Seize the Season: Spring Events 

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The birds are migrating, the trees are budding out, and while it’s not unheard of to catch a late-winter storm at the end of March, it’s starting to look like warmer weather is here to stay. Let’s welcome it by getting outside and joining the community for some fun. From history-themed walks and eco-friendly festivals, to egg hunts or days spent honoring Mom, there’s something on the calendar for everyone. Here’s a roundup of Staunton-area spring events.

And in April, there’s even more reason to celebrate.

Staunton Arts Month

April transforms into a living, breathing canvas as we celebrate Staunton Arts Month, a vibrant, citywide spotlight on creativity in all its forms. From live performances and immersive experiences to hands-on workshops and visual art popping up across town, it’s the perfect time to explore Staunton’s artistic spirit.

Whether you’re a lifelong arts lover or simply arts-curious, this is your invitation to dive in.

Food, Al Fresco

Springtime means opening our windows and dining outside, and Staunton has an amazing community of inspired and sustainable dining. Make sure to shop for fresh ingredients at the Staunton Farmers’ Market, which opens for the season on April 4 in its new West End location. Shoppers will find the freshest possible fruits and vegetables, baked goods, meats, cheeses, and more from producers they trust. (Saturdays, April – November) 

Staunton’s Shop and Dine Out in Downtown and Beyond weekend program is another beloved Staunton tradition, which will resume on Friday, April 3 and continue each weekend through the end of October. The program closes Beverley Street to traffic and turns it into a walking mall for outdoor dining, shopping, socializing, and entertainment.

Walking in Sunshine

Walking tours combine exercise, fresh air, education, and fun. Historic Garden Week offers you a chance to go inside some of Staunton’s loveliest homes. This year’s shuttle tour includes three stately homes and gardens as well as gardening tutorials and talks by master gardeners. (April 18)

If the tour inspires you, welcome spring into your own home with a bouquet of you-pick flowers from Harmony Harvest Farm, which also offers Guided Flower Tours, designed to teach you the ins and outs of the flower business. And if you’re charmed by native species and wildflowers, Wildflower Weekend at Shenandoah National Park is May 2-3 this year. The park contains more than 850 species of flowering plants! Upcoming fee free days are May 25 and June 14. 

Each Saturday morning, The Historic Staunton Foundation leads a two-hour walking tour that winds through four of the city’s historic districts. Your guide will teach you about the town’s rich history, answer your questions, and point out the significant buildings and their structural details. (10 am, May – October) Check the website for special preservation walks and talks. Staunton Guided Tours also shows Staunton’s historic side. Choose from historic walking or car tours, or focus on special topics like houses of worship. 

If you’d rather run than walk, sign up for the Fearless 5-K Fun Run benefitting New Directions and the fight against sexual assault. (April 25)

Shadows of the Past 

Learn about the importance of natural fibers and how the Valley’s early settlers processed them at The Frontier Culture Museum’s annual Fiber Festival. This family-friendly pay-what-you-will donation day will feature vendors, demonstrations by fiber artists, and sheep shearing and sheep herding exhibitions, bringing early Valley life to vivid reality. (April 4)

Staunton is known for its beautiful scenery and architecture, but old buildings have complex and layered histories. If you want to know the fascinating and complex history of the Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, sign up for one of their upcoming Echoes of the Past tours.

The Society for Victorian Arts and Culture’s mission is “to preserve and celebrate the rich tapestry of Victorian arts and culture.” Make an appointment to explore the Spotts-Coffman House with a costumed interpreter, who will answer all your questions about the era. Finally, Ghosts of Staunton Ghost Tours combines history and shivers in their spring tours, themed around the railroad and spirit boxes.

Spring Artscapes

SDDA is hosting MadCON, a convention for creatives “to connect, collaborate, and be inspired” through a blend of “engaging experiences, thought-provoking sessions, and meaningful interdisciplinary networking.” Look for sessions on regional theater, graphic design, sound engineering, glassblowing, and more. (April 10-11)

Shenandoah Valley Indie Bookstore Crawl (April 10–25) encourages visitors to travel slowly and read widely across the region. From Winchester to Buena Vista, each independent bookshop offers its own personality, curated shelves, and meaningful conversations. It’s more than a shopping trip—it’s a celebration of community, culture, and the joy of discovering stories along scenic drives and historic main streets.

