At more than 2,500’ above sea level, Rural Retreat, Virginia, is the highest point on Norfolk-Southern’s entire railway line between Norfolk and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Despite the community’s elevation, however, the Rural Retreat Depot Foundation will be hosting a beachfest music event Saturday, August 1 at the Rural Retreat Fairgrounds.

At least four beach music bands are slated to perform at the event, including Jim Quick & Coastline, Band of Oz, Fantastic Shakers and the Atlantic Groove Band.

Gates for the event will open at 11 a.m. with the first band set to begin at 1 p.m. Live entertainment is slated to continue throughout the afternoon, wrapping up sometime around 9 o’clock that evening.

“This is going to be a fun way to wrap up summer,” said Vicki Sprouse, who is the organizer of the event.

Among the entertainers on tab for the show will be Fantastic Shakers, a Carolina band first organized in September 1978 and known as the “South’s Finest Show Band.”

Sprouse says that admission to the all-day event has been set at $20 per person and that concessions will be available – the concert is a ‘bring your own chair’ event.

Proceeds from the beachfest will be used in the restoration efforts of the Rural Retreat Depot, a historic railroad station located in the heart of downtown Rural Retreat.

Built around the year 1870, the structure is one of the oldest railroad stations in southern Virginia, and one of only two to survive from the American Reconstruction Era.

Sprouse and local leaders in Rural Retreat hope to see the historic building fully renovated so that it can become an epicenter for activity in the community.

“We’re working with Virginia Tech to bring events to the depot and believe that the facility will be an asset to Rural Retreat,” said Sprouse, adding, “The building will provide numerous cultural enrichment and educational opportunities for local residents.”

The depot is already being used on Wednesday afternoons for a local farmers market, as well as
periodical auctions and other events.

Individuals interested in learning more about the Rural Retreat Beachfest or the Rural Retreat Depot
Foundation are encouraged to contact Vicki Sprouse by calling 276-356-3235 or via email:
[email protected].

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For the second year in a row, coaches and referees participating in Wythe County Youth Football and Cheerleading will be required to undergo a one-hour concussion training workshop prior to the fall 2015 football season.

Preventing youth concussions is a major priority for the county’s youth football league and Wythe County Parks & Recreation officials have made educating participants its number one goal.

“Education is power and we’re doing everything we can to make for sure that the parents, referees and coaches have all the resources they need to keep kids safe,” said Scotty Vaught, the county’s youth sports coordinator.

Vaught, who has worked in youth athletics for over eighteen years, said the league is going out of its way to prevent concussions from ever happening in the first place.

“Our coaches are training the players on how to properly tackle so as to reduce the risk of concussion. The parents are receiving literature detailing concussion prevention – we’re taking this very seriously.”

In the event of a concussion, the county is also taking a proactive stance in treatment.

In partnership with Heartland Rehabilitation Services, the county will be hosting a mandatory concussion seminar for all football and cheerleading coaches and referees.

The hour-long event will be held at Wytheville Community College in 218 Carroll Hall.

“We realize that a lot of people are vacationing in July and so we’re holding two separate workshops – this will ensure everyone is able to attend at least one of the courses,” said Vaught.

The two seminars are scheduled for Thursday, July 16 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, July 28 at 7 p.m.

Traci Roberts, who serves as Heartland’s regional director of operations will be the primary speaker for both events, while Vaught will be fielding questions pertaining to youth football protocol and policies.

The seminar will provide volunteers with information relating to how to spot signs of concussions, common symptoms, as well as how to administer pre-arrival care to athletes who may have suffered from a concussion.

Parents will also be given concussion related information at the start of the football season.

Individuals wishing to learn more about the concussion workshop are encouraged to contact Scotty Vaught: (276) 223-4518 or [email protected].

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Visitors to Rural Retreat Lake in Wythe County will have yet another reason to smile this summer, as the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF) has just completed work on a second fishing pier at the 90-acre impoundment – this one being located on the southern shoreline of the lake, roughly 1,000 yards from the dam.

