Here are some of the top events around Southwest and Southside for the coming week. Check out our new events calendar. Got an event? You can add it there for free. Want to keep up with what’s happening? Sign up here for our free weekly events newsletter.
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July 20 and beyond: Montgomery Museum hosts railroad-themed art show
The Montgomery Museum of Art and History is hosting 20 local artists for a railroad-themed art show as a companion to the “Let’s Go to the Depot! How the Railroad Changed Montgomery County and Cambria” history exhibit.
Photographs, watercolors, oils, acrylics, pen-and-ink drawings and wood scroll-work are represented in the art show, which features 41 pieces by 20 artists.
The show will be on display through Sept. 18, with a closing reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 7.
Visitors can vote for their favorite in person or online; People’s Choice voting will allow only one vote per person, and voting will close at 6 p.m. Sept. 7 with awards presented at 6:30 p.m.
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July 21-22: Dino Festival at Virginia Museum of Natural History
A two-day dinosaur extravaganza is set to take place at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville on Friday and Saturday when the museum hosts its annual Dino Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Dino Festival will feature life-size cast skeletons of some of the most iconic creatures of the Mesozoic Era, a variety of dinosaur fossils, the ability to interact with expert paleontologists, dino-themed activities and crafts, food trucks and access to the museum’s newest special exhibit, Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas.
Admission is $10 per adult and $5 for ages 3-17, seniors 60 and older and college students. Admission is free for children under 3, museum members and members of museums and science centers that participate in the ASTC Passport program. Visitors who attend on Friday can come back Saturday at no additional charge.
The museum also participates in the Museums for All initiative, which will provide free admission to the festival for visitors who present their EBT card and ID at the gate.
For more information about Dino Festival and other museum offerings, visit www.vmnh.net.
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July 22: Symphony by the Lake at UVA Wise
Swiss-born, North Carolina-based Kruger Brothers join Symphony of the Mountains for the 11th annual Symphony by the Lake at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise on Saturday.
The outdoor concert kicks off at 8:15 p.m. and is free and open to all. Attendees are invited to bring snacks, lawn chairs and blankets.
The Kruger Brothers’ discipline, creativity and ability to infuse classical music into folk has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. The trio joins the Symphony of the Mountains on a musical trip “From the Alps to the
Appalachians.”
More information is online.
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July 26 and beyond: ‘Matilda the Musical’ at Mill Mountain Theatre
Mill Mountain Theatre presents Roald Dahl’s “Matilda the Musical” from July 26 through Aug. 6 on the Trinkle Main Stage.
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, Miss Honey. Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda’s extraordinary personality.
“Matilda the Musical” launches Mill Mountain Theatre’s Young Audience Series on the Trinkle Main Stage for the 2023 season.
For more information, visit millmountain.org or call the box office at 540-342-5740.
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July 27-29: Southern Gap Mountain Mayhem
Three nights of music will be a part of this year’s Southern Gap Mountain Mayhem, which opens July 27 and continues through July 29 at Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure in Grundy.
Mountain Mayhem offers days filled with off-road riding events and competitions, followed by nightly music. The event will close out Saturday night with fireworks.
Vendor and camping check-in is July 26. Event admission is $25, which covers all days of the event, including all nights of music. Children ages 12 and younger will be admitted free. Wristbands may be purchased at the gate, or they may be purchased in advance on the website, which also offers a detailed schedule for the festival.
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