Blue Ridge Music Center

Are you seeking a family-friendly, fun, entertaining attraction jam-packed with music, history, hiking trails, and concerts? Then look no further than the Blue Ridge Music Center off mile marker 213 and in Galax.

This celebrated venue, which includes a museum and free concerts from spring through fall, pays tribute to the musical heritage of the Appalachian area. 

The U.S. Congress created the Blue Ridge Music Center in 1985. It is operated by the National Park Service and a beacon for those wanting to explore the roots of American folk and bluegrass music.

The 2,300-square-foot Museum offers an immersive musical journey through time. Moreover, you can learn about the instruments and musicians who impacted this grass-roots music. Discovering a musical connection between Western Africa and Ireland is eye-opening and exciting. 

The Blue Ridge Music Center’s biggest draw is the outdoor amphitheater, which offers ticketed concerts. The stage sits at the base of Fisher Peak, with a raised grassy area for visitors to sprawl out on blankets or sit in lawn chairs and enjoy the music. 

If you want the complete musical experience Galax offers, combine a daytime visit to the Blue Ridge Music Center with an evening concert at the iconic Rex Theater.  

Blue Ridge Music Center: Fun Facts & Cool Features

The free activities available make this Blue Ridge Parkway vacation attraction additionally appealing. Touring the Museum with countless displays, interactive areas, recordings, and videos will deepen your appreciation for this music genre and the people who pioneered it. 

At the Visitor Center, you can explore the gift shop for souvenirs and gifts and ask the rangers for tips and insights about the Blue Ridge Parkway. You’ll also have the opportunity to hike two trails, like the High Meadow Trail, which is 1.35 miles one way. The path takes you through a wetland and a meadow, each with rewarding scenery, wildlife, and vegetation.

Free concerts at several venues are a must. Midday Mountain Music is on the covered breezeway from 12 to 3 p.m., featuring local musicians sharing stories and their love for Americana music. Milepost Music offers rotating free concerts at key locations along the Parkway, like Mabry Mill. 

The most notable music events are the ticketed concerts at the outdoor amphitheater, where natural acoustics and a serene environment make every performance memorable. When the sun sets, the amphitheater comes alive with the sounds of fiddles, banjos, and guitars, magically connecting acoustic music with listeners, ensuring everyone leaves smiling and humming melodies.

While the Blue Ridge Music Center sells food during these events, many concertgoers bring meals from local restaurants like The Galax Smokehouse for a picnic during the concert. 

Even if your kids are not interested in music, the grassy hill is the perfect playground for rolling downhill or dancing carefree to the music.

On your Virginia getaway, visiting the Blue Ridge Music Center is the perfect family activity for mountain music, family fun, and toe-tapping good times. 

Getting There

Here are step-by-step driving directions to Blue Ridge Music Center from Hillsville:

• Start on US-58 E/Carrollton Pike from S Main St.
• Merge onto I-77 N toward I-81.
• Take exit 14 for US-58 E toward Hillsville/Galax.
• Continue on US-58 E for approximately 14 miles.
• Turn left onto Blue Ridge Pkwy (signs for Parkway entrance), and continue for about 5 miles.
• Address: 700 Foothills Rd, Galax, VA 24333.

Cost

The only costs of visiting the Blue Ridge Music Center are the summer amphitheater concerts. Here are a sample of ticket prices:

• Adults: $20-40
• Children (12 and under): Free unless stated otherwise

Prices are subject to change; check their website for updates.