Local Tidewater Virginia Happenings

COMMUNITY EVENTS / FESTIVALS

Now thru June - 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 Jun 23 - Mount Trashmore Summer Carnival, 6 - 8:30 pm during the week, and 2 - 8:30 pm on the weekends until further notice, 310 Edwin Drive, Virginia Beach. Rides, games and traditional state fair foods re all available at the Summer Carnival at Mount Trashmore Park. Located in the parking lot off Edwin Drive, the carnival is great for all ages and offers free admission and free parking.http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/special-events/Pages/carnival.aspx

Now thru Jul 26 - ‘Above the Fold’ Exhibit, Hermitage Museum & Gardens, 7637 North Shore Road, Norfolk. See the Hermitage completely transformed for our spring exhibit. Wander through the various rooms of the Sloane mansion to discover innovative origami from nine internationally-acclaimed artists.

Now thru Jul 26 - Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, 400 High Street, Portsmouth. The Samara house, also known as John E. Christian House, was built between 1954 and 1956 in West Lafayette, Indiana. The exhibition explores the creation of a Wright house through the eyes of a client who spent more than fifty years fulfilling the renowned architect’s Usonian vision. Wright used the term “organic” to convey his belief that every feature of the house, from the structure, to the interior, to the smallest details and objects, should be as one, expressive of a single idea.

Now thru Aug 16 - MOCA Blue Star Museum, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. In partnership with the National Blue Star Museums program, MOCA will offer FREE ADMISSION to all military and their families Memorial Day* through Labor Day*. Must show military ID. *MOCA’s summer exhibitions are on view May 26-August 16, 2015.

Now thru Sep 6 - The Great Frame Up, Norfolk Botanical Garden, All Day, 6700 Azalea Garden Road, Norfolk. The Great Frame Up interactive exhibit is included with Garden admission. Tagged photos will appear at the Chrysler Museum of Art as part of the exhibition The Artist’s Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement, 1887-1920. Look for 20 frames placed throughout the Norfolk Botanical Garden landscape June 16 - September 6. Go on a scavenger hunt and find them all. Take a selfie, a group photo or a beauty Garden shot Framed Up. Share your masterpiece with the rest of the world by using the hashtag #NorfolkBlooms on your favorite social media sites.

Now thru Sep 7 - Young Architects: Designing the Future, Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High Street, Portsmouth. A hands-on interactive exhibit developed by the Children’s Museum of Cleveland opens in the changing gallery. Geared toward toddlers through grade schoolers, Young Architects invites children (and their grown-ups too) to play, discover, act, and be inspired. Included with Museum admission.  http://www.childrensmuseumva.com/

Now thru Sep 20 - Butterfly House Exhibit, Norfolk Botanical Garden, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm, 6700 Azalea Garden Rd., Norfolk. The enclosed house provides an unbelievable opportunity to observe butterflies as they circle and land on their favorite nectar flowers providing guaranteed amazement and educational opportunities. It’s the perfect complement to the 2.5 acre Bristow Butterfly Garden and the giant Butterfly Maze. Included with regular Garden admission.

Wed, Jun 17 - Food Truck Hump Days on the Great Bridge Waterways, First and Third Wed 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.https://www.facebook.com/EatTheStreets757

Wed, Jun 17 - Ynot Wednesdays: 'The Fuzz Band’, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 5 - 9:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Every Wednesday from June 3rd through August 26th, join us on the Sandler Center Outdoor Plaza for “Ynot Wednesdays?” Free summer concert series. Each week, Ynot Italian will be serving up delicious pizza, sandwiches, cold drinks & summer treats available for purchase. There will also be fresh produce from The Virginia Beach Farmers Market, games, and more. Kids Art Cart sponsored by The Sandler Center Foundation begins at 5:00 pm inside the Miller Studio Theatre.

Wed, Jun 17 - World Class Wednesdays, Peninsula Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Town Square, Hampton. A weekly world class wine celebration in Town Square featuring live entertainment, food, wine, art, luxury automobiles and more. Scheduled every Wednesday (thru Sep 16) and hosted by Bonfire Magazine, Tysinger & Peninsula Town Center, this weekly event is designed to provide the ultimate in outdoor shopping and dining experiences.

Thu, Jun 18 - Imagination Play Day, Peninsula Town Center, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Hampton. Bring your family out every Thursday to Peninsula Town Center’s first recurring children’s event that will feature Imagination Playground Blocks located at the Pop Fountain. The 115 piece block set consists of 15 uniquely designed shapes to encourage open-ended free play that empowers children to constantly reconfigure the space around them and design their own course of play. We have partnered with the Virginia Air & Space Center, Mariner’s Museum, VA Living Museum and PBS Kids to provide additional educational children’s activities every month.

Thu, Jun 18 - Third Thursday, Chrysler Museum of Art, at the Museum from 5:00 pm, at the Glass Studio from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. In Huber Court, it’s time for some #ChryslerConnections. All the people who have been wearing our Charlotte’s Web-inspired buttons all around town will have a chance to meet up, mix and mingle, and make their connections in person, Can you find who is wearing your button? Can the person you’re wearing find you? Enjoy live music by DJP and MrT, a photo booth, and an exhibition talk by artist Charlotte Potter and Barry Curator of Glass Diane Wright. Wear your button to get a free drink ticket to the cash bar. At the Glass Studio, our glass sculpting workshop guest instructors Randy Walker and Ross Richmond will put on a show called Magical Nature, with live music by RVA’s favorite reggae band, Antero. Third Thursday is free for Museum Members and students with current ID, $5 for all others.

Thu, Jun 18 - ArtVentures Summer Kickoff Party, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, 101 Museum Drive, Newport News. School’s out for summer! Bring the whole family out to PFAC for a fun night out, featuring live entertainment by Rainbow Puppets, games, live sketching by artist Walt Taylor and food for purchase from Pizza Bella Vista food truck. We’ll also be previewing some of the art activities that will be featured in our Summer ArtVentures camps! Admission is free.

Thu, Jun 18 - Guided Kayak Tour, Norfolk Botanical Garden, 6 - 8:00 pm, 6700 Azalea Garden Rd, Norfolk. Looking for a kayak adventure? Join us for a guided kayak tour! Enjoy a relaxing paddle with experienced guides exploring the world of plants & animals that inhabit the shores and waters of Lake Whitehurst. Kayaks, paddles and necessary safety equipment will be provided. Sit-on-top (wet kayaks) will be used, so plan to get wet.  No experience necessary.

Thu, Jun 18 - “Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore”: A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk, The Old Coast Guard Station, Tue & Thu evenings, 7:30 pm,  overlooking the Atlantic Ocean along the Boardwalk at 24th Street, Virginia Beach. Evening walking program. Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587

Thu-Sun, Jun 18-21 - MOCA: Boardwalk Art Show, Thu Noon - 6:00 pm, Fri-Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Come join us for a fun time with family and friends enjoying fine art, great food and live entertainment. With more than 350,000 visitors and $2 million in art sales annually, the Boardwalk Art Show & Festival is ranked among the top 50 best fine art & design shows in the nation by Sunshine artist magazine. The jewel of the show is the Boardwalk Beach Club, an 80’ tented space along the boardwalk for individuals who want to celebrate a special day. Beach Club guests enjoy valet parking, open bar, unparalleled lunch service by Steinhilber’s, lovely shaded seating, private bathrooms and beautiful views of the ocean.

Fri, Jun 19 - Town Fair at Town Center, 5 - 8:00 pm, Town Center, 222 Central Park Avenue, 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 35 merchants’ handmade and fair trade goods. We’re celebrating the Food Bank this month!  Come on out to meet the artisans and merchants from the Town Center of Virginia Beach and beyond.

Fri, Jun 19 -  The Town Center Graduation Party, 5 - 8:00 pm, 222 Central Park Avenue, Virginia Beach. Calling all 2015 Graduates! The Town Center of Virginia Beach is so proud of our local students of the Virginia Beach City Schools (and beyond!) and colleges, so we decided to celebrate with you! Bring your friends and come on out for the live music, free gelato and prize giveaways. This FREE and open to the public event is family friendly and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

Fri, Jun 19 - d 'Artists show Opening Night, OKAY SPARK, 6 - 8:00 pm, 801 Boush Street, Norfolk. The d'ARTists are pleased to announce a group exhibition at OKAY SPARK Gallery in Norfolk. You are invited to the opening reception which is free and open to the public from 6-8 pm. The exhibit will run through July 31.

Fri, Jun 19 - Juneteenth Celebration, Francis Land House, 6 - 9:00 pm, Virginia Beach. The Virginia Beach History Museums invite the public to join in a Juneteenth Celebration on the grounds of the Francis Land House. There will be a barbeque dinner, traditional songs by the Tidewater Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, games and fellowship. This is all included in the $9 per person admission fee as well as a brief tour of the Francis Land House. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States as news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the last enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865. Since 1866, Juneteenth celebrations have taken place across the country, and in 2007, Juneteenth became a state-recognized holiday in Virginia. Nicole Moore, Virginia Beach History Museums, namoore@vbgov.com, 
757-385-5102.

