Heads up: 74 events this weekend. Saturday carries it, with two free back-to-school giveaways at Miller Park, a pop-up cat cafe, a pottery wheel class, and a free outdoor screening of Tremors after dark. Friday is the music night, and Sunday slows down to a blood drive, brunch on the river, and one last school-supply giveaway out in Forest. If I'm missing something, or you've got an event you're hosting or want to share, let me know.
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⭐ Top picks this weekend
The Toxic Avenger, Fri-Sun · 8:00pm at Wolfbane in Appomattox · opening weekend, staged outdoors, and the front rows get soaked on purpose.
Tremors in the backyard, Sat · 7:30pm at The Clarity House · free, all ages, and the hot dogs, popcorn and sodas are a dollar each.
Pop-Up Cat Cafe, Sat · 11:00am-3:00pm at the Templeton Senior Center · $10 · adoptable cats, Mission House coffee, and every cat there is discounted to adopt.
Metal Takeover, Fri · four bands at Super Rad · $20 advance, all ages, and admission covers unlimited arcade all night.
With Gratitude to our Sponsor: Super Rad Arcade Bar
Super Rad Arcade Bar is the largest classic arcade in Virginia, on 9th St downtown. Pac-Man, Street Fighter, X-Men, pinball, plus live music most weeks. https://thesuperradarcade.com
🟢 free · 🟠 paid · 🎤 karaoke
Fri Jul 31
🟢 Coffee Talk · 8:00-10:00am · Sweet Indulgence Bakery, 1030 McConville Rd · the Central Virginia Business Coalition's monthly networking morning for area business owners
🟢 Sarah-Faith Strait: BECOMING and Meredith Peverill: Histories · 9:30am-5:00pm · Academy galleries, 600 Main St · final day for both
🟢 Free daytime programs · Preschool Play Group 10:00-11:30am at Daniel's Hill · Recreation Shuffle 10:00am-12:00pm at Fairview and 11:00am-1:00pm at Yoder · Parks&Rec
🟠 Open Studio: sewing ($25) or needle arts ($10) · 10:00am-6:00pm, two-hour blocks starting 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 4:00pm · Needle Ninja · book ahead
🟠 Fantastic Friday: Animal Ambassadors · 11:00am-12:00pm · Amazement Square, 27 9th St · $15 child, $10 adult, $8 senior, under 1 free · the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center brings live animals in, with museum admission and nothing extra to book · $3 a head for WIC and SNAP families
🟠 Candle Pouring Experience · sessions 11:00am & 2:00pm · Wick & Pour Candle Bar, 205 9th St · $45 · pour your own custom candle, 90 min
🟠 Using a Sewing Machine (beginner) · 12:00pm · Needle Ninja · $98 · a 6-hour course spread over three weekly sessions
🟠 Beginner Knitting · 1:00pm · Needle Ninja · $68 · a 2-week series, Tammy is back teaching it
🟠 The Social Pour · 5:00pm · Wick & Pour Candle Bar, 205 9th St · $50 · come alone, leave with community: guided conversation prompts while you pour a candle
🟢 Forest Friday Cheers: The Troy Coleman Project · from 6:00pm, Troy Coleman plays 7:00-10:00pm · Apocalypse Ale Works & Beer Garden · play zone, food, and family entertainment · FOREST
🟢 Live Music: Whiskey Shakes · 6:00pm · Starr Hill On Main, 1300 Main St
🟢 Live Music: Michael Wayne Dill · 6:00pm · No 7 Rooftop Bar
🟠 Shrek Kids (Academy Youth Theatre) · 6:00pm · Historic Academy Theatre, 600 Main St · $10-$14 · the camp showcase, with a second show Saturday morning
🟠 Metal Takeover: Convictions + Two Sides of Me + Thin the Herd + Freedom from The Shadows · doors 6:00pm, music 7:00pm · Super Rad Arcade Bar, 58 9th St · $20 advance / $25 day of show · all ages, and admission covers unlimited arcade games all night
🟢 DJ T-Rex · 6:30-9:30pm · The Trailhead · dance night on the patio
🟢 Hill City Mindfulness Recovery Group · doors 6:30pm, starts 7:00pm · The Clarity House, 607 Madison St · ages 18+ · the weekly A.C.T.I.O.N. series, a sober space
