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July Events in Downtown Ashland


4th of July Guide

Our small town still celebrates the Fourth the old-fashioned way—with basset hounds, lawn chairs, and just the right amount of apple pie.

Step into a simpler time this Independence Day as Ashland throws a hometown celebration straight from a Norman Rockwell painting—with a few modern sprinkles on top (VIP seating, anyone?). From non-motorized parades to patriotic pets, here’s your all-American itinerary for July 4th in the Center of the Universe.

Fourth of July Guide

JULY HAPPENINGS

💆 July Specials: Revival Spa
Melt into 90-minute services like massage, facial, or combined for $149, and get 10% off waxing! Booking is easy. Simply visit revivalspas.com 🌱 💚

🧘‍♀️ Monday–Friday: Ashland Yoga Co-Op
Stretch into the week with a variety of pay-what-you-can yoga classes at the Hanover Arts & Activities Center! Local instructors lead the way—just breathe in, show up, and flow out. 🕊🧘
📍 Full schedule here

🍷 Tuesdays–Saturdays: Weekly Specials at The Caboose

The Caboose is stacked weekly with flavor:
🍔 Tuesdays: Custom sloppy joes
💘 Wednesdays: $60 date night for two (includes wine!)
🍻 Thursdays: Half-priced growler fills & 9 oz pours after 5 PM
🍇 Fridays: Wine tastings from 5 PM
🍾 Saturdays: No corkage fee all day
Cheers to that! 🥂

🎧 Fridays, 9 PM–1 AM: Flashback Friday with DJ Diesel

Huddle Up Sports Bar is going full Throwback Thursday—but on Friday. Relive the best of the ‘90s and 2000s with DJ Diesel spinning all night long! 🎶🕺

🌽 Saturdays, 9 AM–12 PM: Ashland Farmers Market

Start your weekend with fresh produce, artisan goods, and live music at the Ashland Town Hall Pavilion. Local never tasted so good! 🥖🍑🎻

🐝 July 1: Buzz Buddies Registration Opens

Have a kiddo 13 or under who buzzes with energy? Randolph-Macon’s Buzz Buddies program offers alumni and friends access to exclusive kid-friendly events all year. 🐝🏈
👉 Register here

👢 July 1: Line Dancing at the Library

Boot-scootin’ fun for ages 13+ at the Ashland Branch Library! Learn the basics with the Boot Scooters of Ashland. No experience needed—your boots were made for scooting! 🤠
👉 More info

🖼️ July 1–4: 18th-Century Art Exhibit

Step back in time at the Hanover Arts & Activities Center! The Ashland Museum is showcasing paintings and drawings from historic Hanover sites. 🎨
👉 ashlandmuseum.org

🦕 July 2–14: Jurassic World Rebirth at Ashland Theatre

Dinosaurs, danger, and DNA—oh my! Catch the latest Jurassic installment on the big screen right here in Ashland. 🧬🦖
👉 Get tickets

🦆 July 7, 10 AM & 2 PM: Migration (Free Movie Monday)

A duck family heads for Jamaica… but winds up in NYC. Join the feathered fun—for free at the Ashland Theatre! 🗽🪿
👉 More movie info

📚 July 9, 10:30 AM: Janice Katambwa, Master Storyteller

Puppets, props, music, and YOU! Janice’s stories make the audience part of the magic in the Ashland Branch Library. 🎤✨
👉 Event details

🌿 July 10, 6 PM: How to Grow Luffas

Yep, that sponge in your shower grows on a vine! Join Lara from Lara’s Luffa to learn all about this wonder plant in the Ashland Branch Library. 🧽🍃
👉 Register here

🍅 July 11–12: Hanover Tomato Festival

Tomato your calendar for this two-day festival in Mechanicsville—vendors, live music, and 'mater magic for all! 🍅🎪
👉 Festival info

👐 July 12: Divine Assist Open House

Celebrate the opening of Divine Assist’s new space with food, music, and youth programming. It’s where mentorship and joy meet! 🎉
👉 Learn more

