Around Clarke County in March/April
Throughout March
Winslow McCagg Exhibit at Duvall Designs Gallery, 2053 Millwood Road, Millwood. Gallery open Fridays–Sundays, noon to 5pm. Featuring the colorful, dreamy, psychedelic paintings of prolific local artist Winslow McCagg, as well as furniture by Jay Duvall and wood sculptures by Gary Smith. Visit www.duvalldesignsgallery.com for more info.
March
20 Women Soldiers in the Civil War
Cabin Fever Speaker Series at Historic Long Branch, 830 Long Branch Lane, Millwood. 6–9pm. $5. Dr. Audrey Scanlan-Teller and Tracey McIntire will discuss some of the fascinating women who fought disguised as men during the Civil War and what motivated them to fight. Drinks & light fare offered. For information, go to www.visitlongbranch.org or call 540-837-1856.
21 Fire House: Art from the Good Earth
Wood, Clay, Glass, through April 12. Fire House Gallery, 23 E. Main St, Berryville. Opening reception on 3/21 from 6–8pm with light refreshments. The exhibit features more than 75 pieces of art across three mediums created by nine gallery artists. Curated and installed by professional exhibit designer Jeanne Krohn, the show will help visitors gain a deeper appreciation for the challenges of working with each material and insight into why each artist has chosen it as the preferred medium. Call 540-955-4001 for more info.
22 Summer Camp Fair
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 181 Kernstown Commons Blvd, Winchester. Free. Learn about a variety of local and regional summer programs available for children. Win a family fun pack that includes free admission to local pools and museums, movie tickets, river tubing passes, camp discounts and more. For info, contact Ashley Yowell at 540-955-5149 or tpitcock@clarkecounty.gov with CC Parks and Rec.
22 Hope Through the Lens
Historic Jordan Springs, 1160 Jordan Springs Road, Jordan Springs, VA. Noon to 3pm. Hope Through the Lens Photography Showcase and Sale is a creative artistic event to benefit The Red Wagon Ministry, a nonprofit diaper ministry. Proceeds will be used to purchase disposable diapers/wipes for babies in need and for the agencies that the ministry serves. These organizations are Congregational Community Action Project (CCAP), Frederick County Department of Social Services and FISH of Clarke County. More info at www.theredwagonministry.com or call Judy Stephenson at 540-955-0949.
22 Drawing & Painting Group
Join Rebecca Jones for a monthly workshop at CraftWorks. Each session includes a demo, inspirational talk, studio time and critique. 2-5pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
22 Circa Blue Bluegrass & BBQ
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Doors open at 7:30 pm, show starts at 8. $12 advance, $15 at door. Tight vocal harmonies, clean instrumentation, and creative arrangements keep audiences tapping their toes and dancing in their seats with this quartet of bluegrass musicians. BBQ available for sale from Jordan Springs Market. For more information and tickets, visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004.
23 Polymer Clay & Mixed Media
A free monthly gathering at Craftworks. Bring lunch and a small project and enjoy time networking with other artists. 11am-4pm, sign up at wvcraftworks.org.
25 Intro to Herbalism
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 2–3:30pm. $10 for FOSA members, $12 for non-members. Learn of various cultures’ historic and modern uses of herbs, then walk out to Blandy’s herb garden with Phoebe Reeve of the Shenandoah Herb Society. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
25 Herbs: Grow, Eat, and Heal
A two-evening class led by Margaret Smith at CraftWorks. 6:30-9pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
27 Regenerative Medicine for Horses
Cabin Fever Speaker Series at Historic Long Branch, 830 Long Branch Lane, Millwood. 6–9pm. $5. Veterinarian Jennifer Barrett will describe the basics of regenerative medicine and stem cell biology as they relate to horses and how stem cell therapy is being used to treat equine injuries and illness. Drinks & light fare offered. For information, go to www.visitlongbranch.org or call 540-837-1856.
28 Community Band “Peace” Concert
The Clarke County Community Band performs at Johnson-Williams Middle School, Berryville. 7pm. Free. Weaving together pieces like Fanfare Prelude, The New World Symphony, and the Star Spangled Banner with selections of prose and poetry, this concert celebrates the men and women who serve in the military, with the hope that there will someday be a time when all who are abroad will return safely home. The concert presents literature and music that brings home the call for peace in the world. For more information , contact Chris Shipe at 571-439-6496 or chris.shipe@loudounmutual.com or Larry Correll at larryg.correll@gmail.com.
