Tom Tom Festival

View on map
Arts & CultureCharlottesville
DatesDates TBA · Usually AprilCheck locally before booking
Duration5 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsIts dual identity as both a street festival
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Tom Tom Festival in Charlottesville

The Tom Tom Festival began in 2012 as a Charlottesville community celebration of creativity and entrepreneurship, founded by Paul Beyer and Oliver Platts-Mills. Now a five-day event centered on a New Orleans-style Downtown Mall Block Party with eight performance stages, the festival pairs music, art, and history programming with the EVOLVE Conference, bringing together civic leaders and innovators around an annually changing theme.

The Tom Tom Festival began in the spring of 2012, founded by Paul Beyer and Oliver Platts-Mills with an ambition to bring Charlottesville's community together around creativity and entrepreneurship rather than around a single genre of music or a narrow cultural theme.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Its dual identity as both a street festival and a serious ideas conference is unusual: few community block parties also house a dedicated innovation and civic-leadership conference, EVOLVE, under the same festival umbrella, giving Tom Tom a reach across entertainment, entrepreneurship, and civic policy that a purely musical festival would lack

02

The mystery stays covered

Its origin as a month-long series of block parties and innovation talks that later condensed into a tighter, more focused week reflects a festival that has actively restructured itself based on experience rather than simply repeating its founding format

03

The city starts moving

Renaming itself Tom Tom Festival, or Tomorrow Tomorrow, on its tenth anniversary in 2022 while retaining continuity with its founding mission gives the event a clear narrative marker distinguishing its founding decade from its current chapter

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The New Orleans-style Downtown Mall Block Party

Water and renewal

Living ritual

spanning eight simultaneous performance stages

The sacred route

Living ritual

remains the festival's signature public event

The local code

Living ritual

paired each year with an announced annual theme that frames both the EVOLVE Conference and the broader festival's programming

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually April

Getting around

For Tom Tom Festival, plan transport around the exact Charlottesville venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Casual clothing for the outdoor block party and walking tours; business-casual is more common among attendees at EVOLVE Conference sessions.

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Tom Tom Festival, stay near the part of Charlottesville you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map38.03 N, 78.48 WOpen in Google Maps

Charlottesville, VA

Nearest airportRIC — Richmond
TransportFor Tom Tom Festival, plan transport around the exact Charlottesville venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Tom Tom Festival, stay near the part of Charlottesville you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Charlottesville via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Charlottesville, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for April.Compare faresFestival gearCasual clothing for the outdoor block party and walking tours; business-casual is more common among attendees at EVOLVE Conference sessions.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Tom Tom Festival?

Tom Tom Festival is listed for Past edition: 16–20 April 2025. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Tom Tom Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Charlottesville, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

5 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Charlottesville, VA

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLtomtomfoundation.org
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually April
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Buenos Aires International Book Fair

Past edition: 23 April–11 May 2026

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Photo pending

Cairo International Book Fair

Past edition: 21 January–3 February 2026

Cairo, Egypt
Photo pending

Pageant of the Masters

Not represented as one continuous festival occurrence

Laguna Beach, United States
Photo pending

Annecy International Animation Film Festival

Past edition: 8–14 June 2025

Annecy, France

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →