✉️ Opening Note
Dear Neighbors,
July 4th is less than two weeks away — and this year, America turns 250.
We’re building out a full Prince William County July 4th Guide on the website — the Dale City parade, fireworks in Old Town Manassas and Manassas Park, Quantico’s base celebration, and more, with new events added as we confirm them. Check back often between now and the Fourth.
Dom’s July 4th series continues — Part 2 lands this weekend. If you missed Part 1, The Setting: Summer in Philadelphia, 1776, it’s the kind of piece worth reading. Link below.
We also take you inside Rippon Lodge — a 1747 home right here in Woodbridge that holds some of the county’s deepest Revolutionary roots. It’s open to visitors, and it’s five dollars.
Plus: a $233 million courthouse expansion, a $50,000 Microsoft gift to a local food bank, regional farms hit hard by freeze and drought, and a hometown coach hits 300 wins.
— Marie & Dom, The Woodbridge Gazette
🌤️ This Week's Weather
After a hot, stormy weekend, the week opens warm with scattered storms, then cools sharply mid-week before warming back up — and rain returns toward the weekend.
🌦️ Monday, June 22 — Hi 89°F — Hot and humid with a 45% chance of rain. Still worth keeping an umbrella handy, especially in the afternoon.
⛈️ Tuesday, June 23 — Hi 76°F — A sharp cool-down, but with it comes a 75% chance of rain. This looks like the wettest day of the week — plan indoor backups for evening farmers market trips.
☀️ Wednesday, June 24 — Hi 83°F — Sunny and pleasant. Just a 5% rain chance — ideal for the Valor Awards at Hylton.
🌤️ Thursday, June 25 — Hi 86°F — Warming back up, mostly dry with just a 15% rain chance.
🌦️ Friday, June 26 — Hi 90°F — Humid with a couple of showers possible (30-45% chance).
☀️ Saturday, June 27 — Hi 88°F — Mostly sunny and less humid. Just a 1-2% rain chance — great news for the 257th Army Band concert in Occoquan.
🌧️ Sunday, June 28 — Hi 89°F — Afternoon showers likely (24-55% chance, sources vary), with heavier rain possible late in the day. Keep an eye on the radar if you're headed to the Sazón Latin Food Festival in Manassas.
🏛️Rippon Lodge — A Home That Holds Prince William’s Revolutionary Roots
Drive south on Blackburn Road in Woodbridge, past the neighborhoods and the ball fields, and you’ll find one of the oldest homes in Prince William County sitting quietly on a hill above Neabsco Creek.
Rippon Lodge was built in 1747 for Richard Blackburn — making it the second-oldest standing house in the county. But what makes it matter isn’t just its age. It’s what happened inside its walls, and who walked through them.
Richard Blackburn’s son Thomas helped organize Prince William County’s Revolutionary resistance against British authority. The Blackburn family later married into the Washington line — connecting this quiet Woodbridge property to the founding family of the nation itself.
Today, Rippon Lodge is open to visitors Friday through Monday, with a $5 admission. The grounds overlook Neabsco Creek and the surrounding woods — a landscape that has looked much the same for nearly three centuries.
This summer, as America marks its 250th birthday, Rippon Lodge is one of the most meaningful places you can visit without leaving Woodbridge. It’s not a museum in a city. It’s not a battlefield monument. It’s a home — one that tells the story of how this county helped build a country.
📍 15520 Blackburn Road, Woodbridge
Source: Potomac Local, June 18, 2026
🎆 Your Prince William County July 4th Guide
Photo Unsplash
America turns 250 this year, and we’re building out a full guide to celebrating Independence Day right here in Prince William County — fireworks in Old Town Manassas and Manassas Park, the Dale City parade, Quantico’s base celebration, and a few ideas if you’d rather skip the crowds.
We’re keeping the guide live and growing on the website as more details are confirmed — check back often between now and the Fourth.
