Search
You’ll find lots of fun special events, festivals, and things to do this May in the Roanoke Region in Virginia’s Blue Ridge!
The calendar is packed with great activities this month, including exciting live sporting events, outdoor concerts, family-friendly festivals, theater performances, and more.
May is also National Bike Month, and our friends at Roanoke Outside have put together a great list of biking events and fun ways to take part: Pedal-Power! Celebrating Bike Month in the Roanoke Region >
1. Melissa Etheridge & Joss Stone | May 2
Elmwood Park
Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone are both Grammy Award winners who have had massive success in their musical careers. See them perform in a beautiful outdoor setting in Downtown Roanoke’s Elmwood Park.
2. Community School’s 45th Annual Strawberry Festival | May 2-3
Elmwood Park
One of the premier family festivals of the spring season in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, the Strawberry Festival returns for its 45th year, serving as an event that benefits the Community School. There will be local artisans and vendors, live entertainment, and, of course, lots of delicious strawberry dishes, including the popular homemade Strawberry Shortcake.
3. Historic Garden Week in Roanoke | May 3
Various Gardens
It’s Historic Garden Week in Virginia, and the Roanoke Tour will offer the opportunity to visit three private homes and a four-acre garden, showcasing unique architectural styles and gorgeous outdoor spaces. This is a shuttle-only tour that will begin and end at Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke County.
4. Taco’Ritas 2025 | May 4
Berglund Center
Head to the Berglund Center for the Taco 'Ritas celebration on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The festival will feature live Latin music, salsa dancing, taco & chili pepper eating contests, tacos & other authentic fare from local restaurants, and margaritas.
5. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder | May 8-25
Showtimers Community Theatre
The newest production by Showtimers Community Theatre features the tale of Monty Navarro. He is a young Englishman who is down on his luck and has just lost his mother, but has an encounter with a stranger who starts revealing some dark family secrets that could change Monty’s fate.
6. Street Performer Expo | May 9-11
Downtown Roanoke
Street performers will gather in Downtown Roanoke for a weekend of sensational, spectacular, and savage circus stunts. This is a free, family-friendly event that will celebrate street theatre and our local artists and performers in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
7. Coheed and Cambria & Mastodon | May 10
Salem Civic Center
The Infinite Art Tour 2025, featuring Coheed & Cambria and Mastodon, will make a stop at the Salem Civic Center in Virginia’s Blue Ridge on May 10. Coheed and Cambria released their latest album, The Father of Make Believe, earlier this year, while Mastodon is commemorating the 15th anniversary of its Crack the Skye album.
8. Daisy Art Parade | May 10
Downtown Roanoke
The Daisy Art Parade is such a creative and festive scene in Downtown Roanoke that is a great way to introduce kids to the vibrancy of local art. It’s a parade that features giant puppets walking through the downtown area, followed by a post-performance showcase and photos at the Henrietta Lacks Plaza.
9. Roanoke Symphony Orchestra: The Music of Billy Joel | May 15
Salem Civic Center
The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra presents Innocent Man: The Music of Billy Joel in a special performance at the Salem Civic Center on May 15. Celebrate the “Piano Man” as our amazing local symphony performs hits such as Only the Good Die Young, She’s Always a Woman, We Didn’t Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, and many more.
10. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | May 15-25
Attic Productions
Botetourt County’s Attic Productions presents a classic story of Sherlock Holmes in its latest theatre performance. Adapted from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s timeless tales, Holmes and Dr. John Watson will attempt to solve one of the most baffling cases to come across 221B Baker Street.
11. Easton Corbin | May 16
Dr Pepper Park
Easton Corbin has been creating country music hits for more than a decade, with popular songs such as “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It.” The Florida native is known for his memorable baritone and unique sound.
12. 2025 Local Colors Festival | May 17
Elmwood Park
Local Colors is Roanoke’s largest annual multicultural festival, and it’s an amazing display of the incredible cultural diversity you’ll find in Virginia’s Blue Ridge! There is a great variety of international cuisine and food to sample, special performances of authentic music and dancing, and the always exciting Parade of Nations.
13. Della Mae | May 17
Harvester Performance Center
Della Mae is a Grammy-nominated, all-female string band known for being one of the most dynamic roots bands touring today. They showcase top female musicians, and their live shows are known for being foot-stomping, crowd-pleasing riots that feature incredible musicianship and instrumental skills.
