Virginia Highlands Festival

ABINGDON – The streets here flood with people for two weeks every summer for the Highlands Festival.
Voted one of America’s top 100 events by the American Bus Association for 12 years running, and named in April 2005 by National Geographic Traveler magazine as one of the country’s top 20 “must see” events, the festival has become one of the region’s most popular events.
“Every year I used to plan my vacation days so that I could come home and spend a few days at the festival,” said Myra Cook, who grew up in the area, left for a little while and eventually returned. She now heads the tourism department in the town of Abingdon.
Cook said like her, many plan their vacations around the festival, during which countless vendors from across the nation set up shop from July 28 to Aug. 12 on the grassy knoll between Barter Theatre Stage II and the Martha Washington Inn.
The festival celebrates its 60th anniversary this year with a new attraction in the hopes of luring more than the usual 150,000 attendees. Starting this year, a Revolutionary War re-enactment will be held.
The festival began in 1948 when Robert Porterfield hosted it on the porch of the Martha Washington Inn. His goal was to preserve the area’s art and culture by showcasing it.
“No doubt it’s the biggest thing in Abingdon,” Cook said.
Festival activities include an antiques market, arts and crafts, fine art and photography, outdoors exploration, home and garden, literary events, youth and family events, music and living history.
“All the hotels are booked continuously for two weeks, the restaurants are busy and the streets are busy,” Cook said.
The festival has grown significantly since it first started, Cook said. A volunteer board of more than 100 residents works a year in advance to plan tours and performances, arrange housing for international performers and transportation within the four square miles of festival.
“Year after year it gets bigger and bigger,” she said.