Tidewater Virginia Events: Local Tidewater Virginia Happenings

COMMUNITY EVENTS / FESTIVALS

Now thru Apr 11 - The 63rd Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament(PIT). Each year the basketball world focuses on Portsmouth as 64 of the nation’s best college seniors participate in a four-day, twelve-game tournament. Scouts from every NBA Team are on-site to evaluate their talent. Today scouts from numerous international leagues have joined in on the annual April pilgrimage to Portsmouth. Over the years the P.I.T. has been a showcase for five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History (Rick Barry, Earl ‘The Pearl” Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen) and for many others who have gone on to NBA stardom.www.portsmouthinvitational.com | 757-393-8481

Now thru Apr 12 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents CIRCUS XTREME, Scope Arena, Thu/Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 11:30 am 3:30 & 7:30 pm, Sun 1:30 & 5:30 pm, 201 East Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk. It’s time for your family to be amazed by all the X-TRAORDINARY things you know and love about America’s favorite live family entertainment experience. Be astonished by UN-XPECTED circus spectacles you’ve never seen before and that can’t be seen anywhere else but at The Greatest Show On Earth®. Get ready for an X-HILARATING adventure with X-TRAORDINARY circus artists and magnificent X-OTIC animals! It’s time to awaken the spirit of Children Of All Ages and stir the imagination of your family! Ringling Bros.® Presents CIRCUS XTREME. It’s time to have XTREME fun with your family! Get your tickets today!

Now thru Apr 12 - Spring Break Carnival, Virginia Beach Farmers Market, daily 12 - 10:00 PM, 3640 Dam Neck Road (corner of Princess Anne), Virginia Beach. Family Carnival Rides, Games & Concessions. (757) 385-4388

Now thru Apr 19 - 44th Annual Student Art & Design Exhibition, Tidewater Community College Visual Arts Center, Corner of High & Court Streets, Portsmouth. A year’s work culminates with a student show chosen from completed VAC course projects. Featuring over 200 pieces by more than 100 students, works represent program courses in Studio Arts, Photography, Graphic Design, Ceramics and Glass Blowing. For more information please call 757-822-1888

Now thru April - Bike Nights, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Mon/Wed/Thu 4 - 7:00 pm, 6700 Azalea Garden Road, Norfolk. Bring your bikes, helmets and family or friends out to Norfolk Botanical Garden and pedal through the petals. Norfolk Botanical Garden is home to 12 miles of pedestrian pathways. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. they are open to bikers! Regular Garden admission applies.

Now thru May 3 - Coding: Artists and Their Creative DNA, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Corner of High & Court St., Portsmouth. This exhibit explores the act of creating and what inspires artists and themes in their work. From cultural influences to life experiences this exhibit introduces varied perspectives into the creative dialogue. Featured artists include Maria Barbosa, Victor Ekpuk, Gloria Garfinkel, Hamid Kachmar, Khánh Lê, Judith Peck, Gina Pierleoni, and Anastasia Rurikov-Simes.

Now thru May 17 - Portsmouth Here and Now, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, Corner of High & Court St., Portsmouth. Seeking to promote the vibrant, cultural life and activity in Portsmouth, this juried exhibit offers a range of artistic works and styles by artists who live and/or work in our great City. 393-8543

Now thru May 25 - Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High St., Portsmouth. Everyone’s favorite big red dog is coming to Portsmouth! Visitors young and young at heart will recognize all the sites and characters in “Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog” based on PBS’s hit series. From the Ferry and the Pier to Clifford and his dog house, visitors to Birdwell Island will enjoy all the sights and sounds in this exhibit. Targeted to children 2 - 8 year and their caregivers, the exhibit aims for immersion into the lives of Emily Elizabeth and Clifford while promoting Clifford’s Big Ideas. These simple ideas include: Share, Play Fair, Have Respect, Work Together, Be Responsible, Be Truthful, Be Kind, Believe in Yourself, Be a Good Friend and Help Others. Join us on opening day for a Big Red Party, with Museum Members receiving the first chance to view the exhibit starting at 8 am.

Fri, Apr 10

- Great Dismal Swamp Safari, 9:30 - 1:30 pm, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (off of White Marsh Road), Suffolk. The Great Dismal Swamp is anything but dismal. The narrated Swamp Safari, one of Suffolk’s most popular attractions, fills up quickly. This four-hour tour is led by a biologist specializing is the unique habitat of the Great Dismal. Learn about the history, lore, vegetation and wildlife with this adventure that includes a brief walk to Lake Drummond. Sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended. A small snack and beverage is provided. This tour is not recommended for very small children. Reservations are required and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to scheduled tour. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757.514.4130 to reserve your spot.

- Granby Street Block Party, 5 - 8:00 pm, Downtown Norfolk. Celebrate the spring and the opening night of Virginia Arts Festival! Food, live music, beer and friends along Granby Street will help us launch what's sure to be a fantastic season!

- Night Hike at Chesapeake Arboretum, 7 - 9:00 pm, 624 Oak Grove Road, Chesapeake. Explore the Chesapeake Arboretum in the dark of the night and learn how nocturnal wildlife have adapted to thrive. Enjoy a short interpretive program next to the red barn and then head out for a short guided hike (about 2 miles). Bring a flash light. Please RSVP to (757) 421-7151. This event is weather dependent. Program will be canceled for unfavorable conditions. Those that RSVP will receive a phone call 24 hours prior if the hike is canceled.

- Owl Prowl and Night Hike, Sandy Bottom Nature Park, 8 - 9:00 pm, 1255 Big Bethel Rd., Hampton. $2.00 per person. Join a Park Ranger for a leisurely night hike along the trails of Sandy Bottom in search for owls. Hiking boots are recommended as well as flashlights. Please only one flashlight per family. For more information or to register call the Nature Center at 757-825-4657.

Fri-Sun, Apr 10-12

- 2015 Battle of the Best National Exposure Showcase, Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach. Grassroots basketball teams will take over the Virginia Beach area on April 10-12 to participate in the Battle of the Best National Exposure Showcase (Virginia Beach) tournament. We look forward to being part of the epicenter of college basketball recruiting during this live evaluation period. The Battle of the Best National Exposure Showcase in Virginia Beach will be one of the best options with up to 14 courts under one roof travel teams will definitely have a legitimate opportunity to maximize exposure opportunities for their student athletes. http://mylineageofchampions.itsmyplay.com/battle-of-the-best-va-beach-april-10-12-2015

- Boo Williams NIKE Spring Boys Basketball Invitational, Boo Williams Sportsplex, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Admission Fee. 757/637-7300 / http://www.boowilliamsbball.org

- Virginia/North Carolina Golden Gloves Championships, Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton. General Admission $27.00; Front row Ringside $ 42.00. Tickets will be sold at the door. 757-589- 9502 or 301-843-6165

Sat, Apr 11

- Walk Hampton Clean, Various Locations Throughout City, 6:00 am - 12:00 pm. Volunteers (friends, neighbors, families, civic organizations, work groups, and more) will select a street or public area of Hampton to clean up on this spectacular cleanup day. The more people who participate, the cleaner Hampton will be. HCCC will provide equipment. For more information contact HCCC. 757-727-1158 | mailto:causink@hampton.gov

- Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and Children's Half-Mile Cub Run, 8:00 am Swamp Stomp, 11:30 am Cub Run, 1200 Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Chesapeake. Free to Spectators. Chesapeake invites you on a spectacular 13.1 mile journey through lush, mysterious landscape and rich history. Alongside and parallel to the trail is the historic Dismal Swamp Canal, part of the famed Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, which offers runners forested wetlands and a peaceful paved pathway through the wilderness. Join the foot stompin' crowd for the race; enjoy the legendary scenery and entertainment that will be anything but dismal. Returning this year, the Children's Half-Mile Cub Run. This half-mile out-and-back fun run for children ages 12 and under is the perfect complement to our successful Dismal Swamp Stomp. All children will have access to the special children's activity area prior to the race and will receive a t-shirt and finisher's medal when they cross the finish line. Newly added this year - 5K run/walk. The 5K will start and finish in the same locations as the half marathon, and will start 5 minutes after the start of the half marathon. All entrants will receive a race premium, custom finisher medal, and age group winners will receive custom awards. Contact: Ann Hupp (757) 373-4174 / http://dismalswampstomp.mettleevents.com/index.html

- Volunteer Service Day, Paradise Creek Nature Park, 9:00 am, 1141 Victory Boulevard, Portsmouth. Become a river hero. Help clean up the park, improve plantings and learn river stewardship while you are at it. Projects very by date. Looking to volunteer through military, work, scouts or other? Contact Sarah to arrange a private volunteer event. All ages allowed with adult supervision for those under 18. This is free but registration is required. Please call 757-399-7487 or email ssumoski@elizabethriver.org

- Boathouse Opens for the Season, The Mariners' Museum/USS Monitor Center, 9:00 am, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. The boathouse is now open! Whether a die-hard fisherman or just in need of a relaxing day, visit us and start creating your own memories of Lake Maury today. Various boats are available for rental, and visitors can bring their own kayaks and canoes with annual or daily passes. The boathouse is open Friday - Sunday through September.

