Events in Charlottesville & Central Virginia This Weekend (July 20-22)

Tuesday through Sunday, July 17-22
ROCKBRIDGE REGIONAL FAIR
Rockbridge County, Lexington.Great family entertainment with amusement rides, great food, live music, 4-H livestock competitions, arts and crafts, truck and tractor pulls, and so much more! Virginia Horse Center. Directions: I81 to I64 West. Use Lexington exit 55. Turn right on Route 11. At first stop light, turn left onto Route 39. Horse Center will be approximately 2 miles on the right. varies. $varies. All ages welcome. Contact: Wayne “Rexx” Rexrode. Email: info@rockbridgefair.com. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-463-6263.

Thursday through Saturday, July 19-21
MINERAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
The 24th annual Mineral Bluegrass Festival. The festival is co-sponsored by the Mineral Volunteer Fire Department. Bring the family and enjoy a weekend of music in beautifully shaded Walton Park, Mineral, VA. Many wonderful stars of bluegrass and the Grand Ole Opry will be there to entertain you. Check the concert schedule to the right for a complete listing of musicians and times they will perform each day. Sound by Gene Daniell. Tom Cat Reeder will be the MC. Bring your lawn chairs and remember no alcoholic beverages are allowed in the concert area. Walton Park, Mineral Town. Directions: 200 East Sixth Street, Mineral, VA. 9am to 9pm. $Adult Advance $30, Child - ages 6-13 $15, Child under 6 - free with parent. All ages welcome. Contact: Jimmie Dodd & Lloyd Runnet. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-894-9811.

Friday, July 20
FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE
Charlottesville Pavilion on the Downtown Mall. Free, all ages welcome, show begins at 5:30pm. This week's band is "Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun", band's web site: http://www.mojamusic.net

Friday, July 20
LOVE'S LABORS LOST - STAUNTON
Written around the same time as Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, this giddy, extravagant comedy is Shakespeare's most exuberant wordfest-- a heart-stopping explosion of our English language. Here the Bard presents four young lords ripe for an education in love by four young ladies and, for even more fun, throws in the fantastic love-warrior, Don Armado; the lust-sick clown, Costard; and the pompous scholar, Holofernes. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Friday, July 20
STAR STRUCK
The view is out of this world at Public Night at McCormick Observatory from 9-11pm (weather permitting). UVA's research telescopes on O-Hill will be pointed heavenward, and Astronomy Department staff and students will be on hand with a slide show and answers to starry questions. Free. McCormick Road. 434/924-7494.

Friday, July 20
SHOWERS PREDICTED - RICHMOND
Mother nature's fireworks, the Perseid meteor shower, returns in August with as many as 60 meteors per hour. Astronomers expect the show to peak Sunday, August 12-- the same night as a new moon. Best viewing time is after midnight. The Science Museum of Virginia offers more facts at LiveSky, an interactive planetarium tonight at 6pm. Afterward, the Richmond Astronomical Society set up their 'scopes for Sky Watch on the museum's front lawn at 9pm with views of Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter. Free. Weather permitting. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. www.smv.org.

Friday, July 20
MUSIC AT TWILIGHT: BROADWAY BOUND
Ash Lawn Opera Festival. Festival singers perform a collection of hits from Broadway shows past and present. This energetic show offers everything from favorites by the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, and Cole Porter, to the current hits direct from Broadway. Come hear some of your favorite showtunes and perhaps something you've never heard! Ash Lawn-Highland. Doors open at 6pm. Shows begin at 8pm. $11-$18. All ages welcome. Email: info@ashlawnopera.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/979-0122.

Friday, July 20
SERVING UP ACES
Two of the greatest tennis players of all-time will be facing off in the Serving Up Aces match featuring Pete Sampras and John McEnroe. Following the feature match, Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band will join Sampras, McEnroe and a special guest for a doubles match. John Paul Jones Arena. 7pm. $27, $37, $47, $67, $102. All ages welcome. Contact: John Paul Jones Arena. Email: johnpauljonearenainfo@virginia.edu. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/243-4960.

Friday, July 20
MIDNIGHT MAGIC
Barnes & Noble Bookstore.Harry Potter Party! Come join all your pals from Hogwarts and count down the minutes to midnight when the last and final installment in the popular Harry Potter series goes on sale. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" holds lots of surprises and we're all wondering what its going to be like as Harry grows up! Jr Department of Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Directions: Barracks Road Shopping Center. 9pm. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/984-0461.