🎻 July 12, 8 PM: Balsam Range at Ashland Theatre

Bluegrass lovers, rejoice! Catch this nationally-renowned band live as they break new ground and pluck all the right heartstrings. 🎶
👉 Get tickets

🦸‍♀️ July 14, 11 AM: Super T-Shirt Capes Craft

Ages 2–8 can upcycle old t-shirts into superhero capes with paint, jewels, and glue galore. Save the world—one glitter dot at a time in the Ashland Branch Library!
👉 Register here

🎥 July 14, 7 PM: The Third Man

A noir classic. A conspiracy. A zither score to die for. Don’t miss this 1949 masterpiece on the big Ashland Theatre screen. 🎞️
👉 Tickets

📘 July 15, 6 PM: 100 Things to Do in Richmond Before You Die

Author Annie Tobey reveals RVA’s hidden gems and must-dos. Grab a pen—and maybe a road trip buddy at the Ashland Branch Library. ✍️🚗
👉 Register here

🧵 July 17, 2 PM: Crafternoon - Woven Bracelets & Bookmarks

Craft colorful keepsakes with your crew! Ages 6+ will love this hands-on project full of flair in the Adhland Branch Library. 🎨💫
👉 Register here

🤠 July 18, 8 PM: Gone Country at Huddle Up

Country hits and cold drinks—what more do you need for a good night in the Center of the Universe?

🎤 July 19, 9 PM: InsideOut Band at Huddle Up

Dance the night away with everything from Motown to Top 40 hits. Your feet will hurt the next day. Worth it. 💃🎶

🏍️ July 18–20: Virginia All Female Ride

300+ women motorcyclists roll into town for raffles, rides, and rallying around Ashland. 🏍️👊
👉 Event info

🎸 July 19, 7 PM: Skydog at Ashland Theatre

Southern rock lives on in this Allman Brothers tribute show. Expect epic jams and soulful sounds. 🎶🔥
👉 Get tickets

🐭 July 21, 10 AM & 2 PM: An American Tail

Follow Fievel’s classic journey across oceans and boroughs in this free family film at the Ashland Library. 🎬🧳
👉 Free movie info

📖 July 22, 6:30 PM: No Matter What Book Talk

Jill Baughan shares 90 uplifting devotions packed with humor, heart, and joy for the journey at the Ashland Branch Library. 📚💛
👉 Register here

🎨 July 23, 11 AM: CrafterKids - Sponge Paint Launch!

Little ones launch paint-covered sponges into art masterpieces—outside fun for ages 5–12 at the Ashland Branch Library! 🎯🖌️
👉 Register here

🎶 July 24, 4 PM: Peter McCory, One Man Band

Guitar, harmonica, drums—Peter does it all while kids sing, dance, and play along. Organized chaos at its finest in the Ashland Branch Library! 🎸🥁
👉 Event info

🤖 July 28, 10 AM & 2 PM: The Wild Robot

An Oscar-nominated tale of survival, heart, and friendship between a robot and her animal pals. Free and fabulous! 🦢🤖
👉 Ashland Theatre

🐍 July 28, 1:30 PM: Animal Aware

Meet native Virginia wildlife in the Ashland Branch Library and the ambassadors who care for them. Birds, reptiles, and mammals—oh my! 🐢🦉
👉More info

ASHLAND FOURTH FRIDAYS

Chill Out and Cheer On: Ashland Fourth Fridays Return July 25!
 ☀️🛍️🍦🎶👻🚂

When the temps go up, Ashland turns cool—and we mean that in every way. Swing into the Center of the Universe on Friday, July 25 from 5–8PM for a refreshing retreat at Ashland Fourth Fridays, your monthly dose of summer joy on the Ashland Town Hall Lawn and beyond!

🛍️ Cool Shops, Hot Deals
 Downtown boutiques are staying open late, so you can sip, shop, and stroll as the sun dips low. Find something fabulous—and maybe even snag an icy treat or two while you're at it.

