Fall Farm Festival Continues at Sky Meadows

Hau koda! Welcome to Native American Weekend at Sky Meadows State Park, October 22nd & 23rd.

Programs and activities are scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days. Grab a bite to eat from Red Fox Creamery and relax in front of the log cabin with family-friendly tales during Storytelling at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Live musical performances will also be featured at the Cabin.

Fall Farm Festival - Native American Weekend at Sky Meadows State Park

A weekend of programs inspired by Virginia’s native people

On Saturday, David LaFleur will entertain you with his artful lyrics and various instruments. Performance times on both days are from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Don’t forget, the Pick-Your-Own pumpkin patch will be open all weekend from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes for carving, baking or decorating, grown right here in the park, are literally yours for the picking!

Fall Farm Festival - Native American Weekend at Sky Meadows State Park

Pick your own pumpkin

The weekend also features programs inspired by Virginia’s native peoples, an opportunity to learn photography skills from a noted area photographer, and our monthly “Astronomy for Everyone” event. At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, gather round and learn about edible and medicinal plants from Park Naturalist Trish Bartholomew.

Digital camera for a photography workshop

Also on Saturday, bring your digital camera for a photography workshop with professional photographer Matt Asai. Matt’s work has been published in Virginia Wildlife, The Bay Journal, Free Lance Star, and the Virginia State Parks e-Newsletter. Click here to view his work! At this hands-on workshop, which will run at 11:00 a.m. and at 2:00 p.m., Matt will teach photograph composition and artistry, camera settings, and the tools for beautiful nature photography. Use the skills learned from this workshop to take a photo for our 75th Anniversary Digital Photography Contest!

"Astronomy for Everyone” program

Stay late Saturday night for our “Astronomy for Everyone” program. Enjoy the brisk fall air as you gaze upon the celestial bodies above. The evening will begin with the half-hour “Junior Astronomer” program at 6:00 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., a multi-media presentation will begin, presented by Harold Davis, a Northern Virginia Astronomy Club.

"Ghosts of Mount Bleak" House Tours

All weekend, we will once again be offering “Ghosts of Mount Bleak” House Tours with Park Historian Budd Reitnauer. Learn about the history of Mount Bleak Farm, the family that built it, and maybe hear or see the ghost of one of the house’s past occupants. Tours will be given between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. each day.On Sunday morning, play Native American games with Budd from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. From 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., learn about Native American foodways with Park Naturalist Trish Bartholomew.

The Fall Farm Festival is sponsored by the Virginia State Park website.

LOCATION: Sky Meadows State Park is less than two miles south of Paris, VA, via U.S. Route 50 to Route 17 South; or seven miles north of I-66, Exit 23 on Route 17 North. The park entrance is on State Route 710.

Drive Time: Northern Virginia, 45 minutes to one hour; D.C., over one hour; Richmond, two hours; Tidewater/ Norfolk/ Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, two and a half hours

Click here for a Google map. Latitude, 38.988703. Longitude, -77.968913

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES: This park offers year-round primitive hike-in tent camping. Reservations are required. There are no cabins or developed campsites with hookups at this park. To make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK.

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