Elk Fest 2025 was a success!
​GRUNDY, VA (OCTOBER 31, 2025) – Southern Gap Elk Fest drew a crowd of approximately 1,000 over three days as the sixth annual event concluded Saturday at the Southern Gap Visitor Center.

Guided elk tours, campfire storytelling, a mountain arts showcase, an ATV Sasquatch Hunt, mountain games, kids’ inflatable rides, trout pond fishing, a petting zoo, hay rides, chain saw carving and blacksmithing demonstrations, pumpkin painting, music and more were featured during the festival. The Grascals headlined the music Saturday night.

“Our Wild Game Dinner on Thursday night was sold out again this year and we had a great time sharing Elk Fest with seventh grade students from throughout the county, who heard some great presentations from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources,” said Billie Campbell, co-owner of Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure, the host site for the annual event. “We can’t acknowledge our sponsors enough as without their support, there is absolutely no way we could put on an event like this and offer it free to the public.”

The overall Elk Fest event was made possible by Buchanan County Tourism, Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure and the SWVA Sportsmen.

Additional sponsors included Noah Horn Well Drilling; the Boys and Girls Club of Central Appalachia; CNX Foundation; West River Conveyors; Southwest Virginia Professional Insurance; Legacy Bank; and the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce.

The festival fun started Thursday night with the sold-out wild game dinner hosted by the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce. A short auction, organized by the Southwest Virginia Sportsman’s Club followed the dinner. A gun raffle to raise money for Elk Fest was also held. The rifle was a one-of-a-kind Henry 45-70 All Weather rifle featuring custom engraving of an elk and the Elk Fest logo by Clint and Sharon Lester at Tim Ivy Boutique & Gifts.

The Mountain Arts Showcase, sponsored by Legacy Bank, drew multiple entries. The Fan Favorite award went to Isla Evans.

In the youth arts category, Bella Copley won first place in the photography category. Samuel Matney won first place in the youth visual arts category with Angelina Matlashevska taking second place and Xander taking third place in the category.

In the 3-D arts division, Melody Hibbits won first place in the adult category.

In the adult visual arts category, Dennie Tiller and Kaitlyn Stiltner tied for first; and Vanessa Dotson earned second place.

Julie Coberly won first and second place in the adult photography category.

In the Junior Visual Arts category, Kristen Dales won first place; Lacy Lester, second; and Madison Slone, third.
Alisabeth Yates won first, second and third place in the Junior 3D category.

Jessie Lingerfelt was the winner of the Southern Gap Neighborhood ‘Squatch Watch ATV Hunt held on Spearhead Trails’ Coal Canyon and Ridgeview trails.
Bonfire storytelling, sponsored by the CNX Foundation, was held Friday night and drew a number of storytellers, ending in song.

Food trucks were on site and included Pig-n-Out, Chillerz and Jamie’s Tasty Delights.

The Kids Zone, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Central Appalachia, was open all day Saturday and featured an inflatable obstacle course; the Euro bungee jump; a petting zoo; archery; pumpkin painting; trout fishing and more.

Chainsaw carving demonstrations by the Mason Dixon Boys, sponsored by Noah Horn Well Drilling, were on tap Saturday. Black Smithing demonstrations by Earl Kent and Brandon Sturgill were also offered.

Hayrides were offered throughout the day Saturday.
Mountain games held Saturday for adults and children saw Kyler Hix take the win for the egg and spoon race in the seven and younger category and Kinlee Anderson take the win for the seven and older category.

Jameson Bukovick won the seven and younger sack race contest and Kinlee Anderson won the seven and older category.

In the Stick Horse Race, Irelynn Hess was the seven and younger winner; Abigail Keen won the seven and older division; and Ryan Davidson won the adult division.
In the stone toss competition, Carson Elmore was the winner in the 15 and under division; Jessica Hix was the winner in the women’s division; and Jackson Deel was the winner in the men’s division.

Tug-o-war winners included the team of Kyler Hix, Wade Elmore, Wyatt Elmore, Carson Elmore, Kinlee Anderson, Maddie Reynolds and Addison Rowe in the 15 and under competition; the team of Diana Anderson, LaDawna Hylton, Delila Morgan, Jessica Hix, Siera Bennett and Serena Rowe in the women’s competition; and the team of Don King, Joshua Hess, Jacob Elmore, Ryan Davidson, Joseph Hubbard and Billie Campbell in the men’s competition.

In the pie baking contest Tenecia Hackney claimed the win with a banana cream pie. Last year, Hackney won the competition with her coconut cream pie.
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“We look forward to the seventh annual Elk Fest in 2026,” Campbell said. “Mark your calendars for the end of October next year and we’ll see you here at the Gap.”

Snap the Gap Quarterly Photo Contest!
​Think you've got what it takes to capture the best of the best when it comes to taking photos? Try your hand and enter our Snap the Gap Quarterly Photo Contest! You might just win a $50 Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure Gift Certificate if your photo is chosen as a category winner in one of four categories being sought -- and a $100 Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure Gift Certificate if your photo is chosen as the fan favorite! We hold the contest quarterly. Entries for the second quarter contest will be accepted through June 30th, 2025 in the categories of action/outdoor adventure; nature; relaxation/vacation; and scenic/landscapes. All photos must be taken at Southern Gap and must be taken in the quarter in which the photo is submitted. To enter your photo, send it to us at [email protected]. Tell us your name, your hometown and in which category you are entering the submitted photo. Put Snap the Gap in the subject line. At the end of the quarter, Southern Gap judges will pick the best photo in each category and post the results on Facebook. Our Facebook fans will then have the opportunity to choose a Fan Favorite to be decided by the number of likes the entries receive on the four-photo post of category winners. Don't delay! Enter today! For complete contest rules and regulations, click here!