🎶 Chill Vibes + Live Music
 Slide over to the Ashland Town Hall Pavilion, where The Blue Guitar will keep the night breezy with smooth instrumental takes on your favorite rock, jazz, R&B, and pop tunes. And get ready for serious sparkle: Ashland Dance Academy is bringing high-energy moves that’ll light up the lawn!

📸 Celebrity Sunshine
 Over at 110 Thompson Street, catch a ray of star power—our mystery guest is bringing the smiles and summer glow for fun photo ops!

👻 Spirits + Stories
 Feeling a shiver? Cool down with the Ashland Haunted History Tour, where local legends and ghostly tales will give you a frightfully fun chill under the evening sky.

🚂 Train Town Fun
 Tiny Tim’s Trains and Toys keeps the fun on track with model train demos and free Breyer Horse painting activities. It’s all aboard for creativity and kid-friendly fun!

So grab your sunnies, rally the crew, and come bask in the community vibes. Ashland Fourth Fridays is your perfect mid-summer night’s retreat.

✨ All the details are just a click away atAshlandFourthFridays.com.

ENTERPRISE EXPRESS

🎉 Welcome Take Away to Downtown Ashland!
 Beam yourself over to 107A Hanover Street for out-of-this-world home accents and gifts that are truly stellar 💫 Whether you're looking for a charming treasure or a cosmic conversation starter, there's always something sweet to take away. Open Monday–Friday! 🛍️

🎙️ Go On the Air with Happy Hour Vibes on K101.2!
 It’s not just happy hour—it’s hype hour! 🍹 Mingle with movers and shakers while you sip mocktails and chat marketing at this on-air networking party. Only 15 exclusive tickets are available for the Monday, July 21 at 6 PM recording at Farmer Company Media Studios (1913 Huguenot Rd, Suite 300, North Chesterfield, VA 23235). Grab your spot here:
👉 https://www.payit2.com/event/116388

✨ Welcome Minuteman Press of Ashland—Our Gold Sponsor!
 Downtown dreams are printed to perfection thanks to Minuteman Press’s in-kind gold sponsorship! 🖨️ From flyers to fashion, their support fuels our free family-friendly programming. Learn how they can help your brand stand out—and how you can support more magic in the Center of the Universe—at:
👉https://www.ashlandvirginia.com/giving

Ashland Song Contest


Ginny Ray was just 13 when she won the Ashland Song Contest—and now her original song “You Already Know” is streaming everywhere!

Think you’ve got what it takes? Step into the spotlight by July 27 at AshlandFourthFridays.com!

Enter the Ashland Song Contest

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

🎅🚂 All Aboard the Jolly Express!
The holiday season is chugging our way—so don’t miss your chance to sleigh! 🛷✨ Win 6 seats aboard the Ashland Santa Train, thanks to Tiny Tim’s Trains and Toys! Your golden ticket includes:
☕ Coffee & cocoa to keep you cozy
🎶 Onboard entertainment from the Big Man in Red
🎟️ A magical round-trip ride through the Center of the Universe
Snag your spot on the nice list 👉 AshlandVirginia.com/Raffles

🧛‍♀️👻 Not Ready to Deck the Halls Just Yet?
If your vibe is more scream than sleigh bells, we’ve got chills just for you... ❄️😱
Enter to win 4 Fast Passes to RED VEIN Haunt, Central Virginia’s legendary haunted attraction that mixes movie-worthy horror with immersive, heart-racing storytelling. 🎭💀
Located at the actually haunted Hanover Vegetable Farm, RED VEIN will have you questioning what's real... and what’s creeping behind you. 🌕🔪
Dare to enter 👉AshlandVirginia.com/Raffles

GOOD NEIGHBORS

Free events like Ashland Fourth Fridays are only possible thanks to YOUR support. Help us continue to plan free family-friendly fun and build a vibrant future in Downtown Ashland when you make your tax-deductible donation.

Earlier Event: June 7
The Boss of Me at Ashland Saturday Soundtracks