"Spend an evening at the theater … not a fortune." That line closes the September 28 announcement for the Colonial Center's fall play in SoVaNOW, and it could serve as the motto for South Hill's whole October.
Look closely at this month's downtown calendar and the same short list of local names keeps showing up. A community theater troupe opens the month. The Town and its Revitalization Committee run a free carnival in Centennial Park. The Town's own parks superintendent headlines a Saturday night at the Colonial. The Chamber of Commerce closes things out with a Tuesday costume event. Local businesses sponsor the shows, and the Colonial Center's website posts the park events right next to its own. Here is the month in order, with what each event costs and where to eat on the way.
First Two Weekends: Suite 719 at the Colonial
C.A.T.S. presents Neil Simon's Plaza Suite at the Colonial Center for Performing Arts, 220 S. Mecklenburg Ave. Evening shows are Saturday, October 3 and Saturday, October 10 at 7 p.m. Matinees are Sunday, October 4 and Sunday, October 11 at 2:30 p.m. That puts opening night this Saturday.
The play is three separate comedies, all set in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel. In the first, a couple checks back into their honeymoon room from 23 years ago, or maybe 24, and maybe it was room 718. The second follows a Hollywood producer who calls up his high school girlfriend, now a suburban housewife, and finds she has plans of her own. The third belongs to Roy and Norma Hubley, whose daughter has locked herself in the bathroom while the band downstairs plays "Here Comes the Bride."
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under, and group discounts are available. Parker Oil & Propane sponsors the run. You can buy tickets at the box office or through colonialcenterva.org. Each weekend has a matinee, so a family with young kids can make the Sunday show without a late night before school.
October 17: The Town Throws a Carnival
The middle of the month moves two blocks of attention from the stage to the park. The Autumn Jubilee runs Saturday, October 17, from noon to 5 p.m. at Centennial Park, with a sensory-friendly hour from 11 a.m. to noon. On the Town of South Hill's October calendar it appears as "Autumn Jubilee: Small Town Carnival."
The South Hill Revitalization Committee describes the Jubilee as an annual, free, family-friendly event at Centennial Park. Last year's coverage named the Town of South Hill and the Revitalization Committee as co-hosts.
The 2026 lineup hasn't been published yet, but last year's event shows the scale. In 2025 the Jubilee was held on October 25 with a "Harvest at Hogwarts" theme. It included themed trivia, food trucks, a dog costume parade, a costume contest, pumpkin painting, a sensory-friendly hour and a film screening. This year's date is eight days earlier, so the Jubilee no longer falls the week of Halloween. That leaves more room on the calendar for the Chamber's costume night ten days later.
If last year is any guide, kids may want to dress up for the Jubilee, and the dog may want a costume too. Check the Town calendar or the Revitalization Committee page closer to the date for this year's theme.
October 24: The Parks Superintendent Takes the Stage
This is the clearest example of the town staffing its own October. One week after the Jubilee in Centennial Park, the Colonial hosts Jason Houchins & Friends on Saturday, October 24 at 7 p.m. The Colonial's listing introduces Houchins as the Parks Superintendent for the Town of South Hill and a local country artist, and welcomes him "back to our stage." The show is one night only, and guest performers will join him throughout the evening.
His day job shows up in the Town's own records. In the South Hill Town Council's August 2026 minutes, Houchins submitted the Parks, Facilities and Grounds report and highlighted improvements to the Parker Park athletic fields that Town staff had completed. On October 24 the man in charge of the parks department will be the one on stage.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under, and Virginia Carolina Appraisals sponsors the show. Add the $15 Plaza Suite ticket and one adult can see both of the Colonial's October shows for $35.
October 27: Candy Cruise on a School Night
The South Hill Chamber of Commerce lists its 2026 Candy Cruise for Tuesday, October 27. As of September 30, the Chamber's page doesn't give a time, location or format for this year's event.
Last year's event gives a working outline. In 2025, SoVaNOW described the Candy Cruise as an annual downtown gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, with food trucks, candy and a costume contest. The children's contest took place at the Chamber depot. Plan around those hours until the Chamber posts the 2026 details on its Discover South Hill page.
The next day, Wednesday, October 28, 313 Franklin lists "National Chocolate Day" on its events page, running 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The listing doesn't describe any special activities.
The Month at a Glance
- Sat., Oct. 3, 7 p.m. Plaza Suite opens at the Colonial Center. Tickets $15 adult, $10 ages 12 and under.
- Sun., Oct. 4, 2:30 p.m. Plaza Suite matinee.
- Sat., Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Plaza Suite evening show.
- Sun., Oct. 11, 2:30 p.m. Plaza Suite closing matinee.
- Sat., Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Autumn Jubilee at Centennial Park, beginning with the sensory-friendly hour. Free.
- Sat., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. Jason Houchins & Friends at the Colonial. Tickets $20 adult, $15 ages 12 and under.
- Tue., Oct. 27. Chamber Candy Cruise. Time and location still to be announced.
- Wed., Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. National Chocolate Day listing at 313 Franklin.
The Town calendar also shows Town Hall closed on October 12 and a Town Council meeting on October 13. Plan any in-person Town Hall business around that Monday closure.
Dinner Before the Curtain
With 7 p.m. curtains on three Saturdays, dinner timing matters. Three downtown spots are close to the Colonial and currently post their service hours online.
313 Franklin Cocktails & Kitchen, 313 Franklin St., lists lunch and dinner service Tuesday through Saturday. That schedule covers all three Saturday evening shows and the Candy Cruise Tuesday.
El Saucito Mexican Restaurant, 311 W. Danville St., offers online ordering and posts its hours on its own site. Check the hours before the Sunday matinees.
Bringleton's Coffee House, 126 N. Mecklenburg Ave., is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It closes at 3 p.m. on Saturdays, so it's better for a morning coffee before the Jubilee than a pre-show stop.
Two newer names are on the Town's books. The August Town Council minutes list a July 2026 business license for Shelly's Diner at 1312 W. Danville St. and new ownership at Debbie's restaurant, 327 W. Atlantic St. The minutes don't give opening dates for either, so call ahead before planning a meal around them.
What Comes After October
The Colonial's community page already lists the December dates. Mayor Moody's Tree Lighting is at Centennial Park on Friday, December 4 at 6 p.m. Hometown Christmas follows in the park on Saturday, December 5 at 10 a.m. That same Saturday evening, C.A.T.S. opens Disney's Frozen at the Colonial at 7 p.m. More shows follow on December 12 at 7 p.m. and December 13 at 2:30 p.m. A family can go to the park in the morning on December 5 and the theater that night.
At The Watson Group, we're glad to support the community that puts these events on, and we're happy to suggest a few spots for dinner before a show at the Colonial. If you're curious how your South Hill home's value has changed since last fall, request your free Lake Gaston home valuation and we'll go over the numbers with you.
