Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Downtown Mall!
Join us in celebrating 50 years of the heart of Charlottesville with a community lantern parade, light show, and more!
July 3rd, 2026 marks 50 years since the Downtown Mall opened, as part of a movement of pedestrianizing Main Streets around the United States in the 1970s. Since then, most have closed in the intervening decades with only a few remaining as places where communities can come together to shop, dine, create, and enjoy. We hope you can join us in celebrating 50 years.
Schedule of Events
10:00 AM - Tour of Downtown Mall by Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society
12:00 PM & 2:00 PM - Tour of "Then and Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s" at the Vault Virginia
4:00 PM - Mall Birthday Party with FREE ice cream & entertainment (Central Place)
5:30 PM - Baaba Seth Show at Friday's After Five (Ting Pavilion)
8:30 PM - Meet for the Lantern Parade leaving from Ting Pavilion, led by the Elby Brass Band
9:00 PM - 50th Light Show on the Code Building
Downtown Lantern Parade
The lantern parade will follow a route down the Downtown Mall led by the Elby Brass Band, starting from the Ting Pavilion at 8:30pm. Bring your own lantern or there will be a limited number available on site. Want to make a lantern? Find inspirations and tutorials on our Pinterest here and make one at home or join one of our lantern workshops led by local artists Miranda Elliot-Rader, Melissa Goldman, Annie Temmink, and the Raging Buffalo Glass Studio here. No pets, fire, or candle-lit lanterns please.
Lantern Workshops
Throughout May and June, several ticketed and free family friendly workshops will be held at partnering locations on the Downtown Mall. Participants will be able to choose from a variety of example designs or make their own at these workshops. All materials will be provided so just bring your creativity! Learn more and sign up here. Or want to make a lantern at home? Check out our Pinterest profile and find inspiration and tutorials here.
Then and Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s
Take a look back at what the City of Charlottesville was like 50 years ago, in the 1970s at the Vault Virginia (300 E Main St).
Curated by the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, this exhibition features 10 portraits by local artist and activist Frances Brand. These portraits are part of Brand’s “Gallery of Firsts,” a collection she created of over 150 paintings of local pioneers. The portraits on display – celebrating local figures like Charles Barbour, Eugene Williams, and Nancy O’Brien – represent an important vision for the future of the City of Charlottesville that many others held in the 1970s.
Supported by historic photographs, newspaper articles, and additional images, this exhibition explores how civic leadership, social activism, and community engagement shaped the decade. Learn more and how to take a guided tour of the exhibit HERE.
Cville Bricks: Build an Iconic Downtown Mall Fixture!
Hosted by Charlottesville Parks and Recreation, celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall with creativity, imagination, and LEGO bricks.
Participants ages 8 and up are invited to design and build their own original LEGO creation inspired by the Downtown Mall. Recreate your favorite landmark, imagine a future addition, or build something that captures what makes this space special to you.
Entries will be displayed for the community to enjoy, and the public will vote for their favorites throughout July. Winners will be selected in each age category, along with one Grand Prize winner chosen by a panel of judges. Winning builds will be featured during our Cville Bricks LEGO Event at Carver Recreation Center. Learn more and enter here.