Fri, Jun 19 - 2nd Annual Summer Solstice Celebration and Seafood Festival, The Williamsburg Winery, 6:30 - 9:30 pm, 5800 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg. 2nd Annual Summer Solstice Celebration and Seafood Festival, including the release of its 2014 A Midsummer Night’s White wine. Guests can sample six culinary seafood dishes, each made with local, sustainable ingredients. Other activities at the outdoor celebration include live music and 17th century dance performances. Dress is white and gold cocktail attire. Tickets include a commemorative wine glass, two glasses of wine and seafood small plates. Price: $35.00  to $45.00  -Advance tickets: $40/$35 Wine Club Members; At door: $45/$40. 757-229-0999

Fri, Jun 19 - Friday Night Frights, Ferry Plantation House, 8 to 10:00 pm, 4136 Cheswick Lane, Virginia Beach. Every Friday this month Friday Night Frights, Evening tours with a paranormal twist, from 8-10 pm… Tarot Readings too!

Fri/Sat, Jun 19/20 - Great Dismal Swamp Safari, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm, 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. $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children ages 3-12.

Fri/Sat, Jun 19/20 - Friends of the Newport News Public Library Book Sale, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News. Books start at just .50 cents each! Don’t miss the Friends’ Book Sale - Fabulous prices on Books, DVDs and CDs! Sale Prices for books and other media at this sale unless otherwise marked: Hardbacks, DVD & CDs: $1 - $3 each, Paperbacks: .50 cents each. Paperback books are ½ off on Saturday! Proceeds benefit the Newport News Public Library System!

Fri/Sat, Jun 19/20 - 28th Annual Cock Island Race, Portsmouth Waterfront, Kick-off Party at Portside, Fri 5-9:00 pm, Race Sat 9:00 am, After Party Sat 5-11:00 pm, Portside, 6 Crawford Pkwy., Portsmouth. Several classes of sailboats race up and down the Elizabeth River, but the race is not just for professionals. Casual boaters hit the waterway, too. The race kicks off with concerts and food on Friday night and ends Saturday with an awards ceremony and more live music. For more information please call the Department of Marketing, Entertainment and Tourism at 757-393-5143.

Fri-Sun, Jun 19-21 - 26th Annual Bayou Boogaloo Music & Cajun Food Festival, Town Point Park, Fri 12-4 pm (FREE), Fri 5-10 pm, Sat Noon-10 pm, Sun Noon-6 pm, Waterside Drive, Norfolk. The Bayou Boogaloo Music & Cajun Food Festival is Norfolk’s annual love-fest with New Orleans’ vibrant sprit and captures the melting pot of Bayou culture. This popular 3-day festival delivers the heart and soul of Louisiana to visitors of Town Point Park in true Cajun and Creole style. From New Orleans to the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront, two stages featuring national recording artists providing diverse cultural musical entertainment.  This is the most authentic food and music festival in the nation.https://festevents.org/files/9814/3438/6430/96011_Program_LoRes.pdf

Fri-Sun, Jun 19-21 - Anime Mid-Atlantic, Chesapeake Conference Center, daily, 700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake. Anime Mid-Atlantic is an annual Japanese animation and culture convention held each year in Virginia. Join us in June for industry guests, artistic and cultural forums, music concerts, and all of your favorite anime convention events. mailto:animemidatlantic@yahoo.com | http://www.animemidatlantic.com/

Sat, Jun 20 - Third Annual BioBlitz, Paradise Creek Nature Park, 6:30 am - 1:30 pm, 1141 Victory Blvd, Portsmouth. Join area scientists on the hunt to identify and count all of the parks wildlife.  Come explore wildlife including: birds, trees and wildflowers, insects and fish.  Join us on the hunt for one or all of the parks wildlife.  All ages welcome through the day, children will enjoy searching for insects the most.  Birding 6:30 - 8 am; Trees and Wildflowers 8:15 - 10:15 am; Insects 10:30 am - 12:30 pm; Fish 12:45 - 1:30 pm. No registration is required. Free. 757-399-7487 |http://www.paradisecreeknaturepark.com

Sat, June 20 - 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.

Sat, June 20 - “Hands-On-History”, Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 10:00 am, 326 N. Main Street, Suffolk. Free and open to the public. You’re invited to the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum from 10 am to 2 pm for Hands-On-History, an event for all ages! Activities include hands-on-history objects, Morse code, folk songs, lantern signals, a dining car menu, caboose tours, a visit with station master Laurence Baker, and so much more! A $2 donation is kindly suggested, with all proceeds benefiting the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum and the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society.

Sat, June 20 - Rain Barrel Workshop, Chesapeake Agriculture Extension Trailer, 10:00 am, Corner of Holt Dr. & Shea Dr., Chesapeake. Learn about water conservation and build a rain barrel to use at your home!  The class costs $55 which includes a barrel and all instructions.  To register, fill out this form [http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/Assets/documents/departments/public_works/2015+Rain+Barrel+Form.pdf] and return it to VCE Chesapeake, 310 Shea Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23322 no later than two days before the event.  For more information call 757-382-6348.

Sat, Jun 20 - Turtle Time, Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, 10:00 am, 4510 Twin Pines Rd, Portsmouth. Come join the “Turtle Man” Garland Butler and his box turtles to learn all about turtles and see live turtles up close. For more information please call 757-686-8684 or visit http://www.hofflercreek.org/

Sat, Jun 20 - MOCA Family Fest at Boardwalk Art Show, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, 24th street park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. MOCA’s popular Family Fest heads to the Boardwalk Art Show for a fun-filled day of hands-on art-making, music and outdoor activities at 24th street park. Create, explore, and play with MOCA, several community partners and special guest, The Scrap Exchange. It’s free for all ages!

Sat, June 20 - 7th Annual Summer Reading Carnival, Major Hillard Library, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 824 Old George Washington Highway North, Chesapeake. Everyone is invited to attend the 7th Annual Summer Reading Carnival featuring carnival games, crafts, face painting, bingo, bounce house, giant slide, derby race, and more. DJ Kraze will get the carnival rolling and be on hand throughout the day playing music and running the ever popular cake walks. Enjoy a magic show at 2 pm. Free sno-cones, cotton candy, and popcorn while they last. Admission: Free. (757) 410-7078

Sat, Jun 20 - Williamsburg Premium Outlets Hosts Summer Fun Day, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, Richmond Road, Williamsburg. Celebrate the season with a day of activities for shoppers of all ages at Williamsburg Premium Outlets’ Summer Fun Day. The first 200 families to stop by the VIP Summer Tent near Michael Kors will receive a Summer Fun Goody Bag (while supplies last). Kids can enjoy complimentary face painting along with fun summertime games and a scavenger hunt. The center will also host several food carts featuring seasonal favorites like lemonade, popcorn and snow cones. Williamsburg Premium Outlets is dedicated to supporting the Simon Youth Foundation, which seeks to provide educational opportunities for students who are at risk of dropping out of high school.

Sat, Jun 20 - Slide the City, Mill Point Park, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm, 100 Eaton Street, Hampton. Join other revelers on a 1000 foot water slide spanning the Booker T. Washington bridge on Settler’s Landing Road. Mill Point Park will have a children’s activity area and food vendors. When you’re finished sliding stay for the Downtown Hampton Block Party from 6-11 pm.http://www.slidethecity.com/locations/

Sat, June 20 - The Caribbean Food & Music Festival, Chesapeake City Park, 12 - 9:00 pm, 900 City Park Drive, Chesapeake. Free & Open to the Public; $10 to Park. The Caribbean Food & Music Festival is community-building event to bring people together to learn about Caribbean music, food, and culture.

Sat, Jun 20 - Guided Walking Tour of Nike Park, 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.

Sat, Jun 20 - Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour, Suffolk Visitor Center,2:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. $8 Adults / $6 Seniors, Military and Children 9-12. 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. 757.514.4130

Sat, Jun 20 - Bronze Door Society Wine Classic, The Mariners’ Museum, 5 - 8:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. This premier wine event will offer tastings of over 80 exceptional wines, live music by the Jae Sinnett Trio, and gourmet food pairings. Non-Drinker tickets include non-alcoholic beverages and gourmet foods.

Sat, Jun 20 - Downtown Hampton Block Party, 6 - 11:00 pm, East Queens Way between Wine and King Streets, Hampton. Free and open to the public. Come early and bring a chair then make your way to one of the dining establishments along Queens Way for some dinner before the party starts. Free parking can be found on the street and in multiple surface lots. There is a public parking garage at the corner of Settlers Landing Road & Old Hampton Lane. Live Music by 'The Fighting Jamesons’, with 'The Dahus’.www.hamptonblockparty.com

Sat, Jun 20 - Introduction to the Horses of Colonial Virginia, 7:30 pm, 9211 Moonlight Road, Smithfield. Visit the reconstructed early colonial farm setting and meet Patrick Gwaltney, a settler from 1660, who will bring to life the role that horses played in early colonial Virginia. The event is free and open to the public. As parking and seating are limited, reservations are requested. For further information and reservations e-mail msindianhorses@aol.com.