According to DGIF officials, the pier, which has been constructed in the shape of a “T,” extends approximately 69 feet from the bank and nearly 79 feet across the width of the “T”.

“We’re pleased with the investment DGIF has made in the lake and are certain that visitors to our campground will appreciate additional opportunities to fish,” said Kevin Williams, Director of Parks and Recreation for Wythe County.

Wythe County tourism officials say that 2015 has been a spectacular year for the lake, as numerous improvements and renovations have been made to the park.

“Last month, we were named by the Virginia Tourism Corporation one of the ‘13 Favorite Virginia Campgrounds for Summer,’ last week a local high school student caught a four-and-a-half foot long fish at the lake, and this week, DGIF unveiled a top-notch fishing pier,” said Jeremy T.K. Farley, Tourism Director for Wythe County, adding, “It’s just been a great season for the lake!”

In addition to the national publicity and visible improvements, DGIF has implemented several ‘behind-the-scenes’ enhancements to the impoundment.

The entrance to the emergency spillway was widened to be certain that water could enter and flow through as needed during a major storm event and an electronic rain gauge that links to emergency officials in Richmond was installed.

The Rural Retreat Lake is a partnership between Wythe County and DGIF – Wythe County manages the campground and surrounding facilities, while DGIF owns the impoundment.

In addition to the 74 primitive and RV-hookup campsites, the Rural Retreat Lake Park & Campground also includes the 90-acre fishing lake, a stocked trout pond, numerous hiking trails, picnic shelters, junior Olympic size pool and adjoining kiddy pool, 9-hole Frisbee golf course, and children’s playgrounds.

The campground’s official website is www.RuralRetreatLake.org. Individuals wishing to contact the campground may do so by calling (276) 686-4331.

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Last week, the Virginia Tourism Corporation named Wythe County’s Rural Retreat Lake as one of the Commonwealth’s “13 Favorite Campgrounds,” this weekend, a local high school student from Rural Retreat proved why the county managed park made the cut.

Saturday evening, Harley Mitchell, 17, was fishing from a boat with friends inside the 90-acre lake when he hooked what may have been a state record fish, a grass carp measuring nearly 4.5 feet in length.

According to Mitchell, it took him more than twenty-five minutes to reel in the mammoth fish and when he made it to shore, there were no scales capable of registering the weight of the fish.

Mitchell and his friends had their pictures taken with the carp and measured the fish, documenting its length to be 52.5 inches (4’ 4.5”).

If their measurement is correct, the fish at Rural Retreat Lake surpasses the largest documented catch of a grass carp in the entire nation. According to LandBigFish.com, the nation’s top grass carp was caught at West Virginia’s Warden Lake in 2005 and measured only 50.75” in length – nearly two inches shorter than this weekend’s catch at Rural Retreat Lake.

“We measured it from the tip of the snout to the fork in the tail,” said Mitchell, adding that he released the fish back into the lake after taking pictures to prove his catch.

Officials from the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries say grass carp were introduced to the lake nearly 20 years ago as a means of controlling weeds.

Despite the fact that grass carp eat up to three times their body weight each day, the fish can be extremely difficult to catch due to their vegetarian habits and skittish nature.

“Mr. Mitchell’s catch over the weekend serves as a perfect reminder as to why so many people choose to vacation at Wythe County’s Rural Retreat Lake & Campground,” stated Jeremy T.K. Farley, Wythe County’s Tourism Director.

Kevin Williams, who serves as the county’s director of Parks & Recreation, echoed those same sentiments.

“It’s been a big year for the lake, last week we were included in Virginia Tourism’s ‘13 Favorite Virginia Campgrounds For Summer’ article and then this weekend we have a local high school student reel in what may have been a national record.”

Williams said that a lot of work from numerous governmental agencies go in to maintaining the lake and campground and that the county staff who works at the campground take great pride in the memories they help to create.

Rural Retreat Lake is managed by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries and the campground is managed by the Wythe County Department of Parks & Recreation.

The lake has a healthy population of muskies, northern pike and largemouth bass.

Individuals interested in making camping reservations at the Rural Retreat Lake may call (276) 686-4331.

