33 events in Virginia to take your kids to before summer ends
Discover fun and educational end-of-summer events across Virginia that families won’t want to miss through Sept. 22.
As summer starts to wind down, Virginia families should keep in mind that they still have plenty of time to make lasting memories before the school year starts. Whether your kid enjoys frolicking through foam or wants to learn about honeybees, this roundup of 33 events includes something for everyone.
August
Family Sundays at Stonebridge
Location: 14801 Dining Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Dates: Aug. 10, 24, Sept. 14
Family Sundays at Stonebridge is a family-friendly event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. that includes live music, interactive performances, and life-size games. At Bar Louie, kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told!
Location: 206 16th St., Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Dates: Aug. 9, 16, 23, 30
The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told! is a musical improv comedy show that allows the audience to help dictate the story. The show features an eclectic mix of Vikings, pirates, ghosts, and the Roman Navy. A VIP children’s ticket comes with a magic sword.
Bubble Party Weekend
Location: 4000 Newman Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23188
Dates: Aug. 22-24
Bubble Party Weekend at the Williamsburg Campground offers a weekend of whimsical fun for the whole family. Families can cool off from the summer heat by playing in a sea of foam.
From Here to There Summer Exhibit
Location: 2626 West Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220
Dates: Through Sept. 7
From Here to There Summer Exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Richmond focuses on the science of moving things by land, sea, and air. The 1,500-square-foot hands-on exhibit makes learning about gravity, friction, and the laws of motion fun and engaging. Some of the activities include riding a hovercraft to learn about air pressure and launching a hot air balloon. Tickets to the museum are $12 for children and adults.
Zzz’s Under the Sea Family
Location: 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Dates: Aug. 15-16
Zzz’s Under the Sea Family is a slumber party at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. Families can experience a jam-packed night of trivia, a guest quest, and sleeping under the sea stars. Don’t forget to bring your pajamas and sleeping bag. Tickets are $100 for non-members.
37th Annual Nansemond Indian Pow Wow
Location: 1001 Pembroke Ln., Suffolk, VA 23434
Dates: Aug. 16-17
The 37th Annual Nansemond Indian Pow Wow is a family-friendly event where children can learn about Native American culture through dancing, singing, arts and crafts, educational exhibits, displays, and food. Admission is free.
Annual Colonial Beach Water Fest
Location: Town Hill Boardwalk, Colonial Beach, VA 22443
Dates: Aug. 16-17
Celebrate the water that makes Colonial Beach so special by attending the family-friendly Annual Colonial Beach Water Fest on the Boardwalk. Activities for kids include a bounce house, waterslide, sand, water games, contests, and a storyteller. Organizers note that there may even be a mermaid or two on site. Admission is free.
Chairlift Sunset Session at Wintergreen Resort
Location: 39 Wintergreen Dr., Roseland, VA 22967
Dates: Aug. 16, Sept. 20
The Chairlift Sunset Session at Wintergreen Resort offers families the opportunity to experience stunning Blue Ridge Mountain views as the sun sets. Then, they’re able to listen to live music around cozy campfires and eat s’mores. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs.
Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the Arlington County Fair
Location: 3501 Second Street South, Arlington, VA 22204
Date: Aug. 16
Take your kid to the Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the Arlington County Fair to get them interested in commerce. They’ll get to see kids just like them, from ages 5 to 17, running businesses ranging from lemonade stands to lawn mowing services. As part of the event, the budding entrepreneurs will deliver sales pitches and conduct transactions.
Leesburg Festival of Crafts & Kites @ Ida Lee Park
Location: 60 Ida Lee Dr., NW, Leesburg, VA 20176
Date: Aug. 16
The free Leesburg Festival of Crafts & Kites @ Ida Lee Park offers a fun-filled day of entertainment where colorful kites and creativity come together. Children can fly their own kites or enjoy watching others do the same. There will also be moon bounces, a coloring tent, live entertainment, and additional games for kids. Several food and beverage vendors will be on-site.