Sat, Jun 20 - Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk, Suffolk Visitor Center, 7:30 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, Jun 20/21 - The Annual KayaXpedition, Oak Grove Lake Park and Northwest River Park, daily, 409 Byron Street/1733 Indian Creek Road, Chesapeake. The Annual KayaXpedition, a kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddle-boarding festival returns to Chesapeake, VA. There’s something for everyone this year, including beginner paddlers, experienced racers, and families that want to have an adventure together. Reservations are required for most events. To register, click here.https://apm.activecommunities.com/cityofchesapeake/Activity_Search/21133 . Contact: Shawn Callahan (757) 421-7151 or visit the website for more information. http://www.kayaxpedition.com/

Sun, Jun 21 - Tidewater Daylily Society Show & Sale, Norfolk Botanical Garden, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, 6700 Azalea Garden Rd., Norfolk. Join the Tidewater Daylily Society for their Annual Design Show and Sale here at NBG. A variety of daylilies will be available for purchase. Prices starting at $5.00. Included with regular garden admission: Plant Sale 11 am-4 pm, Design Show noon-4 pm, Daylily Exhibit 1-4 pm.

Sun, Jun 21 - Puppet Shows at The Mariners’ Museum: Footsteps in History, 12 & 2:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. Join us every third Sunday this summer for exciting stories told through the Rainbow Puppets. Shows are free for Members or with Museum admission and start at 12 and 2 pm. Each month will have a new show and special related family activity. Explore 400 years of history that happened in and around our shores and includes appearances by Captain Christopher Newport, John Smith, Blackbeard the Pirate, and more! The show also includes the story of the Battle of Hampton Roads with the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. Join a Monitor sailor after the show for a special tour of the Monitor Center and stories of life at sea.

Mon, Jun 22 - Maritime Mondays, The Mariners’ Museum, 10 - 11:30 am, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. Join us Monday Mornings at The Mariners’ Museum for a morning of fun and engaging learning activities for children ages 18 months to rising 5th grade. For more information, please visit  http://www.marinersmuseum.org/maritimemondays or call (757)596-2222.

Mon, Jun 22 - Seatack Summer Open House, Seatack Recreation Center, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, 141 South Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach. All Ages. Enjoy all of Seatack’s amenities, like the weight room, gym, pool, climbing wall and game room for free! We will have a bounce house, games for youth and grilled hot dogs at lunch for everyone! Free and open to the public. (757) 385-5920

Mon, Jun 22 - Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour, Suffolk Visitor Center, 2:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. $8 Adults / $6 Seniors, Military and Children 9-12. 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. 757.514.4130

Tue, Jun 23 - 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.

Tue, Jun 23 - “Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore”: A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk, The Old Coast Guard Station, Tue & Thu evenings, 7:30 pm,  overlooking the Atlantic Ocean along the Boardwalk at 24th Street, Virginia Beach. Evening walking program. Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587

Wed, Jun 24 - Mingle on Main Street, Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 4:30 - 7:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. Grab your business cards and get your mingle on! Come network with professionals from throughout the region at Suffolk’s state-of-the art outdoor pavilion at the historic Suffolk Visitor Center. This covered outdoor venue is wired for a vibrant marketplace. Enjoy light refreshments and adult beverages while building your network! Sponsored by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. $5 Chamber Member, $10 Prospective Member, $100 Tabletop Exhibitor Chamber Member, $200 Tabletop Exhibitor Prospective Member. vprenger@hrccva.com, 757.664.2537

Wed, Jun 24 - Hampton Roads PrideFest Event: “Our Story, Our Time: Growing Up Gay in Hampton Roads”, 5:30 pm, Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina, Hampton. The Hampton History Museum will host this oral history project in Crowne Plaza Ballroom C. At 6:30 p.m., enjoy the FREE “Pride Party on the Peninsula” at Oyster Alley and Regatta Grille. Live music will be provided by Mama’s Black Sheep. Free Admission and open to the public. 757-728-5318 | http://www.visithampton.com/prideparty/

Wed, Jun 24 - World Class Wednesdays, Peninsula Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Town Square, Hampton. A weekly world class wine celebration in Town Square featuring live entertainment, food, wine, art, luxury automobiles and more. Scheduled every Wednesday (thru Sep 16) and hosted by Bonfire Magazine, Tysinger & Peninsula Town Center, this weekly event is designed to provide the ultimate in outdoor shopping and dining experiences.

Thu, Jun 25 - Imagination Play Day, Peninsula Town Center, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Hampton. Bring your family out every Thursday to Peninsula Town Center’s first recurring children’s event that will feature Imagination Playground Blocks located at the Pop Fountain. The 115 piece block set consists of 15 uniquely designed shapes to encourage open-ended free play that empowers children to constantly reconfigure the space around them and design their own course of play. We have partnered with the Virginia Air & Space Center, Mariner’s Museum, VA Living Museum and PBS Kids to provide additional educational children’s activities every month.

Thu, Jun 25 - Virginia Aquarium Family Great Adventure Series: “Muppet Mania”, beach at 27th Street, Family interactive adventure 6:00 pm, Movie on the beach 8:30 pm, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The evil mastermind Constantine has cloned Kermit the Frog into “Kermits” the Frog in order to divert attention away from his dastardly deeds. Can you tell the difference between Kermit, his clones, and the wicked Constantine?  This hunt for clues leading to Constantine’s secret hideaway will require level-headed reasoning and fleet-of-foot tracking. Movie on the Beach: “Muppets Most Wanted” (PG) - See more at: http://www.beachstreetusa.com/festivals/virginia-aquarium-family-great-adventure-series-0#sthash.7QXqzHu4.dpuf

Thu, Jun 25 - Teen Takeover Night, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 6:30 pm, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. Hampton Roads teens take over MOCA for an evening extravaganza of art, mocktails, free eats, and live music featuring Little Pants and Matoaka. Come prim and proper or dress as a punk rocker for a modern twist on an old-fashioned tea party inspired by our current exhibitions. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes. Teen Takeover is a free event exclusively for teens in middle and high school, hosted by students from Virginia Beach schools. RSVP and share the event on Facebook! For additional information, call 757-425-0000 ext. 329

Thu, Jun 25 - “Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore”: A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk, The Old Coast Guard Station, Tue & Thu evenings, 7:30 pm,  overlooking the Atlantic Ocean along the Boardwalk at 24th Street, Virginia Beach. Evening walking program. Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587

Fri, Jun 26 - Summer Kick-Off Party, Williams Farm Recreation Center, 1 - 4:00 pm, 5252 Learning Circle, Virginia Beach. All Ages. Let’s kick off the season with some summertime fun! Come join us for our karaoke party with musical entertainment and kid-friendly activities. Free and open to the public. (757) 385-2950

Fri, Jun 26 - Ranger Stations: Outdoor Play, Paradise Creek Nature Park, 2:00 pm, 1141 Victory Blvd, Portsmouth. Have a question for our Ranger?  Stop by between 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. 757-399-7487 |http://www.paradisecreeknaturepark.com

Fri, Jun 26 - Final Friday, Twilight Tour of Historic Elmwood Cemetery, 7 - 8:30 am, 238 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk. Stroll into the sunset at historic Elmwood Cemetery, est. 1853. This year’s tour reveals the west side of Norfolk’s most picturesque Victorian garden cemetery. Visit the heroes of the 1855 yellow fever epidemic. Learn about the fraternal organizations that served as cornerstones of 19th century society. See the final resting places of stalwart Confederate soldiers. Hear the tragic stories that inspired unforgettable memorial art while exploring the tenets of the Victorian observance of death. Join us. No RSVP required. One & one half hour walking tour. All are welcome. 757-510-5879

Fri, Jun 26 - 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. $4 per person. 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.

Fri, Jun 26 - Friday Night Frights, Ferry Plantation House, 8 to 10:00 pm, 4136 Cheswick Lane, Virginia Beach. Every Friday this month Friday Night Frights, Evening tours with a paranormal twist, from 8-10 pm… Tarot Readings too!

Fri, Jun 26 - Ghost Walk, beginning at 8:30 pm, Isle of Wight County Museum, 103 Main Street, Smithfield. Groups will depart every 15 minutes beginning at 8:30 pm. Visit with “ghosts” from Isle of Wight County’s past. History? Legend? Scandal? Fact or Fiction? Find out on the walk. Adults: $8.00, Children ages 6-12: $5.00, Children under 6: free. Presented by the 1750 Courthouse. Get your tickets early, certain times sell out! Tickets on sale at the Visitor Center (319 Main Street). For further information call 757.357.5182.

Fri/Sat, Jun 26/27 - Hardee’s Latin Fest, On the beach at 24th Street, Virginia Beach Oceanfront. For two days, Virginia Beach celebrates the sights and sounds of the Latin experience. National performers electrify the diverse audience with high-energy tunes that move the crowd to dance under the stars. Local and regional Latin acts (each with their own loyal fan base) take the stage and unite festival-goers with the rhythms of Salsa, Merengue, and Jazz.  All performances take place on a giant stage on the beach at 24th Street. Additional activities in the 24th Street Park include the Zumba fitness marathon on Saturday. Vendors and cultural activities in the park round out the festival. - See more at: http://www.beachstreetusa.com/festivals/hardees-latin-fest#sthash.9UsnpYb7.dpuf

Fri/Sat, June 26/27 - Genuine Smithfield Olden Days Festival. Begun in the 1980s, Olden Days has been one of the most popular community events to take place annually in Smithfield. For further information call 757.357.5182.http://www.genuinesmithfieldva.com/smithfield-olden-days-festival.html

Fri-Sun, Jun 16-28 - Afrikan American Festival, Mill Point Park, Fri 5 - 10:00 pm, Sat 11:00 am - 10:00 pm, Sun 1 - 6:00 pm, 100 Eaton Street, Hampton. An outdoor, non-alcoholic, family-oriented event that features nonstop entertainment and a marketplace with vendors displaying & selling art, crafts, and food. During the weekend, over 60 vendors will be on site selling authentic and original black art, artifacts, handmade crafts, and more. For hungry patrons, local and regional food vendors will be selling a variety of cuisines. Free.

