May Events
Rawls Arts Monthly Art Experience
Make sure you save these dates for the Art Experiences happening in May at Rawls Arts in Courtland!
May 3rd: Encaustic Painting Workshop
May 17th: 2D Needle Felted Flowers Class
May 31st: Mixed Media Mosaics
Visit rawlsarts.com/for full details!
Date: May 3-17-31, 2025
Time: TBA
Location: 22376 Linden Street | Courtland, VA
Captain Bob’s Catfish Dinner
Newsoms Volunteer Fire Department Captain Bob’s Catfish Dinner. Plates will include fried catfish, green beans, cheese potatoes & hushpuppies. $12 per plate. See any Newsoms VFD member or send a Facebook message for tickets. Drive thru, pick-up only.
Date: May 1, 2025
Time: 5pm – 7pm (pick-up only)
Location: 22146 Gen. Thomas Highway | Newsoms, VA
Waverly Dos De Mayo
Don’t miss Waverly’s big springtime event featuring live music, food trucks, adult beverages and more.
Date: May 2, 2025
Time: 5pm – 9pm
Location: Downtown Waverly, VA
Iron Chariots Car Show
Iron Chariots Car Show is a festive event honoring your favorite Iron Chariot whether they are 2/3/4 wheel, custom/stock, John Deere Green/Farmall Red, or simply the Iron Chariot of your youth/dreams. Iron Chariots is a ministry of Ivor Baptist Church designed to provide a means for fellowship among community Iron Chariot Enthusiasts, and to introduce and support IBC’s various missions
Date: May 3, 2025
Time: 10am
Location: 8506 Bell Ave | Ivor, VA
Gates County Spring Vendor Event
Gates County Community Events is currently planning a Spring Vendor Event. If you are interested in a spot, please reach out to Terri by sending a message or thru email at [email protected].
Date: May 3, 2025
Time: 9am – 3pm
Location: 38 Medical Center Rd. | Gates, NC
Spring Vintage Market
Held at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds. Vintage, antiques, recycled, upcycled, repurposed items, some crafters too. Enjoy a food court and live music too.
Buy your tickets now at https://genuinesmithfieldvacom.ticketspice.com/spring-vintage-market-2025.
Date: May 3, 2025
Time: 8am – 3pm
Location: 21311 Courthouse Highway | Windsor, VA
Lumberjack Festevent
The Franklin Experience brings family fun celebrating the lumber industry chainsaw competitions, chainsaw carving, axe throwing, colossal cornhole, vendors and more!
Date: May 3, 2025
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Downtown Franklin, VA
The Flower and Art Show
The annual spring event sponsored by the Wakefield Foundation features of over sixty artist and floral designers. The opening reception will be held Sunday, May 3rd from 7pm-9pm. Admission is $10. The show opens for public viewing on Sunday, May 4th, from Noon to 4pm with admission by donation.
Date: May 3-16, 2025
Location: Wakefield Foundation | 100 Wilson Ave | Wakefield, VA
Car – Truck – Motorcycle Show
Don’t miss the Holland Ruritan Club’s a7th Annual Custom Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show at the Holland Ballpark. Enjoy door prizes, music, concessions and tons of great vehicles. Admission is free for spectators. Entry fee for the show is $20 in advance and $25 on site.
Date: May 10, 2025
Time: 8am – 1pm
Location: Holland Ball Field | 6721 Ruritan Blvd | Suffolk, VA
LIVE at Belmont!
Join Real Country 101.7 for LIVE at Belmont! Admission is FREE! Bring your lawn chairs & enjoy live music from Silver Street, plus Belmont’s FULL Deli Menu (until 7:30PM), drinks, shopping, and more!
