Openings, events, and other information on these pages may be canceled or postponed to a later date. Please check with the individual location or business for more details.
Central and Southern Virginia
- The Virginia Museum of History & Culture will tell the story of culinary icon Julia Child through sight, sound, and smell, in Julia Child: A Recipe for Life, a new exhibition that will be on display from March 16-Sept. 2, 2024. This exhibition will feature video, audio, photographs, memorabilia, recreated scenes from the chef’s life, and a special section exclusive to VMHC that highlights Julia Child’s impact on generations of Virginians.
- The Valentine’s newest exhibition, Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the “Lost Cause” American Myth, explores how Edward Valentine, leaders in Richmond, and others around the country contributed to the national effort to reframe the reality of the Civil War. Opening in January 2024, Sculpting History uses artworks sculpted by Edward Valentine as well as documents, objects, images, quotations, and questions to connect the Lost Cause myth to today.
- The American Civil War Museum will host its 19th Annual Symposium: The Impending Crisis, February 16-17, 2024. The symposium will feature esteemed scholars discussing America on the verge of civil war, followed by the premiere of the Museum’s newest exhibition, The Impending Crisis.
- Unlocked History Escape Rooms in Charlottesville is expanding in 2024, growing from 3 escape rooms to a total of 7. “Da Vinci’s Discovery” delves into the enigmas of Leonardo Da Vinci’s creations and is slated to launch in Winter 2024.
- Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington forged one of the earliest collaborations between Jews and African Americans to create schools throughout the nation for Black children who had no access to publicly funded education. The Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond presents A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools That Changed America. This exhibition features eighty-five duotone images and an introduction by the late Congressman John Lewis, who attended a Rosenwald school in Alabama. Exhibit runs May 25, 2024 – April 20, 2025.
- In celebration of The LEGO Group opening its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture will host Traveling Bricks, one of the largest exhibitions of LEGO® models in the world. Themed on the evolution of transportation, visitors will explore installations by master builders in four distinct sections for air, land, sea, and space. With more than 1,000,000 LEGO® bricks and 120 LEGO® models, visitors will learn about record breakers and the history of transportation innovation in this fun and interactive experience including a play zone to practice your own master building techniques. The exhibit runs October 19, 2024- January 5, 2025.
- The Library of Virginia is debuting a new exhibit highlighting Virginia’s Indigenous history and how the tribes remain a vital part of Virginia’s culture today. The exhibit titled Indigenous Perspectives will run from Dec. 5, 2023 – Aug. 17, 2024 and showcases video interviews with Virginia tribe citizens, archival records from the Library’s collections, and tribal objects such as eel pots, regalia, and quilts that reflect their traditions and culture.
- Quirk Hotel Charlottesville will host Root to Table’s Spring Culinary Celebration of Women, March 10-11, 2024, in recognition of Women’s History Month. The kickoff to Root to Table’s 2024 season begins with a salute to all the talented women in the culinary and agriculture industries. Sunday takes guests on a culinary journey where they will meet chefs, wine makers, farmers, and more. Monday programming includes an educational summit and brunch.
- Foxfield Races is celebrating its 45th running anniversary during the spring steeplechase races on April 27, 2024.
- Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden kicks off its 40th anniversary in 2024 with a year-long celebration featuring exquisite horticultural displays, art exhibits, community events, live music, and more, including: Contemporary American multi-disciplinary artist Kyle Epps as an artist-in-residence from April-September 2024. Epps’ work will explore the landscape and history of the Garden through a variety of mediums. Guests will be able to view the artwork in the Garden’s Community Art Gallery and Epps will also lead workshops.
- Greene County will host its inaugural Virginia Black Bear Festival June 1, 2024. This free, family friendly event will celebrate all-things related to black bears and outdoor activities. Come out to enjoy live music, local food, crafts, a scavenger hunt, Smokey the Bear, storytelling, and more in downtown Stanardsville.
- The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Professional Disc Golf World Championships are coming to Lynchburg, August 21-25, 2024. This will be the first ever PDGA World Championship held in Virginia.
- The historic Moore & Giles Virginia 10 Miler will celebrate its 50th year on September 28, 2024 in Lynchburg. Join more than 3,000 runners on an historic course that has hosted participants from around the globe. The 10-mile run, 4+ mile run/walk, and Amazing Mile Children’s Run invite men, women, and children of all ages and abilities to participate.
