Roanoke’s GO Outside Festival has been offering an engaging weekend for all ages since its start more than a decade ago. Each year brings new and exciting opportunities for festival-goers to enjoy, and 2024 is no exception! From highline stunt shows and BMX bikers to the Mountain Film Festival and the SilentDisco, GO Fest is an experience the whole family will enjoy.
And new this year, we have two locations, Festival Basecamp at Elmwood Park and the Adventure Outpost at Explore Park, connected by a complementary shuttle! There’s no wrong way to enjoy the festival, but we’ve broken it down by day and location to help guide you along.
Here’s our day-by-day Parents’ Guide to the 2024 Anthem GO Outside Festival:
DAY 1 – Friday, October 18
It’s Friday! The festival officially starts at 5 PM, so finish work, pick up your kids from school or daycare, and head to Elmwood Park to start your weekend off right. Pay a visit to the bouldering wall or climbing tower, presented by the Peaks Retreat and Adventure Center. Both of these hands-on activities are great for a wide range of ages and will kick-start your GO Fest experience with a bit of adventure.
Next, grab dinner from one of our many food trucks while you explore the wide variety of GO Fest vendors, and maybe score some new outdoor gear or official GO Fest merch! Then, pick up a bag of kettle corn and finish off the night cuddled up with the whole family for a screening of the incredible Mountain Film Festival, presented by Mast General Store. This outdoor film festival brings together a community of filmmakers and change makers, showcasing documentary films that celebrate adventure, activism, social justice, environment, and indomitable spirit. These epic films are sure to inspire!
Adventure Outpost Pick: Want to try something a little different? Head over to our Adventure Outpost at Explore Park for a weekend of camping! Pitch your tent, enjoy food and live music from Twin Creeks Brewing, and spend some quality time roasting s’mores around the campfire.
DAY 2 – Saturday, October 19
Saturday is a great day to discover something new. If you have always dreamed of caving, start with the Cave Simulating Trailer brought to you by CaveSim! Or, if you’re looking for a more relaxed experience, stop by the Little Planets Kids Zone for a nature-inspired play area specifically designed for little ones. We also recommend visiting Roanoke Mountain Adventures for a fun kids bike zone. Don’t have your own bike? Don’t worry, RMA will be bringing some to try out! Last but not least, you can’t miss out on a chance to get your feet wet at the Demo Pool when you try out a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle board!.
Spend the afternoon enjoying professional stunt shows like the Timberworks Lumberjacks. These impressive individuals are sure to entertain with their axe-throwing, log-rolling, speed-climbing, joke-cracking show! ProTown BMX, presented by Gentry Locke, is another festival favorite. You can find them flying through the air in front of the Patrick Henry building on Jefferson Street.
The Haley Toyota Main Stage is the place to be throughout the festival for all your live music needs, and you won’t want to miss Saturday evening’s Flannel Fiesta featuring music by The Firewater Tent Revival and The Dundies!
Adventure Outpost Pick: If you’re camping, wake up with the sun and grab breakfast at Twin Creeks Brewing! Then spend some time exploring the miles of trail and convenient river access at Explore Park. Then catch a high-flying Ultimate Air Dogs Show, presented by our friends at Member One! Before hopping on the shuttle to Festival Basecamp, we suggest giving Noke Van Co. a visit at their Van Life set-up.
DAY 3 – Sunday, October 20
Spend your Sunday checking off everything left on your GO Fest to-do list! This is a great day to travel on two-wheels by joining the Greenway Bike Celebration & Parade with Roanoke Mountain Adventures! Meet in Vic Thomas Park, enjoy free coffee and donuts, try out the bike loop in the park, then bike together as a group to GO Fest! This is a great way to have some active fun and enjoy the morning as a family.
Once you arrive at Elmwood Park, Parents can park your bikes at the PedalSafe ROA Bike Valet and then take the kids and their bikes over to the RIDE Solutions Pop-Up Traffic Garden where kids can learn and practice traffic safety, the Traffic Garden is designed for kids between the ages of 3 and 9!
Adventure Outpost Pick: Sunday is Try-It Day at Explore Park with tons of opportunities for demos! Join Fleet Feet for a group trail run, or help our official trail partner Oboz prep trails for the incoming USAC National Mountain Bike Championships! Our can’t-miss event of the day is the Cardinal Bike Box Derby! It’s going to be awesome.
This is just a sample schedule, of course. With so much to do, you can create your own perfect day at the Anthem GO Outside Festival, so get ready to have some fun and explore the outdoors with your kids!
Be sure to visit RoanokeGoFest.com/Schedule for the full weekend schedule!
