If you are from the Charlottesville area, you laugh when you read the standard airport warning to get there two hours before your flight. If you did arrive that early at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), you’d have about an hour and 45 minutes to read a book while waiting for your flight. Sure, we have to fly small planes with propellers and there are very few direct flights, but it beats wasting an hour of your life going through check-in and security in a large airport. At least one of John Grisham’s books, The Summons, features CHO and you might just run into the famous author on a flight to Dulles.
There are several very talented local artisans in and around Charlottesville. We also have several craft shows with the two best being Martha’s Market and Crozet Arts and Craft Festival. Martha’s Market, which started in 1994 and is generally held in October, is a fundraiser for the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation to support women’s health care issues. The 70 vendors at the Market contribute 15% of their proceeds to the charity. The Crozet Festival is held twice a year (May and October) and features 120 exhibits under large tents in Crozet Park.
Originally named the Apple Harvest Festival when it started back in 1950, the event was moved to April and renamed the Dogwood Festival in 1958. This multifaceted event is highlighted by a parade, fair rides and fireworks. There is a little something for everyone at the Dogwood Festival.
The heart of Charlottesville has to be the historic Downtown Mall. It is where people of all ages go, hang-out, eat, drink and be merry. At one end of the Mall is the Ice Park where you can play hockey or free skate and at the other end is the Pavilion where many great concerts are held. In the middle is the Paramount Theater and great restaurants, many with outdoor dining. On a Friday night in the summer you can barely walk down the street because so many people are strolling the Mall. This is a special place in a special city.
On the First Friday of each month, art is front and center on the Charlottesville scene. Several downtown art galleries hold open houses and serve wine, snacks, and fun. You can walk from gallery to gallery and see local and nationally-recognized works. To finish off a great evening, stop in for dessert at one of the many local restaurants on the Downtown Mall.
On December 31st, Charlottesville celebrates First Night Virginia along with 130 other cities around the world. Our First Night is the 2nd oldest and features 75 different performances in 24 different venues all in one night. This great community event is family friendly and a great way to welcome in the New Year.
Twice a year, half of Charlottesville heads out scenic Garth Road to attend the Foxfield Races, a steeplechase horse race that is really just an excuse to gather (no offense to the racers). In recent years, these two races have taken on a split personality. In the Spring, the race is a combination of a frat party and a football tailgate party. In the Fall, the event turns into a “Family Day.”
Every Friday during the spring and summer months, locals gather at the Pavilion in downtown Charlottesville for a party called Fridays After Five. This free event features local and regional bands and allows spectators to bring in a picnic dinner. Thousands attend each Friday, hang out with their neighbors, and then stroll down the Downtown Mall and eat at an outdoor restaurant.
For the past 76 years, Historic Garden Week has been celebrated in Virginia and Charlottesville has several homes on the tour each year. The Charlottesville area has several historic estates with beautiful gardens and landscapes and this opportunity to visit should not be missed.
When asked where to get the best sandwich in Charlottesville, many locals will answer a local gas station. Huh? No, we are not talking about a pre-packaged egg salad on white bread. How does chicken salad with a cranberry relish on sourdough bread sound? Several local gas stations have a sandwich shop inside called The Market where you can get what they call gourmet to go. If you can get over the ambiance, these are truly great sandwiches.