Aug 22 Saturday
Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents: Drawing, an Introduction with John Hancock. Experience the challenges and the joys of drawing in this 6 week class. Introducing beginners to the basics with essential incremental steps for drawing confidently from observation (and imagination too). We will explore a small range of drawing materials including graphite pencil, conte, pen and ink, and ink wash as we employ some of the very best traditional and contemporary drawing strategies. Loads of helpful handouts as well as group and personal feedback. (Registration: www.svacart.com or call 540-949-7662, Fee $310, June 20 – August 1, 10:30am – 1:00pm)
Aug 24 Monday
A 4 week class where we will learn basic djembe techniques, rhythm-based wellness components, basic & intermediate rhythm patterns, traditional rhythms & songs from West Africa & beyond, and more. All drums and percussion will be provided. No experience necessary. Mondays in August (10, 17, 24, 31) from 6:00 - 6:50pm. Facilitated by Mike Deaton, a certified Drum Circle Facilitator and trainer at Village Music Circles. For more information or for an EventBrite registration link, email mdeatonarts@gmail.com.
Aug 21 Friday
Visit the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at JMU for a special nighttime program to get to know nocturnal insects. Bring a headlamp or phone w/ light for navigating in the dark. All ages are welcome. Minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. This is a free event, and registration is required.
Aug 20 Thursday
The Sperryville Summer Concert Series is back, and runs over five months, May through September. This year’s lineup includes returning and new top local bands appearing on the Sperryville stage in the River District, at 6PM every third Thursday, with rain dates every fourth Thursday, each month.
August 20: For over two decades, Tinsmith has delighted audiences with high-energy Celtic and Appalachian old-time music flavored with touches of blues, funk, and jazz. A three-time invitee to the North Texas Irish Festival, the band has played venues from The Barns at Wolf Trap to the Potomac Celtic Festival.
The concerts are located near the beautiful confluence of the north and south branches of the Thornton River, at the end of River Lane (accessed from Water Street) next to Copper Fox Antiques and Copper Fox Distillery. For those using GPS, the address is 7 River Lane, Sperryville, VA 22740. Check out the rest of the concerts here!
Aug 23 Sunday
Adagio House is excited to host The Great Valley Baking Challenge: Kids’ SNACKdown! on Sunday, August 23 at 2:00 PM at our brand-new location, The Loft at Liberty Street. Shifting away from a competition format this year, the 2026 SNACKdown is an entirely relaxed, kid-friendly, picnic-style gathering focused on food and community connection.
Guests will enjoy a highly anticipated live culinary demonstration by local favorite Chef Mikey Reisenberg, who will teach us how to roll and prepare kimbap—a traditional, delicious, and easy-to-make-at-home Korean snack. To complete the afternoon, Dayton Catering Co. will be supplying a wonderful menu of picnic-style snacks and hors d'oeuvres for all to share. Join us for a fun-filled afternoon supporting a great cause!
Tickets include:-Access to the Live Culinary Demo: A front-row seat to watch Chef Mikey Reisenberg demonstrate how to make traditional, easy-to-make-at-home Korean kimbap.-Picnic-Style Catering: A delicious spread of picnic-style snacks and hors d'oeuvres supplied by Dayton Catering Co.-One Complimentary Drink: Your choice of beer, wine, or a fun, kid-friendly mocktail.-Additional Refreshments: Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages available throughout the event.-Entry to a Beautiful New Venue: Admission into The Loft at Liberty Street for a relaxed, kid-friendly, community-centered afternoon.-Support for a Great Cause: 100% of your ticket purchase goes directly to the Adagio House compassion fund, supporting individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.
Could you use some intentional rest and relaxation? Are you struggling to stave off anxiety or regulate your nervous system?The Growing Space invites you to settle in with us for this guided and grounding sound journey.Come together in a different kind of listening experience where time and the chattering mind can step aside. Take time to pause and rejuvenate yourself with a unique sound journey experience, featuring the sounds of large gongs, bowls, exquisite chimes and more.Fri. August 14th, 6:30-8:00 PMSun. August 23rd, 4:00-5:30 PMAges 18+Seats are available but many listeners enjoy the aesthetic sensory experience of lying down with eyes closed. The invitation is to bring a mat, blankets, pillow, eye mask, wear extra-comfy clothes, etc.This event is pay what you will, with a suggested contribution of $20. No one will be turned away due to lack of discretionary funds.
TO REGISTER for either date, email mdeatonarts (at) gmail (dot) com***Space is very limited and pre-registration is required.The Growing Space is located next to the Dayton Church of the Brethren at:206 Main. St.Dayton, VA 22821Feel free to email with questions.
