Events Calendar

Music | Family Fun | History/Heritage | Performances

The Crooked Road Open Jam at Heartwood is an informal musical gathering on the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Thursday of each month. You don't have to play an instrument to partake, though it's always open to those who do. Either way, just come prepared to have fun and be blown away by the level of talent Southwest Virginia has to offer. Entertainment is free; special a la carte BBQ menu also available. 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Thursday of each month 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Arts & Crafts

“Cause we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” Madonna, 1984 The 1980s were BIG. Remembered by many as a time of excess and extremes, this was not the case for all Americans. These photographs from the Richmond Times-Dispatch document a now legendary time in history. They also help us understand today’s culture, which is being shaped by 80s kids who are bringing back that decade’s values, worldviews, and attitudes. A Material World: P…

Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes

Bring a date and come prepared to create! Join us at WKMA for the annual Spread the Love art event Enjoy champagne and chocolates with a curator-led gallery tour at 6:00 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. join WKMA Education staff for an instructional 80s inspired Sip and Paint. Take your painting home as a memento or gift it to your Valentine! Cost is $25 per person or $40 per couple. Call Lori Rouse to reserve your spot: (276) 628…

Storytime with the Curator is the perfect opportunity for families looking for a fun and easy way to introduce their young children to art and art history. The second and fourth Thursday of each month, join the William King Museum of Art’s curator for a story about art, artists, or one of our exhibits. This is a unique opportunity for young learners to discover the vast and wonderful world of art guided by an expert in the field! This program is free and open to the public. For inform…

Arts & Crafts

WKMA hosts a special gallery talk and discussion with Charles Vess, whose fifty-six original illustrations for legendary novelist Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea saga are featured in the United Company Gallery at WKMA. This program is free and open to the public. For information call Callie Hietala at (276) 628-5005 ext. 119 or email at chietala@wkmuseum.org.

Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes

Bring something new to your lunch hour! Join us at William King from 12:00pm-1:00pm on the third Wednesday of the month to watch (or even participate in) a studio art demonstration or hear a brief arts lecture. Topics vary each month! How to participate: 1.) Call a day prior to ensure a seat is saved for you 2.) Bring your brown bag lunch the day of the Lunch n Learn. The front desk will direct you to the month's meeting place. 3.) Enjoy your lunch while participa…

Storytime with the Curator is the perfect opportunity for families looking for a fun and easy way to introduce their young children to art and art history. The second and fourth Thursday of each month, join the William King Museum of Art’s curator for a story about art, artists, or one of our exhibits. This is a unique opportunity for young learners to discover the vast and wonderful world of art guided by an expert in the field! This program is free and open to the public. For inform…

Culinary | Wine/Beer

Enjoy Appalachian Sustainable Development's first Farm-to-Table Dinner of the 2019 season with 100% of proceeds benefiting ASD! About this Event Support local farmers when you attend this 4 course, Farm-to-Table dinner prepared by Chef Charles Parker. Our menu includes: brown butter, butternut squash soup, spicy arugula salad, pickled pears & sausage, drizzled with Abingdon Olive Oils & Vinegars, prime rib with blue cheese & wine demi glace, roasted potatoes melange wit…

Music | Family Fun | Performances | LGBT Friendly | Spring

It’s l’amour, y’all! Country music meets opera in the most unlikely, unbelievable and undoubtedly one of the most popular plays to ever come through Barter’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights. Carley, a struggling opera singer, has a dream: to sing the lead in Carmen. Her agent thinks she’s found the answer! But Carley finds herself singing at the West Virginia state fair with a country music band called The Car Men – Agents clash, everyone pani…

Performances | Arts & Crafts | Spring

“Undoubtedly, the funniest, wittiest show ever done by Barter Theatre.” MADAME BUTTERMILK Book, Music and Lyrics by Ross Carter It’s l’amour, y’all! Country music meets opera in the most unlikely, unbelievable and undoubtedly one of the most popular plays to ever come through Barter’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights. Carly, a struggling opera singer, has a dream: to sing the lead in Carmen. Her agent thinks she’s fou…

Family Fun | Performances | Arts & Crafts

Shakespeare’s TWELFTH NIGHT By William Shakespeare, Adapted by Katy Brown Outrageous high comedy ensues as the pangs of unrequited love affect the unforgettable characters of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. While the lovelorn Duke Orsino plots to win the heart of the mourning Olivia, an alliance of servants and hangers-on scheme against the high-handedness of Olivia’s steward, the pompous Malvolio. When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola, who has disguised her…

Family Fun | Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes | Spring | Festivals

For the fourth year in a row, the Virginia Highlands Festival and William King Museum of Art are creating a special opportunity for artists and art enthusiasts.  "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 "Ple…

