Charlottesville's Free Speech Monument

Web site: www.tjcenter.org/monument

Cville has it all! A huge chalkboard monument on the downtown mall allows you to express yourself for everybody in town, both old and young.

This is a great video, a time lapse film of The First Amendment Monument, the free speech chalkboard at the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Film by Sasha Solodukhina, music by Dave Matthews:



Also we have the Beta Bridge at UVA. One of my fondest memories was when UVA students expressed themselves on the bridge, stating "Hoos For Hokies" to let Virginia Tech know that we are supporting them. Then later on Virginia Tech students painted a reply on the Beta Bridge stating "Thanks Hoos!"





Communication and expression are so important in our lives. If you don't have time to go to the chalkboard, express yourself here. Anonymous or quoted either one is fine. Please feel free to post on my blog about whatever.

Karen
www.move2va.com

Events in Charlottesville & Central Virginia This Weekend (Sept. 7-9)

Friday, Sept. 7
ABOUT RICHARD NIXON, MILLER CENTER
Tricky Dick: Political journalist Elizabeth Drew, who recently published her thirteenth book, a biography of Richard M. Nixon for the American Presidents Series, speaks on "Richard M. Nixon and the Presidency." Free. 11am. Miller Center, 2201 Old Ivy Road, Charlottesville, www.millercenter.org/gage. 434/294-7236.

Friday, Sept. 7
WWI & AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, MILLER CENTER
Chris Capozzola, MIT associate professor of history, discusses "German Enemy Aliens in the First World War and the Making of Modern American Citizenship." Free. 12:30pm. Miller Center, 2201 Old Ivy Road, Charlottesville, www.millercenter.org/gage. 434/294-7236.

Friday, Sept. 7
FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE
This is the last Fridays After Five of the 2007 season. The band is SGGL (http://www.sggl.net/). At the Charlottesville Pavilion on the Downtown Mall. Show starts at 5:30pm. $free. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:info@charlottesvillepavilion.com?subject=Fridays. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/245-4910.

Friday, Sept. 7
ART FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TIM MICHEL, RECEPTION
Tim Michel opens his show of print etchings of Virginia landscapes at the C&O Gallery with a reception, 5-7pm. A portion of all sales goes to the Piedmont Environmental Council. 515 E. Water St. in Charlottesville (next to the C&O restaurant). 434/971-7044.

Friday, Sept. 7
LIGHT HOUSE FILM FESTIVAL
Light House, Charlottesville's award-winning youth media center, hosts two screenings of its 6th annual Youth Film Festival, "Real Voices: Reel Stories." Question and answer with the young filmmakers follows. Light House premieres the best short films created by local teens in the past year including animation, documentary, music video, and narrative films. Highlights include Sew What? by 16-year-old Westhaven resident Quintin Franklyn, a fledgling fashion designer whose film won the "Best Documentary" award in a national youth film competition sponsored by Listen Up! in New York City; and Laying Out the Cards, a portrait of the dignity and wisdom of a homeless man who gives Tarot card readings on the Downtown Mall. $10/6pm show; $25/8pm show and after party featuring music, drinks, and food. 434/293-6992 or http://www.lighthousestudio.org/.

Friday, Sept. 7
PUBLIC NIGHT AT MCCORMICK OBSERVATORY
The view is out of this world at Public Night at McCormick Observatory, 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, Charlottesville. 434/924-7494.

Friday, Sept. 7
WESTMINSTER ORGAN CONCERT, PETER KRANEFOED
The Westminster Organ Concert Series opens its 2007-2008 season with a public concert today featuring German organist Peter Kranefoed and the music of Bach, Buxtehude, and Böhm. Free, 8pm. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 190 Rugby Road, Charlottesville. 434/963-4690 or www.avenue.org/organconcerts.

Friday, Sept. 7
WINE & BEER TASTING AT MAYMONT - RICHMOND
Hosted by The Dooley Noted Society, Maymont’s young professionals group that takes place on the South Terrace of the Robins Nature & Visitor Center at Maymont Park. Enjoy live music as you sample local wine and beer. Wine & Beer Tasting at Maymont

Saturday, Sept. 8
PRE-GAME TALK AT UVA
"More Than the Score" kicks off its second season of educational game-day talks for alumni, parents, and friends. Today's subject: Calorie Myths, featuring Glenn Gaesser, Professor and Director of the Kinesiology Program at the Curry School of Education. Can "bad carbs" be good? Can exercise make you fatter? Can being "overweight" be a sign of good health? Free. 10-11am. Alumni Hall, 211 Emmet St., Charlottesville. www.uvaminds.com/more-than-the-score.

Saturday, Sept. 8
UVA FOOTBALL HOME COMING GAME
"Paint the Town Orange" UVA hosts Duke in Charlottesville, 12:00pm.

Saturday, Sept. 8
HERITAGE HARVEST FESTIVAL
Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants. The Heritage Harvest Festival is a family-oriented, educational event designed to promote healthy gardening practices and preserve heirloom plants from the Mid-Atlantic region. The festival will highlight the efforts of non-profit organizations supporting sustainable agriculture as well as of for-profit groups promoting organics and “slow food” principles; and will provide an array of food vendors and free samples. The day will also include informative workshops on fruit and vegetable preservation, seed saving, and the ever-popular tomato and apple tastings. Additional, fun-filled activities range from an invigorating walk to the Rivanna River to special tours of the Monticello Kitchen Garden and of Montalto, the neighboring “high mountain.” Monticello's Tufton Farm. 10am to 4pm. $free. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:festival@southernexposure.com?subject=Heritage. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-894-9480.