Friday, July 20
HARRY POTTER RELEASE PARTY
Join Z-95.1 DJ Jay Lopez this Friday from 10pm-Midnight and get your copy of the latest installment of Harry Potter. register to win free books, gift cards and more! Book go on sale at midnight! Kroger at Rio Hill Shopping Center. 10:00pm-midnight. $free. All ages welcome.

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 & 22
PICNIC WITH RICH AND FAMOUS
Robert and Luciana Duvall host a picnic at their farm to support the efforts of the Piedmont Environmental Council to fight a high-voltage transmission line scheme proposed by Dominion Virginia Power. Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnics and a dessert to share as well as lawn chairs, sunbrellas and blankets. General admission: $50/car. Tickets available only by phone, no tickets sold at gate. 4-8pm. Byrnley, The Plains, near Warrenton. Info: 540-341-0175 ext. 7.

Saturday, July 21
ENVIRONMENTAL ART WORKSHOP
Scheier Natural Area: The Rivanna Conservation Society presents "Right Here, Right Now: Environmental Art Workshop" with James Yates, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 2pm. Meet in the parking lot of Scheier Natural Area, a 100-acre parcel of land 10 miles west of Palmyra and 20 miles southeast of Charlottesville in Fluvanna County. 977-4837 or rivannariver.org.

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 & 22
WINTERGREEN PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL-CELEBRATION '07
Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort. Wintergreen Performing Arts presents its 11th Summer Music Festival. Celebration '07 will honor the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown and the 200th Anniversary of Nelson County with a full roster of chamber and orchestra concerts, lectures, master classes, and open rehearsals. The concert program will include familiar masterpieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), two chamber music world premieres and what appears to be the American Premiere of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent 1607 opera Orfeo. The festival will conclude with conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Robert McDuffie performing Bruch's magnificent G minor Violin Concerto, a gem of the German Romantic period. The festival will also include the world premiere of Peter Coy's play A Shadow of Honor about a 1907 murder in Nelson County. Consult the Wintergreen Performing Arts website for a detailed schedule http://www.wintergreenperformingarts.org and the Wintergreen Resort website (http://www.wintergreenresort.com ) for travel packages. For information: (434) 325-8292; (866) 984-6874

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 and 22
DAYLILY AND WINE FESTIVAL
Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce; ESPOMA Organic Fertilizers and Primary Residential Mortgage.There will be fine wine and entertainment throughout the day, childrens tent with activities, crafters, artist and seminars and more. Andre Viette Farm & Nursery, Fishersville. Directions: I64W to Exit 91, North (right) on Route 608, West (left) on Route 250 (go under the railroad overpass), North (right) on Route 608 - Nursery is 2 1/2 miles on left. Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 1 to 5pm. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-324-1133.

Saturday, July 21
PRUNING WOODY ORNAMENTALS
This two-hour workshop teaches proper ways to prune plants while enhancing their natural growth habitat. $10, reservations required. 9:30am. Tufton Farm, Monticello. 434/984-9822.

Saturday, July 21
STREAM MONITORING
StreamWatch hosts a volunteer stream monitor training session covering the fundamentals of stream biological sampling-catching and identifying aquatic invertebrates for the purpose of evaluating water quality and stream health. Please bring a lunch and dress for the outdoors. Free. 10am-4pm. Call to register and for directions: 434/962-3527.

Saturday, July 21
HIKE AT SKIMORE FORK
Join Wild Virginia on a hike in the North River Ranger District of George Washington National Forest at Skidmore Fork. This beautiful area includes many special species of biological interest and areas of old growth forest. The hike follows Skidmore Fork stream and includes some elevation gain. Bring lunch, water, and solid hiking boots. 8:30am. Meet at Java Java, 2214 Ivy Road. www.wildvirginia.org.

Saturday, July 21
THE WINTER'S TALE - STAUNTON
Shakespeare's next-to-last play is a roller-coaster ride from tragedy to comedy and finally to a place that few other works have gone. At the end of this play about the power of love and faith and loyalty, about wives and husbands, about parents and children, audiences arrive at one of the most miraculous moments in the history of theatre. Today's performance is a 2pm matinee. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Saturday, July 21
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Part of the 2007 Blandy Summer Concert Series, held at Blandy Experimental Farm, a UVA research station and home of the State Arboretum of Virginia. Come early to explore the Arboretum grounds, and bring a picnic basket and a blanket or lawn chairs. $7/adults; $2/children 5-12; free/anyone under 5 or over 100. Margaret Byrd Stimpson Amphitheater, Route 50 in Clarke County, about 10 miles east of Winchester and 20 miles west of Middleburg, between Route 340 and the Shenandoah River. 540-837-1758 Ext. 0, or www.virginia.edu/blandy.

