Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival

Whining for wine? Start summer with a bang by hopping in your RV and setting off to Centreville for the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival.

Event information

If you haven’t yet filled your summer calendar, then why not start the beginning of the new season with a trip to Centreville, Virginia? The Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival attracts a sizeable attendance every year, and it’s an excellent chance to achieve that sun-kissed look early on in the season.

The festival is held at the Bull Run Special Events Center in Centreville, Virginia, at 7700 Bull Run Drive and adjacent to I-66. It’s an expansive grass site with entertainment, bands and music, wine tasting, and plenty of food as well. You can catch up with your friends, enjoy time with your kids in the family-friendly setting, and potentially try new food and beverages you’ve never seen or had before.

Attend one or both days, explore the grounds, get up close and personal with the bands, and have fun on what is often the opening to the summer months. Once the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival is over, there is still plenty of exploring to do in Virginia itself.

You can go hiking at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, swimming at the Bull Run Regional Park, or exploring at the Steve F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Plan an RV trip to Centreville, book your RV accommodation and festival tickets, and get the journey underway.

Tickets

Tickets for the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival sell like hotcakes, so you aren’t going to want to hang around and wait for long. You can purchase general and VIP admission tickets online for an early bird discounted rate, or pay a little more at the gate on the day. In the past, tickets for this event have cost between $40 and $65 per day, depending on your ticket selection.

Explore Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival RV Rentals


Transportation

Driving

Centreville, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, is 30 miles west of Washington DC. While Centerville itself is a small area, it’s encompassed by several larger communities and spider legs off, along with other towns and cities, from Washington.

You can access Centreville from three main routes that run through the area. Interstate 66 will bring you from the southwest, while Virginia Route 28 leads from the south and U.S. Route 29 from the west. The traffic pattern of these three interchanging roads can cause some delays, so consider downloading a traffic app such as Virginia 511 to see where you may encounter wait times or congestion.

Parking areas

There are two possible parking options for those who intend to bring their motorhome or pilot vehicle to the festival site. You can park 13 miles away from the venue at the Metro Stop and catch the event shuttle, or at the event site if space allows. Some sizing restrictions may apply for oversized vehicles, such as RVs, so making use of the shuttle service may be a better option for many.

Public Transportation

The Metrorail system is one of the best forms of public transportation in the area, and using it for the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival is an excellent idea. You can park your RV at Virginia Center Boulevard and catch the Vintage Virginia Shuttle, which in past years, has run from the Vienna Metro Stop at regular intervals. Otherwise, if you would prefer a less structured way of travel, you can rely on your RV to get around, a taxi, or rideshare service.

Where to stay

Onsite

The Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival does not offer onsite camping, but you won’t struggle to find somewhere to stay with an RV. In fact, a short distance away is the Bull Run Regional Park, which is accessible with an RV. There are also a handful of other options nearby with multiple service hookups to suit your needs.

Nearby

The Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival is around an hour’s drive from Washington, DC, which means you’re central to many different camping options. If there are plenty of things you want to do in Centreville and surrounding areas on your summer vacation, then consider staying somewhere relatively close to the natural attractions in the area. You can then enjoy a comfortable driving distance to cross each of those things off your list.

Getting around

Aside from the pre-organized shuttle that brings you to and from the festival, the other way to navigate the festival site is on foot. There is an entertainment hub with seating to rest your weary feet, and you can also bring your own chair and canopy-style tent. The site might be expansive, but it’s all well laid out to ensure you’re not pounding the pavement all day.

What to pack

Clothing

Centreville doesn’t experience extreme weather conditions in summer, as you would expect in other parts of the country. In saying that, the festival is held at the best time of the year, and you can plan to wear shorts, t-shirts, sundresses, and your best sunhats, too. Given the lower nighttime temperatures, however, you can anticipate the need for a thick sweater and some long pants for comfort once night falls.

Gear

The Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival is essentially a large garden party, which means you can bring whatever you think will make you most comfortable during your visit – within reason. There’s no reason why you couldn’t bring a canopy tent for shade and a chair for comfort, but consider your ease of transportation.

You will also need cash and a credit or debit card, as many vendors will not accept card payments, and a valid ID to show you are over the legal drinking age if you have purchased a tasting ticket. You may also bring bags and coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Health & Safety

The Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival is an event that serves and sells alcohol, which means that health and safety policies are in play. Make sure you bring plenty of water with you, or purchase it there, and keep food allergies in mind if needed. The takeaway message is to drink responsibly and also ensure you have a sober driver to take the wheel. Sun protection is also crucial, so don’t forget your sunscreen, lip balm, sunhat, glasses, and even bug spray should you need it.

Where to eat

Cooking

RV camping rules can differ for every RV campground near the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival. While some might allow campfires, fire pits, and communal cooking, others prefer that you use your RV onboard kitchen appliances or generators.

You can also pick up plenty of grocery supplies within a ten-mile driving distance of the festival site. However, you may like to organize what you need before the festival begins to save the hassle of having to pick anything up while everyone is trying to maneuver in the venue area.

Restaurants

If you fancy treating yourself to something more substantial than what you can prepare yourself, then check out the offerings along US-29 South. This road puts you in proximity to some standout eateries, such as fast food outlets, Mexican, Italian, chicken, burgers, barbeque, and more. You can dine in or take away to enjoy in the comfort of your RV.

Vendors

If you’re a bit of a foodie with an appetite to satiate, then you’re going to adore the offerings at the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival. From French and Greek cuisine to steak, barbeque, and seafood, there’s every possible delicious option that pairs well with your wine of choice. Don’t forget to bring cash for both samplers and a la carte options.

Safety

Security

Unlike many other wine and food festivals, the Vintage Virginia Wine and Food Festival allows you to bring bags and coolers laden with food and non-alcoholic beverages. However, these (and yourself) may be subjected to searches at the gate. There will also be ID checks for anyone purchasing or sampling wine and other alcoholic drinks.

If you require outside assistance at any time, then aside from the onsite security, there are also police officers at the Manassas Park Police Department under five miles from the festival.

Weather

Even though it’s summer during the festival, average temperatures can be quite mild. You can expect daytime temperatures of around 84 degrees Fahrenheit and average lows of 57 degrees. For whatever the area throws your way, make sure your air conditioning and heating units are in tip-top shape before you set off for Virginia.

Medical

If you run into any trouble with blisters, cuts, scrapes, or anything a little bit more serious, then the onsite first aid tent will surely provide all the resources you require. However, if you think your accident or injury requires expert care immediately, then dial 9-11. There is also a medical center within nine miles of the festival, and a pharmacy to top up your first aid kit within eight miles.