Pollinator Weekend: National Honeybee Day
Location: 11012 Edmonds Ln., Delaplane, VA 20144
Date: Aug. 16
The Pollinator Weekend: National Honeybee Day at Sky Meadows State Park offers families the opportunity to learn about the impact of bees on the environment, how to protect them, and the basics of beekeeping and apiculture from park rangers. Local honey will be for sale. Parking is $10 per car.
Sensory Explorers’ Trail Summer Series: Summer Habitat Detectives
Location: 11012 Edmonds Ln., Delaplane, VA 20144
Date: Aug. 16
The Sensory Explorers’ Trail Summer Series: Summer Habitat Detectives event is designed to allow children the opportunity to explore the nature scene at Sky Meadows State Park with guidance from Virginia Master Naturalists. There’s a focus on how organisms work together to survive in the forest. Given that the walk covers three-tenths of a mile, it’s recommended for children aged 7-11 accompanied by a parent. Parking is $10 per car.
Pollinator Weekend: Monarch Day
Location: 11012 Edmonds Ln., Delaplane, VA 20144
Date: Aug. 17
The Pollinator Weekend: Monarch Day event focuses on the Monarchs that visit Sky Meadows State Park. Attendees get to search for Monarch caterpillars and eggs as they learn about habitat loss. Virginia Master Naturalists will guide them as they complete a 1.5-mile walk. Parking is $10 per car.
Sunflower Festival
Location: 9166 Liberty Mills Rd., Somerset, VA 22972
Dates: Aug. 22 – Sept. 1
Enjoy endless sunflowers at Liberty Mills Farm’s Sunflower Festival. The flowers range in height from 3 to 10 feet and span multiple acres. Hay wagon rides are offered around the property. Attendees can also borrow a pair of clippers and snip some flowers to place in a purchased bucket or mason jar. There’s also a playground for kids.
2025 Around The World Cultural Food Festival
Location: 100 Madison St., Alexandria, VA 22314
Date: Aug. 23
The 2025 Around The World Cultural Food Festival at Oronoco Bay Park is the perfect opportunity for parents to expose their kids to foods from different cultures. Organizers say there will be dishes from every corner of the globe, ranging from spicy street food to sweet desserts. There will also be live cultural performances, including dance, music, and live art.
International Food Festival
Location: 9101 Prince William St., Manassas, VA 20110
Dates: Aug. 24
Stop by the Manassas Museum Lawn for the International Food Festival, where over 30 food vendors will be offering a variety of global cuisines. There will also be live entertainment for kids to enjoy. This event will take place again on September 28.
Front Porch Fest
Location: 677 Spirithaven Ln., Stuart, VA 24171
Dates: Aug. 28-31
Families who enjoy music should check out the Front Porch Fest. The event features live music from local musicians and well-known artists. The genres include folk, blues, indie, and rock. There will also be activities and games for kids. Children under 12 get in for free.
Rockfish River Rodeo at Blue Toad Hard Cidery
Location: 462 Winery Ln., Roseland, VA 22967
Date: Aug. 30
Take your kids to the Rockfish River Rodeo at Blue Toad Hard Cidery to experience professional cowboys, raging bulls, barrel racing, bucking broncos, and mutton busting. The rodeo lasts three hours.
Illumination of the Bridge
Location: 6477 South Lee Hwy., Natural Bridge, VA 24578
Date: Aug. 30
Kids will surely enjoy Illumination of the Bridge, an event in which the 200-foot-tall Natural Bridge is lit from above and below with dozens of lights. Attendees get to experience the light show while listening to the sound of Cedar Creek running through the arch. Admission is $6 for children aged 3-12 and $9 for those aged 13 and above.
Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival
Location: 110 N Main St., Madison, VA 22727
Date: Aug. 30
Madison County’s Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival offers plenty for kids to engage with, including arts, crafts, music, antique cars, history, sand art, and face painting. Entertainment will be in the form of bands and magic shows.
