60 places to go and things to do in May and June.
Photo courtesy the RVA Booklovers Festival
VISUAL ARTS & EXHIBITIONS
May 8
RV(irtual)A Booklovers’ Festival; online at RVABookloversFestival.com. Click here to read more about it.
May 10 & June 14
Museum Kids Monday at Brentsville; Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, Bristow; 703-365-7895, PWCGov.org
May 13-June 25
“On the Cusp of Change” Exhibition; Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts; 757-923-0003, SuffolkCenter.org
May 29
Art in the Park at Big Gem Park; Town of Shenandoah; 540-743-1180, TownOfShenandoah.com
May 29-30
VMFA Artmobile Visits Staunton; Staunton Augusta Art Center; 540-885-2028, SAArtCenter.org
June 5-6
Arts in the Middle; Hewick Plantation, Urbanna; ArtsInTheMiddle.com
June 5-30
Gloucester Arts Festival; Gloucester’s Historic Main Street; 804-824-9401, GloucesterArtsFestival.com
June 12 & July 10
2nd Saturday Art Strolls; Downtown Smithfield; 757-365-1644, SmithfieldVa.gov
PERFORMING ARTS
May 8-16
A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke; 540-342-5740, MillMountain.org
May 10
Brentano Quartet at the Bank Street Stage; Virginia Arts Festival, Norfolk; 757-282-2822, VaFest.org
May 13-21
Menuhin Competition; Online at 2021.MenuhinCompetition.org. Click here to read more about it.
June 3, 10, 17, 24 & July 8
Sounds of Summer Concert Series; Riverwalk Landing, Yorktown; 757-890-5900, VisitYorktown.org
VIRGINIA HISTORY
May 5 & June 2
Wednesday Walk at Bristoe Station Battlefield Park; Bristoe Station Battlefield, Bristow; 703-366-3049, PWCGov.org
May 15
Tour the Branch House; The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, Richmond; 804-655-6055, BranchMuseum.org
May 22
Revolutionary War Symposium (Virtual): “Hindsight is 2020;” Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Alexandria; 703-746-4242, AlexandriaVa.gov
May 22-23
Six-Button Mess Civil War Encampment; Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane; 540-592-3556, DCR.Virginia.gov
June 5
Quarter Place Cemetery Dedication & Remembrance Ceremony; Patrick Henry’s Red Hill, Brookneal; 434-376-2044, RedHill.org
June 19
Juneteenth Open House at Lucasville; Lucasville School, Manassas; 703-365-7895, PWCGov.org
June 19
Prince William African American History Car Caravan Tour; Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, Bristow; 703-792-4754, PWCParks.org
FOOD & DRINK
May 7, 21, 28 & June 4, 11, 18, 25
Friday Cheers; Brown’s Island, Richmond; 804-788-6466, VentureRichmond.com
May 15
Ben Lomond’s Antique Rose Garden Tea; Ben Lomond Historic Site, Manassas; 703-367-7872, PWCGov.org
May 15
Vinton Grapes & Grains Festival; Vinton War Memorial; 540-343-1364, VintonChamber.com
May 17-May 23
Eastern Shore Restaurant Week; Restaurants Cape Charles to Chincoteague Island; 757-789-1795, ShoreLiteracy.org
June 19
Three-Year Anniversary Celebration; Brewing Tree Beer Company, Afton; 540-381-0990, BrewingTreeBeer.com
June 19-20
Craft Beer Festival; George Washington’s Mount Vernon; 703-780-2000, MountVernon.org
July 4-Sept. 25 (select Fridays)
Foodlore Fridays; Foodlore Provisions, Warm Springs; FoodloreProvisions.com
FESTIVALS
May 15
Arts and Wine Festival at Locust Grove; Walkerton; 804-769-8201, LocustGrove1665.com
May 15
Local Colors Festival; River’s Edge Sports Complex, Roanoke; 540-904-2234, LocalColors.org
May 28-29
Memorial Day Festival and Parade; Town of Shenandoah; 540-652-8164, TownOfShenandoah.com
May 28-30
Blackbeard Pirate Festival; Downtown Hampton; 757-727-8311, Hampton.gov
May 28-31
Memorial Day Flea Market; Downtown Hillsville; 276-728-2128, TownOfHillsville.com
June 3-5
Clinch River Days Festival; St. Paul; 276-762-5544, ClinchRiverFest.com
