A week-long festival held every June celebrating the traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats, called batteaux, once used to carry tobacco, grain, and other goods on the James River. The boats, generally from 6-8 feet wide and 40-50 feet long, are reconstructed by local communities and civic groups, creating a fleet that travels from Lynchburg to Richmond, stopping mid-way for music, fun and festivities in Scottsville.

The 2012 James River Batteau Festival comes to Scottsville on Wednesday, June 18.

Visit the Virginia Canals and Navigations Society’s Batteau Festival website for more information on the complete festival.