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Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

Virginia Highlands Festival

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Virginia Highlands Festival

Celebrating our 77th Anniversary, the Virginia Highlands Festival shines a light on the heARTbeat of Appalachia!
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In 1949 Robert Porterfield (founder of Barter Theatre) began a cultural experience unparalleled to our region. The Virginia Highlands Festival has continued to grow in size and scope to become a destination for tourists and a beloved regional cultural resource for antiques, arts, history, and culture of Southwest Virginia.

06/18/2026

🎼Step into a musical journey across 250 years of American sound! This program celebrates the rich traditions that have shaped our nation’s cultural identity—from the haunting tones of the Native American flute to the storytelling roots of Scotch-Irish and English ballads.

🗓️Sunday, July 26: 3-5pm -- Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church
🎟️Tickets at door OR online 👉🏻https://bit.ly/VHFlivemusic26

Travel through history with broadsides, Revolutionary and Civil War songs, spirituals, parlor music, gospel, Tin Pan Alley favorites, Broadway classics, blues, old-time, and folk traditions—each a thread in the fabric of America’s unique voice.

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor

06/16/2026

🎶 Check out our "Tunes at Noon” lunchtime concert series during the 77th Virginia Highlands Festival! 🎶

Enjoy free live music at local restaurants and eateries. Grab lunch, support local businesses, and enjoy a midday soundtrack! Turn lunch into a mini music festival!

🎼7/24: GopherHole – Jenn Gillenwater & Barbara Walton
🎼7/25: Delta Blues Indoor Stage – Swampalachia
🎼7/26: Wolf Hills Coffee – Chase & Melissa Johner
🎼7/27: JJ’s Restaurant – Bailey George & Gracie Mae Grossman
🎼7/28: Tumbling Creek Tap Room – Cary Corley & Julia Maggard
🎼7/29: Wolf Hills Coffee – Julie Williams & Willie Melton
🎼7/30: Gopher Hole – Daryl Ann Beeghley & Mary Munsey
🎼7/31: Delta Blues Indoor Stage – Jonathon Short & Bobby Starnes
🎼8/1: Dwayne & Co. – Chris Long & Clay Blevins
🎼8/2: JJ’s Restaurant – Jamie Collins & Kasey Williams

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor Delta Blues BBQ - Abingdon Tumbling Creek Cider Company JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar Wolf Hills Coffee

06/15/2026

🏡 Step Inside History: Explore Abingdon’s Most Beautiful Historic Homes and Buildings! Mark your calendar today.

🗓️Saturday, August 1: 10am-4pm

📌Tour beautifully preserved Federal, Victorian, and early 20th-century homes and buildings throughout downtown Abingdon. Explore architectural treasures, hear their stories, and enjoy special guided tours of the iconic Martha Washington Inn & Spa. Join us for this unique opportunity to experience history from the inside out!

👇🏻Snag your ticket here👇🏻
https://bit.ly/HistoricHomesBuildings2026

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor

06/10/2026

📢CALLING ALL FINE ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, EMERGING ARTISTS, KID ARTISTS, AND ART LOVERS!📢

"So basically...we've got a little Art Walk Thing goin' on. It's gonna be really cool! You should come check it out." We should all heed the words of the magnificently talented (and all around great person), Kevin Burrill with Kevin S Burrill Wildlife Art! 😉

Don't miss the NEW Art Walk this summer, July 24-August 2, 2026
~ Juried Fine Art Exhibition (including youth) at The Arts Depot
~ Juried Photography Exhibition at the Abingdon Train Station
~ Youth Photography Exhibition at the The Historic Hattie House

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06/08/2026

🎪 Calling All Artisans, Makers & Heritage Vendors! 🎪

Applications are now open for the "Threads of Time: 18th Century Market & Faire."

📅 July 25–26, 2026
📍 SWVA Higher Education Center, Abingdon, VA
🔗 Vendor applications available now: https://bit.ly/ThreadsOfTimeVendorApp26

We're seeking artisans, craftspeople, and heritage vendors whose work reflects traditional skills, handmade craftsmanship, Appalachian culture, and 18th-century-inspired trades. Join us for a weekend filled with living history, music, demos, storytelling, and thousands of visitors celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

✨ Heritage Crafts
✨ Handmade Goods
✨ Traditional Arts
✨ Educational Demonstrations
✨ Family-Friendly Event

Be part of this exciting new event and showcase your work alongside historical interpreters, musicians, and cultural presenters from across the region.

