October 2019 - Visual Arts Month in Norfolk Virginia

October is Visual Arts Month in Norfolk Virginia.The following list includes some of the major events that will be held during Visual Arts Month 2019.

October 5 Chelsea West Fest – hosted and benefiting Hope House Foundation, will be a full-day celebrating local crafters, musicians, local beers and brews, and the unique eateries just steps away from the festival. Gates open at noon.

October 6, 12-5pm Colonial Place/Riverview Front Porch Art Walk

October 10, 6-9pm Evening Conversations @ the Hermitage Museum Hosted by Alchemy NFK

October 12 - 13, 10am-9pm CBAA Ocean View Art Show

October 17 - 18, 6-10pm NEON FESTIVAL– NEON District anchored by the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Harrison Opera House extends to The Plot on Granby St.

October 18, 6-8:30pm Paint Night at Aries Apothecary - 3822 Granby St.

October 19 - 20 Stockley Gardens Arts Festival


For more information about Visual Arts Month in Norfolk, visit norfolkarts.net.

Related Information

Norfolk Virginia

Virginia Arts Festival 2018

2018 marks the Virginia Arts Festival’s 22nd season. This year's Virginia Arts Festival will feature Bernstein at 100 Tributes, Classic Ballet and Contemporary Dance, A Mozart Celebration, lively theater, and music from classical to jazz to pop.

On opening weekend, the Virginia Arts Festival will participate in a worldwide celebration of the music of Leonard Bernstein.

Friday, April 13 at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News, and Saturday, April 14 at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra is joined by the Virginia Chorale and Todd Rosenlieb Dance in performances of some of Bernstein’s most exciting works.

The audience is taken on a breathtaking ride through the joyful celebration of the Chichester Psalms, the darkly intricate beauty of the Serenade, featuring Grammy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie, the transporting Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and the knife-edge jazz of Prelude, Fugue and Riffs, written for Benny Goodman and performed here by award-winning clarinetist Jon Manasse.

Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director JoAnn Falletta will conduct the celebration; Falletta studied under Bernstein while at Juilliard.

Bernstein on Broadway, Saturday, May 12 at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, will bring together award-winning Broadway music director Rob Fisher with Broadway stars and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorale to celebrate Bernstein’s unforgettable musicals including Candide, West Side Story, On the Town, Wonderful Town, and more.

source: Virginia Arts Festival

Related Information

Tidewater Virginia Events

Fall 2016 Hampton Roads Art Shows

A variety of art shows, festivals, and other events will be held this fall in Hampton Roads.

Near Hampton, the Sixth Annual Buckroe Beach Arts in the Park festival will be held September 10 at Buckroe Beach Park on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

Presented by the Buckroe Improvement League, Arts in the Park will include local arts and crafts, community interest booths, food vendors, and more.

The Neptune Festival Art Show from September 30 - October 2.

The the Fourth Annual Chelsea West Fest will be held October 1 from noon to 6 p.m. in West Ghent, Norfolk.

The free festival, organized by Hope House Foundation, will feature a wide variety of hand-made items from local crafters, talented local musicians, local beers, local food vendors, and local products.

The 43rd Annual Fall Festival of Folklife will be held October 1-2, 2016, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Newport News Park

Southeast Virginia's biggest traditional craft show features over 200 vendors, traditional crafts and trades, folk entertainment, food vendors, and children's activities.

Norfolk’s Visual Arts Week includes the Ocean View Art Show and the Stockley Gardens Art Show.

The 54th Annual Ocean View Art Show has been Postponed to October 29 & 30, due to the threat of Hurricane Matthew.

The show will feature painters, sculptors, jewelers, potters, and other artists displaying their work in the Ocean View Beach Park.

2016 Chelsea West Fest - Norfok VA

The Fourth Annual Chelsea West Fest will be held on October 1st, 2016 from noon to 6 p.m.

The festival in the Chelsea Business District, at the intersection of Orapax Street and Boissevain Avenue in West Ghent, Norfolk.

Organized by Hope House Foundation, the free festival celebrates the energy of local offerings with a wide variety of hand-made items from local crafters, talented local musicians, local beers, local food vendors, and local products.

The entertainment schedule offers a little something for everyone including some of the region's most popular performers.

Noon - 12:30 PM: Dan Pelligrino
12:30 - 1:00 PM: The Drendas
1:30 - 2:30 PM: 3 Legged Back Porch Collective
3:00 - 4:00 PM: 11 Ton
4:30 - 6:00 PM: Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos

Proceeds from Chelsea West Fest support the programs of Hope House Foundation. Since 1964, Hope House Foundation has worked on the frontlines of the battle for independence, community inclusion and true citizenship for people with developmental disabilities.

