February

Japanese Family Festival

University of Virginia Art Museum

434-924-7458

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Free.

Festival events will include family activities such as origami, games, kimono wrapping and other traditional crafts, organized by the Young Friends. The gallery guild and the volunteer board will present Japanese treats and drinks, and the docents will host demonstrations of Japanese music and dance, a tea ceremony and a bonsai exhibition.

March

Virginia Festival of the Book

Events are held at the University of Virginia, in downtown Charlottesville, and around the Charlottesville/Albemarle area

434-924-6890

Admission Free (except special luncheons and receptions).

Call for dates, time and location.

Readings, panel discussions and book signings are held throughout the area during the days and evenings of the festival. There are usually about 150 total programs, including adult and children's programming.

April

The City Market

H & R Block parking lot on Water St.

970-3371 or 970-3271 Saturdays, 7am-12noon

The Market offers fresh produce, herbs, plants, crafts & baked goods from local vendors.

Court Days Crafts Festival Downtown Historic District 434-296-8548

Admission Free.

Historic Garden Week in Virginia

Various locations in Charlottesville and Albemarle County

434-977-1783 or 877-386-1103

Admission Charged.

Call for exact date, hours and locations.

Annual Dogwood Festival

Various locations including McIntire Park and Downtown Charlottesville. 434-961-9824

Admission Charged for some events.

Call for schedule of all events.

What began in the fall of 1950 as the Apple Harvest Festival became the Dogwood Festival in April of 1958, during the peak of the Dogwood blossom season. Thousands come each year to enjoy the feature parade which usually consists of over 120 units.  Some of the many other activities that comprise the festival include a golf tournament, a chicken barbeque at McIntire Park, the dogwood tree sale at Barracks Road Shopping Center, a breakfast in Charlottesville, the amusement rides at McIntire Park, the Dogwood Blues Festival on the Downtown Mall.

Fridays After Five

Downtown Mall

Every Friday, late April-early October, beginning at 5:30pm. 434-296-8548

Admission Free.

Free outdoor concerts for the whole family on the east end of Charlottesville's historic Downtown Mall in the amphitheater. 

Easter Egg Hunt at Kluge Estate Farm Shop

Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard | 100 Grand Cru Drive

434-977-3895

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Free.

Come for a fun-filled Easter Egg hunt. All prizes are edible!

May

Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival Claudius Crozet Park 434-823-2211

Call for exact date and time

Admission Charged.

Virginia Wine Festival Ash Lawn-Highland, 1941 James Monroe Parkway 434-293-9539

Call for exact date and time

Admission Charged (includes wine glass and tastings).

Important Virginia vineyards, music, gourmet food, Monroe house tours, more.

June

Ash Lawn-Highland Summer Festival

1941 James Monroe Parkway 434-293-4500

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Charged.

July

Charlottesville Fireworks Fest

McIntire Park

434-977-6100 July 4, 4-10pm

Admission Free (donations accepted).

Come for an evening of great community fun. Moonbounces, games and slides for kids, music, skydivers and lots of fireworks!

Monticello Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony

Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville July 4

Call for exact time.

Admission Free.

This outdoor naturalization ceremony for new citizens on Monticello’s West Lawn is one of America’s most inspiring July 4 events. Patriotic music will be performed.

African-American Cultural Arts Festival

Booker T. Washington Park  (Park is located on corner of 10th Street NW and Preston Avenue, west of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville)

Last Saturday of July

434-296-4986 or 434-979-0582 Admission Free.

This family-oriented festival opens with a grand entrance by the Spiritwalker, dancers, drums and many other exciting performers. A wide variety of crafts, foods, community organizations and artisans will be found throughout the park. Visitors can listen to the traditional African storyteller, watch musical and dance performances and discover more about local and national African American history and the contributions of African Americans to our community.

Ash Lawn Opera Festival

Boxwood Gardens of Ash Lawn-Highland

1941 James Monroe Parkway, (2 1/2 miles from Monticello on Route 795, off Route 53).

Evening performances at 8 p.m. are outdoors at Ash Lawn-Highland; grounds open for picnicking at 6 p.m. Lectures begin at 7:15 p.m. (if applicable).

434-979-0122 or 434-293-4500

Admission Charged. Opera and musical theater sung in English.

August

Albemarle County Fair

Fairgrounds (From Charlottesville take Route 29 south to North Garden, turn right on Route 692. Approximately 1/2 mile on right)

434-293-6396

Call for exact dates and hours of operation.

Admission Charged.

What would August in Albemarle County be without the County Fair? This week-long tradition is a great finale to summer fun. The fair provides an opportunity for visitors to understand, appreciate and enjoy the agricultural heritage that continues to sustain the area economy. A family fun-filled event featuring agricultural, livestock and craft exhibits; musical entertainment, amusement rides, commercial exhibits and a wonderful variety of food.

Plantation Days: Children's Day

Ash Lawn-Highland

1941 James Monroe Parkway, (2 1/2 miles from Monticello on Route 795, off Route 53).

434-293-9539

Admission Charged.

Call for exact date and time.

Work and play on an early 19th-century plantation. Special youth tours of the home of President James Monroe. Craft demonstrations, hands-on workshops, music, colonial games, more.

September

Plantation Days: Autumn on the Plantation

Ash Lawn-Highland

1941 James Monroe Parkway, (2 1/2 miles from Monticello on Route 795, off Route 53).

434-293-9539

Admission Charged.

