News from Crozet, Virginia
What just happened in town.
Curated links to Crozet Gazette stories, RealCrozetVA, county notices, and other local coverage. We link out; we don’t republish.
King Family Vineyards·Jun 15
King Family hosts Crozet July 4 fireworks for the third year
Since 2024 the village's July 4 fireworks have launched from King Family Vineyards' back acreage at 9:30 PM, with the Blue Ridge as the backdrop. 2026 is the 250th US independence anniversary.
Read at King Family Vineyards
Crozet Festival·Apr 30
Spring Arts & Crafts Festival returns to Claudius Crozet Park
The 46th Crozet Arts & Crafts Festival returns May 9 and 10 with 125+ juried artists, food trucks, live music, and kids' activities. All proceeds benefit the community-owned Claudius Crozet Park.
Read at Crozet Festival
Crozet Gazette·Apr 25
Valley Road Vineyards earns 2026 Virginia Governor's Cup
Valley Road Vineyards' 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve, made by winemaker Corry Craighill, won Virginia's top wine award this year. Two other Crozet-area producers also picked up gold medals.
Read at Crozet Gazette
Albemarle County·Apr 8
Crozet Master Plan: Q2 implementation update
The Crozet Community Advisory Committee marked another milestone in the 2021 Master Plan rollout, focused this quarter on the Library Avenue extension and the Three Notch'd Trail planning study.
Read at Albemarle County
VDOT Culpeper District·Mar 13
Route 240/250/680 roundabout open to traffic
After eleven months of construction, VDOT's roundabout connecting Three Notch'd Road, Rockfish Gap Turnpike, and Browns Gap Turnpike opened to drivers. Finishing work continues for several weeks.
Read at VDOT Culpeper District
Grace Estate Winery·Mar 4
Grace Estate Winery wins two 2026 Governor's Cup Golds
The 2021 Odo Red Wine and 2022 Slope of Grace Cabernet Franc were both awarded Gold Medals in the 2026 Virginia Governor's Cup. Three Gold Medals in two years for winemaker Jack Busching.
Read at Grace Estate Winery
Albemarle County Parks·Feb 22
Mint Springs Valley Park dam project enters phase two
Crews completed phase one of the Upper and Middle dam upgrade at Mint Springs. The state-funded $2.1 million engineering project is on track for December 2026 completion. Park trails remain open throughout.
Read at Albemarle County Parks
Crozet Gazette·Feb 6
Crozet Park aquatics & fitness center campaign re-launches publicly
After a redesign and 2025 site-plan resubmission, Crozet Park's $15M capital campaign for the 45,000 sq ft aquatics and fitness center entered the public phase.
Read at Crozet Gazette
Crozet Gazette·Jan 18
Pleasant Green plan preserves 1815 Wayland House
Stanley Martin Homes' 238-unit Pleasant Green development includes restoration of the 1815 Ficklin-Wayland farmhouse, where Claudius Crozet himself reportedly lodged while surveying the Blue Ridge crossing.
Read at Crozet Gazette
Pro Re Nata Brewery·Dec 7
Pro Re Nata Brewery's Holiday Market sells out food truck slots
Dr. John Schoeb's Rockfish Gap Turnpike brewery hosted its annual December market with Santa arriving on the CVFD ladder truck. Twenty vendors and three food trucks across the day.
Read at Pro Re Nata Brewery
Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation·Nov 21
Blue Ridge Tunnel marks five years since reopening
The 4,273-foot Crozet-engineered tunnel reopened as a public trail on November 21, 2020 after 76 years of dormancy. Since then it has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Afton portal.
Read at Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation
Starr Hill Brewery·Nov 13
Starr Hill's bluegrass jam continues twelfth year of monthly Thursdays
The Bluegrass Jam Session, free and open to anyone with an instrument, has run on the second Thursday of every month at the Crozet taproom for over a decade. One of the village's standing live-music institutions.
Read at Starr Hill Brewery
Crozet Trails Crew·Oct 25
Crozet Trails Crew adds Powell's Creek Trail mileage
Founded 2009 by Dan Mahon and Jessica Mauzy, CTC continued its volunteer trail-building program with new mileage on the Powell's Creek Trail near Pleasant Green. Annual 5K/10K starts at Crozet Park in late October.