Multi-instrumentalist and interdisciplinary facilitator Mike Deaton shares expansive soundscapes of intentional vibrations that draw from traditional and personal practices of connection, positive transformation, rest, meditation, and self-healing.Mike has trained in the following modalities, among others:-Sound Meditation-Vocal Self-Care-Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction-The Circle Way-Mindful Schools, Levels 1 and 2-Sound Empowerment-Dancing Mindfulness-Music and Wellness-Expressive Arts Facilitation-Drum Circle Facilitation
Aug 27 Thursday
Presented by Rocktown History, Fort Harrison, and the Virginia Quilt Museum at Silver Lake Mill, the Heirloom Markets take place on the fourth Thursday of each month, June through September, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The markets include locally grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, artisan-made goods, baked items, food vendors, and demonstrations related to Shenandoah Valley history and traditions.
All three locations will be open on each date with unique vendors at each:
Fort Harrison 335 S. Main St., Dayton
Virginia Quilt Museum at Silver Lake Mill2328 Silver Lake Rd., Dayton
Rocktown History382 High St., Dayton
Visitors may attend at all three sites during the event. More information, including market dates and vendors, is available at rocktownhistory.org/heirloommarkets or by emailing info@HeirloomMarketsDaytonVA.org.
Jazz in the Park is an annual summer music series featuring a different top quality professional jazz band weekly on Thursdays 7-9 pm at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand in Staunton, Va. The 2026 summer concert season runs July 9- Sept. 3. Concerts are FREE & open to the public, held rain or shine. Concessions available. Lawn chairs/ blankets recommended to stretch out comfortably under the trees in this lovely park setting. Family friendly.For info call/ TEXT 540-280-4321 or on Facebook @Jazz in the Park Concert Series
Visit Smith House Galleries this month through Aug 28 for meticulously embroidered works; thoughtful paintings; ceramics, photography, video, and more in two featured exhibitions: “Family of Things” by Halley Conrad & “role” by Prusha Nor. Both shows kick off Aug 7, 5-7 pm, during an opening reception (which also features a special performance by Grace Altman, Christabell DeMichele, and Judith Hoffman of Eunoia Theatre).
Regular hours are Mon-Fri, 11 am-4 pm, with additional hours Second Saturday, Aug 8, 10 am-2 pm (including three more Eunoia performances at 11 am, noon, and 1 pm, as well as live plein air painting and time with the artists). Admission is free!
ABOUT THE ART:
“Family of Things” draws inspiration from the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver. Conrad shares that, through her art, she seeks to explore “the intricate, often invisible threads that bind lives across generations — threads of sacrifices, joy, and pain. I am in constant dialogue with the women around me and those who came before me: my grandmother, my mother, my sisters and the countless women whose experiences are woven into the fabric of who I am today. By understanding these generations of women through my work, I strive to better understand myself and the world around me. My most recent work has been predominantly in hand embroidery, embracing but also subverting the history of ‘women’s work’ and second-wave feminist art. My process of stitching is slow and thoughtful, creating space for quiet reflections.”
“role”: Of her work, Nor says, “The concept of moral dissonance threads contradictions through my flat layers, charcoal washes and muted tones against solid colors. The complexities of my Halabja heritage and Islamic upbringing appear in my work not as a fixed identity, but as a question formed by internal conflict. I confront cultural obligations and magnify micro‑rules that dictate how women should exist. These pieces express vulnerability, preservation, and instability through materials that resist, dissolve, and bind.”
Building and supporting our community is what we do at the LIFEworks Project! We invite you to shop our client choice grocery outlet today from 4:30pm-7pm.The River City Bread Basket is located at 505 N. Winchester Ave. in Waynesboro, Va. Select what works best for you and your family! Grab a shopping cart and not a box! All items are available while supplies last! Meat, eggs, dairy and more! All FREE!Call 540-251-2381 to registerWe’ll see you soon! #ThriveThursday#distributionwithdignity #buildcommunity#foodjustice #empowerment
Visit the Turner Pavilion every third Thursday from 5 to 8pm June through August to enjoy live music, local artisans and farmers, food trucks and vendors, and hands-on activities with community organizations. Check our Facebook and Instagram for info about activities and vendors!
Come learn the sport of rugby while getting fit and making great friends. All are welcome. No experience necessary.
Oak Grove theater concludes its summer season with "The Outsider": Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking; his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail. But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office. Unless the public is looking for the worst candidate to ever run for office…. A timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy.
Join us for live theater outdoors under the stars at beautiful Oak Grove Theater; performances begin at 8:45pm sharp, but attendees are welcome to come early and encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds. Oak Grove Theater sells tickets for the season - one season ticket purchase allows you to see each show once; tickets for a single performance are not available. Learn more and purchase your season tickets here
Join us in the cozy Storefront Listening Room at Queen City Music Studios for an evening with acclaimed Charlottesville songwriter Michael Clem as we welcome him back to Staunton for his Residency here at QCMS! Michael will be teaching a four-session Songwriting Class with us this Fall, and we're stoked to share his unique brand of heartfelt songs and wry humor in a Friday evening House Concert.
One of Virginia's favorite musical storytellers, Michael has a gift for sharing the kind of honest connection that makes a house concert feel like an evening with old friends. Come settle in, soak up the music, and experience the magic that only happens when great songs are shared in an intimate room.