3rd annual shoebox lunch festival & grand reopening

Join Us for the Annual Shoebox Lunch Festival & the Grand Reopening of the Samuel D. Outlaw Blacksmith Shop!

🗓️ Saturday, August 22, 2026

📍 Samuel D. Outlaw Blacksmith Shop, 5 Boundary Street, Onancock, Virginia, 23417

🎟️ Free admission — everyone is welcome!

We are proud to announce the grand reopening of the historic Blacksmith Shop following the completion of a major restoration project, and you're invited to celebrate with us. Made possible by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources' Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Historic Preservation Fund, this restoration has preserved Samuel Outlaw's shop for generations to come. Improvements include a new roof, a restored interior, and many other enhancements to safeguard this National Register landmark.

This year, we once again honor the tradition of the shoebox lunch — a powerful symbol of resilience and dignity. During the Jim Crow era, Black families traveling through the South were often denied service at restaurants and were unwelcome and unsafe along the way. So, they packed meals in shoeboxes to sustain themselves on their journeys. Every year, we honor that legacy of care, community, and perseverance, and this year, we do so while celebrating a new chapter for Samuel Outlaw's historic shop.

Come spend the day with us! Festivities include:

🎀Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

🏃🏾‍♀️ 5K Walk/Run

🧺 Traditional Shoebox Lunches - $20 each (pre-purchase meal tickets here.

🎶 Live Music & Performances

⚒️ Live Blacksmith Demonstrations

…and much more!

Bring your family, bring your neighbors and come celebrate a living testament to craftsmanship, economic resilience, and cultural heritage on Virginia's Eastern Shore!