*Weather Permitting* No Outside Food or Drinks Allowed
Date: May 16, 2025
Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: Belmont Peanuts of Southampton | 22458 Southampton Pkwy. | Courtland, VA
Bethlehem Ruritan Club JAM
The Bethlehem Ruritan Club invites you to their next JAM on Friday May 16th. The Band “Lassiter & the Weeds” will be playing Western Swing and Classic Country. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Great concessions, fellowship and live music. You do not have to be Ruritan member to enjoy this FREE community event. Band entertains for your donations. For info call Fred Brinkley 757-617-9317
Date: May 16, 2025
Time: 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: Bethlehem Ruritan Club | 140 Manning Road | Suffolk, VA
Wavery Ruritan Ballpark Bash
Join the Waverly Ruritan Club for the Waverly BALL FIELD BASH! Food trucks, Liquor Bar and Beer Truck, DJ Big Daddy and the band, Dying Breed. Food trucks will be available for food purchases! Tickets available from any Waverly Ruritan member. Proceeds to help with the Waverly Ruritan Baseball Program (field, scholarships, etc.) Tickets: Non-alcoholic ticket: $10 / Liquor Bar and Beer Truck: $25. Advance tickets only!
Date: May 17, 2025
Time: 4pm – 8pm
Location: 215 Bank Street | Waverly, VA
Suffolk International Fest
Suffolk Parks & Recreation invites you to join them for their inaugural International Fest, happening Saturday, May 17th at Downtown Festival Park. This event is free and open to the public. A vibrant celebration of music, dance, food, and culture, highlighting different regions around the world. Enjoy live performances from talented artists and various international food vendors on-site offering delicious dishes for purchase. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and flavors of cultures from around the world!
Date: May 17, 2025
Time: 11am – 5pm
Location: Downtown Festival Park | 215 W. Washington Street | Suffolk, VA
Family Fun Fest
The Southampton High football field is the place to be for a fun event to help fund an end of the year trip to a truck and tractor museum and an FFA Awards Banquet. Enjoy vendors, truck show, field day events, food trucks and more! Come have FUN with the SoCo FFA!
Date: May 17, 2025
Time: 10am – 3pm
Location: Southampton High | 23350 Southampton Pkwy. | Courtland, VA
Windsor High Theatre Presents Beetlejuice
Say Beetlejuice 3 times and grab your tickets to this exciting production by the Windsor High Theatre.
Purchase tickets at this link: https://gofan.co/app/school/VA12858?activity=Performing
Date: May 17, 2025
Time: 1pm Matinee and 6pm evening performance
Location: Windsor High | 24 Church Street | Windsor, VA
Waverly Farmers Market
Come out and support your local vendors and producers at the Waverly Farmers Market on May 20th at the Waverly Library. Fresh produced, homemade baked goods, homemade chicken salad, jewelry and much more. Fish dinners will also be available for purchase.!
Date: May 20, 2025
Time: 5pm – 7pm
Location: Waverly Library | 125 Bank St | Waverly, Va
Camp25 Soccer League
It’s almost time for the 2025 Franklin Parks and Recreation Camp25 Soccer League to start! Open to kids ages 4-14. Games will be played in June and July.
Register by May 26, 2025 at www.camp25.org
Memorial Day
The community is invited to join Sergeant (USMC) Jayton D. Patterson VFW Post 4411 for a Memorial Day Ceremony. May. The ceremony will include presentation of the Vietnam War Commemoration Lapel Pin to Veterans or the widow of a Veteran in attendance who served on active duty anytime during the period November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of assignment location. Weather permitting, we’ll also have a Flag Retirement Ceremony. Guests are welcome to bring their tattered or worn flags to be retired. Food and beverages will be served after the ceremonies have concluded.
Date: May 26, 2025
Time: 2PM
Location: 3385 Beaver Dam Rd | Franklin, VA
Food Distribution
A one day only food distribution event will be held at the Courtland Farmers Market behind the Food Lion. No requirements other than need based and first come, first served. Food will be placed in the trunk of your vehicle.
