Appalachian Trail Days Festival
​Damascus, Virginia

Mark your calendar for next year, ​May 16-18, 2025!
The Appalachian Trail Days Festival is the biggest event of the year in Damascus and the world's largest celebration of the Appalachian Trail and hiker culture! Each year in May, the town swells to an estimated 25,000 people for the festival. You can expect a grand reunion of thru-hikers past and present, over a hundred vendors of handmade goods and some of the best outdoor gear in the industry, a packed schedule of live music and events, and a large crowd of trail supporters and hiking enthusiasts.

​Trail Days is always the weekend after Mother's Day. The Town-wide Yard Sale is always the weekend before Trail Days. Trail Days is free to attend, with a fee for overnight camping at Tent City.

Voted #3 Best Quirky Festival by readers of Blue Ridge Country Magazine in Summer 2023
Interested in coming to Trail Days as a vendor or performer? Get on the waitlist:
Thank you to our 2024 title sponsor, Hyperlite Mountain Gear! 
See all Trail Days sponsors and vendors here:

Trail Days Festival Guide

Check it out! The 2024 Festival Guide is ready:​
The Festival Guide is your one-stop shop for all things Trail Days. Print copies are available at Town Hall and local businesses, as well as the Town Info Tent from Thursday to Sunday during the event.
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Inside: event schedule, music lineup, sponsors, local info, and more!
Town Information Tent
Located by the stage in the Town Park
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Stop by for the festival guide, local information, lost and found items, and official Trail Days merchandise (t-shirts, collectors coins, bandanas, neck gaiters, stickers, patches, and more). Official Trail Days t-shirts usually sell out by the end of the weekend, so stop by early!​
​First Aid Station
Located by the stage in the Town Park

​Provided by VHCC Nursing Program Students and H2 Health. Stop by for basic first aid needs. If the First Aid Station has closed for the day, first aid supplies will be available at the Town Information Tent. In case of emergency, call 911.

The Trail Days 2024 tees are here!

Official Trail Days tees and other merch can be found at the Town Information Tent by the gazebo in the Town Park, from Thursday to Sunday during Trail Days, while supplies last. T-shirts are available for pre-sale locally at Damascus Town Hall and by ordering online at VisitDamascus.org/merch.
The 2024 design is by Jackie "Flo" Sidor, winner of the Trail Days T-Shirt Design Contest.

Event Information

General Info​
  • Live Music: There are FREE concerts at the Town Park Stage all weekend. Bring your own lawn/camping chair or picnic blanket and stay awhile.
  • Alcohol is prohibited at the Town Park, hiker parade, and in all other public spaces. Attendees may drink responsibly in designated areas. 
  • Depending on your cell phone carrier, you may have limited service in Damascus. Verizon and T-Mobile tend to be the most reliable.
  • ATM locations: Bank of Damascus, Cowboys, Country Corner, and Food City. 
  • Tent Camping: Residents and businesses may allow up to ten (10) tents on their property. Tents are permitted within town limits during Trail Days ONLY from Wednesday to Monday. Property owners must obtain a free land use permit from Town Hall in advance. ​Tents are also permitted on the following holiday weekends: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day.
  • Content Creators: Pick up your Trail Days media kit and talking points at the Town Info Tent!
  • ​Please share your Trail Days photos with us! On Facebook and Instagram, use hashtags #TrailDays and #VisitDamascus or tag the town pages.
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Public Parking & Shuttles
There is FREE public parking along the Town Park and throughout downtown. Learn more about general town parking here. ​NOTE: Parking in the Wilson Street lot between May 1 and the end of the annual Appalachian Trail Days event (usually around May 20) is not permitted and vehicles may be towed.
  • Paid parking is available by Tent City at 1011 S Shady Ave, Damascus VA 24236. Parking is $20 per car for the weekend, CASH ONLY.​
  • The public parking areas in Damascus cannot accommodate oversized vehicles, trailers, RVs, or campers during Trail Days. This includes Tent City, the Town Park, downtown, and the long-term lots.
  • The town of Damascus is highly walk-able and bike-able. Once you find a place to park, we recommend that you travel by foot, bike, and/or shuttle as much as possible. If you are staying in town overnight, please try to leave your vehicle at your lodging.
  • Please be considerate of our residents. Do not park on private property unless you have permission from the landowner.
  • Free Event Shuttle: The 2024 shuttle is provided by People Inc. Use the free shuttle to get around Trail Days! Shuttle stops are shown on the centerfold map and marked with yard signs around town. Shuttle hours are Thursday 1-5pm, Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, and Sunday 10am-5pm.
  • Trail Days Ride Board: To request or offer a ride to or from Trail Days, post in the Trail Days Ride Board group on Facebook. In addition, the Damascus Trail Center will have an in-person ride board to post offers and requests. 
  • Hiker Shuttles to/from Damascus: The Trail Days Ministry Team offers free shuttles north and south to Erwin, TN and Bland, VA on Sunday afternoon; sign up in advance at One Way Ministries. Mountain Lynx Transit will provide a free shuttle to hikers to the Pat Jennings Visitor Center on Monday morning; sign up in advance at the Damascus Trail Center. Many commercial hiker shuttles provide service to/from Trail Days as well. The Town of Damascus and Appalachian Trail Days Festival assume no liability for transportation.

