Community Calendar

Arts Council of the Valley invites you to join in the arts-focused fun on the First Friday* of EVERY month! Throughout Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, 38 venues offer a variety of new art exhibitions, live performances, poetry, comedy, music, artmaking activities, food, and so much more. You can find a list of venues, online map, and details for all First Fridays of the Valley events – all updated monthly – at valleyarts.org/first-fridays-of-the-valley/! Thanks to Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Exclusive Sponsor for 2025 First Fridays of the Valley.

*In 2025, July's "First Friday" arts programming will be held on THURSDAY, July 3 (NOT JULY 4)

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Dancescapes 2025
Featuring JMU’s Virginia Repertory Dance Company

Dancescapes 2025 will feature choreographic work by guest artists from across the country, including Christian Von Howard (Montclair State University), Madeline Max Roman (Gridlock Dance Company), and JMU Dance Alumna Isabel Robles (Ballet Hispánico). The concert will also feature works by JMU dance faculty members Matt Pardo and Javi Padilla. This exciting evening explores contemporary dance at its finest, performed by members of the Virginia Repertory Dance Company (VRDC). As JMU’s pre-professional dance ensemble, VRDC consists of talented student dancers who are interested in pursuing a career in the professional dance field.

The winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Original Score, this lush romance unfolds with what The New York Times calls “the most intensely romantic score of any musical since West Side Story.” Mother-daughter duo Margaret and Clara tour Florence in search of the city’s wonders. A fateful moment sparks an intense romance between Clara and a handsome local, Fabrizio. Audiences are swept along a winding road filled with love and longing, where paths twist and diverge to discover new opportunities and a secret kept in the shadows for far too long. Features students from JMU’s School of Theatre and Dance. THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com. Produced by arrangement with Turner Entertainment Co. Owner of the original motion picture “Light In The Piazza.” Based on the Novel by Elizabeth Spencer. Contains adult content, adult language, and sexual content. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

MBU Undergraduate Theatre Fall Mainstage Production

Big Love

Written by Charles Mee and adapted freely by the cast

Based on The Suppliants by Aeschylus

Directed by Molly Seremet

November 6–9, 2025 (Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m.)

Fletcher Collins Theatre, Deming Hall

In this raucous play with music, 50 brides flee their 50 grooms on their wedding day. The women seek refuge in a villa on the coast of Italy but all is not well. The 50 grooms catch up with the brides and mayhem ensues. The grooms arrive by helicopter in their flight suits and the women wield words (and circular saw blades!) with equal abandon, and love tangles with belonging, agency, and independence In this world of pop songs, wild dances, and chaotic violence, 49 brides kill 49 grooms … and one marries for love. Join us for this re-making of one of the western world's oldest plays to find out just who finds love in a hopeless place.

Rain, snow, or shine we are open with a wide variety of fresh and local fruits and vegetables; pasture raised eggs and meats like beef, pork, and chicken; coffee; ready to eat foods, artisanal chocolate, herbal self-care, honey, maple syrup, local art, pickles, sauerkraut, pet accessories, candles, and more!

We are a producer-only market, meaning that everything is home grown or handmade by our vendors.

Cash, card, SNAP/EBT accepted. SNAP transactions will be MATCHed up to $30 thanks to Virginia Fresh Match!

Visit our website for more information: https://www.harrisonburgfarmersmarket.com/

The Spotswood High School CTE department will be holding a holiday market and car show on November 8th. Come enjoy the indoor market, featuring crafters and local artisans, as well as a car show with prizes.

The Shenandoah Valley Art Center during the month of September, in the Cabell/Arehart Invitational Gallery, is presenting Elizabeth Moss: Passages Through Art, Myth, Magic, and Healing. Moss built a career in arts administration and curatorial pursuits. As a seasoned visual artist, Elizabeth has spent over two decades exploring the power of symbolism, storytelling, and nature through her work. A deep personal vision- one rooted in mythology, sacred imagery, and the organic forms of the natural world are reflected in her work. In her own words, “I have a fascination with symbols and the effect these images can have on the subconscious. Serendipitously, symbols keep showing up in my life, and as a result in my work. My imagination is inspired by myth, sacred icons, the gods and goddesses, masks, and Mother Gaia. Especially by the ocean and the forest. Both provide evocative opportunities to observe the geometry and symbols created by nature. The story is to be discovered in each line, whorl and tint of color. The artwork I create speaks to the universal connection I feel we all have with each other and the natural world.” The exhibition is open to the public September 2 - 27, 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 artWORK Show will feature members who are established working artisans and artists. These reputable artists have influenced the art world and built a legacy of creative freedom in the arts. SVAC is proud to have them present their original works of art, 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! Exhibition opening is September 6, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and will be open to the public September 6 – 27, 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.

In the SVAC Member’s Gallery, the artWORK Show will feature members who are established working artisans and artists. These reputable artists have influenced the art world and built a legacy of creative freedom in the arts. SVAC is proud to have them present their original works of art, 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 will be open to the public October 1 - 25, 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.