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Special Events

General Information

Welcome to the City of Salem's Special Events. Listed below are some of the events that the Parks and Recreation Department puts on for Salem and our growing community each year. We have something for everyone in your family from kids' holiday events; to outdoor music concerts with local, regional, and national performers; craft brewery events; to half marathon road races. Keep checking back with us to stay up to date on new and exciting events.

If you have any questions or if your business wants to sponsor an event, please feel free to give us a call at 540-375-3057.

Follow Salem Parks and Recreation on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on current and upcoming events.

Community Events

Concerts

Winterfest Beach Bash

The City of Salem Parks and Recreation Department is all set to present the 18th annual Winterfest Beach Bash. The popular group “The Band of Oz” will be in town to provide a little summertime fun. Tickets will go on sale Monday, December 16 at 8:00 a.m. at the Parks & Recreation Main Office (620 Florida Street).

Date: Friday, February 7, 2025
Time: Doors open at 6:00 p.m. (band performs from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.)
Where: Salem Civic Center
Cost: $10.00 Advance Ticket/ $12.00 Day Of – Table of 8 for $80.00
Band: Band of Oz
Charity: Proceeds from the event will benefit the Penguin Club's community service projects
Food: Concessions will be open, beer and wine will be for sale from P.A. Short
Sponsored by: Renewal by Andersen

SALEM AFTER FIVE

Come listen to live music and dance the night away! Bring a chair and blanket while enjoying food from local vendors and brews sold by P.A. Short. There are plenty of activities for children, as well.

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Location: Salem Farmers Market

Cost: $5 (children under the age of 12 are free)

2025 Dates, Bands, Food Trucks & Charities:

Friday, April 25: Empty Bottles
Charity: Salem Roanoke County Food Pantry
Food Trucks: Dale's Diner Express, Cabo Fish Taco, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Kettle Cooker Express

Friday, May 9: Phlegar Hill
Charity: The 24153 Club
Food Trucks: Star City Bodega, Roanoke College Food Truck, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Kettle Cooker Express

Friday, June 13: The Kings
Charity: Salem Kiwanis Club
Food Trucks: Dale's Diner Express, Countryman Jamaican Grill, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Kettle Cooker Express

Friday, July 18: Matt Tucker
Charity: Salem Sports Foundation
Food Trucks: Rocky Mount Smokehouse, Countryman Jamaican Grill, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Kettle Cooker Express

Friday, August 22: Blackwater
Charity: Masterpiece Alliance
Food Trucks: Smokin' Nicks Barbecue, Dale's Diner Express, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Kettle Cooker Express

Sponsored by:

Jazz in July

Join us for some of the area's best Jazz music at Longwood Park! Admission is free and food and drink will be available for purchase. Beer and wine will be for sale, but patrons are not allowed to bring alcohol into the venue. No pets allowed.

Bands:
3:15-4:15 p.m.- The Sway Kats
4:35-5:35 p.m.- Vosbein-Magee Big Band
6:00-7:00 p.m.- Shawn Spencer & Star City Swag
7:20-8:20 p.m.- The Jazz Allstar Band- Tribute to John Coltrane
8:40-9:45 p.m.- Melissa Mesko & the Growlers

Cost: Free of charge

Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025

Food: Dales Diner Express, Salty's Lobster, The Tailgate, Wicked Lemon

Location: Longwood Park

Time: 3:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Sponsors:

Pickin' in the Park

Join us for an evening filled with Bluegrass music at Longwood Park. Admission is free. Come out to enjoy some of the best local Bluegrass music in the area.

Bands:
5:30- Olivia Jo
6:30- Wound Tight
7:30- Junior Sisk
Cost: Free of charge
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
Food Trucks: Bootleg BBQ, Dale's Diner, The Tailgate, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, Wicked Lemon
Location: Longwood Park
Time: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sponsors:

Star-B-Q (pOSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER)

The 18th Annual Star B-Q is Salem's very own country, BBQ concert. The event features barbecue restaurants from around the valley while you listen to some of Country Music's top talent. Beer and wine will be for sale from P.A. Short. POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

Headliners: Meghan Patrick and Dillon Carmichael
Opener: Annalyse Marie
Charity: Rotary Club of Salem
Cost: $12 Day of Tickets and $10 in advance. Kids under the age of 10 are Free.
Tickets: Go on Sale on Wednesday, August 20. Can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Food Trucks: Smokin' Nick's Barbecue, Rocky Mount Smokehouse, The Tailgate, Kettle Cooker Express
Location: Salem Farmers Market
Time: 5:00 to 8:30 pm
Sponsors:

Family Friendly

73rd Ernest "Pig" Robertson Fishing Rodeo

This tradition has been a huge highlight that children in the area have come to love. Over the course of four days, children may fish at Lake Spring Park during the event and catch up to six trout. Participants must provide their own fishing equipment and adults may not fish for the children. Participants must keep the fish they catch.

Prizes will be given out throughout the four days. Trophies will be given out on the two Saturdays to the top fishermen.

Cost: Free of charge
Food Truck: The Tailgate
Location: Lake Spring Park

2025 Schedule

Saturday, April 26 - Children 3 to 8 years old: 9 am to Noon
Monday, April 28- Children with Special Needs (All abilities): 10 am to Noon (Registration required)
Wednesday, April 30- Nursing Home Resident's Day: 10 am to Noon (Registration required)
Saturday, May 3 - Children 9 to 12 years old: 9 am to 11 am

Sponsored by:

Movies in the Park

Bring a blanket and chairs and enjoy a movie under the stars. The movie starts at dusk. Admission is free. Movie time snacks will be available to purchase from Kiwanis concessions (Cash ONLY).

