Roanoke

About Roanoke

Roanoke, The Star City of the South, The Magic City; nestled in the Valley and Ridge Province between the Allegheny Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's hard to find a bad view in the Roanoke Valley. From the star on Mill Mountain to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail, Roanoke has many things for you and your family to experience. Festival in the Park is one of many events hosted in Roanoke every year, Our friends at Visit Roanoke VA have a full list of events.

Museums

Center in the Square, minutes from the Festival grounds, contains four museums and a butterfly garden. The Roanoke Pinball Museum, The Harrison Museum of African Culture, The History Museum of Western Virginia, and The Science Museum of Western Virginia all reside in the Center in the Square building, right off the historic Roanoke Farmers Market. A short walk from Center in the Square will drop you at the Taubman Museum of Art, and up the hill from the Taubman is the O. Winston Link Museum full of railroad photography. Another museum close to the Festival is the Virginia Museum of Transportation, they have a large locomotive display, as well as aviation, automotive exhibits.

Points of Interest

From the oldest operational firehouse in Virginia to the Worlds Largest Freestanding Manmade Star, Roanoke has many things to entertain you. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way through the Roanoke Valley, it can take you from the Mill Mountain Star and Zoo, all the way to Explore Park where you can hike trails and swim in the river. The Farmers Market is full of local produce, local shops, and restaurants - and it's a short walk from the Festival. If you like trains, there is much for you to do here. We have the O. Winston Link Museum filled with locomotive photography, the train overpass, and the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

Breweries

Roanoke sports a large selection of award-winning craft beers. With over 15 local breweries in-and-around the Roanoke Valley, you are sure to find something worth bringing home. From the Red Clay IPA from Sunken City Beer to the Lake Life Lager by Twin Creeks Brewery, the breweries in the valley offer a wide selection of seasonal variants and year round favorites. Many of the restaurants in the Roanoke area offer a flight of local seasonal beers. Starr Hill and Devil's Backbone have also expanded their presence to Roanoke