Apr 20 Monday
All Harrisonburg residents are invited to come learn about the mass surveillance cameras going up in our neighborhoods!
Dinner and childcare will be provided. Sign up to attend.
Rob Poggenklass, Executive Director of Justice Forward will give a presentation called "The State of Mass Surveillance in the Commonwealth."
Justice Forward is a non-partisan advocacy organization created to bring attention to the urgent need for criminal justice reform in the Commonwealth—at the most fundamental level—and to advance legislation and advocate for comprehensive changes to Virginia’s criminal legal system.
Presentation includes:What are ALPRs?How do law enforcement agencies use ALPRs?How do law enforcement agencies abuse ALPRs?A brief history of ALPRs in Virginia Why we oppose ALPRsA geospatial analysis of ALPRs in Hampton Roads (showing that placement of the cameras is more closely tied to race and income, rather than where crimes occur)Local resistance to ALPRsRecommendations and resources
Apr 21 Tuesday
The Blue Ridge Irish Music School (BRIMS) offers classes for all ages and skill levels in Irish dance, music and singing. The winter/spring semester begins on January 20 & 22 and runs for 12 weeks.
Apr 22 Wednesday
Join us online for the ninth annual Great Community Give on April 22. Our community-wide fundraising effort will support 158 nonprofits in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Early Giving is April 7-21 and the Great Community Give is April 22, with opportunities for nonprofits to win prizes each hour. Visit www.greatcommunitygive.org to give, explore new and established organizations, and register to fundraise for your favorite nonprofit. Our goal is a record $2.5 million -- let's come together to show our love for NPOs working to make this community stronger, healthier, and more beautiful!
The 30th Annual Physics Day Demonstration Show will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday evening, April 22, 2026, in room 338 of the Physics Building, also known as Jesse Beams Laboratory, to celebrate National Physics Day. Admission is free.
Pre-show demonstrations start in the community space outside of room 323 at 6:00 pm.
This highly anticipated event is a superb physics demonstration show for the general public, especially K-12 students and families.
Parking is available in the Central Grounds Garage on Emmett Street or, after 5:00 pm, near the football stadium.
Apr 24 Friday
The Charlottesville Jazz Society, Unity of Charlottesville and WTJU welcome cellist/composer Janel Leppin and her group Ensemble Volcanic Ash for a 7:30 pm concert on April 24th at Unity.
Janel was last seen in Charlottesville with her husband, guitarist Anthony Pirog and the group Skullcap, at a very well received concert at Belmont Arts. Now at the peak of her powers as both a bandleader and a solo performer, she’s released two new projects of staggering beauty as well as vast personal and political insight. Pluto in Aquarius features her longstanding avant-jazz chamber unit, Ensemble Volcanic Ash, with a lineup of her most trusted collaborators including Pirog, bassist Luke Stewart, saxophonist Brian Settles and drummer Larry Ferguson. Slowly Melting is a riveting solo program that puts Leppin’s fuzz-saturated cello at the fore. She also contributes her accompaniment, crafting expansive soundscapes through guitar, bass, piano and synthesizer.
Janel will open the concert in Charlottesville with a solo set playing material from Slowly Melting, followed by a set from the whole Ensemble. Pluto in Aquarius, like all of Leppin’s music, is a deeply personal work, and it’s also intensely political. Leppin wrote about half of the music in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, and the remaining half after the inauguration that followed. “So you’ll hear a lot of hopefulness here,” Leppin says, “as well as, of course, a lot of tension.”
Apr 25 Saturday
A day of roots music, food, beer, and fun on a beautiful farm brewery! Bring a chair & friends and celebrate the heritage of the Valley!
This is an outside music festival. Limited seating (picnic tables) is available but highly recommended to bring your own chair. Food and drinks inclucing beer will be available stageside. No outside drinks or alcoholic beverages, coolers, umbrellas, grills, etc. allowed. Pets must be on leash and well behaved. Children must not be left unattended. Children 10 and under are free, 10 and up requires a ticket.
Lineup includes: The Fly Birds - Corrie Lynn Green - King Street Bluegrass - Stone Spring String Band
Tickets & more info here
Symphony concert of classical music: Dvořák, Ninth Symphony, "From the New World;" Marcello, "Oboe Concerto in C minor," oboe solo by Doug Lane; Del Vecchio, "Divertimento No. 1 in G minor."
Learn how to help the Earth every day at Earth Day Staunton, Saturday, April 25, 11am-3pm at Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand. This year's theme, “Water: Make Every Drop Matter,” focuses on making environmentally friendly decisions surrounding water usage. Enjoy a family-friendly, fun day for all with wildlife programs by the Wildlife Center of Virginia, a live beehive exhibit, electric cars on display, a stream critter touch tank, solar telescope, and much more.
Children will receive an event passport to get stamped by exhibitors to earn a souvenir button. Food trucks will be on site. Composting and recycling will be offered by Shenandoah Green and Black Bear Composting. Bring your own reusable water bottle. In the event of rain, the event will be held in the Gypsy Hill Park Gym. More information can be found at EarthDayStaunton.org
Apr 26 Sunday
Tandem Friends School is excited to announce the inaugural Tandem Friends School 5K Fun Run/Walk, taking place on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 9am at Darden Towe Park. This fundraising event will bring together students, families, alumni, and community members for a morning of movement and connection in support of the school.
Open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, the event reflects a core value of Tandem’s athletics program: participation. Tandem Friends School has a no-cut sports policy, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to play and be part of a team.“At Tandem, we often say that fundraising is a no-cut sport,” said Whitney Thompson, Head of School. “This event is a fun way for our whole community to come together and support the programs and opportunities that make Tandem special.”
