Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Colton rushed into my office space the other day. “Mommy, I’ve got the best news ever!” He ran to the window and pointed straight ahead. One of our neighbors recently became a pastor at a local church, and he put a Vacation Bible School banner in his front yard. “There’s going to be a VBS at the house across the street—how convenient!” 

It’s one of those innocent childhood moments that just makes you smile. The logistics of having 100 kids descend on a single-family home never crossed his mind. The questions of parking to accommodate that many guests didn’t register. The sound of dozens of kids singing and playing in a residential neighborhood wasn’t a concern. It was just pure joy at an idea. 

I quickly messaged our neighbors about the plight, and they found it as humorous as I did. Although the gathering is definitely happening at their church, they’re forevermore dubbed “The VBS House.” As summertime quickly approaches, I hope you’re able to savor those sweet, simple, fun moments—and as always, I’m so glad you’re here.

Here’s what you need to know:  Whether you’re drawn to toe-tapping music, mouth-watering barbecue, or family-friendly entertainment, these vibrant events showcase the best Virginia has to offer during the sun-soaked summer months.

Our top picks:

• The Virginia Wine Festival in Tysons Corner kicks off summer with a celebration of the commonwealth’s flourishing wine culture. On May 31 and June 1, visitors can sample selections from Virginia’s top wineries, showcasing everything from bold reds to crisp whites. 

• Colonial Beach’s Annual Potomac River Festival—taking place from June 13 to 15—starts with a Firemen’s Parade and features a Grand Parade, Pet Parade, Boat Parade, Beauty Pageant, music, food and craft vendors, and fireworks.
• On June 14, folks in Virginia Beach can enjoy an outdoor symphonic concert, air show, and fireworks celebration combined. The Virginia Wind Symphony accompanies flight demonstrations by some of the world’s rarest historic warbirds, set against themes inspired by aviation and adventure films. 

Looking for adventure? We’ve got 17 sweet summertime ideas waiting for you.

Question of the Week: What’s your favorite summertime memory in Virginia? Be sure to write to me at amie@couriernewsroom.com—I’d love to hear all about it.

A federal judge in Alexandria ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration must immediately release on bond a Georgetown University academic detained  in Texas and return him to his home in Arlington. 

Ruling from the bench, Judge Patricia Giles of the Eastern District of Virginia ordered that Badar Khan Suri be released on bond from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Texas, where he’s been for two months, and returned home to his wife and three children in Virginia. 

Giles said Suri’s release was in the public interest given that releasing him would “disrupt the chilling effect” his detention likely had on protected speech related to Palestine. 

Suri’s detention over his support for Palestine is one of several cases the Trump administration has pursued since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Other Palestine supporters who the Trump administration has targeted over their speech or role in protests include Columbia University students Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi. 

Giles said that Trump administration lawyers had produced no evidence to contradict Suri’s lawyers’ arguments that his detention was a violation of his First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights. Further, they had not filed any evidence to support public claims trying to tie Suri to Hamas. 

• Are you registered to vote? It’s officially primary season for Virginia’s off-year elections. Check out what’s on the ballot ahead of the general election in November and see where local primaries are happening around the state (READ MORE HERE).

• Virginia Democrats have achieved a historic milestone by fielding candidates in all 100 House districts, including deep-red areas like the Eastern Shore (READ MORE HERE).

• Don’t let the pollen—or threats to your rights—get you down this allergy (and election) season in Virginia! Dogwood’s political correspondent Michael O’Connor offers a creative take on some of the top issues in the upcoming governor’s race (READ MORE HERE). 

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