Destination Bedford

Give Me Liberty – VA250 Traveling Exhibition
2026-05-08 09:00 - 2026-06-08 17:00 (America/New_York) | Bedford Area Welcome Center, 816 Burks Hill Road, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
“Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation” is the signature exhibition of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission and organized in partnership by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. It highlights Virginia’s pivotal, complex role in the Revolution through storytelling and the perspectives of diverse historical figures, including Thomas Jefferson, whose personal retreat can be visited and toured in Bedford County at Poplar Forest.
The Bedford Area Welcome Center is proud to host a special traveling banner exhibition in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Visitors are invited to experience the exhibit through June 8 at the Bedford Area Welcome Center, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
The Bedford Area Welcome Center serves as a hub for travelers and residents seeking information about local attractions, dining, lodging, outdoor recreation, and community events. There is also a webpage highlighting local America 250 initiatives and commemorative partners. This can be found at DestinationBedfordVA.com/VA250. A dedicated Facebook page is available at BedfordVA250.

America’s 250th Anniversary Exhibit
2026-05-26 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-27 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-28 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-29 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-30 10:00 - 18:00 | Moneta Library, 13641 Moneta Rd
America’s 250th Anniversary Exhibit in the MOarts Gallery and Display Case
250 years ago, the founding fathers of the United States of America met in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence beginning the American Nation as we know it. Come to the Moneta/Smith Mountain Lake Library to view our history as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence through a photo exhibit of historical documents and portraits related to the American Revolution and a display case of Revolutionary items that have been in use since that time.
The photos featured in this exhibit are curated from the Library of Congress and the Library of Virginia.
The exhibit may be viewed during regular library hours, April 1, 2026, through May 30, 2026.

Wander & Awe Foraging Clinic
2026-05-26 18:30 - 19:30 | Bedford County Parks and Recreation, 1257 County Farm Rd, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Come learn what tasty treats and healing properties nature can provide while you explore the original grocery store, the great outdoors!
Wander: They will have a short intro into foraging safety and wildcrafting etiquette, following by a short hike where we explore what edible & medicinal plants & fungi are in season!
Awe: You will cover different resources, tools, ways to ID, look-alikes, various uses, history, and traditional practices regarding the plants & fungi. Plan on learning 10-15 different plants/Fungi each session.
Families are encouraged and all ages are welcome! You will be typically hiking less than 1 mile each session unless otherwise noted in the event discussion.
Meetings will be the LAST Tuesday of each month, Mar-Oct Sessions start at 6:30pm.
Sometimes the locations will change, click here for any updates.

The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz Exhibition
2026-05-27 13:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-28 13:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-29 13:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-30 11:00 - 15:00 | Bower Center for the Arts, 309 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA, United States
Legendary cartoonist Charles M. Schulz’s legacy is one of cultural influence through his beloved Peanuts comic strip and of humble service in World War II. His wartime experience left a lasting impression on him, so much so that he became the Capital Campaign Chair of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation from 1998 until his passing in 2000.
The National D-Day Memorial is proud to bring The Life and Art of Charles M. Schulz to the Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford, Virginia. The traveling exhibition, curated by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California, U.S.A., explores Schulz’s personal history and his role as the sole inspiration and artistic talent behind the most successful comic strip in history.
Gallery admission is free.

Live Music at Portside
2026-05-28 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-29 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-30 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-31 14:00 - 16:00 | Portside Grill and Bar, 3619 Airport Rd., Moneta, VA, 24121, United States
Come to Portside Grill & Bar right on Smith Mountain Lake, for great food and live music! Click here to see who is playing!

Music Bingo
2026-05-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
This is where the fun of bingo meets the excitement of your favorite tunes! Each round features hit songs across various genres, and you’ll mark your card to the beat. Win the coveted Music Bingo chain, gift cards, and of course, ultimate bragging rights! It’s a lively and unique way to enjoy great music, compete with friends, and score awesome prizes. Don’t miss the fun!

Live Music & Food Truck at Fables & Feathers
2026-05-29 16:30 - 19:30, 2026-05-30 14:00 - 17:00 | Fables & Feathers Winery, 2117 Bruno Dr., Goodview, VA, 24095
Come to Fables and Feathers Winery for live music, great wine and beautiful views! Some days there will also be food trucks on site. Click here to see who is playing and which food truck will be on site!

Live Music at Benjamin’s
2026-05-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Benjamin’s Restaurant, 14900 Forest Rd., Forest, 24551, United States
Come to Benjamins for great food and live music every Friday! Click here to see who is playing each week.

