Fall Arts and Crafts Show (September) and Riverfest (June)
During the first full weekend in June and the last full weekend in September, the Town hosts outdoor festivals in the streets of the Town’s Old and Historic District. These popular events draw thousands of people to Occoquan from throughout the region and have been a community staple for over fifty years.
During these event weekends, the streets of the Old and Historic District close to vehicular traffic and parking, with vendor booths lining the streets and the roads becoming pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares. As a result, people living and working within the Event Area are impacted by the road closures, parking restrictions, and high volume of visitors into the community. The information below is intended to provide helpful information on what to expect and options.
Visit the event page for information on the events.
What to Expect
During the two weekends of the year that the Occoquan festivals are held–the first weekend of June and the last weekend of September–vehicular access within the historic district is limited from Friday evening through Sunday evening. Certain roads will be closed to both vehicular movement and parking throughout the duration of the event and residents and businesses will not be able to exit or enter the exhibit area during that time in a vehicle. Thousands of visitors come to Occoquan over each two-day festival and as a result, the historic district is bustling with activity throughout the duration of the event.
Event Area
Generally, the Event Area is defined as:
- Commerce Street
- Mill Street
- Washington Street (Center Lane to Mill Street)
- Union Street (Center Lane to Mill Street)
- Ellicott Street (Center Lane to Mill Street)
If you live or work within the Event Area, you are eligible for a parking permit to park in the reserved parking lot located under the Route 123 Bridge off of Mill Street. One permit per household or business. First come, first served; space is limited. See below for more information.
Parking Permit and Shuttle Passes
On show weekends, streets within the Event Area are closed to vehicular traffic and parking beginning Friday evening through Sunday evening. If you live or work within the Event Area, you will not be able to drive your vehicle in and out while the show is open. In addition, on-street parking will be prohibited and the Town parking lots will be closed to general parking.
Due to the access restriction placed on our residents and businesses within the Event Area, the Town reserves the parking lot under the 123 bridge on Mill Street for parking by permit for residents and businesses within the Event Area from Friday through Sunday. This allows individuals to access their vehicles in this lot when roads are closed for the event and exit and enter the town using Poplar Lane.
Limited space is available and permits are issued on a first come, first serve basis. Only one permit per household or business located within the Event Area will be issued. Parking passes are usually available for pick up at Town Hall starting at 9 a.m. on the Tuesday before the event and available until all permits have been issued. Permits may not be reserved via email or by phone; in-person pick-up only. If you park in this lot without displaying a valid parking pass, your vehicle will be towed.
The Town contracts with a shuttle company to provide shuttle service to and from the event to three designated parking lots.
Parking is available in the shuttle lots and you can get a free pass to ride the shuttle for free during times the shuttle is operating. Generally, shuttle service will be available to residents, businesses, and vendors from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from the three shuttle stops. Shuttle passes are available at Town Hall.
Shuttle Stop Parking Lots:
- Green Shuttle Stop (drops off at Footbridge): Old Bridge & Route 123 Commuter Lot
- Yellow Shuttle Stop (drops off under Route 123 Bridge): Lorton Workhouse Arts Center
- Purple Shuttle Stop (drops off at Mom’s Apple Pie): Tackett’s Mill Commuter Lot
Street Closings to Traffic and Parking
On festival weekends, the following streets are closed from 8 am to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday: Mill, Commerce, Union, and Washington Streets, as well as Ellicott Street from Mill Street to Center Lane. Residents and businesses are asked to coordinate movers and deliveries accordingly.
In addition, vendors will begin arriving in Town on Friday evening and will be able to start setup starting at 8 pm, if their space is available on-street and it is safe to do so.
All impacted streets officially close at 2 am on Saturday morning. Any cars parked on-street and in town parking lots after this time will be towed.
Volunteer
Our festivals are only possible through the support of our many volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering any portion of time during Occoquan RiverFest in June, or the Fall Arts & Crafts Show in September, please contact Town Hall or stop by Town Hall and sign up! More info
Why Festivals?
The Town has held a craft show within the streets of the historic district for over fifty years. Over the years, as the shows have grown and evolved, and as the Occoquan community has also grown, the revenues generated from these events have gone to support capital improvements within the town, including addressing infrastructure needs, maintaining historic buildings, parks, and other, long-term, capital improvements. These events are critical to support our capital program, as well help keep local taxes low for residents.
Contact Us
Contact Town Staff at (703) 491-1918 or stop by Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, M-F, 9 am to 4 pm and we’ll be happy to assist.