- Glass Hollow, projected to open in Nelson County in September 2024, will be a unique destination where visitors can watch the magic of glass blowing, and peruse a gallery featuring celebrated local and national artists along the 151 Wine Trail. The venue is located on a beautiful 8 acre property with mountain and river views.
Coastal Virginia – Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Roads, Eastern Shore
- The Chrysler Museum of Art has rolled out the first U.S. stop for Paul McCartney Photographs 1963- 1964: Eyes of the Storm. This exhibit features more than 250 photographs captured by Paul McCartney using his own Pentax Camera, taken between November 1963 and February 1964, illuminating the period in which The Beatles became international superstars. Fresh from its launch at the National Portrait Gallery in London, this iconic exhibit will run at CMA from December 2023 – April 2024.
- In December 2023, the Town of Exmore launched a new Exmore History Walking Tour. The tour is an informative step back in time, highlighting the history of Exmore and the shaping of the community with the arrival of the railroad.
- The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center will welcome guests into the newly renovated and expanded South Building in January 2024. Holding nearly 20,000 gallons of water and more than a dozen species, the South Building’s renovated spaces will have immersive experiences with interactive exhibits, kid’s play areas, touch pools, an observable veterinary care center, interactive water quality lab, outdoor play areas, and more.
- The Last Word Comedy Festival comes to Williamsburg, January 25-28, 2024. The festival will feature four days of shows, workshops, and receptions featuring improv and stand-up comedy acts from around the country. The 2024 festival lineup will include both curated headliners and sets from submitted acts.
- Make ready for centuries of military history, all in one weekend, at Jamestown Settlement’s time-honored Military Through the Ages event, March 16 and 17, marking its milestone 40th anniversary in 2024. The event features hundreds of re-enactors depicting armed forces from 500 B.C.E. all the way to modern-day soldiers with the Virginia Army National Guard. Visitors are invited to explore military encampments and interact with re-enactors to learn how uniforms, weapons and tactics evolved through the centuries.
- Loch Ness Monster, the iconic, registered landmark interlocking loop roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg celebrates 46 years as Busch Gardens’ most iconic attraction with a full restoration in 2024, including all-new thematic and experiential elements. Anticipated opening Spring 2024.
- “A Grand Menagerie: The Sculpture of Anna Hyatt Huntington” opens in April 2024 at the Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center at Christopher Newport University. The show will contain works drawn from collections all over the country and will examine the legacy of this once internationally known artist who left an impact on Newport News with works like the Lions Bridge.
- All weekend long, April 5-7, 2024, participants will “Relax and Renew” at the Women’s Wellness Weekend ESVA in Cape Charles by engaging in inspiring classes, workshops, and sessions led by renowned, Eastern Shore-based holistic practitioners.
- Opening in spring 2024, the Elizabeth River Project has been working hard to bring the Ryan Resilience Lab to Norfolk. This building was designed to work with the coast including floating docks, green roofs, solar arrays, rainwater capture, and much more. The lab explores, displays, and models key concepts and approaches that will lead the way to a more sustainable future including; Adaptation to a Changing Climate, Features to Absorb Flooding, Energy and Environmental Resilience and Cultural Resilience.
- The Surry County Cultural Trail will launch in May 2024 as a self-guided driving trail interpreting the sites, history, and stories of Indigenous people and African descendants in Surry County from pre-1607 to present.
- After recently breaking ground on a $4.3 million expansion to its 23-acre campus, the Virginia Living Museum is constructing a 5,000 sq. ft. Wild Care Center along the museum’s outdoor boardwalk trail. The Care Center will create a literal window into the world of veterinary and preventative animal care, nutrition, and the connection between humans and the environment. Expected opening Summer 2024.
- Following its groundbreaking in October 2023, Tappahannock Central Park promises to offer a wide range of amenities and features including expansive green spaces, state of the art playground and splash pad equipment, walking and biking paths, beautiful landscaping and natural areas, and a dedicated space for community events and gatherings.
- The Yorktown Workboat Races on June 2 will feature wooden and fiberglass work boats and skiffs race from around the Chesapeake.
- Yorktown will host a plethora of activities and celebrations in honor of Yorktown Day on Oct. 19, including an exclusive, special themed Yorktown Victory Market.
- Yorktown Maritime Festival will take place Nov. 9-10. Visitors can sample some of the best seafood in the area, like oysters, lobster rolls, and shrimp. Artisans will be selling nautical-inspired jewelry and art. Pirates will invade the waterfront to talk to kids about seafaring life, and there will be education information for mariners of all ages.
