Performances
Dolly Parton's 9 to 5: The Musical
Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton Based on the 20th Century Fox Film Book by Patricia Resnick Full of laughter and sidesplitting Southern sass, this Broadway musical comedy is based on the hit movie starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. Come watch these three unlikely friends as they scheme to take control of their company and learn there's nothing they can't do, even in a man's world. Toe-tapping fun for the whole family!
See Details
Performances
Grace and Glorie
By Tom Ziegler A funny, lyrical, & moving play about two strong and stubborn women. Grace, a feisty, cantankerous 90-year-old, plans to live out her life in her ramshackle cabin high in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. She has no use for Glorie, the volunteer health worker assigned to care for her. As the two women get to know each other, they reveal their secrets, dreams, & fears in this story about the power of healing and the joy of life.
See Details
Music | Performances | Wine/Beer | Festivals
The Howling Craft Beer and Music Festival
The event will include craft beer, two stages with live music, food trucks, craft and outdoor vendors, and live art. Saturday morning: The Howling 5k on the Virginia Creeper Trail with a portion of the proceeds to benefit United Way of Southwest Virginia. Join us at Wye Park just past the Abingdon Trailhead. Signup at 8, race at 9. As a special treat, we will be open (free) on Sunday from 1-6 with special events.
See Details
Family Fun | Wine/Beer | Sporting
The Howling 5K
Join us on June 1 at 9 am for our annual 5k at Wye Park on the Virginia Creeper Trail in Abingdon, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit United Way of Southwest Virginia. Registration at 8 am and the Race begins at 9 am. Pre-signup is $15 and will increase to $20. T-shirt included.
See Details
Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Cooking Along The Crooked Road: "Intro to Baking"
“Introduction to Baking" - Joe the Baker will show us some of his best practices when baking sweets and breads. The wildly popular "Cooking Along The Crooked Road" series is back, this time at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. This cooking class series puts you directly into the kitchen to do hands-on cooking with Southwest Virginia Chefs to learn their recipes, tips, and techniques! Classes take place on the first Monday of each month from 6:00 –…
See Details
Sporting
DAM YETI 50 MILER, 50K
This is a great first timers course and a great course to chase down a PR !!!This is a cupless race ! if you don't have a cup we recommend the Ultraspire Cup.A hydration pack/bottle is mandatory.Crew can access runners at all locations except for the Green Cove.The race will start from Whitetop the beginning of the Virginia Creeper Trail with 9.8 miles of downhill to the first aid station Taylors Valley. These miles are effortless and offer some of the best views of the na…
See Details
Performances
The Wizard of OZ
"A musical delight for the entire family!" By L. Frank Baum Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg There's no place like Barter to see America's favorite musical! Join Dorothy & Toto as they skip down the yellow-brick road with only a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, & a Cowardly Lion to protect them from the Wicked Witch of the West. This joyous classic is a must-see for young and old alike.
See Details
Family Fun | History/Heritage | Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes | Eco-Friendly
Appalachian Stitches & Quilting Bee Classes for Youth
Two weeks of Quilting Bee Classes for ages 11 - 15. Each student will learn modern and traditional techniques for quilting and take home a quilting kit for future projects. Holston Mountain Artisans is partnering with The Arts Depot to teach boys and girls how to use sewing machines and traditional quilting looms. They will create a community quilt to be auctioned at the end of the project. In addition to classes, there will be an open invitation to the community to join in the quilting proce…
See Details
Family Fun | History/Heritage | Culinary | Festivals
Old Glade Antique Tractor Association Summer Show
See demonstrations of historic farming methods, including hay baling and wheat threshing, see antique tractors and equipment, horse-drawn equipment demonstrations, small engines, pedal tractors, musical entertainment, concessions, swap meet, and vendors. Plus now, for the first time, Fairview Historic Homestead will be open to the public. Free admission! 9:00am to 5:00pm, Thursday through Saturday. For more information visit
See Details
Performances
The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church
"If you are looking to laugh or feel good, this play is for you!" By Bo Wilson Storms have flooded the roads, but it takes more than a little rain to keep the Charitable Sisterhood of Pennington Gap, VA from fulfilling their mission. When these ladies meet to organize a relief effort for homeless Guatemalans, they are greeted with a mountain of community donations - & that pile of stuff is hiding a thing or two. Join us in the church basement, where our five angels of mercy wi…
