#1 4th of July Fireworks in McIntire Park

There are two places in the country that must always celebrate the 4th of July - Philadelphia and Charlottesville. In the shadow of Thomas Jefferson's home, Charlottesville hosts a fantastic 4th of July Festival at McIntire Park. The show is put on by the all-volunteer Save the Fireworks Foundation and up to 25,000 people enjoy the spectacular fireworks display each year. 

#2 Albemarle County Fair

Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of agriculture and the Albemarle County Fair is a great celebration of his emphasis on placing your hands in the earth. The Albemarle Fair is similar to other fairs around the country, but Albemarle has a great story to tell. Throw in a funnel cake, some cotton candy, and carnival rides and you have a great time for the entire family. 

#3 Bodo's Bagels

The number one thing people miss when they move away from Charlottesville is Bodo's Bagels. Eating at Bodo's is an experience. At peak times, there is always a line that moves amazingly quickly. Breakfast and lunch are both very popular and the price is also a hit with students and townsfolk. 

#4 Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS) is an all-volunteer service that serves the City of Charlottesville, half of Albemarle County, and the University of Virginia. With 160 volunteers they run 16,000 calls each year, which earned them the title of the busiest volunteer rescue squad in the country. Funding for CARS comes primarily from donations, making CARS a special community service. 

#5 Carter's Mountain

If you want a stunning view of the Charlottesville area, historic Carter's Mountain is the place to go. There are many reasons to visit Carter's Mountain, but the best is the Apple Harvest Festival. Plan a few hours for this trip, because there is only one windy road in and one road out. The cider, fritters, fresh apples, and pumpkins make the trip enjoyable, but the views are worth the trip. At other times of the year you can pick peaches and nectarines. 

#6 Charitable Giving

It is no secret that there is a lot of money in Charlottesville, or that locals are very generous in their support of local non-profit programs. There are two special Charlottesville twists to philanthropy that are notable. First, we have the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) that serves as a master foundation for many of the local funds. With only a small minimum deposit, anyone can start a charitable giving fund and have the strength of CACF behind it. There are many large and small funds held by CACF, but the most recognized is theBama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band. Bama Works has given millions of dollars over the years to support local activities that better the community. 

#7 Charlottesville Radio Group

Radio is big in Charlottesville. We seem to have a bunch of good radio stations for a small community and most of those stations are part of the Charlottesville Radio Group. The main station in the Group is WINA, which features news and talk and is the flagship station for U.Va. sports. Music, news, talk, and sports are nice, but the real great thing about the Charlottesville Radio Group is that they are very supportive of the community. From Plug Away Monday, where callers are allowed to promote their non-profit organization, to partnerships with many charity events, the Radio Group is a great corporate citizen. 

#8 Charlottesville Tomorrow

Civic engagement is a tradition in the Charlottesville area. Public hearings often draw huge crowds. In 2005, a non-partisan organization called Charlottesville Tomorrow was formed to help inform the public of things going on in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Charlottesville Tomorrow uses new media tools to bring a massive amount of information to local residents in a simple and convenient format. You can listen to a podcast of a City Council meeting or read the blog about the latest emotional public hearing. 

#9 Christian's Pizza & Crozet Pizza

If you are looking for a unique pizza experience, Charlottesville has two legendary places to take care of you. At Christian's Pizza, you wait in line (often out the front door on a busy night) to select slices of exotic pizzas that are prepped in advance. You order a couple slices with fancy toppings and they cook them for you while you wait in line to pay. That may not sound good to the uninitiated, but once you've tasted the pizza, you're hooked. 

The other Charlottesville pizza experience you should try is Crozet Pizza. Since 1977, Crozet Pizza has been hand-making their pizza and people use to call-in days in advance to reserve oven space because demand was so high. 

#10 Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport

If you are from the Charlottesville area, you laugh when you read the standard airport warning to get there two hours before your flight. If you did arrive that early at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), you'd have about an hour and 45 minutes to read a book while waiting for your flight. Sure, we have to fly small planes with propellers and there are very few direct flights, but it beats wasting an hour of your life going through check-in and security in a large airport. At least one of John Grisham's books, "The Summons," features CHO and you might just run into the famous author on a flight to Dulles. 

#11 Craft Shows

There are several very talented local artisans in and around Charlottesville. We also have several craft shows, with the two best being Martha's Market and Crozet Arts and Craft Festival. Martha's Market, which started in 1994 and is generally held in October, is a fundraiser for the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation to support women's health care issues. The 70 vendors at the Market contribute 15% of their proceeds to the charity. The Crozet Festival is held twice a year (May and October) and features 120 exhibits under large tents in Crozet Park. 

#12 Dogwood Festival

Originally named the Apple Harvest Festival when it started back in 1950, the event was moved to April and renamed the Dogwood Festival in 1958. This multifaceted event is highlighted by a parade, fair rides, and fireworks. There is a little something for everyone at the Dogwood Festival. 

#13 Downtown Mall

The heart of Charlottesville has to be the historic Downtown Mall. It is where people of all ages go, hangout, eat, drink, and be merry. At one end of the Mall is the Ice Park, where you can play hockey or free skate and at the other end is the Pavilion, where many great concerts are held. In the middle is the Paramount Theater and great restaurants, many with outdoor dining. On a Friday night in the summer, you can barely walk down the street because so many people are strolling the Mall. This is a special place in a special city. 

#14 First Fridays

On the First Friday of each month, art is front and center on the Charlottesville scene. Several downtown art galleries hold open houses and serve wine, snacks, and fun. You can walk from gallery to gallery and see local and nationally recognized works. To finish off a great evening, stop in for dessert at one of the many local restaurants on the Downtown Mall. 

#15 First Night© Virginia

On December 31, Charlottesville celebrates First Night Virginia along with 130 other cities around the world. Our First Night is the second-oldest and features 75 different performances in 24 different venues, all in one night. This great community event is family friendly and a great way to welcome in the New Year.