Read at Crozet Trails Crew
Crozet Volunteer Fire Department·Oct 12
Crozet Volunteer Fire Department turns 115
Founded in 1910, CVFD remains an all-volunteer organization. The current station was built in 1985 and remodeled in 2009. The annual Christmas Parade ends at the firehouse with Santa.
Read at Crozet Volunteer Fire Department
Crozet Library / JMRL·Oct 4
Crozet Library hosts Book Fest with Bluebird & Co.
The annual Crozet Book Fest, organized with Bluebird Books, brought authors and panels to the 2020 Library Avenue branch. Library Manager noted record turnout for the keynote.
Read at Crozet Library / JMRL
Henley's Orchard Estate Cidery·Sep 25
Henley's Orchard kicks off HenleyFest weekends in October
The Holly Hill Farm cidery's annual fall festival returns for every weekend in October. Live music, food trucks, hard cider, peach wine. Founded in 1932 by Joseph T. Henley, Sr.
Read at Henley's Orchard Estate Cidery
Chiles Family Orchards·Sep 19
Chiles Peach Orchard's 14th annual Fall Into Fun Festival opens pumpkin patch
Apple butter making, pie contest, hayrides, and the official opening of the pumpkin patch. The 113-year-old Virginia Century Farm draws families from across central Virginia mid-September.
Read at Chiles Family Orchards
Albemarle CiderWorks·Aug 20
Albemarle CiderWorks expands Apple Harvest Festival lineup
The Shelton family's North Garden cidery added live music every Saturday and a monthly Silent Book Club through the spring. Annual Apple Harvest Festival anchors the fall calendar.
Read at Albemarle CiderWorks
RealCrozetVA·Aug 12
Old Trail Village Center adds new tenants
Old Trail's small commercial cluster on Heathercroft Circle continued its slow build-out with new service tenants in 2025. The neighborhood has grown to roughly 4,000 residents since groundbreaking in the early 2000s.
Read at RealCrozetVA
Smoked Kitchen and Tap·Jul 22
Smoked Kitchen and Tap wins central Virginia BBQ judges' panel
The Piedmont Place flagship of Justin van der Linde's Smoked BBQ Co. picked up another regional ranking. The food truck origin still operates on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall.
Read at Smoked Kitchen and Tap
Western Albemarle High School·Jun 1
WAHS swimming and rowing add to state-championship totals
Western Albemarle's swimming program continued its state-championship run, and the rowing program added another VASRA title in spring 2025. The school has now produced two recent Olympians (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024).
Read at Western Albemarle High School
Crozet Gazette·May 15
Crozet Crêpe Company opens at Clover Lawn
Crozet residents Matt and Julia Franz, both veteran chefs, opened a creperie in the former Jax's space on Rockfish Gap Turnpike. Sweet and savory crepes plus standard breakfast, Tue–Sun.
Read at Crozet Gazette
Praha Bohemian Bakery·Apr 26
Praha Bohemian Bakery marks two years on Three Notch'd Road
Owner Markéta Johnson's Czech bakery has built a daily following since opening in April 2023. Kolache, medovnik, and vánočka anchor the case. Coffee from Crucible Coffee in Staunton.
Read at Praha Bohemian Bakery
Crozet Gazette·Jan 15
Crozet Hardware Co. enters its 76th year on The Square
Independent hardware store founded by Norman Gillum in 1949, run since 1984 by Rick Ruscher. Around 10,000 items, 50,000 lbs of bird seed annually, and an African Gray parrot in the office.
Read at Crozet Gazette
Frequently asked questions
Do you write your own news articles?
No. Claudius Crozet is a curation layer, not a newsroom. We link out to original coverage at the Crozet Gazette, RealCrozetVA, county notices, and other primary sources. Reporters get the full credit and the full traffic.
How are stories selected?
We surface coverage that affects Crozet specifically — county and town policy decisions, local development, school news, business openings and closings, public-safety advisories, and notable cultural events.
How frequently is the news feed updated?
We refresh several times a week. Submissions and tips are added within a few business days of receipt.
Can I subscribe?
A weekly digest is in development for Q3 2026. In the meantime, the page is the canonical view; bookmark it or check back weekly.
How do I report a story or correction?
Send tips via the Contribute page or hello@claudiuscrozet.com. For corrections to a story we link to, contact the original publisher directly — we don't edit anyone else's reporting.