- Walk a Mile in Her Shoes- The Men's March to End Sexual Assault and Gender Violence, Peninsula Town Center, 10:00 am, Town Square, 5100 Kilgore Ave., Hampton. Join us for the largest march against sexual violence on the peninsula! What is Walk a Mile in Her Shoes? Men collect pledges, then walk one mile in women's high heels to protest sexual and domestic violence. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sexual Assault Survivors, a nonprofit rape crisis center serving the peninsula. Register online at www.firstgiving.com/csas

- The 2015 Norfolk Namesakes Tour of Historic Elmwood Cemetery, 10 - 11:30 am, 238 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk. Do you like art? Do you like mystery? Want to take part in local history? Well, we've got the thing for you! The 2015 Norfolk Namesakes Tour of Historic Elmwood Cemetery has it all! Join Joshua Weinstein on the second Saturday of each month, April through October, for a guided walking tour of this Victorian era garden cemetery. Learn the hidden histories of Norfolk's founding fathers. Discover the intriguing name origins of Norfolk landmarks. Admire unique architecture and handcrafted memorial art. Bask in the serene, park-like beauty of this outdoor museum. $5 suggested donation to the Norfolk Society for Cemetery Conservation. Children 12 & under free. Cash or checks only please. Checks can be made out to NSCC. All ages welcome. This is a one & one half hour walking tour. Bottled water provided. No RSVP required.

- 12th Annual Child ID Fest, Hampton Carousel Park, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, 602 Settlers Landing Rd., Hampton. The Hampton Sheriff's Office will be offering child identification along with cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones and inflatables. Free and open to the public. 926-2540

- 2nd Saturday Hampton Arts Walk, Downtown Hampton & Phoebus. Join us for a day of creative people doing creative things in our community. This monthly, free, self-guided walking tour event runs throughout Downtown Hampton and partners local businesses with artists working in all mediums. A number of events will be held inside our business, attractions, and in the public realm. https://www.facebook.com/DHArtsWalk

- Slow Art Day 2015, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 11:00 am, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. Slow Art Day is the global all-volunteer event with a simple mission: help more people discover for themselves the joy of looking at and loving art. Slow Art is free and run by volunteers. You pay only your museum admission (if any) and buy your own lunch. Virginia MOCA is excited to join the Slow Art Day movement again this year. A MOCA Gallery Teacher will lend a hand as we take our time exploring 5 selections from the current New Waves 2015 and Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit. An hour of individual viewing is followed by lunch off-site. For more information on Slow Art Day visit: www.slowartday.com

- HOOTenanny Owl Program, Oakland Recreation Center, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 5055 Godwin Boulevard, Suffolk. Free - All ages. Suffolk Parks & Recreation welcomes adults and children of all ages to learn how to make a backyard the perfect owl habitat! A bird handler from the Virginia Aquarium will discuss the different owl species and will have owl box plans for you to take home. Normally, owls are seen through binoculars, but the guest of honor will bring a live barred owl from the Virginia Aquarium's Outreach Program. www.suffolkva.us/parks / 757.514.7262

- WPA Garden Heritage Celebration, Norfolk Botanical Garden, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 6700 Azalea Garden Road, Norfolk. Admission is FREE from 9 am to Noon. Join us for the seventh annual Garden Heritage Celebration as we celebrate the contributions of 220 African American workers whose labor created the Garden.

- American Girl Dolls: Women of Hampton, Hampton History Museum, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. Come learn more about select American Girls that relate to women of Hampton in our current special exhibit, The Truth About Women: Myth and Reality. We will have activities themed around different historical and historical fiction characters. Come check out the upstairs gallery and bring your own American Girl doll and outfits to display or just share in the festivities. Activities are free and open to the public. 757-727-1610

- Genuine Smithfield Wine & Brew Fest Weekend, 11:00 am until 5:00 pm, Windsor Castle Park in downtown Smithfield. Over 100 tastings of Virginia Wines & Virginia Craft Brews, special offerings of Organic Wines, three stages of live music, weekend hotel packages, wine dinners and handcrafted artist vendors. Individual Tickets & Non-Sponsorship Tables for this event on sale January 15, 2015. For further information call 757.357.5182

- Meet Elsa! GameWorks, Greenbrier Mall, 12 - 2:00 pm, 1401 Greenbrier Parkway South, Chesapeake. Join GameWorks and Elsa for a great princess party! Admission: $18.99 per child. Price includes pizza, soda, 1-hour timed card & a $10 game card. Time card valid on all games except ticket, token or prize games. To purchase tickets, call (757) 624-9100 or email ecchesapeake@gameworks.com.

- Ranger Stations: Birding, Paradise Creek Nature Park, 2:00 pm, 1141 Victory Blvd, Portsmouth. Have a question for our Ranger? Stop by during the hours listed for more information about the park and borrow supplies to explore the parks wildlife on your own. Explore something new each week! Great for families and children. Free, no registration required. For more information please call 757-399-7487 or visit http://www.paradisecreeknaturepark.org/

- Yorktown Kite Demo & Gathering, 1 - 5:00 pm, Chischiak Green, Water Street, Yorktown. Join us at the Yorktown beach for kite demonstrations and an afternoon of kite flying. Bring your kite or borrow one from Patriot Tours and Provisions. Yorktown Beach. Free. 757.969.5400

- The 7th Annual East Coast She Crab Soup Classic, 24th Street Park, Noon to 3:00 pm, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. An open competition among local restaurants, the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic focuses on one of the region’s most-loved seafood delicacies. This highly identifiable cuisine has been a staple of area menus for decades. Restaurants serve their individual recipes and compete for People’s Choice Awards, determined by the ballots of those attending. Critic’s Choice Awards also are given by a panel of four leading regional cuisine experts. The East Coast She Crab Soup Classic is a ticketed event. A limited number of tickets will be available. Advance tickets are on sale at $14 (plus service charges) through all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $18 day-of-show, if available. See more at: http://www.beachstreetusa.com/festivals/east-coast-she-crab-soup-classic#sthash.NIYbULzj.dpuf

- Town Center's VIP Spring Fashion Show, 6 - 8:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Town Center, Virginia Beach. Come out to celebrate all of the new retailers of the Town Center of Virginia Beach at the Fountain Plaza! Featuring Town Center's retailers, Anthropologie, Free People lululemon athletica, Destination Maternity and more! You are all VIPs to us, so come out for the red carpet, photographs at our step and repeat and champagne toast at our grand finale. This event is FREE and open to the public.

- Spartkya Fight League: TKO For The Ta-Tas, Ted Constant Convocation Center, 7:00 pm, 4320 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk. Spartyka Fight League was established in September 2010 with the purpose of becoming the top promoter of amateur mixed martial arts events in Virginia. We attract the area’s best amateur MMA talent by organizing high quality MMA events in Hampton Roads.

- Skywatch at Northwest River Park, Sunset - 11:00 pm, Northwest River Park & Campground, 1733 Indian Creek Road, Chesapeake. Free and Open to the Public. Join Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) as they bring their scopes and expertise to bear on the Galaxy weather permitting at the Equestrian Area at Northwest River Park. Call (757) 421-7151 to confirm. Several large telescopes are set-up and guests get a tour of the night sky, while learning about telescopes and astronomy. The event begins around sunset and ends at 11:00 PM. BBAA will hold a "Telescope 101" beginning 90 minutes before sunset.

- Chesapeake Masters Indoor Golf Tournament & Soiree, Chesapeake Central Library, 7:00 pm, 298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake. The Chesapeake Masters are hosting an indoor golf tournament & soiree benefiting the Chesapeake Public Library Foundation and the Smart Start Chesapeake Early Learning & Literacy Program. For more information, please contact Debbie McKee at 757-617-1553.

Sat/Sun, Apr 11/12

- 2015 The ONE Cheer and Dance Finals, Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach. A unique, end-of-season event offered to Cheer and Dance Teams. North America’s top Event Producer companies will award first place teams ONLY with exclusive Bids to a choice of Finals locations. Bid teams may choose to compete in Virginia Beach, New Orleans or Chicago with the winning teams from divisions in each Finals location advancing to THE ONE Virtual Finals where a panel of the industry's top judging professionals will crown…THE ONE in each division! http://www.theonefinals.com/

- Virginia Hot Rod & Custom Car Show, Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton. Get your car out of hibernation... the biggest indoor car show in VA is back! This show celebrates classic cars and pulls the best lineup of classics, modern muscle cars, restored cars, classic trucks, pro street cars, custom bikes from the Mid-Atlantic and South East as well as vendors, live music by the Rhythm Rockers, a pin up girl contest, and Kid’s Zone. Adults: $13 Active Military $10 Children 5-12 $7 children 4 under free. 757-727-8311 / http://www.vacarshow.com

Sun, Apr 12

- Annual Health Fair, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church, 08:30 am until 01:30 pm, 5738 Colonial Trail East, Surry. Annual Health Fair and Blood Drive. Also available: Blood pressure screening, Blood sugar screening, Cholesterol screening, Vision testing, Massage therapy, and so much more! Door prize drawing every 30 minutes. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Beatrice Johns at 757-810-1535 or a member of the Nurses' Corp Ministry at 757-294-3342.