For more information, visit www.hope-house.org.

Harvest Faire 2016 - Newport News VA

Now in its 22nd season, Harvest Faire, will be held in Newport News October 7-9, 2016.

Harvest Faire is held at Endview Plantation, 362 Yorktown Rd. Times are Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 9am-9pm, and Sunday 9am-3pm.

Harvest Faire is the Virginia Peninsula’s oldest Renaissance Festival. The event features medieval combat and encampments, knights on horseback, live music and dance, merchants, food, period games, and other activities.

Tickets are $20 for an adult weekend pass, $5 Friday, $15 Saturday and $10 Sunday; $10 for a youth (ages 6-12) weekend pass or $5 daily for youth.  Children 5 and under attend for free.  Discount advance weekend tickets are available at harvestfaire.org.

Harvest Faire is a non-profit 501c3 charity that raises funds for other local charities.

For more information, visit www.harvestfaire.org.

2016 East Coast She Crab Soup Classic

Restaurants and chefs from around Hampton Roads will gather to compete for the title of “Best She Crab Soup” at the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic April 9 at the 24th Street Park along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

Guests are invited to sample an entry from each of 22 competing restaurants.  Based on tastings, there are two categories for best recipe winners; People’s Choice Awards and Critic’s Choice Awards.

For more information, visit beachstreetusa.com

source: City of Virginia Beach

2015 Neptune’s Art and Craft Show - Virginia Beach

Due to severe weather for the weekend, Neptune Festival planners had to cancel or relocate several events.

Neptune’s Art and Craft Show is moving to the Virginia Beach Convention Center (1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451).

Over 240 artists from around the country are expected to participate. The show will be free and open to the public.

King Neptune XVII and the royal court will be at the Art and Craft Show on Saturday, September 26 at 11 am.

Neptune’s Art and Craft Show hours will be Friday 12 pm – 7 pm, Saturday 10am – 7 pm, Sunday, 10 am – 6pm.

For additional information call the Festival Office at 757-498-0215 or visit www.facebook.com/NeptuneFestival.

Hampton Roads Arts and Crafts Shows - Fall 2015

A wide range of arts and crafts shows, festivals, and other events will be held around Hampton Roads during the fall season.

Festivals and Shows:

2015 Chelsea West Fest will be held on October 3, 2015. Chelsea West Fest, hosted and benefiting Hope House Foundation, will be a full-day celebrating what makes this region great: local crafters, talented local musicians, local beers and brews, and the unique eateries just steps away from the festival.

2015 Ocean View Art Show
October 10-11, 2015
100 W. Ocean View Avenue
Norfolk, VA

The 53rd Annual Ocean View Art Show will be held October 10-11, 2015, at 100 W. Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia. The show features painters, sculptors, jewelers, potters, and other artists displaying their art work in the Ocean View Beach Park. The event is free and open to the public.
2015 Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival
Saturday, October 17, 2015, 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday, October 18, 2015, noon to 5 pm
Stockley Gardens Park
Norfolk, VA

The Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival will be held October 17-18, 2015 at Stockley Gardens Park in the Ghent section of Norfolk. The festival will feature approximately 150 artists exhibiting a wide variety of media, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, photography, and many others. The event is free and open to the public.

Fort Monroe Tide Gauge

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Fort Monroe Authority, has installed a new tide gauge station at Fort Monroe to help emergency planners protect the shorelines in the Hampton Roads region.

The monitoring station, to be located at the former Navy Pier at Fort Monroe, will provide decision makers long-term water level data and real-time warnings of storm surge. The system was funded entirely by federal dollars under the Hurricane Sandy response, which was the main catalyst for making this effort possible.

USGS tide gauges deliver up-to-the-minute data that are critical to the National Weather Service and other partners, like the Navy and Coast Guard, who conduct operations at sea, issue flood warnings, and initiate evacuation orders for communities.

Information on all the tide gauges located throughout the Chesapeake Bay region, including the Hampton area, can be accessed through the USGS National Water Information System webpage.

source: U.S. Geological Survey

2015 Lynnhaven River Osprey Survey

The Virginia Aquarium and the Center for Conservation Biology at The College of William and Mary have conducted a two month-long Osprey survey of the Lynnhaven River identifying 98 nests.

