Sweet Summertime in Staunton

Summer living might be easy, but the season is fleeting. Soon the kids head back to school, and fall activities will fill our calendars. So how can we slow down and enjoy these last precious weeks of summer? By savoring all the sweet summertime fun that Staunton has to offer, of course! From indulging in local ice cream to picking fresh fruit, here are a few ways to make the most of the rest of the season.

Country Fairs and Festivals

Find good, old-fashioned country fun at a fair or festival. 

• Augusta County Fair (July 23 – 27): Ride the midway rides, gorge on carnival food, and see exhibits! Check out cattle, sheep, hogs, and sideshow performances like the Wonderland Circus and the Pork Chop Review. In the evenings, there will be live music, tractor pulls, dirt drag races, demolition derbies, and more! Don’t miss the Tuesday night fireworks show!

• Rockingham County Fair (August 12 – 17): You’ll see music, a demolition derby, a rodeo, a tractor pull, and lots of rides. Get a jump on things by buying your rides wristband ahead of time!
• SAArt Center’s Art in the Park festival (August 31 – September 1): Gypsy Hill Park bandstand area fills with culture as artists exhibit a variety of juried photography, paintings, jewelry, ceramics, wood turnings, and more. The festival also has food, live music, and activities for kids.

• Rockbridge Regional Fair & Expo (September 12 – 14): Come to the Virginia Horse Center for music, rides, pageants, art contests, and more.
• Queen City Mischief & Magic Festival (September 28 – 29): For the ninth year, the Harry Potter-themed festival will make Staunton the happening destination for wizards (and fans). Dust off your spellbooks and polish your wands!

• Even if it’s not a festival weekend, you’ll love the community walking-mall feel of Staunton’s Shop and Dine Out Downtown, a safe space for Stauntonians to gather al fresco.
• There’s free live music at the bandstand in Gypsy Hill Park. Stop by for Monday night concerts by the Stonewall Brigade Band, Wednesday night bluegrass, and Thursday night Jazz.

Barbecue

Check out our picks for Staunton’s best savory/sweet barbecue flavors!

• Valley Smokehouse specializes in seafood, barbecue, and steaks. Be on the lookout for events like all-you-can-eat seafood meals! 
• Kline’s Hog Wild BBQ serves Carolina and sweet-style barbecue and sides for dining in and taking out. 
• Big Red Barbecue’s menu is packed with selections like pulled pork and fried catfish. There is a kids’ menu for smaller appetites, and they also serve breakfast!
• Next time you dine at The Depot Grille or Mill Street Grill, sample their slow-cooked ribs and homemade barbecue sauce.

Fruit Picking

Grab some wholesome family fun as you harvest your fruit and the peak of ripeness.

• Pick your own blackberries and blueberries at Troyer Nursery. This Waynesboro-area farm also sells sweetcorn, tomatoes, green beans, red beets, squash, zucchini, and onions. 

• It’s blackberry season at Critzer Family Farm! Take the kids to pick seasonal fruits like raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and peaches. You can also buy pre-picked veggies. Finish the outing with ice cream churned with fresh fruit.
• Concord and Niagara grapes start to ripen at Wenger Grapes at the end of August. Score a tasty and nutritious snack as well as some amazing photos.

• Pick apples at Carter Mountain Orchard then stick around to admire the show-stopper of a view and a plate of apple cider donuts!
• You won’t be in the actual orchard, but the fruit is just as fresh at the Staunton Farmers’ Market! 

Cool Off

This July is hot! Here’s where to find cool water.

• Staunton has public swimming pools in Gypsy Hill and Montgomery Hall Parks. Both have lifeguards, slides, areas for deep-water swimming, areas for wading, and spots for kids. 
• Sherando and Todd Lakes are man-made lakes in beautiful George Washington and Jefferson National Forest a short distance from Staunton. Both have sandy beaches, restrooms, swimming areas, picnic areas, camping, and trails. 
• Take one of our area’s many hikes to a waterfall. We recommend Jones/Doyles Falls and Riprap Hollow Trail in Shenandoah National Park or Crabtree Falls or St. Mary’s Falls in the national forest.

Ice Cream

The best days end with ice cream!

• Kline’s Dairy Bar churns fresh ice cream every morning to serve in cones, sundaes, and other ice-cream delights. Each week, there’s a new, can’t-miss special flavor.
• Wright’s Dairy Rite has been serving ice cream desserts since 1952. The menu offers dipped cones, funnel cake fries, flurries, splits, milkshakes, malts, and drink freezes to cool off on a mighty hot day. Don’t miss their classic car cruise-in, coming in September!
• The Split Banana creates 24 fresh-made flavors of award-winning gelato from local grass-fed milk. Get a cone, cup, shake, or a pint to take home.

There’s no time to lose! Start savoring Staunton summertime today. And don’t forget to share your sweet summertime adventures with us on social media using #LoveStaunton!