- 2nd Sundays Williamsburg Art & Music Festival, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, Outdoors on Prince George Street, Williamsburg. 2nd Sundays Williamsburg Art & Music Festival opens its 6th year as Williamsburg’s only monthly art & music street festival featuring over 75 local and regional artists, authors, artisans, and live music. Main stage music each month sponsored by Quirks of Art. Free children's activities and art projects courtesy of Artfully Yours. The festival takes place in the 400 and 500 blocks of Prince George St and Along N. Boundary in downtown Williamsburg. Festival presented March-December by Blue Talon Bistro. More Info: http://www.2ndSundaysWilliamsburg.com

- ODU International Festival, Ted Constant Convocation Center, Noon - 5:00 pm, 4320 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk. Experience international food vendors, global marketplace, cultural performances, global educational displays, global game zone, and more! Also featuring children's cultural activities, animal exhibit, free admission and parking.

- Attucks Community Day Block Party, Church Street Park, 2:30 - 6:30 pm, corner of Church St and Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk. Great food, musical performances, and family fun will take over the Church Street Park across from Attucks Theatre in Norfolk. Spend your afternoon listening to everything from gospel to big band jazz! Featuring Performances by Norfolk State University Big Band, The Rhythm Project Steel Drum Band, Teens With a Purpose and The Chosen Few. Headliner Performance by The Fuzz Band, 5:30-6:30 pm. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Band with Wynton Marsalis will be performing across the street in a ticketed concert at the Attucks Theatre at 4 and 7 pm. Supported by ArtPlaceAmerica

Mon, Apr 13

- Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour, 2:00 pm, Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 North Main Street. See Suffolk through the eyes of years gone by. Suffolk’s rich heritage dates back to the early 17th century, when Captain John Smith first encountered the Nansemond Indians on the Nansemond River. Even now, you can trace Suffolk’s legacy through our historic homes and neighborhoods, churches and Virginia Civil War Trails. Guided by a Suffolk historian, you meet the people and places that made Suffolk the city it is today. Highlights of this windshield tour include Cedar Hill Cemetery, Riddick’s Folly House Museum, Constant’s Wharf, College Court and Suffolk’s Historic Lakeside neighborhood. $8 Adults / $6 Seniors, Military and Children 9-12. 757.514.4130

Tue, Apr 14

- Autism Awareness Night, Surry Community Center, 6:00 pm, 205 Enos Farm Drive, Surry. Guest Speakers: Mrs. Pamela Mines, President JP JumPers Foundation; Dr. Jaclyn Walker, CEO Glamour Prestige/Educator. Light refreshments will be served and gifts will be provided to all attendees. Special presentations will be given to individuals with Autism. Questions: Contact 757-294-5278

Wed, Apr 15

- State of the City, Chesapeake Conference Center, 12 - 2:00 pm, 700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake. 11:30 am Registration & Networking. 12:00 pm Lunch & Program. This event is the premier annual forum for interaction among Chesapeake's business, civic, and community leaders. The 2015 State of the City address delivered by the Honorable Alan Krasnoff, Chesapeake Mayor, will highlight key business development initiatives, provide strategic municipal progress updates, address challenges and opportunities, and provide a glimpse into the City's future. PRICE: $45.00 Chamber Members, $65.00 Prospective Members, $750.00 Table sponsorship (table of 10 & program recognition). For more information, contact Dean McClain dmcclain@hrccva.com or 757.664.2560.

- Food Truck Hump Days on the Great Bridge Waterways, First and Third Wednesday, 4:00 pm to dusk, Battlefield Historic Park, 1775 Historic Way, Chesapeake. Join Eat The Streets 757 at Battlefield Historic Park on the first and third Wednesday of the month starting April 1 and ending October 21. A huge variety of food truck gourmet dishes will be offered along with children's activities and live entertainment by the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation, the City of Chesapeake, and friends! All food trucks accept cash and credit though a minimum may apply when using credit. * 10% of all sales will benefit the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation.

- Norfolk Sister Cities PassPORT 2015 - An Evening Around the World, Norfolk Sheraton Waterside, 6 - 8:30 pm, 777 Waterside Drive, Norfolk. It’s the Evening Around the World as the acclaimed Norfolk Sister City Association (NSCA) event is back for its second year with celebrity chef cuisine, international entertainment and an exotic bazaar. Acclaimed chef, author and gourmand Patrick Evans-Hylton has assembled a fabulous group of Hampton Roads restaurants whose chefs will prepare and serve international cuisine inspired by Norfolk and her 10 Sister Cities. Norfolk Sister City Members: $50.00. Non-Members: $65.00 757.627.0530

Wed, Apr 15 thru Apr 19 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents CIRCUS XTREME, Hampton Coliseum, 1000 Coliseum Drive, Hampton. It’s time for your family to be amazed by all the X-TRAORDINARY things you know and love about America’s favorite live family entertainment experience. Be astonished by UN-XPECTED circus spectacles you’ve never seen before and that can’t be seen anywhere else but at The Greatest Show On Earth®. Get ready for an X-HILARATING adventure with X-TRAORDINARY circus artists and magnificent X-OTIC animals! It’s time to awaken the spirit of Children Of All Ages and stir the imagination of your family! Ringling Bros.® Presents CIRCUS XTREME. It’s time to have XTREME fun with your family! Get your tickets today! http://www.hamptoncoliseum.org/events/detail/ringling-bros-and-barnum-bailey-presents-circus-xtreme

Thu, Apr 16

- "Tell Me a Story", Isle of Wight County Museum, 10:00 am, 103 Main Street, Downtown Smithfield. This program, geared for children ages 3 to 5, introduces youngsters to the symbols of Isle of Wight and features books, songs and games. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Theme: Scarecrow puppets. For more information call 757.356.1223.

- Third Thursday, Chrysler Museum of Art, 5 - 10:00 pm, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. Game on in Huber Court! Participate in GameStop’s Video Game Competition and peruse tables set up by Dave and Buster’s and Tidewater Comicon. The Angel Alien Podcast will host a panel discussion and DJ Okaishun will provide the music for the evening - At the Museum from 5–10 pm. At the Glass Studio, artist Karen Donnellan and her students from Alfred University perform Mellifera with live music by Daniel Neale. Glass Studio events begin at 7 pm. Third Thursday is always free for Museum Members, $5 for all others. There's a cash bar in both venues.

- 3rd Thursday at Jesters Gallery Shop: Featuring Debbie Hobbs, Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, 110 W. Finney Avenue, Suffolk. Free. Join us in the Jester's Gallery Shop at the Suffolk Center to meet our resident artist, Debbie Hobbs. www.suffolkcenter.org / Registration: 757.923.0003

- The Coffee Bar – Coffee Food Pairings, The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 7 - 9:00 pm, 100 Museum Dr, Newport News. Get caffeinated! Unwind with a cuppa joe at The Mariners’ Museum. The Coffee Bar features: Eat, drink and learn with a coffee and food pairing; Live music; Light refreshments; Access to the Museum’s newest exhibition, Coffee: The World in Your Cup. Admission is $10 and includes everything listed above! There will also be a cash bar with a signature coffee drink.

Fri, Apr 17

- "Home School Day", Isle of Wight County, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Historic sites in Isle of Wight County and the town of Smithfield. Smithfield and Isle of Wight County’s historic sites welcome homeschoolers of all ages with a selection of fun and engaging activities that highlight the history of Virginia and the area. For more information call 757.356.1223.

- Town Fair at Town Center, 5 - 8:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Town Center, Virginia Beach. The Town Fair at Town Center features local handmade art, jewelry, goods and fair trade merchandise. On the third Friday of each month, April through September, residents and visitors alike, can stroll around the Fountain Plaza of Town Center as we showcase more than 30 merchants’ handmade and fair trade goods. This month's Town Fair kicks off with an Earth Day theme! Come out to meet with the artisans and merchants from in and around the Town Center of Virginia Beach.

- Chesapeake Virginia Spring Wine Festival, Chesapeake Conference Center, 5 - 11:00 pm, Tastings end at 10:00 pm, 700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake. $40 per ticket or 2 tickets for $75. An indoor wine tasting event from the creators of the Chesapeake, VA Wine Festival. Indoor festival representing over 10 Virginia Wineries, an expanded craft beer garden, a martini lounge and wine accessory vendors. Hosted by the Chesapeake Rotary Club. http://www.cheswine.com/

- Relay for Life Fundraiser: Police vs. Fire Blazin’ Wing Challenge, 6:00 pm, Buffalo Wild Wings, Hampton. Come support the city's police and fire departments as they battle it out during the Blazin' Wing Challenge as part of their Relay for Life fundraising. Buffalo Wild Wings will donate money to the American Cancer Society in honor of the winning team.

Fri, Apr 17 thru Apr 24 - LOVEwork Sculpture in Merchants Square, Williamsburg. Picture Yourself in LOVE! The Virginia Tourism corporation's oversized LOVE artwork will be visiting Merchants Square from April 17 - 24.

