As summer turns the corner into fall, the fun doesn’t have to fade too.
Whether Virginians want to stay close to home or take a weekend trip, eastern Virginia has dozens of weekend festivals, concerts and more to offer this fall.
Here is a mix of both free and paid events scheduled between Labor Day and Columbus Day.
Go out and have fun – then tell us about it on Facebook, Twitter (@SouthsideDaily) or on Instagram.
Editor’s note: These events were selected from Virginia’s official tourism website between the dates of Sept. 8 and Oct. 9. Events are organized by region and date.
Southside
Neptune’s Fall Wine Festival
Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9 and 10
Location: Neptune’s Park, corner of 31st Street and Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, Va.
Calling all wine lovers: An early-fall wine festival is coming to Virginia Beach Sept. 9 and 10. From chardonnay to merlot, the festival will offer varieties of Virginia-made wines. Guests will be able to talk to the people who are making the wines as well. Two food trucks – A Bite of Maine and Pino’s Meatballs – and live music will also be at the festival.
Cost: Saturday tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Saturday VIP tickets $50 (advance purchase only). Sunday tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.
Hours: noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Taste of Suffolk
Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017.
Location: Downtown Suffolk, Va.
The 11th annual Taste of Suffolk will take place Sept. 9 this year, boasting specialty food from Suffolk’s restaurants, and goods from local crafters, vendors and merchants. The street festival will have a children’s area and live entertainment from Popwire, Wesley Spangler and the Janitors.
With a petting zoo, contests and games, a beer garden and a new vehicle exhibition, there are activities for all ages.
Cost: The event is free and open to the public.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Annual ETC Concert in the Park
Saturday, Sept. 16
Location: Town Point Park, Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Va.
If you’re a music lover, this event is the one for you. The Embrace the Culture Concert in the Park celebrates the artists who keep Norfolk’s music scene alive. While music is the focus of most concerts, this show is also a stage for artists, comedians and authors to also show their skills.
For hungry concert attendees, there will be food trucks on scene to satisfy their needs.
Embrace the Culture (ETC) is made up of local, regional and national artists along the Elizabeth River.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: 5-11p.m.
Annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Saturday, Oct. 7
Location: Town Point Park, Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Va.
A historic Asian holiday, the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is meant to celebrate traditions dating back thousands of years honoring harvest, youth, families and community. The festival includes entertainment programs such as storytelling, authentic Asian Ceremonial fashion shows, ribbon and dragon dancing, martial arts demonstrations, children’s activities, musical and dance performances, children’s lantern parade, and special appearances by the Moon Goddess.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fall Harvest Festival/Haunted Halloween Festival
Every weekend in October
Location: Hunt Club Farm, 2388 London Bridge Rd, Virginia Beach, Va.
Virginia Beach’s Hunt Club Farm will offer two fall festivals this year, one offering seasonal harvest fun, and the other celebrating Halloween.
The farm will offer carnival rides, a giant haystack, a petting farm, pony rides and a huge pumpkin patch for the Fall Harvest Festival. There will be new carnival rides this year, such as a ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, teacups, kiddie airplanes, a Nascar speedway and train ride. Festival goers can also buy pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, straw, mums, pansies and more. The Harvest Festival requires an admission wristband.
Cost: Weekend passes: Children’s Harvest Fair wristband is $13, Adult Harvest Fair wristband is $9. Daily Harvest Festival prices: Petting farm is $6, Hayride and petting farm is $9, pony rides are $5 each.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every weekend
In addition to the daytime Harvest Festival, the Haunted Hunt Club Farm Festival will be held Oct. 19-23, 25-30 and Halloween night, Oct. 31.
From the haunted hayride to the Village of the Dead to the Field of Screams, the Hunt Club Farm is offering several Halloween-themed events this fall.
Cost: General admission is $29, fast pass is $15, and the escape room is $10 per person.
Hours: Halloween attractions open at 6:30 p.m. or dusk. Last ticket sold at 9:30 p.m. and all attractions close at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday nights. Last tickets will be sold at 9:45 p.m. Friday & Saturday nights, and all attractions close by 11:30 p.m. Last hayride leaves by 10:40 p.m.
Peninsula
Annual Buckroe Beach Arts in the Park Festival
Saturday, Sept. 9
Location: Pavilion Park, 100 S. First Street, Hampton, Va.
A trip to the beach will get a little more artsy Sept. 9 with the Buckroe Beach Arts in the Park Festival. Over 70 vendors will be at the park near Buckroe Beach showing various items they created, including photography, mixed media, jewelry, pottery, woodworking, handcrafted pens, glassware, pet items, home decor and more.