Later in the month, the Queen City West Arts and Culture Fest (April 25), a new community festival, promises to celebrate the arts with workshops, music, readings, live mural painting, vendors, food, and more! For more mural action, head to Waynesboro for the Virginia Street Arts Festival (May 16-17) to show your appreciation for the arts and watch muralists transforming blank industrial walls to works of art. Finally, on May 23-24, spend the day at Gypsy Hill Park to catch even more local artists and their work at the 5th annual Art on the Town. 

Spring Holiday Events

If your kids love hunting for Easter eggs, Staunton’s Eggstravaganza Festival in Montgomery Hall Park has egg hunts for various age ranges, crafts, snacks, a moon bounce, and maybe a visit from the Easter Bunny himself! (March 28) 

The Frederick House is hosting an Easter Tea with beverages, a light 3-course meal, and a chance to interact with adorable cats that are looking for adoption. Proceeds from the event benefit Wendy’s Place Cat Rescue. (April 4)

Want to know what people hunted for before there were baskets of plastic grass and Cadbury eggs? Want to know why we hide treats and color eggs in the first place?  Easter Sunday at Frontier Culture Museum will keep the family busy with educational entertainment and activities based around holiday traditions. (April 5)

Mary Baldwin University’s annual Kwanzaa celebration “Showtime at the Apollo” is open to the community and will feature performances, storytelling, and other ways to honor and reflect on unity, culture, and leadership. (April 11)

If you’re already planning the best Mother’s Day ever, grab a table at Barren Ridge Vineyards for Mother’s Day Brunch. Follow that with Harmony Harvest Farm’s Cool Mom Flower workshop and round out the day with a showing of Pride and Prejudice at Silverline. (May 10)

Music in the Air

Staunton’s energetic live music scene won’t disappoint this spring! Make sure to check out the Staunton Music Festival’s BaroqueFest. Free and ticketed concerts will feature works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and other classical greats as well as chances to learn about Italian influences on the era and chances to meet the performers. (April 10-12)

Staunton Jams will fill downtown Staunton with dancing and live music in a variety of styles. Along with local and regional musicians in multiple performance spaces, festivalgoers can expect food and drink, vendors, and fun for the whole family. (May 1-2) 

As the weather warms up, the Redbeard Groovin’ in the Garden concert series will start, giving fans a chance to catch their favorite local acts and relax over cold craft beer. 

Befriend the Earth

Earth Day Staunton 2026 “Every Drop Counts” (April 25 at Gypsy Hill Park) helps visitors consider their carbon footprints and learn how to impact the Earth in a positive manner. This information-rich, family-friendly event has educational animal ambassadors from the Wildlife Center of Virginia, take-home trees, queen bees, waterway preservation education, crafts, games, and much more. Waynesboro’s annual Riverfest (May 2) is another free event dedicated to environmental education and preservation. Ride in a canoe, race a rubber ducky, learn to fish, take a “stream safari,” and watch demonstrations by Reptile World and the Wildlife Center of Virginia. 

Remember the simple pleasures of fresh air and the possibility of flight? The hope and frustration you experienced getting a kite out of your hands and into the sky? Share all that with your kids at Plaza Antigua’s 2nd annual Kite Fest. (April 25) 

Staunton is fortunate to have a fabulous park system, ideal for playing and enjoying the weather. Gypsy Hill Park has several events lined up for the spring, including fishing derbies for youth (May 2) and seniors (May 16). Families might also enjoy the Senior Health Expo (April 17) and Kids Matter Day (May 9), where local community organizations set up safety and resource stations and offer fun and useful activities.

Don’t waste this beautiful spring weather sitting on your couch and hiding from pollen! Get outside and seize the season at a Staunton spring event!