Bridge Day is held annually on the third Saturday in October to commemorate the October 1977 completion of the New River Gorge Bridge. The New River Gorge Bridge is the longest single arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere; 3rd longest in the world. The Bridge is the 3rd highest bridge in the United States and the 13th highest bridge in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge is the 2nd highest vehicle-carrying bridge in the United States; the 5th in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The New River Gorge Bridge is 876’ above the New River, the 2nd oldest river in the world. The New River is a National River in 1978 and in December of 2020, designated New River Gorge National Park and Preserve by the National Park Service as the nation’s newest and 63rd park. Bridge Day is one of the top 100 festivals in North America, and West Virginia’s largest one day festival. It is estimated that Bridge Day brings more than $3,000,000+ into the southern West Virginia economy each year.
Bridge Day is the one day a year where BASE jumpers, rappellers, high line riders, vendors, photographers, and the opportunity to walk across the New River Gorge Bridge.