Winchester, VA – Avoid the high gas prices and plan a staycation on Labor Day weekend.  The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® and Concern Hotline are partnering once again for a fun-filled community celebration on Labor Day weekend.
 
Kickoff your three-day weekend at the 23rd Annual Concern Hotline Fish Fry on Friday evening, September 2, 2022 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.  Concern Hotline will be serving fried fish with sides. Junkfood and DJ Skyhigh will play live on stage. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concern-hotlines-23rd-annual-friday-fish-fry-celebration-tickets-372272014617 to purchase tickets.
 
On Saturday and Sunday, enjoy local BBQ, craft beer, hard cider, live music, bourbon tasting, a Cornhole Tournament and other fun tailgate games at the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® HoneyCar BBQ & Brews.  The event takes place from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 3, 2022 and Noon to 6:00 pm on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at the Frederick County Fairgrounds. 
 
Enjoy a wide selection of BBQ from on-site vendors who will be serving up pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken and lots more with all the fixins'.  Other food options will be available on-site. Stop by the local artisan and crafter booths to check out their selection of unique, custom and handmade goods.
 
Several local craft beer breweries, hard cider and bourbon distilleries will be on hand including:
 
Craft Beer                                                        Hard Cider                                        Bourbon & Whiskey
Alesatian Brewing Co.                                     Old Town Cidery                               Catoctin Creek Distilling
Escutcheon Brewing Co.                                 Winchester Cider Works                 Evan Williams Bourbon
Devils Backbone                                                                                                           Filibuster Distillery
Winchester Brew Works                                                                                             KO Distilling
Dividing Creek Beer Company
Broken Window Brewing Co.
 
Enjoy live local and regional entertainment both days on the MC Fence of Winchester Stage.
 
Saturday, September 3 Lineup                                 Sunday, September 4 Lineup
11:00 am  Downtown Garage                                       12:00 pm  Shotgun Shiver
2:00 pm  Rock Bottom Band                                         3:00 pm  Brickyard Road - Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band
5:00 pm  Raised on Analog
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Pick a partner and compete in the Valley Cycle Center Cornhole Tournament for a chance to win great prizes!  Three tournaments are scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Saturday and 2:00 pm on Sunday.  The fee to compete in the tournaments are included in the BBQ & Brews ticket price.  Register for the tournament when you order your event tickets at https://www.thebloom.com/2022-bbq--brews.html. 
 
Labor Day weekend means the start of the college football season.  Sit back and enjoy live games and cheer on your favorite team on several monitors throughout the venue.  The Carmeuse Tailgate Area is a great spot to enjoy nostalgic and traditional tailgate games with your friends.  Giant Jenga, Spike Ball, axe throwing, Kan Jam, giant Connect 4, basketball pop-a-shot, and oversized chess & checkers are just a few of the fun games in tailgating area.
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Tickets are on sale at https://www.thebloom.com/2022-bbq--brews.html. 

​Single day ADVANCE VIP Tickets ($45.00) include:
9 sampling tickets for your choice of craft beer, hard cider or bourbon
Souvenir tasting glass
BBQ dinner plate
Live entertainment
Entry into the Cornhole Tournament, tailgating games and live college football games
VIP Tickets will only be sold in advance and are not available at the gate.
 
Single Day General Admission Tickets ($25.00 in Advance/$30.00 at the Gate) include:
6 sampling tickets for your choice of craft beer, hard cider or bourbon
Souvenir tasting glass
Live entertainment
Entry into the Cornhole Tournament, tailgating games and live college football games
 
Non-Drinking Tickets are $10. Children 12 and under are FREE. 

​The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® Board of Directors unanimously elected Sharen E. Gromling to serve as the organization’s President for a two-year term beginning on Monday, June 27, 2022.  Gromling replaces now Past President, Thomas (Tommy) Price who served as President for the 94th and 95th Festivals.
 
Sharen has volunteered with the Festival for the past 42 years.  She first started working with other City of Winchester officials hosting the Mayor’s Luncheon held immediately before the parade at the Jim Barnett Park War Memorial Building.  Although this event is no longer held, for years it brought Mayors from all over the region to our Festival to ride in the parade.  Prior to becoming a Festival Vice President she also co-chaired the Celebrity Luncheon which was held for dignitaries and celebrities prior to the Grand Feature Parade and was the Chair of the Queen’s Dinner, an event that offered attendees a look at the Queen Designate and her Court as they entered through a Sabre Arch and the traditional cutting of the Queen’s Apple Pie. 
 
When asked why the Festival is important to her, Sharen stated “For me it’s about the people. I love seeing this community open its arms to people from all over who come together to celebrate the apple industry and the beautiful blossoms.  The happy look on a child’s face, the laughter of friends and family coming together for a special moment in time, watching an army of dedicated, hard-working volunteers pull off this 40+ events, 10-day festival – that’s what makes the Festival special to me.”
 
Sharen and her husband Tom, a local dentist, will celebrate 44 years of marriage later this month.  They have two children, 34 year-old Tim and 33 year-old Wendy.  Tom and Sharen enjoy spending time with their family and friends, traveling especially to Disney, running races and riding their tandem bike.  Sharen serves as the Executive Director of Our Health, Inc., a regional health and human services nonprofit.  Prior to this she served as the Director of Administration and Human Resources for the City of Winchester for 30 years.