29 Sustainable Landscaping
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 10am–noon. Free but reservations required. Co-hosted by the Piedmont Environmental Council, this workshop addresses sustainable lawn and garden care, habitat creation, use of natives, protection of pollinators, and how you and the environment can both benefit. Final 20 minutes spent outside. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
29 Babysitter Safety Course
Taught by Brian Kearney at Craftworks. Learn sitter basics, safety, injury prevention, first aid and CPR. For ages 11-15, 9am-1pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
29 Pet Safety & First Aid
Taught by Brian Kearney at Craftworks. Learn the basics of pet nutrition, safety, first aid and disaster planning. For pet owners and caregivers, 2-5pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
April
3 Brown Bag with Books
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Noon. Free. A monthly book discussion during the lunch hour led by Laurine Kennedy, Clarke County Library branch manager. April’s selection, Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo, is a 2012 National Book Award winner. The stories reveal the hopes and dreams of India’s poorest people who live in Annawadi, a makeshift settlement near the airport in Mumbai. For more information, contact Laurine at lkennedy@handleyregional.org, or call 540-955-5144.
3 Fatamouta Diawara
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30. $15 in advance, $20 at door. Tall, superbly poised and elegant, with an iridescent smile, this sometime star of African film draws elements of jazz and funk into an exquisitely sparse contemporary folk sound – refracting the rocking rhythms and plaintive melodies of her ancestral Wassoulou tradition through an instinctive pop sensibility. For information and tickets, visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004.
4 The Assad Family
Bright Box Theater, 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. $25. Famous for their performances with Yo-Yo Ma, guitartists Sergio and Odair Assad are joined by their sister and daughters on vocals to perform hauntingly beautiful and sublime classical and Brazilian repertoire. More information and tickets at www.brightboxtheater.com.
5 Grand Walking Day
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 10am–noon. Free. Ribbon cutting at 10:15. Blandy will dedicate four walking trails designed to encourage walking for exercise and improved physical and mental health. Trails range from 3/4 to 2 miles in length. Walk begins at main parking lot. Call 540-837-1758, ext. 224 for info.
5 Rotary Casino Night
Rotary Club of Clarke County’s fun night at Boyce Volunteer Fire Co. Social Hall. Doors open at 5:30pm, games begin at 6pm. $40. 17 games including craps, roulette, blackjack, and more. Gourmet heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bar with beer and wine. Proceeds go to support many Rotary service projects. For tickets sponsorship & prize donations, contact: Dale Coumes 540.955.2722 or dalecoumes@e-elec.com or Eric Wright 703.999.3395 or ericwright@e-elec.com. For information & tickets, contact Rieman Royston, rroyston@hnfunkhouser.com.
5 Johnny Neel, with The Outpatients.
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30. $12 advance, $15 at door. All the way from Nashville, don’t miss a rockin’ good time with this award-winning blues singer-songwriter-keyboardist who has played with The Allman Brothers Band, John Mayall, Dickie Betts, and many others in addition to producing eight solo albums. Local faves The Outpatients open up. Information and tickets, visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004.
6 Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire, and the Birth of an Obsession
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 1:30–3pm. $25 for FOSA members, $30 for non-members. Reservations required. In this illustrated talk, author Andrea Wulf tells the tale of six 18th century naturalists who made England a nation of gardeners. Ms. Wulf is an award-winning historian and author who speaks worldwide on horticulture and history. Book signing and reception to follow co-hosted by Colonial Dames of America, Chapter XXIII. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
7 The Teetotallers
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30. $15. Three giants of the Irish traditional music scene—fiddler Martin Hayes, virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Kevin Crawford, and guitarist John Doyle—converge to bring amazing playing and fine vocals to their audience. For more information and tickets, visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004.
11 LUNAFEST
Bright Box Theater, 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester. A traveling film festival of award-winning short films filled with stories of reflection, hope, and humor. Prior to the films, a pre-screening reception will take place featuring live music, food and drink, and a Silent Auction of Adirondack chairs painted by local artists. All proceeds are donated to charity; 85 percent to benefit Girls on the Run of the Shenandoah Valley, 15 percent to the Breast Cancer Fund. Tickets are $50. Pre-screening reception starts at 6:30pm. More information and tickets at www.brightboxtheater.com.
12 Polymer Clay Bracelet with Mona Kissel
A comprehensive one-day workshop at CraftWorks. Create a reversible cuff bracelet in this intermediate class. Supply list will be provided after registration. 8:30am-5:20pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
12 Clarke County Little League Spaghetti Dinner & Auction
Blue Ridge Fire Hall, 131 Retreat Road, Bluemont. Doors open at 4:30, dinner served from 5pm to 8pm. Adults $10, children 6–10 $5, children 5 and under free. Silent auction from 5pm to 7:30pm, live auction at 7pm. For more info, call Peanut Wright at 540-550-6100.
12 Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser
A benefit for Relay for Life at the Ranson Civic Center, W 2nd Avenue, Ranson, WV. 5pm–10pm. Ages 14 & up. $50 for team registration, spectators are free. Go out to support a good cause and play to win cash prizes. Register your 2-person team by contacting Teresa Williams at 304-728-1486 or twilliams@apus.edu.