Sat, Apr 18

- Great American Cleanup - Keep Norfolk Beautiful Day, Various locations, Various times. Norfolk's Great American Cleanup takes place annually, through June 6. Volunteers can participate in various litter cleanups and beautification projects, which help keep the City clean and beautiful. Keep Norfolk Beautiful (KNB) needs volunteer team leaders, individuals (all ages), civic, faith-based and corporate groups as well as military personnel! For questions, contact KNB at knb@norfolk.gov or 757-441-1347. http://www.norfolk.gov/FormCenter/Keep-Norfolk-Beautiful-35/2015-Great-American-Cleanup-GAC-Registra-146

- 4th Annual Bataan Death March Memorial Walk, Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, 6:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1200 Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Chesapeake. Take a part in a walking event commemorating the 73rd Anniversary of the Bataan Death March of World War II. Honor the 90,000 US and Filipino Servicemen who suffered and endured one of the most harrowing events in history. The March is free & open to all. Families are invited, active duty military can come as a unit. Three Walk Events: 16.6 mile walk – 06:00 start, walk to the NC border and back (0545 last check-in); 5 mile walk – 10:00 start (0945 last check-in), 1 mile family walk – 11:00 start (1045 last check-in). Closing remarks honoring the veterans – 12:00. Participation is free, there will be an opportunity to donate to VFW Post 2894 for food and Tee Shirts after the event. Register online on Facebook – Chesapeake Bataan Death March or walk.chesapeake@gmail.com.

- Portsmouth Great American Cleanup Kickoff, Portsmouth City Park, 7:00 am, 140 City Park Ave., Portsmouth. Join us during our Great American Cleanup. Activities include litter pickups and beautification projects throughout the city. We’ll have a kickoff at City Park at 7 am and then send the volunteers off to their projects. http://www.portsmouthva.gov/news/2014/greatamericancleanup-2015.pdf

- Tides Baseball Opening Day, Harbor Park, 150 Park Avenue, Norfolk. All Day. Home opener slated for Saturday, April 18 vs. Durham at 7:05 pm. For pricing and additional information, fans may visit the Harbor Park Box Office, visit norfolktides.com or call (757) 622-2222

- The First “Walk for the Young Child”, IC Norcomm High School, 9:00 am, 1801 London Blvd, Portsmouth. Join us for a Walk-a-thon as we celebrate the “Week of the Young Child!” We will have music, refreshments, and PRIZES! Register by April 1st and receive a FREE event t-shirt! (T-shirts only guaranteed to the first 100 registrants) Registration Fee: $25/Individual(Event Day $30/Child $10), $100/Team of 5(Event Day $125), $200/Team of 10(Event Day $250). ALL proceeds directly benefit Ida Barbour Early Learning Center | (757) 397-3097 | http://portsvaevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IBELC-walk-a-thon_registration.pdf?76efbe

- 13th Annual Oasis Social Ministry Walk for Hunger, 9:00 am, 800 Williamsburg Ave, Portsmouth. Help us stomp out hunger with the 2015 Walk for Hunger. Oasis depends on the generosity of our neighbors. Please help raise the funds needed by contributing to the 13th Annual Walk. Oasis has served the local community for 45 years by providing a variety of comprehensive services to local underprivileged, homeless, and homebound citizens. For more information about walking, donating or volunteering, visit www.oasissocialministry.org or call 757-397-6060.

- Celebrate Earth Day, Virginia Living Museum, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News. Cost: VLM members free, non-members $17 adults, $13 children (ages 3-12). The Virginia Living Museum celebrates Earth Day with special activities for our animals and guests. Observe the animals as they receive toys, treats and other enrichment activities to stimulate natural behaviors. The red wolves and coyotes may devour ice treats, while the raccoons may search for treats in a basket full of newspapers. See raptor programs in the amphitheater. Learn ways to help the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling waste. Visit the Goodson Living Green House and Conservation Gardens for green building and gardening tips.

- National Park Service Junior Ranger Day, Yorktown Battlefield, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, 1000 Colonial Parkway, Yorktown. Special activities for children will enable them to earn a “National” Junior Ranger Patch. Free. 757.898.2410

- Guided Walking Tour of the Isle of Wight County Courthouse Complex, beginning at 10:00 am, Boykin's Tavern, 17146 Monument Circle, Isle of Wight. Join us as we explore this 19th, 20th and 21st century site and share the story of its beginnings as well as a few tales of capers and duels. This tour begins and ends at Boykin’s Tavern. The Isle of Wight County Museum is pleased to offer several FREE guided walking tours of the county’s historic sites and events throughout the year. Led by local historians and museum staff, the tours offer an in-depth look and a hands-on experience at these important and well-preserved properties. Reservations are not necessary. For further information call 757.357.0115.

- Spring Tasting Tour with Vickie Shufer, Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, 10:00 am, 4510 Twin Pines Rd, Portsmouth. Local naturalist, foraging expert and author Vickie Shufer will lead the annual Hoffler Creek Foundation Spring Greens Tasting Tour at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve. Vickie will lead guests on a walk through the preserve collecting dandelions; thistle and other springtime edibles while explain each plant’s nutritional value. Participants will then have the opportunity to taste their finds in Spring Greens Salad. The tour is limited to twenty five participants. Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation members $8 per person; for non-members $15 per person. For more information or to register please call 757-686-8684.

- Plot Volunteer Work Day, 10:00 am, Granby St. & Olney Road, Norfolk. Volunteers needed to help get the Plot ready for an exciting spring and summer season. Assist with cleaning out flower beds and planters, trimming back last year’s growth and planting new flowers and plants. Starting at 10:00am, all are welcome! For more information call the Downtown Norfolk Council at 623-1757 or email us at dnc@downtownnorfolk.org

- Earth Week at York River State Park, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, 9801 York River Park Road, Williamsburg. Celebrate Earth Day with our miles of hiking, mountain biking, and multi-purpose trails. Canoe and kayak rentals will be available for Taskinas Creek and the York River as well as paddle boats for Woodstock Pond. Join our staff and volunteers for a park clean-up from 10:00 am to noon.

- Party for the Planet, Virginia Zoo, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, 3500 Granby Street, Norfolk. Bring out your wild side while you learn about conservation steps you can take to protect natural habitats locally and around the world. The event celebrates Earth Day and the animals that share our environment. Zookeepers will demonstrate animal enrichment activities used to promote the Zoo animals’ social, mental and physical health and wellbeing. Visitors can play like a monkey with the enrichment items we give animals from otters to giraffes. Environmental experts will also provide information on the effect all life – including humans – has on the environment, the lives of other species and our lives, too. All activities included with regular admission!

- Sister Cities French Market, Riverwalk Landing, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, 331 Water Street, Yorktown. Join Sister Cities Yorktown for the fourth annual authentic French Market and experience all things French with your favorite French products. This annual event celebrates the spirit of the regular Saturday market in Port-Vendres France, Yorktown's sister city since 1990. Traditional market products such as fresh-baked bread, pastries, confitures, chocolates, soaps, wine, along with fresh food items, will be available for purchase. 757.877.2933.

- Historic Garden Week Home & Garden Tour, The Riverfront at Harbour View, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Tour Headquarters: Riverfront Clubhouse, 5200 River Club Drive, North Suffolk. $30 per person in advance/$35 day of tour. Children 6 and under free. Hosted by the Nansemond River Garden Club, the Elizabeth River Garden Club and the Franklin Garden Club, this tour celebrates the beauty of both land and the river by focusing on 6 private properties in the Harbour View section of Suffolk. The three Clubs have established a partnership with the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance, who will be giving demonstrations throughout the day. 757.514.4130 / http://www.suffolk-fun.com/play/historic-garden-week-suffolk/

- International Children's Festival, Mill Point Park, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, 100 Eaton Street, Hampton. Free and open to the public. Experience the sights, sounds and tastes of over 35 countries. Live performances, ethnic foods and expo booths feature something for everyone.

- Earth Day Celebration, Mount Trashmore Park, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach. Refresh your approach to making our world a healthier place with various exhibits, displays, and activities that will give you a chance to discover and explore effective and convenient ways to green your lifestyle. Featuring the AAA Recycling Zone, which includes eCycling, battery round up and child safety seat recycling. Rain Date: April 19. More info at VBgov.com/EarthDay | (757) 385-2990

- Hampton Heritage Day, Carousel Park, 11:00 am - 4:30 pm, Downtown Hampton. Join in commemorating the melding of the Native American, European and African cultures that have come together to shape our community. Enjoy presentations and performances that will take place on a stage throughout the day as well as other activities in and around Carousel Park in Downtown Hampton, such as hands-on family activities, cultural displays and demonstrations, traditional dance and music, food, heritage arts & crafts, and more to honor those who came before us.