📋 Dom’s July 4th Series
Photo: Unsplash
Our Military & Veterans Editor Dom Clementi’s July 4th series continues. Part 1, The Setting: Summer in Philadelphia, 1776, is on the website now. Part 2 lands this weekend.
📰 Your Weekly News Brief
🏛️ $233 Million Courthouse Expansion Moving Forward
Prince William County is devoting just over $233 million to renovating and expanding its judicial center, shared with Manassas and Manassas Park, over the next six fiscal years. The existing facility at 9311 Lee Ave. is already undergoing a separate $33.1 million renovation, while the larger $200 million expansion will add a new 12-courtroom building. Design is expected to be complete by September 2027, with construction starting September 2028 and wrapping in January 2031. (Source: InsideNoVa)
🚌 $160K in Transportation Planning Grants
Prince William County has received two $80,000 grants from the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board. The funding will support a countywide parking demand study and a neighborhood traffic study in the Maplewood area near Yorkshire. One finding from the planning board’s data: the county averages 2.6 vehicles per household — the highest rate in the region. (Source: InsideNoVa)
📢 Data Center Listening Tour Draws 100 to Manassas
State Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas brought her “Data Center Listening Tour” to a packed Manassas hotel ballroom on June 15, drawing about 100 residents from across Northern Virginia. Attendees voiced frustration over transparency, environmental impacts, and tax breaks for the industry. The town hall is part of the broader budget standoff in Richmond over a data center sales tax exemption that cost the state about $1.9 billion in 2025. The Senate convenes today, June 22; if no budget deal is reached by June 30, state services could be interrupted. (Sources: Prince William Times, WJLA/7News)
🤝 Microsoft Donates $50K to ACTS
Microsoft has made one of the largest corporate gifts ever received by Action in Community Through Service (ACTS), the Dumfries-based nonprofit fighting food insecurity in Prince William County. Bethany Allen, Microsoft’s community affairs manager, presented the $50,000 donation on June 13 to ACTS CEO Stanley Jones. Part of the money will go toward better refrigerated delivery vehicles for homebound seniors. Demand has grown sharply — ACTS now feeds 1,000 families a month, up from 730 when Jones became CEO in September 2023. The gift matches an earlier $50,000 donation from Dominion Energy this year. Microsoft, which operates several data centers in Prince William County, said it was looking to expand its philanthropic footprint here. (Source: Prince William Times)
🍑 Spring Freeze and Drought Hit Farms Supplying the Region
A brutal one-two punch of late spring freeze and ongoing drought has devastated orchards and hay farms across the region this year, with ripple effects reaching Prince William County’s food and farmers market scene. Fauquier County orchards — a major regional fruit source — report catastrophic losses: Hartland Orchard in Markham lost two-thirds of its peach crop, half its apples, and all its cherries, while nearby Green Truck Farm’s blueberry patch has almost no ripe fruit at all this year. Hay producers are reporting roughly 50% losses, with some already paying 30–40% more per bale to cover shortfalls — costs that tend to get passed down the line. Gov. Spanberger has asked the USDA to expedite disaster assistance, citing early statewide losses estimated between $32.4 million and $105.3 million. The takeaway for local shoppers: expect higher prices and thinner selection for stone fruit, berries, and hay-dependent products at farm stands and farmers markets across Northern Virginia this summer — including here in Prince William. (Source: Prince William Times)
⚽ Kevin Hilton Reaches 300-Win Milestone
Battlefield High School girls soccer coach Kevin Hilton has joined an exclusive club of Prince William County head coaches with 300 or more career wins, reaching the milestone in his 19th season at the Haymarket school. He joins a small group that includes names like Mike Covington (469 wins, Potomac baseball), Kendall Hayes (460, Potomac basketball), and Fred Milbert (446, Gar-Field/Colgan girls basketball). Congratulations, Coach. (Source: InsideNoVa)
📚 Free Library Service for Homebound Residents
Many Prince William County and Manassas residents may not know about this: Prince William Public Libraries offers Books by Mail, a free service for residents who can’t visit the library due to a temporary or permanent physical disability. Using USPS free matter mailing, the library sends large print books, audiobooks on CD, and DVDs directly to patrons — with both delivery and return postage covered and a pre-addressed return pouch included. Delivery takes up to a week, and registered patrons can place up to 20 items on hold and check out as many as 40 at a time. Place holds on the library’s online catalog and select Books by Mail as your pickup location. (Source: pwcva.gov)
🗳️ District 20 Special Election — Still Watching
Delegate Maldonado’s resignation took effect May 31. A special election for House District 20 appears likely to be folded into the November 3 general election ballot, but no official announcement has been made. We’ll update you as soon as one is confirmed.
