There are not many places in Northern Virginia where you can watch a spelling bee, tour a working apiary, drink locally made mead, dress your toddler as a bumblebee, and walk away knowing something real about why our food supply depends on a creature the size of your thumbnail.
Liberia House in Manassas is one of them — and this Saturday, June 20, it becomes one of the most unexpectedly wonderful places to spend a morning in Prince William County.
The 6th Annual Manassas Bee Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Liberia House and Grounds, 8601 Portner Avenue, Manassas. It is free. It is family-friendly. And if you haven’t been yet, consider this your official invitation.
A Festival With a Real Story Behind It
Founded by Patron Manassas City Council Member Theresa Coates Ellis — a trained Master Gardener and beekeeper who tends hives alongside her husband George Ellis — the festival was created to educate the public about saving pollinators, planting native, and creating healthier community spaces. It’s grown into a nonprofit, Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival 501(c)(3), supported by the City of Manassas, Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association, Prince William Master Gardeners, UVA Health, and George Mason University.
Manassas holds a distinction worth knowing: it’s the first city in Northern Virginia to earn the Bee City USA designation. This year, Ellis initiated a Pollinator Month proclamation at the June 8 Manassas City Council meeting — a formal commitment to save pollinators and support native planting citywide.
“The 6th year of our beloved Manassas Bee Festival will be buzzing with vendors galore, food trucks, live music with local bands, fresh honey and brew, beekeepers, gardeners, naturalists, and family fun. Our preserved historic Liberia House will be open for tours highlighting the City of Manassas to preserve our heritage. This year we are adding more wellness emphasizing the benefits of unwinding in nature.”
— Theresa Coates Ellis, Founder, Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival & Patron Manassas City Council Member
The Full Schedule
The complete schedule for the 6th Annual Manassas Bee Festival, June 20, 2026, at Liberia House & Grounds, Manassas. Image courtesy of Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival.
All Day
• 9:00 a.m. — Visitor Honey Hike OR Tractor Shuttle from Manassas Museum Lawn (9101 Prince William St.)
• Welcome Table with festival and Buzz Around Town local goods and information
• Pollinator and live honeybee demonstrations at the Apiary all day
Main Stage
• 10:00 a.m. — Opening remarks by sponsors and Theresa Coates Ellis, Founder
• 11:30 a.m. — Pollinator Costume Parade (begins at Backyard Stage)
• Waggle Dance and Spelling Bee
• Live music all day: The Longest Day of the Year with Blane Perry and Bob Ledbetter, and Stony Creek Bluegrass
• 2:00 p.m. — Festival Appreciation and Conclusion
Backyard Stage — Wellness & Nature Presentations
• 10:15 a.m. — Gong Baths/Sounds
• 10:45 a.m. — Yoga on the Lawn
• 11:15 a.m. — Drum Circle
• 11:30 a.m. — Pollinator Parade & Waggle Dance
• 12:00 p.m. — Soothing Sounds & Wellness
• 12:45 p.m. — Nature Walk on Trail with Expert
• 1:00 p.m. — Thai Chi / Qi Gong
• 1:30 p.m. — Gong Bath/Sounds
Wellness presentations by MedHealers and Perpetual Wellness.
What’s Waiting for You
The community apiary is on-site with live honeybee hives and native bee houses — with beekeepers and pollinator experts walking you through what you’re seeing. The Pollinator Costume Parade is exactly what it sounds like — and it is delightful. Dress like a bee. Dress like a butterfly. Dress like a monarch. Or just show up and watch the kids who did. There’s a Spelling Bee with prizes, Waggle Dance lessons, farm animals, live music, food trucks, a mead and beer garden, native plant vendors, local honey, crafts, and a cooling misting tent.
Taste the special Bee City Honey Lager brewed locally by Sinistral Brewing Company using local honey — also available at their downtown Manassas location.
Getting There — Parking & Shuttle
Parking and shuttle route for the Manassas Bee Festival. Park free at 8500 Public Works Dr. and take the tractor shuttle or walk the 2K Honey Hike from the Manassas Museum Lawn. Image courtesy of Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival.
No street parking at Liberia House. Here’s how to get there:
• Park at: 8500 Public Works Dr., Manassas (Public Works Parking Lot) — free
• Tractor Shuttle runs to and from the festival all day
• Honey Hike (2K walk): Pick up at Manassas Museum Lawn, 9101 Prince William St. Left on Main St., Right on Portner Ave., Stop at 8601 Portner Ave. Water station at Annaburg Manor wall on Portner Ave.
• Manassas Parking Garage: 9102 Prince William St.
• Two entrances to the grounds: Breeden Ave. Bridge Entrance and Mathis Avenue Entrance
A Historic Setting Worth Exploring
Liberia House — a 19th-century historic property — will be open for self-guided tours during the festival. The nonprofit has worked with Master Gardeners and local garden clubs to restore a native historic garden on the grounds. Liberia House likely maintained bees during its working years.
The Wander Manassas250 Photo Contest
New this year — the festival has launched the Wander Manassas250 Nature & History Photo Contest, encouraging residents and visitors to capture nature, wildlife, and historic places in Manassas. The contest runs through July 4, 2026, with winners announced on America250. Snap your best shot Saturday and enter at ManassasBeeFestival.com.
Why It Matters in a Developing County
Bees and other pollinators are responsible for roughly one-third of the food we eat. In Prince William County — where open land is disappearing quickly to data centers, warehouses, and development — preserving pollinator habitat and educating communities isn’t abstract. It’s urgent. The Manassas Bee Festival is the most joyful version of that conversation available.
Plan Your Visit
When: Saturday, June 20, 2026
Honey Hike departs: 9:00 a.m. from Manassas Museum Lawn, 9101 Prince William St. (self-paced, no sign-up)
Festival: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Liberia House and Grounds, 8601 Portner Ave., Manassas, VA
Cost: Free. Always.
More info: ManassasBeeFestival.com | @manassasbeefestival | (571) 247-6729
Wear comfortable shoes. Bring the kids. Stay for the mead. Learn the waggle dance. You won't regret it.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to the sponsors and supporters of the 6th Annual Manassas Bee Festival. Image courtesy of Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival.
Top Sponsors:
UVA Health Systems (Prince William), George Mason University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Earnest Gorham Jr. Realtor with Sampson Properties, City of Manassas
Supporting Sponsors:
Beautification Committee, The Bee Store, SFMC Inc., Sinistral Brewery, Capital Sculpture Garden and Winery and Mead, Olde Towne Landscaping, Perpetual Wellness, MedHealers, Local Honey Vendors, Prince William Regional Beekeepers, Prince William Master Gardeners, Naturalists, Mr. Handyman Manassas, Bright Path Manassas, GFWC Manassas Woman’s Club, Power Home Remodeling, Kerbobble Toys and Local Artists, Ashby Jewelers, Buzz Around Town, Security Title, Bull Run Rotary Club, Manassas Garden Club, Historic Manassas Inc., and many more.
Images courtesy of Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival.
The Woodbridge Gazette covers local news, events, and community life across Woodbridge, Occoquan, and Prince William County every Monday. Subscribe free at woodbridgegazette.com.