Saturday, July 21
LA BOHEME ASH LAWN-HIGHLAND
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm. The Ash Lawn Opera Festival is recognized by Money Magazine as one of the top 20 international summer opera companies. Established in 1978, the Festival presents opera and musical theater sung in English and performed in the Boxwood Gardens of Ash Lawn-Highland, home of President James Monroe. In 2007, the Festival will present Puccini's La Boheme. Performances are outdoors at 8 p.m.; grounds open for picnicking at 6:00. In the event of rain, performances are held under the pavilion. Tickets are $25 (weekdays), $26 (Saturdays). Group, senior, and student rates available; call Box Office between June and August for details. For general information, call the office.Visit the website for special packages on lodging and opera tickets with four of Charlottesville's leading hotels. Box Office (434) 979-0122 Office (434) 293-4500. Web Site: http://www.ashlawnopera.org

Saturday, July 21
KIDZ NIGHT OUT ACAC
Children play in the gigantic indoor play structure and enjoy a night of games, sports, computers and movies while parents catch a movie or have a night out on the town! ACAC Adventure Central Clubhouse. Directions: 200 Four Seasons Drive. 6 to 10pm. $Family $12, Member $17, Non-member $20. Recommended for ages 4 to 12. Reservations are required. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/817-1747.

Saturday, July 21
PARENT SURVIVAL NIGHT
The Little Gym.The Little Gym® makes it possible for parents to enjoy a much-needed night out on the town, knowing their kids are safe and having a blast. Children enjoy an evening of friends, games, music and continue their motor skill development under the watchful eyes of our professional instructors. Must be potty trained. The Little Gym. Directions: 907 Gardens Blvd, Rt. 29N behind Pier 1. 6:45 to 9:45pm. $call for cost. Recommended for ages 3 to 12. Contact: The Little Gym. Email: tlgcvl@aol.com. Reservations are required. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/975-5437.

Saturday, July 21
SWING DANCE
Enjoy a high-energy evening of swing dancing and other dance favorites with DJ Stacy Suter. At 8pm, Alyssa Lundgren teaches an Intermediate Cha Cha lesson upstairs. Also at 8pm, Cathleen Rhodes teaches a beginner East Coast Swing lesson downstairs. Lessons included with the dance admission. Singles and couples welcome; no partner needed. 9pm-midnight, $12/person, $9/CSDS members, $6/students with ID. Municipal Arts Center, 1119 5th St. SW. 434/980-2744 or www.cvilleswingdance.com.

Sunday, July 22
PICNIC WITH RICH AND FAMOUS - WARRENTON
Robert and Luciana Duvall host a picnic at their farm to support the efforts of the Piedmont Environmental Council to fight a high-voltage transmission line scheme proposed by Dominion Virginia Power. Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnics and a dessert to share as well as lawn chairs, sunbrellas and blankets. General admission: $50/car. Tickets available only by phone, no tickets sold at gate. 4-8pm. Byrnley, The Plains, near Warrenton. Info: 540-341-0175 ext. 7.

Sunday, July 22
ENVIRONMENTAL ART WORKSHOP
Scheier Natural Area: The Rivanna Conservation Society presents "Right Here, Right Now: Environmental Art Workshop" with James Yates, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 2pm. Meet in the parking lot of Scheier Natural Area, a 100-acre parcel of land 10 miles west of Palmyra and 20 miles southeast of Charlottesville in Fluvanna County. 434/977-4837 or www.rivannariver.org.

Sunday, July 22
SUNDAY FUN-DAYS FOR FAMILIES: SALSA SIZZLER - RICHMOND
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.On the fourth Sunday of each month, families can enjoy children's entertainment, gardening and activities in the Children's Garden. Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Directions: Off I-95 1800 Lakeside Ave., Richmond, VA. 5 to 8pm. $Regular Garden admission. All ages welcome. Contact: Beth. Email: bethm@lewisginter.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-262-9887.