Family Fun | LGBT Friendly | Eco-Friendly | Sporting | Festivals

Meet us at the Trailhead in Abingdon to celebrate the award-winning Virginia Creeper Trail! Designed to be a hands-on experience, the VA Creeper Fest encourages attendees to practice, interact and get involved. From bouldering practice, trailside repair clinics, disc dog exhibitions, and obstacle courses for the kids, to tree identification along the trail and guided nature walks, there will be plenty to keep the hard core outdoor enthusiasts and novice nature lovers busy all day.…

Family Fun | Performances | Virginia Green | Spring

This concert not only showcases the voices of the E&H campus but also features accompaniment by the emory choir and Virginia/Eastern Tennessee Children's choir. The project will combine their vocal abilities to perform the mass of the Children by modern choral composer John Rutter.

Family Fun | Performances | Virginia Green | Eco-Friendly | Spring

Join us for an afternoon of symphonic band music from the premier wind band on campus, the E&H Symphonic Band.  The program features music from the wonderful literature of the 20h century for wind band and highlights the impact of music from cultures of our world.

Music | Family Fun | Performances | Wine/Beer

The Abingdon Music Experience presents Thursday Jams 2019. The events will showcase nationally recognized artists on stage at the Abingdon Market Pavilion each Thursday evening May 9-July 18, 2019. Food and drink are available at every show, as well as a beer garden-bring your ID! All concerts are free, bring a lawn chair and a blanket and enjoy the music! Tickets: This event is free to the public. Food and Beverages will be for sale. Bring your lawn chairs and blanke…

Music | Family Fun | Performances | Arts & Crafts | Festivals

Youth musicians from throughout Southwest Virginia will be featured at the 8th Annual Crooked Road Youth Music Festival on Saturday, May 11th, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Heartwood in Abingdon. Fifteen bands and traditional music programs (ca. 200 youth musicians) will perform throughout the day. The festival will highlight regional traditional music programs including the Albert Hash Program, the Blue Devil String Band, Bristol Bearcat Bluegrass Band, Floyd JAMS, Galax …

Music | Family Fun | Performances

The ladies of the local church fortify their flock with love, wisdom and, of course, the food they prepare in the church’s basement kitchen. Bringing their own special brand of humor, the story of the four women, as they organize the food and solve the problems of their church, mixes together wonderful music, endearing characters, and side-splitting scenes to serve up a deliciously delightful journey. Funny and down-to-earth, you will recognize and embrace these ladies as they witness t…

Music | Family Fun | Arts & Crafts | Workshops/Classes | Spring | Festivals

Trail Days is a festival held each year in May in the Appalachian Mountain town of Damascus, VA. Trail Days celebrates the Appalachian Trail and the hikers, former hikers and aspiring hikers that converge there each year. Music, an auction, a fun parade, a hikers' talent show, workshops and presentations, movies, hikes, lots of food, and other family-friendly events make this one of the most popular small-town events in Virginia and all along the Trail!

Music | Family Fun | Performances

Follow the adventures of Shrek, his sidekick Donkey, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquad and every fairytale adventure you know and love in this Tony Award-winning musical based on the blockbuster DreamWorks Animation film. A little green ogre grows up to be a big, disgusting, layered hero. Shrek finds himself on a life-changing journey to rescue the feisty princess with his witty and sarcastic friend, Donkey. Along the way, they encounter a lively cookie, a flirty dragon, and a small villain. Can t…

Music | Family Fun | Performances | Workshops/Classes | Festivals

This Memorial Day weekend, a group of Nashville's leading songwriters will gather on the campus of Virginia Highlands Community College, joined by up-and-coming talents from our region, for a three-day-long celebration of song. Grammy Award winner Richard Leigh (VHCC class of 1973) will headline this special event and will be accompanied by several of his friends from the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Together, they will take the stage on Saturday evening to perf…

Music | Family Fun | Arts & Crafts

Some 6,000 - 8,000 residents and visitors are expected on Abingdon’s Plumb Alley on Saturday, May 25, 2019 when the Kiwanis Club holds its 37th Annual Plumb Alley Day.  The festival, rated one of the largest one-day events in this Southeast, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the heart of the town’s historic district, Plumb Alley is the shaded picturesque alley that runs between Main and Valley Streets.  The Day features food, music, a dance performance, children&…

Music | Performances | Wine/Beer | Festivals

Wolf Hills Brewing Co. announces the Fifth Annual The Howling Craft Beer and Music Festival. Friday May 31 Kickoff party starting at 5 pm,  featuring special beer offerings, food and music lineup headlined by C2 & The Brothers Reed, Appalachian folk rock 49 Winchester, and high-energy Americana from Strong Water and late night revelry from The Double Hearted. Saturday June 1, doors will open at 3 pm. The event will include craft beer, two stages with …

Family Fun | Wine/Beer | Sporting

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.

