It's Lavender Time In Blacksburg Once Again

With the light pinch of its dried buds and a gentle waft, the soothing fragrance of lavender can cleanse your woes. After all, its name is derived from a Latin verb meaning “to wash”.

“There’s a real intrigue about lavender,” said Joyce Beliveau, whose lavender-colored outfit in a recent interview with Planet Blacksburg suggested she’s hooked.

Beliveau is eager for others to fall for one of the oldest recorded herbs in history.

She invites families and friends to experience lavender’s versatility at the second annual Lavender Festival hosted by Maison Beliveau Bed & Breakfast in Blacksburg on Sunday, June 28, from 12 to 5 p.m. The on-site lavender will be in full bloom, and guests can spread blankets throughout the 165 rolling, plush acres.

“We just feel like we have a very special place out here,” said Beliveau, festival creator and co-owner of Maison Beliveau Bed & Breakfast with her husband, Yvan Beliveau.

Along with traditional picnic foods, a wide variety of lavender products will be for sale. Indulge in sweet treats like lavender blueberry sundaes, shortbread cookies and lemonade. Spoil your skin with lavender lotions, soaps and other bath items. Freshen rooms with lavender incense and elegant sachets. If you’re so charmed, take home several lavender plants of your own.

Set your stock of goodies aside, though, to explore the vast surroundings. Stroll through the swaying rows of lavender filled with butterflies and busy bees. Preview the vineyard of 800 youthful grape plants. Watch bass and bluegill nip at hovering insects in the spring fed pond. Tie up your laces and hike – or even mountain bike – throughout 10 miles of trails made by Mr. Beliveau.

Once your feet tire, kick them up for a chair massage from Joy Palmer, a certified massage therapist for Tivon Salon & Spa in Blacksburg.

Retreat inside the lavish event building, a renovated late-1800s barn, for entertainment that complements the ambiance of lavender. Sit below suspended mezzanines and enjoy the angelic tones of local harpist Kara Baumann. Become wrapped in the layers of the Star City Sounds Chorus, a four-part harmony ensemble from Roanoke directed by Joyce Beliveau.

You’re sure to find tranquility at the Lavender Festival, a landscape of serenity.

For directions, visit Maison Beliveau Bed & Breakfast online at www.maisonbeliveau.com. While admission to the Lavender Festival is free, Joyce Beliveau explained that guests should not bring outside food or beverage.