There’s a new restaurant in town in Occoquan.

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The Fredericksburg Comic and Toy Show will return to the Fredericksburg Expo Center after being canceled last year due to the pandemic.

“We’re super excited to bring the show back to Fredericksburg. It feels like a family reunion, we haven’t seen people in a long time, and now we get to shake hands, give hugs, the whole bit. It’s exciting to see the world come back to life.” Mike Federali, showrunner for the event.

Although pandemic protocols have been lifted, the show’s runners are taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of those attending the show. According to their guidelines, attendees over the age of two will be required to wear masks and expect attendees to keep six feet apart and avoid direct contact with strangers.

In addition, they’re asking for attendees to wash their hands, and surfaces will be cleaned before and during the event.

The show will have guests from the comic world, such as writer Gary Cohn, who created DC Comics character Blue Devil and artist Bill McKay. The show will also hold a cosplay contest and a video game tournament where participants will play Injustice 2, which stars characters from DC Comics.

The show will also have vendors from the local and regional areas to sell comics, books, memorabilia, and other items related to comics and toys.

The show will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, at the Fredericksburg Expo Center, at 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway in Fredericksburg. General admission tickets are for sale for $10 on the show’s website.


It took only three months to plan and execute, and by all accounts, the first Manassas Bee Festival was a resounding success.

About 2,500 attended the day-long event held this past Saturday at Liberia House Planation.


In recognition of Prince William Recycles Day, Keep Prince William Beautiful and Prince William County Solid Waste Division will host their second “Fix-It Fair” on Saturday, October 9, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The hosts are looking for volunteers in the community with skills to repair things like jewelry, clothing, small furniture and appliances, bicycles, shoes, umbrellas, glasses, ceramics, and other portable items.  If you are a “fixer” your talents are needed to make this event successful.    


After over a year, Fredericksburg reggae band The Transmitters are ready to take the stage once again.

The band, John Buck on bass and vocals, Alan "Mo" Marsh on percussion and harmonica, Larry Hinkle on guitar, Jay Startling on keyboards, Brian Barbre on drums, have taken time during the coronavirus pandemic to pursue other interests, not an easy idea for a band that has been active no just in the Fredericksburg scene but has been touring since 2005.

The Transmitters’ beginnings started with Larrk Hinkle’s studying of woodworking while living in Humboldt, Calif., while there he found a radio show on station KZYM called The Blue Beat Lounge which would play rocksteady groups like Toots and the Maytals, Alton Ellis, and the Heptones. Once Larry linked up with the rest of the members of what would become The Transmitters those groups would become the foundation for their music.

The Transmitters will now bring that music back to the stage, Potomac Local News talked to bassist John Buck about the band’s return, what they’ve been up to during the pandemic, and what the future holds for the band.

Why did the band choose to play again?

"Not playing anymore was out of the question. I know how much not seeing live music has affected me during this time so I can't wait to get out there and play for people again." 

How did the pandemic affect members of the band?

"The pandemic affected all of us greatly but some members took the opportunity to step back and refocus on entrepreneurial endeavors.

"Alan has started a soup delivery company, Mo's City Soups. It has downtown delivery just like the old-fashioned milkman. Fresh, homemade, heat to serving vegetarian & vegan soup delivered right to your front door. Larry continued making ukuleles from local wood at Hinkle Ukulele and began teaching woodworking at University of Mary Washington.

"Brian has made huge strides in his business Piper Percussion which produces custom-made drums and offers restoration. Jay has taken the time to care for his family while still keeping active in music. A recent show saw his amazing 80's bluegrass band Love Cannon play with Keller Williams.

"I’ve taken the time to dedicate myself to the upright bass, practice, practice, practice. We are talking about practice. I’ve continued to be an active musician in the jazz scene in DC where I now live. I miss Fred very much but I enjoy being able to pop back in town for shows and to see friends."