12 Grand Ole Ditch Bluegrass & BBQ
Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville. Doors open at 7:30 pm, show starts at 8. $12 advance, $15 at door. From western Maryland, this contemporary bluegrass band has a style steeped in Appalachian musical tradition and storytelling. Local barbecue available from Jordan Springs Market, voted best in the valley for four years running. For more information and tickets, visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004.
12 Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band
Performing with People’s Blues of Richmond Bright Box Theater, 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester. $10 in advance, $15 at door. The Booty Band’s sound is a mix of deep funk, high energy rock, plus a little old school rap and soul thrown in for good measure. People’s Blues of Richmond (PBR) has been taking the country by storm with their psychedelic circus rock, mixing the classic sounds of Led Zeppelin, the gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello, and just a dash of indie rock via Modest Mouse. Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 7pm. Happy hour from 7pm – 8pm. Show starts at 8pm. Tickets at www.brightboxtheater.com
13 Aeolus Quartet Plays Andriessen
Bright Box Theater, 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester. Doors open at 2pm, show starts at 3pm. Bright Box Theater and Shenandoah University celebrates the 75th birthday of iconic Dutch composer Louis Andriessen with Aeolus Quartet, Juilliard’s Quartet-in-Residence. Praised by Strad Magazine for their “high-octane” performance, the Aeolus Quartet is among the finest young string quartets performing today. More information and tickets at www.brightboxtheater.com
14 Full Moon Walk
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 7:30–9pm. $10 for FOSA members, $12 for nonmembers, $20 for family. No dogs, please. Reservations required. Explore the Arboretum under the full moon! Wear comfortable shoes, bring a flashlight, and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world at dusk and dark. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
15 CraftWorks Drum Circle
A free musical jam session for all ages/levels. Beginners arrive at 6:30, 7-9pm. Sign up at wvcraftworks.org.
18 Melodime w/ NELO
Bright Box Theater, 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester. Happy hour at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. $10 in advance, $15 at door. Musically addictive indie-rock bursting with emotion, imagination, inspiration, and energy! Each band tells stories from the deepest recesses of their hearts and souls, and seamlessly blend the musical past with the sounds of the future. More information and tickets at www.brightboxtheater.com
18 & 25 Flora of Virginia
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 9am–3pm. $30 for FOSA members, $35 for nonmembers. Reservations required. Marion Lobstein leads lab and field sessions using the Flora of Virginia, recognizing plant families, and more. Bring lunch, a 10x ocular, and the Flora book if you can, and dress for the weather. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
19 Community Easter Egg Hunt
Historic Long Branch, 830 Long Branch Lane, Millwood. Noon–3pm. Free. Hop on down for the Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt! Egg hunts, prizes, hayrides, face painting, local barbecue, gardens, museum exhibits, and more. Rain or shine.
21 Watercolor Class
Opus Oaks Studio East, 109 First Street, Berryville. Ages 12+ $85. Six classes on Mondays 10–12 or Thursdays 7–9pm. Bring your own materials or pay $50 for a beginner set. Color mixing, composition, layering color, brush techniques, and washes will be introduced by instructor Gale Bowman-Harlow. For more information and to register, contact www.opusoaks.org or call 540-955-4226.
22 Journaling for a Thousand Reasons
Join Sherri Philpott at CraftWorks for a creative outlet to more fully express yourself. Based on the Journal to the Self curriculum, the emphasis is on expression, not on writing skills or grammar. 7-9:30pm, register at wvcraftworks.org.
22 Earth Day Tours of Arboretum
Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce. 10am–noon. Free, reservations required. Offered in both English and Espanol. See glorious displays of spring’s flowering trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Co-hosted by Winchester Parks & Rec. Register at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758, ext. 224.
23 Fused Glass
Opus Oaks Studio East, 190 First Street, Berryville. Ages 13+. $125. Six classes. Experienced or prior students welcome. Fusing glass in a kiln creates wonderful 2D and 3D art pieces with luminous colors, decorations, and shapes. Led by instructor Gail Gramprie. For more information and to register, contact www.opusoaks.org or call 540-955-4226.
26 Sequential Art Immersion
Opus Oaks Studio East, 190 First Street, Berryville. Ages 11+. $85 + $10 materials fee. Six classes. An exploration into the work of comics and fantasy stories, this class takes a look at the history and trends while asking “What story will we tell today?” Each person will create a story board and work on illustrations, layout, logos, characters, and color. Led by instructor Eric Cherry. For more information and to register, contact www.opusoaks.org or call 540-955-4226.
Current & Ongoing
Clarke County School Board meetings are held at D.G. Cooley Elementary School, 34 Westwood Road, Berryville, at 6:30pm and are open to the public. Upcoming meetings are on March 24, April 28, and May 19.
A wide variety of classes and activities offered through Clarke County Parks and Recreation. See complete schedule at www.clarkecounty.gov/parks.
Opus Oaks offers several upcoming classes, workshops, and specialty summer camps for all ages in painting, drawing, stained glass, jewelry design, photography, sculpture, and more. See complete schedule at www.opusoaks.org.
