The Family Reunion

August 14th - 17th, 2025

Join us for The Family Reunion 2025—a luxurious and joy-filled weekend where community, culture, and connection take center stage. We’ve secured our own stunning private 7-bedroom estate just 12 minutes away from the acclaimed 5th Annual Family Reunion at The Salamander Middleburg, a triple Forbes Five-Star resort nestled in Virginia’s wine country. During the day, unwind with a vibrant group of queer people of color, enjoy continental breakfast, and opt into relaxed activities like nature walks, vineyard visits, or thrifting. Then each evening, we’ll head out as a group to The Salamander to experience the heart of the weekend: an epic welcome cookout, chef-curated dinners, and stylish afterglows celebrating Black excellence through food, music, and community. This weekend is all about being fabulous, feeling at ease, and creating lasting memories with your people.

The Accommodations

Our home for the weekend is a stunning 7-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom estate located just 12 minutes from The Salamander Middleburg. This spacious inn offers the perfect blend of “faded elegance” and comfort, providing ample space to unwind, connect, and recharge between events. Enjoy the convenience of expansive accommodations without the hefty price tag, making this an exceptional value for a high-end getaway.

The Heart of Our Journey: The Family Reunion 2025

At the core of our weekend lies The Family Reunion 2025, an immersive experience celebrating diversity within the hospitality community. Now in its fifth year, this annual event is curated by James Beard Award-winning chef and acclaimed author Kwame Onwuachi, in collaboration with FOOD & WINE and Sheila Johnson's Salamander Collection. Hosted at the prestigious Salamander Middleburg from August 14 to 17, 2025, the event brings together top-tier chefs, cultural icons, and hospitality leaders to honor Black and Brown excellence in the culinary world. ​

Throughout the weekend, attendees will engage in thought-provoking panel discussions, witness topical cooking demonstrations, and participate in inspiring recreational activities. Evenings are marked by communal "family" meals and vibrant afterglow celebrations, fostering deep connections and unforgettable memories. Given its unique approach and unparalleled lineup, The Family Reunion has become one of the nation's premier culinary events, selling out quickly each year. ​

By joining us, you'll not only partake in this extraordinary gathering but also contribute to its mission of nurturing, developing, and celebrating racial and ethnic diversity within the next generation of hospitality professionals.

*Add-On Evening Pass - $1,350

For those who want to fully experience The Salamander Middleburg’s exquisite evening programming, we are offering the Evening Pass Add-On, which grants access to all of the exclusive night events and includes round-trip group transportation from our accommodations.

Evening Events at The Salamander includes:

  • Cookout Welcome Reception on Thursday

  • Dinner Events & Afterglows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday featuring curated dining, cocktails, and networking with Black hospitality pioneers

  • Access to top-tier Black chefs, speakers, and cultural tastemakers

Day One

🙌🏽 ARRIVALS & WELCOME RECEPTION

Arrive in Middleburg and settle into your beautiful accommodations by 4 PM. This trip will be bit different from our usual flow. Our days will be easygoing, no rigid schedule!

For your down time in between events, you can simply relax at the house, enjoy the company of great women, and soak in the weekend at your own pace.

*EP Holders: Kick off the weekend with a lively cookout, featuring delicious food, music, and the opportunity to connect with fellow attendees.

Day Two

🍴LEGACY DINNER

After breakfast, spend your morning browsing the Middleburg Farmers Market. If you're feeling outdoorsy, take a stroll through the Salamander Middleburg trails or enjoy a relaxing picnic at Boxwood Winery—yes, the rosé is worth it. (These are optional suggestions that are not included in the cost of the trip but a great addition to the Signature Event).

*EP Holders: Enjoy a multi-course, family-style dinner featuring collaborations by incredible Legacy chefs who have been a part of The Family Reunion since year one.

Day Three

🎆OUR LAST HOORAH

Enjoy breakfast together, you can head out to a local coffee shop, then do a little boutique hopping along Washington Street. Want something more low-key? Catch golden hour with a glass of wine at Greenhill Vineyards. (These are optional suggestions that are not included in the cost of the trip but a great addition to the Signature Event).

*EP Holders: Savor an exquisite dinner event. After dinner, unwind at the afterglow, where curated cocktails, music, and meaningful conversations flow late into the night with fellow attendees, tastemakers, and hospitality icons.

Day Four

👋🏽 SWEET GOODBYES

Ease into the final morning with a light breakfast and a few last laughs with your Lesbifriends crew before it’s time to pack up.

You’ll leave with a full heart, a happy belly, and a head full of memories—already plotting the next getaway.

What’s Included✨

  • 4 Days/3 Nights at an Historic Inn in Middleburg, VA (12 mins from The Salamander Middleburg)

  • Daily Continental Breakfast

  • Board and Card Games

  • Self-guided activities inside the house

  • Suggested group activities outside of the house for an additional cost

  • Lesbifriends Swag Bag

  • On-ground team to ensure you have an amazing time!

