Whether you’re visiting Virginia for the first time or are looking for fun things to do in your home state, we’ve got plenty of suggestions for things to do in Virginia this March!
Floyd Mardi Gras Costume Ball — Floyd
When: 2022 Dates TBD
The 11th annual Floyd Mardi Gras Costume Ball combines the soul of New Orleans music, food, and décor into an evening of unforgettable fun. Get tickets to the ball and dress up in your most creative Mardi Gras-themed costume, where you’ll dance the night away to musical acts from six live performers. Benefitting Floyd’s Blue Mountain School, the fundraiser includes an exclusive Cajun dinner ending with a Mardi Gras tradition, the legendary King Cake.
Snow Moon Festival — McGaheysville
When: Friday-Sunday, March 4-6, 2022
Massanutten Resort, one of Virginia’s biggest ski resorts, hosts the fifth annual Snow Moon Fest on the first weekend in March. Celebrating all things winter, the festival includes a chilly Polar Plunge and a torchlight slope parade that ends with a spectacular fireworks show above the mountains. Catch live music from local artists and bands at the festival’s Lodge Party.
VIRGINIA WINE EXPO—RICHMOND
When: Postponed due to COVID-19; Rescheduled Dates TBD
A nine-day wine and food event, the Virginia Wine Expo celebrates the outstanding products of some of Virginia’s best wineries, as well as wines hailing from Chile, Southern California, the Central Coast, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Not a wine fan? The expo also serves up Virginia spirits, ciders, and premium whiskey from around the world. Pair your wines and spirits with small bites of local Virginia flavors, as well as ethnic, southern, and New American Cuisine from some of Richmond’s top chefs. With more than 30 curated special events, the Virginia Wine Expo is a must for food and drink lovers.
Bryce Winter Fest — Bayse
When: Saturday, March 12, 2022
Held at Bryce Resort in the Shenandoah Valley, the family-friendly Bryce Winter Fest starts with a pancake breakfast, followed (after time to digest, of course) by a polar plunge, a costume parade, pond skimming (think a mix between snowboarding and wakeboarding), and live music to finish the day. And the slopes are open all day long, so you can fill any down time with skiing, snowboarding, or tubing.
Early Mountain Oyster Festival — Madison
When: 2022 Dates TBD
What better way to spend an afternoon in Virginia than sipping wine and eating oysters? You’ll have plenty of both at the Early Mountain Oyster Festival, an annual family-friendly event at Early Mountain Vineyards. And don’t worry if you’re not all about Virginia oysters; the festival will also feature other fresh foods from Virginia’s Eastern Shore, including crab cakes and clam chowder to pair with the large selection of wines served at the festival, and live music performances throughout the day.
The Highland Maple Festival — Monterey
When: Saturdays and Sundays, March 12-13 & 19-20, 2022
Celebrate Highland County’s tradition of crafting maple syrup at The 62nd Annual Highland Maple Festival. Over 50,000 visitors attend this annual event, which has been designated a “Local Legacy” by the Library of Congress, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the rural American way of life. Sign up for one of the Sugar Camp tours, which explain the long history and the detailed process of making maple syrup in Highland County. Afterwards, make your way over to one of the maple syrup demonstrations for a firsthand look at the process. The festival features all sorts of maple-inspired foods, from buckwheat and pancake breakfasts smothered in the syrup to homemade maple donuts, as well as live music, locally made goods, and arts and craft tutorials.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations — All Over Virginia
When: Thursday, March 17, 2022 (Although event dates vary)
You don’t have to be Irish to love a good Saint Patrick’s Day celebration, and Virginia is packed with holiday events to mark the occasion, including Saint Patrick’s Day festivals, parades, and pub crawls. Nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Mountain Brewery hosts a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration complete with live Irish music, food, and of course, lots of fantastic Virginia beer.
Annual Virginia Festival of the Book — Charlottesville
When: Wednesday-Sunday, March 16-20, 2022
The 28th annual Virginia Festival of the Book celebrates the written word in many forms, ranging from children’s books to nonfiction works geared towards adults. There are over 200 programs happening during the five-day festival, and almost all are free to attend and open to the public.
French Film Festival — Richmond
When: Thursday-Sunday, March 24-27, 2022
Held at theaters around Richmond like the historic Byrd Theatre in Carytown and auditoriums on the Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond campuses, the 30th annual French Film Festival celebrates feature length movies, short films, and behind-the-scenes discussions with French film directors and authors.
Theme Parks Reopen for Daily Spring Hours — Williamsburg & Doswell
When: Starting Saturday, March 12, 2022
Virginia’s two most popular theme parks, Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion, open for their spring hours at the end of March: Busch Gardens is open weekends in March for their Saint Patrick’s Day Celebrations (Friday through Sunday each weekend) and daily on March 28th, while Kings Dominion opens on weekends March 12th(with daily openings beginning in April 2022). At Kings Dominion, you can spend the day riding 60+ rides and attractions, including 12 high-speed roller coasters. One of their newest coasters, Twisted Timbers, is a hybrid ride that fuses modern steel tracks with classic wooden supports, resulting in a thrilling journey complete with high-speed barrel rolls and breathtaking plunges. Busch Gardens’ European-themed park has over a dozen rides scattered in the different “countries”. One of their latest rides, Finnegan’s Flyer, is situated in the Ireland section of the park. This ultimate swing tops speeds of 45 miles per hour, taking riders 80 feet off the ground for panoramic (albeit slightly blurry at that speed) views of the park.
What are your big plans for March in Virginia? Share some must-do events, festivals, and destinations with us in the comments below!
I’m so excited to try the 12 high-speed roller coaster. Also, the Pantheon, which is the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster. I’m nervous and excited at the same time.