- Virginia’s River Realm and local outfitter Paddle On LLC installed new 24-hour kayak storage lockers located throughout area to provide better water access for outdoor enthusiasts.
Northern Virginia
- Opened in September 2023, Sweet Run State Park is Virginia’s newest state park, an 844-acre greenspace nestled between the Blue Ridge and Short Hill mountains in far western Loudoun County. The park features 11 miles of hiking trails, nine miles of equestrian trails, two streams, dense forest and a rugged stretch of the world-famous Appalachian Trail. There is also a picnic pavilion, a “nature play area” for children and a fishing pond stocked with sunfish and largemouth bass.
- Opened in November 2023, the Lovettsville Cooperative Market is a unique new full-service grocery store in the heart of downtown Lovettsville featuring 7,000-plus items from more than 100 local producers and suppliers. The shop sells fruit and vegetables, cheese and milk, farm meats, Loudoun wine and beer, wellness products, plus arts and crafts. The store also serves as a community hub, sponsoring events and programs catering to local needs and interests.
- From March – November 2024, the newest temporary public art installation at Alexandria’s waterfront explores the impact of an asteroid that hit the earth 35 million years ago near what is now Alexandria. Created by artist/architect duo Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang, Interstellar Influencer (Make an Impact) utilizes metal, water and light to create a 1:1000 scale representation of the asteroid and the 85-kilometer wide, 1.5-kilometer deep crater it left behind, which helped to shape the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed and the flow of water through its rivers and tributaries in the process.
- At Alexandria’s newest waterfront development, Robinson Landing, one of the city’s last remaining historic waterfront warehouses will be preserved and transformed into a new upscale market and relaxed tavern space called Cooper Mill, a nod to the former mill on the site which fabricated barrels for the Alexandria Flour Company. Estimated opening Spring 2024.
- Sultry Loudoun soul, jazz and R&B singer Tracy Hamlin’s Sweet Jazz Festival will take place at the National Conference Center in Leesburg, April 19-20. A two-day celebration of music, art and wine, the festival will feature stirring vocal performances from Hamlin, as well as appearances by jazz artists Marcus Anderson, Karen Briggs, Jeff Bradshaw and others.
- The wildly popular Tarara Summer Concert Series, a May through September series of live Saturday evening concerts, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. Hosted at Tarara Winery on the banks of the Potomac north of Leesburg, the festival features a rotating series of cover bands and original acts performing on a raised stage in a natural amphitheater. Food stands, local beer tents, and Tarara wine are all on hand for the enjoyment of concertgoers.
- Fredericksburg will host a series of events, Taste Through Time: Historical Tastings and Demonstrations, which will each feature different food themes around a fire. March 3, October 13, December 15, 2024.
Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Mountains
- FloydFest is back to its regular programming with a new location in 2024. The festival will be held July 24-28 in Check, Virginia. Tickets are on sale now.
- A 9-hole Pitch & Putt disc golf course is coming to Bedford County at the Welcome Center in March 2024. Tee box one will be placed beside the existing LOVEwork, offering photo-ops for players as they tee off.
- The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day with events scheduled June 5-9, 2024.
- The re-imagined James I. Moyer Sports Complex will open in Salem in 2024, featuring four softball fields, thirteen pickleball courts, and a new playground. This facility annually hosts 40+ softball/baseball events and will be hosting regional pickleball events, as well.
- Beliveau Farm & Winery’s Lavender Festival in Blacksburg will take place on June 29 & 30 and July 6 & 7 in 2024. The popular summertime festival features new vendors, wines, food specials, and more.
- The Bedford Area Welcome Center will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special event on October 29, 2024.
- The 36th Annual Salem Fair, Virginia’s largest and one of the top fairs in the country, will return to the Salem Civic Center grounds July 3-14.
Southwest Virginia – Blue Ridge Highlands, Heart of Appalachia
- The Russell Theater in Lebanon reopened to the public in September 2023 after being shuttered for three decades. Now restored to its former glory, the theatre will host musical performances, arts, live plays, concerts, movies, and more.
- The Dante Coal Heritage Trail (motorized) and the Dante Miners Trail (non-motorized) opened in Dante in October 2023.
- The Boho Collective boutique shop opened in Abingdon in October 2024. The store features women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories, and housewares, all with a boho flair.
- A new skill and pump track opened in Abingdon in November 2023. Nestled along the Virginia Creeper Trail at the Meadows Sports Complex, the site features an asphalt section and lots of wooden wall ride areas, ramps, and turns.
