2nd annual Wild West Fest to be held November 2, 2019

Desert Rose Ranch and Winery in Hume, Virginia, will be unveiling our life-sized LOVE artwork, on November 2^nd at 1 p.m. during our annual Wild West Fest!

Desert Rose will display our LOVEwork in front of the Tasting Room building, offering guests a prime photo opportunity featuring surrounding foothills and wine country of Virginia. Our LOVEwork, one of the more than 170 giant LOVE letters, called LOVEworks, displayed in towns and cities across Virginia.

Each LOVEwork installation is a reflection of its community, and our LOVEwork is no exception. Desert Rose Ranch and Winery offers beautiful mountain and pastoral views down an adventurous back road, and visitors often describe “discovering” it as one out of the many memorable parts of their explorations. The song written about Desert Rose Winery by country singer Ryan Jewel says it best: “Come as strangers, and leave as friends.” We want all guests to feel welcomed and “loved” when travelling through our area.

Our sign captures our winery’s unique Western atmosphere by incorporating elements like horse shoes, a wagon wheel, and even a cowboy hat belonging to our owner, Bob Claymier.

“Taking time to smell the roses seems cliché. But at Desert Rose, we believe that slowing down to appreciate the little things – whether it’s a mountain view or glass of wine or both! – creates moments that our guests will treasure forever,” says Allison Crandell, the manager at Desert Rose Winery. “We hope that our LOVEwork will create one of those slow-down moments for our guests and help them appreciate the little things as well as the community of friends that surrounds them here.”

We will unveil our sign on November 2^nd, during our Annual Wild West Fest. After the ribbon cutting ceremony, guests can enjoy live country music by Ryan Jewel and award-winning BBQ from Hog-It-Up. Cowboy hats and cowboy boots are always welcome, and those who participate will receive a discount on wine bottle purchases.

Starting November 2^nd, our guests will also have the chance to win a winery experience package which includes a free tasting and a bottle of wine of their choice! To win, they will need to share a picture of themselves on Instagram or Facebook with our sign using the hashtags #LOVEatDesertRose and #LOVEVA and tell us what they love about our area.  They’ll have a month to enter, and the post with the most likes will be the winner!

The artwork is an extension of the iconic “Virginia is for Lovers” brand, which in 2019, is celebrating 50 years since its inception. “Virginia is for Lovers is about doing the things you love to do on vacation with the people you love most,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. “The new LOVEwork at Desert Rose Winery captures that idea perfectly and gives you an authentic sense of place… Desert Rose Winery is excited that we will help share the LOVE with travelers and encourage them to discover for themselves why Virginia is for Lovers.”

Desert Rose connects visitors from Shenandoah National Park to the nearby Virginia wine country. Our close proximity to Skyline Drive and the Appalachian Trail make us an ideal family destination. And for those escaping city-life, it connects them to the various experiences the Shenandoah Valley has to offer from hiking to spelunking to river floats and more. Additionally, the LOVEworks sign will be an additional draw for those who plan their trips around “chasing the LOVE.”

Through our LOVEworks project, we aim to help our guests discover more hidden gems in our area, such as wineries and farms, as well as provide a space for them to reflect on the beauty that our area offers.