Summer Events
Red-brick sidewalks link hotels and innovative eateries to a slew of boutiques and galleries in downtown Lexington while Buena Vista serves as the area's favorite launch pad to the Blue Ridge Parkway and outdoor adventure. Antique malls, country stores, music jams, and farm stands add oomph to the landscape along the county’s back roads.
How do you know summer has arrived in Rockbridge County? Some might say it's the marquee at Hull's Drive-In announcing the weekend double feature. Others point to the colorful flower boxes in front of Lexington's boutiques or the sounds of live music floating across gardens and vineyards. However, the most prominent sign of summer may be the abundance of parking on downtown streets. With coeds and cadets gone for break, Lexington and Buena Vista are oh-so-easy for an impulsive, walkable visit.
Live Music & Outdoor Entertainment
Lime Kiln Theater, formerly a limestone quarry, kicks off its spring and summer music series in late May. With a schedule packed with up-and-coming bluegrass talent, high lonesome never sounded so good.
Fiddle-and-banjo fans also head to Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista for the annual Maury River Fiddlers Convention in mid-June. Cut a rug at the Beach Music Festival the last weekend of July.
On select Friday evenings, follow the music to Davidson Park in downtown Lexington for the popular Friday's Alive music series or to Buena Vista for Fridays in the Park. Wild gardens and the Blue Ridge Mountains are the backdrop at Boxerwood Nature Center during its Music in the Garden concerts, held the second and fourth Fridays of the month throughout the summer. Boxerwood is A-okay with picnics, blankets, and children.
Summertime Family Fun
There's no time for nostalgia at Hulls Drive-In. This drive-in movie theater is too busy entertaining the crowds cruising in for the weekend double feature. The theater – a community-owned non-profit – welcomes families and pets, and you'll likely see children romping on the lawn before the first show.
Dinosaurs and Union soldiers collide at the new Dinosaur Kingdom II theme park. Thirty fiberglass and Styrofoam dinosaurs inhabit this family-friendly wonderland, the brainchild of artist Mark Cline.
There's one great truth at the
Virginia Safari Park: it's a llama's world, and you just live in it. You'll see what we mean on a windows-down cruise through this popular drive-thru zoo where llamas, camels, and zebras approach your car, and your feed bucket, with mouths wide open.
There's an event every summer weekend at the 600-acre Virginia Horse Center on scenic Hwy 39 on the northern outskirts of Lexington. Stop by for dressage, jumping, and vaulting events as well as shows spotlighting Arabian and barrel horses.
Breweries & Wineries
Rockbridge County is home to four craft breweries on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. The trail links more than a dozen craft breweries between Lexington and Harrisonburg.
What views will you enjoy from the taproom patio at Devils Backbone Brewing Company Outpost Taproom & Kitchen? The Blue Ridge Mountains, historic Route 11, and beer, mmm, beer. In summer, quaff the seasonal Trail Angel Weiss, a Bavarian-inspired hefeweizen. Check the online calendar for the Live Fridays music schedule.
In the middle of downtown Lexington, right on Main Street, you'll find Heliotrope Brewery. They're known for their eclectic pizza menu, plus they offer a great view from their small patio.
Speaking of amazing views and tasty craft beer, check out Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery in Natural Bridge. They're Virginia Craft Beer Cup award winners, and their weekend food trucks are the perfect complement to the chilled brews.
Rockbridge County's top award-winning vineyard also offers a brewery! Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery in Raphine a laid-back experience, but Sundays include live music and a food truck. Families and pets are always welcome.
Ecco Adesso Vineyard, in Fairfield, is growing by the vine, by the glass, and by the entertainment schedule. Don't miss their upcoming live music, and perhaps book an overnight in one of their cozy accommodations.
A summer picnic in Goshen Pass is always a good idea. To enjoy wine with your picnic, purchase a bottle at Lexington Mercantile or Purveyors on Main in Lexington. Or, pick up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon at Jump Mountain Vineyard, or a French-American varietal at Lexington Valley Vineyard on the way to the Goshen Pass wayside.
Farm-to-Table Fare
Small farms dot the countryside in Rockbridge County, providing a remarkable variety of fresh fruit and vegetables for local chefs. As winter recedes and gardens rejuvenate, the farm-to-table fare at Bistro on Main, Haywood's, and ZunZun gets downright innovative – and irresistible – as farmers roll out their summer produce.