Date: May 20, 2025
Time: 9:30am – 10:30am
Location: 25540 Agri Park Drive | Courtland, VA
North Carolina PORKFEST
Don’t miss the 2nd annual North Carolina PORKFES. BBQ cookoff championship! Vendor fair, car and tractor show! 50/50 raffle! Live music and DJ Jesse! You don’t want to miss this! Proceeds benefit the Murfreesboro Volunteer Fire Department.
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: 11am
Location: Murfreesboro, NC
Car Show
Grace Memorial United Methodist Church will sponsor their Cruising Through the Decades Car Show with food trucks, concessions and an unbelievable selection of automobiles.
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: 3:30pm – 6:30pm
Location: 31036 Peachtree Ave | Sedley, VA
Millfield Baptist Community Day
Enjoy a fun-filled for the kids, games, corn hole tournament, silent auctions, music, food, and vendors. For more information, please visit www.mildfieldlife.org or call 757-859-6896.
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: 12Noon – 5pm
Location: 31389 Millfield Rd | Wakefield, VA
Franklin Southampton Fair JAM
A full day of live music to raise money for improvements to the Franklin-Southampton County fairgrounds. No outside food/drink allowed.
Entertainment will feature: C.A. Sayre-Sounds of Time-58 East-Backstage Jammin-Silver Street-Band-It and Chase Payne. Admission: $15.
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: 12Noon – 10pm
Location: 25374 New Market Rd | Courtland, VA
June Events
Bingo Night
The GFWC Sedley Womans Club will sponsor a fun filled night of BINGO at the Sedley Fire House. $15 for ten games, light refreshments for purchase + a children’s Bingo at intermission.
Date: June 7, 2025
Time: 7pm
Location: 18080 Johnsons Mill Rd | Sedley, VA
Ivor VFD Anniversary Celebration
Mark your calendars for June 7th as we Ivor Volunteer Fire Department commemorates 75 years of dedicated service to the community, sharing history, memories, and light refreshments
Date: June 7, 2025
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Location: Ivor Fire Station | 8295 Main St. | Ivor, VA
Bobby Marks Golf Classic
Mark your calendars for the 31st Annual Bobby Marks Classic Golf Tournament, presented by Southampton Academy. Contact Assistant A.D., Rebecca Fretz at 757-653-2512 if interested in playing, being a tee sponsor, or cart sponsor. This year we will have one flight with a shot gun start at 1:00pm.
Date: June 9, 2025
Time: 1pm
Location: Cypress Cove Country Club | Franklin, VA
Wakefield Ruritan BBQ Bash
The Wakefield Ruritan barbeque fundraiser is back! Drive Thru for Pounds of BBQ will be held on Thursday, June 12th at the Wakefield Sportsmans Club. Pre-order today at Haywood Financial Services, Wakefield Farm Service, and Ivor Furniture. Barbeque is $10 per pound.
Date: June 12, 2025
Time: 3:30pm – 6:00pm
Location: 12205 Brittles Mill Road | Wakefield, VA
Franklin Juneteenth Celebration
It’s the City of Franklin’s Juneteenth Cultural Celebration at Barrett’s Landing Park. Celebrate freedom, culture, and community. Enjoy live music, delicious food, family-friendly activities, and more! Interested in becoming a vendor for this event? Email [email protected].
Entertainment: Cultured Jazz & Combo Line Dancing by Sheena Graham.
Food Trucks featuring: H&H Food Truck, Hope 4 Snow, TW’s Bistro & Grill
Date: June 19, 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 8:30pm
Location: 100 Barrett Street | Franklin, VA
Windsor High Volleyball Camp
Open to girls ages 4-14. Use the sign-up link located on the flyer. For more info, contact [email protected]
Date: June 23-25, 2025
Time: 9am-11am (ages 4-8) / 1pm-3pm (ages 9-15)
Location: 24 Church Street | Windsor, VA
Town of Windsor Summer Salute to Freedom
Mark your calendars for the Town of Windsor’s Summer Salute to Freedom featuring food trucks, music, kids’ zone, fireworks and more at Garris Event Park!
