PLAY Roanoke

PLAY Roanoke PLAY Roanoke is the City of Roanoke, Virginia's Department of Parks and Recreation where our mission is to "build a welcoming community through PLAY!"

With 71 parks, plazas and greenways, Roanoke Parks and Recreation maintains more than 13,000 acres of public green spaces in the Roanoke Valley while offering thousands of recreational programs, camps, and events each year. Please read the city's Policy Regarding Moderation of Third Party Content at: www.roanokeva.gov/socialmedia

09/04/2026

Washington Park Pool and Fallon Park Pool will be OPEN this weekend, Sep. 5 & 6 from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM! 😎

Washington Park Pool will also be OPEN on Monday, September 7 from 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM. (Fallon Park Pool is closed every Monday.)

09/03/2026

Info for the upcoming Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 7:

🔴 Our offices will be closed.
🔴 The Eureka Recreation Center and Mill Mountain Discovery Center will be closed.
🟢 Washington Park Pool will be open regular hours, 12 PM - 7 PM. (Fallon Park Pool is closed every Monday).

As a reminder, the Discovery Center's regular hours will be switching to a Fall/Winter schedule beginning Monday, September 7. These hours are: Open Thursday through Sunday from 12 PM - 4 PM and closed Monday through Wednesday.

Join us Thursday night in Roanoke (Fishburn Mansion) or Friday night in Radford (Glencoe Mansion) to listen to Nashville...
09/02/2026

Join us Thursday night in Roanoke (Fishburn Mansion) or Friday night in Radford (Glencoe Mansion) to listen to Nashville-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cole Ritter, whose sound blends gritty country, bluegrass, blues, and surf-western music.

Best known for his appearance on season 20 of American Idol, where he was famously dubbed “the Michael Bublé of the guitar,” Cole has spent the last 20 years relentlessly honing his craft with national touring acts and performing at venues including the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium and Red Rocks. In January 2026 he released his debut solo EP.

The Fishburn Sessions are the first Thursdays of the month at the historic Fishburn Mansion in Roanoke. The following nights we'll be at the historic Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery in Radford.

Tickets are $15 each, and seating is limited, so order yours today! (Season pass for Glencoe just $50.) 👉 https://blueridgefriends.org/2026/07/31/announcing-the-2026-fishburn-sessions-glencoe-sessions/

The Mill Mountain Discovery Center will be changing to Fall/Winter hours starting next week! Beginning Monday, September...
09/01/2026

The Mill Mountain Discovery Center will be changing to Fall/Winter hours starting next week!

Beginning Monday, September 7, the center will be open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM and closed Monday through Wednesday.⁠
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Come visit during open hours for environmental education, exhibits, free crafts, souvenirs, and more! You can even grab a refreshing drink, snack, or ice cream during your visit.⁠ ⁠We also host monthly Music on the Mountain events and frequent environmental education programs at the Discovery Center.

Construction of the In-River Park is flowing forward!🚣‍♀️ Crews completed an important step this month by installing a f...
08/29/2026

Construction of the In-River Park is flowing forward!🚣‍♀️

Crews completed an important step this month by installing a flowable concrete in-stream structure.

With this work now complete, crews can begin moving a portion of the temporary dam farther upstream, allowing them to forge ahead with construction.

Our Fall 2026 PLAY Magazine is out now, featuring a photo from last year's Full Moon Paddle on the cover!The Moon Paddle...
08/28/2026

Our Fall 2026 PLAY Magazine is out now, featuring a photo from last year's Full Moon Paddle on the cover!

The Moon Paddle series is back this year, starting with the Moon Rise Paddle on Monday, August 31.

You can also join us on September 17 for the 🌒 Waxing Crescent Paddle or September 30 for the 🌕 Full Moon Paddle! All equipment (including boat lights) and leadership are provided.

Be sure to pick up a copy of PLAY Magazine when you see it around town, or read it online (link for the online edition is in our comments).

What is Nature Lab? 🌿🔍🐝⁠⁠Nature Lab is an educational program designed to supplement homeschool and virtual student curr...
08/27/2026

What is Nature Lab? 🌿🔍🐝⁠
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Nature Lab is an educational program designed to supplement homeschool and virtual student curriculums. Based at the Discovery Center, students enjoy learning in Mill Mountain Park's outdoor environment. With both indoor and outdoor classroom settings, Nature Lab allows for hands-on and minds-on learning. ⁠
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Two sessions are available this fall for students ages 8-12. Classes are held weekly on Wednesdays from 9-11 AM.⁠
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🍁 Fall Nature Lab⁠
September 9 - October 14⁠
$75 for full 6-week series⁠
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📒 Nature Lab: Public Lands⁠
October 21–November 18⁠
$65 for full 5-week series⁠
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Looking for more? Explore all environmental education programs, including Bug & Bat Nights, Campfire Chats, and more! (link in comments)

Our next Bug & Bat Night program is this Saturday at Countryside Park!🦇🔦🪲 If you're not sure what to expect from this pr...
08/24/2026

Our next Bug & Bat Night program is this Saturday at Countryside Park!🦇🔦🪲 If you're not sure what to expect from this program, here's a little more info:

To start the evening, a naturalist will give a brief talk on the bats that live in our area and answer any questions. The group will take a short walk through the park to spot the bats flying in the trees above. We'll use echolocator technology to amplify the very cool sounds the bats are making, and we'll even be able to identify the different species! (5 different bat species were identified on our last Bug & Bat Night including hoary bat, little brown bat, silver-haired bat, and northern long-eared bat.)

Once dusk has settled and it's very dark, we'll return to learn all about nocturnal insects! Using UV lights, we'll attract a wide range of bugs to our observation area where our resident entomologist will help with identification and bug facts!

This is a family friendly program suitable for all ages. We hope you can join us!
🦇 Bug & Bat Night at Countryside Park

We've also got two more opportunities coming up this fall. We'll be at Eastgate Park on September 4 and Morningside Park on September 18.

Address

215 Church Avenue SW, Room 303
Roanoke, VA
24011

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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