- Epic Cheer: Tidewater Beach Blast, Ted Constant Convocation Center, 12:00 pm, 4320 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk. Tidewater Beach Blast Cheerleading competition will be held at the Ted. for more information: http://acdaspirit.com/events/tidewater-beach-blast/

- Touch-a-Truck, Princess Anne Recreation Center, 12 - 3:00 pm, 1400 Nimmo Parkway, Virginia Beach. Experience the thrill of sitting in a fire truck - or an ambulance - or a big recycling truck! Lots of trucks will be featured, including the Virginia Beach Fire Department's monster truck, a police car, a street sweeper, dump truck and more! Other attractions include face painting, children's craft activities and a DJ. Free and open to the public | (757) 385-5950

- April Pools Day, Bow Creek Recreation Center, 1 - 3:00 pm, 3427 Club House Road, Virginia Beach. We've teamed up with the American Red Cross to introduce youth ages 5-14 to pool and beach safety, canoe and small water craft safety, the use of lifejackets, and self-rescue in the water. Free and open to the public; membership or day pass not required. Please call 385-6212 to register by April 15.

- Global Youth VOLUNTEER Day, Saint Patrick Catholic School, 1 - 4:00 pm, 1000 Bolling Ave., Norfolk. Middle and High School Students (ages 12-19). Learn why volunteering is a pathway to academic and personal success. Global Youth VOLUNTEER Day includes discussion groups, a volunteer fair and a hands-on service project. Earn 2 Hours of Community Service Credit. http://www.volunteerhr.org/gyvd

- Ranger Stations: Insects, Paradise Creek Nature Park, 2:00 pm, 1141 Victory Blvd, Portsmouth. Have a question for our Ranger? Stop by during the hours listed for more information about the park and borrow supplies to explore the parks wildlife on your own. Explore something new each week! Great for families and children. Free, no registration required. For more information please call 757-399-7487 or visit http://www.paradisecreeknaturepark.org/

- Guided Walking Tour of Nike Park, beginning at 2:00 pm, 13036 Nike Park Road, Carrollton. Visit one of the Cold War’s few surviving Army Air-Defense Posts. Local historian Albert Burckard hosts a short presentation and a walking tour of this site which contains the original barracks, mess hall, administration and recreation building, officer/non-commissioned officer family housing, fueling area and underground missile magazines. Event held at Nike Park. The Isle of Wight County Museum is pleased to offer several FREE guided walking tours of the county’s historic sites and events throughout the year. Led by local historians and museum staff, the tours offer an in-depth look and a hands-on experience at these important and well-preserved properties. Reservations are not necessary. For further information call 757.357.0115

- Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation's Spring Fling Dinner, Chesapeake Conference Center, 5:30 pm, 700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake. $50/person or $360 for a table of 8. Guest Speaker: Roy Randolph, Author of Thomas Hubbard's War. Pre-orders available; please contact the Foundation office. https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/GreatBridgeBattlefieldWat/2015SpringFling-1.html

- Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk, Suffolk Visitor Center, 7:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. $10 Adults / $8 Seniors, Military and Children 9-12. A hair-raising encounter with the spirited side of Suffolk. Follow a costumed guide through the shadows of historic Main Street discovering stories, legends and "unexplained occurrences" by lantern light. Tales of unsolved mysteries and unresolved affairs abound throughout Suffolk's historically hip Ghost Walk. Reservations Required. 757.514.4130

Sat/Sun, Apr 18/19

- SGK Gun Show 2015, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, 1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach. Founded in 1982 by "Doc" Mendelson, SGK Gun Shows carries on the uniquely American tradition of Gun Shows. Catering to dealers and public alike, SGK currently produces gun shows on the East Coast. We are noted for organized, heavily advertised and well-attended shows. This acknowledgment comes from the administration and staff of the facilities we use, the security companies we employ, and the vendors and public who attend our productions. For the public, we strive to bring the best assortment of firearms and related products together for home defense, collecting, and sport shooting. We hope you enjoy our shows! Admission $10, Children 13-17 $7, Children 12 and under free with adult 21 years or older.

- Spring Native Plant Sale, Virginia Living Museum, Sat 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Sun Noon - 4:00 pm, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News. Choose from an incredible array of beautiful and unusual native plants for a variety of garden sites and styles, from wet ponds to dry rock gardens. Many of these are excellent plants for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife to your yard. The Virginia Living Museum’s horticulture staff holds this annual sale as a fund-raiser, but the real goal is to introduce the gardening public to the incredible variety of native plants that will do well in the landscape, and to educate gardeners about those which are better left in the wild.

Sun, Apr 19

- Military Appreciation Day, The Mariners’ Museum and Park, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, 100 Museum Dr, Newport News. Free Museum admission for all past and present Military and their immediate family. Enjoy family fun outside on the front lawn and inside the Museum to include face painting and crafts! Food and beverages available for purchase. In partnership with USO. Must present valid ID. 3D movies and paddle boat rentals are an additional charge.

- Float-a-Rama, Princess Anne Recreation Center, 1 - 4:00 pm, 1400 Nimmo Parkway, Virginia Beach. Join us in the pool for a day of huge, fun floats! Enjoy Claw Daddy, Splat!, Sky Totter and Space Mountain. Membership or day pass needed, but no additional cost. Open to all ages, but those age 9 & under must be directly supervised by someone age 16 or older. fun@VBgov.com (757) 385-5950

- Gymkhana: Spring Field Day and Bocce Tournament, Hermitage Museum & Gardens, 1 - 5:00 pm, 7637 North Shore Road, Norfolk. In the early 1900s the Sloane family loved entertaining their friends and local servicemen in the Hermitage gardens at an event they called Gymkhana. Join us for a modern-day twist on this event on Sunday, April 19th including lawn games, kids activities, a cash bar, and food trucks. Register for our first Bocce Tournament on the front lawn and play in teams of two to win a one-year membership and trophy! *Rain date: Sunday, April 26th. Suggested Donation: $5 (includes museum admission). Bocce Registration: *Each registration includes one drink ticket per player, Team (2 Players): $30, Individual: $15 (will be placed with another individual). https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=dc8291

- Therapeutic Recreation Special Event: Miss Abilities Chesapeake Pageant, Chesapeake Conference Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, 700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake. If you are a young lady or woman ages 13 and older, have a disAbility, and live in Hampton Roads (Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, York or James City County), The Miss Abilities Chesapeake Pageant is the pageant for you! Celebrate your Abilities! Contestants will compete in Casual Wear, Evening Wear, Interview, and Talent Competitions. Every contestant will receive a tiara and trophy for participating. One contestant will be crowned Miss Abilities Chesapeake 2015 by our Mistress of Ceremonies, Miss Virginia 2014, 1st Runner up for Miss America 2015, Courtney Paige Garrett. Information: Jessica Smith, TRS, Office: (757) 382-1328; jbsmith@cityofchesapeake.net

Mon, Apr 20

Tue, Apr 21

- Bruton Parish's 300th Anniversary, Williamsburg Historic Garden Week, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Colonial Williamsburg. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of Bruton Parish, the church will be decorated with wedding flowers in celebration of the most joyous event in the life of a church. This theme will be reflected in flower arrangements at all tour properties including the Custis Tenement and Garden, the William and Mary President's House and Garden, the Fife and Drum Inn, Providence Hall, and properties and gardens at Colonial Williamsburg. A floral design demonstration and sale in the Parish Hall is included. This walking tour is appropriate for bus groups and will be especially attractive to history buffs and garden enthusiasts. Properties are within the immediate area of Merchants Square. Visitors will enjoy the proximity to numerous lunch and shopping options offered by local merchants. Questions? Williamsburg@vagardenweek.org | http://www.vagardenweek.org/main/tourdetails?id=251

- Fit & Fab Day at the Fountain, Peninsula Town Center, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, Town Square, Hampton. Presented by: Bonfire Magazine & Tidewater Physical Therapy. Every Tuesday thru June 23rd. (FREE & OPEN TO PUBLIC) Featuring: Workouts sessions by Tidewater Physical Therapy Performance Centers, Healthy cooking demonstrations, Merchant vendors, Music to get hearts racing, & more. PLUS! A Weekly Workout Wear Walkway Show- Fit & Fab Day will hold a fashion preview every Tuesday featuring the latest in workout wear from PTC merchants.

- MOCA Nights with Eats the Streets 757 & Bonfire Magazine, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 5 - 9:00 pm, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. Make it a MOCA Night! See it! Hear it! Speak it! Sing it! Eat it! Drink it! Third Tuesday of the month. FREE admission. Each MOCA NIGHT offers different experiences for visitors including open-mic performances, conversations gallery tours led by educators, hands-on art-making, grown-up scavenger hunts and a cash bar in our Atrium. MOCA Nights now features a 757 Eat the Streets Food Truck Rodeo and event sponsor Bonfire Magazine who will bring live music and other community partners to "celebrate living a full and rich life in Hampton Roads." Come share your words, thoughts and music to inspire in an open and supportive environment. Open Mic Sign-up starts at 6:30pm or in advance on the Facebook event page.