Sat, Jun 27 - Chesapeake Recycles Day, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Greenbrier Mall (near Dillard’s), 1401 Greenbrier Parkway, Chesapeake. Bring your electronics and plastic bags for recycling, household hazardous waste for proper disposal and paper for shredding to Chesapeake Recycles Day. Goodwill, TREX, SPSA, Stealth Shredding and TFC Recycling will be on-site to collect a variety of items. If you’re available to help us out the day of the event, please let us know by emailing evaughn@cityofchesapeake.net.

Sat, Jun 27 - Battle of Smithfield Program at the Isle of Wight County Museum, 10:00 am, 103 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Meet a Union soldier at the museum for a lecture and a walk down Church Street as he details his experiences in this battle. For further information call 757.356.1223.

Sat, Jun 27 - Tours of Historic Cedar Grove Cemetery, 10 - 11:00 am, 238 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk. Join local historian Cheryl Copper for a walking tour of historic Cedar Grove Cemetery. Tour lasts approximately one hour. $5 per person suggested donation benefits the Norfolk Society for Cemetery Conservation. Children 12 & under free. Follow signs to gathering area upon arrival to the cemetery. Free parking. No RSVP required. Questions? Call Cheryl at 757-621-3710

Sat, Jun 27 - Aberdeen Gardens Heritage Day, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, Aberdeen Neighborhood Park / Aberdeen Elementary School
1424 Aberdeen Road, Hampton. Aberdeen Gardens Historic & Civic Association celebrates its unique heritage with tours, entertainment, food, and festivity. Free Admission. 757-722-2345 | http://aberdeengardens.org

Sat, Jun 27 - Women in the Civil War Program at the Isle of Wight County Museum, 12:00 noon, 103 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Join us for this discussion of extraordinary women during the Civil War. Hosted by Curator Tracey Neikirk. For further information call 757.356.1223.

Sat, Jun 27 - Hampton Roads PrideFest 2015, Town Point Park, Noon to 7:00 pm, Waterside Drive, Norfolk. Hampton Roads Pride (HRP) is proud to announce PrideFest 2015. This will be the festival’s twenty-seventh year in the region and the city’s largest one-day festival at Hampton Roads’ premier outdoor festival venue, Town Point Park. Two Stages of Live Music & DJs, and much more. Music Headliners, The Grammy-nominated female R&B vocal group 'En Vogue’. PrideFest 2015 is FREE for all ages and open to the public. The family-friendly festival features the nation’s only Pride boat parade, which runs along the Elizabeth River between Norfolk and Portsmouth. This year, along with the American Rover, it features a U.S. Coast Guard boat with our Grand Marshal, MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts.

Sat, Jun 27 - Pagan River Raft Race, 1:30 pm, Smithfield Station, 415 South Church Street in downtown Smithfield. Please note the new time for the race! Join the fun for. The 25th Ever, Pagan River Raft Race!! Come one come all for the premier Raft Race on the Pagan River! Join an all new modeled race as they battle for the title of King or Queen of the Creek!  All racers will only race once and the course is timed. There are real prizes this year and different awards other than just winner!  May even be some dollar bills if you place. Be sure to get a team together, friends, co-workers, enemies or whatever and get down here for this awesome event! For further information email randy.pack@smithfieldstation.com or call 757.357.7700.

Sat, Jun 27 - Civil War Balloons Lecture at the Isle of Wight County Museum, 2:00 pm, 103 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Join us for this informative lecture by Kevin Knapp as he portrays Thaddeus Lowe to discuss balloons during the Civil War. Balloons were used for surveillance and reconnaissance during the Civil War by the Union Army from 1861 through 1863 and by Confederate Army in 1862. The North made over 3,000 ascensions with seven balloons and the South made less than 10 ascensions with two. In this presentation you will learn about the first air to ground telegraph, the first field hydrogen generators, the first air directed artillery fire, the first air craft carrier, the first time two opposing forces had aircraft in the air at the same time and the beginning of U.S. Military Aviation. ?For further information call 757.356.1223.

Sat, Jun 27 - Downtown Hampton Block Party, 6 - 11:00 pm, East Queens Way between Wine and King Streets, Hampton. Free and open to the public. Come early and bring a chair then make your way to one of the dining establishments along Queens Way for some dinner before the party starts. Free parking can be found on the street and in multiple surface lots. There is a public parking garage at the corner of Settlers Landing Road & Old Hampton Lane. Live Music by 'Major and the Monbacks’. www.hamptonblockparty.com

Sat, Jun 27 - Evening Bat Walk, Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, 8:00 pm, 4510 Twin Pines Rd, Portsmouth. A very informative and entertaining program called “Bats of Virginia” will be offered by Bat World Hampton Roads. The program will feature a variety of live bats, including bats found in our state, followed by a nature walk with equipment to detect bat flying in the Preserve. Advanced registration required. Admission is Free; donations are always appreciated. For more information please call 757-686-8684 or visithttp://www.hofflercreek.org/

Sun, Jun 28 - Sunday Funday Featuring Eat the Streets 757 Food Trucks,Mount Trashmore Park, 12 - 3:00 pm, 310 Edwin Drive, Virginia Beach. Gather your family and friends for some laid-back fun at Mount Trashmore Park! Games and activities for all ages! Bring blankets and beach chairs to get comfortable while enjoying music and delicious foods available for purchase from the Eat the Streets 757 Food Trucks?!? #VBParksRec  (757) 385-2990

Mon, Jun 29 - Maritime Mondays, The Mariners’ Museum, 10 - 11:30 am, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. Join us Monday Mornings at The Mariners’ Museum for a morning of fun and engaging learning activities for children ages 18 months to rising 5th grade. For more information, please visit  http://www.marinersmuseum.org/maritimemondays or call (757)596-2222.

Mon, Jun 29 - Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour, Suffolk Visitor Center, 2:00 pm, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. $8 Adults / $6 Seniors, Military and Children 9-12. 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. 757.514.4130

Tue, Jun 30 - “Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore”: A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk, The Old Coast Guard Station, Tue & Thu evenings, 7:30 pm,  overlooking the Atlantic Ocean along the Boardwalk at 24th Street, Virginia Beach. Evening walking program. Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587

Wed, Jul 1 thru July - BOGO Kayak Rentals at Munden Point Park, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm, 2001 Pefley Lane, Virginia Beach. Each Weekday in July Rent a kayak at Munden Point Park for one hour ($12) and receive a second hour free! You are at the heart of what we do, which is why we want to celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month with you this July! Learn more ways to celebrate at VBgov.com/July #VBParksRec (757) 426-5296

Wed, Jul 1 - Food Truck Hump Days on the Great Bridge Waterways, First and Third Wed 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.https://www.facebook.com/EatTheStreets757

Wed, Jul 1 - Ynot Wednesdays Free summer concert series: 'Latin Jazz Conspiracy’, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 5 - 9:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Every Wednesday from June 3rd through August 26th, join us on the Sandler Center Outdoor Plaza for “Ynot Wednesdays?” Free summer concert series. Each week, Ynot Italian will be serving up delicious pizza, sandwiches, cold drinks & summer treats available for purchase. There will also be fresh produce from The Virginia Beach Farmers Market, games, and more. Kids Art Cart sponsored by The Sandler Center Foundation begins at 5 pm inside the Miller Studio Theatre. This week we hold and Artisan Market. Local artists will set up their handmade/handcrafted items inside the Sandler Center lobby once a month.

Wed, Jul 1 - World Class Wednesdays, Peninsula Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Town Square, Hampton. A weekly world class wine celebration in Town Square featuring live entertainment, food, wine, art, luxury automobiles and more. Scheduled every Wednesday (thru Sep 16) and hosted by Bonfire Magazine, Tysinger & Peninsula Town Center, this weekly event is designed to provide the ultimate in outdoor shopping and dining experiences.

Thu, Jul 2 - Imagination Play Day, Peninsula Town Center, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Hampton. Bring your family out every Thursday to Peninsula Town Center’s first recurring children’s event that will feature Imagination Playground Blocks located at the Pop Fountain. The 115 piece block set consists of 15 uniquely designed shapes to encourage open-ended free play that empowers children to constantly reconfigure the space around them and design their own course of play. We have partnered with the Virginia Air & Space Center, Mariner’s Museum, VA Living Museum and PBS Kids to provide additional educational children’s activities every month.