How has the time away changed the members of the band in terms of their music? What new ideas will they bring to the band?

"Musically, I don't think we have changed. We are ready to just pick up where we left off." 

What will the future hold for the band going forward?

"The future should yield a recording of some kind. We have an older bootleg that we might try to make into an album and of course more shows in Fred and beyond."

The Transmitters will hold their return show on Friday, June 25 at the J. Brien’s Tap Room which will start at 9 p.m.


There are new several new places to chow down in Woodbridge — all under one roof.

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The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation announced the return of the annual Summer Concert Series at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle.

The series will feature three military Bands performing American hits and patriotic classics, each in their own style. The free performances will be held at 7 p.m. on July 8 and 22, and on August 26, outdoors on the grand entry plaza, weather permitting.


Several deserving residents are getting some extra help around the house this week, thanks to the Catholic Diocese of Arlington

In Prince William County, two homes in Dale City are being repaired. One home is having its deck replaced — as the older deck was unsafe and on the verge of collapse — and a new concrete walkway put in, and the other is having gutters replaced and supports added to a carport.


Harry Wilson has been a fixture in the Fredericksburg Jazz scene for the last 30 years and is still going strong.

Wilson brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the jazz world as the bandleader of the Harry Wilson Quartet. Wilson is also the vice-president of the Fredericksburg Jazz Collective, which since 2011 has continued to promote the awareness of jazz music and the impact the genre has had on modern culture.

Wilson is also unique as he plays the vibraphone in his quartet which is not a typical lead instrument compared to the piano, the trumpet, or the saxophone when one thinks about Jazz. In going this route, Wilson has forged a very recognizable sound that can be enjoyed by even a novice looking to find their way into the genre.

The current iteration of the quartet includes many promising and upcoming musicians from the area which includes Jazz student Kyle Smith on drums, bass player Luke Gray, a teacher with the Fredericksburg Area Young Musicians group, recent the University of Mary Washington graduate Ben Peters on saxophone as well as more experienced musicians such as Steve Rathson on piano.

Wilson spoke to Potomac Local News about his experiences and how he and his band weathered the recent coronavirus pandemic.

What inspired you to pursue playing Jazz as a professional?

I learned Jazz at an early age playing on the streets ofNorth Philadelphia, I listened to people like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Sun Ra. Sun Ra took me under his wing and I played with him on the road for four years and recorded a couple of albums with his band. There's a spirit in Jazz that I've grown up with, it's one of those things you have to dig deep in your soul to see where you're coming from because there's a spirituality whenever I play and I try to draw the cats in with what I do.

What attracted you to the vibraphone?

Milt Jackson, listening to Milt Jackson play the vibraphone on his albums inspired me. I got a set of vibes when I was 21 and I've been self-teaching myself to play the vibes ever since. I did have some teachers like Bill Lewis in Philly and other players. Another person who helped is my friend and mentor Marshall Allen, he's 97 and he's still playing, he's one of the angels of the story.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your ability to play live as well as any other projects you may have had?

I did some virtual classes for elementary schools, we now have a clubhouse where we'll start having lessons, and I also did some work with the Fredericksburg Jazz Collective honoring some upcoming musicians like Kyle. We also played at the Pig Pitt, they have a nice patio outside and the owner gave us the opportunity to play there and it blew up with other gigs starting out solo and later with the band.

Over the last few years Jazz has had a resurgence with artists from the Hip-Hop world influencing the genre, what do you think of this resurgence?

I think it's good, I think it's very good. Sound Fusion (a group that Ben Peters plays with) just cut an album with the Coltrane song "Impressions" that has those kinds of influences.

Which local Jazz artists should listeners be paying attention to?

Me, and Sound Fusion.

The Harry Wilson Quartet will play their next show at the Pig Pitt at 1017 Sophia Street in Downtown Fredericksburg on Saturday, June 19 at 6 p.m.

Editor's note: This interview was condensed for length and brevity.

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