📅 Events & What’s On
🦎 Raging Reptiles
Monday, June 22 | 10:30–11:30 a.m. | Free
Live reptile program featuring lizards from around the world — geckos, iguanas, tegus, and monitor lizards. Tokens distributed 30 minutes before start. Repeats June 26 at Haymarket Gainesville Community Library.
📍 Potomac Library, 2201 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge
🤝 Young Professionals Council Game Night
Tuesday, June 23 | 5–6:30 p.m.
Networking event with games and refreshments for young professionals in the Prince William business community.
📍 Prince William Chamber of Commerce, 9733 Buchanan Loop, Manassas
🏅 2026 Prince William Valor Awards
Wednesday, June 24 | 2–4:30 p.m. | Free
Annual ceremony honoring first responders and public safety personnel across Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park for acts of bravery and service. Public welcome.
📍 Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas
🎺 Sounds of Summer — 257th Army Band
Saturday, June 27 | Free
Free outdoor waterfront concert presented by the Town of Occoquan. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the river breeze.
📍 Historic Downtown Occoquan · visitoccoquan.com
🌶️ Sazón Latin Food Festival
Sunday, June 28
Latin food, music, and culture come to Old Town Manassas. A great way to close out June.
📍 Eavesdrop Brewery, Manassas
🌽 Weekly Farmers Markets
Dale City Farmers Market — Sundays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | 14090 Gemini Way, Dale City
Woodbridge Farmers Market (Long Family Markets) — Thursdays, 2–7 p.m. | 2300 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge
Historic Manassas Thursday Market — Thursdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | 9201 Center St., Manassas
Haymarket Farmers Market — Sundays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | 15000 Washington St., Haymarket
Gainesville Central Farm Market — Saturdays | 7500 Iron Bar Lane, Gainesville
Tackett’s Mill Farmers Market (new!) — Tuesdays, 3–6:30 p.m. | 2230 Tacketts Mill Drive, Lake Ridge
🌐 Now Live on the Website
Dom’s July 4th Series — Part 1: The Setting — Summer in Philadelphia, 1776.
🌹 Birth Flower of the Month
Photo: Unsplash
The Birth Flower(s) for the Month of June are:
The Rose, the most popular flower in the world, symbolizing love and appreciation.
Honeysuckle, a strong symbol for the everlasting bonds of love.
📣 Want to Reach Your Neighbors?
The Woodbridge Gazette goes out to readers across Woodbridge and Prince William County every Monday morning. Email us at [email protected] to find out about advertising.
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The Gazette is only as good as the neighborhood behind it — so tell us what you think. Too much in your inbox, not enough, hitting the mark? Hit reply and let us know. We read every response.
And if you've got a favorite family recipe, a hidden local gem, or something happening in your corner of Prince William County that deserves a mention — send it our way at [email protected]. You might just see it in a future issue.
💛 Until Next Monday
Our July 4th guide is live on the website. There’s a lot happening in Prince William County this week — the Valor Awards on Wednesday, the 257th Army Band on Saturday, and the Sazón Latin Food Festival to close out June.
Summer is here. Get out and enjoy it.
See you next Monday.
Marie Clementi
Publisher & Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Your weekly neighbor along the Potomac.
Domenic Clementi
Military & Veterans Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Honoring service. Covering community.
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