Destination Bedford

Live Music @ Apocalypse Ale Works
2026-05-22 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-15 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-08 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-01 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | 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!

Live Music at Benjamin’s
2026-05-22 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-15 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-08 18:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-01 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.

National Maritime Day
2026-05-22 10:00 - 17:00 | National D-Day Memorial, 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA, United States
U.S. Merchant Marine veterans receive complimentary admission to the Memorial. (Admission is always free for Active-duty service members.)

Music Bingo
2026-05-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-05-07 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-04-30 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 at Harvest Moon
2026-05-17 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-16 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-10 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-09 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-03 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-02 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!

Storming of Thunder Ridge
2026-05-17 07:00 - 17:00 | VA
The YMCA of Central Virginia invites you to join friends and fellow cyclists for the 17th annual Storming of Thunder Ridge ride, taking place in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia on Sunday, May 17th. By registering, you’ll help support the YMCA’s Community Support Campaign, which funds vital programs for those in need throughout the community.
Click here to register and for more information.

Live Music at New London Ruritan Club
2026-05-16 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-02 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. Click here to see who is playing each week.

Spring Cabaret at the Bower Center
2026-05-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Bower Center for the Arts, 305 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Come to the Bower Center to see a Spring Cabaret with Wynn Creasy & C.W. Markham III.
$20 in advance/$25 at the door.
Click here to purchase tickets and for more information!

Armed Forces Day Parade
2026-05-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Downtown Bedford
In observance of Armed Forces Day, a military parade through downtown Bedford will honor the U.S. Armed Forces’ 250 years of securing and protecting our freedoms.

Lakeside Local
2026-05-16 10:00 - 13:00 | Halesford Center, 16483 Moneta Rd., Moneta, United States
Boutique-style farmers market experience celebrating retail, art, and wellness at the heart of SML! A destination for both locals and visitors, offering a thoughtfully curated mix of vibrant local talent and a meaningful space for connection and gathering!

Truck & Tractor Pull
2026-05-09 16:30 - 22:00 | Sims Farm, 460 West 1/2 Mile Before Owen's Market, Goode, VA, 24556, United States
Challenged Sports Exchange & Sims Events welcomes back this spring Dragon Motorsports Truck & Tractor Pull for a night of action packed fun on Saturday May 9th! Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets sold at the gate only! Cash only $20.00 per person Kids 5 & under free. Enjoy the beer garden and food vendors on site. No coolers allowed, NO PETS, lawn chairs welcome. Bring your whole family, all of your friends and get ready for an unforgettable night of horsepower and excitement!

Jefferson's Curiosities
2026-05-07 18:30 - 20:00 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 687 Poplar Forest Dr., Forest, VA, 24551, United States
About the Series: Thomas Jefferson was a man of many varied interests. Join us at Jefferson’s “best dwelling house in the state” as we delve into topics he found particularly fascinating from travel to culinary, leadership to religion. Each talk in the series includes a wine and cheese reception following the presentation.
Tickets are $25/each or $100 for all five Curiosities Series talks
2026 Jefferson’s Curiosities Series Events:

Jefferson’s Travel through the Germanies (Travis McDonald): February 19, 2026 6:30 p.m.

What Made Jefferson a Great Leader? (Dr. John Ragosta): March 26, 2026 6:30 p.m.
Jefferson and Trist’s Wild Mississippi Scheme (Karen Chase): May 7, 2026 6:30 p.m.
Jefferson’s Curiosities: Hearth Cooking (Rachel Deddens): June 11, 2026 6:30 p.m.
Jefferson & Religion (Nathan Taylor): September 24, 2026 6:30 p.m.

Big Otter Mill Spring Festival
2026-05-02 11:00 - 15:00 | Big Otter Mill, 3533 Big Island Highway, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Enjoy springtime in Bedford at the historic Big Otter Mill!
Live music, BBQ by the Virginia Masonic District 24 Master Masons Association, vendors, and self-guided tours of the Mill!
Free admission and family friendly!
Dogs okay, must be on a leash.

SML Triathlon
2026-05-02 09:00 - 14:00 | Smith Mountain Lake State Park, 1235 State Park Road, Huddleston, VA, United States
Staged out of beautiful Smith Mountain Lake State Park this triathlon classic has clear water, mountain views and fun courses. The swim features a sandy beach start and a crisp, clear lake. The bike and run courses are rolling, but not too challenging. This is a great race if you are just starting out in the sport, or have been racing for 20 years. Smith Mountain Lake is home to numerous lodging options and attractions. There is great trail running in the park and the Blue Ridge Parkway isn’t too far away if you want to stay the night and ride again on Sunday. With numerous B&B’s, restaurants and wineries in the area this race needs to be on your “recreation” bucket list!
Click here to register and for more information.

Wander & Awe Foraging Clinic
2026-04-28 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.
