Arts & Entertainment

The Lynchburg region’s calendar of events is always chock full of activities that exhilarate and expand the imagination. From downtown street festivals and lakeside concerts to minor league baseball under the summer stars, Lynchburg entertainment extends well beyond the city limits — reaching all five counties with events that bring neighbors together and give every season its own character.

Spring

• The Hill City Howlers (Lynchburg’s Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians) kick off their home season each April at Bank of the James Stadium Momentum West. Affordable tickets, a family-friendly atmosphere, and warm spring evenings make it a community favorite.
• The Downtown Lynchburg Association’s free International Festival fills spring with live music and performances from around the world, cultural displays, and artisan vendors — a true celebration of the region’s diversity.
• First Fridays transforms downtown Lynchburg into an evening street party each month, with local art exhibits, music, food, and community energy.

Summer

• Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest hosts the Independence Day Celebration, a beloved family event featuring colonial-era activities, folk music, old-fashioned children’s activities, and more.
• Amherst’s Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival draws crowds each fall to Rebec Vineyards, featuring wineries, cideries, arts & crafts, and four stages of live music.

Fall

• The Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival adds live music and small-town charm to autumn in Appomattox County.
• The Amherst County Fair arrives each September, showcasing local art, photography, prize-worthy produce, baking competitions, and the agricultural heart of the community.

Winter

• Bright Nights on the Bluffwalk kicks off the holiday season with a Christmas tree lighting in front of Craddock Terry Hotel. Bring your whole family and enjoy 30+ Artisan Vendors, photo ops, and activities for the kids.
• Handmade for the Holidays, a cozy, festive market hosted by Lynchburg Parks & Recreation, features handcrafted gifts from local artists and makers.
• In the winter months, indoor arts, live theater, and concert hall programming take center stage, with events happening throughout the season.

Beyond the seasonal activities, events like the Lynchburg Community Market and Forest Farmers Market run year-round, connecting residents with local farmers, makers, and artisans throughout the region.

History isn’t something you read about in a textbook. It’s something you walk through, live beside, and feel in the bones of the buildings around you. At least in the Lynchburg region it is. From Federal-style mansion houses overlooking the James River to a quiet Virginia village where a nation put itself back together, this region sits at the center of some of America’s most compelling stories.

In the heart of Lynchburg, Point of Honor stands on a promontory above downtown as one of the Commonwealth’s most distinguished examples of Federal-style architecture. Built in 1815 for Dr. George Cabell — a friend of Thomas Jefferson and personal physician to Patrick Henry, the meticulously restored house museum offers guided tours, striking river views, and a window into the layered social history of 19th-century Virginia, including the stories of the enslaved community who lived and worked there.

Just twenty miles east, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park marks the place “where our nation reunited” — the site where Generals Grant and Lee met in April 1865 to negotiate the surrender that effectively ended the Civil War. Spanning approximately 1,800 acres of rolling rural Virginia countryside, the park preserves the original village, the McLean House where the surrender was signed, and the quiet country lanes where those history-defining events unfolded.