When it comes to outdoor family fun, the Anthem GO Outside Festival (or simply GO Fest) is the premier event in the region. Every October, this celebration of the outdoors transforms Elmwood Park with professional stunt shows, adventure races, big outdoor brands, and unique entertainment. Plus, the Adventure Outpost at Explore Park offers camping, hands-on adventures, the Member One Ultimate Air Dog show, music, and more. If all that isn’t enough, Elmwood Park and Explore Park both have playgrounds onsite! It’s no wonder GO Fest has been recognized as a top “Family Friendly Festival” by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine for years!
Ready to dive in? Here is our essential Parents’ Guide to making the most of your GO Fest experience!
The Anthem GO Outside Festival is
October 17-19, 2025
Get Inspired
Prepare to be amazed! GO Fest is packed with thrilling pro stunt shows that will delight your whole family.
- Timberworks Lumberjack Show: These professional lumberjacks will have you on the edge of your seat with competitions like speed sawing, ax throwing, pole climbing, and the famous log rolling!
- ProTown BMX presented by Gentry Locke: Watch these BMX riders launch off huge ramps, performing gravity-defying flips and tricks. Children of all ages are certain to love the spectacle, and it might just make you feel like a kid again! BONUS: This year, BMX and X-games legend Ryan Nyquist will be there!
- Highline Slackline Show: Witness incredible feats of balance and bravery with professional highliners (including a world champion) high above the ground at Holton Plaza.
For even more action, don’t miss Friday night’s Mountainfilm on Tour presented locally by Mast General Store! This curated selection of films highlights professional outdoor athletes tackling some of the world’s most epic adventures on the big screen.
Get Busy
At GO Fest, we don’t let the pros have all the fun. Dive into the action with us!
- Bikes, Bikes, Bikes! Visit the Kids’ Bike Zone at Elmwood Park to pedal the course and even get a chance to try a bike race with WeeWheel Roanoke. At the Explore Park Adventure Outpost, Cardinal Bicycle is holding a Bike Box Derby!
- Slackline with the best of them. Seriously, the highline pro’s will be joining us on the ground for slackline demos! Let the experts teach you everything they know.
- Get Inside… a cave, that is! The CaveSim mobile cave backed by the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias is a spectacular way to experience wild caving without having to leave the fun of the festival!
- Reach New Heights: Visit the climbing wall for an opportunity to show off your climbing skills!
- Get Your Feet Wet: The Botetourt County Parks and Rec Paddle Zone is THE place to be for future paddlers! Try out a new watercraft and float off into the sunset.
If that’s not enough, enjoy a little time in the Camp Bethel Kids’ Zone, offering nature-based play for our youngest GO Fest attendees. With a big circus tent for shade and a beer garden, parents are sure to enjoy this area as well!
But wait, there’s more! Try out archery with Shrewd Outdoors, throw a disc at Explore Park, meet & greet with the newest animals of Mill Mountain Zoo, build a LEGO derby car, go on a scavenger hunt, take in a performance of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and SO MUCH MORE! See the full Anthem GO Outside Festival schedule here to plan your weekend!