Date: June 28, 2025
Time: 3pm
Location: 18 Duke Street | Windsor, VA
July Events
Franklin Independence Day Celebration
Celebrate Independence Day in downtown Franklin with fun, food, and fireworks! Let’s come together to honor our nation’s history and enjoy the festivities with live music from Silver Street, fireworks, food trucks, and more!
Date: July 2, 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Location: Barrett’s Landing Park | 100 Barrett St | Franklin, VA
Fireworks at the Fairgrounds
Celebrate the red, white and blue with a concert, food, KidZone, and fireworks at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds! Fireworks presented by Francisco Displays. Presented by Isle of Wight Parks & Recreation Department. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. / Concert starts at 7:30 p.m. / Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m.!
Date: July 3, 2025
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Isle of Wight Fairgrounds | 21311 Courthouse Hwy | Windsor, VA
Third Thursday Concert Series
Bring your friends & family for a night of fantastic music with Glen Shelton, food & fun! Admission FREE.
Date: July 17, 2025
Time: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Location: Barrett’s Landing Park | 100 Barrett St | Franklin, VA
Shrimp Feed
Mark your calendars for the annual Drewryville Volunteer Fire Department & Joyner-Gray-Yale Ruritan Club Shrimp Feed on Saturday, July 19th. Enjoy 1.5 lbs. of shrimp, cole slaw, beans and beverage for $35 + live music from 58East. Advance tickets only. No tickets being sold at the gate.
Date: July 19, 2025
Time: 3:30 – 7pm
Location: 24210 Courthouse Road | Yale, VA
August Events
44th Annual Franklin-Southampton County Fair
Mother Nature gave caused last year’s fair to be cancelled days before the start, but hard working and determination has paved the way for the 2025 Fair, and this will be the best yet! Check back here for event details closer to August.
Date: August 6-9, 2025
Time: TBA
Location: 25374 New Market Rd | Courtland, VA
Travis Denning @ Franklin-Southampton Fair
Get Ready for an unforgettable night of country hits and good vibes with Travis Denning at the Franklin-Southampton County Fair, with special guests Mack Berry Band, Cooper Greer, & Silver Street.
Admission: $15 at the gate (Kids 12 & under get in FREE!)
Date: August 9, 2025
Time: 9pm
Location: 25374 New Market Rd | Courtland, VA
Third Thursday Concert Series
Bring your friends & family for a night of live entertainment from Emanuel Wynter Music +, food & fun! Admission FREE.
Date: August 21, 2025
Time: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Location: Barrett’s Landing Park | 100 Barrett St | Franklin, VA
September Events
Third Thursday Concert Series
Bring your friends & family for a night of live music with the DELOREANS + food & fun! Admission FREE.
Date: September 18, 2025
Time: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Location: Barrett’s Landing Park | 100 Barrett St | Franklin, VA
Nottoway Indian Tribe POWWOW
Intertribal dancers, arts & crafts, Native American cooking, storytelling, exhibits and more! To learn more visit nottowayindians.org
Date: September 20-21, 2025
Time: 10:00am
Location: Surry Parks & Rec Center | 205 Enos Farm Drive | Surry, Va
Peanut City Chop & Swap
The Peanut City Chop & Swap is back!! Tons of parts and motorcycles on display! Vendor spaces are available for $25 per 10×10 space. call or text 757-613-2435 to pre-register for a space or ask about putting your bike in the show. All ages welcome. Admission: $5 and kids under 12 are free. This is a no clubs or cuts event.
Date: September 27, 2025
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: 8881 Eclipse Drive | Suffolk, Va 23433
October Events
Charity Car Show
The Suffolk Rods & Muscle Cars will sponsor their 12th annual Charity Car Show on the campus of Nansemond Suffolk Academy. Open to all makes and models.
Date: October 4, 2025
Time: 2pm
Location: 3733 Pruden Blvd. | Suffolk, Va 23433
