Autumn is the perfect season to enjoy everything Charlottesville has to offer. As the weather turns the leaves, the entire town is painted in vibrant colors. The trees on the Lawn transform into works of art, and the Historic Downtown Mall is kissed by soft, cool breezes in the gilded afternoon light. And there are so many things to do! Wine tasting, music festivals, hiking, farm visits, and more – below are a few additional suggestions.
The weather change introduces delicious, ripe apples and fat, orange pumpkins, making this the best time to visit our local farms and sample the produce of a long, hot growing season. Celebrate the harvest with all the fruits of fall at Chiles Peach Orchard 8th Annual Fall into Fun Festival, September 21-22, 2019. You can pick apples or look for the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, and take part in the many activities that are scheduled. On Saturday afternoon, there will be fresh apple butter – you can buy it while it’s still warm!
Monticello is a favorite destination year-round, and in the fall, the grounds are stunning thanks to Jefferson’s carefully tended garden. Experience the beauty of autumn at Jefferson’s home and taste a piece of history on October 12th at Monticello’s Tufton Farm apple tasting. This popular annual event offers a unique chance to taste some of the thousands of heirloom apple varieties once enjoyed by 19th-century fruit lovers.
Charlottesville’s diversity produces an endless variety of festivals that invite every walk of life. Our deep love of cuisine and the interest in responsibly sourced food has deep roots in Charlottesville life, making this the ideal community to host the Vegan Roots Fest on September 28th. Taste delicious vegan food, listen to educational speakers, enjoy wine and learn about nutrition and how to “shop vegan”. This informative, supercharged event is perfect for the merely curious and veteran vegans alike.
Make a plan to attend the annual Foxfield Family Day Race, one of the area’s favorite traditions, on September 29. Combine the mellow beauty of a Virginia fall day with events for the kids, pony races, and the extremely popular Jack Russell Terrier races. Fall is an especially pleasant time for families to enjoy Foxfield, as opposed to the busier, more vivacious races in the spring. Bring the entire family and witness the Charlottesville countryside and the excitement of steeplechase racing.
Start your holiday shopping early and bask in the gorgeous fall scenery at The Crozet Arts Festival. Shop for art, fashion, crafts, and more offered by over 120 jury-selected fine artists and crafters at this beloved biannual event. Live music, children’s activities, festival fare, Virginia-made wine, and draft beer are the perfect complements to the search for that perfect, truly one-of-kind gift to give during the holidays.
Each autumn, the Historic Downtown Mall bustles with activity thanks to Charlottesville’s most popular and well attended venue, The Virginia Film Festival. For more than 25 years, the Festival has celebrated the magic of movies, attracting internationally acclaimed directors and actors to join professors and leading cultural experts in a discussion of all that is film. This highly respected event allows Charlottesville citizens to not only rub shoulders with the stars but to discuss with them what makes movies so important to us.
Charlottesville itself is a treasure chest of beauty in the fall – take a walk on one of the many walking paths in our city through the beautiful, garden-edged neighborhoods in our area to experience a breathtaking feast for the senses. Take the time to experience everything that is waiting for you outside your Charlottesville apartment – autumn may be the best time to see the beauty of our city.
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