We are thrilled to invite you to Central Virginia’s 2nd Annual Pawpaw Festival - the region’s most exciting new event. The festival will showcase local vendors offering delicious food, refreshing brews, unique crafts and adorable critters. Attendees can enjoy acoustic music performances, ranger-led programs and animal encounters throughout the day. Special event parking and admission will be $20 per vehicle, while annual pass holders will only need to pay $10 per vehicle.
You may be wondering, what is a pawpaw? This tropical-tasting fruit has a custardy texture and is the largest native fruit in our nation. In Virginia, pawpaw trees thrive in the forested bottomlands and floodplains of the Piedmont region, which is why they're found at Powhatan State Park. Many species of wildlife enjoy pawpaw fruits, which were a staple in the diets of woolly mammoths and giant sloths. Humans also love pawpaws - indigenous peoples have cultivated them, and they were popular among colonists.
The event is sponsored by the Friends of Powhatan State Park. We hope to see you there!
Kick off the festivities by participating in the 5 or 10 miler race. The race will take place on the exterior trails of the park, running alongside the James River, through open fields, along scenic singletrack, and past a historic cabin. The trails offer a variety of terrains, with a flat and fast trail along the river, followed by challenging climbs into open fields. The views are breathtaking, stretching for miles before entering the forest. Run through shaded singletrack until reaching the historic cabin ruins, followed by a steep climb out of the forest back into the open fields. Take a moment to appreciate the diverse wildlife and birds in the area while running through the fields. The 10-mile race finishes back at the Equestrian Trailhead Parking Lot.
This event is a benefit race for the Friends of Powhatan State Park, a local volunteer organization dedicated to supporting the mission of Powhatan State Park. The Pawpaw 10 Miler is part of the Virginia State Parks Adventure Series, sponsored by Dominion Energy and directed by Virginia Adventures. Registration fees start at $50 per runner. To register, click here.
Location: At Launch A and River Trail
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Down by the river, guests will have the option to explore the lushly forested River Trail on their own or with a foraging guide. At the trailhead, the staff at the foraging info booth will provide pawpaw-seekers with guidelines, informational brochures, and small bags to collect fruit. During the guided walks, guests will be treated to learning about the pawpaw tree’s fascinating natural and cultural history as well as identification and proper foraging techniques.
Atlatl Spear-throwing
Location: Festival Grounds
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The prolific fruit of the pawpaw and the ground-breaking invention of the atlatl gave people of this region access to an abundance of food, which enabled them to survive and thrive! Modern-day attendees of the festival will have an opportunity to reenact the ancient method of spear-hunting by throwing spears with an atlatl. In the absence of actual wooly mammoths and giant ground sloths, participants will be using practice targets.
Pre-Historic Pawpaw
Location: Festival Grounds
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The pawpaw tree has strange qualities which formed millions of years ago for a world of ancient insects and megafauna. It thrives to this day with the help of humans! Guests will discover the fascinating evolution of the pre-historic plant and the role it has played throughout human history. Depending on the quantity of fresh fruit, guests will be invited to taste fresh pawpaw and even take a few seeds to plant at home.
Pawpaws and Zebras
Location: Festival Grounds
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The pawpaw fruit is food for many kinds of animals, but what about their leaves? At this program, guests can find out why pawpaw leaves are hosts to zebra swallowtails but avoided by almost every other animal. Adults and children alike will have the opportunity to honor this beautiful creature with a butterfly craft that can perch on their wrist throughout the festival.
A variety of local vendors will be present, featuring artisan crafts, native plants, pawpaw saplings, pawpaw souvenirs, microbrews and farm-to-table bites for sale.
If you are interested in becoming a vendor, please complete the application or email amelia.hulth@dcr.virginia.gov. Those featuring pawpaw and Virginia themes will be considered first.
Enjoy acoustic performances throughout the day with a variety of genres and sounds.
11:00 a.m. Willie Williams
Photo by Barry Tickle
First, take some homegrown vocals drenched in Carolina twang and Memphis soul. Then, add a healthy dose of blues and bluegrass-influenced guitar. Now, finish it with top-notch showmanship and storytelling, and you'll begin to understand what Willie Williams is all about. Learn more at: https://www.williewilliamsmusic.com/
12:00 p.m. Django Tango
Django Tango is a Richmond-based French jazz swing trio formed to celebrate the music of legendary French guitarist Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Guitarist Russ Hanchin leads the trio—their spirited sound with upbeat tempos and intricate guitar techniques. Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/DjangoTangoRVA/
1:00 p.m. The Hot Seats
The Hot Seats specialize in unearthing traditional music and reinventing it into something fresh and funky. From Richmond, Virginia, they blend ragtime, old-time and jug band sounds that are unlike anything you have seen or heard. This local favorite is sure to please with its dynamic tunes. Learn more at: https://thehotseatsrva.com/
2:00 p.m. Garden Variety String Band
Garden Variety String Band is an award-winning bluegrass band based in Richmond, VA. The five-piece band consists of Wyatt Peake (Vocals/Fiddle), Charlie Rosser (Vocals/Guitar), DJ Roller (Vocals/Mandolin), Stephen Weinstock (Bass) and Ben Everhart (Banjo). Inspired by old-time, folk and bluegrass music, GSVB performances are a nod to the past with a modern twist. Learn more at: https://www.gardenvarietystringband.com/
We are thrilled to invite you to Central Virginia’s 2nd Annual Pawpaw Festival - the region’s most exciting new event. The festival will showcase local vendors offering delicious food, refreshing brews, unique crafts and adorable critters. Attendees can enjoy acoustic music performances, ranger-led programs and animal encounters throughout the day. Special event parking and admission will be $20 per vehicle, while annual pass holders will only need to pay $10 per vehicle. 