June 3-6
2021 Virginia International Tattoo; Old Dominion University’s Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, Norfolk; 757-282-2800, VaFest.org
June 5
6th Annual Spring Carnival; Infinity Acres Ranch, Ridgeway; 276-358-2378, InfinityAcres.org
June 5
Norfolk NATO Festival; Downtown Norfolk; 757-282-2822, VaFest.org
June 5
Redbud Festival; Historic Downtown Dayton; 540-879-2241, DaytonVa.us
June 25-July 29 (select weekends)
Summer Nights; Busch Gardens, Williamsburg; 757-229-4386, BuschGardens.com
June 30-July 11
Salem Fair; Salem Civic Center; 540-375-3004, SalemFair.com
July 3
Summer Jam Music Festival; Massanutten Resort; 540-289-4952, MassResort.com
SPORTING EVENTS
May 14
Fore the Animals 2021 golf tournament and fundraiser; Fredericksburg Country Club; 540-898-1500, FredSPCA.org
May 15
Fit Farmer 12K Trail Run; City of Norton; 276-679-1160, NortonVa.gov
May 15
Kicks For a Cause; Lenn Park, Culpeper; 540-727-3412, CulpeperChamber.com
May 15
Tour de Chesapeake Mathews Cycling Event; Williams Wharf Landing, Mathews; 804-725-4229, TourDeChesapeake.org
May 17
Soundscapes Charity Golf Classic; James River Country Club, Newport News; 757-273-6178, SoundScapes.org
May 19-23
117th Annual Keswick Horse Show; Virginia Horse Center, Lexington; 434-981-2577, KeswickHorseShow.com. Click here to read more!
May 20
NCAA Women’s Softball Division III Championship; Salem Civic Center, Salem; 540-375-4021, VisitSalemVa.com
May 21-23
MotoAmerica Superbikes at Virginia; Virginia International Raceway, Afton, MotoAmerica.com
May 22-24
NCAA Division II & III Lacrosse National Championship; Donald J. Kerr Stadium-Roanoke College, Salem; 540-375-3004, SalemChampionships.com
May 29
42nd Annual Elizabeth River Run 10k; Elizabeth River Trail, Norfolk; 757-681-1434, ElizabethRiverTrail.org
June 6
Carilion Clinic Ironman 70.3 Triathlon; Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Roanoke; 540-342-6025, Ironman.com
June 6
Spotsylvania Soapbox Derby; Dominion Raceway, Thornburg; 540-840-9296; SoapboxDerby.org/Spotsylvania
June 19
La Tour de Shore Bike Ride; Onancock Town Square; 757-787-2460, ESVaChamber.org
NATURE & OUTDOORS
May 1 & June 5
The Farmer’s Forge; Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane; 540-592-3556, DCR.Virginia.gov
May 14
Spring Wildflower Symposium at Wintergreen Resort; Wintergreen Nature Foundation, Roseland; 434-325-8169, TWNF.org
May 15
National Kids to Parks Day; Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane; 540-592-3556, DCR.Virginia.gov
May 15
Discovering Alexandria Architecture Walking Tour; Carlyle House Historic Park, Alexandria; 703-549-2997, NoVaParks.com
May 22
Kidsfest & Festival of Kites Spring Fair; Manassas Museum Lawn; 703-889-0202, VisitManassas.org
June 3 (recurring every Thursday)
Flowers After 5; Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond; 804-262-9887, LewisGinter.org
June 5
Clean the Bay Day; Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane; 540-592-3556, DCR.Virginia.gov
June 10 (recurring 2nd and 4th Fridays)
Fidos After 5; Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond; 804-262-9887, LewisGinter.org
CAR SHOWS
May 1 & June 5
Cars and Coffee at Bryant’s Cider Farm; Bryant’s Cider Tasting Room, Roseland; 571-723-3260, BryantsCider.com
May 8 & June 12
Hillsville Second Saturdays Concert & Classic Car Cruise-In; Downtown Hillsville; 276-728-2128, TownOfHillsville.com
May 15
2nd Annual Breakthrough Car Show; Pamplin Historical Park, Petersburg; 804-861-2408, PamplinPark.org
This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue. All events were accurate at publication but may change without notice. Please check with organizers before traveling.