PURCELLVILLE, VA, September 30, 2019—Bring your family and friends to the Chapman DeMary Trail from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 20 for the annual Purcellville Green Expo called Hail to the Trail. This event, which is part of the Loudoun Fall Farm Tour, is free and open to the public, and fun for families, students, and scouts. Come explore this 10-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, catch creek creatures, see live animals, learn about bugs, make nature art projects, bring your plastic shopping bags to be recycled hear live music, and participate in the Town’s annual Arbor Day Celebration with recognition from the Virginia Department of Forestry for the 12th annual Tree City USA designation. To limit the amount of plastic at this event, we encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottles—the Town will have water available if you need a refill.
Below is a current list of the organizations participating in this year’s Hail to the Trail. Check the Hail to the Trail Facebook page for updates.
- Audubon Naturalist Society with creek critters app
- Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship with animal identification
- Ed Clark with a display of insects
- Franklin Park with reusable bag decorating
- Girl Scout Troops 7114 and 4709 with a nature art activity
- Girl Scout Troops 6287 and 1420 with rock painting
- Keep Loudoun Beautiful
- Loudoun County Tree Stewards with information about trees
- Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District with activities about mammals and about pollinators
- Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy with a Wild Play Spaces area
- Maid Brigade with plastic bag collection and display of green cleaning supplies
- Marion Esposito with tips on taking photos of nature
- Purcellville Arts Council with nature art activity
- Purcellville Library with environmental books and activity
- Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board with a nature matching game and textures in nature scavenger hunt
- Purcellville Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee with an acorn identification game, milkweed seed bag decorating and filling, and information about the new Wonder of Trees Poster Contest, trees, tire inflation, energy tips, and recycling tips
- Town of Purcellville Water Division with a water taste test
- Virginia Department of Forestry with the Tree City USA award
- Wildlife Ambassadors with live animals
- Willie White with live music
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. Get more information at www.PurcellvilleVa.gov and follow the Hail to the Trail Facebook page for updates.
The Purcellville Green Expo/Hail to the Trail is hosted by the Purcellville Tree and Environment Sustainability Committee, a standing committee that focuses on all aspects of environmental programs, sustainability ideas, enhancement of the tree canopy, and continuation of the Town's Tree City USA designation.