Camping at Tent City
  • Tent City is located at 1011 S Shady Ave, Damascus VA 24236.
  • Tent City is a large walk-in camping area provided by the Town of Damascus during Trail Days. There are no advance reservations and camping is first come, first served. There are restrooms and portajohns nearby. Free firewood is provided.
  • An entrance fee is required to enter Tent City, whether you are camping or not. Tent City wristbands are good for the entire weekend and cost $20 per person on Thursday, $15 on Friday, and $10 on Saturday.
  • Tent City is CASH ONLY or payment by QR code. For QR code payment: There will also be an option to pay at the gate via Square QR code. A processing fee of $1 per wristband will apply. This option is only available if you have cellphone service and can show proof of receipt at the gate.
  • Tent City opens for camping and parking at 9am on Thursday and closes at 12pm on Monday. If you try to arrive early or stay late, you will be asked to leave the premises immediately. 
  • Weekend parking on-site is $20 per car, CASH ONLY. No vehicles may be taken into the camping area. There is a $200 fine for vehicles driven onto the multipurpose field.
  • Tent city is pet-friendly for friendly pets. Please keep pets on a leash and clean up any waste.
  • Town-wide quiet hours begin at midnight on Friday and 1am on Saturday. No exceptions. 

Manufacturer Rep Area by Tent City
  • Free Gear Repairs at the Manufacturer Rep Area by the Tent City from Thursday to Saturday. Reps are on-site to assist hikers with gear repairs, expert fitting, advice, and other specialized services to the AT Community. Any brand -- any item. We hope you'll take advantage of this FREE service, but even if you don't need anything repaired, stop by and thank them for what they do!
  • The following gear manufacturers are represented in 2024: Asolo, Big Agnes (Section Hiker Sponsor), Cascade Designs, Crazy Creek, Etowah Outfitters, Gregory Mountain Products, LEKI, NEMO Equipment, Oboz, and Osprey (Thru-Hiker Sponsor).
  • Be sure to stop in and thank these folks for volunteering their time and expertise!

Saturday Hiker Parade 
  • The parade is at 2pm. Parade line-up is at 1:30pm in front of Sundog Outfitter. The parade ends at Town Park.
  • Water balloons are not allowed but super soakers are very much encouraged! The Town expects participants to use caution and common sense.
  • Do not spray water on anyone preceding the hikers, to include those in uniform such as the Honor Guard and Police. Do not spray water on other parade participants such as trail maintenance clubs, beauty pageant queens, scout troops, etc...unless they have a super soaker too!
  • Alcohol is prohibited in the Town Park, hiker parade, and other public spaces. Attendees may drink responsibly in designated areas. 
  • Following the Hiker Parade is the Trail Days Auction at 3pm, and then the Hiker Talent Show at 4pm! Both are located at the Gazebo in the Town Park.
By attending the Appalachian Trail Days Festival, you consent to the use of any photos, videos, recordings, or any other record of this event with you in it for any legitimate purpose, including by the Town of Damascus, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and other organization partners.

​The Trail Days Planning Committee is staffed by at least one Town Council member, one town employee, and volunteers. The Chair of the Trail Days Committee is Councilman Beaty Jackson. Contact the committee chair or Town Hall to get involved.