John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival Returns Sept. 26
Live Piedmont blues at Eldon Farm honors Rappahannock's own legendary musician
The John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival returns to Eldon Farm at Clover Hill in Woodville on Saturday, September 26, 2026, an annual celebration honoring Rappahannock County native and Piedmont blues legend John Jackson through live performances and cultural activities. It's a single-day event, organized by a community coalition with Virginia Tech Extension, and it lands on the same Saturday as the county's larger Farm Tour weekend.
- Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
- Location: Eldon Farm at Clover Hill, Woodville, VA
- Format: Live Piedmont blues performances and cultural activities
- Organizer: Community Coalition / Virginia Tech Extension
Why John Jackson Matters Here
John Jackson grew up in Rappahannock County and became one of the defining voices of Piedmont blues, a fingerpicking guitar-and-vocal tradition rooted in this exact stretch of Virginia countryside. The festival at Eldon Farm keeps that lineage alive with live sets in a farm setting, drawing a mix of blues devotees and locals who simply want an afternoon outdoors under the trees at Clover Hill.
Because the festival shares its date with the Rappahannock County Farm Tour & Festival — the free, self-guided two-day tour of local farms, wineries, and artisanal producers running that same weekend — visitors have a natural excuse to make a full day of it, starting with farm stops and orchard visits before settling in for music in the afternoon.
What to Bring
Lawn chairs or a blanket are worth packing for an outdoor farm-field setting; check the festival's own channels closer to the date for a specific performer lineup and any admission details, as those specifics were not confirmed at publication.
Planning Your Visit
- Event: John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival
- Date: September 26, 2026 (Saturday)
- Location: Eldon Farm at Clover Hill, Woodville, VA
- Organizer: Community Coalition / Virginia Tech Extension
If you're making a full weekend of it, the county's back roads and farm stops are worth lingering over — and a stop at Laurel Mills Store in nearby Castleton for a sandwich or smoked ribs is a fitting way to bridge the drive between farm-tour stops and the music at Clover Hill.
Places in this story
Sources
Reporting drew on sources available for these places:
- Laurel Mills Store — venue signals
Frequently asked questions
When is the John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival in 2026?
The festival takes place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Eldon Farm at Clover Hill in Woodville, Virginia.
Who was John Jackson?
John Jackson was a Rappahannock County native and celebrated Piedmont blues musician; the festival honors his legacy through live performances and cultural programming.
Does the blues festival overlap with other events that weekend?
Yes, it falls on the same Saturday as the Rappahannock County Farm Tour & Festival, a free self-guided tour of local farms and wineries across the county.
Who organizes the festival?
It is organized by a local community coalition in partnership with Virginia Tech Extension.
This article was written from local venue data and reviewed by AI. Learn how we write these stories
Photo via Unsplash