Highlights
Top annual events in Abingdon
With high-profile events scheduled all year long, it's always play time in Abingdon.
Visitors and locals alike are drawn to Abingdon's signature events. Stroll through downtown Abingdon at one of the summer street festivals; catch nationally known music acts at Barter Theatre and the Market Pavilion; or beat your personal best at one of our signature races.
Winter Events
January Jams at Barter Theatre - January
This series of concerts on
the Barter Theatre stage showcases nationally recognized artists. On Fridays and Saturdays in January, Abingdon Music Experience presents a uniquely intimate concert experience with
legendary musicians at the historic Barter Theatre. Since its inception in 2011, January Jams has featured
artists like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Blind Boys of Alabama,
Ricky Scaggs, Mavis Staples, and Jason Isbell, to name a few.
Barter Theatre is traditionally "dark" in January, so it's the perfect venue for a winter concert series. January Jams puts Grammy-Award winning artists on stage each weekend of the month. An intimate venue with just 500 seats, Barter offers a unique experience with these musicians that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
Find out more at abingdonmusicexperience.com
The Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights - January
New play readings and staged "mini-production" in mid-January. With
its unusual roots in Depression-era Appalachia (when hungry actors
traded "Ham for Hamlet," Barter Theatre has always been a uniquely
Appalachian institution. The professional Equity theatre celebrates all
things Appalachian with its annual festival of plays and playwrights.
Watch new plays being developed before your eyes, with a series of
professional readings and a "mini-production", followed by talkbacks
with the playwrights.
Find out more at bartertheatre.com
Spring Events
Shamrock 4-Miler - March
St. Patrick's Day Weekend. Make sure to wear your lucky green for this popular nightrace and St. Patrick's Day celebration.The 4-mile race follows a course through downtown Abingdon, beginning and ending at the Market Pavilion on Remsburg Drive. For those who would prefer an easier course, the 1.3-mile Leprechaun Walk begins at the same time.
Learn more about the Shamrock 4-Miler.
Virginia Creeper Fest - April
Celebrate the award-winning Virginia Creeper Trail by checking out the multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities enjoyed along the trail by nature lovers of all ages.
Get hands-on with kids' field day activities, yoga in the park, Tree identification along the trail, scheduled bike rides, geocaching, Disc dog exhibitions and clinics, hammock hangouts, equipment demos, outfitters, food Trucks and live music throughout the day.
Find out more at vacreeperfest.com
Summer Events
Thursday Jams - May through July
Downtown Abingdon's Market Pavilion is booked with free outdoor concerts every Thursday night from May to July. The lawn is filled with lawn chairs and picnic blankets, while dancers claim the space in front of the stage. Abingdon's Main Street organization runs a beer garden where you can find local craft beers on tap. On stage you'll find up-and-coming acts like Honey Honey or Liz Vice as well as roots and Americana stars like Langhorne Slim or the Wood Brothers.
Find out more at abingdonmusicexperience.com
The Virginia Highlands Festival - August
For 10 days every August, Abingdon is completely transformed, playing host to one of the biggest and best arts festivals in the southeast. The celebration extends beyond the downtown street festival, though, with opportunities to play outdoors in nature, attend classes and workshops, and time travel to Abingdon's colonial past with living historians.
Learn more at vahighlandsfestival.org
Main Street Busker Fest - September
On the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, the sidewalks of downtown Abingdon are filled with weird and wonderful performing artists during Busker Fest. The Abingdon Main Street organization presents this family-friendly festival, including the Imagination Station, where kids can make crafts and practice their own busking skills. At Buskers After Dark, those 21 and up can mix and mingle with best of the buskers.
Find out more at mainstreetbuskerfest.com
Fall Events
Totally 80s Block Party - September
Celebrate the most totally rad decade with this free street party. Abingdon shuts down Main Street for live music, a costume contest, 80s photo booth, food trucks and street fair.
Find out more at abingdonmusicexperience.com
Visit the Event Calendar for all events
