The Quest for the Fest: Festival Season Kicks Off in Waynesboro, VA!
Waynesboro is gearing up to kick off its much-awaited festival season and it all starts on April 20th and continues throughout the Spring and Summer with Riverfest, tons of concert series, the return of the Farmers Market, Hiker Fest, Chili, Brews, and Blues, and a more! Whether you’re a local looking for some hometown fun or a traveler seeking adventure, the Waynesboro festival scene promises an unforgettable experience for everyone. Take a look at the complete list of all the festivals and activities Waynesboro has in store for you this season!
420 in the Blue Ridge: Saturday, April 20th, 11:00 am
It’s the annual 240 festival at the Foundry at Basic City! Kick off the day at the Basic City Makers Market with fresh beers, tasty snacks, and Virginia Creators and Artisans. You can spend the whole day right at Virginia Metalcrafters Marketplace! Lunch at Basic City, wine tasting at Common Wealth Crush, then the party gets started at the Foundry. Doors open at 6:30 and the Isaac Hadden Organ Trio with special guest Jeff Sipe and Gordon Sterling and The People will be performing to make for one memorable 420 party!
Waynesboro Riverfest: Saturday, April 27th, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Come out to Constitution Park for a full day of fun! There will be programs, activities, canoe rides, exhibitors, food, author talks, and the Great South River Duck Race! This is the year of the Eastern Screech Owl and you can also pick up a passport and the Riverfest info booth and complete the Screech Owl Trail for a chance to win some awesome prizes. The fun starts at 10:00 am but you definitely want to stick around for the duck race at the end of the day! No pets allowed.
Waynesboro Farmers Market: Saturdays 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, May-October
The Waynesboro Farmers Market, Blue Ridge Outdoor Magazine’s runner up for best Farmers Market in the Blue Ridge, will start its season on the first Saturday in May. The Market starts at 9:00 am at the Constitution Park Pavilion and goes until 1:00 pm. Find them on Facebook for special market activities like Live Music!
Rosenwald Block Party: Saturday, May 4th, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
This year’s Rosenwald Open House and Block Party is going to be awesome! Waynesboro Parks and Rec will be celebrating 100 years of Rosenwald (the history of Rosenwald Schools is fascinating, visit the Waynesboro Heritage Museum or watch Rosenwald, an excellent documentary, to learn all about it). Don’t miss out on a day full of live music from Redd Dots 2, yummy food, bounce houses, tours of Waynesboro’s African American History Museum, and more!
Groovin’ at the Greenway: Thursdays May 23rd to July 25th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Head out to Constitution Park every Thursday (no show July 4th) for local favorite, Groovin’ at the Greenway! This year’s line up is going to be awesome with Who Shot John, Little Walter and the Convictions, Sundried Opossum, and a ton of other favorites. There will also be food trucks every week and activities for children by Blue Ridge Children’s Museum. The concerts are free for everyone!
Tour the Town: Wednesday, May 29th 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
This is the third year of Tour the Town in Downtown Waynesboro and it is the biggest yet! Get your passport and tour the town to taste food from your favorite restaurants, pick up a Waynesboro watercolor print from the Heritage Museum, a voucher for a free tote bag from the Waynesboro Farmers Market, discounts at your favorite boutiques, and more! This is also the kick off to 2024 DORA events, so grab a drink and take it with you while you walk and shop. There are 22 stops on the passport this year so grab your tickets and coworkers, friends, family, whoever, because it’s definitely going to be fun!
Wayne on Main Concert Series: Last Wednesday of the month through August, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
This summer classic kicks off at the end of Tour the Town on May 29th under the iconic Wayne Theatre marquee. Bring a lawn chair, grab dinner from a local food truck, a beer, and some popcorn and spend the evening listening to some great music on Main Street. Jack and David Reid, Randy Black Trio, Valerie McQueen and Sundried Opossum are all on the line-up this year! This is a free concert open to the public.
Hiker Fest 2024: June 8th 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
This popular festival is debuting its second year! Celebrating the thousands of thru hikers that attempt the Appalachian Trail every year and all things outdoors, this festival takes place right in the heart of downtown Waynesboro, a designated Appalachian Trail Community. Hiker Fest is a free festival with live music all day, this year the line-up includes Hobojac, Who Shot John, and The Wilson Springs Hotel. There will also be free breakfast at the Russell Museum for hikers with their 2024 hang tags, several free Yoga sessions throughout the day, Henna, vendors, food, beer, ice cream, and more! It’s a full day of guaranteed fun!
Sunset Spectacular: July 13th, 7:30 pm
Ready for a real summer celebration? Waynesboro does our July 4th fireworks a little different! On Saturday, July 13th there will be a special fireworks display shot off from the top of Sunset Park. This should provide for a spectacular view from just about anywhere in Waynesboro. Start thinking of the possible great viewing spots… your front yard, neighborhood, or other areas in Waynesboro. If you can see Sunset Park, then you'll be able to see the fireworks. This year from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm The SkillBillys will be performing in Constitution Park before the show! Holy Smokes BBQ, Lucky Duck Kettle Corn, and Kona Ice will also be there. Come out for some great music and food. Fireworks will be right after!
PRISM, Waynesboro’s First Pride Festival: September 14th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
PRISM is Waynesboro’s first Pride Festival and we are excited! Come to downtown Waynesboro for an afternoon of face paint, food, live music with Shagwüf, interactive downtown BINGO, vendors, and more. If you’re interested in participating, email swansonme@ci.waynesboro.va.us. More information to come!
Chili, Blues, n’ Brews: September 21st, 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
It’s the 14th annual chili cook-off in Waynesboro! This good-natured competition is a staple of Waynesboro where Lumos Plaza is transformed to a mega festival. Live music all day, dozens of chili teams cooking, beer, vendors, food trucks, and more. The day culminates with a chili tasting and one lucky winner winning a prize and bragging rights for the year. Bring your family, friends, and a lawn chair for a full day of fun right in downtown Waynesboro. Get your tickets now!
And there you have it - a taste of the festival frenzy that’s about to take over Waynesboro and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Keep checking our blog page for an upcoming list of outdoor music during and plenty of other summer fun to be had. The party is just getting started in Waynesboro – see you out there!
