By Kipp Hanley

Published: May 10, 2008

Stephen Underwood and his daughter Shira may have come at the end of Dumfries Charter Day but they left with a smile on their face.

Literally.

After 2 1/2 year old Shira got a red butterfly painted on her cheek, dad got a big smiley face on his forehead.

Although the Dale City resident was encouraged by his daughter to get his face painted too, Underwood joked, "I would have done it for me anyway."

Dumfries turned 259 this year and is the oldest chartered town in Virginia. After a cool and rainy morning, people flocked to the event as the day warmed and the sun came out.

Along with face painting, there was a variety of entertainment acts, including the Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps, the Woodbridge Senior High School Victorian Singers, the Spriggs Road Jazz Band and a pre-Revolutionary War pro-test performed by actors dressed in period costumes.

Dumfries resident Donna Alexander and her friend, Pamela Perry, came with their families to enjoy the day's festivities. Alexander was very impressed with the re-enactment while Perry, a Lake Ridge resident, said she and her three children enjoyed the fire safety house run by the Prince William Volunteer Fire & Rescue

Department.

Smoke was pumped into the controlled climate and those in the house had to escape. The friends also enjoyed music by the Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps.

"The musicians talked to the kids and were dressed in 17th century costumes," said Perry.

Dumfries residents Beatrice Boyd and Amanda Moore took advantage of the pleasant afternoon by strolling in and out of the festival several times. Boyd had attended previous Charter Days and said this year's compared favorably with any of the previous ones she had attended.

As other booths were closing up shop, Moore's daughter Juliette joined the last group of children waiting to have their faces painted. The six-year-old patiently waited as volunteers drew butterflies and flowers on her right cheek and a bright yellow sun on her forehead.

Her favorite? Juliette traced her fingers around her entire cheek after looking into the handheld mirror. It was clear she liked what she saw, as did many of the others who attended the Charter Day celebration.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.