— The Middleburg Business and Professional Association wants area residents to know that Middleburg offers everything you need.

“Our main thrust this year with the association is to get the locals to stay in town, use the services, shop and dine here as much as possible,” said MBPA President Punkin Lee, as the association kicked off its first Biz Buzz networking event for 2020 at The Middleburg Barn on Feb. 11. “We have everything here, so we just have to remind them,” she added.

The business association plans to work with the Town of Middleburg to ramp up efforts to encourage locals to stay in town, while attracting area residents as well. Plans for this year include a special Friday night event that would occur once a month from April-October, as well as more attractions during the holiday season. “We are working on that, first and foremost, to carry Christmas in Middleburg beyond the first Saturday and make it a celebration for the entire month,” Lee said.

The Middleburg Business and Professional Association also plans to expand its offerings for members this year, including a monthly morning meeting focused on business topics and town issues, a newly redesigned website and more videos on its social feeds.

MBPA expanded its reach in 2019, with almost 69,000 users on its website in 2019, an 11% increase from the year before. The association now has more than 5,000 followers on Facebook and almost 3,000 followers on Instagram, as its audience continues to grow. Facebook ads for 2019 reached nearly 25,000 people, a 37% increase from the previous year.

The Biz Buzz was also an opportunity for The Middleburg Barn, which opened at Fox Chase Farm in 2017, to tout some of its offerings to Middleburg’s business community, including yoga starting in March. The Middleburg Barn also offers a bi-weekly business resource center intended to help business owners grow their business. The next meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 17, from 9-10 a.m.

The Middleburg Barn also holds regular business workshops, including an April 24 workshop focused on budgeting and cash flow.

Also of note from the meeting: Jim Herbert was recently recognized by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Middleburg Town Council for his work on Christmas in Middleburg, which remains the town’s most successful tourism event. “When you see him on the street, thank him,” Lee said.

In business news, several new businesses have opened around town, including Wild Hare Cider, Elysium Massage on South Madison St., Premier Promotional Products and Countryside Confections. Also of note: nominations for Visit Loudoun awards are due Feb. 28 and the 2020 census will begin in mid-March.

The town is also preparing for the biggest sale of the season, Middleburg’s Winter Weekend Sale, which will be held Feb. 14-16. Look for the blue and white balloons throughout town fr participating businesses.

Other upcoming events of note include:

  • “It’s All About Love!” at Emmanuel Parish House (Feb. 16 | 3 p.m.): Join us at the Parish House as bass James Shaffran and soprano Mary Shaffran sing timeless duets and St. Valentine’s Day favorites. Reserve a seat at 540-687-6297.
  • “The Biggest Little Farm” at The Hill School (Feb. 21 | 5:30-8:30 p.m.): The Land Trust of Virginia and the Goose Creek Association bring you “The Biggest Little Farm,” the acclaimed film that chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature.
  • Art of the Piedmont at the Middleburg Community Center (Feb. 21 | 6-9 p.m.): Best place to get the best local art for your home or a friend’s all while supporting Middleburg Montessori School’s great work in our community!
  • “Celebrate Strings!” at Middleburg United Methodist Church (March 22 | 4 p.m.): Violinist Aaron Jacobs from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Russian pianist Tatiana Shustova, and cellist Amy Catron from Millikin University will perform works by Russian composers Prokofiev and Shostakovich and American contemporary composer and artist Jennifer Higdon.
  • “Phyllis Mills Wyeth: A Celebration” at the National Sporting Library & Museum (Through June 28): This memorial exhibition celebrating the life of Phyllis Mills Wyeth (November 13, 1940–January 14, 2019) features a selection of portraits created by her husband, contemporary artist Jamie Wyeth.

The next Biz Buzz will be held at Salamander Resort & Spa on March 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!