The Virginia Wine Festival is no longer coming to Tysons.
The festival informed ticket-holders overnight that its upcoming stay at Lerner Town Square (8025 Galleria Drive) on May 31 has been canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” one prospective attendee told FFXnow.
A spokesperson confirmed that the festival has been called off after an unanticipated loss of funding.
“Unfortunately, we lost our key financial backer due to the workforce reductions impacting their core business,” the festival spokesperson said. “It is very disappointing all around, but we hope to regroup and bring the event back in the future.”
All ticket-holders will receive a full refund within the next five to 10 days, the festival says. The refunds are currently being processed by the ticketing platform Tixr.
Founded in 1977, the Virginia Wine Festival was set to visit Tysons for the first time for its 47th edition, drawing over 30 wineries from across the state. The festival most recently visited One Loudoun in Ashburn in 2022.
The festival was scheduled to last from 4-9 p.m. and would’ve included exclusive wine tastings, pairings with food from local chefs, live musical performances and an artisan market. General admission tickets cost $55, while $125 VIP tickets included expedited entry, a private lounge and other perks.
The festival was organized by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, which promotes wine from the eastern U.S., with support from the event consulting company CoFestCo and Neighborhood Restaurant Group, an Alexandria-based collective that includes more than a dozen restaurants, a wine shop, breweries and other food service establishments.
The company didn’t elaborate on which financier had backed out, but the D.C. region is starting to see rising unemployment, slowing home sales and other signs portending an economic slump as the federal government slashes funding and fires workers.
Two major employers in Fairfax County — Mitre in Tysons and Reston-based Leidos — confirmed last month that they will lay off workers after losing federal government contracts, and many other companies are likely taking similar steps. Grant cancellations also have local arts organizations and nonprofits bracing for upheaval.