Thu, Jul 2 - “Shipwrecks & Ghost Lore”: A Virginia Beach Ghostwalk, The Old Coast Guard Station, Tue & Thu evenings, 7:30 pm,  overlooking the Atlantic Ocean along the Boardwalk at 24th Street, Virginia Beach. Evening walking program. Join a costumed interpreter as they bring to life true accounts and local legends of shipwrecks, ghosts, pirates and witches. Tours last 60-90 minutes. Tickets $12 Adult, $5 Child (ages 6-12). Reservations appreciated. Contact the museum Program Director at 757.422.1587 

Thu, Jul 2 thru July - Throwback Thursdays at Virginia Beach Recreation Centers, 6:00 am - 9:30 pm, City-wide. Every Thursday in July enjoy all of the amenities of our recreation centers with throwback pricing! Purchase a day pass for just $1! Must be used on day of purchase. We’re also offering $2 one-hour group fitness classes on Thursdays in July at all of our rec centers. Get fit for less with Throwback Thursdays! Membership or day pass required. You are at the heart of what we do, which is why we want to celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month with you this July! Learn more ways to celebrate at VBgov.com/July #VBParksRec contact@VBPRF.org  (757) 385-1100

LOCAL THEATER / CONCERTS / LECTURES / TALKS

Now thru Jun 28 - Kiss of the Spider Woman, Generic Theater, Fri/Sat 8:00 pm, Sun 2:30 pm, 215 St. Paul’s Blvd., Norfolk. Based on a revered novel by Manuel Puig, it’s set both in a Latin American prison and in the cinematic fantasy world two prisoners escape to in order to survive. It won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, and remains an inspiring story about the power of the human imagination to overcome oppression.http://www.generictheater.org/

Wed, Jun 17 - 'Under a Simple Oak: The Rise of Hampton University - Lunch in Time Lecture, Hampton History Museum, 12 - 1:00 pm, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. Lecture and Book Signing by Historian Veronica A. Davis. Free and open to the public. 757-727-1610

Wed, Jun 17 - Ynot Wednesdays Free summer concert series: 'The Fuzz Band’, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 5 - 9:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Every Wednesday from June 3rd through August 26th, join us on the Sandler Center Outdoor Plaza for “Ynot Wednesdays?” Free summer concert series. Each week, Ynot Italian will be serving up delicious pizza, sandwiches, cold drinks & summer treats available for purchase. There will also be fresh produce from The Virginia Beach Farmers Market, games, and more. Kids Art Cart sponsored by The Sandler Center Foundation begins at 5 pm inside the Miller Studio Theatre.

Wed, Jun 17 - Front Porch Music Series: 'The Delvers’, Hampton History Museum, 6 - 8:00 pm, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton. The Delvers perform an eclectic blend of swing, blues, roots country, rock, jazz and Americana. The members have been making music together in various incarnations both casual and professional for more than 25 years. They feature a song list ranging from Gershwin to the Grateful Dead. Museum members free, non-members $5. 757-727-1610

Wed, Jun 17 - Virginia Health Services Summer Concert Series: 'Slapnation’, 6 - 9:00 pm, Port Warwick, Loftis Boulevard, Newport News. Enjoy the summer night air on Styron Square listening to the area’s best music. The concerts are free and all are welcome! Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, food and drink, or enjoy the music from one of the Port Warwick restaurant patios!

Wed, Jun 17 - Williamsburg Choral Guild Summer Sings Handel, Four Coronation Anthems, Dr. Robert Taylor conducting, and Wei-Li Suen, pianist, 7 - 9:00 pm, Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists, 3051 Ironbound Rd., Williamsburg. Join members of the Williamsburg Choral Guild to experience open-reading sessions of two choral masterworks directed by outstanding conductors, with guest soloists and piano accompaniment. The audience is the chorus! All tickets $10, for singers and listeners. Bring your own score or borrow one at the door; registration at 7:00, singing at 7:30 pm.

Thu, Jun 18 - Thursdays by the Lake: 'Borderline Crazy’, The Mariners’ Museum, 6 - 10:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. The Mariners’ Museum Summer Concert Series is every Thursday night from June - August. Bring a blanket or favorite chair & enjoy live music by some of the area’s hottest bands on the banks of Lake Maury. Adult beverages, soft drinks, and a variety of summer foods will be available for sale. No outside alcohol is permitted. (757) 596-2222

Thu, Jun 18 - “Shagging on the Riverwalk” Beach Music Concert Series: 'Mark Roberts Band’, 6:30 - 9:30 pm, Riverwalk Landing, 331 Water Street, Yorktown. Put on your dancing shoes and join us for this annual concert series featuring a variety of beach music for all ages. Bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. Free. 757.890.3500

Thu, Jun 18 - Music by the Bay Fort Monroe Summer Concerts: TRADOC Band Rhythm Project, 7:00 pm, Continental Park, Ft. Monroe, Hampton. Bring your chairs, blankets and picnics and enjoy this special opening night of the Music by the Bay summer concert series which features military band music every Thursday through August 27. Exhibits and activities begin at 6:00pm and the concert by TRADOC Band will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. Large groups welcome. Drop-off at Continental Park, bus parking at Outlook Beach parking lot. Free and open to the public. Free parking onsite. 251-2752

Fri, Jun 19 - Governor School of the Arts Jazz Band Performance, MacArthur Mall, 5 - 7:00 pm, Downtown Norfolk. The Governor’s School for the Arts Jazz Band will be performing in the Center every Friday from 5-7pm beginning April 24th and continuing through August 28th.

Fri, Jun 19 - Fridays @ The Fountain: 'Butter’ and 'Anthony Rosano & The Conqueroos’, City Center at Oyster Point, 5 - 9:00 pm, Fountain Plaza, Town Center Drive, Newport News. Begin your weekend here. Join us for the City Center Friday Concerts by the best bands in the region. Bring your friends, lawn chairs, blankets, and dancing shoes. Free Admission. Free Parking. Food and beverages available for purchase.

Fri, Jun 19 - Fun Friday Feature Film: “Rio”, Williams Farm Recreation Center, 6 - 8:00 pm, 5252 Learning Circle, Virginia Beach. Age 6 - 12 (5 & under with parent). Calling all young film buffs! Let’s cap off a week on the Farm with a fun movie on the 3rd Friday of the month this summer. Wind down, grab a seat and a bag of popcorn, and let the show begin. Lights, camera, action! Refreshments served. Free with recreation center membership or day pass. (757) 385 2950

Fri, Jun 19 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Top Hats, featuring Swing VA’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Fri, Jun 19 - T.G.I.F. Summer Concert Series: 'Slap Nation’, 6 - 9:30 pm, Constant’s Wharf Park & Marina, 100 E. Constance Road, Suffolk. Join your neighbors at Constant’s Wharf Park & Marina for the TGIF Summer Concert Series in Suffolk. Enjoy this free and family-friendly event in the park, as Slap Nation plays a variety of hits and kids enjoy the children’s area. Our aim is to get you out of your seat and enjoy your Friday night! Free and open to the public. 757.514.7267

Fri, Jun 19 - Friday Night Hoedown, 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.

Fri, Jun 19 - Party at the Pier: Beach Music Concert, Little Island Park, 7 - 10:00 pm, 3820 S Sandpiper Road, Virginia Beach. Kick off your shoes and join us for a concert in the sand at Little Island Park. Live music by 'the Rhondels’?, food and dancing! Food vendors include 'Karnage Asada’, 'Keep It Poppin’ and 'Maui Wowi’. Onsite parking is available and free after 5 pm. If you love beach music, then this party is for you!?? Presented by Siebert Realty. #VBParksRec (757) 385-2990

Fri, Jun 19 - Smithfield Friday Night Summer Concert Series: ‘Williamsburg Classic Swing Orchestra’, 8:00 pm, the Gazebo Stage in front of the Smithfield Times, 228 Main Street, Downtown Smithfield. Enjoy the orchestra’s Big Band sound. Concerts are free. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a summer evening in Genuine Smithfield. For further information call 757.357.3288

Fri-Mon, Jun 19-23 - Dutch Dialogue Hampton Roads: An integrated approach for sea level rise, redevelopment, flood risk mitigation and water management, Slover Memorial Library, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 235 East Plume Street, Rm 605, Norfolk. Discuss, discover and design ideas and solutions for the future. Dutch Dialogues workshops are the latest component of the long history and friendship between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States, and more recently between the Netherlands, Louisiana and Virginia. The Dutch Dialogues include approaches to integrated water management that have been acquired over centuries of living with water and have been adapted and applied, in part, in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Fri, Jun 19 thru Jun 28 - “I Do, I Do!”, Tidewater Stage at Regent University Performing Arts Center, Fri/Sat 7:30 pm, Sat/Sun 2:30 pm, 1000 regent University Drive, Virginia Beach. Laugh along as newlyweds Michael and Agnes navigate their wedding night jitters, go on to raise a family, negotiate mid-life crises and, as empty nesters, rediscover just how much they need each other after all. I Do! I Do! is the charming musical comedy that follows one couple through fifty roller coaster years of marriage. (757) 352-4245

Sat, Jun 20 - Poets Laureate on Art and War, Isle of Wight Courthouse, 2:00 pm, Downtown Smithfield. The Poets Laureate on Art and War will feature former Virginia Poet Laureate Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda and former Daily Press Poet Laureate Bill Glose. For further information call 757.356.9016.

