Springtime has arrived, which means many of the yearly festivals here in Charlottesville are taking place. These festivals are held outside this year, so it’s a great way to enjoy the nice weather while also taking part in the activities. They also provide an opportunity to spend more time with friends, family, and others from our community. From parades to art exhibits, there’s something for everyone! Below you’ll find more information on these events. 

To quickly recap festivities which already occurred this year, The Tom Tom Founders Festival was held this year from April 20th through April 25th. The festival provided a week of art, innovation, and music, and was a great leader into some of Cvilles own up and coming events. Leaders came together to create solutions across many venues downtown, with a combination of hundreds of bands, artists, start-ups, and visionaries. It led the way of the festival season. 

The Charlottesville Dogwood Festival is an annual event that occurs from late March through late April. It combines different events around Charlottesville, such as the Dogwood Carnival, tree sale, grand parade, and the Queen’s Ball. Although most of these events have concluded for the year, the Dogwood carnival continues until May 1st in the Kmart parking lot. 

The Festival of Cultures is a celebration of cultural and linguistic diversity in our local community. There will be music, dancing, and storytelling, as well as cultural craft activities, performances, explore exhibits, delicious foods, and trinkets from artisan vendors. This is a family-friendly event and will occur on May 15th at the Ix Art Park. 

The Charlottesville Arts Festival is a whole weekend of arts and crafts. There will be fine artists of all genres and will be celebrating creativity, diversity, and community. There will be an unveiling of a new mural, fire dancers, live music, workshops, vendors, art-making, and more! This event will occur from May 27th through May 29th at the Ix Art Park. 

Below are the events Charlottesville High school students were most interested in and why. 

Ninth-grader, Katherine Garcia-Angel, shared, “I didn’t know what the Tom Tom Founders Festival was until now. It sounds really interesting, especially since I enjoy music and am innovative. I’m definitely going to make an effort to attend next year!” Another ninth-grader, Mya Carter, shared, “I haven’t been able to go to the carnival this year, but I’ve gone in past years and have had a blast. There were so many fun rides and tasty foods.” Lastly, freshman, Nulia Obiorah, added, “I really enjoy learning about other cultures as well as seeing representation for my own. This is a great way to empower and appreciate a variety of cultures. I’m looking forward to attending this event!” Happy festivaling knights!