Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Hurt Hollow Bluegrass will start performing at 9 a.m. Saturday as the Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival gears up for a busy day of activities in downtown Madison.
The Bennie Dodd Band will perform at 10 a.m. Saturday during the Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival. Keep it easy by parking at Madison County High School and taking the shuttle back and forth.
Somewhere among the magic shows, pony rides, wine-tasting tent and Youth Hockey League dunk tank, you’ll feel the festive pulse of Madison. And by the time you lose track of how many times you’ve gone back for more street corn, your Labor Day weekend will be off to a tasty start indeed.
The Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival will be back in downtown Madison from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday after a two-year pandemic pause with more than 150 artisans and other vendors and exhibitors, plus bands, antique cars, demonstrations of time-honored crafts and even pets ready for adoption. It’s a chance to support civic organizations and check out local businesses while bidding summer a festive farewell.
All restaurants in downtown Madison will be open, including festival newcomers Salsa Street Grill and Blue Ridge Coffee Crafters, said Tracey Gardner, economic development and tourism director for Madison County. Salsa Street Grill will be serving empanadas, churros and street corn.
If you’d prefer to start with breakfast fare, United Methodist Men will have you covered; Wolftown Ruritan Club will be on hand to cook hamburgers and hot dogs. Check out Administration Circle (Kemper Circle) for food trucks, including Bavarian Chef, Catch the Chef, Over the Top Chef and Pop Pops Concessions.
New this year is 117 Market Place, which is across from Madison Drug Co. Keep an eye out for Kite’s Ham, Cake Krums, Jenny Lynd’s Pizza, Mad Local, Miranda’s, and, on Washington Street, Pig N Steak.
The 28th annual festival’s musical lineup includes Hurt Hollow Bluegrass at 9 a.m., Bennie Dodd Band at 10 a.m., Reborn with special guest James Tamelcoff at noon and Dark Hollow Bluegrass Band at 2 p.m.
Magician and illusionist Wes Iseli will perform at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. in the Madison Drug Co. lot.
The festival requires its food vendors to be locals and promotes hometown businesses, but some of the arts and crafts vendors will come from as far away as North Carolina and Tennessee.
“You also can do your Christmas shopping as well,” Gardner said.
Fans of musician Austin Boggs will be able to see another talent on display at his Austin Boggs Welding booth.
To learn more about Madison County history, stop by the Historical Society, where Clyde Jenkins will be making and selling baskets.
Well-behaved, friendly dogs on leashes are welcome; just keep a close eye on them to make sure they don’t overheat. And if you’re on the lookout for a new pack member, both the Madison County Animal Shelter and MAD Cats can be found in Beasley Park. Paw Paw’s LLC will carry dog treats, pet soap and shampoo and gift baskets.
New parents who need a break can drop by the Madison County Free Clinic for some respite time, and there will be children’s activities there as well.
The Tastings tent on the Library Lawn will feature local wineries, with Blue Quartz Winery making its debut alongside DuCard, Prince Michel and Revalation. Pick up a commemorative wine glass while supplies last.
Folks who enjoy posting photos of happy gatherings to social media can drop by the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s LOVEwork on the Library Lawn. If you snap photos with family members and friends there, use the hashtags #LOVEVA and #MadisonVA when posting to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers.
“People love that,” Gardner said.
Admission to the festival is free, and the easiest way to enjoy the festivities is to park at Madison County High School and take a free shuttle to the festival site. There will be a shuttle that’s accessible to wheelchairs. If you need to park closer to the action, or need handicapped-placard parking, a limited number of spaces will be available in the former General Store lot near Cardinal Home Center off Washington Street from the Madison County Free Clinic for a $5 donation.
Admission to the Tastings tent for wine lovers is $10 — cash, checks and credit cards are accepted — and the various restaurants and vendors will be charging their own amounts for foods and gifts. For details, visit madisonva.com, email tourism@madison-va.com or call (540) 948-4455.
Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
A reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday in UVa's Student Health and Wellness Center, where paintings, drawings, textile pieces, prints, collages and other works will feature accurate depictions of the creatures. Descriptions authorized by Virginia Master Naturalists will explain why people should take care around these animals in the wild.
Together, the photographers and their creations are offering different ways to counteract erasure, invisibility and enforced anonymity as part of "Power Play: Reimagining Representation in Contemporary Photography," which can be seen through Dec. 31 at The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia.
Second Street Gallery’s popular Teeny Tiny Trifecta series continues with “Teeny Tiny Trifecta 5,” which opens from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Frida…
Editor’s Note: Exhibits shares information about exhibitions presented on display or online in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluv…
"The Steve Keene Art Book" gives fans of the wildly prolific painter an opportunity to glimpse the breadth of his oeuvre by seeing so many of his creations in one place. It's also filled with essays by artists and musicians Keene has worked with over the years, including Shepard Fairey, Chan Marshall of Cat Power, Oldham and members of Superchunk.
The exhibition opens with events at Vault Virginia and IX Art Park on Friday.
Editor’s Note: Exhibits shares information about exhibitions presented on display or online in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluv…
Piedmont Virginia Community College will begin its 2022-2023 Fine Arts and Performance season with Mark Nizer’s high-tech “4D” show at 7:30 p.…
Editor’s Note: Exhibits shares information about exhibitions presented on display or online in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluv…
Hurt Hollow Bluegrass will start performing at 9 a.m. Saturday as the Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival gears up for a busy day of activities in downtown Madison.
The Bennie Dodd Band will perform at 10 a.m. Saturday during the Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival. Keep it easy by parking at Madison County High School and taking the shuttle back and forth.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.