4 ways to Celebrate the holiday ‘Wolfenoot’ in Virginia

Learn about how to celebrate the coolest and kindest new holiday coming up on November 23: Wolfenoot! 

The holidays are on their way—are you getting ready for Thanksgiving, New Year’s, and Wolfenoot? Well, maybe you haven’t heard of that last one. If not, you’re in for a delightful new celebration.

Wolfenoot, which is celebrated on November 23 this year, is a new holiday invented by a 7-year-old boy in 2021 as a celebration of “the Spirit of the Wolf, and also kindness,” with a particular emphasis on loving our canine friends, both wild and domestic.

They say Virginia is for lovers, and that includes animal lovers, so why not plan a Wolfenoot to remember this year? Official Wolfenoot traditions include feasting on roast meat, just like a wolf would enjoy, exchanging small gifts (with particularly nice ones for dog lovers), and baking and eating a full moon-themed cake. While that’s already plenty for a wolfishly good time, in Virginia, there are even more ways for you and your pack to enjoy Wolfenoot this year. Let’s have a look:

1. Visit real wolves (and maybe a roller coaster wolf) at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

What better way to celebrate Wolfenoot than in the company of some real-life wolves? At Busch Gardens theme park in Williamsburg, you can meet their lupine residents at the park’s Wolf Haven, a sanctuary and educational exhibition for North American Gray Wolves. They even offer up-close tours, where you can assist in a wolf feeding!

As if that’s not thrilling enough, you might also encounter a different sort of Wolf on the park’s famous Verbolten coaster, where riders are surprised with one of three different tracks, including a potential encounter with none other than the Big Bad Wolf!

While you’re in the area, you might also check out the nearby Virginia Living Museum, home to North American red wolves, alongside fish, turtles, otters, raccoons, and other Virginia critters! If you’re looking for a place to stay, check out the Great Wolf Lodge, where you can enjoy year-round wolf-themed attractions, including an indoor water park.

2. Howl along to some great live music

Did you know that the only national park devoted to the performing arts is right here in Virginia?

Wolf Trap National Park, located in Fairfax County, is home to outdoor performing arts events ranging from classical music and rock concerts to musicals straight from Broadway. This November, you can enjoy classical tunes, doo-wop, and a Latin ensemble, and, on November 23, which is Wolfenoot itself, a Beach Boys and Beatles tribute concert. Pet Sounds will meet Wolf Sounds, so come by and jam!

3. Raise a glass to Wolfenoot at a Virginia vineyard or brewery

Perhaps your Wolfenoot adventures have left you feeling thirsty? It’s time for a Wolfenoot toast, Old Dominion style. Virginia is home to an abundance of great wineries and breweries—including some that are perfect for a Wolfenoot celebration.

Check out Norfolk’s Wolf Brewery, home of “howlin’ good beer,” or for wine lovers, consider Wolf Gap Vineyard in Edinburg in the Shenandoah Valley. Or, for a horse—or rather a wolf—of a different color, the Purple Wolf Vineyard is located alongside White Oak Lavender Farm, and you can enjoy their tasting room, tour the farm, and sample lavender-infused wine and wine slushies–delectable!

4. “Wolf Down” a tasty meal fit for your pack

After a howling good Wolfenoot, a celebratory meal is the perfect way for you and your pack to cap off the day. In honor of wolves’ favorite foods, roast meat is traditional for a Wolfenoot meal, and where better to enjoy some than at Ruckersville’s The Wolf’s Fixin’s BBQ? For lighter fare, check out Wolf Hills Coffee in Abingdon for sandwiches, pastries, and hot and cold coffee drinks. Or, for a taste of something refined, consider Tonic in Charlottesville, a Scandinavian-inspired restaurant by a celebrated chef whose name suggests he might enjoy Wolfenoot—Wolf Ackerman!

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.