Wedding DJ at Cottontail Weddings and Events in Danville, VA

The Space

Built in 1891 by T.L. Brown and J.E. Perkinson as the Danville Storage and Inspection Company, the Cottontail building was the only tobacco warehouse in Danville that sold by inspected samples rather than auctioning entire crops. It served local merchants and farmers for decades before Liggett and Myers acquired it in 1930 and operated it as a tobacco storage facility through 1970. The building was later used for general storage until 2016, when it was acquired and thoughtfully renovated into an event space that opened in 2017. The main ballroom is 3,600 square feet with original hardwood floors, exposed brick walls throughout, and deep timber beams with LED color lighting that can be adjusted for mood. A 600 square foot covered patio adjoins the ballroom, creating an indoor-outdoor flow for cocktails or overflow space.

The building sits within the Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The industrial history of the space, revealed through exposed brick and beam work, reads as authentic and substantial without being austere. The scale feels right for celebrations, not overly cavernous.

Capacity & Layout

Capacity ranges from 25 to 175 seated guests, with the venue noting that 100 to 150 is the comfortable preferred range. This sweet spot acknowledges that the space is flexible but works best when not stretched to the absolute limits. The ballroom serves as both ceremony and reception space; staff manage the transition from ceremony setup to reception configuration, which matters when you are reconfiguring within one room. Climate control (heat and air conditioning) means you are not dependent on season or outdoor conditions.

The covered patio provides defined outdoor space without requiring rented tent structures, useful for cocktail hours or guest overflow on warm evenings.

Amenities

The venue includes tables and chairs in the rental, along with linens. A bridal suite and groom suite are available for day-of preparations, with the bridal suite featuring custom-designed full-wall mirrors and counter space. A large prep kitchen on-site supports catering; four approved caterers are available if you do not bring your own. A full bar is operated by approved bartending vendors. Free public parking is within a six-minute walk with hundreds of available spaces, including overnight parking for guests who travel in for the event. WiFi is available throughout the venue.

One important detail: all events must end by 10pm without exception, a strict hard stop that requires you to finalize timing and song selections in advance. This is not negotiable.

Location & Getting There

Cottontail sits in downtown Danville, Virginia’s historic River District, roughly 40 minutes south of Greensboro, North Carolina. Hotels nearby include Hampton Inn, Courtyard Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, and the luxury hotel The Bee, all within five minutes. Ballad Brewing is directly adjacent to the venue, making it convenient for a cocktail-hour pivot if you want guests to step next door while staff reconfigures the ballroom. The River District has walkable character and other restored structures, creating a cohesive neighborhood atmosphere. The exposed brick, hardwood floors, and timber beams carry sound well indoors; the LED-lit beams allow color adjustments that can influence the acoustic feel of the space, warmer amber tones diffuse sound slightly while cooler tones can feel more reflective.