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With over 100 miles in hiking trails and dozens of playgrounds, campgrounds and recreation parks, Wythe County tourism officials are touting the many outdoor recreation opportunities available to visitors and county residents.

This Friday, May 15, the Rural Retreat Lake & Campground Park will open to campers for the 2015 season.

The campground, which is managed by the Wythe County Department of Parks & Recreation, is located on the banks of the Rural Retreat Lake – a 90-acre impoundment owned by the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.

The price for camping at the lake is unchanged from last year at $18 per night for primitive sites and $28 per night for sites with water and electricity. Wythe County residents will receive an additional 10% off their purchase price.

Highlighting the campground’s opening weekend will be the Youth Fishing Day, slated for Saturday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. During this time, fishing at the lake’s stocked trout pond will be reserved exclusively for children ages 15 and under. Adult supervision is required for all participants – the Rural Retreat Lake will remain open to anglers of all ages throughout the entire day Saturday.

In addition to the Rural Retreat Lake & Campground Park, the county also manages parks in Wytheville (Ager Park) and Max Meadows (Max Meadows Community Field).

Ager Park is an 18-acre recreational park located near Fairview Industrial Park in Wytheville. The park features a +10,000 sq. ft. children’s playground, two baseball / softball fields, two tennis courts, batting cage, picnic pavilion and a basketball court.

The Max Meadows Community Field offers a quarter-mile long walking track and multi-purpose field for baseball, soccer and community events.

The county’s parks and recreation department allows private citizens the opportunity to reserve the Max Meadows Community Field and pavilions at Ager Park and Rural Retreat Lake.

Residents wishing to make a reservation for the fields, pavilions or campsites are encouraged to contact the Wythe County Parks & Recreation Department 276-223-4519.

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Local businesses and community organizations throughout Wythe County are teaming together in support of the Rural Retreat Fiddler’s Convention, scheduled for July 3rd and 4th of this year. The fiddler’s convention is being organized by the Rural Retreat – Wythe County Fair Association and will be held at the association’s fairgrounds, located on Rural Retreat Lake Road, just south of the community of Rural Retreat.

The event will feature at least thirteen different competitions, offering over $3,500 in prizes and rosettes to winners.
Competitions will include old time banjo, old time fiddle, bluegrass banjo, bluegrass fiddle, guitar, autoharp, mandolin, harmonica, dance, folksong, old time band, bluegrass band and youth.

The youth competition will kick the event off Friday, July 3rd, at 6 p.m., while other events will be held throughout the following day, Saturday, July 4th.

In addition to the competitions, the 2015 fiddler’s convention will also include a performance by the renowned bluegrass group known as “Spirit Fiddle,” who is slated to perform following youth competition Friday evening.

“Spirit Fiddle” has performed at a wide range of venues throughout the world, including The Boston Museum of Fine Arts as well as the Fiddler’s Grove Festival, the oldest continuous old time fiddler’s contest in North America.

Jim Lloyd, who is a director with the Rural Retreat — Wythe County Fair Association, is helping to organize the festival.

According to Lloyd, registration for the competitions will take place at the fairgrounds and camping fees for the event have been set at $10 per night.

“We want to encourage people to come out and celebrate America’s independence by enjoying some old fashioned Appalachian pick ’n,” stated Lloyd.

The festival is just one of more than eight different events scheduled throughout Wythe County for July 4th, according to Wythe County Tourism director Jeremy Farley.

“Whether you’re interested in music, car racing or traditional fireworks, Wythe County will have something for you this Independence Day,” said Farley, who encourages county residents to check out the calendar of events on the county’s official tourism website, www.VisitWythe.us.

“It’s been a long cold winter and we’re excited to kick-off summer with so many community events scheduled for 2015,” remarked the tourism director.

Individuals wishing to obtain more information concerning the Rural Retreat Fiddler’s Convention are encouraged to contact Jim Lloyd: 276-686-5976 / [email protected].

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The Wythe County Department of Tourism has announced that the county will again be participating in the second annual “U.S. 21 Road Market,” scheduled for July 24, 25 and 26, 2015.