🟠 Star Wars Unlimited league, FNM Booster Draft, and Digimon locals · all 7:00pm · Dragon Fire Games · the FNM draft is $26.99 this week and it's the new Marvel Super Heroes set, Digimon is $8.99, and Star Wars doesn't publish an entry fee
🟢 Last Fridays Bingo Night · 7:00pm · Lynchburg Beer Company, 3813 Wards Rd · monthly, on the last Friday
🟠 Downtown Lynchburg Walking Ghost Tour: Sunset · 7:00-8:00pm · meets at the Community Market, 1219 Main St · $15, kids 7-18 $10, under 6 free
🟠 Dare to Dream JR. · 7:00-8:00pm · Caterpillar Clubhouse, 186 Dillard Road, Madison Heights · $13.65 · a 60-minute Disney musical revue, songs from Frozen II, Encanto, Coco and The Princess and the Frog
🟢 Live Music: The Pete Turpin Band · 7:30pm · Big Lick Tropical Grill, 4001 Murray Pl · no cover
🟠 Haunted Pub Crawl: History on Tap · 7:30pm · meets at the Historic Bragassa Toy Store · $35 · ages 21+ for the drinking stops · Hill City After Dark
🟠 A Tribute to Stevie Wonder · 8:00-10:00pm · Joy & Lynch Christian Warehouse Theatre, 600 Main St · $24-$35.50 · Lew Taylor & Soulstice, with DJ Noyz spinning remixes of the classics
🟠 Ghosts of Gallows Hill · 8:00pm · meets at the Old Court House steps, 901 Court St · $25 · lantern-led walking tour
🟠 Echoes on the Avenue · 8:00pm · meets at the Miller-Claytor House, 2200 Miller Claytor Ln · $25 · lantern-led ghost walk
🟠 Public Investigation at the Miller-Claytor House · 8:00pm · $35-$65 · paranormal investigation · bring your own equipment or use theirs, they have gear on hand
🟠 Downtown Lynchburg Walking Ghost Tour: Waterfront · 8:15-9:15pm · meets at the Community Market, 1219 Main St · $15, kids 7-18 $10, under 6 free
🎤 Karaoke: Scoreboards 8:00pm-12:30am (DJ Cameron Wheeler), 100 Tradewynd Dr, no cover
With Gratitude to our Sponsor: Living Line Studio
Living Line Studio is a place to make, learn, and grow alongside other creative people. Join us for small-group classes, studio gatherings, and events where you can build your skills, make new friends, and make art a regular part of your life. tobypenneyartist.bigcartel.com
Sat Aug 1
🟢 Lynchburg Community Market · 8:00am-1:00pm · 1219 Main St · farmers and producers, year-round
🟢 Forest Farmers Market · 8:00am-12:00pm · behind the Forest Library · FOREST
🟠 Rabies Vaccination Clinic & Microchips · 9:00am-12:00pm · Forest Presbyterian Church, 1226 Two Church Ln · $10 per animal, microchips $15 · a drive-thru clinic from the Community Pet Coalition · bring your rabies certificate and you'll get the 3-year shot, without one it's a 1-year · cats in carriers, dogs on leashes · FOREST
🟠 Wheel Throwing for Beginners · 10:00am-12:00pm · Firebrick Pottery, 1105 Main St · $65 · no experience needed, ages 16+ or 12+ with a guardian
🟠 Summer Saturdays mahjong · 10:00am-1:00pm · The Gilded Dogwood Mahjong Society · $35 · boxed lunch included, and payment reserves your seat
🟠 Bespoke Tote Bag Workshop · 10:00-11:30am · Riverviews Artspace, 52 9th St · $35 · no-sew appliqué with artist-in-residence Katie Martin, all materials provided
🟠 Using a Sewing Machine (beginner) · 10:00am · Needle Ninja · $98 · a 6-hour course spread over three weekly sessions, Aug 1, 8 and 15
🟠 Open Studio: sewing · 10:00am-4:00pm, two-hour blocks starting 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm · Needle Ninja · $25 · book ahead
🟠 Beginner Crochet · 11:00am · Needle Ninja · $68 · a 2-week series
🟠 Shrek Kids matinee (Academy Youth Theatre) · 11:00am · Historic Academy Theatre, 600 Main St · $10-$14 · final performance
🟠 Pop-Up Cat Cafe · 11:00am-3:00pm · Templeton Senior Center, 225 Wiggington Rd · $10, under 3 free · coffee from Mission House plus adoptable cats, and every cat there is discounted to adopt · online signup closes Friday, but you can buy at the door · with the Lynchburg Humane Society and Parks & Rec
