Occoquan For The Weekend

Occoquan has the potential to be the greatest little town in the entire Washington metropolitan area. If you stand on the waterfront and use your imagination you can easily see it as a near perfect retreat, nestled in the river valley, providing a gateway to the Potomac and beyond.  It could be spectacularly beautiful.

It is a great town; charming, quaint and full of history and local character. Unfortunately, Occoquan has a water reclamation plant at one end, an immense overpass carrying 123 into Woodbridge at the other, and, beyond that, another immense overpass for I-95 that carries travelers all up and down the East Coast.  

So, the town sits wedged on its little spot of land, and provides an escape and refuge that most people simply drive past. The river has also seen better days.  Ideally situated for water travel, and famed throughout history for its abundance of fish and wildlife, it now supplies drinking water for more than 1.2 million people, according to the Prince William Conservation Alliance.

Though the maximum recommended population density within the Occoquan watershed is 100,000 people, it exceeded that number by a multiple of three during the 2000 census, and undoubtedly exceeds it by many times more today. The resultant pollution has affected not only the river, but also the reservoir from which we drink. 

Downstream a short distance on the Fairfax side is Occoquan Regional Park, which features kayaking programs, hiking trails including the Cross-County Trail and numerous historical features in an attractive setting.

This Saturday, June 25, visitors can discover Occoquan as the Occoquan Watertrail League and the Occoquan Merchants Association showcase the best they have to offer with Occoquan River Fest – a multi-faceted event occurring in the Town of Occoquan and, additionally, at numerous area parks.

In town, you’ll find merchant booths, face-painters, boat tours, ghost tours, artists and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., perfect for the kids and for discovering a great little town (and imagining how it might look without the overpasses).

Elsewhere, at Occoquan Regional Park, Lake Ridge Park, Belmont Bay and Lake Ridge Marina, a variety of events will be held, including yoga in the park, family fishing, paddling with the mayor, stream exploration, birding, geo-caching, s’mores, hiking and numerous roundtable discussions about the Occoquan area and what makes it so exceptional. You can meet Gunston the mascot from GMU or run around like a maniac - your choice.  These events will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Parking at the park is free.

The “Miss Rivershore” boat will also run a free water taxi service between the town and the park, so you can make the most of both events.

To learn more, go to www.owlva.org or www.occoquanmerchantsassociation.com.