Forest Friday Cheers
2026-05-29 18:00 - 22:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Come to Apocalypse Ale Works for Forest Friday Cheers!
Live music, local vendors, food, and local craft beer.
Inflatable bounce pad for the kids, and other fun activities.
Free admission. Click here to see who is playing each week!

The Day is Past & Gone
2026-05-29 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-05-30 18:30 - 20:00 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 687 Poplar Forest Dr., Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Playwright Teresa Harris’s original drama returns to Jefferson’s plantation for two additional performances.
Drawn from real-life experiences of the men and women who were enslaved at Poplar Forest, the trilogy explores the complexity of their lives and their struggles to survive. Join Harris, the cast and Poplar Forest’s archaeology and interpretation staff for a Q&A following the performance.
Bring your friends and family, a picnic and a blanket or chairs, and experience a little-known but important part of Poplar Forest’s history brought to life. NOTE: The performance consists of three vignettes performed at three different locations on the property. We recommend bringing chairs, blankets, picnics, etc. that are easy to move.
Tickets are $20/adult, $10 for youth ages 6-17 and college students (with valid ID), $5 for children under 6.
Tickets will be available online until 5pm the day of the show. Tickets will still be available at the door both nights. Rain Date: May 31

Live Music @ Apocalypse Ale Works
2026-05-29 19:00 - 22:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Come to Apocalypse Ale Works for great beer and live music. For more information and to see who is playing each week, click here. Food by Bunker 42 Bar Bites will also be available for purchase!

Bedford Farmers Market
2026-05-30 08:00 - 12:00 | Bedford Farmers Market, Washington and Center Streets, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
The Bedford Farmers Market will have fresh produce, vegetables, baked goods, artisan crafts and a variety of Bedford and locally grown products! Free off-street parking. The market is open Every Saturday!
Click here to see which vendors will be on site each week!

Forest Farmers Market
2026-05-30 08:00 - 12:00 | Forest Farmers Market, 15583 Forest Road, Forest, VA, 24523, United States
Enjoy locally grown produce, meats, honey, flowers along with breads and local artisan goodies. You can also find breakfast sandwiches and a coffee truck most weeks. The market is open the last week in April until the last week in October every Saturday behind the Forest Library.

Living History with The Fincastle Company
2026-05-30 10:00 - 16:00 | Bedford Central Library, 321 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA, United States
Come to the library to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of Independence! Enjoy a living historic performance presented by the Fincastle Company.
Fincastle Company is a group of dedicated living historians who portray both military and civilian roles during the time of the American War of Independence. They conduct extensive research and documentation on all the clothing and equipment used by them in order to be as accurate to the period as possible.
The group performs living history displays at various historical sites in the mid-Atlantic region. They specifically portray the Fincastle/Montgomery County Militia, which was an actual unit from Southwestern Virginia that served in the American Revolution.
No registration is required. Drop in anytime between 10 and 4 PM to interact with the historians.

Live Music at Harvest Moon
2026-05-30 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-31 13:00 - 17:00 | Harvest Moon Marketplace, 14917 Moneta Rd, Moneta, VA, 24121, United States
Come see live music at Harvest Moon Marketplace! Click here to see who is playing this weekend!

Enjoy beer, wine, meads, ciders, and non-alcoholic drinks, along with delicious food and great shopping at the Marketplace. Free admission and free music!

Spring Rodeo
2026-05-30 15:30 - 22:00 | Wind Vineyards, 15772 Moneta Road, Moneta
Who is ready to see cowboys on bulls at Smith Mountain Lake!?!? Join us on May 30 for our Rodeo at Wind Vineyards Smith Mountain Lake. BLM Bull and Rodeo Company will be at Wind Vineyards for all of your Cowboy entertainment!
Bring the whole family and register your kids for Mutton Busting and mini bulls. Food trucks will be available as will beverages including award winning Wind Vineyards wine, cold, fresh sangria and wine slushies to cool you down, as well as hard cider, sodas, water, and more.
The event is rain or shine.
Tickets are limited and non-refundable!
No pets allowed Absolutely no outside drinks allowed!

Click here for tickets.

Live Music @ Beacon Seafood Pub
2026-05-31 14:00 - 16:00 | Beacon Seafood Pub at The Virginia Dare Marina, 3619 Airport Rd., Moneta, VA, 24121, United States
Come to Beacon Seafood Pub located at the Virginia Dare Marina at Smith Mountain Lake, and enjoy great food, drinks and live music! Click here to see who is playing each week!
