More Than 40,000 People Expected to Attend GO Fest This Weekend

The three-day outdoors festival opens Friday at 6 p.m. and wraps up Sunday.

Festival-goers can try, watch, and race in more than 100 different adventure activities at the Anthem GO Outside Festival this weekend at Rivers Edge in Roanoke. Admission is free during the three-day event, Oct. 18-20.

What’s unique about GO Fest is that it is not an ordinary sit-in-your-seat kind of event; it is designed to encourage participation and involvement. Walk around in the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, participate in races and challenges, touch and try out gear, sample food and drink, listen and dance to live music, and have fun.

There will be more than 150 vendors on site, 20 food and snack trucks, eight beer/wine/cider vendors, and 10 bands performing throughout the weekend. Attendance this year is expected to top 40,000 people.

Quite honestly, the festival includes more activities than you can do in three days – camping, biking, paddling, races, fishing, climbing, and more. But you can certainly try. Test a new bike, pair of shoes, or even a SUP.

New events for 2019 include:
• Oyster Roast at the festival site on Saturday
• Cox Adventure Gym
• Pedicab rides
• Axe throwing competitions
• Human foosball games

The festival also has a new location on the south side of the Rivers Edge sports complex.
Please expect delays and watch for pedestrians if you are traveling near Rivers Edge on Jefferson Street, Franklin Road, Evans Mill Road, or Reserve Avenue. Wiley Drive and Edinburgh Street will be closed to traffic Thursday through Sunday.
Festival hours:

• Friday: 6 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

What began as a partnership between Roanoke Parks and Recreation and Roanoke Outside as a way to engage the outdoors community has evolved into one of the premier outdoor festivals in the country with more than 35,000 attendees in 2018.

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