Anticipation builds for second-annual CulpeperPalooza

The days are getting longer with hints of warm breezes, whispering of festival season. In town, excitement builds up for fun-filled spring and summer events like the second-annual Culpeperpalooza.

Running from April 21-23, Culpeperpalooza will be held at Mountain Run Winery, hosting vendors, entertainers, organizations and food trucks from around the county. 

Aubrey Driggers, a local musician, and David Foster, the owner of Mountain Run Winery, are the co-founders of Culpeperpalooza. This year, both will be back to run this exciting 3-day festival. 

“I’m proud that Culpeper comes together for the larger cause of helping programs to keep kids and adults engaged in music and history education.” -Aubrey Driggers

The idea of Culpeperpalooza started before 2020, inspired by two significant local musicians: David Gilmore and Vince Vala. After their passing in 2021, Driggers and Foster hosted a day-long benefit at Mountain Run in their honor. 

Then, in 2022, Driggers partnered once again with Foster to make the benefit even bigger — the first ever Culpeperpalooza. This family-friendly event promoted local musicians and programs to further music and history education.  

“They were good friends of mine, very respected in the music community,” Driggers said. We wanted to do something to honor their memory and what they did for local musicians.”

Over two days, they were able to raise just under $15,000 via tickets and donations. All went right back to fund local music programs, Parks and Rec, and other local charities and organizations.

This year, Culpeperpalooza plans to be even bigger. Expanding to a three-day event, there will be an additional day devoted to theater and visual arts. There will also be a bigger focus on the legacy of the musicians our community has lost.

Friday will be the opening night with music starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 10pm on the county’s big mobile stage. There will be plenty of lawn for guests to bring blankets and chairs and enjoy the show. Mountain Run’s iconic cider and wine will be available all evening.

On Saturday, when gates open at 11 a.m., the focus will be on purely Culpeper bands. There will be at least 30 craft vendors, three food trucks, including Tacos VIP, Peppers Grill and Uncle Bob & Sweet T’s BBQ. There will also be beer from Far Gohn, Beer Hound, War Craft Brewery, Old Trade and Mountain Run’s award-winning wine. 

As a taste of what’s to come on Sunday, Art of Dance will perform on the big stage, showcasing the hard work each student put into their craft. Jodie Teates, owner and director of the studio, is happy to participate and support dance education for Culpeper youth.

“It is a thrill to have the opportunity to participate in Culpeperpalooza,” Teates said. “This event is a collaboration of art and music and gives the Art of Dance students the experience of dancing with live musicians while entertaining our families and community.”

Attendees can expect to see line dancing, cheer squads, dance exhibitions, up to 10 visual art displays from local artists and an intriguing private eye mystery show at the winery’s barn from The Windmore Foundation. For young and growing families, there will be plenty of activities for kids too. 

“There was no county wide festival that focused on Culpeper County,” Foster said. “I really wanted to have a festival that highlighted the things that made Culpeper great both for locals to be proud of and for visitors to see what a great community we are.”

All tickets and donations will go right back to the community and the vendors who participate in the event, fostering the mission to further education in music and the arts in Culpeper.

To buy tickets and obtain details about daily events and hours, call (703) 638-5559 or visit www.culpeperpalooza.com. 

Mountain Run Winery is located at 10753 Mountain Run Lake Rd Culpeper, VA, 22701.