20 fall festivals & events in VA to add to your calendar
Discover 20 can’t-miss fall events and festivals in Virginia, happening from September through November.
From apple butter and oyster feasts to grape stomping and outdoor fun, Virginia’s fall event calendar is brimming with fun ways to celebrate the season. Between September and November, communities across the commonwealth will host a variety of engaging events and festivals that showcase the traditions, flavors, and majesty of autumn. These 20 events offer tons of reasons to get out and enjoy fall this year.
September
Cox Farms Fall Festival
Dates: Sept. 20-Nov. 9
Location: 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville, VA 20120
For over 40 years, Cox Farms Fall Festival has been offering fall-themed fun to Northern Virginia families. The festival, which spans 90 acres on Cox Farms, includes slides, rope swings, hayrides, hay bale mazes, animals, milking demonstrations, music, food, and cider.
Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend
Dates: Sept. 26-28
Location: Virginia Beach Oceanfront between 1st and 35th streets
The Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend is celebrating its 50th year. The festival, which includes live music and performances, shopping, dining, a parade, a 5K and 8K run, a beach volleyball tournament, and fireworks, spans dozens of blocks of the scenic Boardwalk. Be sure to check out the 22 sand sculptures that are part of Neptune’s International Sandsculpting Championship.
State Fair of Virginia
Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 5
Location: 13191 Dawn Blvd., Doswell, VA 23047
The State Fair of Virginia offers families the perfect opportunity to experience Virginia agriculture. Children can learn about all sorts of farm animals and even get up close with some in the petting zoo area. Amusement rides and deep-fried delicacies add to the fun.
Grayson Highlands Fall Harvest Festival
Dates: Sept. 27-28
Location: 829 Grayson Highland Ln., Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363
The Grayson Highlands Fall Harvest Festival at Grayson Highlands State Park is a celebration of the way things used to be. It spotlights how molasses used to be made—by grinding cane into juice before being boiled—how apple cider used to be the go-to drink, and how apple butter was made in a kettle over an open fire. Old-time bands will provide the soundtrack for the festival. There will also be plenty of food vendors on hand.
October
Graves’ Mountain Apple Festival
Dates: Oct. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
Location: 205 Graves Mountain Ln., Old Blue Ridge Turnpike, Syria, VA 22743
Apples are one of the true hallmarks of fall, which means that the Graves’ Mountain Apple Festival is a can’t-miss seasonal event. The festival has it all, including hayrides, hay mazes, fresh apple butter, homemade Brunswick stew, and apple picking. Local Bluegrass bands will keep the mood festive.
Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape
Date: Oct. 4
Location: 3860 Old Buckingham Rd., Powhatan, VA 23139
Love wine? If so, Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape is the perfect fall event. It features over 30 Virginia wineries; however, craft beer options will also be available. Some of the wineries that will be present include Brooks Mill Winery, Rassawek Winery, and Mattaponi Winery. Tickets include a special festival-themed wine glass. The festival will be held in Powhatan’s Historic Courthouse District. A range of bands, including headliner The KOS Band, will provide the soundtrack for the festival.
Harvest Days Festival
Date: Oct. 4
Location: Virginia Avenue, Clarksville, VA 23927
Set in downtown Clarksville, the annual Harvest Days Festival brings the community together for a day of festive fun. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., vendors set up shop along the streets to show off their seasonal crafts, specialty gifts, home décor, antiques, collectibles, and floral arrangements. Food vendors will also be present. Little ones will surely enjoy the petting zoo.
Historic Downtown Manassas Fall Jubilee
Date: Oct. 5
Location: 9431 West St., Manassas, VA 20110
The family-friendly historic Downtown Manassas Fall Jubilee brings the Manassas community together for a day of shopping, food, drinks, live music, and activities. Over 100 craft and community booths will be present. The jubilee runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Suffolk Peanut Festival
Dates: Oct. 9-12
Location: 1410 Airport Rd., Suffolk, VA 23434
If the peanut is your favorite legume, then the Suffolk Peanut Festival is for you. The event celebrates the commonwealth’s unique agricultural heritage, which prominently includes the peanut. There will also be plenty of entertainment, including amusement rides, concerts, fireworks, demolition derby, and truck and tractor pulls. Admission is $10 per person.
Richmond Folk Festival
Dates: Oct. 10-12
Location: Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA 23219
Attend the Richmond Folk Festival to get a sense of what makes Richmond’s culture so unique. The free three-day event includes live music, dance performances, and various artistic displays across six stages. The event is held along the city’s historic riverfront.