See Details
History/Heritage | Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Let's Jam! Blueberry Jam
The practice of canning, or preserving foods, has been around for millenia. Our ancestors were quick to realize that they had to come up with ways to extend the life of their foods, especially through the harsh winters. In the past 200-300 years, canning became increasingly popular (and needed) in “the South”. People were blessed with bountiful harvests throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, and due to poverty and poor living conditions, they would preserve their extra me…
See Details
History/Heritage | Performances | Arts & Crafts | LGBT Friendly
Winter Wheat, A New Musical
Winter WheatBook and Lyrics by Catherine BushMusic by Ben Mackel It’s 1920, the world is changing, and no one feels it more than the Burn family of Niota, TN. The family’s first tractor is purchased, indoor plumbing arrives in town, & a young girl unexpectedly comes into their lives. Meanwhile, the country is abuzz over the controversial 19th Amendment that would give women the right to vote. In the end, women’s suffrage comes down to a single man: Harry Burn from Niota. L…
See Details
Family Fun
The Barter Players presents "Sleeping Beauty"
Adapted by Catherine Bush from the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm King Demetrius and Queen Miranda have always longed for a child and when their daughter Aurora is born, their joy is complete. Then, at Aurora’s christening, a three-headed monster named Carabosse places a curse on the baby and all seems lost. Only the skill of the Three Sages and the love of a certain handsome prince can change this curse into a blessing. Bursting with magic, mystery, and romance, this pla…
See Details
Family Fun | History/Heritage | Holidays | 4th of July
Abingdon Independence Day Extravaganza
Abingdon's Independence Day Extravaganza is a family event full of food, music, and fun! The festivities include kids’ activities, a watermelon eating contest, history reenactors, a free concert, and a fireworks finale visible from the Market Pavilion. All activities are free and open to the public.
See Details
Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Cooking Along The Crooked Road: "Summer Grillin'"
“Summer Grillin’” - Matt Shy is back to show us some tips when we are firing up our grills this summer. The wildly popular "Cooking Along The Crooked Road" series is back, this time at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. This cooking class series puts you directly into the kitchen to do hands-on cooking with Southwest Virginia Chefs to learn their recipes, tips, and techniques! Classes take place on the first Monday of each month from 6:00 &nd…
See Details
History/Heritage | Arts & Crafts
Political Women
This exhibition will explore how women in our region have engaged with the political sphere through the act of making. The focus will be on the current work of a selected group of contemporary women artists working in Appalachia. Their work brings a variety of political issues in to focus from environmental concerns, women’s rights, labor, and activism in general. The contemporary work will be supported by historical artifacts from the Women’s Suffrage movement in Virginia and will also mark …
See Details
Family Fun | History/Heritage | Arts & Crafts | Festivals | Antique Shows/Flea Markets
The Virginia Highlands Festival
10 Days of Arts, Music, Food & Fun! Come celebrate the Virginia Highlands Festival in historic Abingdon, VA. Named "Best Art Event" in the region by readers of Virginia Living magazine, the Festival offers activities and entertainment for the whole family. Anchored by an antiques market and an award-winning juried arts and crafts show, the Festival includes live music, historical re-enactments, fine art and photography competitions, performances, creati…
See Details
History/Heritage | Festivals | Antique Shows/Flea Markets
Antiques & Vintage Show
Discover those special, hard-to-find items at the Antiques Market & Vintage Show! For many attendees, this is the focal point of the 10-day Virginia Highlands Festival. Antiques lovers spend hours browsing through booths filled with formal and primitive furniture, high–end collectibles, jewelry, porcelain, china, rugs, vintage clothing, linens, paintings, pottery and more! Dealers are constantly restocking, so be sure to visit more than once. The Virginia Highland…
See Details
Arts & Crafts
Sawdust Festival at Holston Mountain Artisans
FREE festival is fun for the whole family. Over a dozen craftspeople from Holston Mountain Artisans will demonstrate their crafts, including woodworkers showing off their talents at turning, scrolling, and carving. Enjoy food from a local vendor, and take home a souvenir from one of the country's oldest craft collectives.