Sat, Jun 20 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Shoes Required’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Sat, Jun 20 - Denise Walls Dance Energy: Celebrate Life Thru Dance, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 6:30 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Dance Energy Studio, offering classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Pointe, and Flamenco. Since opening in 1993, Denise Walls Dance Energy has turned out students that have gone on to careers with American Ballet Theatre, Kirov, Broadway, along with various professions with performance groups on cruise ships, hit T.V. shows, and multiple professional theatre groups, and more. Students with little previous dance training soared to unthinkable heights, while more experienced students had their skills nurtured and pushed to a boundless limit.

Sat, Jun 20 - Glass Studio Artist Lecture Series, Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Studio, 7 - 9:00 pm, One Memorial Place, Norfolk. Find inspiration in these FREE informative talks from experts in the field of glass and contemporary art: Richard Whiteley teaches and works from Canberra, Australia. He focuses on cast glass and explains his work as a way to “explore space using glass as a substrate activated by light.” He’s the head of the Glass Workshop at the School of Art, Australian National University; Born in France, Nadege Desgenetez got her glass education in Europe. After traveling the US as a teaching assistant to Lino Tagliapietra in 1996 and 1997, she moved to Seattle in 1998. There she worked as a hot shop team member for artists such as Dale Chihuly, Benjamin Moore, Dante Marioni, Dan Dailey, Preston Singletary, and others. She’s currently teaching at the Australian National University.

Sat, Jun 20 - Snarky Puppy, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 8:00 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Brooklyn, New York-based Snarky Puppy is an instrumental fusion band featuring a collective of nearly 40 musicians, referred to as “The Fam.” Created by Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and producer Michael League, and formed in Denton, Texas, in 2004, Snarky Puppy incorporates a wide variety of instruments into their music, such as guitars, pianos, keyboards, woodwinds, brass, percussion and strings.

Sun, Jun 21 - The Kimball Theatre Classic Film Series: “To Kill a Mockingbird”, 4:15 and 6:45 pm, Merchants’ Square, Williamsburg. Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiographical novel was translated to film by Horton Foote and the producer/director team of Robert Mulligan and Alan J. Pakula. If you have read the novel, you will relive every treasured moment. If not, a deeply moving experience awaits you! Starring Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Philip Alford, and Robert Duvall in his movie debut. 130 mins. All tickets $4.

Sun, Jun 21 - Virginia Symphony Orchestra presents JAZZ, City Center at Oyster Point, 6:00 - 8:30 pm, Fountain Plaza, Town Center Drive, Newport News. Enjoy a sunset concert on the beautiful fountain plaza. Free admission, free parking. Food vendors.

Sun, Jun 21 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Hot Gumbo Brass Band’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Sun, Jun 21 - Groovin’ by the Bay: 'Slapnation’, Buckroe Beach Park, 6 - 9:00 pm, North First Street, Hampton. Sunday evenings will be rocking at the beach this summer with a musical mix including everything from beach, pop, oldies, Motown and swing. Whether listening or dancing, you’ll enjoy this evening of music on the Chesapeake Bay! FREE and open to the public. Food is available for purchase.

Sun, Jun 21 - Sunday Movies at City Park: “The Boxtrolls”, 7:00 pm, Portsmouth City Park, 140 City Park Ave, Portsmouth. Free. A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children’s novel 'Here Be Monsters’ by Alan Snow. Rated PG. For more information please call 757-393-8481.

Sun, Jun 21 - Big Bands on the Bay: 'Don Case and the Satin Sounds Orchestra’, 7 - 9:00 pm, Ocean View Beach Park, Norfolk. End the weekend with a sunset celebration on the Chesapeake Bay.  Guests are invited down to the Gazebo at Ocean View Beach Park for live Big Band music and dancing. Welcome the stars every Sunday night running through September 6.

Sun, Jun 21 - Movies on Prince George: “Paddington Bear”, 7 - 9:30 pm, Merchants’ Square Williamsburg. Enjoy FREE movies each summer Sunday evening outdoors on Prince George Street. Movies start on June 14 and run through August. Brought to you by Blue Talon Bistro with help from the City of Williamsburg, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and local businesses. Movies are free and start at dusk. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Mon, Jun 22 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Stan the Sax Man’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Tue, Jun 23 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'BJ Griffin & The Galaxy Groove’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Tue, Jun 23 - Artist Talk: Michelle Erickson, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 6:30 pm, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. MOCA Members: FREE, Non-Members $5. Join Michelle Erickson for an exclusive public conversation about her work, including the works currently on view at MOCA. For questions or to make reservations and ticket purchases by phone, please call 757-425-0000x310 to reach Visitor Services.

Tue, Jun 23 - Family Movie Series: “Maleficent”, Mill Point Park, 7:00 pm, 100 Eaton Street, Hampton. Bring your friends, family, folding chairs, and blankets to the park on Tuesday nights this summer to enjoy free movies. Entertainment begins at 7pm, followed by our feature presentation at sunset. FREE ADMISSION! Food & Beverages Available for Purchase.

Wed, Jun 24 - Ynot Wednesdays Free summer concert series: 'The Deloreans’, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 5 - 9:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Every Wednesday from June 3rd through August 26th, join us on the Sandler Center Outdoor Plaza for “Ynot Wednesdays?” Free summer concert series. Each week, Ynot Italian will be serving up delicious pizza, sandwiches, cold drinks & summer treats available for purchase. There will also be fresh produce from The Virginia Beach Farmers Market, games, and more. Kids Art Cart sponsored by The Sandler Center Foundation begins at 5 pm inside the Miller Studio Theatre.

Wed, Jun 24 - Virginia Health Services Summer Concert Series: 'Incognito Brothers’, 6 - 9:00 pm, Port Warwick, Loftis Boulevard, Newport News. Enjoy the summer night air on Styron Square listening to the area’s best music. The concerts are free and all are welcome! Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, food and drink, or enjoy the music from one of the Port Warwick restaurant patios!

Wed, Jun 24 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Grace Street’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Wed/Thu, Jun 24/25 - Luke Bryan, Randy Houser & Dustin Lynch, Farm Bureau Live, 8:00 pm, Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach. The superstar and Georgia-native will be storming the stage with special guests and fellow country acts Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch, for two nights of toe-tappin’ singalong fun!

Wed, Jun 24 thru Jun 28 - Shakespeare in the Grove: “Romeo & Juliet”, TCC Chesapeake, Wed-Sun 8:00 pm, Sat/Sun 2:00 pm, Black Box Theatre, the Academic Building, 1428 Cedar Road, Chesapeake. For the first time in almost two decades, Shakespeare in the Grove will be presented indoors. Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” comes to Tidewater Community College as the feature production for the 19th annual “Shakespeare in the Grove” this summer. A cast and crew of more than 30 students and veteran actors will bring Shakespeare’s most popular love story to life for seven performances in the new Black Box Theatre in the Academic Building on Chesapeake Campus. Performances are free and open to the public, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Black Box Theatre seats about 125 guests. Doors will open 30 minutes before each show. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and chairs and enjoy the patio area and green space outside the theater. Two large screen monitors will show a broadcast of the performance for those enjoying the outdoor space.

Thu, Jun 25 - Sunsets on the River: 'The Michael Clark Band featuring Tracy Clark’, 5:30 pm, Hermitage Museum and Gardens, 7637 North Shore Rd., Norfolk. Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and food. Passionate and soulful blues. Food Trucks: Karnage Asada, Hot Dog Guy & Sons; cash bar. $10 non-members/ members free

Thu, Jun 25 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Better By Tuesday’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Thu, Jun 25 - Thursdays by the Lake: 'The Janitors’, The Mariners’ Museum, 6 - 10:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. The Mariners’ Museum Summer Concert Series is every Thursday night from June - August. Bring a blanket or favorite chair & enjoy live music by some of the area’s hottest bands on the banks of Lake Maury. Adult beverages, soft drinks, and a variety of summer foods will be available for sale. No outside alcohol is permitted. (757) 596-2222

Thu, Jun 25 - “Shagging on the Riverwalk” Beach Music Concert Series: 'Carolina Soul Band’, 6:30 - 9:30 pm, Riverwalk Landing, 331 Water Street, Yorktown. Put on your dancing shoes and join us for this annual concert series featuring a variety of beach music for all ages. Bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. Free. 757.890.3500

Thu, Jun 25 - Phoebus Film Club Series: “Christine at the Crossroads”, The American Theater, 7:30 pm, 125 E Mellen St., Hampton. In recognition of June as LGBT Pride Month, PFC is pleased to screen this locally produced, Virginia Beach-born feature film that explores the difficult relationship expectations on women in our society.

Fri, Jun 26 - Governor School of the Arts Jazz Band Performance, MacArthur Mall, 5 - 7:00 pm, Downtown Norfolk. The Governor’s School for the Arts Jazz Band will be performing in the Center every Friday from 5-7pm beginning April 24th and continuing through August 28th.

Fri, Jun 26 - Fridays @ The Fountain: ’ Tidewater Drive’ with 'Vinyl Headlights’, City Center at Oyster Point, 5 - 9:00 pm, Fountain Plaza, Town Center Drive, Newport News. Begin your weekend here. Join us for the City Center Friday Concerts by the best bands in the region. Bring your friends, lawn chairs, blankets, and dancing shoes. Free Admission. Free Parking. Food and beverages available for purchase.

