The Phoenix Event Alliance

10/10/2025

Dear Friends of the Phoenix Event Alliance,
After nearly 9 years searching for suitable land we could afford on which to build our Common Ground Park, the PEA is creating a new path to our mission. You see, we've realized it's NOT all about buying some dirt, it's about the vision and that vision can be created in a multitude of places and by teaming up with other non-profits, individuals, county governments and companies. To that end, the PEA is going to focus on event production and management, still working with and for our non-profits friends and special needs population. This will let us share our unique skill-sets create the educational, arts and niche sporting events we envisioned by teaming up with others. Thanks for your patience while we prepare a more detailed announcement

11/07/2023

It's been a while since we've posted but I wanted to let you all know of an effort to preserve a beautiful property along the Rappahannock River and turn it into a lovely community park with trails and a bridge across to the park on the other side in Fredericksburg. It would potentially make a terrific home for the PEA too. You don't have to be a Stafford County resident to sign the petition, just someone who supports the project. No donations at this time - just your electronic John Hancock

03/16/2022

After 2 yrs dark due to Covid, one of our Member Organizations is BACK in 2022 and holding auditions!

11/17/2021

OK, everybody. False alarm. Board Chair, Chrystal Vanuch graciously spent much of her dinner break with us this evening trying to dispel the misinformation floating around the internet. She explained the following.
1. The Comprehensive Plan was voted on at the 3PM meeting as agreed to in the October meeting. Apparently the person we spoke with yesterday about speaking at todays meetings was unaware of this when we specifically asked about it.
2. Cannon Ridge is owned by Silver Corp and they have not, to date, come to the county with any requests regarding this parcel. 3. Even if they do request a rezoning, it would take at least 2 years of meetings and public hearings before any zoning change would be considered.
4. Ms. Vanuch said that while we were welcome to speak, this was really not the best venue because a park project such as Common Ground would be a private enterprise and, of course Cannon Ridge is privately owned. The county certainly cannot tell property owners what they must do with their land.
5. Finally, Ms. Vanuch assured us that she appreciated our concerns over additional houses going into that area of the county, stating she had never in all her time on the board and the planning commission voted for additional housing.

By then it was nearly 7PM and she had used up the bulk of her dinner time with us so we let her get back to that and spent some time outside chambers discussing the next move. Perhaps we need to approach the Silver group with the project to see if they might be interested given her assurances that the zoning was in no danger of revision.

We welcome your thoughts on this and other ideas on moving forward. Private message might be best for these conversations so that we are not part of the misinformation pool. Thanks again for listening.

11/16/2021

Hi everyone, This is incredibly short notice BUT we've identified an incredible parcel of land in Stafford County that would be ideal for Common Ground HOWEVER it's in danger of having it's zoning changed from Recreational to Residential. Originally, there was a plan to have this property become a park but nothing came of it so NOW
there's a plan being presented to build over 1200 homes there instead.
There's a County Board of Supervisor's meeting at 7PM tomorrow night, Nov. 16 and we're going to pitch our Common Ground project as an alternative solution. Your support would be welcome. If you're a county resident, I encourage you to join us for your allotted 3 minutes to voice your support. Perhaps as a group we can turn the tide and find our long sought after home.

09/29/2021

The Virginia State Fair is going on all this week and the PEA has it's new acquisition on display: a brilliantly designed and built hand-forged iron throne by Master Blacksmith, Phil Heath. Stop by, say hello and have a gander! We're also promoting the 2022 season of the Virginia Renaissance Faire.

08/10/2021

BIG NEWS!!
The Performing Arts Division of the Phoenix Event Alliance has opened it's first performance season with Much Ado About Nothing - an absolutely brilliant adaptation of this amazing play. We've turned the 120 yr old barn at Mt. Run Winery into a not-so-black box theater for a wonderfully intimate theater experience.
Performed by the Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble, this interpretation is lively, engaging and truly creative.
If you've not been to Mountain Run Winery before, you're in for a treat. The grounds are delightful as is the wine and cider.
Welcome back to live theater, everyone!

Much Ado in Post WWII Miami   The Phoenix Event Alliance opens its Premier Theater Season at the lovely Mt. Run Winery, 10753 Mountain Run Lake Rd., Culpeper, VA 22701 on Sunday, August 22 with a creative interpretation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Turning

09/28/2020

Our founder, Cornelia in character for the Virginia Renaissance Faire.

Spotlight Character: Lady Burghley

Mildred Cooke was the eldest of five highly educated daughters of Sir Anthony Cooke who tutored Edward Tudor. Roger Ascham, the foremost educator of the time, stated Mildred was one of the two most learned ladies in the kingdom, alongside Lady Jane Gray.
In 1545 she became the second wife of William Cecil, later 1st Baron Burghley. She bore him 5 children, 3 of whom survived to adulthood. Son, Robert, was a hunchback who took on his father’s position as the Queen’s principle secretary. The marriage of daughter, Anne to the Earl of Oxford, was the cause of a major falling out between Mildred and the Queen. Oxford was a dandy at court, spoiled, arrogant, flashy. Mildred openly stated frequently her disapproval of the Queens encouragement of his behavior. Elizabeth became aware of this, leading to a long estrangement between the women. They later reconciled through their love of learning and letters.
Mildred was a Puritan and her husband’s sole confidant. She had tremendous influence over his political decision making. The Spanish ambassador described her as a “furious heretic” who had “greaty influence over her husband”. She was a notable Latin and Greek scholar, translating numerous Greek texts. She left her large personal to the chained library at St John's, Cambridge.

07/24/2020

Our own Carson Sam's (Folk Arts School) was a part of this incredible project.

A 240-year-old tree at Mount Vernon that fell last November gets cannon fire and solemn honors before facing the sawmill.

07/08/2020

FINALLY....... a new blog has been posted: The One That Got Away http://phoenixeventalliance.org/2020/07/08/the-one-that-got-away/