Virginia Black Bear Festival
Join us in downtown Stanardsville, Virginia, on the first Saturday of June for the annual Virginia Black Bear Festival – a free, family-friendly celebration of nature, the great outdoors, and our mountain heritage. Set in the heart of Greene County near the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail, this event highlights the diverse outdoor activities, rich wildlife, and scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Past activities have included local outdoor organizations, live music, clogging and line dancing, a drum circle, rock-wall climbing and slackline adventures, face-painting, storytelling, and a chainsaw-artist demonstration. Visitors can also enjoy artisan and craft vendors, food trucks (many with bear-themed treats), and engaging nature and wildlife presentations. It’s a full-day outdoor festival (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) that invites everyone—from toddlers to grandparents—to celebrate the region’s black bear habitat and experience big adventures with small-town charm.