Fri, Jun 26 - 'Anthony Snape’ Concert  at Smithfield Olden Days, 6 - 7:30 pm, the Bank of Southside Virginia, 115 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Born in a small town in northwest NSW, Australia, Anthony is an authentic independent artist. Based in the U.S., he has performed at a variety of venues world-wide. Anthony loves to create real connections and emotional exchanges through his music. Anthony’s fans (known as SNAPESTARS) are some of the most passionate, strong and independent people on the planet. So passionate that they have taken it on themselves to market and promote Anthony’s music to the world. What a treat to have this rock pop or acoustic artist perform in Genuine Smithfield! For further information call 757.357.5182.

Fri, Jun 26 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Joe Gosman Band’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Fri, Jun 26 - T.G.I.F. Summer Concert Series: 'Broke By Sunday’, 6 - 9:30 pm, Constant’s Wharf Park & Marina, 100 E. Constance Road, Suffolk. Join your neighbors at Constant’s Wharf Park & Marina for the TGIF Summer Concert Series in Suffolk. Enjoy this free and family-friendly event in the park, as Slap Nation plays a variety of hits and kids enjoy the children’s area. Our aim is to get you out of your seat and enjoy your Friday night! Free and open to the public. 757.514.7267

Fri, Jun 26 - Dancing with the Stars: Live!, nTelos Wireless Pavilion, 7:00 pm, 16 Crawford Cir, Portsmouth. Following a sold-out winter tour and the 10th Anniversary Season of ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing with the Stars: Live! is going back on the road giving fans the opportunity to see their favorite stars dance live in their hometowns. Hosted by Dancing with the Stars All-Stars champion Melissa Rycroft, the 'Perfect Ten Tour’ is bringing a one-of-a-kind touring production to nTelos Wireless Pavilion.http://www.pavilionconcerts.com/

Fri, Jun 26 - Friday Night Hoedown, 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.

Fri, Jun 26 - Movies in the Park presents “Annie”, 8:00 pm, Robinson Park, Church Street, Windsor. Bring the whole family out for movies under the stars. Grab your lawn chairs or blankets to watch family-friendly cinema. Popcorn will be served at this free event hosted by the Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation Department. For more information call 757.357.2291.

Fri, Jun 26 - Friday Night Summer Concert Series featuring the 'Rhondels’, 8:00 pm, the Gazebo Stage in front of the Smithfield Times, 228 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Genuine Smithfield’s Olden Days Festival kicks off with this Free Concert and Car Show. Concert is free. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a summer evening in Genuine Smithfield. For further information call 757.357.3288.

Fri, Jun 26 - The Hampton Jazz Festival after party: 'RaJazz Showband’, Hampton Roads Convention Center, 9:00 pm - 2:00 am, 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton. This After Party will be following the Jill Scott’s concert June 26.  Seating is limited.  Tickets are $35 and are only sold at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.  Please call 757.315.1610 for more information.

Fri-Sun, Jun 26-28 - 'Dave Starkey & The Tom Cats’, Mary’s Park, Fri 4 - 7:00 pm, Sat 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Sun 2 - 5:00 pm, Town Square, Peninsula Town Center, Hampton. Come enjoy Dave Starkey and The Tom Cats Band in Mary’s Park during the Hampton Jazz Festival.

Fri-Sun, Jun 26-28 - Hampton Jazz Festival, Hampton Coliseum, Fri 7:30 - 11:30 pm, Sat 7 - 11:30 pm, Sun 2:00 pm, 1000 Coliseum Dr., Hampton. Celebrating 48 years of music, the Hampton Jazz Festival attracts the nation’s top blues, soul, pop, and jazz performers and fans from across the nation.

Sat, Jun 27 - The Natural House: Gallery Talk Field Trip and Lunch with Artist Phil Weber, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, 10:30 am, 400 High Street, Portsmouth. Philip Weber is the featured artist in the Architect Within, an exhibit of portfolio drawings and plans. Weber will give personal gallery walkthrough of his work beginning at the museum, answering questions about his experience at Taliesin. Participants will then walk to Philips living quarters and design studio above Anderson-Wright Room & Garden off High Street where lunch will be provided in the garden courtyard. Weber will give a tour of his living space to inspire the “architect” within all of us. $25 ($20 for members) includes Museum admission and lunch. Registration deadline is 4 pm on June 24. http://www.portsmouthartcenter.com/

Sat, Jun 27 - 'Celeste Kellogg’ Concert at Smithfield Olden Days, 11:30 am, the Gazebo Stage in front of the Smithfield Times, 228 Main Street in downtown Smithfield. Multi-talented CMA Artist, actress, songwriter and Nashville Recording Artist (and hometown gal), Celeste describes herself as “…just the girl next door who loves to sing, perform, write songs and wants to make a difference. Hopefully I will.” She has! For further information call 757.357.5182.

Sat, Jun 27 - 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 pm, the Fifes and Drums play music and interact with onlookers in the Square, answering questions from the audience.

Sat, Jun 27 - Zoo Grooves: 'Cheap Thrills’, Virginia Zoo, 5:30 - 8:30 pm, 3500 Granby St., Norfolk. Concert nights at the Zoo are perfect for families! Pack your blankets and lawn chairs and join us for a rockin’ good time. Concessions with your favorite summer foods and refreshments will be available for purchase until 8 pm. FREE to Zoo members; general admission applies for non-members.

Sat, Jun 27 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Shoes Required’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Sat, Jun 27 - Tidewater Bluegrass Music Association Monthly Bluegrass Concert, Hickory Ruritan Club, 7:00 pm, 2752 South Battlefield Boulevard, Chesapeake. The TBMA monthly concert held at the Hickory Ruritan Club features some of the best in local and regional bluegrass talent. June’s concert features music by Blue River. Donations are accepted at the door to cover the cost of the bands and rental.

Sun, Jun 28 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'Licita’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Sun, Jun 28 - Groovin’ by the Bay: 'TFC Band’, Buckroe Beach Park, 6 - 9:00 pm, North First Street, Hampton. Sunday evenings will be rocking at the beach this summer with a musical mix including everything from beach, pop, oldies, Motown and swing. Whether listening or dancing, you’ll enjoy this evening of music on the Chesapeake Bay! FREE and open to the public. Food is available for purchase.

Sun, Jun 28 - Sunday Movies at City Park: “Remember the Titans”, 7:00 pm, Portsmouth City Park, 140 City Park Ave, Portsmouth. Free. The true story of a newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team on their first season as a racially integrated unit. Rated PG. For more information please call 757-393-8481.

Sun, Jun 28 - Big Bands on the Bay: 'The Original Super Band’, 7 - 9:00 pm, Ocean View Beach Park, Norfolk. End the weekend with a sunset celebration on the Chesapeake Bay.  Guests are invited down to the Gazebo at Ocean View Beach Park for live Big Band music and dancing. Welcome the stars every Sunday night running through September 6.

Sun, Jun 28 - Movies on Prince George: “Into the Woods”, 7 - 9:30 pm, Merchants’ Square Williamsburg. Enjoy FREE movies each summer Sunday evening outdoors on Prince George Street. Movies start on June 14 and run through August. Brought to you by Blue Talon Bistro with help from the City of Williamsburg, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and local businesses. Movies are free and start at dusk. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Sun, Jun 28 - Fall Out Boy, Wiz Khalifa & Hoodie Allen, Farm Bureau Live, 8:00 pm, Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach. Farm Bureau Live are excited to present Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa on Sunday 28th June 2015 for the co-headline Boys of Zummer Tour! With support from Hoodie Allen, this night of danceable pop punk and delectable hip hop is going to be a powerhouse of awesome - grab your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

Mon, Jun 29 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: Military Monday, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Tue, Jun 30 - Concert at the Fountain Plaza: 'BJ Griffin & The Galaxy Groove’, Virginia Beach Town Center, 6 - 9:00 pm, Central Park Plaza, Virginia Beach. Come out to hear and enjoy the free ambient music at the Fountain Plaza!  Whether you are on your way to laugh out loud at the Funny Bone Comedy Club, a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, or a romantic date night dinner at one of your favorite restaurants, the nightly plaza music will surely set the tone.

Tue, Jun 30 - Family Movie Series: “Night at the Museum - Secret of the Tomb”, Mill Point Park, 7:00 pm, 100 Eaton Street, Hampton. Bring your friends, family, folding chairs, and blankets to the park on Tuesday nights this summer to enjoy free movies. Entertainment begins at 7pm, followed by our feature presentation at sunset. FREE ADMISSION! Food & Beverages Available for Purchase.

Tue, Jun 30 - 'Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo’, Ferguson Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News. Together, with Benatar’s mezzo-soprano vocal range and Giraldo’s trail-blazing work as a guitarist, producer and songwriter, Pat Benatar and Neil “Spyder” Giraldo have forged one of the most successful partnerships in rock & roll history. Since their initial collaboration 35 years ago on the debut album “In The Heat of the Night,” they have sold more than 26 million albums and charted 19 Top 40 singles, earning four consecutive Grammy Awards and three American Music Awards.

Wed, Jul 1 - Ynot Wednesdays Free summer concert series: 'Latin Jazz Conspiracy’, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, 5 - 9:00 pm, 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach. Every Wednesday from June 3rd through August 26th, join us on the Sandler Center Outdoor Plaza for “Ynot Wednesdays?” Free summer concert series. Each week, Ynot Italian will be serving up delicious pizza, sandwiches, cold drinks & summer treats available for purchase. There will also be fresh produce from The Virginia Beach Farmers Market, games, and more. Kids Art Cart sponsored by The Sandler Center Foundation begins at 5 pm inside the Miller Studio Theatre. This week we hold and Artisan Market. Local artists will set up their handmade/handcrafted items inside the Sandler Center lobby once a month.

