Happy Fall Y'all! Oh my gosh, there are SO many family friendly activities and events to enjoy in the Lynchburg area this weekend. You'll find indoor and outdoor fun guides and much more on our website.
Here are our top 15 choices for family fun in the Lynchburg area this weekend. Check out our September Fall Festivals and Fun Guide and our full event calendar for all of the best local events.
1. Visit an area pumpkin patch in Central Virginia. Dark Leaf Farms in Concord is open Saturdays and Sundays; Smith's Pumpkin Patch in Lynchburg is open daily; Yoders' Farm Fall Festival in Rustburg is open Tuesday through Saturday; Layman Family Farms Fall Festival in Blue Ridge is open Saturdays and Sundays; and Jeter Farm Fall Festival in Roanoke is open Saturdays and Sundays.
2. Bedford County Fair takes place Thursday through Sunday at The Glenwood Center in Huddleston. Enjoy a fun and safe midway for the whole family, circus performances, live music, Old McDonald's Farm, a variety of food vendors, livestock show, horse show, car show, antique farm equipment show, fireworks, and more!
3. The Venardos Circus is at River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg through Sunday. This unique, animal free family-oriented circus features a cast of aerialists, acrobats, comedians, juggling, balancing, daredevilry and performers hailing from around the world. There's a Sensory Friendly Show on Friday at 2 PM with lower volume music, static house lighting, and other features.
4. Downtown Family Festival and the Amazing Mile Youth Run take place on Friday evening at Amazement Square in Lynchburg. The free Family Festival, which begins at 4 PM, features face painting, kid-friendly activities, and food. The Amazing Mile Youth Run is for kids ages 13 and under with runs of varied lengths based on age.
5. Family Campout takes place from Friday evening through Saturday morning at Sandusky Park in Lynchburg. Bring your tent, sleeping bags, and other camping gear and enjoy a fun-filled evening under the stars! The park naturalists will host a campfire with s’mores. Register in advance for this event.
6. "The Miracle Worker" at 246 The Main in Brookneal tells the amazing true story of Helen Keller, a blind girl, who learns to communicate through sign language. This is the final weekend with performances on Friday and Saturday evenings.
7. Free Fishing Days take place on Saturday and Sunday in public waters all around Virginia. No fishing license is needed to participate for this event, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, in conjunction with National Hunting and Fishing Day. This offer is available because there was inclement weather during the free fishing days in June. All fishing regulations still apply.
8. National Park Service Fee Free Days are all day events at all national parks which normally charge fees. Saturday is one of the fee free days as the National Park Service observes National Public Lands Day. Pick a national park and enjoy the day!
9. The historic Genworth Virginia 10 Miler will celebrate its 46th year on Saturday with the Virginia 10 Miler, Virginia 4 Miler, and Virginia 4 Mile Walk. All events begin at E.C. Glass High School and feature elite runners from around the world as well as your friends and neighbors. There will be multiple road closures in Lynchburg to facilitate this event.
10. Drumheller's Orchard Apple Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Drumheller's Orchard in Lovingston. This family-friendly festival features arts and crafts, pumpkin patch, corn maze, apple sling shot, bounce houses, food, live music and apples galore. Admission is free, but you are encouraged to bring cash for some of the individual activities.
11. Family Fun Day and Open House takes place on Saturday at Timberlake Animal Hospital in Lynchburg. This fun event features food trucks, a bouncy house for kids, face painting, adoptable animals from both Harmony Rescue and Lynchburg Humane Society, clinic tours, and TONS of giveaways!
12. Fall Fest takes place on Saturday at Family Life Community Center off Timberlake Road in Lynchburg. This fun, family-friendly event features kid’s activities, food trucks, lots of vendors, free Swag Bags for the first 100 shoppers & more!
13. The 6th Annual Young Athletes' Autumn Classic takes place on Saturday at Wake Field House on the campus at University of Lynchburg. This free fun-filled afternoon for children ages 3-11 of all ability levels features carnival games, face painting, and sporting activities including soccer, volleyball, track and field, bowling,and softball/t-ball. The event is organized and hosted by the University of Lynchburg's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and Special Olympics of Virginia.
14. 20th Annual Harvest Jubilee and Wine Festival takes place on Saturday at Avoca Museum. In addition to wine tastings from local wineries, this event features live music, local craft and merchandise vendors, food concessions, an adult-supervised bounce house, and the annual Avoca bake sale.
15. Old 97 Rail Days is worth a road trip on Saturday or Sunday to Danville Science Center. You'll enjoy lifelike landscapes of towns, mountains, rivers, and more as N-scale trains animate the scenes with realistic activities. Walk through a fully restored Norfolk and Western caboose along the train tracks and check out a miniature version of the Old 97 wreck scene.
It was super hard to choose only 15 things to do this weekend. Check out one of these events or find your own fun at one of the parks in our Lynchburg Area Parks Guide or Go Hiking Off the Blue Ridge Parkway on this first weekend of fall.
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