Wed, Apr 22

- Victims' Rights Week Ceremony, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. During the week of April 19-25, 2015, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney (OCA) will join thousands of communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). The national theme for NCVRW 2015, “Engaging Communities, Empowering victims,” reminds Beach citizens to raise awareness of the rights of crime victims, expand partnerships, engage our community, and assist those in need. The OCA Victim-Witness Program will host a ceremony honoring victims and witnesses. A variety of law enforcement officials and citizens will be honored for their exemplary efforts in the fight against crime. Macie Pridgen - mpridgen@vbgov.com | (757) 385-8545

Thu, Apr 23

- ART BREW What are you? Selden Arcade, 6 - 8:00 pm, 208 E. Main Street, Norfolk. Join Hannah Kirkpatrick, Chrysler Museum Glass Studio & Governor's School Instructor, Dr. Norman Goodwin, former Tidewater Art Alliance President, and Vonnie Whitworth & Deborah Small of d'Art for a discussion about fine art vs. fine craft and everything in between. Free! Cash Bar & light refreshments. 664-6880 | mailto:artsnorfolk@gmail.com | norfolkpublicart.org

Thu-Sat, Apr 23-25 - Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 3100 Desert Road. Suffolk. Free. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge holds its annual Birding Festival during the height of the spring Neotropical songbird migration, when the greatest diversity of species are on the fly. The festival is part of International Migratory Bird Day. International Migratory Bird Day celebrates the incredible journeys of migratory birds between breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America. The FREE annual Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival is open to the public and offers family-fun activities, such as guided bird walks, owl prowls, bus tours and photography workshops. Bird walks and bus tours require reservations. 757.986.3705 / Deloras_Freeman@fws.gov / www.fws.gov/refuge/Great_Dismal_Swamp

Fri, Apr 24

- 16th Annual Suffolk Education Foundation Golf Tournament, Nansemond River Golf Club, 8:00 am Registration, 9:30am Shot Gun Start, 1000 Hillpoint Boulevard, Suffolk. $125 per person, $500 per foursome. Join area business leaders and local residents as they tee-off to support Suffolk Public Schools with a day of fun at the beautiful Nansemond River Golf Club (NRGC). In addition to the tournament, the day will feature contests, a helicopter golf ball drop, raffles and more! Awards will be given in several categories, such as a closest-to-the-pin contest, a longest drive competition and a hole-in-one contest, with a grand prize of a new car. The winner of the helicopter golf ball drop will receive $500. 757.775.9682 / www.SuffolkEducationFoundation.org

- 22nd Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, Bide-A-Wee Golf Corse, 11:00 am, 1 Bide-A-Wee Lane, Portsmouth. Play a round of “Captains Choice” golf with Hall of Fame Inductees and celebrities at Bide-A-Wee Golf Course in Portsmouth. An awards reception with cold beverages and a light dinner will follow in the club house. Tickets to the VIP Reception are included. Registration begins at 9:30 am, Shotgun Start at 11 AM and Awards Reception at 4PM. Ticketed event. Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. http://www.vshfm.com/documents/HallofFameWeekend2015Brochure2.pdf | For more information on the 2015 Hall of Fame Weekend call 757-393-8031 or email info@vshfm.com

Fri/Sat, Apr 24/25

- Norfolk NATO Festival, Town Point Park, Norfolk. http://norfolknatofestival.org/events/event/

LOCAL THEATER / CONCERTS / LECTURES / TALKS

Now thru Apr 12 - “Other Desert Cities”, Little Theatre of Virginia Beach, Fri/Sat 8:00 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 550 Barberton Drive, Virginia Beach. Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, her brother, and her aunt. Brooke announces that she is about to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and damaging event in the family’s history—a wound they don’t want reopened. This is a crackling contemporary family drama that will charm, disturb and delight.

Now thru Apr 19 - “Breath & Imagination”, The Wells Theatre, Tue 7:00 pm, Wed-Sat 8:00 pm, Sat 4:00 pm, Sun 2:00 pm, Tazwell Street, Norfolk. By Daniel Beaty. From slave spirituals on a Georgia plantation to classical opera for the King and Queen, the son of a former slave sings his way to worldwide celebrity and blazes a path many others would follow as the first African-American classical vocalist to sing internationally. A true story of hope and perseverance unfolds onstage through the memories, struggles and songs of Roland Hayes.

Fri, Apr 10

- On Screen / In Person: "Tie It Into My Hand & The Glitter Emergency", Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:00 pm, Music & Theatre Hall, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Tie It Into My Hand, Director Paul Festa. At once entertaining and deeply insightful, Tie It Into My Hand is an unprecedented look at the life of an artist, told entirely through interviews with pre-eminent directors, filmmakers, visual artists, writers and performers, including Alan Cumming, Barbara Hammer, Peter Coyote and Harold Bloom, among many others. The filmmaker challenges each of the artists he interviews to teach him a violin lesson, though none of them is a violinist, prompting fascinating discussions of the joys and challenges of life as an artist, including how a chronic hand injury curtailed the filmmaker’s own musical career and redirected his artistic path. The Glitter Emergency, Director Paul Festa. A 1920s-style screwball silent short film, The Glitter Emergency follows a peg-leg ballerina’s struggle to overcome her disability in pursuit of artistic fulfillment. Director Paul Festa will provide a live musical soundtrack for the film.

- Friday Night Hoedown: New Variety Pack, Virginia Beach Farmers Market, 7 - 10:00 pm, 3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Live Music Every Friday night from 7 -10 PM. Bring a chair and/or dance to your favorite country tunes. (757) 385-4388

- Ballet Hispanico, VA Arts Fest, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 8:00 pm, Granby Street, Norfolk. Fusing the fire and soul of Latin cultures from around the world with the breathtaking technique of contemporary dance and classical ballet, this spectacular company has created its own style in which theatricality and passion propel every move. Dancing works by choreographers from Venezuela, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, Ballet Hispanico has performed for audiences numbering more than 2 million around the world.

- Bucket of Monkeys Improvisational Troupe, The Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads, Children's Museum of Virginia, 1:00 & 2:30 pm, 221 High Street, Portsmouth. With Bucket of Monkeys improvisational troupe you are guaranteed to see a one-of-a-kind performance that is interactive, engaging and hilarious. Great fun for kids of all ages. Included with admission.

Fri/Sat, Apr 10/11

- CANCELLED: Priest Tyarie Presents “Torn Between Two Fathers”, Willet Hall, Fri/Sat 8:00 pm, Sat 3:00 pm,

Sat, Apr 11

- Around the World in Eighty Days, Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads, Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 11:00 am, 110 Finney Avenue, Suffolk. Take two adventurers, add equal parts grand adventure, geography, and suspense. Dash of Silliness to taste. Based on the classic book by Jules Verne. Side-splitting, interactive fun for all ages.

- Movie Night in the Pool: "Monster U", Great Neck Recreation Center, 1 - 3:00 pm, 2521 Shorehaven Drive, Virginia Beach. Enjoy a special feature while floating in the pool. Membership or day pass needed, but no additional cost. Open to all ages, but those age 9 & under must be directly supervised by someone age 16 or older. (757) 385-5940

- The William & Mary Middle Eastern Music Ensemble in Concert, Kimball Theatre, 7:30 pm, Merchants' Square, Williamsburg. Join the W&M Middle Eastern Music Ensemble with Department of Music, Artist-in-Residence, Kareem Roustom and guest vocal soloist, Nizar Fares for an evening of traditional music from Lebanon, Syris, and Egypt.

- Rosanne Cash, VA Arts Fest, TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 8:00 pm, Granby Street, Norfolk. Rosanne Cash has carved out a spectacular career, recording 15 albums that garnered a Grammy, twelve Grammy nominations and eleven No. 1 singles. Cash’s most recent album, The River & The Thread, is a lyrical journey through the South of her heritage, filled with songs that critics are calling “captivating, haunting… among the finest of her career” (USA Today). Hear this heralded singer- songwriter perform music from this award-winning album and other favorites in this not-to-be-missed evening.

- Lovesick Blues: The Life and Music of Hank Williams, Sr., The American Theater, 8:00 pm, 125 E Mellen St, Hampton. Lovesick Blues is a 90-minute musical theatre event which chronicles the significant phases of America’s most influential singer-songwriter as he drives his promising career to an early end. A narrator begins with Williams’ teenage years in post-Depression Alabama and brings the tale to his quiet death in 1953. The story is underscored by twenty hit songs wrapped tightly around Williams’ major biographical events. Robbie Limon gives an award-winning characterization of Williams’ life. He is supported on stage by a classic country-string quartet. All songs are full length renditions using instrumentation and arrangements as recorded throughout the 1940s.

Sat/Sun, Apr 11/12

- Shen Yun: Reviving 5,000 Years of Civilization, Chrysler Hall, Sat/Sun 2:00 pm, Sat 7:30 pm, 215 Saint Paul’s Boulevard, Norfolk. Shen Yun Performing Arts presents classical Chinese dance, song, and music with choreography ranging from grand processions to legions of thunderous drums, with gorgeously costumed dancers moving in synchronized patterns. Spectacular visuals take you to another world, with landscapes and ancient buildings appearing on beautiful animated backdrops. Music seamlessly combines the best of the East and West, giving each performance an unmistakable flair.

