The home base for the United States Navy’s Atlantic Fleet is known for its love for music, festivals, and arts. Some of the biggest music festivals in the United States are held in this east coast state.
While some music festivals held here are dedicated to certain styles of music, there are some; however, that includes all types of music genres so all attendees can enjoy their favorite style of music. From a long list of music festivals offering all genres of music including - Jazz to Rock, Reggae, and R&B, these are the best music festivals worth attending in Virginia.
10 Hampton Jazz Festival, Virginia
The Hampton jazz festival is an event in Virginia dedicated to Jazz, R&B, and Blues music. It has been in existence since 1968 (53 years), making it one of the oldest music festivals in the United States. Sounds from the Hampton Jazz festival include various sub-genres of jazz music such as – smooth jazz, jazz-funk, cool jazz, Blue Note, Free jazz, piano jazz, gypsy jazz, and New Orleans Jazz.
The next date for the Hampton Jazz festival is June 2022.
- Prices for tickets at the Hampton Jazz Festival start from $76.
9 Chesapeake Bay Reggae Fest, Virginia
It is all about Live Reggae at the Chesapeake Bay reggae fest. The festival features a bulky list of reggae performers who entertain the audience with live reggae music. It is held in Hampton, Virginia and up to 10,000 people are in attendance every year since it started in 2011. Visitors here will enjoy food, a good atmosphere, and lots of live reggae.
- Tickets for the festival start at $5 and it usually available at the gate.
8 American Music Festival, Virginia
American Music Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in the fields of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The festival first started in 1994 which makes it one of the oldest music festivals in the United States. Its yearly event spans three days and features different genres of music and performances including – Jazz, R&B, Country, and Rock.
- According to the Virginia Beach Guide, Tickets start from $25 and can go up to $300 for VIP purchases.
7 Floydfest, Virginia
Over 10,000 people are present every year at this festival held in Floyd, Virginia. Floydfest was first created in 2002 and has since grown in popularity. In July 2021, the five-day event was held after it was canceled the previous year (2020) due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Just like other editions, the 2021 Floydfest featured all types of music ranging from rock, blues, R&B, Reggae, Rock, and Jazz.
The festival is also known for featuring bands with very interesting names such as – Consider the source, Leftover Salmon and Goose.
- Prices for Floydfest tickets start from $180 and can go as up to $300.
6 Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Virginia
Redwing roots music festival in Virginia is a three-day music event that offers a lineup of up to 45 bands that bring in different types of performances to entertain the audience. The festival is usually held at the adventurous National Chimneys Park in Mount Solon. Here, visitors can camp and also enjoy outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, and morning yoga. Visitors to this festival will also enjoy delicious food, swimming, and runs. Styles of music played at this festival include – Folk, bluegrass, and Old American music.
5 United Blood Festival, Virginia
United Blood Festival features modern sounds ranging from pop to jazz among others. It also features art presentations and other forms of entertainment as well. The 2020 edition for the United Blood Festival was canceled and the event is now expected to happen in April 2022 at the Canal Club in Richmond.
4 Richmond Folk Festival, Virginia
Lovers of folk music from all over the world are drawn to this free Annual American cultural event which started in 2005 as the National Council for the Traditional Arts National Folk Festival. It is arguably the largest festival in the capital city of Virginia.
At this festival, visitors get to enjoy the wealth of American culture through music, dance. Food, art, and other forms of entertainment are also featured in this festival that occurs annually in October.
The last Richmond Folk Festival took place from October 8 – 10, 2021 as an in-person event against all odds and offered attendees - dance, cultural performances, stories, and food.
- Entry to this festival is free, although attendees are recommended to make a voluntary donation of $10.
3 Richmond Jazz & Music Festival, Virginia
The Richmond Jazz & Music Festival is one of the major music festivals on the east coast of the United States. It was created in 2009 and usually takes place in August every year. During the early period of its creation, the Richmond Jazz Festival only featured a few genres of music such as the highly influential Jazz genre; however, as the festival became popular across the United States it was expanded to feature other genres of music including – Funk, R&B, Soul, Hip-hop, and Blues.
- Prices for tickets for Richmond Jazz Festival start from $48.
2 Patriotic Festival, Virginia
This is a three-day festival aimed at celebrating the United States Military. Music, concerts and other entertainment activities are included in this festival. It creates an opportunity to show love, appreciation, and honor to the fallen heroes and serving officers of the United States Military; for their sacrifices and services.
The patriotic festival’s usual venue is the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Here, attendees get to see Military displays, exhibitions, and music performances. Participants of this event include – the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and The Marines.
The next date for the event is in May 2022.
- Tickets for the Patriotic Festival start from $136.
1 Blue Ridge Rock Fest, Virginia
The Blue Ridge Rock Fest Festival is a four-day music event that takes place in Danville, Virginia. Due to the popularity of the Blue bridge rock fest, tens of thousands of tickets are sold within days and venues get choked up very fast as the multitude of people finds their way to the venue. This was the case in the 2021 edition of the event which took place in September 2021.
Regardless of the newly encountered challenge of the Blue Ridge Rock Fest (the biggest being transportation and parking space), it is still considered the most popular music event in Pittsylvania County. It can also be ranked as one of the most popular events in Virginia and the East coast of the United States. In the just-concluded 2021 event alone, the Blue Ridge Rock Fest saw an attendance of up to 40,000 people who came in from all over the United States, England, and other parts of the world to see their favorite rock bands playing live.
- Tickets for the Blue Ridge Rock Fest start from $180.