To learn more about Lynnhaven River osprey, visit:

http://lynnhavenrivernow.blogspot.com/2015/08/ospreys-keep-their-iconic-place-in.html

Hope House Foundation Shamrockin In Ghent

On Friday, March 15, 2013, from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., Hope House Foundation in conjunction with 93.7 BOB FM, 96X, and US 106.1 will present 2013’s "Shamrockin’ In Ghent", a free block party.

The event which is open to the public will take place on Colley Avenue in Norfolk’s historic Ghent district between Shirley and Gates Avenues.

"Shamrockin’ In Ghent" will benefit Hope House Foundation and will include musical performances by The Newport News Police Pipes and Drums, Glasgow Kiss, and The Deloreans.

This is the 19th annual Shamrockin’ in Ghent (previously called the Greening of Ghent). Beverages will be available for sale and Belmont House of Smoke (http://www.belmonthouseofsmoke.com) will be on hand selling food.

source: Hope House Foundation

Lynhaven River Citizen Oyster Gardeners Program

Growing oysters can help improve the Lynnhaven River. To become an oyster gardener, LRNOw offers a Taylor Float workshop where participants can build their own float and get all the equipment needed. Alternatively, gardeners can purchase an assembled float with all the equipment from LRNow for $100.

Participants also need to attend a New Citizen Oyster Gardener Workshop where they will learn about caring for oysters over the next year.  Pre-registration is required for both the Tayor Float workshop and the New Citizen Gardener Workshop.

Oyster Gardening Events:
Taylor Float Workshop

Thursday, July 26, 6-7:30 PM, at the LRNow office at 1608 Pleasure House Road, Suite 108.  Cost for all supplies is $75.
To register call 757-962-5398 or email kris@lrnow.org



New Oyster Citizen Gardeners Workshop

Thursday, August 2, 6-7:30 PM at the Great Neck Rescue Squad on Bayne Drive
Thursday, September 6, 6-7:30 PM at Virginia Wesleyan College
Cost:  $30 for your bag of 1000 baby oysters
Pre-registration required with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation at www.cbf.org/virginiaoysters or call 757-622-1964.



The Oyster Gardening Project is offered in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. More information about oyster gardening can be found at www.LRNow.org/need-oyster-growers or by calling 757-962-5398.

source: LRNow

The Lynnhaven, Restoring a Legend Book

“The Lynnhaven, Restoring a Legend,” a full-color book of essays, paintings and photographs about the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was recently published by the conservation organization, Lynnhaven River Now.

The river is home to the famed Lynnhaven oysters and was explored in 1607 by the first English settlers in the New World.  For 10 years, Lynnhaven River Now has been working to clean up pollution in the river and bring back the beloved oysters.

The hard cover coffee table book is a reflection of the group’s efforts and successes and of the community’s love for the river.

Forty people, who share the way the river has shaped and enriched their lives, wrote the essays.  Their essays range from childhood remembrances to present day accounts of kayaking on the river, from the hard work of river clean-ups to the pleasure of eating Lynnhaven oysters once again.

Many color photographs are of ospreys, egrets, herons and other wildlife along the river.  Paintings reflect the scenic beauty of the small, but significant body of water in Virginia Beach.

A Lynnhaven River art and photography exhibit, “The Art of Saving a River,” will be on display Oct. 6 through Dec. 31 at Towne Pavilion Center II, 600 22nd Street in Virginia Beach.  Hosted by The Runnymede Corporation, the exhibit features many of the photographs and art in the book and more.

Books are $50 and are available in the Lynnhaven River Now office at 757-962-5398 or email kris@lynnhaven2007.com for more information or to order a copy in the mail for a $5 handling fee.

Public Meetings Concerning Fort Monroe National Park

The National Parks Conservation Association is urging Hampton Roads residents to attend either of two public meetings on July 19 at 2 pm and 6:30 pm at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.

At stake is the future of Fort Monroe, one of Hampton Roads most well known historic landmarks. Built in the 1800’s, Fort Monroe was dubbed “Freedom’s Fortress” when thousands of enslaved people sought refuge there during the Civil War.

The site includes more than two miles of undeveloped Chesapeake Bay shoreline that could be enjoyed for boating, birding and other outdoor recreation.

In September, the U.S. Army will leave the Fort due to base closures, giving the United States a rare opportunity to make Fort Monroe a national park site.

The NPCA urged residents to attend one or more public meetings concerning the future of the historic site: "We urge Virginia residents to join us to discuss the future of America’s next great urban national park.”

source: National Parks Conservation Association

Back Bay Music Blast

In Hampton Roads, the Back Bay Music Blast will be held on March 26th, from 1:00-5:00 pm.

