Free Mother’s Day Tours at Gadsby’s Tavern & Apothecary Museums

Have a Historic Mothers Day

Two Alexandria museums, Gadsby's Tavern Museum and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, are pleased to offer free tours on Mother's Day for all visiting mothers! Treat Mom to a tour of these Old Town historic sites on Sunday, May 8, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

 

At Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Mom can tour the historic tavern and City Tavern made famous by John Gadsby. Notable visitors (other than your beloved mother) include Martha Washington, along with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. This day is also a special Family Tour Day at Gadsby's Tavern Museum, so your kids can learn about history from other kids! Junior Docents, volunteers from grades 3 through 7, will be stationed at each stop on the tour, including the taproom, bedchambers, ballroom, assembly room and dining room, so families can tour at their own pace.

 

At the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, treat the woman who took care of you to a tour of the place that took care of Alexandrians! Mom will enjoy the outstanding collection of medicinal herbs and botanicals, shop furnishings, apothecary bottles and equipment, many still in their original location. Be sure to look at the order for castor oil placed by Martha Washington in 1802!

 Mothers and grandmothers can tour both museums for free! Admission is $5 for all other adults and $3 for children (ages 5-12).

Gadsby's Tavern Museum is located at 134 North Royal Street, and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is located at105-107 South Fairfax Street.

For more information, please call703.746.4242 or visitwww.gadsbystavern.org andwww.apothecarymuseum.org.

Bull Riding at Frying Pan Park - Wow!

Cowboys and cowgirls from
Twisted K Ranch & Rodeo Productions are bringing the Wild West
to Frying Pan Farm Park. For the
first time in a very long time, the 1930s-era farm will host competitive
bull riding and barrel racing in the indoor arena. Who will hang on the
longest? Find out on Saturday, April 30, 2011. Doors open at 5
p.m.

Twisted K Productions of Loudoun County will showcase their best bull
riders, including a former Frying Pan farmhand. Barrel racers will
demonstrate their blazing speed and master horsemanship skills, while
funny clowns will crave attention from both the crowd and the bulls.
Children age 10 and under are encouraged to show off their boots,
buckles, and hats in the best dressed cowboy and cowgirl contest. Cowboys
will happily sign autographs.

The cost for tickets purchased in advance is $20 for adults and $15 for
ages 16 and younger. Tickets purchased at the door cost $25 for adults
and $20 for ages 16 and younger. Tickets for groups are only available in
advance and receive a 10% discount for 10 or more tickets. Seating is
limited. To purchase tickets, call the park at 703-437-9101.

This special event is presented in cooperation with the Friends
of Frying Pan Park, a
non-profit advocacy group that supports the park. Frying Pan
Farm Park is located at 2709
West Ox Road in Herndon, Va. For more information, call the park at
703-437-9101 or visit online.

Easter Egg Hunts this Weekend

Three Hunts Sponsored by Fairfax County Parks Department

Easter with a traditional Easter egg hunt at Mason District Park from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 23, 2011. Children ages one to nine years old can enjoy the moonbounce, popcorn, and more. Bring your own basket. Separate hunts will be held by age group. Hunts begin at 10:15 a.m. for ages one to two; 10:45 a.m. for ages three and four; 11:15 a.m. for ages five and six; and 11:45 a.m. for ages seven to nine. Walk-in registration is available. The cost is $7 per child. For more information, call 703-941-1065.



Registration is now open for the annual Easter Eggstravaganza at South Run RECenter. The event will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2011 for children ages eight and under. The festivities include an Easter egg hunt and face painting, pictures with the "Bunny" and arts and crafts. The registration cost is $10 per child. Register at South Run RECenter or by calling 703-866-0566. You don't want to miss this fun-filled event, so sign up today!

South Run RECenter is located at 7550 Reservation Drive in Springfield, VA.

Hop on over to Nottoway Park, for the annual Easter Egg Hunt Celebration on April 23, 2011 at 11 a.m. for children ages one to nine years old.

Children are divided by age group and will hunt for eggs full of treats and win special prizes. Participants must bring their own basket. There will be a special appearance by the Easter Bunny as well!

Walk-in registration only starting at 9:30 a.m. Admission is $7 per child. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Nottoway Park. All proceeds will be donated to Nottoway Park improvements.

The program will be cancelled if it's raining! Call 703-324-8566 after 8:30 a.m. for a cancellation update.

For more information call 703-324-8566. Nottoway Park is located at 9537 Courthouse Road, Vienna, VA 22181.

Directions: Take Beltway Exit 49 (Route I-66) west to exit at Route 243 or Nutley Street north. Turn left on Courthouse Road from Nutley Street and the park entrance will be on the left.

EARTH DAY at River Farm with the American Horticultural Society and Patch Friday, April 22, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Bring a picnic lunch and the entire family for fun earth-friendly activities!

Co-sponsored by Patch, this event is free of charge. Call (703) 768-5700 ext. 133for more details. Rain or shine (activities will be held indoors in the event of rain).Arts & Crafts, Story Time with Mother Earth, Recycling Activities, Plant and Seed Giveaways and much more!River Farm, headquarters of the American Horticultural Society, is located at 7931 East Boulevard Drive in Alexandria, Virginia,about four miles south of Old Town Alexandria on the GW Parkway. Situated on 25 acres of landscaped lawns and gardens,River Farm is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding national holidays, and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from early April through September 25. For directions, visit www.ahs.org/river_farm/directions.htm.