🟠 Candle Pouring Experience · sessions 11:00am & 5:00pm · Wick & Pour Candle Bar, 205 9th St · $45
🟢 Food Not Bombs Back to School Giveaway · 11:00am-12:00pm · Miller Park, 2100 Park Ave · the group's annual school-supply giveaway
🟢 Back-to-School Giveaway · 12:00-3:00pm, while supplies last · Miller Park, 2100 Park Ave · K-12 school supplies first come first served, plus free hot dogs, kettle corn, ice cream and games · they handed out 400+ bookbags last year
🟢 Live music at The Water Dog · 1:00-4:00pm · the act is announced day-of
🟢 Lynchburg Area Secular Humanists kickoff lunch · 1:00-3:00pm · The Neighbors Place Restaurant, 104 Paulette Cir · free to attend, buy your own lunch · a new chapter's first meetup, open to anyone, RSVP to [email protected]
🟠 Pokemon Casual League · 1:30pm, $4.99 · then Yu-Gi-Oh locals 2:30pm, $4.99 with OTS pack prizing · and Riftbound Nexus Nights 6:00pm, $8.99 · Dragon Fire Games
🟠 Sewing Circle · 2:00-4:00pm · Needle Ninja · $25 · a community sew, bring your own project
🟠 Sit and Stitch (needle arts) · 2:00-4:00pm · Needle Ninja · $10 · drop-in
🟢 Live Music: Dat Goldin · 6:30-9:30pm · The Trailhead · old-school hip-hop on the patio
🟢 Shake the Ground: Tremors outdoors · backyard opens 7:30pm, movie at dark · The Clarity House, 607 Madison St · free, all ages · hot dogs, popcorn and sodas $1 each, a design-your-own movie poster station, and Kevin Bacon trivia for a gift card · bring a lawn chair, and the rain date is Aug 22
🟢 Live Music: The Frequency · 7:30pm · Big Lick Tropical Grill, 4001 Murray Pl · no cover
🟠 Ghosts of Gallows Hill · 8:00pm · meets at the Old Court House steps, 901 Court St · $25 · lantern-led walking tour
🟠 Echoes on the Avenue · 8:00pm · meets at the Miller-Claytor House · $25-$45 · lantern-led ghost walk
🟠 The Cardinal Summer · 8:00-10:00pm · The Music Hall, 722 Commerce St · $17 advance / $20 day of · a band whose whole pitch is face-to-face connection and community at their shows · Academy Presents series
🎤 Karaoke: Lola's 7:00pm (Mogu Entertainment) · 801 Raw Bar on Rivermont 7:00pm
Sun Aug 2
🟠 Sewing Machine 101 (ages 10+) · 11:30am-1:30pm · The Scrappy Elephant, 400 12th St · $25 · machines available to borrow
🟠 Candle Pouring Experience · sessions 12:00pm & 4:00pm · Wick & Pour Candle Bar, 205 9th St · $45
🟢 Sunday brunch live music · 1:00-4:00pm · The Water Dog · $1 wings and $1 Chesapeake oysters, and the act is announced day-of
🟠 Rest, Balance, & Pour · 2:00pm · Wick & Pour Candle Bar, 205 9th St · $55 · the monthly self-care session: a calming wellness activity, then pour a shower steamer
🟠 Creativity with Creekside · 2:00-5:00pm · The Scrappy Elephant, 400 12th St · an afternoon of no-pressure creative and sensory exploration with Creekside Therapeutics · they don't post a cost, so reserve and ask at [email protected] or 434-515-2041
🟢 Blood Drive with the Blood Connection · 2:30-5:00pm · Lynchburg Humane Society, 1211 Old Graves Mill Rd · donors get $60 in rewards, book a slot at the link
🟢 Back to School Community Day · 3:00pm · Forest Recreation Center · a school-supply giveaway hosted by Grove United's youth ministry · FOREST
🎤 Karaoke: Stadium Inn 8:00-11:00pm (Rhodey Entertainment) · industry night, 10% off for bar and restaurant staff with proof of employment
All weekend
🟢 Riverside Sprayground · daily 10:00am-7:00pm · Riverside Park, 2238 Rivermont Ave · free, open through Sept 7 · dumping buckets, spraying lake fish, pop jets · Parks&Rec
🟢 Riverfront Park Fountains · daily 10:00am-7:00pm · Riverfront Park, 1100 Jefferson St · free zero-depth splash fountains, through Sept 7 · Parks&Rec
🟠 Canoe & kayak rentals at Ivy Creek · Sat-Sun 10:00am-5:00pm, last rental 4:00pm · canoes $10/hr, kayaks $8/hr · first come, first served, no reservations · Parks&Rec