The event will feature live music, dancing, local micro-brewed beers and delicious food at this fundraiser for the Back Bay Restoration Foundation.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

For more information, visit www.bbrf.org or call 757-721-7666.

Norfolk Walkabouts Food Tours

Norfolk Walkabouts Food Tours dine in locally owned, community rooted restaurants while exploring the tree lined streets filled with diverse architecture and historic homes.  The food tour visits multiple restaurants sampling house specialties and has a “behind the scenes” experience where staff discusses the establishment and cuisine.

A Norfolk Walkabout is a journey for the palate in which it is transformed by various spices and provisions offered by Norfolk's "hidden gems" and culinary visionaries.  In between locations, it also offers an insight to the history of Norfolk and Hampton Roads as well as a present perspective.

There are two food tours to choose from:  Downtown Norfolk and the historic uptown neighborhood of Ghent.  Points of interest and food samplings on the tours include Hampton Roads Seafood Classics, MacArthur Memorial, Coffee and Tea from a West Coast Style Coffeehouse, St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mediterranean cuisine, historic homes in the Freemason neighborhood, Artisan Pizza, the tree-lined streets of Ghent, the Fred Heutte Center, Savory Soup, the Naro Theatre, Colley Avenue, Gourmet Cupcakes,  Peruvian fare, and more.

Norfolk Walkabouts leads weekly food tours on Saturday and Sunday.  Private group tours are available outside of published dates.

For more information, visit www.norfolkwalkabouts.com

Hampton River Diesel Fuel Spill

On December 14th, approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the Hampton River as Coast Guard crews and Hampton Fire Department responded to a leak at the Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina hotel.

At approximately 4:15 p.m. the Coast Guard was notified of a fuel leak at the hotel. Crews from the Hampton Fire Department responded on scene and deployed harbor boom to contain the leak.

Coast Guard investigators at the scene reported that approximately 900 gallons of diesel fuel was discharged onto the property surrounding the hotel with at least 100 gallons spilling into the Hampton River. The leak originated from an underground storage tank, which supplies the hotel’s emergency generator. The cause of the fuel spill is under investigation.

"The harbor boom was deployed to keep the spill from spreading into the adjacent waterway," said Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Yonker of the pollution investigations branch from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads. "The boom contained the majority of the diesel fuel spilled into the water."

source: USCG press release

Lynnhaven River NOW Oyster Shell Collection

Saving oyster and clam shells to be used for reef restoration is a great way for citizens of the Hampton Roads - Tidewater area to help rebuild the oyster population in the Lynnhaven River.

Two locations are available to drop off shells:

- The east parking lot of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center on General Booth Boulevard

 - In front of the Lynnhaven River NOW office at 1608 Pleasure House Road, Suite 108.

Lynnhaven River NOW is also available to collect shells from events and fundraisers. Please call the organization in advance and to obtain baskets for the shells and schedule a pick up after events.

Hampton Roads-Tidewater Virginia News Portal

The next phase of a Hampton Roads-Tidewater Virginia information site has been completed. www.tidewater-virginia.net features articles, news, events, photo galleries, a business directory, online store, and more.

A representative explained the project, saying "Our research shows a strong interest in the Hampton Roads region by online audiences. The project seeks to provide audiences with a one stop resource for visitors, residents, and small businesses of the region."

Small business owners have a variety of free services available on the site. Basic features include press release and article submissions, as well as standard listings in the site's directory. In addition to basic free tools, the site offers paid advertising and an array of other promotional tools.

Features also available for non-profit organizations. The directory has categories for civic groups, charities, government agencies, and other non-profit organizations. Another feature of the site is an online store which includes a collection of books, maps, art, gifts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, golf shirts, and other apparel.

According to the site owner, "Our goal was to provide an easy to use resource that brings together vacationers, local residents, business owners and organizations; the site now offers those tools."

www.tidewater-virginia.net serves the Tidewater - Hampton Roads communities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Chesapeake, Hampton, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk.

Tidewater MSA Ranked #8 for Well-Being

Among the nation's 52 largest metropolitan areas that Gallup surveyed in 2009, the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was ranked #8 for well-being in the nation. The regions are based on the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In many cases, more than one city is included in the same MSA.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index score measures for each city an average of six sub-indexes, which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The overall composite score and each of the six sub-indexes' scores are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents fully realized well-being. Gallup and Healthways initiated the Well-Being Index in January 2008.