Call for exact date and time.

Activities to prepare for winter on an early 19th-century plantation. Craft demonstrations, hands-on workshops, music, colonial games, more.

Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival

Jefferson Theater, on the Downtown Mall

434-977-6100

Admission Charged.

Call for exact date and time.

The Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival presents a series of concerts each September, featuring musicians from all over the world, in new and old chamber music repertoire.

October

Monticello Wine and Jazz Festival

Boar’s Head Inn

1486 Oalencroft Lane

434-296-4188 ext. 21

Admission Charged.

Call for exact dates and times.

Featuring wineries located in the Monticello Viticultural Area all within an hour of Charlottesville, Va.  Art and craft exhibits, jazz musicians, great food and great wine. Come and enjoy the beautiful fall colors of Virginia.

Virginia Film Festival

Events are held at locations throughout the Charlottesville area. 434-924-FEST or 800-UVA-FEST

Admission Charged.

Call for exact dates and times of event.

There will be a rapid filmmaking workshop in which approximately twenty filmmakers will write, shoot, and edit their films in three days, beginning on opening night and screening on closing night.

Downtown Safe Halloween Festival

Downtown Mall

434- 970-3271 Call for exact time and date.

Admission Free. Halloween fun for children 12 and under.

Charlottesville Cavalcade

CHS Stadium

434-295-8453.

Call for exact time and date.

Admission Charged.

High School Marching Band Competition.

November

Governor Jefferson's Thanksgiving Festival Historic Court Square and Downtown Mall 434-978-4466

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Free.

Over fifty activities scheduled at seven different venues around Charlottesville's Historic Court Square and Downtown Mall are designed to let you experience what the community was like during the American Revolution between 1779 and 1781. You will step back in history and mingle with a cast of about 150 costumed people portraying famous statesmen, soldiers, merchants, clergymen and slaves who gathered during the American Revolution for a Day of Public Thanksgiving that was proclaimed by Virginia's Governor Thomas Jefferson in November 1779. Events include: colonial folk music and dancing; children's games; horse-drawn carriage rides; the "little militia' at the soldier encampment; demonstrations of 18th century crafts and trades; crafts for children at the Discovery Museum; lectures on African-American history and culture; Governor Jefferson's Ball and more.

Sounds of the Season-A Holiday Concert Ash Lawn-Highland

1941 James Monroe Parkway, (2 ½ miles from Monticello on Route 795, off Route 53).

434-293-9539

Call for exact dates and times.

Admission Charged.

This informal concert features holiday music followed by a candlelight tour of the historic James Monroe house.

Charlottesville Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show

Charlottesville National Guard Armory - 1640 Avon Street Extension

540-384-6047

Call for event date and hours of operation

Jewelry makers, goldsmiths and silversmiths from all over the U.S. who can reconstruct, repair, design or make original jewelry from customer-selected gems, stones, opals and crystals. Wire wrap, wire sculpture, pearls, stone beads, stone setting, amber, opal, gem tree, mineral and fossil dealers. Hourly door prizes.

Charlottesville Tradition

Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, 108 5th Street N.E.

434-961- 5846

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Free

Kick off the Holiday Season in Downtown! Charlottesville’s Mayor will pull the switch lighting up the entire Downtown Mall with brilliant holiday light for the Grand Illumination. Festive holiday music by the Charlottesville Municipal Band and local gospel groups. Children and adults alike can welcome Santa's arrival in Charlottesville as he rides a fire truck down the mall!

December

Oratorio Society Annual Holiday Concert

Cabell Hall Auditorium, University of Virginia

434-996-3610

Call for exact date and time

Admission Charged

The Oratorio Society of Charlottesville- Albemarle (TOSCA) is a 65-member group of singers of all ages (college and beyond) who enjoy singing good music.  They present holiday favorites for the whole family.

First Night Virginia

Events are held at locations throughout the downtown area

December 31

434-975-8269

Entertainment, food, and events in Downtown Charlottesville, fireworks at midnight.  There are fabulous musicians, magicians, storytellers, puppet shows, and entertainers galore.  The event is alcohol free. Admission Charged (Admission buttons are sold prior to the event, call number listed above for participating stores.)

Call for hours.

Giant Menorah Lighting and Community Chanukah

Central Place on the Downtown Mall

434-293-5994

Call for exact time and date.

Admission Free

Join Chabad of Charlottesville at Central Place on the Downtown Mall for a Chanukah celebration for folks of all ages. Sing the “Dreidel Song” and “Rock of Ages” and feast on traditional holiday treats like potato latkes with all the trimmings and jelly doughnuts…plus chocolate gelt and prizes for the kids!

Spotlight at the Paramount

Charlottesville's Downtown mall

434-979-1922

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Free.

Local performers are in the Spotlight!  Spirited performances of holiday cheer will begin every half hour.

Michie Tavern's Yuletide Feast

Michie Tavern

683 Thomas Jefferson Parkway 434-977-1234

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Charged.  Advance ticket purchase required. Reservations begin in November.

Strolling musicians entertain guests dining by candlelight. A banquet of Virginia favorites is served. Festive 18th century style fresh greens and fruits decorate the Tavern.

Christmas by Candlelight

Ash Lawn-Highland

1941 James Monroe Parkway, (2 ½ miles from Monticello on Route 795, off Route 53).

434-293-9539

Call for exact date and time.

Admission Charged.

Christmas candlelight tours are given by costumed interpreters.  Hot cider and jumbles are served.