Father's Day Fun: A Day for Dad

I stopped celebrating my birthday years ago – who wants to be reminded that you’ve gone past the half century mark? – but Father’s Day is different. I love being reminded that I’m a dad, and it’s one of the few days of the year that comes with a license to relax and not have to run around after your offspring.

So, what’s my idea of the perfect Father’s Day this June 18?

Well, I’m tempted to start a week early and take my day off this coming weekend - June 10.

 

dr, kids and wife

 

Beer

I like beer, and my closest brewery, Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery on the outskirts of Waterford, is staging its 5th annual Land Beer Fest, a celebration of five years of producing estate grown beer. For those who don’t know, Land Beer is the ancient German tradition that requires beer be made entirely from ingredients grown locally or close to the brewery. I’m going to meet up with a few pals, take a bench table near the fields and order a cool glass or three of the Return Estate Piedmont Pilsner – 100% of the barley in it grown on the farm. I’ll ask my wife to pick me up when the sun goes down.

 

Fishing

If going a week early is not allowed, I will get my fishing pole and head to Great Country Farms. The popular Bluemont agribusiness stages an annual Father’s Day Fish-a-Rama Sunday, the farm pond stocked with hungry bass and bluegill. There are prizes for the largest fish caught between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and for the most fish caught during the 1–2 p.m. power hour. It helps that Dirt Farm Brewing and Bluemont Vineyard are just a short drive up the hill.

 

BBQ

Talking wine, few things go better with a glass of Loudoun Bordeaux blend than world-class Loudoun BBQ. Middleburg’s Boxwood Estate Winery has done us all a favor by inviting Purcellville’s iconic Monk’s BBQ to provide the smoked meats for a Father’s Day BBQ. Hosted in the elegant Pavilion room in the vines, there will be live music from Rook Richards, a choice of classic Boxwood red, white or rosé wine in the half bottle, and a succulent selection of Monk’s smoked brisket, ribs and pulled pork. Not bad.

 

Jam Out

Live music is not only for the young ones. Everyone loves a great band and NoVa-based rockers Not the Father are the aptly-titled live entertainment at Vanish Farmwoods Brewery near Lucketts on Father’s Day. Purveyors of what they describe as “beer-battered, home-grown, organic rock covers,” they will get all the fathers' feet stomping to the likes of Led Zeplin, Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones. A good Vanish brew this Father’s Day? The crisp and cool Weekday Warrior – a modern take on the cold-fermented German Kolsch.