What’s Not Included

  • Domestic Transportation

    Your transportation to and from Middleburg, VA is not included - but we can help you figure both out.

  • Travel Insurance

    Mandatory travel insurance is not included, however Basic coverage can be added on to your trip package or we can provide you with a quote for a different policy. Just add either when checking out.

  • Evening Pass Add-On ($1,350)

    Access to all evening events at The Salamander Middleburg. Transportation to and from events.

  • Personal extras

    Additional activities not included in the itinerary

Pricing

Payment Plans Available - All Listed Prices Are Per Person*

Please review the booking terms and conditions and frequently asked questions section before booking a package.

Get 10% off your entire trip if you pay in full at the time of the initial booking. Use discount code FULL during check out to save on your trip package. Please note that discount codes don’t apply to add-on options, and you can only use one code per booking.

Double Occupancy

$640*

Deposit: $100

Queen bed with 2 people in shared room. (Must book as a pair, you will share a bed.)

Double Occupancy

$740*

Deposit: $100

Twin beds with 2 people in shared room.

Single Occupancy

$1,180

Deposit: $100

Queen bed with 1 person in room.

Disclaimer

THIS TRIP ISN'T FOR EVERYONE

  IT IS FOR YOU IF: 

  • You are open-minded

  • You enjoy being in social settings with large crowds, eating delicious food, live music, and doing things that are off-the-beaten-path ideas

  • You love to have a great time, want to meet and interact with queer people of color, and accept and respect the different personalities you will encounter

 THIS TRIP IS NOT FOR YOU IF:  

  • You have a tendency to be negative or dramatic or are just plain depressing to be around

  • You're not into trying new things or stepping outside of your comfort zone

  • You don’t like the outdoors/large crowds; majority of this trip require being outside in a festival setting

  • You have very specific and particular travel preferences and tend to criticize everything around you

  • You can’t easily walk up stairs; if you find walking tough, then this trip isn’t suited to you

Important Information

Transportation

Check-in starts at 4pm on Thursday, Aug. 14th.  We recommend you arrive as close to that time as possible on Thursday, so that you have time to get settled in, relax a bit, and will be around for the Welcome Reception, if you purchase the Evening Pass Add On.

Activity Level: Choose Your Pace

This is a trip that is the traveler’s pick. It allows the traveler to pick the activity level that they would like to do for that day. You can chill all day if you wish or stay engaged with all of the local experiences available.

Activities

  • Icebreakers

  • Card and Board Games

  • Self-guided Activities at the Estate

  • Suggested Group Activities Outside of the Estate*

  • Shopping at Local Boutiques & Thrift Stores*

  • Visit Local Wineries*

  • Events included with The Family Reunion Evening Pass Add-On*

*Additional cost

Travel Insurance

Missing a vacation is bad enough. Losing the money you paid for your vacation is even worse. Lesbifriends Travel requires you to have travel insurance for any trip you take with us. Your premium is related to your trip cost, so you don’t have to worry about being over-insured. We want to make your travel experience seamless, so sign up and we will get a travel insurance policy for you or we can provide you with a no obligation quote. If you opt not to go with our preferred travel insurance provider, you are required to get your own and proof of insurance may be requested before the trip.

Payments and Payment Plans

All payments to Lesbifriends Travel are non-refundable and non-transferable. This is because Lesbifriends Travel has contractual agreements with hotels, airlines, and other vendors that will not allow us to obtain any refunds. This way we can keep our package prices low and allow you to make monthly payments on your vacation.

When you sign up for a trip, you are automatically signed up for monthly payments and your confirmation email will clearly note your due dates and amount. We suggest you put this payment plan on your personal calendar.

A $75 late fee will be applied to all payments made after the 3-day grace period. Your trip is subject to cancellation without a refund after two missed payments.

  • If you are traveling alone and do not want to spend the extra money for a single occupancy room, we are happy to match you with a like-minded traveler to be your roommate on this trip. We understand that the extra money spent in getting your own room takes away from the money available for you to splurge while on vacation.

    For that reason, we extend each traveler the option of having us pair you with a suitable roommate for no additional cost. Roommates are paired based on room selection and a potential roommate questionnaire if there are several solo travelers. Before the trip, you will be introduced to your roommate, with plenty of time for you to get to know each other before we reach our destination.

  • Do you know someone who is interested in joining our trip but has not been to a Lesbifriend event or trip? Here is your chance to save a little money while bringing them on a trip of a lifetime!

    For every traveler that you refer to our trip, you will receive up to a $150 ($25 cash, $50 current trip credit, or $75 future domestic trip credit, or $150 future international trip credit) referral bonus once that person pays in full. There is no limit to the number of people you can refer; the only condition is that anyone you refer has not already signed up with Lesbifriends.

    Be sure to tell your friend to enter your name on the registration form under “Who Referred You.”