Excitement is building for the upcoming 2018 VAF annual meeting that will be headquartered in Alexandria, VA!  With extensive tours on both sides of the Potomac River, the theme for the conference is “A Shared Heritage: Urban and Rural Experience on the Banks of the Potomac.”  Highlights include an opening reception on a boat cruise down the Potomac concluding with a sunset arrival and the opening keynote address at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Thursday’s tours will explore three centuries of Maryland history, including Bostwick House, a 1746 brick Georgian structure with a terraced lawn, Galesville, 19^th-century free-black community on the West River, and 20^th century structures at Alice Ferguson’s Hard Bargain Farm.  Friday’s self-guided walking tours of Old Town Alexandria include special access to the 18^th century timber frame structure known as the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, and the attic of the Stabler-Leadbetter Apothecary opened in 1805, as well as entry into several sacred spaces in the 20^th century African American neighborhood now known as the Parker-Gray historic district (North Alexandria).  For conference details, go to the VAF conference section of the website and click on the bold program and paper sessions links. Registration will open in early February.