The 2023 Hail to the Trail event will take place on Sunday, October 22nd. 
Stay tuned for more information!

The annual Purcellville Green Expo called Hail to the Trail will be held on Sunday, October 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Chapman DeMary Trail. Hail to the Trail is free and open to the public, and fun for families, students, and scouts. During the annual event, you can explore this10-acre area which is considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town, meet local environmental experts, participate in fun hands-on activities to learn about nature and the environment, help plant trees, make nature art projects, listen to live music, learn about native plants and wildlife, and participate in the Town’s annual Arbor Day Celebration with recognition from the Virginia Department of Forestry for the annual Tree City USA designation. Follow Hail to the Trail on Facebook!

Local non-profits that focus on nature or the environment are invited to participate. 
Register online by September 15, 2023. 

Below is a list of the organizations that participated in the 2022 Hail to the Trail:

• Bobby G’s Pets—live animals
• Franklin Park—paint a rock to take home
• Keep Loudoun Beautiful—bring your used sneakers and cleats to be reused or recycled
• Loudoun Beekeepers Association—see live bees and beekeeping equipment, and learn about how to become a beekeeper
• Loudoun County Tree Stewards–learn how to identify tree seeds and nuts
• Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy—find out how to identify wildlife by what they leave behind
• Plant NOVA Natives--learn about native plants
• Project Learning Tree--bark and leaf rubbings, Every Tree for Itself, and Tree Cookies
• Purcellville Arts Council—use items in nature to create art
• Purcellville Library—make a bird feeder  
• Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board—play a nature memory game
• Purcellville Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee—play a game about trees found at the Chapman DeMary Trail and decorate and fill milkweed seed bags
• Purcellville Water Division—Participate in a water taste test
• Virginia Department of Forestry  
• Virginia Master Naturalists Banshee Reeks—see examples of animals and plants commonly found in Virginia

There was also face painting, live music, and pizza.

The Chapman DeMary Trail is a 10-acre area in the Town of Purcellville that runs along the South Fork Catoctin Creek, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The area is open to the public for environmental recreation, exploration, and education. The Town of Purcellville holds the conservation easement for this privately-owned property. It is managed through a partnership among Loudoun Valley High School, The Nature Generation, the Piedmont Environmental Council, and the Town of Purcellville. The entrance for the Chapman DeMary Trail is behind the building at 205 East Hirst Road in Purcellville. 

The Purcellville Green Expo/Hail to the Trail is hosted by the Purcellville Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee, a standing committee of the Town of Purcellville that focuses on environmental programs, sustainability, enhancement of the tree canopy, and continuation of the Town's Tree City USA designation.