26th Annual Virginia Garlic & Wine Festival!

The air is crisp, leaves are crunching under foot, pumpkin spice tickles the senses and sweaters and boots abound, this can only mean one thing…it is finally October! Not only is autumn fully underway, but it’s time for the 26th Annual Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival!

Located just 25 miles north of Lynchburg, the Wine & Garlic Festival is one of the area’s most culturally rich experiences. What can you expect to find at Wine and Garlic Festival? Simply put, all of your favorite things! You will encounter more than 150 craft and art vendors, specialty foods from Central Virginia, four stages providing live music and entertainment throughout the festival, and of course, guest wineries from your favorite vineyards.  

                     Photo provided by thewokoflife.com

More than 10 vendors will be providing specialty recipes, highlighting, you guessed it! Garlic!  These hand-selected creations have been intentionally chosen to pair with the wine selections to be featured. The array of delicious morsels includes pizza, Greek dishes, flame grilled delicacies, succulent crab and everyone’s favorite treat, popcorn!

You will also find 10 wineries, each one featuring tastings of their choice selections for the event. More information on tickets to participate in the wine tastings can be found at the conclusion of this post.

                             Photo provided by the washingtonpost.com

Throughout the weekend, a variety of bands featuring folk, jazz, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, pop and country will provide music you are sure to love! You will also be able to see a comedy and magic show, plus solo artists! A complete list of performances can be found on the official website found here.

In addition to entertainment for everyone, you will find 19 vendors providing jewelry, pottery, woodwork, handmade crafts, coffee, pillows, soaps and more!

The festival will begin on Saturday, October 8th and continue on Sunday, October 9th. You can experience the fun from 10am until 5pm on both days.

You will find these tasty dishes, delectable wines, priceless crafts and lifelong memories at Rebec Vineyards, 2229 N Amherst Hwy, Amherst, Virginia.

                 Photo provided by wtkr.com

General Admission: $15 in advance and $20 at the gate.

Wine Tasting: $25 in advance and $30 at the gate.

Weekend Pass with Tasting: $35 in advance and $40 at the gate.

Tickets are available through this link.

With so much to taste and experience, we hope you will plan to attend this year’s Wine and Garlic Festival! As they say “Eat. Drink. And Stink.” We hope to see you there!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

~ Anna Cribb

For more information of fun things to do in the Lynchburg area, keep an eye on Lynchburg’s Finest blog.

Cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway with Lynchburg's Finest

Lynchburg, Virginia is uniquely situated in the midst of some of the East Coast’s most incredible attractions. From the sandy beaches of Florida to Maine’s rocky shores, the eastern United States is full of adventure. One such venture is the 469 miles of breathtaking scenery, captivating overlooks, and picturesque picnic plazas contained in the Blue Ridge Parkway. Over 600 million visitors have made their way to see the Parkway since construction began in 1935. The 52 year project has awarded our generation the exhilarating experience of hiking through nature without having to leave the comfort of your vehicle.

The Parkway begins near Rockfish Gap, VA close to Skyline Drive. The scenic highway continues through a series of more than 20 tunnels and enchanting bridges woven throughout Virginia. Heading south, the Parkway passes Lynchburg, and finally ends in Cherokee, North Carolina. Along the way, the sites of the Parkway are organized by mileposts. This enables visitors to plan what they would like to see while traveling. Skyline Drive in Virginia is milepost 1, and Cherokee, North Carolina wraps it up on milepost 469.

                                                              Peaks of Otter: MP 86

There are more than 100 overlooks along the way that will leave you breathless. Additionally, visitors can traipse through museums, historical sites, festivals, fishing spots, campgrounds, shopping centers and restaurants.

                                                         Waterrock Knob: MP 451.2

This much variety can be overwhelming, and those at the Blue Ridge Parkway official website know it! So, they have created a list of suggested itineraries to take the guesswork and stress out of the experience. For a list of itineraries, click here.  

                                                      Craggy Gardens: MP 364

Autumn on the Blue Ridge Parkway is unlike anything you have ever seen. ABC13 Meteorologist, Matthew Ferguson, predicts that the most beautiful leaves can be seen this year the last week of September and the first week of October. For Lynchburg specifically, the most gorgeous leaves are to be visible the last 2 weeks of October. Be sure to incorporate this inside scoop when planning your fall activities!

                      Autumn on the Parkway

Whatever you decide to do for your next family vacation or adventure with friends, we hope you will consider joining the 600 million who have visited the Blue Ridge Parkway. Named the largest linear National Park as of 2015, this winding, breathtaking tour is sure to leave you in awe. Get out there and explore!

For more information on fun things to do near Lynchburg, follow the Lynchburg’s Finest blog.

~ Anna Cribb