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06/04/2026

📣COMEDY NIGHT RETURNS TO BARTER DURING THE VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS FESTIVAL!📣

🗓️Mark your calendar! JULY 28, 2026: 7:30-10:00pm, Gilliam Stage
🎟️ Grab Your Ticket Today! 🎟️. https://bit.ly/ComedyNight26

This summer brings you a two part hilarious show! 😂 Back by popular demand, featured comedian and master hypnotist, Doug Thompson will keep you mesmerized, scratching your head in amazement, and holding your belly with laughter!

Blue Ridge Comedy performers will open the show with a revolving door of hilarity with down to earth humor and ruminations. You’ll be rolling in the floor at the amazing talents of these comedians for an evening you won’t soon forget!

📌A bit about the mind bending :
After touring as a stand up comic for years, Doug wanted a new way to create a better show and entertain more people. That is when he started studying hypnosis and all different types of ways to hypnotize people. Doug wanted to take Comedy Hypnosis to the next level by creating a show that is different from all of the rest! He adds in his quick wit and spot on impressions to make the show fun from beginning to end. Check.Him.Out! 👇🏻
https://www.thedougthypnosisshow.com

📌About
Blue Ridge Comedy Club is the passion project of Shawn Carter, a professional comedian and producer from Boston, MA. Shawn landed in Bristol, TN, his wife’s hometown, during the beginning of the pandemic and decided that as things begin to open back up people could use a laugh. After scouting the Tri-Cities for a location, Shawn is excited to have found a home for his club in downtown Bristol.

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06/02/2026

🎨🚨 ARTISTS, THIS IS YOUR SIGN! 🚨🎨

Have a painting, drawing, sculpture, or other work of art you're proud of? Don't keep it hidden—let it shine in our Juried Fine Art Show!

✨ Open to BOTH Youth & Adult Artists
🏆 Awards & recognition
🖼️ A chance to exhibit your work and inspire our community

📍 Art Intake Days at the Arts Depot
📅 July 18 & 19 ⏰ 2:00–5:00 PM

Now for the fun part...👇 Tell us in the comments: What medium do you create in?
🎨 Painting
✏️ Drawing
🗿 Sculpture
🧵 Mixed Media
🎭 Something else!
And tag an artist friend who NEEDS to enter this year's show! 👇✨

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor

06/01/2026

#🎈✨ POST 2 of 3 ✨🎈

Did you know? 🧐
Hot air balloons have been capturing imaginations for more than 240 years! This summer, you'll get the chance to see some of these magnificent giants up close as they fill the sky with color and excitement. 🌅🎈There's nothing quite like watching a balloon rise gracefully into the sky while your favorite music plays in the background.

The 77th Virginia Highlands Festival has something magical waiting around every corner! Mark your calendar: July 24 to August 2, 2026

🎶 Live Music
🎈 Hot Air Balloon Displays
🍔 Great Food & Drinks
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Fun for All Ages
🪙Antiques & Vintage Show (includes collectibles & retro items)
🧵Arts & Crafts
🇺🇸18th Century Market & Fair weekend
😁AND.SO.MUCH.MORE!!

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor

05/27/2026

🎈✨ POST 1 OF 3 ✨🎈
MARK YOUR CALENDAR -- July 31 to August 2...The countdown is on for a magical weekend of MUSIC & BALLOONS! 🎶☁️

Watch the skies fill with color as 12 spectacular hot air balloons take flight: 🌈✨❤️⭐
From sunrise launches to evening entertainment, this is your chance to enjoy live music, family fun, delicious food, and unforgettable views all weekend long.

📍Bring your crew and experience the wonder from the ground — or up in the sky!

Stay tuned for Post 2 as we reveal more festival fun! 🎉

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, Virginia Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor

05/25/2026

🇺🇸As we celebrate Virginia’s rich history and look ahead to the VA250...we take time this Memorial Day to honor those who made our freedoms possible. Their sacrifice echoes through every chapter of our nation’s story. 🇺🇸

Today, we remember the fallen, honor their legacy, and celebrate the enduring spirit of America!🎆

📖A Bit of History📖
The origins of Memorial Day date back to the Civil War, which claimed the lives of some 620,000 soldiers. In the aftermath, devastated communities sought to honor their dead. The commemoration caught on across the nation, eventually expanding to honor fallen soldiers from all wars, but it wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day became a federal holiday.

Visit Abingdon VA Town of Abingdon, VA Mayor Town of Abingdon, Virginia

Address

Abingdon, VA
24210

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 6pm
Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	10am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 6pm
Friday	10am - 6pm
Saturday	10am - 6pm
Sunday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12766235266

Website

https://vahighlandsfestival.com/

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