LoCo Fest Returns to 868 Estate Vineyards — And It's Just One Way This Loudoun County Winery Gives Back

If you're looking for a reason to spend Labor Day weekend outdoors in Loudoun County, mark your calendar: LoCo Fest 2026 hits 868 Estate Vineyards on Sunday, September 6, from noon to 9 PM. It's the ninth year for this beloved all-day music festival, and it's shaping up to be the biggest one yet — 15 bands, food trucks, wine, beer, and a whole lot of community spirit on the vineyard's scenic grounds in Hillsboro, VA.

But LoCo Fest isn't just a great party. It's a fundraiser with real impact — and it's part of a bigger story about how 868 Estate Vineyards has built giving back into the fabric of everything it does.

What to Expect at LoCo Fest 2026

This year's lineup features 15 of the best bands from the Loudoun area, spanning rock, blues, country, and pop — including Jumptown, Deane Kern and Eric Selby, and Gary Smallwood and Mike Ault, with more acts still to be announced.

True to form, it's a come-early-stay-late kind of day: bring your lawn chairs, pop up a tent, and settle in for nine hours of live music paired with 868's estate wines, local beer, and food trucks. The event is family-friendly and dog-friendly, just like the rest of the property.

The Cause Behind the Concert

LoCo Fest was founded in 2018, and since then it's raised over $120,000 in music equipment grants for Loudoun County schools, music therapy programs, and independent musicians — funding instruments and gear for places like Trailside Middle School, Park View High School, Heritage High School, and A Place to Be, along with countless individual musicians who needed a hand up. All of it flows through 868's own nonprofit initiative, LoCo Music Inc., which exists specifically to keep music alive and accessible across the county.

Not a One-Off: 868's "Resounding Good" Series

Here's what makes 868 Estate Vineyards stand out among Virginia wineries: LoCo Fest is just one of three annual festivals the estate hosts as part of its Resounding Good initiative — a season-long commitment to using live music as a force for community good.

• NoVA MusicFest (Memorial Day Sunday) benefits Cancer Can Rock, an organization that helps musicians facing cancer diagnoses continue creating the music they love. Over six years, this event alone has raised more than $90,000.

• A Fest Less Ordinary (early-to-mid June) supports A Farm Less Ordinary, a program that creates meaningful employment and community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through sustainable agriculture. In its very first year, the festival raised $14,000.

• LoCo Fest (Labor Day Sunday) rounds out the summer, channeling funds into local schools and musicians through LoCo Music Inc.

Beyond the festivals, 868's generosity extends year-round. The winery's tasting room doubles as a rotating art gallery for regional artists — over the past 14 years, it's helped local artists sell more than $74,000 in original work, with proceeds going entirely to the artists themselves. The estate has also served as a venue host for the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival for the past three years, bringing world-class chamber music to a relaxed, scenic setting.

Why It Matters

It's easy to find a winery with good wine and a nice view. It's rarer to find one that's built its entire events calendar around lifting up the community around it — cancer patients who are musicians, adults with disabilities seeking meaningful work, students who need an instrument, and local artists who need a wall to hang their work on. 868 Estate Vineyards has quietly turned "come for the wine" into "stay for the mission," one festival at a time.

Plan Your Visit

LoCo Fest 2026 📍 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd, Hillsboro, VA 20132 🗓️ Sunday, September 6, 2026 | 12 PM – 9 PM 🎟️ Tickets available on Eventbrite

Come for the music, stay for the wine, and know that every ticket helps put an instrument in a kid's hands somewhere in Loudoun County.