10:00 AM Wye Park on the Trail
Plein Air Workshop
Join Kyle Buckland on the trail to explore plein air painting techniques. Bring your paints and easel to create your very own masterpiece! Part of a larger event hosted by the VA Highlands Festival, taking place throughout the day in various locations around town.
11:30 AM Meet @ Base Camp Pavilion
Hiking with Kids
Nature Hike for Kids! - Come along a short hike for all ages, but focusing on kids and discovery in nature! We will adventure along the first portion of the trail and we see what kinds of birds, insects and amphibians we can find and identify along the way. Hike will be 45min, a slower pace, and a beginner skill level. Presented by Justin Harris of White Blaze Hiking.
12:30, 2:30 & 4:00 PM A Street Park
Disc Dog Demos
Presented by Fetch N Fly: Watch as amazing canines run, leap, and soar through the air to catch disc! After the demonstration learn how to properly throw a disc for your dog. Demo times: 1:00, 2:30 & finishing up with a clinic for dogs and their owners at 4:00pm in the A Street Park.
11:00 AM A Street Park
Yoga in the Park
Join us in the A Street Park at 11:00am for a FREE Yoga class. Suitable for all levels of yogis! Presented by Whitetop Yoga
12:00 PM Base Camp Pavilion
Trail Running 101
Presented by Unplug SWVA, this clinic will cover all of the basics for the beginning trail runner. Topics covered will include choosing your shoes, how to get started, proper form, stretches for runners. Lace up those shoes and wear weather-appropriate clothes, this clinic will include a group run on the trail.
Reptile Presentation
Presented by Master Naturalist, Darin Handy, located adjacent to the Holston River Master Naturalists. Learn from a reptile enthusiast all about the reptiles and amphibians that live in your backyard! 2 presentations in the vendor booth area of the festival
12:30-3:30 PM A Street Vendor
1:00 PM Meetup @ Base Camp
History Ride to Alvarado
A group ride, beginning at 1:00, with a Creeper Trail Club board member, Dean McCall, who will also present the history of the Creeper Trail.
Sponsored by the Virginia Creeper Trail Club, the ride will meetup at the Expo Porch directly behind the VCT Welcome Center 1:00pm and then proceed to Alvarado, return shuttle provided.
Participants should bring their own bikes (or rent one in Abingdon or Damascus) as well as weather-appropriate clothing, water, and snack if desired.
Trailside Repair Clinic
Learning how to repair your mountain bike on the trail will keep you safe and confident on long rides. The beginner’s clinic will cover the basics including flat tire repairs, caring for your chain, and basic maintenance. We will also address your special requests as time permits. Clinic at 1 & 3:00pm at the A Street Park, presented by TREK Johnson City.
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1 & 4:00 PM A Street Park
SUP Demo/Clinic
Join Soho Excursions for a standup paddleboard clinic at the Demo Pool, our newest addition to the festival! The clinic will cover the elements of this exciting sport, a true SUP 101 for beginners.
2 Clinics during Creeper Fest: 1pm & 4pm
SUP available for attendees to demo during the festival hours of 12-5pm.
FREE!
All-Day at Trek Booth
2pm Kayak Clinic A Street Park
Kayaking 101
Join SoHo Excursions and Adventure Mendota for demos of different styles of kayaks, as well as a beginners' introduction to safety, paddling techniques and more. Hands-on instruction at 2pm, demos available to attendees throughout the festival times of 12-5pm.
Elonzo Wesley
“Elonzo Wesley features a stand-up bass, fiddle and mandolin, which create solid sonic layers, while tight vocal harmonies only enhance Davis' personal and emotional lyrics.” ~ Creative Loafing
With five albums under his belt, Jeremy Davis embarks upon the next steps of his musical journey in form of an Americana String band, blending traditions of the past with unique, soulful songwriting and genre-bending influences.
1-2:30 PM A Street Park
1 & 3PM Wolf Hills Brewery
Wolf Hills Brewing Tour
Join us for a tour of Wolf Hills Brewing Co. located at the Olde Icehouse. The tour led by Wolf Hills Brewing's head brewer will include hands-on exhibitions of how beer is made, ingredients, processes, how to approach and taste beer, a tour of the brewing facility, and stories about the brewery's history and probably random tidbits that come to mind.
2 Tours during Creeper Fest:
1pm & 3pm
$10/individual, 21+ only, includes tour, pint glass & 1 pint of beer
How to Hike with Dogs
Learn how to set up your four legged friend for success on longer hikes. If you want to take your best friend on your longer backpacking and thru hikes on trails like the AT, don't miss this talk to get tips and tricks on how to make your dog enjoy the hike as much as you do! Presented by Sundog Outfitters/Adventure Damascus
1:00 PM @ Sundog Outfitter Booth
3PM @ Base Camp Pavilion
Ed Davis: Secrets of the Creeper Trail
Join us at the Base Camp Pavilion at 3:00pm near the Creeper Trail Visitors Center for an interactive and engaging discussion with Ed Davis, author of The Virginia Creeper Trail Companion exploring the history of the creation of the Creeper and the surrounding natural assets.
3:00-4:30PM A Street Park
Chatham Rabbits
With palpable chemistry and warmth, Chatham Rabbits — Sarah Osborne McCombie (vocals, banjo) and Austin McCombie (vocals, guitar, fiddle) — fill each space they enter with brightness and sincerity. Their songs are stories flush with vivid imagery, contemplative metaphors, and evidence of their binding ties to the South. Hailing from Bynum, North Carolina, just like the original Chatham Rabbits string band of the early 20th century, this duo lights up any stage. After abandoning their corporate careers to take Chatham Rabbits full-time, Sarah and Austin now travel the country with their hound dog Ruby, showing their commitment to living life to the fullest and sharing the music that they love.
4:30PM A Street Park
Yoga for Runners
You'll learn how yoga can enhance your running in this class presented by Whitetop Yoga. Each pose helps you get stronger, address muscle imbalances, and avoid injury. Join us in the A Street park to build both stability and mobility that runners need. 30 minute class. Bring your own mat.
3PM Meet @ Base Camp Pavilion
Hike with a Horticulturist
Ever wanted to learn more about the flora and fauna along the trail? Ben Casteel, Horticulturist at VHCC, and SWVA enthusiast is a wealth of knowledge, and will lead this easy hike while discussing horticulture and hiking basics. Meet at 3pm at the Base Camp Pavilion, behind the VCT Welcome Center.
Sunset Bike Ride
Join Adventure Damascus/Sunset Dog Outfitters for a ride on the Creeper Trail to end the festival. This ride will take approximately 1.5 hours, and a shuttle back to Abingdon will be provided for FREE, but you MUST register by Thursday, April 25th.