Jeremy Page and

Sara Farnsworth

are taking the plunge and hosting

a Family Union on the New River! 

On July 27th, 2024, we are getting married in our beloved tiny historic mountain town of Fries (pronounced ‘Freeze’), Virginia.

ALL of our loved ones (seriously!) are invited to a casual riverside ceremony and picnic to celebrate. Please do extend the invitation to any family members we’ve missed.

We hope you’ll join us for a full weekend of fun outdoor togetherness, family reunion-style, on the scenic New River, with an organized Saturday river tubing excursion for all, and plenty of opportunity for gorgeous bike rides or walks along the New River Trail, kayaking, swimming, fishing (bass/walleye/catfish), and appreciating the birds and wildflowers along the way. 

All friends and family are invited, but we do need to know who’s coming. Please let us know here. 

Register to attend

NO GIFTS! But please BYOB to the event(s) and gift us with your presence!

Schedule of Events

Check back here for any updated details before you come.

We might add more nature excursions to the agenda. Sunday morning bike ride, anyone?

Friday Night Gumbo & Songfest

Time: 6:30pm until, Friday July 26th. Fine if you arrive late. 

Place: TBD, probably Washington Inn, 509 West Main Street, Fries, VA. 

Please bring: BYO Beverages, and your karaoke talents & song picks!

Please wear: What you want. Totally casual.

Saturday Midday River Tubing Excursion

Time: Meet at 10:30am Saturday July 27th. (Sorry, we’ll float on if you’re late!)

Place: New River Outdoor Adventures, 5785 Fries Road, Galax, VA 

Please bring: Whatever you need for up to 3 hours on the water, with cars parked at the end.

Please wear: Good protective water shoes are a must! And lots of sunscreen. We recommend shorts/protective booty coverage, too. Bikini bottoms are a no. 

  • We’ll cover the group tube rental & shuttle. Feel free to rent a kayak if you prefer.
  • Will cancel if the weather & river conditions don’t cooperate. If the water is too low but the weather is okay, we’ll lead a trail bike ride/walk instead.

Saturday Evening Riverside Wedding Picnic

Time: 5pm, Saturday July 27th, 2024

Place: Fries River Park, 336 Firehouse Drive, Fries, VA

Rain location: Fries Depot, 510 Riverview Avenue, Fries, VA

Please bring: BYO beverages in a cooler, lawn chairs (if you’re not flying), and your favorite lawn games to set up. 

Please wear: What you want. Totally casual, shorts & sandals are fine, or class it up a little if you like. Jeremy & Sara will probably be wearing river sandals or bare feet, shorts, a casual dress.

Where to Stay

Most of the rooms in central Fries have already been booked for our large immediate families. But there are plenty of awesome cabins, hotels, B&Bs, and campsites within 15 minutes’ drive. Housing options and amenities in the larger adjacent town of Galax, VA are 10-15 minutes away.

Marcie & Scott and their progeny, with Sara & Jeremy, are filling up the entire Washington Inn, 509 West Main Street, Fries, VA. Feel free to treat this like headquarters for the weekend and come hang out anytime on the front porch rocking chairs or comfy furniture inside. Marcie will probably be there to chat you up.

Bernie & Jack’s offspring will be at a giant condo a few doors down at 472 West Main Street, also with plenty of space to party and a big upper riverview deck. 

Housing

Camping

  • Goldfinch Cottage, 842 Hester St, Fries, VA – Our trailside house with a big lot. You are more than welcome to camp out in our yard and use our indoor bathroom & outdoor shower. Jeremy’s boys will be staying in the house with our doggies. (Sara & Jeremy will be at the Washington Inn.) 1 mile walk/bike/drive to the festivities. 
  • Fries New River Trail RV Park – right in Fries, with beautiful creekside spots. No tent camping. $60/night. If you don’t have an RV, you can rent one and even have it delivered to the site: RVshare.com. 
  • Cliffview Campground – Reservable state park trailside sites on a scenic creek. You can’t drive in to your campsite, but the parking lot is a short walk. 15 mins from Fries. 
  • Hipcamp – like Airbnb for campsites. We loved “Campjames” a few years ago.
  • Double Shoals Campground – Primitive riverside camping on the New River Trail, 3 miles by bike or hike to nearest available car access, 4.6 miles to the wedding/downtown Fries. Might be complicated logistically, but this is our #1 favorite place to stay in the area, always! 

FYI

  • Cell service: Be prepared for sketchiness. Usually there’s some signal. Verizon network seems worst around Fries. Have solid directions before you get off the interstate into the mountains. Come to the inn or condo for WiFi as needed. 
  • Air Travel: Greensboro (PTI) airport is smaller and 1.5 hours drive from Fries. Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is larger and 2.5 hours drive.
  • Bathrooms: During the wedding picnic will be available close by in the condo at 472 West Main Street. And there’s a riverside state park pit toilet. 
  • Bike & kayak rentals, fishing licenses: Go to New River Outdoor Adventures. We also have several bikes of all sizes at our place and would love to loan them to you. 
  • Other essentials: There’s a Dollar General in Fries, two restaurants (three if you count the one in the gas station), and in nearby Galax there’s a Wal-Mart, grocery stores, and restaurants.

Packing List for your trip

  • Lawn chairs for the wedding picnic. And extras for those who are gonna forget theirs or are flying in, if you please!
  • A cooler and your favorite beverages; events are BYOB and options for purchasing nice stuff in the area are limited.
  • Water shoes!
  • Bikes and kayaks if you have them.
  • Lawn games to set up for the picnic if you’ve got ’em.