 On the Eastern Shore island of Chincoteague the annual Pony Swim & Auction of feral Chincoteague ponies at the end of July is a unique local tradition expanded into a week @-@ long carnival . The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is a six @-@ day festival held annually in Winchester that includes parades and bluegrass concerts . The Old Time Fiddlers ' Convention in Galax , begun in 1935 , is one of the oldest and largest such events worldwide . Two important film festivals , the Virginia Film Festival and the VCU French Film Festival , are held annually in Charlottesville and Richmond , respectively . 
