CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA--(Marketwired - October 25, 2016) - The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau (CACVB) invites everyone to consider the Charlottesville, Virginia area for a late-fall getaway. With plenty of events and activities, the epicenter of Virginia offers a multitude of options for recreation and entertainment.

There is still time to partake in the celebrations surrounding Virginia Wine Month. There are more than 250 wineries across the beautiful state of Virginia, with a large concentration of them located within a 30-mile radius around Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Virginia Wine Month features a large number of wine-centric special events taking place daily! For more information and a calendar of events, visit www.virginiawine.org/october-wine-month. There is also still time to participate in Virginia Artisan Month in central Virginia. Visitors can travel the Monticello Artisan Trail which meanders through picturesque Albemarle & Nelson Counties with dozens of artisans featured along the way. For more information, visit www.artisanscenterofvirginia.org.

Back for the 29th consecutive year, the 2016 Virginia Film Festival returns to Charlottesville from November 3-6, highlighted by a diverse program featuring more than 120 films, and an impressive lineup of special guests including actress Shirley MacLaine, filmmaker Werner Herzog, actor-director Liv Ullmann, and Danny McBride of HBO's hit comedy Vice Principals. The 2016 Virginia Film Festival guest list will include up to 150 filmmakers representing the broad spectrum of cinema, from some of the most acclaimed titles on the current festival scene, to fascinating documentaries, timeless classics, and exciting new discoveries that cover some of the most important and widely-discussed topics in the world today. Family Day, set for Saturday, November 5 on the Betsy and John Casteen Arts Grounds at the University of Virginia, will feature screenings of James and the Giant Peach and Disney Animation Studio Shorts plus interactive arts workshops. For the complete VFF program, please visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

Beer aficionados are once again invited to gather at the Sprint Pavilion on Saturday, November 5^th for the 7^th edition of the popular Top of the Hops Beer Fest. Presented by Starr Hill Brewery and Beer Run, Top of the Hops showcases the growing popularity of craft beers from around the country and the world in a relaxed and friendly environment. Patrons will have access to two-ounce samples of over 150 craft beers in the Abita, Blue Mountain, Goose Island, and Miller's Downtown Beer Gardens. The festival will also feature the Devil's Backbone Brew University Area where guests will enjoy beer seminars such as Cooking with Beers, Food Pairings and other beer-education sessions. Come enjoy the mass of craft beers with live music and games! For more details, visit www.topofthehopsbeerfest.com/charlottesville/.

Later in November, Virginia Cider Week will kick-off its 4^th edition, which will be held from November 11 - 20. During Virginia Cider Week, restaurants, shops and cider makers across the state will hold dinners, in-store tastings, workshops and classes promoting Virginia cider. Virginia is the first state to have an officially proclaimed "Cider Week", and this is only the second weeklong cider celebration in the US. Over 100 restaurants and shops in 30 cities will promote cider during Virginia Cider Week. The cider celebration includes over 60 special events taking place at various locations across Virginia, with several events in Charlottesville and the surrounding area. Visitors can expect cider promotions and tastings at shops, cafes, bistros and fine dining restaurants. All the details can be found at www.ciderweekva.com.

The 4^th annual TEDxCharlottesville event will be held at the historic Paramount Theater on Friday, November 11^th in partnership with the CFA Institute. The theme for this year's event is "The Power of One." Capitalizing on the serendipity of the event date (11-11-2016) the conference hopes to highlight the effect that one person, one idea, one decision, one election, one moment in time, and one idea shared can have to change the course of history or perhaps the direction of one person's life. Tickets to the full-day conference and information about this event are available at http://tedxcharlottesville.com/.

The Artisans Studio Tour will once again take place this year on November 12 & 13. For one weekend every fall, artisans in central Virginia open their doors for you to explore their working spaces. Featuring 42 artisans at 23 different studios over the course of two days, see where the artisans create, learn why they create, and examine how they create. It is a fun, unique opportunity and a great way to spend a fall weekend. This tour is self-guided, free and open to the public. More information about this event is available at www.artisanstudiotour.com.

Fall foliage has gotten off to a bit of a late start this year, which is ultimately great news for leaf peepers everywhere, as the dazzling display of colors will be extended into early November! Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer some of the most spectacular autumnal landscapes in the country, with the peak of fall foliage season rapidly approaching. The Shenandoah National Park Fall Color Report describes a much more colorful view than in past weeks, with peak conditions occurring in many portions of the park, and peak colors set to arrive elsewhere very soon. Charlottesville is located only 26 miles from the Rockfish Gap entrance to the Shenandoah National Park, which is a unique location to enjoy this colorful season either by foot with a crisp hike or relaxing drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/shen.

About the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB):
In addition to serving as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia, through www.visitcharlottesville.org, the CACVB assists tour operators, meeting planners, reunions and other groups in planning visits to the destination. CACVB's mission is "to enhance the economic prosperity of City and County by promoting, selling and marketing the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism markets." CACVB operates the Downtown Visitor Center (610 E Main St) which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a second visitor center, the Albemarle Tourism and Adventure Center in downtown Crozet (5791 Three Notch'd Rd) at the historic train depot; it is open Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m. The CACVB also provides a touch-screen kiosk at Monticello's Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center. The official website of the CACVB is www.visitcharlottesville.org. In addition, the organization manages powerful social media channels; ExperienceCharlottesville on Facebook, @VisitCVille on Twitter, CVilleVA on Pinterest, and @CharlottesvilleVA on Instagram and Vimeo.