Gordonsville will honor its fried chicken heritage Saturday as the Fried Chicken Festival returns to town in a new location.
In the 1840s, the Town of Gordonsville became a railroad stop, making it a spot for commerce. After the Civil War, Black women began pooling their culinary talents, preparing fried chicken and other favorites and selling them to passengers through the train windows. In time, tales of the women’s entrepreneurship spread and Gordonsville was declared the “Fried Chicken Capital of the Universe.” The Fried Chicken Festival honors that history.
Last year, the festival was cancelled due to standing water at the Gordonsville Fireman’s Fairgrounds, an issue that will be avoided this year as the festival has been relocated to the parking lots along Main Street including the lot behind town hall and the neighboring Partners 1st Federal Credit Union and Blue Ridge Bank lots. There will also be a site at 203 North Main Street.
“All of these locations are paved and more stable than grass, which means that the event will truly be able to take place rain or shine without anyone having to deal with sinking tents, mud or potentially hazardous conditions,” Gordonsville Visitor Center Director Anna Pillow said. “This year, the Fried Chicken Festival is back in a big way.”
In addition to craft and artisan vendors, area nonprofit and service organizations, Pillow said there will be 16 food vendors serving up an array of delicious dishes and sweets, and of course, fried chicken.
“We’ve advised them to expect anywhere between 1,500 and 3,000 visitors and they’ve been incredibly gracious in partnering with us to make this year’s festival fabulous,” she said. “Gordonsville is in for a tasty treat this weekend.”
Food vendors include Barbara’s Soul Food, Blue Ridge Cider Donuts, Carries Soul Food, Color Puff Candy, Coopers Cooking and Catering, Deziluis Sweetz, Dino’s Pizza and Grill, Frosty Softy Ice Cream, Funnel Cake Café, Gee’s Bavarian Cinnamon Glazed Nuts, Just Dogs and Catering, Lay’s Lemonade, Meme’s Treat Shop, Patty’s Pierogies, Smoke Shak, and Turner Gurlz Food.
Folks can also sample local wines in the wine garden. Four wineries will be on-site–Woodbrook Farm Vineyard, Hark Vineyards, Chestnut Oak Vineyard and Well Hung Vineyard. They will offer tastings and have wine available for purchase.
Those wanting to display their culinary talents can attempt to have their fried chicken or pies crowned the best in the respective contests. Entries in the two contests will be taken day of, closing at 12:30 p.m. for chicken and 1 p.m. for pies with a fee of $10 per chicken entry and $5 per pie entry. Fried chicken must be cooked on site. Prizes will be awarded to the top three chicken entries with the first place winner receiving $100, second place $75 and third place $50. Pies will be separated by category–fruit, cream or custard–with the first place winner in each receiving $75.
There will be no 5K Chicken Run this year, but Brushwood’s School of Dance will perform in the morning and The Singing Painter, Rachel Karpo, will perform in the afternoon.
Service animals are welcome, but pets are not permitted. The family-friendly festival is free to attend, but entry into the wine garden is $5 per person with only those ages 21 and up admitted. Parking will be available at Preddy’s Funeral Home, the Gordonsville Fire House and Food Lion with a free shuttle operated by Virginia Hop on Tours traveling between the fire house, Food Lion and town hall beginning at 10 a.m. The festival will be held Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a list of vendors, visit https://www.townofgordonsville.org/2025%20Fried%20Chicken%20Festival%20Vendor%20List.pdf?t=202509300945240.
For those looking to continue the festivities, two local businesses are jumping on board. Patch Brewing Company will be hosting an afterparty 3-9:30 p.m. with local food trucks, a funky chicken dance contest, a hot wing eating contest, chicken photo booth, cornhole, yard games and more. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/share/17SL9c1fhm/. The Gordonsville Ice House will have live music with the Waterfalls Band 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Donna and Her Guitar 6-8 p.m.