See Details
Family Fun | Arts & Crafts | LGBT Friendly
Summer Art Market in Southwest Virginia
The Southwest Virginia 'Round the Mountain artisans, in partnership with the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace will host their Summer Market on Saturday, July 25th. Live music, children’s activities, food trucks and fun for the whole family!
See Details
Music | Family Fun | History/Heritage | Performances | Festivals
Celtic Ceilidh Concert at the Virginia Highlands Festival
All the Celtic music you love from melodic to mayhem, packed into one great day! You have only one chance to see all these great bands, so get your tickets early and plan to stay all day. Plenty of food on hand.
See Details
Family Fun
The Barter Players presents "The Secret Life of Gladys P. Henderson: Superhero""
By Catherine Bush It’s not fair! All of Ryan’s classmates have dads they get to do cool stuff with, but Ryan is stuck with his single mom Gladys who’s a boring old bookkeeper. Then one day Gladys’s adding machine spits out a Top Secret Superhero Signal and Ryan finds himself on a mother-son mission to save the galaxy from the Evil Doctor Nemesis! Join Ryan on this brand-new space adventure as he discovers the truth about his mom and what it really takes to…
See Details
Culinary | Wine/Beer | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Cooking Along The Crooked Road: "Charcuterie Building"
“Charcuterie Building” - Loren Gardner will be stopping by to give pointers in building our own charcuterie boards, and how to pair wines with them. The wildly popular "Cooking Along The Crooked Road" series is back, this time at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. This cooking class series puts you directly into the kitchen to do hands-on cooking with Southwest Virginia Chefs to learn their recipes, tips, and techniques! Classes take place on the f…
See Details
Family Fun | History/Heritage | Arts & Crafts | LGBT Friendly
Exhibition: Transforming Politics: Art Made by Women
Transforming Politics: Art Made by WomenAugust 20, December 27, 2020As we celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage, we celebrate a women-led movement that sparked a transformation of politics around the world. The suffragettes used their artistic skills, creativity and resourcefulness in order to make history and, although some political affairs have changed, the passionate interests of women have not. Women continue to make their voices h…
See Details
History/Heritage | Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Let's Jam! Preserving Tomatoes
The practice of canning, or preserving foods, has been around for millenia. Our ancestors were quick to realize that they had to come up with ways to extend the life of their foods, especially through the harsh winters. In the past 200-300 years, canning became increasingly popular (and needed) in “the South”. People were blessed with bountiful harvests throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, and due to poverty and poor living conditions, they would preserve their extra me…
See Details
Performances
Country Girls
"Insanely hysterical and wildly believeable" A new comedy by Stephen Brown Megan hates country music singer Rick Montgomery, and she and her best friend Kimmy have decided tonight's concert will be his last. The two teens hatch an ill-conceived plot to kidnap the country music star in this laugh-out-loud, offbeat comedy. Songs will be sung, shots will be fired, and the girls will discover that revenge ain't all it's cracked up to be.
See Details
Performances
Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN
"A riveting story of the struggle between a father and his son (the creator and his creation)." Adapted by Catherine Bush When scientist Victor Frankenstein infuses the spark of Life into his Creature, he begins a haunting examination of what it is to be human and the price we pay for playing God. A uniquely theatrical experience, this play is a Barter audience favorite and the perfect way to celebrate the Halloween season.