Face painting and free kid’s games will also be available for the children.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Harvest Festival & Scarecrow Stuffing
Saturday, Sept. 16
Location: Chickahominy Riverfront Park, 1350 John Tyler Highway, James City County, Va.
Enjoy arts, crafts, food and games in a scenic area of James City County Sept. 16 at the Harvest Festival and Scarecrow Stuffing event. For adults and children alike, there are inflatable rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, hayrides, interactive sports games, the Hampton Roads Fun Bus, live entertainment and food vendors.
For those who want to get creative, scarecrow-stuffing supplies will be provided. Scarecrow stuffing is first-come, first-served. The event is weather-dependent.
Cost: $5 per car (cash or check only), $20 per scarecrow (includes all supplies)
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Watermen’s Museum Folk Festival
Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24
Location: Watermen’s Museum, 309 Water Street, Yorktown, Va.
With three stages, food and drinks, Yorktown will light up Sept. 23 and 24 with folk, blues, maritime, rock ‘n’ roll and Celtic music. Enjoy the views of the York River and a diverse array of music with this all-day-long outdoor concert.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
James RiverFest
Saturday, Sept. 30
Location: Jamestown Beach Event Park, 2205 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, Va.
For those interested in embracing the environment, the James RiverFest is scheduled for Sept. 30. The free event will offer educational activities and boating adventures, as well as live animals, bike rides, a scavenger hunt and other crafting activities.
This event is weather-dependent.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
An Occasion for the Arts
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-8
Location: Merchants Square, 134 North Henry Street, Williamsburg, Va.
Art lovers, this one is for you. An Occasion for the Arts will run from Oct. 6-8, bringing visual, literary and performing arts to Merchants Square in Colonial Williamsburg.
While there will be fine artists, performing artists, food and beverages, the event also includes a juried art show. For those looking for a new addition to their home or office, artists’ work will also be on sale.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Hours: Oct. 6: 6-10 p.m., Oct. 7 and 8: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fall Festival of Folklife
Oct. 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Newport News Park, 13560 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, Va.
Virginians on the Peninsula can find original and handmade crafts right at their doorstep during the Fall Festival of Folklife in Newport News. The craft show is one of the state’s largest, boasting more than 200 craftspeople. The juried show will give prizes in each craft category, such as woodworking, spinning, sheep shearing, chair caning and quilting.
Children will also be able to make crafts to take home at the festival, and there will be food and beverages for sale. A farmers market area will offer canned goods and fresh produce.
Cost: Parking fee only, $10.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yorktown Wine Festival
Saturday, Oct. 7
Location: Riverwalk Landing, 331 Water Street, Yorktown, Va.
Enjoy Virginia’s homegrown wines and wines from around the world during the first weekend in October in Yorktown. Wine festival attendees can sample Rieslings and Gewürztraminers from Germany or “bubbly” wines from France.
Beyond the wine, there will also be live music, local restaurants’ food and local artisans. The event will be held whether there’s rain or sunshine.
Cost: Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.
Hours: Noon to 6 p.m.
Elsewhere
Chincoteague Island Oyster Festival
Saturday, Oct. 7
Location: Tom’s Cove Park. 8128 Beebe Road, Chincoteague, Va.
Seafood lovers can come together Oct. 7 for the Chincoteague Island Oyster Festival, celebrating the arrival of Oyster season in coastal Virginia. Oysters will be served raw, steamed and single fried. Other options, such as clam chowder, clam fritters, shrimp cocktail, salad bar items, hot dogs, hush puppies fries and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
As well as fresh seafood, live music will run throughout the festival, items will be raffled off, and a “Best Space” contest will take place.
Festival attendees should purchase festival tickets in advance, as tickets are typically sold out before the festival’s start.
Cost: $45.00 for adults, children under 5 are free
Hours: Gates open at 10 am for admission and set-up. Appetizers served at 11 am and full menu available at noon. Festival ends at 4:00 pm.
Crab Carnival
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6 and 7
Location: Town Park and the entirety of Main Street between 1st and 12th streets, West Point, Va
Those interested in live music, parades, fresh seafood, bike races and more small-town fun will find all of the above at the West Point Crab Carnival. With crab races, vendor tents and food trucks, there are items to entertain visitors of all ages – especially crab lovers.
The event draws thousands to the town annually and is free to the public. Police, firefighters, town management and residents all come together for the event, which includes fireworks Friday night.
Cost: Free
Hours: Friday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
