We are thrilled to invite you to Central Virginia’s 4th 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/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 races. The races 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. For more information and 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.
Critter Encounters with A.W.A.R.E
Location: Festival Grounds
Times: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
We will, through educational programs, raise public awareness of conservation issues and encourage peaceful coexistence with wildlife. Aware has a team of Educators and Wildlife Ambassadors that can come to your school, library, church, or other venue to present a program for your group or organization. You will learn about the behaviors, diets, and habitats of our native Virginia wildlife. We bring a variety of native birds, mammals, and reptiles. You will hear their stories about why they came into rehab, and why they are non-releasable.
Solar Observations with Richmond Astronomical Society
Location: Festival Grounds
Times: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guests will have the opportunity to view the sun through a telescope. Volunteers will be on hand from Richmond Astronomical Society to share the wonders of the sun, solar system, and much more. A solar filter will be used for safe viewing.
All About Pawpaws
Location: At Launch A, Shelter 3
Times: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m
Barbara Rosholdt is committed to sustainability and all things organic. She currently lives in central Virginia and has a modest pawpaw planting (about 17 trees), and last year harvested 350 pounds of pawpaws. A former board member of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) and a member of the North American Pawpaw Growers Association (NAPGA), she has been designated by NAPGA as a regional Pawpaw expert for the mid-Atlantic. Her talk will discuss her experiences with pawpaws, including growing, grafting, harvesting and marketing locally.
Other Programs
Location: Festival Grounds
Times: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m
Other programs will be presented by the Bat Conservation and Rescue of Virginia, Expert Metalworks, James River Master Naturalists and Powhatan County Public Library.
A father and daughter singer-songwriter duo with a passion for raw, un-refined, back-porch style acoustic music focused on family and generational memories.
Tristan Dougherty and The Heart Pines are a folk string band out of Richmond, Virginia, whose innovative arrangements and refreshingly original sound draw on indie, classic country and Appalachian music traditions.
Farm Use String Band is 4-piece group playing our unique version of old time string band jam music with tunes that will get people up and dancing, toes tapping’ and hands clapping’.
Volunteers help bring the festival to life by assisting with set-up, guiding guests and supporting educational programs that connect the community to nature and local history.
By registering to assist with this event, you can experience what it’s like to volunteer with Virginia State Parks! Park volunteers enjoy the opportunity to improve their skills, create a positive impact, and earn loyalty points that can be put toward an annual pass, or camping/cabin/yurt stays at any Virginia State Park.
We are thrilled to invite you to Central Virginia’s 4th 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/admission will be $20 per vehicle, while annual pass holders will only need to pay $10 per vehicle. 
