This month, why not search out some country charm or the flair of a different city to add appeal to your home? Getting away for a day or a weekend is a sure way to recharge your batteries, pick up ideas and approach your home projects with renewed enthusiasm. Explore beyond the confines of Richmond to gather expert advice, furnishings and accessories, original arts and crafts, and all manner of antiques to spice things up, inside and out. And if you want, you can be home by dinner.
Sept. 7: Roanoke
Combine a fun day trip with an auction and benefit by visiting Roanoke’s cultural Mecca, Center in the Square, and then heading to Cork and Curtain 2007, a black-tie benefit for the Mill Mountain Theatre.
Center in the Square, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., is packed with things to do and see, including the Art Museum of Western Virginia, the History Museum & Historical Society of Western Virginia and the Science Museum of Western Virginia. Call (540) 342-5700 for directions and details.
End your day at Cork and Curtain at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center with a wine tasting from Virginia wineries, silent and live auctions, and a gourmet dinner. Tickets are $100-$120. Event begins at 5:30 p.m.; the live auction at 7:30 p.m. Call (540) 224-1250 or visit www.millmountain.org.
Sept. 8: Gum Spring
Pack up the kids for an afternoon at one of the Greyhaven Winery’s finest fall events, Aged to Perfection: Antiques Auction and Wine Tasting. First-time bidders are welcome to attend the auctioneer’s clinic, and winemakers will offer a course in tasting, selecting and serving wine prior to show time.
Children are welcome to romp on the playground and pet the horses. Bring a picnic for the family or treat yourself to gourmet snacks from the gift shop. The Greyhaven Winery is nestled in the green hills of Gum Spring, a 30-minute drive west of Richmond. Admission is free, but there is a small fee for wine tasting. Children are welcome. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 556-3917 or go to www.grayhavenwinery.com.
Sept 21-23: Chantilly
Interested in learning more about grandfather clocks, gazebos and gadgets for the home? Gather tips and resources for a deluxe home makeover at the Capital Remodeling & Home Decor Show. More than 500 exhibits will feature items and services for your home’s interior and exterior.
Highlights include appearances by how-to celebrities Lee Snijders of HGTV’s “Design on a Dime” and the Junk Market Girls, who demonstrate how to transform junk into treasure. At the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10. Call (703) 378-0910 or visit www.capitalhomeshow.com for more information.
Sept. 29: Fredericksburg
Head to Fredericksburg to explore Market in the Park, an open-air market at Hurkamp Park featuring local crafts and vendors. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Call (540) 372-1086 or visit www.fredericksburgva.gov for more information. Afterward, enjoy Celtic and Welsh music and dance, poetry, storytelling lessons and children’s activities at The 18th Annual Fredericksburg Welsh Festival, at the James Monroe Museum from noon to 5 p.m. Call (540) 654-1043 for more details.
Sept. 29-30: Occoquan
Take a journey to the Historic Occoquan Fall Arts and Crafts Show, featuring more than 350 juried artists and crafts vendors. Partake in a menagerie of food and live entertainment 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Call (703) 491-4045 for more details. On your way home, stop by Manassas to visit scads of antique stores, like Delisle Antiques, (703) 330-1160, and Iron Horse Antiques, (703) 335-6676.