Time: Gates open at 7:00 PM. Movies start at dusk (around 8:30 pm) unless otherwise specified

Location: Kiwanis Park (731 Indiana St.)

2025 Dates and Movies:

Friday, May 23: Moana 2
Friday, June 20: Inside Out 2
Friday, July 25: Kung Fu Panda 4
Friday, August 15: Mufasa: The Lion King

Sponsored by:

Holiday

Easter Egg Hunt

Calling all children ages 3 to 10 years old! Come to the Salem Red Sox Stadium for an Easter Egg Hunt and to visit with the Easter Bunny.

Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Time: 6 - 8 pm.

Egg Hunt Times: Hunts will be run approximately every 15 minutes with roughly 25 participants per hunt.

Hunts for the 3&4 year old age group will be on the "Mini Fenway" field and the rest of the hunts will take place on the main baseball field

Cost: Free of charge
Location: Salem Red Sox Stadium
Concessions: Concessions will be available. The Coffee Bus will be onsite
Vendors:
- Crafts
- Creative Expressions Face Painting
- Easter Bunny
- Inflatables
- Little Critters Petting Zoo
- Salem Fire & EMS
- Salem Rescue Squad
- Balloon Animals
- Whimsical Wishes Characters
- MousePros Travel Agency
Sponsored by:

Pumpkinfest

The 25th annual Pumpkinfest, presented by John M. Oakey and Son Funeral Home in Salem, is Friday, October 24 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Salem Farmer's Market. Admission is only $5 at the gate and kids 15 and under are free. Lots of fun for the whole family including inflatables, sand art, carnival games, the Surgeons vs. Chefs Jack O' Lantern patch, kids costume contest, and a very special Trick or Treat Zone. The event benefits the Special Olympics Area 8. Enjoy food trucks, a beer truck, and live music.

Band: The Dundies
Charity: Special Olympics Area 8
Cost: $5, kids 15 and under are free
Activities: $5 unlimited activities wristband
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Food Truck: Dales Diner, The Tailgate, Sweet Surrender Ice Cream, and Kettle Cooker Express
Location: Salem Farmers Market
Time: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Sponsored by:

Main Street Trick-Or-Treating

Join us for small business trick-or-treating! Businesses participating will have a pumpkin placed in their window, so that is your signal for trick-or-treating approval! Come dressed up in your best Halloween costume for a morning of fun with friends and family.

Cost: Free of charge
Date: Saturday, October 25th, 2025
Location: Main Street Salem, from Academy Street to College Avenue
Time: 10 am to Noon
Participating Businesses: (List will be continuously updated)
- The Frame Connection
- Awful Arthur's
- Jacob Lewis State Farm
- MKB Realtors
- Pinnacle Financial Partners
- Restoration Church
- Wonderous Books
- Joe's Deli
- R.M. Johnson & Sons Jewelers
- Stave & Cork
- Salem Presbyterian
- Lucky Cat
- The Knittin' Coop
- Salem Republican Committee
- Blue Moon Mercantile
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- Salon Veluxe
- Main Street Tattoo
- Bean Bliss Coffee Bar
- Salem Public Library

Sponsored by:

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Ring in the Christmas season with the Lighting of the Salem Christmas Tree and the Salem Christmas Parade

Cost: Free of charge
Date: Friday, December 5, 2025
Food: There will be food and drink vendors along with businesses along Main Street that will be open during this time.
Location: Salem Public Library
Time: Tree Lighting begins at 6 p.m. and the parade begins at 6:30 p.m.
Christmas Tree Lighting Sponsor:

Santa Calling

The City of Salem Parks and Recreation Department has just received a long distance call from Santa Claus!! Santa would like for all parents with children seven years of age or younger to fill out the form below. If your mom, dad, or guardian completes this form, then please be home to receive a phone call from Santa Claus on Monday, December 16th, between 5:30-9:00 p.m. All forms must be completed by Friday, December 13th at 5:00 p.m.

Santa Calling Form

Races

Salem Distance Run

Join us for the 51st Salem Distance Run! The oldest run in the Roanoke Valley!

Date: Saturday, August 9, 2025

Time: 8:00 a.m.

Location: 5K and 10K will begin in front of 201 East Main St. in Downtown Salem and end at Longwood Park. The Kids Run will be in Longwood Park

Distances: 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run, and 1 Mile Kids Run

Registration Prices: Kids Run- $20
5K Run/Walk- $30
10K- $35

Registration Link- Registration opens on February 28, 2025

LewisGale Salem Half Marathon, 8k, and kids fun run

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Experience magnificent views, a challenging course, and a running tour of "Virginia's Championship City" at the peak of fall color in scenic Salem, Virginia for the LewisGale Salem Half Marathon and Virginia's Blue Ridge 8K. The races start and finish at the historic Farmers Market in downtown Salem and take you on a scenic tour of the city through beautiful neighborhoods, Roanoke College, and the Roanoke River Greenway. To make the day a complete family affair, we have the G&H Contracting Kids Fun Run one and two mile races.

For more information and to sign up, visit our race website salemhalfmarathon.com

Contact Us

Ashley Pelletier

Program Supervisor

Email Ashley Pelletier

More Information
Curt Hunt

Program Supervisor

Email Curt Hunt

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Dave Baysden

Site Supervisor

Email Dave Baysden

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Parks and Recreation

Physical Address
620 Florida Street
Salem, VA 24153

620 Florida Street Salem VA 24153

Directions

Phone: 540-375-3057

Hours
Monday through Friday
8 am to 5 pm

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