"Due to competing priorities and limited resources, the formal work of the Events & Tourism committee has been put on hold."
That sentence is on the Town of Scottsville's events page, directly above a list of six annual events. River Bend Wine Fest is on that list for October 17, and Holiday Happenings is on it for December 5. The page also says there are "always opportunities to engage and be involved," and it gives the town office number, 434.286.9267.
The Town has a smaller part in this fall than the town page suggests. It provides the places: Canal Basin Square at 249 Main Street and the Pavilion at 125 Fleet Street. The events themselves come from a barbecue business, the Chamber of Commerce, a farmers market manager in her first season, and an arts nonprofit founded in 2004. Once you know which group runs which event, you know where to look for news about it.
The Dates Between Now and December 5
- Saturdays through mid-November: Scottsville Farmers Market at the Pavilion, 125 Fleet Street, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Saturday, October 17: River Bend Wine Fest at Canal Basin Square, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Saturday market and a free Italian Community Dinner at Scottsville Methodist Church are on the Town calendar for the same day.
- Friday, October 30: Halloween Special with the James Tamelcoff Band at Canal Basin Square, 5 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, December 5: Holiday on the James downtown, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the tree illumination at 6 p.m.
A Barbecue Business Books the Bands
Fridays on the Canal was founded by Ben and Jacqueline Rullman, owners of Mr. Z's BBQ, and they still organize it with the Scottsville Chamber of Commerce. The series' own site says it is "created, produced, and sustained through volunteer effort, local sponsors, and community support." The Town's role, by that same account, is to provide Canal Basin Square, the public facilities and municipal support. Mr. Z's BBQ is listed in the Town directory at 179 James River Road.
The 2026 summer series ran on the fourth Friday of each month:
- May 29: James Tamelcoff Band
- June 26: Cherry Red Band
- July 24: Cody Purvis Band
- August 28: Drew Pace Band
- September 25: Valley Street Drifters
The October 30 date falls outside that pattern. It is the fifth Friday of the month, after the summer season ended, and it brings back the James Tamelcoff Band, who opened the series in May. The organizers call the series a free summer concert series. The Halloween show is different: it has its own event page, which says tickets are not yet on sale and that more details are coming. If you're planning that evening, check the Fridays on the Canal site closer to the date.
The times on the Town page and the series site don't match. The Town page lists the concerts at 6 to 9 p.m. The organizers' event pages list 5 to 8 p.m., and the Halloween show is set for 5 to 8 p.m. as well. When the two disagree, go by the organizers.
The Market's First Fall Under Kathie Boyce
The Saturday market started 2026 with a new manager. Scottsville News reported that opening day at the Pavilion drew 30 vendors this spring, and that the middle of the market had been expanded and divided to make room for more. "It's like a little family," Kathie Boyce told the paper. "We want to create a very warm, welcoming atmosphere for everyone to enjoy."
Three details from that report still apply now. Dogs are welcome again. The market is still taking new vendors, as long as they sell handcrafted or homemade items. And sign-ups go to Boyce at [email protected]. Some vendors commit for the full season and others rotate, so the lineup on a late-October Saturday may not match the one from opening day.
Scottsville News describes the season as April through mid-November. The Town's market page simply says April through November. The Town calendar lists the market every Saturday in October: the 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st.
October 17 Brings Three Groups Downtown on One Saturday
On October 17, the market, the wine festival and a church supper share the same day and the same few blocks. The Town calendar lists the market at 9 a.m., River Bend Wine Fest from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 249 Main Street, and the free Italian Community Dinner at Scottsville Methodist Church. Each comes from a different group, and all three end up downtown.
The festival's ticket page lists an early-bird ticket for its Saturday, October 17 date at $25, though the page doesn't print a year. The ticket includes tastings from participating wineries, a commemorative glass, live music and local vendors. The early-bird label suggests the price may change before the day, so check the River Bend Wine Fest site for current pricing.
Two wineries are listed in the Town directory as local to Scottsville: Hardware Hills at 5199 West River Road and Muddy Paws Winery at 2640 Rock Island Road. The festival's 2026 winery list didn't load in our research, so we can't confirm which wineries will be pouring.
Victory Hall Carries the Arts Side
SCAN, the Scottsville Center for the Arts and the Natural Environment, is a nonprofit founded in 2004 to offer performing arts, visual arts, music and nature programming. It runs Victory Hall Theater, home of the Victory Hall Players. The hall is also rented out for performances, markets, meetings, weddings and retreats.
SCAN's fall schedule includes gallery exhibitions with First Friday openings, classes, and "Love Notes," a storytelling performance scheduled for October 2 through 4. The SCAN site has the current calendar and covers the indoor programming that the outdoor events at the canal and the Pavilion don't.
SCAN also takes part in the holidays. Scottsville News described the 2024 SCAN Holiday Arts Market as a SCAN program run in partnership with the Town and the Scottsville Community Chamber. This year the SCAN Indoor Art Market is back at Victory Hall as part of Holiday on the James.
December 5 Brings Everyone to the Same Few Blocks
Holiday on the James combines most of the season's organizers in one day. Admission is free, and events run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event site sets out the day in four parts:
- Morning on Valley Street: garland on the lampposts, wreaths on the doors, and storefront windows decorated by downtown businesses.
- Midday at the markets: the Mistletoe Market at the Pavilion and the SCAN Indoor Art Market at Victory Hall, a short walk apart. Both open at 10 a.m.
- Afternoon at Canal Basin Square: food and activities, with cocoa or mulled wine.
- Evening: the Christmas Tree Illumination with Santa at Canal Basin Square at 6 p.m.
A Holiday Passport connects the stops. You collect stamps at participating shops, markets and other locations between Valley Street and Canal Basin Square. The site says pickup locations and prize details will be announced later. The site does not name an overall organizer. That fits the rest of the fall: the Town's annual-events list includes the day, and the work itself is shared among several groups.
Where the Rest of the Weekend Happens
Between events, the Town's directory lists the places that fill out a Saturday downtown:
- Coffee and sweets: Baine's Coffee & Books and Baked on the James
- Restaurants: Amici's Italian Bistro, Red Rose Pub and Tavern on the James
- A brewery and a food truck at one address: James River Brewery and the Sunrise Tostada food truck, both at 561 Valley Street
- Food trucks: Cousin's Lobster, Luv'n Oven chicken at Irish Road and Route 6, and T&M at Valley and Main
- Wineries a short drive away: Blenheim Vineyards, Eastwood Farm & Winery on Scottsville Road, Gabriele Rausse Winery, and the Mount Ida Reserve Tasting Room & Taphouse
If you want to help put on next year's calendar, the Town's own page names the contact: the town office at 434.286.9267.
At Denise Ramey Real Estate, we keep up with what's happening along Valley Street, at the Pavilion and at Canal Basin Square because it matters to the people we work with. If you're thinking about a home within walking distance of these events, or about selling one, our team can talk through how the area works on market Saturdays and festival weekends. Contact Us.
