Purcellville, VA, October 11, 2021—Bring your family and friends to the Chapman DeMary Trail from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 23 for the annual Purcellville Green Expo called Hail to the Trail. This event is free and fun for all. Come explore this 10-acre area which is considered to be the last stand of old-growth forest in the Town. While you’re there, participate in the hands-on activities described below to learn about nature and the environment, see live animals, help plant trees as part of the Town’s annual Arbor Day Celebration, and more. In addition to all the fun nature activities, you can also get your face painted, listen to live music, and buy slices of pizza from Domino’s Pizza.
Below is a list of the organizations participating in this year’s Hail to the Trail with the activities they will have.
- 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 (weather permitting) 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
- Maid Brigade—bring your plastic bags to be recycled and learn about green cleaning supplies
- Plant NOVA Natives—information about native plants
- Project Learning Tree—bark and leaf rubbings, Every Tree for Itself, and Tree Cookies
- Purcellville Arts Council—start a nature journal
- 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 –Tree City U.S.A. designation to Town of Purcellville
- Virginia Master Naturalists Banshee Reeks—see examples of animals and plants commonly found in Virginia
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. 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 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.
The Town of Purcellville, Virginia
“Purcellville-your small Town, where history and progress intersect and people prosper,” is an award-winning town of approximately 10,000 residents located in Loudoun County, approximately 50 miles west of Washington, DC. Having received the 2021 Virginia Municipal League Innovation Award for Environmental Sustainability and in years past, the prestigious Siemens Sustainability Award for Small Communities, Purcellville continues to be honored for innovation and green initiatives. The Town most recently received the Tree City USA Award for the 14th consecutive year. The Town was reaffirmed as a AAA rated community by S&P Global Ratings, the highest credit rating possible, and was ranked “Safest City” in Virginia in 2020. Once a stop along the W&OD rail line, which has been converted to a multi-use trail from Alexandria, VA to Purcellville, the Town has maintained its historic old-town feel through the restoration and maintenance of its many downtown structures, reflecting the Victorian architecture popular during the early 1900s. Today, Purcellville is the economic hub of western Loudoun County and a popular weekend destination for antiquing, equestrian activities, farmer’s markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries and restaurants. More info at www.purcellvilleva.gov.
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