The story below is from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Your calendar will be pleasantly packed every weekend thanks to our handy guide of Roanoke’s most popular annual festivals.
Courtesy of Roanoke Regional Partnership
The Freedom First Down by Downtown Festival offers a vibrant and expansive display of live entertainment.
Roanoke offers a vibrant array of seasonal festivals, each bringing unique entertainment, food and culture to the Star City. From celebrating global cultures to exploring the outdoors, there’s something for everyone in each season. Here’s a guide to some of Roanoke’s must-attend festivals, organized by season.
Spring Festivals
Down by Downtown Music Festival
April 18-21, 2025 • Downtown Roanoke
The Down by Downtown Festival transforms Roanoke into a city-wide celebration of live music, with performances at venues across the downtown area, including breweries, coffee shops and even an outdoor amphitheater. Kait Pedigo, Roanoke Outside event manager, describes it as “the perfect weekend to experience live music and discover interesting hot spots you may have never visited before.” With artists from around the world filling the city with sound, this festival invites visitors to explore Roanoke’s bustling downtown in a fun and energetic atmosphere.
Vinton Dogwood Festival
April 25-26, 2025 • Vinton
The Vinton Dogwood Festival is a true community celebration, rooted in a tradition that started back in 1956 to help a high school band get new uniforms. What began as a modest fundraiser with dogwood tree sales has grown into a vibrant festival loved by locals and visitors alike. Every spring, downtown Vinton comes alive with colorful parades, live music, family-friendly entertainment and plenty of local food and craft vendors. It’s the perfect way to experience the warmth and spirit of Vinton, with something for everyone to enjoy. From community members parading down the street to kids enjoying festival games, this is one of those events where visitors feel like part of the celebration from the moment they arrive.
Historic Garden Week
May 3, 2025 • Southwest Roanoke County,
Tour Headquarters at North Cross School
Each spring, the Historic Garden Week tour opens the doors to some of Roanoke’s most beautiful private homes and gardens. In 2025, the tour will showcase three private homes and a sprawling 4-acre garden, featuring al fresco dining areas, pollinator gardens, bee hives and a greenhouse—all set against the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. With landscaped beds, native plants and outdoor spaces designed to inspire, the tour is both an educational and visually enriching experience. “We expect around 1,200 visitors this year to enjoy a day of exploration, relaxation and inspiration,” Lisa Turner, HGW tour chair, says.
Courtesy of Lisa Spencer
Local Colors Festival
Local Colors Festival
May 17, 2025 • Downtown Roanoke
Roanoke’s Local Colors Festival is a beloved celebration of cultural diversity that brings together people from all backgrounds for a day of global food, music and dance. “The Local Colors Festival provides an opportunity to travel around the world without leaving Roanoke,” shares Lisa Spenser, executive director of Local Colors of Western VA. “It’s a great way to experience the many different cultures here and gives a platform for people to share their cultural heritage.”
Summer Festivals
Festival in the Park
May 23-25, 2025 • Elmwood Park, Downtown Roanoke
Festival in the Park, a Memorial Day weekend staple in Roanoke since 1969, fills Elmwood Park with vibrant arts, crafts and live entertainment. Celebrating regional artistry, the festival showcases everything from paintings and photography to handcrafted jewelry and woodwork, offering a range of unique finds. Attendees can also enjoy diverse food vendors and browse an eclectic array of booths, while live evening concerts at the amphitheater bring a festive close to each day.
Salem Fair
July 2-13, 2025 • Salem Civic Center Complex
The Salem Fair is Virginia’s largest and one of the nation’s top fairs, drawing families from across the region for two weeks of excitement and fun. Located at the Salem Civic Center Complex, the free-admission fair boasts a bustling midway with classic carnival rides by Deggeller Attractions, along with daily live entertainment like racing pigs, comedy jugglers and butterfly exhibits.
Autumn Festivals
Courtesy of Candace Monaghan
The Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival offers 20 acres of blooms to explore.
Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival
September 2025 (exact dates to be announced) • Buchanan
Celebrate autumn at the Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival, a perfect fall outing surrounded by fields of vibrant sunflowers. Visitors can explore 20 acres of blooms, enjoy hayrides and visit with farm animals, all against a backdrop of early autumn scenery. With over 115 craft and food vendors, photo booths and live music, it’s an ideal destination for seasonal family fun.
Boones Mill Apple Festival
Sept. 13, 2025 • Downtown Boones Mill
Nothing says fall like the Boones Mill Apple Festival, which promises a day packed with food, fun and community spirit. After a record-breaking turnout in 2024, this one-day event is back with all the apple-themed treats you can imagine, from cider donuts to caramel apples. With free admission, it’s an ideal fall outing for the whole family, featuring a hundred unique vendors, live music, a kid zone and even horse-drawn carriage rides. It’s more than just a festival—it’s a way to support a local cause, as all proceeds benefit Healing Strides of Boones Mill, a charity dedicated to therapeutic horsemanship.
Olde Salem Days
Sept. 13, 2025 • Downtown Salem
Olde Salem Days is a beloved annual event that brings the Salem community together for a day filled with art, shopping and family-friendly activities. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Salem, this festival has grown into one of the area’s biggest gatherings, drawing an impressive crowd of 25,000 to 30,000 people. Stroll through rows of artisan booths, savor food truck offerings and enjoy live entertainment in a picturesque downtown setting. Not only is Olde Salem Days a fun-filled day for attendees, but it also supports a good cause, as all proceeds go toward local and global initiatives led by the Rotary Club, including the fight against polio and projects like Christmas for Kids. Jeremy Longshore, the event chairman, shares that they are looking forward to another strong turnout for 2025.
Anthem GO Outside Festival
Oct. 17-19, 2025 • Downtown Roanoke / Explore Park
GO Fest is Roanoke’s premier outdoor adventure festival, drawing thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each fall for a weekend of thrilling activities and community spirit. Attendees can enjoy everything from adrenaline-pumping pro shows to innovative outdoor workshops and family-friendly activities. “GO Fest isn’t just an outdoor festival — it’s an experience that keeps pushing boundaries,” says Kait Pedigo. With a variety of activities that cater to all interests and skill levels, GO Fest offers an unparalleled way to celebrate Roanoke’s love for the great outdoors.
Winter Festivals
Courtesy of Roanoke Regional Partnership
The Anthem GO Outside Festival offers action-packed, outdoor adventures.
Roanoke Arts Pop!
March 8, 2025 • Taubman Museum of Art, Downtown Roanoke
Roanoke Arts Pop! is the perfect winter escape for families and arts enthusiasts alike, bringing together the best of Roanoke’s arts and cultural scene under one roof. This vibrant event at the Taubman Museum of Art features over 30 arts and cultural organizations from around Virginia’s Blue Ridge, each showcasing unique pop-up performances, interactive activities and hands-on demonstrations. From live music and stilt walking to science exhibits and visual art displays, there’s something for everyone in the family. With free entry and no registration required, visitors can dive into everything from face painting and art-making at the Art Venture center to engaging with performers from Mill Mountain Theatre, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Dickens of a Christmas
Dec. 5, 12 and 19, 2025 • Downtown Roanoke
A true Roanoke holiday tradition, Dickens of a Christmas brings an old-world charm to the season, transforming downtown Roanoke into a Victorian-inspired wonderland. “Between the decorated streets, lively performances, classic horse-drawn carriage rides, festive vendors and children’s activities, there is something for everyone to celebrate,” says Izzy Post, director of marketing and communications at Downtown Roanoke, Inc. This nostalgic celebration captures the essence of the holidays, inviting locals and visitors alike to gather and enjoy all the festive sights and sounds.
We know this barely scratches the surface of all the great opportunities for fun in our region! For even more events like festivals, outdoor adventures, arts showcases, live performances and more, check out our full events calendar at TheRoanoker.com.
The story above is from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!