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HarrisonburgRockingham CountyStauntonWaynesboroAugusta CountyFishersvilleShenandoah CountyPage CountyAll communitiesValley Guide
Farmers markets, a Shakespeare playhouse, restored theaters and a festival nearly every month
The short answer
The Valley's food and culture run on markets, historic downtowns and county fairs. Harrisonburg and Staunton hold farmers markets twice a week, Staunton has the Blackfriars Playhouse and a living-history museum, Waynesboro has the restored Wayne Theatre, and festivals fall in nearly every month. Big shopping trips go to Harrisonburg, Staunton or Waynesboro.
Valley Guide
Markets are the easiest way to see what the Valley grows: apples, cider, baked goods, jams, syrups and local wine. The largest are in Harrisonburg and Staunton, with seasonal or smaller markets in Waynesboro, Woodstock and Luray. Seasons shift year to year and several listings disagree, so confirm days and hours with the market before driving over, particularly in the shoulder months of April and November.
Harrisonburg
228 South Liberty Street downtown. Tuesday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., April through November, then Saturday only, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., December through March, per the market. Local listings count roughly 45 vendors.
Staunton
Held in the Wharf District parking area off Johnson Street, Wednesday and Saturday starting early, around 7 a.m. Close to the train depot and restaurants, so it combines easily with a downtown walk.
Waynesboro
Operated by ProjectGrows at Constitution Park on Saturday mornings, with the city listing May through October. Check the city or ProjectGrows for the current season, since schedules have been listed with different end dates.
Woodstock
A Saturday market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., listed as year-round by Shenandoah Valley tourism.
Luray
A farm market open Wednesday through Saturday, listed with Sunday afternoon hours. Confirm the season before visiting.
Dayton, Timberville
The Shops at Dayton is a single building with about 20 shops, in a town with an Old Order Mennonite community. Showalter's in Timberville grows 26 apple varieties on 40 acres and presses cider on site.
Valley Guide
The Valley is a surprisingly deep arts region for its size. Staunton's downtown revolves around a Shakespeare company and a museum of European, American and African farm life. Waynesboro rebuilt a 1920s movie house as a performing arts center. Harrisonburg adds James Madison University's stages, though one downtown theater changed operators in 2026. Admissions and hours change, so check each site.
Staunton
Home of the American Shakespeare Center in downtown Staunton, built as a recreation of the indoor theater Shakespeare's company used. Plays run in rotating repertory with lights up and audience close to the stage. A listing shows a late October 2026 production.
Staunton
An open-air living history museum at 1290 Richmond Road with costumed interpreters, farms and buildings tied to Native American, German, English, Irish and enslaved African settlement. A Cider Festival is listed for November 7, 2026.
Staunton
At 230 East Frederick Street, with the manse where Wilson was born, a First World War trench exhibit and his Pierce-Arrow limousine. Closed on a handful of holidays, so check hours.
Waynesboro
Opened January 18, 1926, closed in 1999, saved by the Wayne Theatre Alliance and reopened March 1, 2016 as a 388-seat performing arts center. 2026 marks 100 years since opening. The Virginia Chili, Blues and Brews Festival was listed for September 11 to 12, 2026.
Harrisonburg
A Harrisonburg downtown theater opened in 1998 in a former car dealership. The Arts Council of the Valley stopped operating at the end of 2025, and Act One Theater Company took over the lease for 2026. Its long-term future was still under discussion.
New Market
Located at New Market Battlefield State Historical Park in Shenandoah County. Plan for hours and tickets on the museum's own site, since listings vary.
Valley Guide
The calendar is steady from spring to winter. County fairs cluster in late July and August, music festivals fill June through September, and fall brings cider and cycling. Months below come from tourism and city pages. Exact dates move each year, so look for the current year's schedule from the organizer.
Harrisonburg
A spring festival at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market pavilion; check the current year’s date. Check the current year's listing.
Mount Solon, Augusta County
A three-day Americana festival on the last weekend in June at Natural Chimneys Park, with camping.
Staunton
Staunton's July 4 celebration at Gypsy Hill Park, with a concert, 5K, parade and carnival rides.
Staunton
Listed by Visit Staunton for August.
Orkney Springs
A July through September series at Orkney Springs in Shenandoah County.
Across the Valley
Augusta County Fair usually runs in late July at Fishersville. The Rockingham County Fair is early to mid August, the Page Valley Fair mid August, and the Shenandoah County Fair late August into early September at Woodstock.
Staunton
Held on the fourth weekend of September in downtown Staunton, per Visit Staunton.
Valley Guide
Everyday shopping is local, but furniture, appliances, clothing and car trips go to the three hubs. Harrisonburg is the largest retail center, strongest along East Market Street and near the Interstate 81 interchanges. Staunton and Waynesboro have chain retail near Interstate 81 and Interstate 64 and independent shops downtown. Smaller towns mostly have a grocery or general store, and bigger purchases mean a drive into the nearest city.
Harrisonburg
East Market Street and the Interstate 81 interchanges hold the region's largest concentration of stores, and downtown around Court Square has independent shops, galleries and cafes.
Staunton
A walkable historic downtown with independent shops, galleries and restaurants, plus chain retail near Interstate 81 and Interstate 64.
Waynesboro
Downtown Main Street and the Wayne Theatre district, with larger stores near Interstate 64 and US 250.
Before you move
Most festivals follow a month or weekend pattern rather than a fixed date. Fairs and music festivals publish the next year's dates in winter. Check the organizer, not an old calendar, before planning a trip.
Harrisonburg runs year-round with fewer days in winter. Waynesboro's market has been listed as May to September, and small-town markets are often seasonal. Call or check a market's page in April and November.
Many Valley farm stands, Old Order Mennonite shops and some small-town stores close Sundays. Plan weekend shopping around Saturday.
October brings cider events, foliage traffic and football weekends. Expect full hotels and busy downtowns in Staunton, Harrisonburg and Luray.
Court Square Theater switched operators for 2026. Smaller venues rely on grants and donations, so programming can shift from year to year.
From April through November the market runs Tuesday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. From December through March it runs Saturday only, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The address is 228 South Liberty Street. Confirm hours with the market, since holiday weeks can change.
It is the American Shakespeare Center's theater in downtown Staunton, a recreation of the indoor playhouse Shakespeare's company used. Plays run in rotating repertory with the house lights up. Check the company's website for the current season and tickets.
A 388-seat performing arts center in a theater that opened January 18, 1926. It closed in 1999, a citizen nonprofit restored it over 16 years, and it reopened March 1, 2016. Programs include concerts, films and the September Virginia Chili, Blues and Brews Festival.
Augusta County's fair runs in late July. The Rockingham County Fair is early to mid August, the Page Valley Fair in mid August, and the Shenandoah County Fair in late August into early September. Dates change yearly, so check the fair's own page.
Yes. Showalter's Orchard in Timberville grows 26 apple varieties on 40 acres and presses cider on site. Marker-Miller Orchards is in Winchester, north of the Valley counties. The Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton also lists a Cider Festival for November 7, 2026.
This guide is a starting point for newcomers. Hours, programs, providers and boundaries change, so confirm details with the organization. A listing here is not an endorsement.