See Details
Music | Family Fun | Performances | Wine/Beer | LGBT Friendly | Festivals
Blue Ridge BuskerFest
Weird and wonderful street performers will fill downtown Abingdon for Blue Ridge BuskerFest We’ve lined up acts from all over the region & country to thrill your senses. From fire-eaters to magicians, human statues, one-man bands and everything in between, there won’t be a corner of the Main Street that will disappoint. There is something for all ages! The Imagination Station is all for kids & kids at heart from 11-3pm on the Barter Green. Join them for FREE puppet making, impro…
See Details
LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes | Fall
Cooking Along The Crooked Road: "Southern Breakfast Staples"
“Grits, Gravy, and other Southern Breakfast Staples” - Chef Ben Phillips will be showing us how he makes his delicious grits, sausage gravy, and other breakfast foods. The wildly popular "Cooking Along The Crooked Road" series is back, this time at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. This cooking class series puts you directly into the kitchen to do hands-on cooking with Southwest Virginia Chefs to learn their recipes, tips, and techniques! Classes …
See Details
Music | Family Fun | Arts & Crafts | Fairs
Washington County Fair
Washington County Fair in Abingdon, VA Presents “Let The Good Times Grow,” the 70th Annual Fair. The Fair hosts a variety of family events and fun activities. Music Concerts, Livestock Shows, Horse Shows, Lawn Mower Race, School Days, Senior Day, Carnival Rides, Food, Commercial Exhibits, Educational Exhibits, Arts, Crafts, and Old McDonald's Petting Zoo plus other special events. Join us for the Washington County Fair! The Fair is held on the Washington County Fairgrounds, lo…
See Details
Performances
The 39 Steps
Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This two-time Tony® and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a ridiculously talented cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance!
See Details
Performances
We'll Meet Again
"The overwhelming audience favorite from Barter's 2019 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights." A New American Musical by James Harris with Music Arrangements by Mark Hayes Featuring Music from the World War II Era A world premiers from the author of Civil War Voices. Jewish refugee Henry Stern flees Nazi Germany at the age of five to start a new life with his family in the small town of Opelika, AL. Many years later, Henry makes an am…
See Details
Family Fun
The Barter Players presents "Tuck Everlasting"
Adapted by Mark Frattaroli from the novel by Natalie Babbitt Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure, but when she becomes entwined with the never-aging Tuck Family she gets more than she bargained for. Winnie soon learns the magic behind the Tucks’ unending youth, and fights to protect their secret from the sinister Man in the Yellow Suit. Then Winnie has to make a choice: return to her life, or join the Tucks on their infinite journey. There wi…
See Details
Family Fun | Culinary | Festivals | Fall
Abingdon Harvest Festival
Bring your whole family to enjoy our annual Harvest Festival, featuring apple butter stirring and apple cider pressing, and take home some goodies! Artisans will be demonstrating their crafts as well. Members will stir off delicious apple butter the traditional way in a copper kettle over a wood fire while sweet and tangy apple cider pours out of the apple press. Bring your own apples and our volunteers will press them for homemade apple cider that you can take home and enjoy.&n…
See Details
Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes | Fall
Cooking Along The Crooked Road: "Homemade Soups"
“Homemade Soups” - Chef Charles Parker has won many awards for his soups in the Great Annual Winter Soup Cookoff Series, and he will be demonstrating two of those winning recipes) The wildly popular "Cooking Along The Crooked Road" series is back, this time at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. This cooking class series puts you directly into the kitchen to do hands-on cooking with Southwest Virginia Chefs to learn their recipes, tips, and techniques! C…
See Details
Family Fun | Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes | Festivals
Plein Air Abingdon - annual festival of outdoor fine art
"Plein Air Abingdon" is a plein air paint-out and pop-up gallery that offers artists a place to Create new work Sell their work Network with fellow artists and collectors Artists, please click the link to register your participation in this year's "Plein Air Abingdon." Art lovers and enthusiasts, mark your calendars to come see artists at work on Saturday of the festival. Watch a plei…
See Details
Arts & Crafts | Wine/Beer | Spring | Festivals
Plein Air Abingdon | Opening Night
Plein air is defined as a “19th-century style of painting outdoors, or with a strong sense of the open air.” 2020 marks the fifth year of Plein Air Abingdon–a plein air paint-out and pop-up gallery that offers a place to create new work, sell work, and network with fellow artists and creators. Throughout the event, a juried plein air competition will take place around Abingdon, Virginia and the surrounding region. Celebrate the opening night of Plein Air Abingdon! Join …
See Details
History/Heritage | Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes | Fall
Let's Jam! Apple Butter
The practice of canning, or preserving foods, has been around for millenia. Our ancestors were quick to realize that they had to come up with ways to extend the life of their foods, especially through the harsh winters. In the past 200-300 years, canning became increasingly popular (and needed) in “the South”. People were blessed with bountiful harvests throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, and due to poverty and poor living conditions, they would preserve their extra me…
See Details
Family Fun | Holidays | Winter | Arts & Crafts | Culinary
Holiday Farmers Market
The Holiday Farmers Market runs the first Saturday in November through the Saturday before Christmas, this year November 7 - December 19, 2020. Hours are 10am to 12pm. Help support your LOCAL neighbors this holiday season by shopping at Abingdon Farmers Markets’ Holiday Market. Some of the available items will be: produce, meats, baked goods, wreaths, hats, scarves, jewelry, paintings, soaps, coffee, cards, herbs, wine, eggs, fudge, jams and jellies, and canned goods.
