Destination Bedford

Bower Center Exhibit
2025-05-29 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-05-30 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-05-31 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-06-03 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-06-04 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-06-05 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Bower Center for the Arts, 309 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA, United States
Beginning on May 6, the Bower Center for the Arts will host a dual exhibit in their galleries.
The Braaten Gallery will feature the works of Kaye Lipscomb in her exhibit titled “Inside/Out.” Lipscomb was awarded Best in Show in our National Juried Paper Arts Exhibition in 2022.
In the Terrace Gallery, they will have the exhibit “Limited Edition.” These works were completed by artists who are members of the Bower Center family. This includes studio artists, staff members, Bower Center instructors, board members, and committee members .

A reception for these exhibits will be held on Friday, June 13 at 5:00pm. It is open to the public. As always, admission to the galleries are free!

Live Music at Portside
2025-05-30 17:00 - 19:00, 2025-05-31 13:00 - 19:00, 2025-05-31 18:00 | 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!

Live Music @ Mitchell's
2025-05-30 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-06-01 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-06-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Mitchell’s Resturant & Pizzeria, 3553 Trading Post Rd, Huddleston, VA, 24104, United States
Enjoy live music, great food and the beautiful Smith Mountain Lake all in one place! Click here to see who is playing each week.

Forest Friday Cheers
2025-05-30 18:00 - 22:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Come enjoy Forest Friday Cheers at Apocalypse Ale Works!
Kick back, relax, and enjoy a FREE family-friendly evening of live music, food, and fun every Friday!
**Time:** 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
**Location:** Apocalypse Ale Works
Expect:
– **Live Music:** Click here to see who is playing each week!
– **Bounce Zones:** Fun for the little ones with bouncy castles and kid-friendly activities.
– **Beer & Refreshments:** Grab a cold one from Apocalypse Ale Works and enjoy their fantastic selection of local brews.
– **Food by Bunker 42: Delicious eats to fuel your evening of fun and music.
**All Ages Welcome** – Bring the whole family out for a night of great music, tasty food, and unforgettable memories.
Let’s make this Friday a night to remember! See you at Apocalypse Ale Works!

The Day is Past & Gone
2025-05-30 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-05-31 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 performances only. 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. Performance begins at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20/adult (18+), $10 for youth ages 6-17 and college students (with valid ID), $5 for children under 6. Rain Date: June 1
Click here for tickets.

Forest Farmer's Market
2025-05-31 09:00 - 12:00 | Forest Farmers Market, 15583 Forest Road, Forest, VA, 24523, United States
The Forest Farmer’s Market is held each Saturday morning behind the Forest Public Library. The Market features farmers and artisans selling a variety of items including plants, meats, produce, soaps, lotions, coffee, baked goods and more!

Claytor Centennial Celebration
2025-05-31 10:00 - 16:00 | Claytor Nature Center, 1844 Woods Road, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Join Claytor Nature Center for a community event to commemorate Boyd Claytor’s 100th Birthday and celebrate the grand re-opening of Claytor Nature Center to the public! The Celebration, scheduled from 10am – 4pm on May 31st, will host a variety of activities for the community including a vendor fair, food, music, a petting zoo, and nature activities. Fun for the whole family!
Free admission.

Live Music at Harvest Moon
2025-05-31 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-01 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 each week.

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

Viking Day at the Meadery
2025-05-31 13:00 - 17:00 | The Meadery at Graham Ordinary, 8578 Peaks Rd, Bedford, Virginia, 24523
Viking Day returns to the Meadery!
Welcoming “Vikings of the Valley” with their fantastic displays, horns, shields, ship and adventurous excitement!

Meadery will be open 12-6pm
Viking group, demos, storytelling, vending & photo ops 1-5pm
Specialty drinks & menu
Live music by Cyanwoode 2-4pm

Live Music at Drifter's
2025-05-31 14:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-01 14:00 - 17:00 | Drifter’s, 1617 Crystal Shores Drive, Moneta, VA, 24121
Live music on the water front! Enjoy the beautiful Smith Mountain Lake, great food and awesome music! Click here to see who is playing each week.

Live Music at New London Ruritan Club
2025-05-31 19:00 - 22:00 | New London Ruritan, 12411 East Lynchburg Salem Turnpike, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
This is a family friendly community dance with live entertainers!! $10/adult, doors open at 6:30pm, music 7-10pm. Please bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Supported by Ruritan volunteers.

Shinning Star Karaoke
2025-05-31 19:00 - 22:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Come sing some of your favorite songs along with locally crafted beer, cider, and seltzer. Food available to order on site.

Wander & Awe
2025-06-03 18:30 - 19:30 | Falling Creek Park, 1257 County Farm Road, 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: We 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: We 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! We will typically hiking less than 1 mile each session unless otherwise noted in the event discussion.
Meetings will be every 4th Tuesday of the month. Sessions start at 6:30pm and will be at different locations throughout the season depending on what is growing so click here for updates.

*** Due to rain, the May 27th session is now moved to June 3rd at Montvale Park

Moneta Farmer's Market
2025-06-04 15:00 - 18:00 | Moneta Farmer’s Market, 13641 Moneta Road, Moneta, VA, 24121
The Moneta Farmer’s Market is open Wednesdays 3 to 6pm next to the Moneta Library. The market is producer only – fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs (duck and chicken), bread, jams, jellies, and features local artisans.

Art in the Park
2025-06-04 15:30 - 16:30 | Smith Mountain Lake State Park, 1235 State Park Road, Huddleston, VA, United States
Get creative and be inspired by the beautiful scenery of Smith Mountain Lake State Park. Use small natural items and create your own personal artwork to record your memories of the park on paper. Our interpretive ranger will be there to help guide you. Explore with ink, colored pencils, or watercolors, and enjoy the sounds of the lake as you learn about the flora and fauna of the area. This program is fun for all ages.

Apocalypse Trivia Night
2025-06-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Apocalypse Ale Works, 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Every week there will be a wide range of categories to enjoy while also drinking your favorite beer or seltzer water!

Pontoon Boat Tour
2025-06-04 20:00 - 21:00, 2025-06-05 09:30 - 11:00 | Smith Mountain Lake State Park, 1235 State Park Road, Huddleston, VA, United States
Ride with a park guide as we experience the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park. How large is the lake? What was here before the lake? Learn the history of how the lake was created and the origin of the park. We will make stops to take in the scenery and for photo opportunities. PFDs (life vests) will be provided by the park and must be worn at all times. Water and sunscreen are recommended. Unfortunately, we cannot take pets aboard the boat. You must be present 15 minutes before tour start time in order to board and for safety talk.
Pre-registration required at the Visitor Center. Space is limited, and registration for this event opens one week prior to date of each tour and closes at 4 p.m. the day before each tour. We cannot take reservations earlier than one week prior to the date you plan to go on a tour. This event is free, but regular parking fees apply. For more information, please call our Visitor Center at (540) 297-6066 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Some tours have different themes, click here for more information.