The three-day road market is the product of the multistate initiative known as “Take a Break from the Interstate,” and is designed to encourage economic activity along U.S. Route 21.

This year’s road market has expanded by more than 30 miles and will stretch from Wytheville to Harmony, North Carolina, featuring hundreds of yard sales, street sales and community events along the historic route.

“Going into last year’s inaugural road market, no one really knew what to expect,” stated Wythe County Tourism Director Jeremy Farley, adding, “By the end of the weekend, we were hearing stories of downtown restaurants having record sales days. I think there’s no question that the event did what it was supposed to do – bring people into Wythe County.”

County officials are encouraging residents who live along U.S. 21 (Grayson Turnpike) to consider hosting a yard sale during this weekend in order to maximize Wythe County’s participation in the multi-state initiative.

“Our goal is that motorists from North Carolina who travel north for the road market event will choose to stay in Wythe County and enjoy the many community events scheduled for this weekend,” said Farley.

According to the county spokesperson, Wythe County will be hosting a litany of events for visitors and county residents to choose from during the Road Market weekend:
• The Listening Room House Concert at Ron Ireland Studio (7/24 at 7 p.m.)
• The Rural Retreat Heritage Day Parade (7/25 at 11 a.m.)
• Mountain Top Music at Big Walker Lookout (7/25 at 2 p.m.)
• Dirt Track Racing at Wythe Raceway (7/25 at 7:30 p.m.)
• Rural Retreat Concert featuring Gene Watson & Johnny Lee (7/25 at 8 p.m.)
• Barrel Racing at Rural Retreat Fairgrounds (7/26 at 2 p.m.)
• Mountain Top Music at Big Walker Lookout (7/26 at 2 p.m.)

Individuals wishing to learn more about the U.S. 21 Road Market are encouraged to visit the initiative’s official website, www.US21RoadMarket.org, or call the county’s tourism office (276-223-4522).

A limited number of yellow “Take a Break from the Interstate: US 21” yard signs are available to residents in Wythe County and the Town of Wytheville. The signs may be obtained at the Wytheville Heritage Center, located at 115 W. Spiller St. in Wytheville.

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Rural Retreat, Va. – Wythe County’s Rural Retreat Lake Campground Park will be hosting “Kids Fishing Day,” Saturday, May 16th.

The annual initiative, which is intended to encourage youth to become anglers, is made possible thanks to a cooperative partnership between the Wythe County Department of Parks & Recreation and the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF).

Registration for the free event is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. at the lake’s trout pond, with youth fishing commencing at 9 a.m. and lasting until 1 p.m.

During this time, fishing at the lake’s stocked trout pond will be reserved exclusively for children ages 15 and under. Adult supervision is required for all participants.

Upon registering, participants will be entered into a drawing for multiple prizes – county workers will be drawing winners throughout the day.

In addition to having DGIF wildlife experts on site, instructors from Trout Unlimited will also be providing participating children and their parents with instructions on how to fly-fish.

“This is an annual event which seems to keep getting better each year,” stated Kevin Williams, Wythe County Parks & Recreation director.

Williams said members of the Rural Retreat Wythe County Fair Association will be setting up a concession booth at the lake’s camp store, selling drinks and hotdogs to park visitors during kid’s fishing day.

“We’re excited about the level of participation the local community has shown for this year’s kids’ fishing day – local businesses donating prizes, community organizations promoting it, even families participating – all of this is necessary,” said Williams.

Though the lake remains open year round for fishing, boating and hiking, the campground opens to the public on Friday, May 15th.

“We’re hoping local families will make a weekend of this event and camp at the lake Friday night, then participate in the youth fishing event Saturday morning,” stated Williams.

According to park officials, campers who reside in Wythe County will receive a 10% discount throughout the entire 2015 season.

The trout pond will reopen to the general public after the event has ended. The Rural Retreat Lake will remain open to anglers of all ages throughout the entire day Saturday.

Individuals interested in camping at the Rural Retreat Lake Campground are encouraged to make a reservation by calling 276-223-4519.

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