See Details
Music | Family Fun | Workshops/Classes | Festivals
VA Creeper Fest
Rescheduled for Saturday November 7, 2020Join us for the 4th Annual VA Creeper Fest, celebrating the jewel of SWVA's Outdoor Recreation's crown, The Virginia Creeper Trail. This festival is family and pet friendly, featuring outdoor recreation organizations, outfitters, guides and activities based in SWVA and NETN. Several on-site activities immerse you in experience, including guided bike rides, yoga for runners, kayak & paddle board demos in our on-site pool, obstacle courses, histor…
See Details
Performances
A Christmas Carol
"The classic ghost story of Christmas." Adapted by Catherine Bush from the book by Charles Dickens The joy of the Christmas season returns with this sparkling production! Come and relive the sheer exhilaration of Ebenezer Scrooge's ghost-guided journey into his Past, Present and Future, where despair gives way to hope, and reclamation awaits all who seek it. A memorable gift to treasure with family and friends that will leave you wrapped in the warmth of the holiday sp…
See Details
Family Fun
The Barter Players presents "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas"
Book by Catherine BushMusic and Lyrics by Dax Dupuy It’s Christmas time at the Cincinnati Zoo, and everyone there eagerly anticipates the birth of Fiona, the zoo’s first baby hippo. Seven-year-old Lois, the zookeeper’s daughter, is especially excited – she’s counting on Fiona to reunite her family in time for the holidays. Then the unexpected happens, and only one person can prevent tragedy. Will Santa arrive in time to save Fiona – and C…
See Details
Performances
Over the River and Through the Woods
"A HILARIOUS comedy about FAMILY, FAITH, & FOOD." by Joe DiPietro Nick Cristano, a single, 29-year-old, has just been offered his dream job, but it means leaving his hometown. His grandparents, with whom he has eaten Sunday dinner every week of his life, do not take the news well, and they get creative in an effort to keep Nick from leaving. Outrageous plans are made, a blind date is arranged, and stories are told, with hilarious results. The show is guaranteed to make you lov…
See Details
Family Fun | Holidays | Winter | Arts & Crafts | LGBT Friendly | Fall
Southwest Virginia Holiday Market
Join 'Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network and the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace on Small Business Saturday for our Annual Holiday Market! Children's activities, local food, live artisan demonstrations, and fun for the whole family!
See Details
Performances
The Twelve Dates of Christmas
A raucous one-woman show by Ginna Hoben Mary loves the holidays. Even when her fiance calls to say he's sick and can't come to Thanksgiving with her family, she makes the best of the day and snuggles in to watch the Macy's Day Parade on TV. But when the parade camera zooms in on her fiance kissing another woman, Mary's holidays take a turn for the ridiculous. What follows is a year of hilarious and strange dates that bring Mary back around to the next holiday season wiser, happier, an…
See Details
History/Heritage | Holidays | Winter | Culinary | LGBT Friendly | Workshops/Classes
Let's Jam! Sauerkraut
The practice of canning, or preserving foods, has been around for millenia. Our ancestors were quick to realize that they had to come up with ways to extend the life of their foods, especially through the harsh winters. In the past 200-300 years, canning became increasingly popular (and needed) in “the South”. People were blessed with bountiful harvests throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, and due to poverty and poor living conditions, they would preserve their extra me…
See Details
