New River Gorge Events & Festivals in West Virginia

The New River Gorge hosts year round events including Bridge Day, the Fall season's Gauley Fest, music & birding festivals, grape stomping, wildflowers and more - providing you and your family and friends with entertaining fun on your WV vacation.

New River Gorge Events by Month:

April/May
June
July/August
September
October
November
December

See all New River Gorge events by visiting the Event Calendar for the New River Gorge Convention and Visitors Bureau.

April/May
Babcock Gristmill Grinder Marathon & 5K Foot race over single track trails, roots, rocks, mud, and occasional short road sections. Spectacular overlooks, lush green moss and ferns, rhododendron tunnels & waterfalls. Learn more about the Babcock Gristmill Grinder Marathon & 5K.
Endorphin FIX 3.5 Day Adventure Race The Toughest 3 Day Adventure Race in the USA. Learn more about the Endorphin FIX 3.5 Day Adventure Race.
New River Wildflower Weekend Wildflower hikes for the whole family. Discover the beauty and diversity of flowering native plants. Learn more about the New River Wildflower Weekend.
New River Birding & Nature Festival A friendly birding vacation for everyone, this week-long event features guided birding excursions, world-class speakers, field guides, incredible venues and food, and a back-porch atmosphere unmatched by any other festival. Learn more about the New River Birding & Nature Festival.
Whitewater Whirl West Virginia dance festival with workshops & show. Old-time dance and jamobree to thrill the whole family. Swing out of your daily ground and into some mountian style. Learn more about the Whitewater Whirl.
New River Rendezvous The Rendezvous is the annual fundraising gig for the New River Alliance of Climbers. It's a fun and friendly three-day celebration of climbers, climbing and the New River Gorge. Learn more about the New River Rendezvous.
Hometown Mountain Heritage Festival Fayette County, WV’s premier Heritage Festival. Each June, the town of Ansted becomes a living telling of the story of Appalachia’s history. This event celebrates West Virginia and Appalachia with three days of old-fashioned fun. Learn more about the Hometown Mountain Heritage Festival.
June
New River Gorge Heritage Festival Step back in time and observe and talk with those from the North & South! Learn more about the New River Gorge Heritage Festival.
July/August
Appalachian String Band Festival A five day mountaintop gathering of musicians and friends with contests, concerts, workshops, square dances, camping and a hymn-sing. Learn more about the Appalachian String Band Festival.
Captain Thurmonds Challenge Captain Thurmond’s Challenge Triathlon is 30 miles of the most extreme whitewater, mountain biking and running in the state and the East Coast. Learn more about Captain Thurmonds Challenge.
New River Hummingbird Festival The 2nd annual New River Hummingbird Festival at Hawk's Nest State Park will be Aug. 12- 14 and include activities and workshops about hummingbirds, butterflies and native plants.
September
Footmad Festival Old-Time Music and Dance: The World's best in traditional music and dance since 1981. Learn more about the Footmad Festival.
Grape Stomping Festival The goal of the festival is the selection and promotion of the very best of the multi-talented people of West Virginia, most of whom provide demonstrations of their artistic and musical gifts. Learn more about the Grape Stomping Festival.
Gauley Season! The biggest, wildest water in the east ushers in the fall. Learn more about the Gauley Season.
October
Bridge Day Bridge Day is the largest extreme sports event and the largest gathering of BASE jumpers in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge, 876' tall and the world's second longest single arch bridge, is the launch point for at least six hours (9am-3pm EDT) of legal, safe BASE jumps. Learn more about Bridge Day.
November
Red Cross Christmas Festival Shop 'til you drop. Something for everyone and supports the local chapter of the American Red Cross.
Community Chili Feed Cathedral Cafe and Fayetteville Methodist Church would like to invite you to the next community feed. This is ABSOLUTELY free, however donations are accepted and folks gather from all walks of life. Every second Thursday of the month! Call 304-574-0202 for more information.
December
Fayetteville Christmas Parade A night filled with light and excitement!