- Virginia Opera: La Traviata, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Sat 8:00 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. To close this stunning season of stylistic highlights, Virginia Opera premieres [co-produced with, Des Moines Metro Opera] a brand new, glittering and glamorous traditional staging of La Traviata directed by Virginia Opera audience favorite, Lilian Groag. Conducted by Andrew Bisantz, in his Virginia Opera debut, this exciting American conductor enjoys a significant opera career and continues the Virginia Opera tradition of presenting major new talent. www.vaopera.org

Sun, Apr 12

- Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, trumpet, VA Arts Fest, Attucks Theatre, 4 & 7:00 pm, 1010 Church Street, Norfolk. The gifts just keep coming with this legendary ensemble, hailed as the “finest big band in the world today” (The Daily Telegraph). Headed by a virtuoso trumpeter and composer who is arguably the most famous name in jazz today — nine-time Grammy winner and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, Wynton Marsalis — the orchestra includes some of the top soloists in the art form. And under Marsalis’s leadership, the orchestra pays tribute to the past and commissions bold new works for the future. Savor the best of the best when Wynton takes the stage graced by legends such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Nat King Cole, in two back-to-back performances at the intimate Attucks Theatre.

- Around the World in Eighty Days, Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads, Meyera E Oberndorf Central Library Theatre, 2:00 pm, Virginia Beach Central Library, Virginia Beach. Take two adventurers, add equal parts grand adventure, geography, and suspense. Dash of Silliness to taste. Based on the classic book by Jules Verne. Side-splitting, interactive fun for all ages.

Mon, Apr 13

- NSA Lecture: Anne-Marie O’Connor, Author, The Chrysler Museum of Art, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece and the Restitution Battle that Shocked the World. Come join us as a veteran correspondent turned author tells the tale of a Gustav Klimt masterpiece. It's a story of changed cities, changed cultures, changed hands and changed lives. Starting with a notorious artist and a beautiful Viennese subject imperiled by her faith, O'Connor traced the painting from its creation in 1907 to its Nazi seizure in 1938, the decades of legal wrangling over ownership, and finally, its breathtaking sales price. This painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer carries a story that mixes a fairy tale with a suspense novel. The free talk in the Kaufman Theater begins at 11 am.

- Women and the right to vote movie night, Hampton Council Chambers, 7 - 9:00 pm, 22 Lincoln Street, 8th Floor, Hampton. Free and open to everyone. Join many of Hampton's elected female leaders as they celebrate women's history with a showing of "Iron Jawed Angels." The 2004 film depicts the women's suffrage movement during the 1910s and stars Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor, Julia Ormond and Angelica Houston. Hosted by Hampton Vice Mayor Linda Curtis and Councilwoman Teresa Schmidt, with state Sen. Mamie Locke, Del. Jeion Ward, School Board members and more.

Tue, Apr 14

- Lincoln Gallery Talk, The Chrysler Museum of Art, 1 - 2:00 pm, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. To honor the 150th Anniversary of President Lincoln’s death, join Alex Mann, Brock Curator of American Art, for a special tour and gallery talk featuring the current exhibition Shooting Lincoln: Photography and the 16th President. Meet at The Welcome Desk.

Tue-Sun, Apr 14-19

- Victoria Melody: Major Tom, VA Arts Fest, Robin Hixon Theater, 8:00 pm, 440 Bank Street, Norfolk. A smash at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and a "perceptive joy, thanks largely to Melody's canny comic timing" (The Times), this quirky one-woman (and one-dog) show poses hilarious and yet thoughtful questions about our human fascination with celebrity and beauty. Based on her own experiences, performer and artist Victoria Melody weaves a wildly witty tale of how an average 34-year-old became a beauty queen and how her unruly pet basset hound, Major Tom, became a championship show dog.

Wed, Apr 15

- Visiting Graphic Designer: David Shields, TCC Visual Arts Center, 12:30 pm, 340 High Street, Portsmouth. Illustrated Lecture: "Relax kid, we don’t eat our young." Room 208 & 209. For more information please call 757-822-1888

- Front Porch Music Series: Blue Ribbon, Hampton History Museum, 6 - 8:00 pm, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. Eclectic pop/rock known for clever lyrics and wordplay!! 757-727-6841

Wed/Fri, Apr 15/17

- Live Opera: Cosi Fan Tutte, By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Kimball Theatre, 8:00 pm, Merchants' Square, Williamsburg. Cosi Fan Tutte or “So Do All Women” is a brilliant sitcom, 1790-style, with text by Lorenzo DaPonte—a smart, sophisticated, and very funny comedy full of clever insights. Two sisters and their beaus are certain that their love is eternal, only to find themselves facing the fickle nature of human emotion.

Thu, Apr 16

- WHRO's The Scene Mini Film Festival, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, 6:00 pm, 101 Museum Drive, Newport News. Free for members; $3 for nonmembers. The producers of WHRO's web series "The Scene" will screen several of their mini documentaries, focused on the most creative minds of the 757. Meet the producers, along with two of the film subjects: artist Asa Jackson and spoken word artist Godchild the Omen.

- Phoebus Film Club Series: "The House Behind the Wall", The American Theater, 7:30 pm, 125 E Mellen St., Hampton. This independent horror is an impressive throwback to the old days of the genre. The House Behind the Wall uses subtlety, tension and creepiness to make a lasting impression.

- The Acting Co. presents: Macbeth, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, Music & Theatre Hall, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. One of Shakespeare’s darkest and most powerful tragedies, “Macbeth” dramatizes the psychological and political impact of when evil is chosen to satisfy the ambition for power. Performed by The Acting Company, and directed by Ian Belknap, this production is backed by the 40-year-plus history of one of America’s finest acting troupes. Founded in 1972 by the legendary John Houseman and current Producer Margot Harley, The Acting Company promotes theater and arts education all across America.

Fri, Apr 17

- Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums, Merchants' Square, 2:30 - 3:00 pm, Williamsburg. Members of Colonial Williamsburg's Fifes and Drums visit Merchants Square one Saturday each month. Beginning approximately 2:30 p.m., the Fifes and Drums play music and interact with onlookers in the Square, answering questions from the audience.

- The Anomaly Tour Featuring: Lecrae, Ted Constant Convocation Center, 7:00 pm, 4320 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk. Two time Grammy Award winning artist Lecrae will be bringing his national Anomaly Tour to the Ted. Lecrae made history as the first hip-hop artist to win a Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Album category for his sixth studio album Gravity, which sold 70,490 units in its first week – making it #1 Rap Album, #1 Independent Album, #3 on the Billboard 200.

- The Acting Co. presents: Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, Music & Theatre Hall, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. America’s favorite humorist, Mark Twain, penned this satirical tale of time travel, which takes a Connecticut tourist visiting England from the 19th century back to England’s medieval period (6th century) and the time of legendary King Arthur. Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, performed by The Acting Company, and directed by Ian Belknap, this production is backed by the 40-year-plus history of one of America’s finest acting troupes. Founded in 1972 by the legendary John Houseman and current Producer Margot Harley, The Acting Company promotes theater and arts education all across America.

- Chris Brubeck Triple Play, VA Arts Fest, The George M. & Linda H. Kaufman Theatre, 8:00 pm, The Chrysler Museum of Art, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. Presented by Virginia Arts Fest. Following in the footsteps of his famous dad, legendary jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, Chris Brubeck swings with his trio.

- Todd Wilson, organ, VA Arts Fest, Christ and St. Luke's Church, 8:00 pm, 560 W Olney RD, Norfolk. Presented by Virginia Arts Fest. There is perhaps no more thrilling sound in music than a crescendo on a mighty pipe organ — the sound fills your chest and takes your breath away. Organist Todd Wilson, who is regarded across America and around the world as one of today's finest concert organists, has performed with such great orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. Popular for his improvised accompaniments to classic silent films, Wilson will accompany the Laurel and Hardy comedy short "Big Business" (1929) in this performance at the beautiful and historic Christ & St. Luke's Church in Norfolk

- Indigo Girls, with Symphony Orchestra, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 8:00 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Twenty years after they began releasing records as the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have politely declined the opportunity to slow down with age. With a legacy of releases and countless U.S. and international tours behind them, the Indigo Girls have forged their own way in the music business.

- AltDaily Presents: The Princess Bride, The Naro Expanded Cinema, 9:00 pm, Ghent, 1507 Colley Ave., Norfolk. Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, battling Rodents of Unusual Size, facing torture in the Pit of Despair. It goes down on April 17th at 9pm. As always, there will be O'Connor beer flowing in the theater, and the showing benefits the Muse Writing Center.

Fri-Sun, Apr 17-19

- Virginia Musical Theatre: Legally Blonde The Musical, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Fri/Sat 8:00 pm, Sat/Sun 2:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Harvard's beloved blonde takes the stage by pink storm in this fun, upbeat musical about self-discovery. Based on the adored movie, LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL stays true to form with a peppy score and playful book. Full to the brim with tongue-in-cheek, show stopping numbers and energetic dance routines, this hilarious modern fairytale is ridiculously entertaining from start to finish.

