No Joke–There’s TOO Much to Do This April Fools Day

There are no jokes when it comes to all the events happening in the area on April 1st! Spring is here, and it’s time for all our outdoor adventurers to emerge from the dark depths of the sofa. This coming weekend is the beginning of Earth Month, and what better way to thank her than by showing her a little love and a boat load of activities for everyone? Whether you’re the hardcore, sleep outside, outdoorsy type, or the “I like to drink on my front porch” type, there’s something for everyone.

Clean Valley Day

Let’s kick off the weekend with Clean Valley Day. What is Clean Valley Day, you ask? It’s a volunteer opportunity that promotes respect and care for the incredible community that we share. So, grab your family, friends, co-workers, sports team, church groups, or just yourself and then pick a spot! You can choose a park, a greenway, roadside, waterway, playground, your own neighborhood, or anywhere that needs a little love. All volunteers will be given gloves and trash bags to pick up litter and help make it a cleaner and healthier place for your fellow humans and wildlife.  

Take a Little Run Up Mill Mountain

Now that we’ve all done a little bit to make Mother Earth more beautiful, let’s enjoy all her glory with some of these fun activities.

Start your day with a run! The Mill Mountain Mayhem 10K starts at 9am. It was voted one of the most loved (and the most hated) Mountain Junkies races. This event is the perfect opportunity to train on Roanoke’s favorite mountain to prep for the Blue Ridge Marathon! You know the views are worth it.

Explore Park Happenings

Prefer to go a little slower but still get the views? Head over to Explore Park and join the Women’s Naturalist Hike. These hikes are held on the second Saturday of each month and are led by members of the Roanoke Valley Master Naturalists. Go get your hike on, ladies!

This is also the opening weekend for Explore Park, and it is filled with adventure for the whole family all weekend long. Activities include Treetop Quest opening, Roanoke River Clean-up event, a scavenger hunt, nature crafts, and more. The Twin Creeks Brewpub will also be open for those front-porch-sippin types. 

Natural Bridge Kids Fishing Day

This one is for the young adventure seekers! Natural Bridge State Park is having a Kids Fishing Day. Kids 12 and under get free admission and can fish for free. Cedar Creek will be stocked with rainbow trout, and the kids can keep up to six fish. The park will have staff and volunteers on hand to help teach how to fish. 

Group Bike Rides at Cardinal Bikes

There are lots of options for our cyclists this weekend. Start your morning off with some breakfast at Cardinal Bicycle Grandin and join the “But First, Coffee Road Ride” group. This is a no-drop group, but they ask participants to be able to maintain a ~15mph pace.

Cardinal Bicycle will also have a “Gravel and Grinds” group. This is a 30 to 45-mile, drop bar adventure ride that will take you through a mixture of road, gravel, and singletrack. 

Jam Out at 5Points

To close out your adventure-filled day, head over to 5 Points Music Sanctuary to hear SKYDOG- A tribute to the Allman Brothers Band. They’ll be sure to provide a rowdy evening of great music and even greater times.  

Y’all came to play this April Fools, so much so that we just had to compile all these rad outdoor events in one place! Whether you’re a runner, hiker, biker, or just love the beauty of the Roanoke Region, there are plenty of ways to get outside this weekend and enjoy all that our community has to offer. How will you celebrate April Fools Day outside? Be sure to tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can share your adventures!