Get ready for the annual Occoquan PEEPS Show in Occoquan
Now in its 9th year, the free, family-friendly event runs April 1-4, 2026, with no tickets required. Businesses and community members craft whimsical PEEPS marshmallow dioramas displayed in shop windows throughout the town and at Town Hall.
The public votes for favorites, deciding winners in four categories: children (10 and under), youth (11–16), adults (17 and up), and group/family. Each category winner receives a $50 prize, with announcements set for Saturday, April 4, at 4:15 p.m.
There’s still time to enter your own creation by the March 30 deadline at visitoccoquanva.com/peeps. Voter ballots are available at Occoquan Town Hall (314 Mill St.) and participating businesses: Art a la Carte Gallery, Artists Undertaking Gallery, ASM Chiropractic & Wellness, Ballywhack Shack Cafe, Brandon’s Flowers, D’Rocco’s Restaurant, Gift and Gather, Glory Be, Hello Jackson Home Fragrance Co., Hitchcock Paper Co., Jerry’s Occoquan Jewelers, Leaf & Moss, Leaf & Petal, Local Colour, Madigan’s Waterfront, Mill Street Sweets, Patriot Diving, Puzzle Palooza Etc, The Loft Gallery, The Occoquan Outfitter, The Preservation Station, and Vanech Studio.
This spring tradition draws crowds with creative, pop-culture-themed dioramas. Past standouts have included Jumanji in the Kids category, Gilmore Girls: Stars Hollow for Teens, Defying Gravity, Peter Peeps for Team, Ben-Hur Colosseum scenes, “Only Peepers in the Building,” Barbie-themed displays, The Office parodies, and Peeps versions of National Gallery paintings.
Occoquan is a historic mill town on the Occoquan River in Prince William County, about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C. Its name derives from a Doeg Indian (Algonquian) word meaning “at the end of the water.” Established as a town in 1804–1805 and rooted in 18th-century milling and commerce, it now thrives as a vibrant artists’ community and tourist destination. With art galleries, unique boutiques, restaurants, River Mill Park, and a Virginia historic landmark status, the town has a population of around 1,100.