Proceeds from the event will support Tandem Friends School, a nonprofit independent Quaker day school serving students in grades 5 –12.
Registration is now open at https://www.tandemfs.org/tandem-friends-5k-fun-runwalk.
Shop handmade goods from local artists at the Spring Creek Spring Craft Fair — open to the public.
Grab your mom, your best friend, or just your love of handmade goodies and join us for the first-ever Spring Creek Spring Craft Fair on Sunday, April 26, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Spring Creek Sports Club in Zion Crossroads, VA.
Shop one-of-a-kind finds, discover the perfect early Mother’s Day gift (or drop a hint for yourself), and enjoy a relaxed spring afternoon filled with creativity and community.
The event is open to the public and free to attend — so bring a friend and come ready to shop small and support local!
Experience the captivating sounds of classical music as JMU’s Symphony Orchestra collaborates with the winners of the 2025 School of Music Concerto Competition. Students from six areas-woodwinds, brass and percussion, strings, piano, and voice-compete, with two finalists from each selected for the final concert.
Bulk Week is Back!
Get ready to stock up and save! From April 19th through April 25th, enjoy 10% off ALL bulk items at the Co-op. With over 200+ bins to choose from, it’s the perfect time to refill your pantry with all your favorites—grains, spices, beans, snacks, baking ingredients, and more.
Bring your own containers or use ours—either way, you’ll be saving money and reducing waste. Don’t miss this chance to grab what you need, try something new, and shop more sustainably.
Mark your calendar and come scoop up the savings!
Live Arts Radio PSAsBLOOD AT THE ROOTContact andrew@livearts.org with any questions.Start Date: 3/16/26Kill Date: 4/25/26PSA 1Length: 10 secondsVO: Dominique Morisseau’s stirring ensemble drama BLOOD AT THE ROOT opens at Live Arts on April 10th and runs through April 26th. Directed by Leslie Scott-Jones. Visit livearts.org for tickets.
PSA 2Length: 20 secondsVO: Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s potent and timely ensemble drama BLOOD AT THE ROOT runs at Live Arts from April 10th through April 26th. Based on the case of the Jena Six. Morisseau uses her powerful blend of poetic dialogue to call out racial biases, bigotry, harsh injustices, and their shattering impact. Directed by Leslie Scott-Jones. Sponsored by the City of Charlottesville and John and Kate Byrne. Visit livearts.org for tickets.
PSA 3Length: 30 secondsVO: Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s potent and timely ensemble drama BLOOD AT THE ROOT opens April 10th at Live Arts. Based on the case of the Louisiana Jena Six. Morisseau uses her powerful blend of layered poetry and hip-hop rhythms to call out bigotry, harsh injustices, and their shattering impact. As intersecting stories unfold, characters wrestle with the weight of systemic racism and failures of the justice system. This dynamic play runs until April 26th. Sponsored by the City of Charlottesville and John and Kate Byrne. Directed by Leslie Scott-Jones. Visit livearts.org for tickets.
The Shenandoah Valley Art Center during the month of April, in the Cabell/Arehart Invitational Gallery, is exhibiting the artwork of Joan Graybeal Menad of New Hope, VA. Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, Menard moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 2012. She has created art her entire life and enjoys combining multiple media in her work. In response to an often chaotic world, Joan creates her own fantasy figures. Her calm-faced ladies emerged during Covid, when she missed seeing people’s happy expressions. She hopes they bring a sense of peace and joy to viewers. “Life Is a Stage: Welcome to Joan of Art’s World” features her beloved ceramic figures alongside new mixed-media assemblages. Step into Joan’s imaginative world and stay awhile. The public is invited to the opening reception on April 4, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. where you can meet and talk to the artist. The exhibition will be open to the public April 4 – May 30, Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., at 126 S. Wayne Ave, Waynesboro, VA 22980.
In the SVAC Member’s Gallery the theme is “Green.” The members will present their unique interpretations of the theme in each work of art which is priced to accommodate art collectors seeking pieces to expand their collection. The public is invited to view the exhibition, remembering that the art center serves the community by recognizing talent, encouraging creativity, and joining lives through art! The exhibition opening will be April 4, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. The exhibition will be open to the public April 4 – May 30, Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., 126 S. Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, VA 22980.
Visit Arts Council of the Valley’s Smith House Galleries April 3-24 for "Alternative Topographies" by Jeremey Starn! Connect with works utilizing a variety of photographic methods - from false-color satellite imagery to underwater cameras and alternative processes - to explore how alternative image-making can introduce new ways of seeing the world.
Don’t miss the Opening Reception on First Friday (Apr 3), 5-7pm!
The galleries are regularly open Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm, and Second Saturday (Apr 11), 10am-2pm.
Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents Stretch and Release Yoga with Paula Figgatt and Leslie Chisnell. Gather in the Heart of Downtown Waynesboro for a meditative experience that benefits the mind while increasing your range of flexibility and centeredness in the body. Stretch & Release Yoga targets the fascia and connective tissues including tendons, ligaments and bones while creating suppleness, openness and health for our inner organs and muscles. By stilling the mind, bring the awareness deeply inward to create peace and relaxation to restore and renew the Spirit! (Register: www.svacart.com or call 540-949-7662, Fee: $10 per session, Tuesdays, March 3 – April 14, 6:05 - 7:00 p.m., 416 Gallery, 416 W Main St, Waynesboro, VA 22980).
Come learn the sport of rugby while getting fit and making great friends. All are welcome. No experience necessary.