Blue Ridge Highlands
- Blue Ridge Parkway: MP 116 to MP 216.9
- Follow the parkway to these great cities and towns:
- Galax,
- Pulaski,
- Abingdon,
- Floyd,
- Rocky Mount,
- Marion,
- Bristol &
- Martinsville.
Sweet notes of mountain music still ring out in the Blue Ridge Highlands. The notes of birdsong echo from soaring peaks accompanied by the symphony of a mountain stream.
Traditions are valued and preserved in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands.
Everyday life and culture of the area is on display at Blue Ridge Institute & Museum. Ancestral music is celebrated with annual events such as the Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax and the Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol, the birthplace of country music. Mountain music is preserved for future generations at Blue Ridge Music Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take time out to enjoy swimming or paddle-boating at Hungry Mother State Park or visit Mabry Mill, one of the most photographed sites on the parkway. As the parkway winds its way through these rugged hills, discover the State Theater of Virginia in the Commonwealth’s oldest town, Abingdon. Enjoy fine dining, art galleries, museums plus the excitement of NASCAR racing near the parkway.
Events
SPRING
- 16 Hands Studio Tour May 2-3, Nov. 27-29. Floyd and Montgomery counties. Artists in pottery and wood. (540) 230-9698.
- Ralph Stanley Memorial Bluegrass Festival May 21-23. Hills of Home Park, Coeburn. Bluegrass, camping. (423) 357-1623.
SUMMER
- Virginia Highlands Festival July 25-August 9. Abingdon. Music, entertainment, antiques, crafts. (276) 623-5266.
- Old Fiddlers’ Convention August 3-8. Felt’s Park, Galax. World’s oldest and largest fiddlers’ convention. (276) 236-8541.
FALL
- Grayson Highlands Fall Festival September 27. Grayson Highlands State Park, Mouth of Wilson. Bluegrass, molasses and apple butter making. (276) 579-7092.
- Blue Ridge Folklife Festival October 24. Blue Ridge Institute, Ferrum. Music, folklife demonstrations. (540) 365-4416.