- The Handmade Music School, along with The Floyd Country Store, is hosting the fifth annual Floyd County Old Time Music Get Together at the EcoVillage in Floyd County, Thursday, March 21 – Sunday, March 24, 2024. The camp offers intermediate and advanced classes in fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dance, and singing. Afternoon sessions will feature presentations and workshops with visiting masters, and evenings will offer square-dancing, concerts, and lots of tune-playing opportunities.
- The Floyd Radio Show is an old-timey variety show with original radio plays, comedy bits, ads, jingles, music and more, hosted by Kelley Breiding. The Floyd Radio Show has two 2024 dates: February 3, featuring special guests Sarah Kate Morgan and more, and April 6, featuring special guests The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, Nikki Morgan and more.
- Named for the nearby confluence of the Clinch, Powell, and Big Sandy watersheds, the Three Rivers Destination Center will be a multipurpose facility designed to propel Southwest Virginia’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy to new heights. The Center will serve as home to the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, a visitor center for regional amenities and for the Clinch River State Park, and as an ecology discovery center. Expected opening March 2024.
- The 50th Anniversary of the Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally will take place May 10-12, 2024. This event highlights the biodiversity of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in SWVA with featured speakers, naturalist-led hikes and talks, youth programs, music, and food for the entire weekend.
- Squabble State Farms is coming to Washington County in Spring 2024. Three miles from the new Bristol Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the vision is a 68-acre agritourism destination featuring an apple orchard, hard cidery, distillery, nature trails, music venue, and scenic views for miles.
- The High Knob Destination Center will share the history, nature, and culture that make Southwest Virginia so special. Opening in Norton, Spring 2024.
- Historic Smithfield in Montgomery County will commemorate its 250th anniversary (1774-2024) from July 26-28, 2024. The weekend’s events include social hours and live music, panel discussions, presentations, book signings, colonial games, the dedication of an interpretive outbuilding, and a formal dinner. Sunday’s Commemoration at the Wishing Tree at Solitude and historic tours of Solitude and White Thorn will conclude the commemoration. Historic Smithfield is a plantation house outside Blacksburg, Virginia, built by Col. William Preston as his residence and farm. It was the birthplace of two Virginia Governors, James Patton Preston and John B. Floyd.
- Josie’s Nature Playground opened in Damascus in late 2023 as a new park for family-friendly, nature-based play downtown by Trestle 16 of the Virginia Creeper Trail. The park was dedicated to a local resident named Josie who wished for this special addition to her hometown and was granted her wish by Make-A-Wish® Greater Virginia.
- Available in January 2024 is the Passport to Damascus, a custom passport booklet to collect ink stamps from local businesses and attractions in Damascus with prizes for completion. Damascus already has several existing stamps from the Appalachian Trail (AT) Passport.
- Opening in April 2024 is the Damascus Art Trail, a self-guided tour of public art in downtown Damascus that can be accessed by walking, biking, or driving.
- Stingray Outdoors will open in Spring 2024 in Giles County as an outdoor outfitter specializing in high quality, environmentally conscious outdoor gear and paddle boarding equipment.
- The Giles Adventure Destination Center on Salt Pond Mountain will open Summer 2024 in Giles County. The center will offer access to Mountain Lake trail system and AT trails, plus restrooms and visitor information.
- Marion will have its Summer Kickoff/Juneteenth Celebration with the Entice Band at the Farmers Market on June 14, Juneteenth Neighborhood Celebration at Carnegie School on Iron Street on Saturday, June 15, and Juneteenth program at Mount Pleasant Historical Society on Sunday, June 16.
- The 10th annual “Hungriest Mother Food Challenges Festival” in downtown Marion on July 13 features From the Edge, Ali Randolph Band, and Songs of the South: An Alabama Tribute live on the Main Stage, plus a dozen local food challenges.
- Giles County installed new kayak storage lockers to enhance ease of access and storage accommodations for outdoor users.
Statewide
- On August 16, 2024, the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour begins its 13-month celebration of Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette’s triumphant return tour of the United States begins in New York City and follows his footsteps through the then existing 24 states in the exact order he traveled in 1824 and 1825. Stops in Virginia will be Oct. 15-Dec. 17 and will include Arlington, Alexandria, Mount Vernon, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Jamestown, Norfolk, Fort Monroe, Portsmouth, Petersburg, Richmond, Goochland County, Charlottesville, Montpelier, Fredericksburg, Fort Belvoir, and Woodlawn.