May 20, 2026
Gates open at 2:00pm
Festival Information
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Our Seafood Festivals are held twice yearly on the third Wednesday of May and on the third Wednesday of October. Festival hours are from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Gates open at 2:00 p.m. but no food or beverages is served until after the playing of our national anthem at 3:00. (Ruritans love citizenship and patriotism!) Location of the festivals is on our Festival Grounds behind our club building at 8784 Guinea Road, Bena, Virginia.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the May 20, 2026 Seafood Festival are $75 each. Tickets are advance sale only. No tickets are sold at the gate. Everyone, including children of any age, must have a ticket. The dates the tickets will be on sale for each festival will be posted on this website, Facebook and in the local newspapers.
Tickets may be purchased four ways, from members, on-line, by mail or from several local businesses: Tillage Automotive, Whitley’s Peanuts, Weatherwax Insurance, and Milk Panda along Route 17 and Hogge Real Estate on Main Street in Gloucester.
To purchase on-line, use this website. When tickets are on sale, there will be a “Tickets” button. Click on it and follow instructions. If purchased online, there is an additional $5.00 cost per ticket.
To purchase tickets by mail, send a request to: Abingdon Ruritan Club, ATTN Seafood Festival, P.O. Box 22, Bena, VA 23018. Enclose a check made payable to “Abingdon Ruritan Club” in the amount of $75 per ticket. You must include a self-addressed, stamped, legal size (#10) envelope.
Local business addresses:
Milk Panda 2268 York Crossing Dr Hayes
Tillage Automotive 1925 George Washington Memorial Hwy Hayes
Whitley’s Peanuts 1977 George Washington Memorial Hwy Hayes
Weatherwax Insurance Agency 4435 George Washington Memorial Hwy Hayes
Hogge Real Estate 6800 Main Street Gloucester
Here is what you get for your ticket
FOOD – All-you-can-eat – Oysters, fried, roasted, and on the half-shell; clams in a chowder, fritter or on half-shell; fried or grilled scallops; fried fish; hush puppies; steamed and Hawaiian garlic shrimp; steamed crabs; BBQ with coleslaw; French Fries; cake & ice cream; wine & cheese.
BEVERAGES – Beer, wine, mixed drinks (no shots) soft drinks, tea, coffee and water. Alcoholic beverages are not served during the last 30 minutes of the festival.
ENTERTAINMENT – Popular live band. Different band at each festival. Spacious grassy dance area in front of band.
PARKING – Free and convenient.
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How to get there
The address of the main entrance to our club building is 8784 Guinea Road, but on the day of the festival you cannot enter there to access the festival grounds! You will need to drive a few short yards ahead to the intersection of Guinea Road and Mark Pine Road (the next right turn). Immediately on your right as you are turning onto Mark Pine Road, you will see the paved apron in front of Abingdon Fire and Rescue Station No. 2, and a few inches beyond their paved apron is a gravel road which is our entrance you need to take to proceed to the parking area adjacent to our festival grounds.
Important Facts About Our Seafood Festivals
The Festival goes on, rain or shine. Ticket sales are final.
Enjoy the tables in the covered seating areas but they are not to be “reserved” by placing tablecloths or markers on them. Please share.
You may bring in lawn chairs and small folding tables (but no pop-up tents/canopies).
Not permitted
(These restrictions are necessary to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for our guests)
Pop-Up Tents/Canopies
Coolers (They will not be allowed through the gate)
Pets (They will not be allowed through the gate)
Wagons (They will not be allowed through the gate)
Firearms (concealed or open carry)
Political Campaigning (Never–not even in an election year!)
Anyone without a ticket. (Remember, none are sold at the gate.)
Any food or beverage to be taken outside the festival grounds.
Reserving tables by placing tablecloths or markers on them.
Sponsor Information
Sponsors for the Abingdon Ruritan Seafood Festivals provide a highly visible way of supporting the community. Over 30 businesses have banners displayed throughout the grounds on Festival days. If you would like to join them and be a sponsor, contact our Sponsor Chairman, Chris Lamb, email gloucesterbug@aol.com or phone/text (804) 832-6357.
SEAFOOD FESTIVAL MAY 2025
The Seafood Festivals are the Club’s primary fundraising events
The money raised is used to help non-profit organizations and individuals with financial emergencies. By participating in our festivals, you are helping us help our community.
Seafood Festival Preparations
Tuesday nights at the Abingdon Ruritan Club are work nights. When the Seafood Festival planning begins, preparation goes into high gear getting ready for the festival day. Inventory is checked, grass cutting is continued, cleaning and painting is done, American Flags are inspected, and many more jobs are completed. Below Ruritan members are hard at work.
