The Roanoker Magazine Celebrates 40 Years!

Behind the Page

THE ROANOKER magazine is celebrating our 40th anniversary and doing so in style with our September/October issue. With our reader poll of 40 Stars of 40 Years (featuring local businesses considered the best and brightest in the valley according to 30,000+ votes!), Appreciations and Deprecations (where several writers look back on what Roanoke means to them), and Roanoke Then and Now (cultural landmarks that have changed over the decades), our 134-page issue is a gorgeous keepsake for our readers.

Created by Founder and Publisher Richard Wells in 1974, this award-winning bi-monthly magazine is read by more than 68,000 Roanoke Valley residents and covers topics of interest to the region’s metropolitan lifestyles, ranging from art, entertainment and fine dining to economic, social and political issues, and much more.

In addition, The Roanoker magazine has partnered with the Taubman Museum of Art for an exclusive 10-day retrospective featuring more than 60 covers from issues over the last 40 years. From October 21st-November 1st, "The Spirit of the Roanoker" will be open to the public. The 40th issue also contains a sneak peek of about half the covers that will grace the walls of the Taubman.

As Virginia’s oldest city magazine, we’re excited about where we’ve been and where we’re going. It’s not just the award-winning writers and photographers, either; it’s also the fantastic work the company has done, from the Virginia Travel Guide and Smithsonian inserts to Blue Ridge Country and Mountain Homes magazines. 

We can't wait to take what we've learned and apply it to future endeavors. What an exciting time for our city and THE ROANOKER MAGAZINE!

Check out the great press coverage our 40th anniversary is receiving in the links below!