Music | Family Fun | History/Heritage | Performances | Culinary | Festivals

The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming is an annual nine-day, region-wide celebration of the communities in Southwest Virginia – their traditional music, and all of their many cultural and natural assets. The event includes Crooked Road concerts in over 20 communities, over 100 cultural experiences throughout the region, and over 70 existing traditional music related concerts, jam sessions, and festivals. Each night from two to four Crooked Road music concerts of …

Workshops/Classes

Emory & Henry College, in conjunction with Washington County Schools, will hold its first Pre-Health Camp for rising high school juniors and seniors, June 10-13, 2019, in Abingdon. Students who are interested in exploring health-related career fields or who wish to learn more about the healthcare industry and the many careers fields such as physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician assistant, athletic trainer, pharmacist, optometrist, physician or veterinarian are encouraged t…

Eco-Friendly | Sporting

Summer Adventure Program — Hike, paddle and climb your way through the adventure of a lifetime.   The E&H Summer Adventure Program extends its popular outdoor experiences to high school students, running the camp June 15th and 22nd 2019.    The Program places emphasis on group awareness and cooperation, so you will face the challenges of the backcountry with the support of a non-competitive, friendly group. Because we keep camp sizes small …

Workshops/Classes | Sporting

A equestrian camp through the premier College Equine Program at Emory and Henry.   Participants in the camps will stay overnight in the dorms on the beautiful Emory & Henry campus and ride at the Intermont Equestrian Center, home of the colleges 20 national championship equestrian teams. Registration will open January 1, 2019 for camps in June and July of 2019! Space is limited, apply early to secure your spot!Session 1: June 18-22, 2019Session 2: June …

Music | Family Fun | History/Heritage | Festivals | 4th of July

Abingdon All-American Independence Day Extravaganza in downtown Abingdon at the Abingdon Market Pavilion. This event is a collaboration between Abingdon Music Experience, Parks & Recreation & Abingdon Main Street. The day’s festivities will begin at 4pm, celebrating Abingdon’s rich Revolutionary War history, with living historians & the Fife & Drum Corps on site. Activities include a Block Party with a foam pit and DJ, kid’s crafts, food trucks &a…

Family Fun | History/Heritage | Arts & Crafts | Festivals | Antique Shows/Flea Markets

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, creative writing workshops, guided nature hikes, and numerous…

LGBT Friendly | Virginia Green | Eco-Friendly | Sporting

Benefiting non-profit Appalachian Sustainable Development, this is a race series like no other.  Located in the beautiful mountains of St. Paul and Coeburn, Virginia, this event will consist of a run, a bike, and a carry, and will provide a full participant experience in App(ugh)lachia. Are you ready to be conquered, OR are you App(ugh)lachian? Registration includes: - Race swag bag and t-shirt  - Entry into all three events…

Family Fun | History/Heritage | LGBT Friendly | Festivals

LIVING HISTORY TOUR of Sinking Spring Cemetery July 28 (Saturday)    5:00 – 7:15 pm Presented by The Historical Society of Washington County, VA. Join us for a walk through this picturesque burial ground as guides lead small groups through while interpreters in period costume tell the stories of various persons lying in rest. Each tour lasts about an hour and the last one will begin at 7:15 pm…

Music | Family Fun | Performances | Wine/Beer | LGBT Friendly | Festivals

Weird and wonderful street performers will fill downtown Abingdon for the Main Street Busker Fest  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, presented by William King Museum & Barter Youth Academy is all for kids & kids at heart from 11-3…

Music | Family Fun | Wine/Beer

Grab your favorite glass of wine from Abingdon Vineyards and join the Mountain Top Polka Band for a fun German-themed party!

Family Fun | Antique Shows/Flea Markets

Abingdon’s Town Wide Yard Sale 8.2 miles of "trash to treasure" for you to discover The Town of Abingdon will host a Town-wide yard sale.   Residents are encouraged to sell their goods in a yard sale type setting only on private property, no commercial vendors allowed.

Music | Family Fun | Performances | LGBT Friendly | Fall

GET YOUR COSTUMES READY Abingdon's newest event will have you dancing in the streets...literally! We're closing down Main Street for a block party, featuring a street fair, costume contest, kids activities and live music. Come and join us at the 200 Block of West Main Street. For ALL AGES & FREE!

Music | Family Fun | Wine/Beer

Join us for our annual Oktoberfest event with Mountain Top Polka Band, traditional food and our Oktoberfest lager. The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. Come join in the revelry. Prost!

Family Fun | Holidays | Winter

The Kiwanis Christmas traditional holiday parade will flow down the Main Street of Abingdon. Come and enjoy the many floats and entertainment for the Christmas season!