Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2018 - 18

CHARLOTTESVILLE&
C

Words by: Brantley Ussery, Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau

harlottesville & Albemarle County, Virginia
is known worldwide for its UNESCO World
Heritage sites like Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
and the University of Virginia. More recently,
it has made quite a name for itself as a top wine
destination, the go-to place for foodies, and a live music
mecca. The region is also home to a wide variety of
thriving festivals that embody the robust arts and culture
scene that is at the heart of the Charlottesville area.
Lovers of all things literary will enjoy a visit to the
Virginia Festival of the Book. This festival is the
largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic
and has regularly attracted audiences of more than
25,000 since its creation more than two decades ago.
Wine aficionados will love the ever-popular Taste of
Monticello Wine Trail Festival, which takes place in
the spring. Here, attendees can sample some of Virginia's
world-renowned wines from dozens of local vineyards
which dot the surrounding landscape.
Centered around the April 13th birthday of Founding
Father Thomas Jefferson, the Tom Tom Founders
Festival is a week-long celebration of arts, culture,
entrepreneurship, and innovation. Featuring more than
100 events, 400+ speakers, 70+ bands, and more than
25,000 attendees, this festival has quickly become one of
the most popular events in the Charlottesville area.

Speaking of Thomas Jefferson, the Heritage Harvest
Festival has been taking place for more than a decade
each fall at his mountaintop home of Monticello.
Jefferson is often referred to as our nation's "Founding
Foodie" and this festival revolves around his ingenuity
and creativity when it comes to all epicurean-related
matters. Jefferson's culinary legacy lives on hundreds
of years later, as the destination now regularly receives
accolades as having one of the top farm-to-table
restaurant scenes in the world.
Recently celebrating its 30th anniversary, the
Virginia Film Festival attracts film lovers far and
wide to venues on the historic Downtown Mall and the
University of Virginia. Regularly featuring 120+ films
over the course of 4 days, plus a series of acclaimed
speakers and swanky parties and galas, this event has
become one of the nation's premier film festivals.
Additionally, the Charlottesville area is home to
countless other festivals during the year including
the Heritage Theatre Festival, the Charlottesville
Opera, the VA Craft Brewers Fest, C'ville Pride, and
the Crozet Arts & Crafts Festival, just to name a few.
So no matter when you visit, you're almost guaranteed
to be able to take part in one of these exciting events in
Charlottesville & Albemarle County. Start planning your
trip today at www.visitcharlottesville.org!
http://www.visitcharlottesville.org
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2018

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