Sat, Apr 18

- Dale’s Pale Ale and SevenBar Aviation Present: 'The Steep Canyon Rangers', The American Theater, 8:00 pm, 125 E. Mellen Street, Hampton. These days, it’s hard to talk about the Steep Canyon Rangers without mentioning Steve Martin. After meeting at a party and connecting immediately, Martin invited the band to tour and record with him. Their 2011 collaboration Rare Bird Alert was nominated for a Grammy, and later that year, they won IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year Award. What has emerged is a real collaboration of seven consummate musicians creating music that they are passionate about, and blending it with humor to form a sophisticated show.

- Home Free, Attucks Theatre, 8:00 pm, 1010 Church St., Norfolk. When country a cappella band Home Free was crowned Season 4 Champions of NBC's The Sing-Off in 2013, their victory was by no means the beginnings of a career for the five country stars from Minnesota… rather it was a satisfying culmination of nearly a decade of hard work and commitment to a vocal craft growing in popularity. Home Free continues to entertain audiences nationwide with their high-energy show peppered with quick-witted humor that meshes Nashville standards with pop hits dipped in country flavor. They arrive to town on the heels of their debut release on Columbia Records, "Crazy Life".

Sat/Sun, Apr 18/19

- VSO: Bluebeard's Castle with sets by Dale Chihuly, VA Arts Festival, Chrysler Hall, Sat 8:00 pm, Sun 3:00 pm, 215 Saint Paul’s Boulevard, Norfolk. A spectacle of sight and sound; a haunting story with psychological twists and turns! Stunning glass sculptures by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly take visual enchantment to new heights. Béla Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle is the murderous tale of Bluebeard and his new wife Judith's introduction to his lurid past. Bartók envisioned seven doors, behind each a secret to be revealed — and in this stunning production the seven doors are towering works of glass and light by Chihuly. This groundbreaking production of Bartók's only opera, first staged by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra to sold- out houses and performed here by the acclaimed Virginia Symphony Orchestra, employs Chihuly's vision to riveting effect.

Sun, Apr 19

- Chevra Cinema: Europa, Europa, Jewish Museum & Cultural Center, 2:00 pm, 607 Effingham St, Portsmouth. $5 donation at the door. Europa, Europa is a 1990 film directed by Agnieska Holland. Its original German title Hitlerjunge Salomon, i.e. “Hitler Boy Salomon” is the winner of a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film. A boy in Nazi German, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth. Jewish Museum & Cultural Center. For more information, please call 757-391-9266 or visit http://www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org/

- Sunday's at Four presents "Meet Mark Twain", Christ Episcopal Church, 3:30 pm, 111 S. Church Street, Downtown Smithfield. Ryan Clemens, a distant relative of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) will present his one-man show impersonating the venerated American author and humorist. Ryan, a Virginia Stage Company resident artist, has worked in theaters throughout the country providing classes and workshops. He will be accompanied by Reg Lanning, a banjo player with riverboat experience, who will provide a special pre-concert at 3:30 pm and an interlude during the performance. A Sunday's at Four series performance. Tickets: Adults $20 Students $5. For further information call 757.375.9140

Tue, Apr 21

- "Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time", Performing & Creative Arts Center, 7 - 9:00 pm, 300 Butler Farm Road, Hampton. Leopold is renowned for his work as an educator, philosopher, forester, ecologist, and wilderness advocate. The film shares highlights from Leopold’s life and extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation in the twentieth century and still inspires people today.

Wed, Apr 22

- Virginia Beach Forum: Dick Vitale, College Basketball Analyst ABC Sports and ESPN, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. One of America's most beloved sports personalities, Dick Vitale exudes optimism and a boundless passion for consistently giving 110% − qualities that put him on the path towards coaching and broadcasting success. For Vitale, winning "The Game of Life" begins with a can-do attitude that he himself inspires in audiences, motivating them towards achieving their individual and organizational goals by applying lessons from the sports world. His strong character, genuine personality and endless energy permeate the entire room as he helps audiences become revitalized, ready to tackle any circumstance and meet life's challenges head on.

- An Evening with Wayne Brady, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. For over a decade, Wayne Brady has been entertaining audiences with his acting, improv, singing and dancing on television, film and the stage. He began his career working for both the Disney World and Universal theme parks, but his career took off in 1998 with “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” for which he won an Emmy Award. Brady went on to host his own syndicated talk/variety show, “The Wayne Brady Show,” winning more Emmys. He has also appeared on Broadway, the silver screen and various sitcoms and earned a Grammy nod for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for his single, “A Change is Gonna Come,” off his debut musical album “A Long Time Coming.”

Thu, Apr 23

- Lecture Series: Warren Riess, “The Ship that Held Up Wall Street”, Mariner's Museum & Park, 7 - 9:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. In January 1982, the remains of an eighteenth-century ship were found in Lower Manhattan during a pre-construction excavation. Nautical archaeologists Warren Reiss and Sheli Smith were brought in to direct the excavation and analysis of the ship’s remains. As it turns outs, the mystery ship’s age and type meant that its careful study would help answer some important questions about the commerce and transportation of an earlier era of American history.

- BBC Concert Orchestra, Keith Lockhart Principal Conductor, Charlie Albright Piano Soloist, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. One of the United Kingdom’s most versatile ensembles, the BBC Concert Orchestra performs regularly at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, and Watford Colosseum. Principal Conductor Keith Lockhart works alongside Principal Guest Conductor Johannes Wildner and Conductor Laureate Barry Wordsworth. Lockhart has been Conductor of the Boston Pops for 18 seasons and Wildner brings over a decade’s experience with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Thu, Apr 23 thru Apr 26

- Virginia International Tattoo 2015, VA Arts Festival, Scope Arena, Thu-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 201 East Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk. The Virginia International Tattoo — long regarded as the most patriotic of the world’s great tattoos — thrills audiences year after year with an awe-inspiring spectacle of music and might. A brand new show every year, the Tattoo is more than a performance, it is an experience. Be sure to bring the Tattoo tradition into your life this year! Each year's Tattoo is different, with new performers from across the globe, new themes of honor and patriotism and state of-the-art technical effects which will leave you amazed. What never changes — the massed pipes and drums, a profound sense of pride and an amazingly inspirational finale. This is the Tattoo experience that you and your group will love. Come out early and take part in the TATTOO HULLABALOO, a free festive celebration on Scope Plaza three hours prior to each performance.

Fri, Apr 24 -

- Old Dominion University Concert Choir, Willet Hall, 7:30 pm, 3701 Willett Drive, Portsmouth. The Old Dominion University Concert Choir is an auditioned group of 65 singers primarily composed of music majors and minors. This group has a large repertoire of various styles music from classical to popular. They have also established a reputation for premiering the works of living composers, performing the new works of local and international composers.

Fri/Sat, Apr 24/25

- Menopause: The Musical, Ferguson Center for the Arts, Fri 8:00 pm, Sat 2 & 8:00 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Come join our sisterhood! Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more! This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! See what millions of women worldwide have been laughing about for 13 years! It’s the Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change!

FARMERS’ MARKETS

Sat, Apr 11

- Happy Birthday Farmers Market & Craft Show, Virginia Beach Farmers Market, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, 3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Celebrate Our 39th Year here at the Market. Singing and Cake at 1:00 pm.

- Smithfield Farmers Market, Every Sat 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, the Bank of Southside Virginia parking lot, 115 Main Street, Downtown Smithfield. Named in 2013 & 2014 as one of the "Top 101 Farmers Markets in America!" by TheDailyMeal.com and the "Best Farmers Market" by Coastal Virginia Magazine in 2014. Now in its 14th season, the market is proud to be a Virginia Grown market offering locally grown produce, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, peanuts, plants, herbs, baked goods, coffee, cheese, honey, barbecue, wood-fired pizza, ham sandwiches, handcrafted items and more! Also featuring live music each market! Enjoy our friendly community event in the heart of historic Smithfield, Virginia. Pets are always welcome! For further information call 757.375.3031.

- Williamsburg Farmers Market, Every Sat 8:30am to 12:30pm. Merchants’ Square, Williamsburg. In the heart of historic Williamsburg, Virginia. Flowerbeds and benches offer a tranquil setting for this open-air, Virginia producer-only market. Over 35 vendors offer a variety of local products, among which are fresh seasonal produce, chicken, beef, bison, pork, oysters, fish, crabs, prawns, herbs, potted plants, baked goods, confections, honey, cheese, cut flowers, handmade soaps, and more. http://www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com/

Thu, Apr 16

- Spring Farmers' Market at CNU. Spring 2015 market dates: Thursdays April, Hours 3-6 pm, On York River Hall Road, in front of the David Student Union, CNU, Newport News. Parking is available in the lot behind the chapel. Come on out everyone. We will have a new produce vendor, Mattawoman Creek Farms, from the eastern shore, that will be bringing organic spring vegetables. Plus phenomenal local businesses selling a wide array of items, from tacos and artisan breads to orchids and beard shampoo! In addition, there will be some live music peppered throughout.

Sat, Apr 18

Sat, Apr 25

Tidewater Virginia Events

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Local Tidewater Virginia Happenings

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