 26, 2015, surpassed all expectations, with an estimated 4,000 people attending the free, public street festival along Aiken Drive. The event’s success set the stage for a much-anticipated annual event; this year’s festival takes place on Sept. 24.

Leading into this year’s festival are monthly block parties, which started in April. The Friday evening events bring food trucks and local entertainment to Vint Hill for an outdoor party, giving the community a family-friendly entertainment option one Friday per month. More information on the block parties can be found atwww.vinthill.com/blockparties.

While special events have helped elevate Vint Hill’s emergence as a community hub, the property’s businesses are playing leading roles in creating a Main Street feel. Old Bust Head, arguably Vint Hill’s de facto town hall, continues to draw customers and add options to its ever-expanding menu of beers and sodas. At the end of 2015, Vint Hill Village, LLC, in partnership with the county’s Department of Economic Development and Lord Fairfax Community College, donated space to the Fauquier Enterprise Center, the county’s third incubator. Green Maple Market, among many others, just celebrated its first anniversary, while the Vint Hill Craft Winery announced extended summer hours. Iva Bella Salon, also in its second year at Vint Hill, recently acquired its neighbor, Simply Pure, adding the all-natural skin care products to its portfolio. Vint Hill Coffee, a café-style coffee shop, will be open within weeks, bringing one of the most requested destinations to the community. UVA Community Credit Union is another new Vint Hill business, having merged with Northern Piedmont Community Credit Union and consolidated its branding under the UVA Community Credit Union umbrella.

“Seeing businesses establish themselves is a promising sign that we’re headed in the right direction,” Moore says. “Successful businesses mean more options for local residents, and they also contribute valuable tax revenue that can be used to expand public services. This is the fabric that is part of any thriving community.”

As businesses continue to establish roots at Vint Hill, infrastructure improvements continue. In mid-April, the latest phase of road improvements started. Specific steps include completion of Vint Hill Parkway and Farm Station Rd (formerly Watson Dr.) plus the complete rehabilitation of Kennedy Rd. and Finch La. within the borders of Vint Hill.

The $11 million project will mean better traffic flow within and around Vint Hill, improving access to such popular destinations as the Vint Hill Dog Park, the Vint Hill Theater on the Green, and the property’s businesses. The project is slated to take about 18 months. To learn more about road improvement updates: vinthillroads.com.