Blue Ridge Music Center

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has selected Fourth Economy, a leading economic development consulting firm, to guide a comprehensive effort to improve and expand the regional impacts of the Blue Ridge Music Center. This work is made possible by a $50,000 Strong Parks Strong Communities grant from the National Park Foundation.

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, the Foundation honored seven special members of its community of stewards at a ceremony on Saturday, June 18, at the Blue Ridge Music Center.  “Our 25th anniversary is really a celebration of the people who bring our mission to life through their contributions to the national park they love,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Foundation. “We are fortunate to count these honorees as members of our community of stewards.”

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Blue Ridge Music Center are launching free Milepost Music presentations on rotating Sunday afternoons at popular destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  These intimate outdoor concerts will showcase regional musicians playing traditional music at Humpback Rocks, Peaks of Otter, Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area, Mabry Mill, and Doughton Park. The first session is from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, June 5, at the Peaks of Otter at milepost 86 in Bedford, Va.

This summer, the Blue Ridge Music Center is celebrating 20 year of hosting concerts in the hillside amphitheater at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia.  Taking the stage are fan favorites, including North Carolina-based acts such as the Steep Canyon Rangers, Kruger Brothers accompanied by Kontras Quartet, and Chatham County Line, and Virginia-based acts The Steel Wheels, Dori Freeman accompanied by a Winston-Salem Symphony String Quintet, and Bill and the Belles. 

Bolstering rare plant populations. Archiving and sharing photographs of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s past. Revealing obscured views at overlooks. Repairs to a historic mill. We are asking donors to support these projects and additional initiatives that will enhance the scenic route and share its stories with millions of visitors. Each year, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works with the National Park Service to select projects that will connect visitors with the park’s natural wonders and history and sustain the park for generations to come.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is hosting an exceptional lineup of performers for the Roots of American Music summer concert series with shows in the outdoor amphitheater at 7 p.m., Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia. 

Giving is a great feeling, and when that gift helps protect the Blue Ridge Parkway, it's even better. As the holidays approach, we've got a giving list that will make an impression and an impact.

When you step off West Beverly Street in downtown Staunton, Virginia, and through the doors of No. 17, you enter one of the great institutions of American culture. No, not a museum, or a college classroom, or a majestic courtroom with all the trappings of a justice system built upon the best principles of the ages.

In 2013, the Foundation took over musical programming at the Blue Ridge Music Center to help preserve the history and culture inherent in Blue Ridge Music. The venue is a wonderful spot along the Parkway to hear local, regional, and national acts play old-time, bluegrass, country blues, gospel, Americana and folk and explore the the Roots of American Music Museum.

Signs of spring mean the Music Center will soon reopen for visitors to experience the heritage of mountain music. Beginning Saturday, May 7, the visitor center and Roots of American Music exhibit will be open and Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.