Bower Center Exhibit
2025-01-25 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-28 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-29 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-30 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-31 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-01 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-04 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-05 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) and 7 more dates | Bower Center for the Arts, 309 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA, United States
The annual Curry/Bower exhibition is one of the largest exhibits all year, and the artwork featured is mostly by regional artists of all skill levels. This stunning collection boasts a total of 194 works by 68 artists, including the Youth Division entries.
Gallery hours are 11-3, Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free! All galleries will be open during the events on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. The gallery images from both the adult and youth exhibits are available online as well!

Apocalypse Trivia Night
2025-01-29 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-02-05 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-02-12 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!

Live Music at New London Ruritan Club
2025-02-01 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.

32nd Annual YMCA Pot of Gold
2025-02-01 19:00 - 23:00 | Bedford Area Family YMCA, 1111 Turnpike Road, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Saturday, February 1st, 7-11PM, enjoy an evening at the Bedford Area Family YMCA’s Pot of Gold fundraiser! Enjoy an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music by Rewind, and exciting activities including a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, cash drawings, and a grand $7,500 Pot of Gold prize. Tickets are $150 (admits two) and are available at the Bedford YMCA, with board members, directors, or at The Well. Don’t miss this red-carpet event supporting a great cause!

SML State Park Winter Lecture Series
2025-02-02 15:00 - 16:00 | Smith Mountain Lake Discovery Center, 931 Ashland Avenue, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Head over to the Smith Mountain Lake State Park for the twentieth annual Winter Lecture Series presented by Friends of Smith Mountain Lake. Learn something new each month!
Click here for tickets and more information.

Woods Goods & Mercantile Grand Reopening
2025-02-07 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-08 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-09 10:00 - 16:00 | Woods Goods & Mercantile, 2770 W Lynchburg Salem Tpke, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Enjoy this special Grand Reopening with extended hours!

Singles Night & Speed Dating at Beale’s
2025-02-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Beale’s Brewery, 510 Grove Street, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Singles Night & Speed Dating at Beale’s Brewery in Bedford, VA.
This is a FREE, 21+ event.
Looking to meet someone new? Join us for an exciting evening of connections at Beale’s! Whether you’re looking for a casual chat or something more, this is your chance to meet new people in a fun, relaxed setting. Our Singles Night & Speed Dating event offers a unique blend of mingling and fast-paced conversations, ensuring you’ll meet a variety of people throughout the evening. The evening kicks off with casual mingling, followed by speed dating rounds, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and chat with potential matches for 5-minute one-on-one conversations. After the speed dating, feel free to continue the night with a drink, food, and conversation in the relaxed bar atmosphere. Great drink specials, lots of food options, and a lively, welcoming vibe – perfect for those new to dating or looking for something different. Come for the speed dating, stay for the connections!

RSVP by emailing Jazz at jasminejrdn54@gmail.com or shooting her a text at 540-615-0270!

Forest Farmer's Market
2025-02-08 09:00 - 12:00 | Forest Farmers Market, 15583 Forest Road, Forest, VA, 24523, United States
The Forest Farmer’s Market is held 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!

Galentine's at J Bohn's
2025-02-08 10:00 - 14:00 | J Bohn Bishop Mercantile, 16483 Moneta Rd. Suite L,, Moneta
This year enjoy The Pink Peony Permanent Jewelry, Agenacare Aesthetics Botox, Meanwhile Back on the Farm and First Light Coffee Co. at this Galentine’s Day small business lineup. also Bak’d from the Heart (cookies + cupcakes) and Petal Ridge Farms DIY Bouquet Bar will also be on site!
It’s going to be a SWEET little day at the store so grab a Galentine and Meet at the Mercantile!

MTX Cross 2025
2025-02-08 10:00 - 17:00 | Falling Creek Park, 1257 County Farm Road, Bedford, VA, 24523, United States
Race 1 – https://www.bikereg.com/mtx-1
Race 2 – https://www.bikereg.com/mtx-2
WHAT IS Mountain Cross / MTX?
The “Mountain” part refers to many of the same aspects that you might encounter in a mountain bike race. There will be single track with rocks, roots, etc that will make up roughly 50% of the course. The other 50% of the course will consist of mixed surfaces such as grass paths, gravel or pavement, and double track dirt roads.
The “Cross” parts refers to the style of racing and variety of terrain the race combines with added elements of mountain biking and cyclocross. There may be barriers, stairs, or other obstacles that riders will have to navigate and as always, good vibes! The races are short, intense, and loads of fun!
We have professional chip timing to get fast and reliable results! Beginners have 30 minutes to do as many laps as they can while the sport have 45 minutes and the experts have 60 minutes. We hold the tradition of letting people go out for the bonus lap if they make it in the timing zone before the clock hits 0! The winner is the person who does the most laps in the least amount of time.
Timing is being handled by Jeremy Ramsey with MMG Endurance Sports! He host’s some great cycling events like the Buffalo River Gran Fondo, the Wormhole, SOTR, and other races so be sure to check them out and support! https://www.mmgendurancesports.com/
This race embodies the Norwegian proverb that says, “There is no bad weather, only poor clothing choice.”
WE RACE ANY WEATHER! That’s what makes Mountain Cross what it is! The course is highly dependent of weather conditions but are sure to be fun for all ages and skill levels! Laps are around 2 miles long.

Click these links to register and for more information: Race 1 – https://www.bikereg.com/mtx-1 Race 2 – https://www.bikereg.com/mtx-2

Peaks Retreat Open to the Public Day
2025-02-13 10:00 - 16:00 | The Peaks Retreat & Adventure Center, 1336 Simmons Mill Rd, Thaxton, 24174, United States
For the next few months, The Peaks Retreat and Adventure Center will host several days each month that are open to the public – free of charge. Guests are welcome to hike our trails, enjoy a game of disc golf, or even play a game of basketball, volleyball, or gaga. Or if you’ve been wanting to check out our facility and would like a tour or more information about our programs and events, these are great days to visit us here at The Peaks.
Please check-in at the Main Office when you arrive to sign a waiver and get a facility map. We also ask that folks check out in the Main Office on their way out as well.
Questions: Give us a call at 540-444-1800 or send us an email at ThePeaks@CustomED.org.

Woodworking Workshop
2025-02-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 687 Poplar Forest Dr., Forest, VA, 24551, United States
Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest has been meticulously restored back to its Jefferson-era appearance after 40 years of dedicated work by the Poplar Forest Restoration Department. Using tools available to Jefferson’s free and enslaved workman, our skilled craftsmen have restored all the elements of the house so what you see today, is what Jefferson would have seen once the house was completed.
And now you can learn all about the process of historic woodworking directly from the craftsmen themselves. Join Austin Englund, Restoration Supervisor for this course in all things woodworking. Tour the Poplar Forest workshop, learn about the tools we used to restore the house, and prepare yourself for your own woodworking projects.
This is a 2 part session class which attendees can learn the art of historic woodworking. The introduction class is a learning session to prepare you for the second class held on March 15 th where you will use the tools and make your own souvenir photo frame. Tickets for the introduction class are $50 and include a discount code for the 2nd hands-on session, a guest pass to return to Poplar Forest and tour Jefferson’s retreat home, and a unique opportunity to use Poplar Forest’s tools yourself.