🟢 Duwenavue Santé Johnson: How Will Our Ancestors Find Us? Don't Forget the Chiclets · Fri-Sun 12:00-4:00pm · Riverviews Artspace, 52 9th St · free · on view through Aug 16
🟢 Steven Francis Gallery · Fri-Sat 11:30am-5:30pm · 102b Tradewynd Dr, above Montana Plains Bakery · free · three shows on view at once, including a Robert Sulkin solo
🟢 Mix it Up Media (final weekend) · Fri 1:00-5:00pm, Sat-Sun 1:30-4:00pm · Lynchburg Art Club and Gallery, 1011 Rivermont Ave · free · four mixed-media artists
🟢 Nelfa McReynolds, acrylic paintings · The Virginian Hotel, 712 Church St · free · an Academy satellite exhibit, through Aug 14
🚗 Worth the Drive
The Toxic Avenger (Wolfbane) · Fri-Sun 8:00pm, box office opens 6:30pm · Wolfbane Performing Arts Center, 618 Country Club Rd, Appomattox · $44-$69 · opening weekend of the cult musical, staged outdoors with no overhead cover. Splatter Zone seats come with chairs and a warning to wear clothes you don't mind ruining; Dry Zone guests bring their own low-backed lawn chair. Strong language, sexual situations and simulated violence, so not one for kids.
Aaron Tippin · Sat 4:00-9:30pm · Wind Vineyards at Smith Mountain Lake, 15772 Moneta Rd, Moneta · ticket levels on runsignup · the 90s country hitmaker at a lakeside vineyard.
CAB Kids: Ty-Rone Travis, Puppeteer · Sat 12:00-2:00pm · Bower Center for the Arts, 305 N Bridge St, Bedford · free, registration appreciated but not required · a family puppet show, and the Charles M. Schulz exhibit is in the same building (Fri 1:00-6:00pm, Sat 11:00am-3:00pm, closed Sunday).
Musical Histories of Appomattox · Sat 1:00-4:00pm · the Clover Hill Tavern porch, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, 111 National Park Dr · free · live period music on the tavern porch.
Harvest Moon Marketplace · Sat-Sun 1:00-5:00pm · 14917 Moneta Rd, Moneta · free admission, free music · a weekend market at Smith Mountain Lake.
80's Party with That 80's Show · Sat 7:30-11:30pm · Mango's Bar & Grill, 16430 Booker T Washington Hwy, Moneta · cover not published · an 80s cover band on the patio, 21+ after 9:00pm.
Annual Blackberry Harvest and Music Festival · Sat 11:00am-5:00pm · Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery, 2800 Berry Hill Rd, Nellysford · live music, food and vendors, and admission comes with a keepsake glass plus a wine and mead tasting flight · under 17 free · blackberries are you-pick only and sold by the quart, and they ask you to leave the dog at home this one day · they don't publish the admission price, so call (434) 361-1266 · the rest of the Nelson 151 corridor has free music the same weekend, including The Wavelength Sat 3:00-6:00pm at Brewing Tree Beer Co in Afton.
🗓️ Coming up next week
Old Crow Medicine Show · Thu Aug 6, 7:30pm · Historic Academy Theatre · the biggest thing on the calendar next week by a wide margin.
Bright Star Theatre: Dino Academy · Fri Aug 7, 6:30-7:15pm · Library Hub at the Miller Center · free, no registration · life-size dinosaur puppets, the Summer Reading finale.
Starfire Live! Through Space & Time · Fri Aug 7, 8:00-10:00pm · The Music Hall, 722 Commerce St · $10 advance / $13 day of.
Family Fun Friday · Fri Aug 7, 5:00-10:00pm · Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre · bounce houses, carnival games and raffles.
Hill City Howlers vs Wilson · Sat Aug 8, 6:30pm · Bank of the James Stadium · Military Appreciation and Star Wars night, with fireworks after.
Enjoying the roundup? It takes a good chunk of my week to put together. If it pointed you to a good night out and you feel like tossing a few bucks in the tip jar, here's my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lyhevents. No pressure, and thanks for reading either way.