Annual Chincoteague Island Oyster Festival
Date: Oct. 11
Location: 8128 Beebe Rd., Chincoteague Island, VA 23336
There’s no better way to enjoy fall than sampling a variety of fresh oysters, including ones that are raw, steamed, fried, and frittered. The Annual Chincoteague Island Oyster Festival at Tom’s Cove Park offers an all-you-can-eat seafood experience. Clams and shrimp will also be available. There will also be live entertainment.
Fall Festival in Old Town Historic Fairfax
Date: Oct. 11
Location: 10415 North St., Fairfax, VA 22030
The Fall Festival in Old Town Historic Fairfax is the festival to go to if you’re looking to peruse some wares. With more than 400 art and craft vendors on site, there will surely be something that catches your eye. The festival also includes a variety of activities for children and entertainment. Be sure to also check out the food vendors and beer gardens. Organizers promise that despite the size, it still maintains a hometown festival feel.
Bland County Festival of Leaves
Dates: Oct. 11-12
Location: Bland, VA 24315
The Bland County Festival of Leaves is a celebration of all things fall, with hayrides, entertainment, food, and shopping being some of the main draws. There will even be an apple cooking contest. The free event is held at the Bland County Fairgrounds.
Virginia Garlic & Wine Festival
Dates: Oct. 11-12
Location: 2229 N. Amherst Hwy., Amherst, VA 24521
Held at Rebec Vineyards, the Virginia Garlic & Wine Festival celebrates the union of the unique yet enticing pair. Nine local wineries will be on hand, along with a variety of specialty food vendors. Over 150 art and craft vendors will have wares for sale. Entertainment will be offered across five stages. The festival is family-friendly, with a KidZone that will feature a bounce house, face painting, and a balloon artist.
Anthem Go Outside Festival
Dates: Oct. 17-19
Location: Roanoke, VA
The Anthem Go Outside Festival offers participants the opportunity to enjoy fall in the great outdoors. The Roanoke Valley, with its scenic mountains, serves as the perfect backdrop for the festival that centers around a variety of outdoor activities, including cycling, paddleboarding, fishing, and running. There will also be plenty of food and entertainment options, like s’mores and music from Abby Bryant & The Echoes on the Elmwood Stage. The event is pet-friendly, so feel free to bring along your four-legged friend.
Apple Dumpling Festival
Date: Oct. 18
Location: Downtown Stuart, VA 24171
The Apple Dumpling Festival is a celebration of all things apple, including apple pies, apple dumplings, and apple butter. Attendees are advised to come hungry. The festival is held at The Depot, where the Danville and Western Railroad stopped in Stuart. Live bands will perform throughout the event.
Blue Ridge Folklife Festival
Date: Oct. 25
Location: 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd., Ferrum, VA 24088
The Blue Ridge Folklife Festival has been a staple among the fall festival circuit in Virginia for 50 years. The festival brings people from far and wide together to learn about folkways and Virginia’s rural heritage. Attendees will get to watch demonstrations from craftspeople, hear stories from retired bootleggers, get up close to vintage tractors, learn how sheep are herded, and watch a mule jumping contest. Music ranging from bluegrass and blues to gospel and old-time string tunes will provide the soundtrack for the festival.
November
Caledon 20th Annual Art & Wine Festival
Dates: Nov. 1-2
Location: 11617 Caledon Rd., King George, VA 22485
The Caledon Art & Wine Festival offers the public an opportunity to come together to view and purchase art from King George artists and sample offerings from local wineries. Food trucks will also be present. The family-friendly event is free, with festival tasting glasses being $30 at the gate.
Urbanna Oyster Festival
Dates: Nov. 7-8
Location: 390 Virginia St., Suite C, Urbanna, VA 23175
Dubbed the “Official Oyster Festival of the Commonwealth,” the Urbanna Oyster Festival offers oyster-lovers the opportunity to sample oysters prepared in a variety of ways, including raw, steamed, fried, roasted, Rockefeller, stewed, pot pie, chowder, and tacos. The expansive festival takes over the streets of Urbanna, which is where the Virginia Oyster Trail first took root. Be sure to sign up for the oyster shucking contest. A range of musical artists will perform throughout the festival.
Fall Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival
Date: Nov. 8
Location: 1776 Poplar Forest Parkway, Lynchburg, VA 24502
Did you know that wine was one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite pastimes? It’s true! If it’s also one of yours, then consider attending the Fall Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival at Poplar Forest, Jefferson’s retreat. Attendees will be able to sample offerings from over 15 Virginia wineries.
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