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County Turns to Agritourism to Save Farmland | New Retail Co-op Opens on Center Street | George Mason Plans a 600-Foot Pier at Belmont Bay

Your weekly guide to what's happening in Prince William County, Va.

26 Aug

Issue #26-238 · Wednesday, August 26, 2026

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In this Go Prince William County, Va Issue… the county makes its case for turning farms into destinations, three owners open a shared storefront on Center Street, and George Mason plans to run a pier 600 feet out into the Occoquan. Downstairs: a warm, mostly dry weekend for once — a Capitals defenseman signing autographs at a Manassas brewery, pirates at Madigan’s, and 35 nightlife listings from Gainesville to Woodbridge.

Quick Bites

  • County Turns to Agritourism to Save Farmland

    A year-long study by the consultancy Agritecture recommends the county offer direct cash assistance to agritourism operations, streamline permitting, hire staff dedicated to helping farmers, and fold wineries, breweries and distilleries into agricultural zoning as by-right uses. Of 316 active farms countywide, only nine currently have an agritourism component — and those that do bring in more than double the revenue of those that don’t. The backdrop is the 117,000-acre rural crescent, where data-center land now commands upwards of $3 million an acre and housing around $500,000. Tourism director Kevin Costello frames it as giving farmers an alternative to selling. The recommendations go to the Board of County Supervisors. (PW Times)

  • New Retail Co-op Opens on Center Street

    Gathered on Center has opened at 9082 Center Street in historic downtown Manassas — a shared storefront run by Terri Johnson, Karissa Terry and Jasmine Oglesby, stocking an evolving mix of locally curated goods and gifts from a rotating roster of small vendors, among them Bejeweled Era’s permanent jewelry. It takes over the former Black Metal Mercantile space, and that shop’s owner helped get the new venture off the ground. Hours and the current vendor list live on their Facebook page. (Potomac Local)

  • George Mason Plans a 600-Foot Pier at Belmont Bay

    George Mason has rolled out designs for a new pier running roughly 600 feet from shore into the Occoquan River at its Potomac Science Center in Woodbridge. It replaces a shallow-water pier that limits what researchers can reach, and adds a floating dock off a gangway with room to berth a 40-foot research vessel plus several smaller boats. The science center works on water quality, aquatic life and watershed processes, and runs outreach with regional schools — and researchers plan a fish telemetry monitoring system the public will be able to follow online. Still in design; completion is expected by the end of 2027. (InsideNova)

Upcoming Local Events

Weather

Friday

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Saturday

86 🌡️ 67 | 🌤️ | 20% | 💨 light

Sunday

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Nightlife

08/28/26 - Friday

08/29/26 - Saturday

08/30/26 - Sunday

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