Community Calendar

In the SVAC Member’s Gallery the theme is “Blue.” 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! Exhibition opening is August 2, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and will be open to the public August 2 – 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 22980.

“Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour” is a one-of-a-kind interactive live concert experience coming to arenas across North America in Summer 2025. The tour will feature Kylie Cantrall, Freya Skye, Malia Baker, Malachi Barton, Dara Reneé, Joshua Colley and Mekonnen Knife. The arena tour will celebrate the chart-topping music from Disney’s “Descendants” and “Zombies” movie franchises, inspiring families and fans of all ages to dance, sing, and engage with their favorite stars. For additional details, visit www.descendantszombiestour.com.

Join us for a reading with poets Sharon Perkins Ackerman and William Prindle. Sharon Perkins Ackerman will be reading from her new collection, A Legacy of Birds, and William Prindle will be reading from his new collection, Medicine Cache Under Lichen. This in-person event will be cosponsored by WriterHouse and will be free and open to the public. We recommend arriving early for the best seating.

Learn more about the event featuring these poets, their backgrounds and their work here.

Valerie McQueen and her band will pull into Offbeat Roadhouse Friday night, August 29, for a concert which will also be broadcast on WTJU. Unhurried and authentic, singer-songwriter Valerie McQueen uses her voice as an instrument to tell life’s stories. A little bit folk, sometimes country, Valerie chronicles a life shaped by seasons through melody and rhythm, sharing experiences that we can all relate to. About the artist: Valerie McQueen

This is a free event open to all! If you can't make it in person there are other ways to enjoy on the air or online.

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/

58th Annual Art in the Park
Saturday & Sunday, August 30–31, 2025
Gypsy Hill Park, Staunton, VA
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (both days)
Free & open to the public

Join us for the 58th Annual Art in the Park, Staunton’s signature outdoor arts festival! Taking place Labor Day weekend in beautiful Gypsy Hill Park, this two-day celebration features over 70 artists and artisans from across the region. Browse original Art, fine crafts, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, woodwork, photography, and more.

Enjoy live music, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly Art activities—all in a scenic, welcoming environment. Hosted by the Staunton Augusta Art Center, Art in the Park is a longstanding tradition that brings creativity and community together.

For more details, visit: www.saartcenter.org

August 21th, 2025 (Harrisonburg, VA) — The Furious Flower Poetry Center proudly
announces a book launch celebrating the debut poetry collection of Post-Doctoral Fellow Dr.
Gbenga Adesina, Death Does Not End at the Sea, winner of the 2024 Raz/Shumaker Prairie
Schooner Book Prize. This poignant collection has been lauded as a complex chorus of elegies,
and a cosmic love song between the living and the dead. Terrance Hayes, MacArthur Genius
Fellow and National Book Award in poetry winner described the book as a "revelation
The event will take place on Monday, September 1st, 2025, at 5 PM EST at the Furious Flower
Poetry Center located at 500 Cardinal Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807. The evening’s events
include a reading by the author beginning at 6PM EST, a book signing, and light refreshments.
This gathering is free and open to the public and welcomes poetry lovers, students, educators,
and community members to meet the author and engage in meaningful dialogue about the work.
Books will be available for purchase at the event.
Dr. Gbenga Adesina, Nigerian poet and essayist, is currently serving as the inaugural Mellon
Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Black and Diasporic Poetry at the Furious Flower Poetry Center,
James Madison University. He is the cofounder and editor of A Long House, a journal of
diasporic art, thought, and literature. He has won multiple fellowships, and his poems have
appeared in numerous publications including Paris Review, Harvard Review, Yale Review, The
Best American Poetry, and the New York Times Magazine. He received his MFA from New York
University, where he was a Goldwater Fellow, and recently completed his PhD in Creative
Writing at Florida State University where he was the Interviews Editor of the Southeast Review.
Event Details:
What: Book Launch for “Death Does Not End at the Sea” by Gbenga Adesina
When: Monday September 1st, 2025 at 5PM EST (Reading begins at 6PM EST)
Where: Furious Flower Poetry Center, 500 Cardinal Dr, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Parking: Off-campus guests of James Madison University’s Campus have permissions to park in
lot C3 for the duration of the event.
For more information, please contact Jazmin Witherspoon at furiousflower@jmu.edu or visit
https://www.jmu.edu/furiousflower/index.shtml

Shenandoah Valley Art Center presents: Sweet Treats: Drawing Candy Wrappers in Colored Pencil-Adult Class with Rainbow Willard. Shiny, crinkly, colorful - candy wrappers are full of artistic potential! In this vibrant drawing workshop, students will learn how to capture the sparkle, texture, and color of candy packaging using professional quality colored pencils. Working from curated reference photos provided by the instructor, students will explore realistic drawing techniques like layering, blending, and highlighting to make their artwork pop off the page. This class is designed for students with prior drawing experience who want to push their skills while having a little fun along the way. All materials are included- just bring your sweet tooth for color! Rainbow Willard is a practicing artist and art educator with a BFA in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has experience teaching all ages and specializes in drawing, painting, mixed media, and printmaking. Rainbow creates a welcoming, encouraging space where students can build confidence, explore new techniques, and make art that feels personal and fun. Tuesdays July 8, 15, 22, and 29, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., $250, 416 W. Main St. Waynesboro, Va. 22980, register https://www.rainbowwillard.com/shop )

Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Piedmont Master Gardeners will host a free, online information meeting on how to take part in the 2026 training class for Extension Master Gardeners serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County. To register and receive the Zoom link, visit https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/events/. For more details, contact Nick Saylor, master gardener program coordinator, at 434-872-4581 or nickjs23@vt.edu. To learn more about the program, visit https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/become-an-extension-master-gardener/

1st and 3rd Wednesday | June-August | 10-10:30 AM

For preschool explorers and their families: Join us in the Storytime Spot in the Family Garden for 30 minutes of nature-themed reading. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

The Storytime Spot is right next to the Pavilion at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. For more information call us at 540-568-3194 or email us at ejcarboretum@jmu.edu