Saturday, August 22 · 12:00–9:00 PM · Eastern Divide Brewing, 3175 Commerce Street, Blacksburg · Free

Eastern Divide Brewing hosts its 6th Annual Dog Fest on Saturday, a nine-hour run of the brewery's most dog-forward day of the year. The setup is built for both ends of the leash: an off-leash dog run, a splash pad, and pup cups for the dogs; hot dogs, Eastern Divide brews, and Let's Aroo accessories for everyone else. A photo booth table doubles as the entry point for the "Dog of the Year" contest.

The beneficiary is Friends of Animal Care & Control – Montgomery County (MCFACC), the 501(c)(3) that has supported the Montgomery County Animal Care and Adoption Center since 2006 by staffing part-time shelter managers, funding veterinary care, and moving dogs to rescue partners. A portion of all Eastern Divide sales goes to the group, and bringing shelter wish-list donations gets you a discount at the bar.

Off-leash dog run, splash pad, and pup cups provided along with EDBC discounts when you bring a donation to be given to the shelters.

Event details · MCFACC

You may have heard about the Harvey Lee Price Park — 23 acres of creek, trails, and a historic homestead in Prices Fork Village, just outside town — that was headed for the auction block this summer. Well it case you hadn’t heard the outcome, here’s an update (it was saved!)

Unlike most parks around here, Price Park isn't publicly maintained. It's stewarded by the nonprofit Friends of the Rivers of Virgini. Half the property belonged to the Ed Swessinger Estate, and the tract containing the loop trail was scheduled to sell on July 16 through John Dixon and Associates. A private buyer could have ended public access entirely.

So the neighbors bought it themselves. A GoFundMe hit $35,000 by July 10 — exactly what was needed for the most essential tract. Acting park manager Randi Lemmon described how the campaign turned: "It started slow because word of mouth had not gotten out, and so we were really concerned — I'd say the first four or so days. Then word started getting out and it grew exponentially."

Here is the update from the GoFundMe from July 11th:

Since that update, The Virginia Tech Foundation has donated its remaining half interest in the park to Friends of the Rivers of Virginia, unifying ownership for the first time in the park's 16-year history.

Acting park manager and FORVA board member Randi Lemmon said Anne Yates, on learning the park was in jeopardy, wrote the Foundation a letter urging it to donate the land rather than sell it. The Foundation agreed. "Anne Yates has been a valued friend and supporter of Virginia Tech and the New River Valley community for many years," Virginia Tech spokesperson Mark Owczarski told The Roanoke Times. "To honor the community commitment of Anne and her grandfather, Virginia Tech is pleased to transfer its partial interest."

FORVA's mission is river protection and dam removal; it took the park on as an interim owner and indicated it wants to hand stewardship to a better-suited caretaker. With clear title, FORVA can move to transfer the land to the New River Land Trust and secure a permanent conservation easement.