14. Wine & Roses Festival | May 17
Virginia Mountain Vineyards
Enjoy wine and red rose bushes in full bloom in a beautiful setting at Virginia Mountain Vineyards in Botetourt County. This annual celebration of spring will feature 30+ local artisan vendors, food trucks, and live music from Midnight Blue.
15. Kids to Parks Day & Tiny Tot Tri | May 18
Elmwood Park
The kids will love spending the day in Elmwood Park on Saturday, May 18, for a variety of family-friendly activities. The morning begins with the adorable Tiny Tot Tri, where children ages 2 to 5 will compete in their own triathlon. The afternoon includes a Triple Feature Movie Extravaganza in the park, with free showings of Moana 2, The Goonies, and Back to the Future.
16. The Wood Brothers | May 21
Harvester Performance Center
The Wood Brothers have a well-established reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders who have created a catalogue of diverse music and a loyal audience. The journey continues as the band prepares to release its newest album later this year - Puff of Smoke.
17. Jordan Davis | May 22
Elmwood Park
As one of country music’s biggest stars, Jordan Davis is a multi-platinum singer/songwriter who has created hits like Buy Dirt, Next Thing You Know, and What My World Spins Around. Don’t miss Davis in concert as he takes the stage in Elmwood Park on May 22 as part of the Budweiser Summer Concert Series.
18. NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championships | May 22-24
Kerr Stadium - Roanoke College
The best Division II & III women's lacrosse teams from around the country will make their way to Virginia's Blue Ridge to compete in the 2025 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship. Come cheer on the teams and watch another champion be crowned in Salem - Virginia's Championship City.
19. Festival in the Park | May 23-25
Elmwood Park
Taking place for more than 50 years over Memorial Day Weekend, Festival in the Park serves as an unofficial start to the summer in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Enjoy three days of great live music, featuring a variety of shows and performances, amazing local artists and vendors, delicious food, and lots of family-friendly fun and community.
20. 2025 Lebanese Festival | May 30 - June 1
St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church
This popular annual festival kicks off on the final day of the month and is packed with authentic Lebanese flavors, music, and traditions.
21. Morgan Wade & Aidan Canfield | May 30-31
Harvester Performance Center
Morgan Wade is a Virginia native from Floyd County who has emerged as a rising young star in the country music scene over the past few years. Wade returns to the region on May 30-31 for back-to-back nights of performances at the Harvester Performance Center in Franklin County, where she’ll be joined by Aidan Canfield.
22. Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 75th Anniversary Celebration | May 30-31
Virginia Museum of Transportation
Celebrate 75 years of the iconic Queen of Steam at the Virginia Museum of Transportation! The legendary Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 locomotive was proudly rolled out of the Roanoke Shops 75 years ago and is considered an engineering masterpiece with its blend of power and unique design. The weekend event will present the history of the locomotive and include a dedication ceremony recognizing the 611 and 1218 locomotives as National Historic Landmarks.
23. 67th Annual Sidewalk Art Show | May 31 - June 1
Taubman Museum of Art
The 67th annual Sidewalk Art Show is one of Virginia’s signature annual outdoor art shows. Presented by the Taubman Museum of Art in Downtown Roanoke, art ranges from paintings and sculptures to photography and jewelry, showcasing incredible talent and serving as a perfect opportunity for fine art shopping.
24. SWVA Alternative Living Expo | May 31
Ferrum Park
From off-grid to underground, tiny homes to truck conversions, homebuilding to homesteading, the SWVA Alternative Living Expo will serve as a celebration of ways that you can live differently. Hear from experts, innovators, and connect with other enthusiasts as you learn about how you can live your own way.
25. Virginia’s Blue Ridge Restaurant Week | May 31 - June 8
Various Restaurants - City of Roanoke, Salem, Botetourt County, Franklin County, Roanoke County, Vinton, Rocky Mount
The inaugural VBR Restaurant Week will serve as a delicious culinary adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Participating restaurants throughout the region will be offering special lunch and dinner menus at select prices, providing the chance to try new places to eat and sample the wonderful flavors of our communities.
To learn more about upcoming events and things to do in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, we encourage you to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter and give us a follow on social media.
You can also request a free copy of our Virginia’s Blue Ridge Visitor's Guide.
