The 21st Annual Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival will be held on January 23-24, 2021, at our longtime festival home, Meadow Event Park, in Doswell. If you’ve never attended the Virginia Fly & Wine before, you should know that this building has a 20-foot-high ceiling, consists of a single highly polished concrete floor, and has multiple bathrooms.

We are taking steps to ensure the health and safety of our staff, vendors, and attendees:

• The Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival will operate in accordance with our governor’s Phase 3 mandate and Virginia Department of Health and CDC
• Building occupancy limits will be strictly enforced according to Virginia Department of Health guidelines. We strongly suggest that you purchase your tickets in advance.
• A six-foot space will separate vendor booths from one another on all sides–even from behind.
• We don’t enjoy wearing masks any more than you do. At this time, however, Virginia businesses must require patrons to wear masks while indoors. Assuming this law remains in effect when our doors open, all vendors and attendees will be required to wear masks at our event except while eating or drinking. The state does not consider the Virginia Fly & Wine an essential business like a grocery store; therefore state law does not allow us to waive the mask requirement for those with pre-existing health conditions. If you can’t wear a mask to our event, we respectfully request that you join us next year.  
• The exceptional Meadow Event Park staff and our own diligent volunteers will work together to ensure clean bathrooms, eating areas, and other common high-use areas.
• Our decorators have created wider aisles to ensure easier physical distancing and maximum vendor safety.
• Patrons will find convenient hand sanitizer stations throughout the building.
• We have significantly enlarged our specialty food and alcohol vending footprint to allow for social distancing.
• Vendors and instructors with body temperatures over 100 degrees will not be allowed to enter the building.
• All casting classes will be held outside, regardless of the weather.
• The size of lecture areas has been increased, and seating will be arranged to ensure physical distancing. This seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
• Paid classes sizes have been reduced, and seating for paid students will be pre-arranged to ensure social distancing.
• Wine tastings will be available but limited to ensure social distancing. Only disposable items will be used for wine tasting and purchasing this year.

Know that as a retired firefighter and paramedic with 30 years of experience, I take public health and safety very seriously. More than ever, this year the good health of our vendors and attendees is my primary concern. I will do everything in my power to ensure the safest, most informative, and most satisfying fly fishing event in the country.

I hope you join us in January.

God bless and stay safe,

Beau Beasley

Director, Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival