IF Margaritaville exists around here, it's at Fairview Beach on the Potomac River.

That's why I was intrigued to learn that the Rappahannock Area Parrot Head Club was holding a concert this past weekend at the King George County waterside community, to benefit the area's homeless shelter.

To my way of thinking, these Parrot Heads, fans of tropics-flavored folk and pop singer Jimmy Buffett, had achieved the perfect piece of convergence by mixing Key West tunes, a gorgeous summer backdrop and goodwill to others, not to mention the occasional margarita, right?

The only way to verify that was to join the crowd Friday night at Tim's Rivershore II on the pier at Fairview Beach.

Strolling down the pier with the trade wind/calypso sound of Buffett disciple James "Sunny Jim" White in the background, I saw friend and past Parrot Head president Linda Powell.

Unwilling to crown Fairview Beach as Margaritaville without plenty of backup, I put the question to her.

If any part of our area embodies the stress-free, summer's here, music's playing, waves are lapping and life is good attitude at the center of Buffett's music, it's Fairview Beach, right?

"No doubt," said Powell, who like most attending the soiree was wearing a flashy tropical shirt. "When we came down the hill this afternoon and looked out here at the pier, it felt like we were back in the '60s. It still feels like that down here."

Next, I bumped into another longtime friend, Al Littek, who's been a regular at Fairview since he was a child.

"Is this Margaritaville? You bet it is," he said, proceeding to introduce me to several long-time Beach regulars he honored with honorifics like mayor, king and queen of Fairview Beach.

He added, "This was Margaritaville before Jimmy Buffett ever thought of the song, while he was still off in New Orleans strumming his guitar."

Littek and a host of others noted that the "Margaritaville" song that launched Buffett to super-stardom is about more than just quaffing a few of the signature drinks made with limes, ice and tequila.