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RICHMOND, Va. - Highlights of outdoor events and festivals in 2013 range from celebrating mountain biking in Virginia, the largest outdoor sports and music festival in the United States, fee free days at Virginia National Parks and special events encouraging families to spend more time outdoors. Below is a selection of outdoor festivals and events in Virginia, with more at www.Virginia.org/outdoors.  

National Park Fee Free Days in 2013: Visit Virginia's National Parks for free on these free entrance days:

• January 21; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• April 22-26; National Park Week
• August 25; National Park Service Birthday
• September 28; National Public Lands Day
• November 9-11; Veterans Day weekend

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Birding Festival - Suffolk, April 25-27, 2013

This annual festival falls during the height of the spring Neotropical songbird migration. Enjoy guided bird walks, owl prowls, bus tours and photography workshops.  

Tour of Page County - Page County, April 27-28

The Tour of Page County is a stage race, which is a competition consisting of several races (or stages) in which athletes strive for the best combined overall time - a sort of miniature Tour de France.  This event combines the "Hooray for Luray Road Race" on Saturday with Luray Caverns Time Trial on Sunday morning and the Downtown Luray Criterium on Sunday afternoon.  

Trail Days - Damascus - May 17, 2013

The world's greatest hiking festival takes place every spring in the quaint town of Damascus - known as Trail Town, USA. The celebration is a well-known Appalachian Trail thru-hikers reunion and ultimate party for more than 20,000 hiking enthusiasts. The festival features gear booths, lectures from footpath pioneers, live bands, a famed parade and plenty of outdoor play time. Reserving lodging early is recommended.  

International Migratory Bird Celebration - Chincoteague Island, May 11, 2013

Thousands of shorebirds feed and rest at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Fisherman Island during the spring migration. Take in workshops, lectures, bird walks, children's events, guided tours of Assateague Lighthouse.   Le

Tour de Shore - Onancock, May 11, 2013

Explore the Eastern Shore of Virginia Shore by bike on an 18, 55 or 75 mile route - each has rest stops with drinks, snacks and restrooms. This is a family event, with children welcome to participate.  

Dominion Riverrock Festival - Richmond, May 17-19, 2013

Drawing more than 65,000 spectators and 4,000 participants in 2012, Dominion Riverrock is an outdoor sports extravaganza in downtown Richmond and is now the largest outdoor sports and music festival in the United States. The festival is full of excitement with competitions in both freestyle and mountain biking, stand up paddleboards, bouldering, kayaking, slacklining and the popular James River Scramble Trail Run. Spectators enjoy the highflying Ultimate Air Dogs, food, live music with a national headliner, exhibits and more.    

Tour de Chesapeake Mathews Cycling Festival - Mathews, May 17-19 2013

Tour de Chesapeake is a family-friendly event located in Mathews County, on Virginia's Middle Peninsula.  

Montebello Spring Trail Ride - Montebello, May 24 - 26, 2013

Bring a horse and camping gear to this rural Blue Ridge community for a relaxing weekend of riding on beautiful mountain trails through Blue Ridge Mountain scenery.  

Virginia Mountain Bike Festival - Stokesville, May 24-27, 2013

The Virginia Mountain Bike Festival is an event celebrating mountain bicycling in the Virginia National Forests. The festival will feature fun events and great company on a glorious weekend at a private campground nestled against the George Washington National Forest. Many groups will be heading out on rides during the event, and everyone is invited to head out and enjoy the trails.   

Massanutten HOO-HA!  - Harrisonburg, June 8-9, 2013

Some of the best cycling talent from 23 states and Canada can be seen at the Massanutten HOO-HA!, a cross country (US Cup Triple Crown) race that celebrates 25 years in 2013. This race is one of the longest running mountain bike races in Virginia, and offers a clear example of Virginia Class, testing top mountain bikers with Super D, Short Track and XC tracks.  

Fat Tire Frenzy - Bedford, June 15, 2013

Mountain bikers will love to pedal Falling Creek Park's excellent 10-mile network of singletrack trails at this longstanding race in Bedford.  

Bike Virginia Tour - Shenandoah Valley, June 21-24, 2013

The destination for the 2013 tour is in the central Blue Ridge. See (by bike) the beauty of the great state of Virginia while biking from Rockbridge-Lexington-Buena Vista to Botetourt and around the Greater Roanoke Region.  

Floyd Fest - Floyd, July 25 - 28, 2013

Held each year adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Floyd Fest is the funkiest and most eclectic celebration of music, arts and outdoors in Virginia. 2013 performers will include The Lumineers, Yonder Mountain String Band, Citizen Cope, The John Butler Trio, Drive-By Truckers and many more. Between music sets, go by the outdoor adventures tent for ideas on local hikes, mountain bike trials, disc golf and paddling trips.  

Smith River Fest - Martinsville, August 10, 2013

Celebrate the amazing recreation opportunities on the river and within the region: paddling, hiking, biking, fishing and nature watching. A full day family fun includes a river race, fly-fishing demonstrations, live music, a kids' village and more.  

Fall Foliage Bike Festival - Staunton, October 18 - 20, 2013

The Fall Foliage Bike Festival is a weekend event where hundreds of cyclists, of all ages and abilities, gather to ride together and enjoy the beauty of fall in Staunton. With winding country roads, wonderful descents, quaint villages and picturesque farms, Staunton is sure to provide an unforgettable riding experience.  

Dam opening at Russel Fork - Haysi, every October

A tributary of the Big Sandy River, the Russell Fork is a scenic series of rapids, pools and tortuous twists. Four weekends in October Class III-V+ whitewater can be found as water is released from the John Flannagan Dam. Ability exists to run easier rapids or harder rapids without running the other. Kayakers or rafters will enjoy this intense river.  

Eastern Shore of Virginia Birding and Wildlife Festival - Cape Charles, October 11-13, 2013

The popular annual event features guided tours, boat trips, hikes, exhibits, workshops and more.  

The Festy - Nelson County, October 11-13, 2013

This festival in the fields surrounding Devils Backbone Brewery mixes music and outdoor sports. National acts, regional microbreweries samples and crisp countryside camping in early fall combined with mountain bike and trail run races and clinics make this a great fall festival.  

Go Outside Festival Roanoke - October 18-20, 2013

The Roanoke GO Outside Festival is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor recreation. By combining the things outdoor enthusiasts love - camping, music, gear, races, demos and a beautiful outdoor setting - GO Fest is a celebration of everything outdoors.  

Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation.  Go to www.Virginia.org\outdoors  or call 1-800-VISITVA to request a free copy of the 2013 Virginia is for Lovers travel guide.  Stay connected with Virginia on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers or on Twitter at @VisitVirginia.

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