Wed, Jul 1 - Virginia Health Services Summer Concert Series: 'TRADOC Brass Band’, 6 - 9:00 pm, Port Warwick, Loftis Boulevard, Newport News. Enjoy the summer night air on Styron Square listening to the area’s best music. The concerts are free and all are welcome! Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, food and drink, or enjoy the music from one of the Port Warwick restaurant patios!

Wed, Jul 1 - Independence Concert: TRADOC Concert Band, Merchants’ Square, 7 - 8:15 pm, Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg. Join us in the Square for an annual patriotic tradition! We will be treated to a concert of traditional favorites and modern compositions by the TRADOC Concert Band from The United States Army Training and Doctrine Command of Ft. Eustis, Virginia. The Concert is Free. Please bring a lawn chair.

Thu, Jul 2 - Movies & More: “National Treasure”,  Chesapeake City Park, 6:00 pm, 900 City Park Drive, Chesapeake. Chesapeake Parks, Recreation & Tourism presents the Movies & More Series. This month’s movie is “National Treasure”. Other activities prior to the movie include: a dance party, inflatables, face-painting, and food vendors. Gates open at 6 pm, movie starts at 8:30 pm. Free and Open to the Public. (757) 382-6411

Thu, Jul 2 - Thursdays by the Lake: 'Slapnation’, The Mariners’ Museum, 6 - 10:00 pm, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News. The Mariners’ Museum Summer Concert Series is every Thursday night from June - August. Bring a blanket or favorite chair & enjoy live music by some of the area’s hottest bands on the banks of Lake Maury. Adult beverages, soft drinks, and a variety of summer foods will be available for sale. No outside alcohol is permitted. (757) 596-2222

FARMERS’ MARKETS

Wed, Jun 17 - Suffolk Farmers’ Market, 3 - 6:00 pm (through Labor Day), Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. Enjoy the best in locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables, along with eggs, honey, homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, plants and handmade jewelry and crafts. Free and open to the public. 757.514.4130

Wed, Jun 17 - Carrollton Farmers’ Market, 3 to 6:00 pm, Old Point National Bank, off Hwy 17 in the Food Lion parking lot, Carrollton. A selection of food vendors from the Smithfield Farmers Market, with produce, meat, eggs, honey, plants, food trucks and more. For further information call 757.375.3031

Thu, Jun 18 - City Center Farmers Market, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Mariners Row Market Stage, City Center at Oyster Point. Enjoy a selection of locally grown fruits, vegetables, seafood, plants, herbs, baked goods, free range chickens, pork, bison, bath products, fresh bread and dog treats. Dairy products: cheese, goat’s cheese, milk, bath products, fresh bread and eggs.

Sat, Jun 20 - Season Opening, Chesapeake Farmer Markets, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm, Two Locations: Battlefield Park at 120 Reservation Road; and Chesapeake City Park at 900 City Park Drive. This year’s season will begin June 20th and will end November 25th. The markets will operate from 8 am to 1 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with local farmers offering fresh vegetables, herbs and plants. For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Market page:http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/government/City-Departments/Departments/agriculture-virginia-cooperative-extension/farmers-market.htm

Sat, Jun 20 - 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/

Sat, Jun 20 - Old Beach Farmers’ Market, Every Sat 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, Croc’s 19th Street Bistro, Virginia Beach. Old Beach Farmers Market (OBFM) is a fresh outdoor marketplace in the heart of the resort area, just six blocks from the ocean and one block from the Virginia Beach Convention Center, in the parking lot of Croc’s 19th Street Bistro. We feature seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, meats (pork, bison, beef, chicken, turkey, sausages, charcuterie), eggs, seafood, cheeses, a wide assortment of baked goods (biscuits, pies, cakes, brownies and cookies), artisanal breads, and savory foods from local chefs (pasta, sauces, salsas, salads, tamales), soap, and flowers. Walk over or ride a bike. Bring a reusable shopping bag. Come discover the taste of fresh, seasonal fare.

Sat, Jun 20 - Farmers’ Fare at East Beach, Every Sat 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, Pavilion Park, 4730 Hammock Lane, Norfolk. This local seasonal marketplace will feature fresh produce, meats free range chickens and turkeys, eggs seafood, made from scratch bagels, breaks and baked goods with vegan and gluten free options. We will have artisanal chesses, peanuts, salsa, dog treats, homemade pasta and sauces, jams and marmalades, sandwiches and salads to go along with Virginia wines.

Sat, Jun 20 - St. Paul’s Downtown Farmers’ Market 2015, Every Sat 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, 201 St. Paul’s Boulevard, Norfolk. Fresh produce for all our neighbors. St. Paul’s Church & Five Points Community Farm Market have partnered to bring a Farm Market to Downtown Norfolk. The St. Paul’s Downtown Farm Market is re-opening for 2015 and we want to see all your smiling faces! We’ll have food from Gershwin’s, flowers from Studio Posy and brand new Made in Virginia tent. We’re proud to offer a wide selection of products that are made in Virginia and pair nicely with our local fruits and vegetables. Free parking for those who need it, bike racks for those who don’t.

Sat, Jun 20 - Smithfield Farmers Market, 9:00 am until 12:00 noon, 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.

Sat, Jun 20 - Olde Towne Portsmouth Farmers’ Market, Every Sat 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, 400 High Street, Portsmouth. Held every Saturday, May through November with special markets in April and December includes locally and organically grown veggies, fruits, nut, herbs, beef, chicken, eggs, seafood, artisanal breads, scones, pastries, cakes, pies, jams, jellies, salsas, fresh, dried and silk flowers, soaps, lotions, pottery, arts/crafts. On Court and High Streets outside the Courthouse Galleries Courtyard. www.portsmoutholdetownefarmersmarket.com

Sat, Jun 20 - Suffolk Farmers’ Market, 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. “First Saturday at the Market” will feature live music and the Teeny Tiny Farm Petting Zoo (10 am-1 pm). Free and open to the public. The Suffolk Farmers’ Market season is underway at the Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, conveniently located behind the Suffolk Visitor Center at the corner of Main Street and Constance Road. Enjoy the best in locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables, along with eggs, honey, homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, plants and handmade jewelry and crafts. The Market is held every Saturday through November 21, from 9am until 1pm. We have lots of great programming all season long but we have “extra-special” First Saturdays of each month.

Sat, Jun 20 - Yorktown Market Day, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Riverwalk Landing, Yorktown. Yorktown Market Days will begin its ninth season with a Health & Fitness Market, and variety of products from new and returning producers. The Yorktown market features seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, eggs, poultry, beef and pork; fresh breads, cheeses, baked goods, peanuts, cut flowers, organic and gluten free products, potted plants, coffee, jams & jellies; dipping oils and meat rubs; quality art, chefs demonstrations and live musical entertainment.https://www.yorkcounty.gov/Portals/6/Events/15_fit_market.pdf

Sat, Jun 20 - Shore Drive Farmarket, 9:00 am - Noon, 2947 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach. Open June 13, 9 am-noon Saturdays, all year. Bringing fresh, locally/regionally-sourced food to Shore Drive. Come eat breakfast from our prepared food vendors, buy some locally made gifts and shop for your weekly produce, meats, seafood and baked goods–savory and sweet. Halfway between the bridge and the Woods on Shore Drive. Across from Dish. Shoredrivefarmarket@gmail.com

Wed, Jun 24 - Chesapeake Farmer Markets, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm, Two Locations: Battlefield Park at 120 Reservation Road; and Chesapeake City Park at 900 City Park Drive. This year’s season will begin June 20th and will end November 25th. The markets will operate from 8 am to 1 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with local farmers offering fresh vegetables, herbs and plants. For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Market page: http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/government/City-Departments/Departments/agriculture-virginia-cooperative-extension/farmers-market.htm

Wed, Jun 24 - Suffolk Farmers’ Market, 3 - 6:00 pm (through Labor Day), Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 524 North Main Street, Suffolk. Enjoy the best in locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables, along with eggs, honey, homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, plants and handmade jewelry and crafts. Free and open to the public. 757.514.4130

Wed, Jun 24 - Carrollton Farmers’ Market, 3 to 6:00 pm, Old Point National Bank, off Hwy 17 in the Food Lion parking lot, Carrollton. A selection of food vendors from the Smithfield Farmers Market, with produce, meat, eggs, honey, plants, food trucks and more. For further information call 757.375.3031

Thu, Jun 25 - City Center Farmers Market, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Mariners Row Market Stage, City Center at Oyster Point. Enjoy a selection of locally grown fruits, vegetables, seafood, plants, herbs, baked goods, free range chickens, pork, bison, bath products, fresh bread and dog treats. Dairy products: cheese, goat’s cheese, milk, bath products, fresh bread and eggs.

Sat, Jun 27 - Smithfield Farmers Market’s “Olden Days Market”, 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, in the Bank of Southside Virginia parking lot, 115 Main Street in 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.

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