Monticello at the James River Batteau Festival's Scottsville Celebration

Monticello is heading to the Batteau Festival, and we'd love to see you there. 

Stop by our community table to pick up free swag and chat with our team about everything Monticello has to offer. It's a great chance to learn more about upcoming events, programs, and the stories waiting for you up on the mountain. 

About the Festival

The James River Batteau Festival is an eight-day journey tracing a 200-year-old waterway route aboard authentic replicas of the sleek, shallow-draft merchant boats that once carried goods across the Old Dominion — vessels that helped drive Virginia's first era of economic prosperity. The festival is located at 200 Ferry Street, Scottsville, VA.

Each evening unfolds as a tribute to the cultural heritage of this legendary river basin — music, song, dance, and storytelling woven together with the warmth of old-time Virginia socializing. These gatherings reflect the same spirit of community and place that has defined life along the James for generations.

Monticello is excited to join this celebration. The James River was central to Jefferson's world, and the stories of this waterway — of trade, labor, and the communities that depended on it — connect directly to the layered history we explore on the mountain.

For full details, visit vacanals.org/batteau.

Monticello gratefully acknowledges the partnership of More Perfect in our 250th anniversary initiatives.