51st Virginia Scottish Games
Location: 5089 Old Tavern Rd., The Plains, VA 20198
Dates: Aug. 30-31
Teach your kids about the region’s Scottish heritage by attending the 51st Virginia Scottish Games. They’ll get to watch piping and drumming, heavy athletics, highland dancing, and fiddling. They’ll even get to sample Scottish cuisine, like meat pies and bridies.
September
Family Fun Labor Day Celebration
Location: 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick, VA 22947
Date: Sept. 1
Take your kids to Keswick Vineyards for the Family Fun Labor Day Celebration, featuring fun activities such as live music, a petting zoo, and face painting. There will also be live music and food vendors.
Let’s Talk About Space
Location: Mile 51 on Skyline Drive, Luray, VA 22835
Dates: Sept. 4, 18
NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern will present the Let’s Talk About Space events with “New Horizons to Pluto and Beyond” on Sept. 4 and “Our Star, the Sun” on Sept. 18. The events are held at Big Meadows Lodge in Shenandoah National Park.
4th Annual Apple Cider Festival
Location: 110 E. Grayson St., Galax, VA 24333
Date: Sept. 6
Kids who love apple juice may enjoy sipping on a cup of apple cider made from freshly pressed apples at the 4th Annual Apple Cider Festival. There will also be a kids’ jam circle with live music and games geared toward kids.
Experience Life as a Civil War Soldier
Location: 12602 Harrison Landing Rd., Charles City, VA 23030
Date: Sept. 6
Visit the historic Berkeley Plantation for the Experience Life as a Civil War Soldier event to see what it was like at the site when over 100,000 soldiers camped there in 1862. Reenactors will portray the troops, with displays of relics and archives available for viewing.
1781 Yorktown Before the Siege
Location: 301 Main St., Yorktown, VA 23690
Dates: Sept. 6-7
Take your kids to the 1781 Yorktown Before the Siege event so they can learn what life was like in the British Camp at Yorktown before 1781 when the American and French forces moved in. Attendees will have the opportunity to observe military drills, experience camp life, and interact with costumed interpreters. The event is free.
Homeschool Hands-On: Bray School
Location: 101 Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185
Dates: Sept. 6-21
The Homeschool Hands-On: Bray School at Colonial Williamsburg provides insights into what a colonial-era Virginia student learned, what colonial society valued, and a day in the life of an enslaved Black student. Attendees get to participate in a reading lesson that uses the same books that Bray Scholars learned from.
Homeschool Tour: Children and the Law
Location: 101 Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185
Dates: Sept. 6-21
Kids will likely enjoy Colonial Williamsburg’s Homeschool Tour: Children and the Law event. The 45-minute guided walking tour takes participants through the town, exploring how its youngest citizens were represented in colonial-era laws.
Yorktown Market Days – First Responders Market
Location: 331 Water St., Yorktown, VA 23690
Date: Sept. 6
The free family-friendly Yorktown Market Days – First Responders Market event is a celebration of the firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, 911 communications dispatchers, and public works officials who keep Yorktown safe. Children will get to explore emergency vehicles and ask questions of first responders.
Stargazing
Location: 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151
Date: Sept. 6
Children will surely enjoy Stargazing with the staff of the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to view the night sky through telescopes. The free event will allow participants to see planets, stars, and the moon.
Homeschool Hands-On: 18th-Century Astronomy
Location: 101 Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185
Date: Sept. 9, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20
Colonial Williamsburg’s Homeschool Hands-On: 18th-Century Astronomy event explores how 18th-century scientists viewed the skies and the stars.
Annual Concord Grape U-Pick
Location: 10439 N. Reservoir Rd., Wise, VA 24293
Date: Sept. 13
Give your kids insight into where the grapes they get at the grocery store come from by attending the Annual Concord Grape U-Pick at MountainRose Vineyards. Attendees will get to pick fresh Concord grapes from the vine. Make sure you bring a bucket and clippers.
Portraits of Jamestown Family Day
Location: 2110 Jamestown Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23185
Date: Sept. 13
Portraits of Jamestown Family Day is an engaging event that allows families to pose for a family portrait in front of a green screen, draw a portrait, and figure out whose portraits are missing from history. The event is held at Jamestown Settlement.
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