Saturday, Sept. 8
ORANGE STREET FESTIVAL
As summer draws to its end, what better way is there to celebrate the coming of fall, than to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon at our annual "Street Festival". Held in the center of downtown Orange, there is lots of food, crafts, local businesses displaying their wares, and a great atmosphere for all. Downtown Orange. 9am to 5pm. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:occc@ns.gemlink.com?subject=Orange. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-672-5216.

Saturday, Sept. 8
RIVANNA TRAILS FOUNDATION SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Volunteer to come out to help with trail maintenance. Great for older kids or the whole family. Tools provided, but bring shears or clippers if you have them. Large groups please call in advance. . Directions: Meet at the trailhead on Melbourne Road just east of the Charlottesville High School football field and caravan to the work site. 9am to 12pm. $free. All ages welcome. Contact: Dan Mahon. Email: mailto:dmahon@albemarle.org?subject=Rivanna. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/296-5844.

Saturday, Sept. 8
RIVERFLICK OUTDOOR FILMS - LYNCHBURG
The RiverFlick Film Series returns to the riverfront for the summer of 2007 bringing more great movies to Central Virginia. Each RiverFlick night, hundreds of people from throughout the region make their way to Lynchburg's riverfront to enjoy a movie experience like never before! RiverFlick is a free community event which shows family-friendly movies in an outdoor theater. Movie classics are selected from a variety of genres to appeal to a wide audience. intersection of 9th and Jefferson Streets. Directions: Lynchburg, VA 24504. 7 to 11:30pm. $free. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:riverflick@aol.com?subject=RiverFlick. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434-845-8850.

Saturday, Sept. 8
STARRY NIGHTS AT VERITAS VINEYARDS & WINERY - AFTON
Come to the winery for wine, music and food under the stars. Bring a picnic, or sample the delights of our chef Said Rhafiri for $15. Veritas Vineyards & Winery in Afton. 7 to 11pm. $10. Email: mailto:contact@veritaswine.com?subject=Starry. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-456-8000.

Saturday, Sept. 8
IS ANYBODY OUT THERE - RICHMOND
Science Museum of Virginia. Is there life on other planets? If so, what would it be like? Search for answers to these and other questions about extraterrestrial life with the voice of Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy as a guide. (planetarium show) Directions: 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA. Take I-64 east to Richmond take the Boulevard exit (# 78), bear right onto Boulevard. Take Boulevard to West Broad Street (US 250) (4th traffic light). Turn left onto West Broad Street and go two blocks. Museum is on your left. Monday-Saturday 9:30am to 5pm, Sunday 11:30am to 5pm. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-864-1400.

Saturday, Sept. 8
WAYNESBORO CHILI, BLUES 'N BREWS COOKOFF
Features a Corvette and Mustang car show, all the chili you can swallow, blues by Eli Cook, Barb Martin, Mac Walter and others. $4 advance, $5/door. 11am-5:30pm. http://www.waynesborochili.com/ or 540-942-6705.

Saturday, Sept. 8
CELEBRATE GRANDPARENT'S DAY AT THE DISCOVERY MUSEUM
To honor all those long-suffering, doting oldsters, the Virginia Discovery Museum hosts Grandparents' Day. Kids and their meema and papa can make a t-shirt together with a self-portrait on the front and crayon decorations on the back. 10:30am. $10 members/ $15 nonmembers. Registration required. East end of the Downtown Mall. 434/977-1025. (Grandparents Day is actually Sunday, FYI.)

Saturday, Sept. 8
CELEBRATE GRANDPARENTS DAY AT POPLAR FOREST
Special tours that focus on Jefferson and his grandchildren. Grandparents accompanied by a grandchild receive $2 off admission. Grandparents Day at Poplar Forest

Saturday, Sept. 8
VIOLIN MUSIC
Baroque violinist David Sariti and organist Bradley Lehman present violin music from the beginning to Bach: a century of Italian, French, and German Music. 7pm, $15/general; $10/students, seniors. Christ Episcopal Church, 100 Jefferson St. W., Charlottesville. 434/293-2947.

Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 8-9
ALEXANDRIA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Features more than 200 artists from around the country as they display and sell a variety of fine art ranging from paintings, sculpture, prints and photography to pottery, glass, jewelry and ceramics. Alexandria Festival of the Arts

Sunday, Sept. 9
ASH LAWN-HIGHLAND’S TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY: FAMILIES AT THE PLANTATION
Celebrate our teachers at the home of President James Monroe. Experience craft demonstrations, hands-on workshops, music, colonial games, more. Admission charge. Free to teachers. Ash Lawn-Highland (Home of President James Monroe). Directions: 1000 James Monroe Parkway, Charlottesville, 2.5 miles past Monticello. 1 to 5pm, rain or shine. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:info@ashlawnhighland.org?subject=Ash. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/293-9539.

Sunday, Sept. 9
WILDLIFE CENTER OF VIRGINIA OPEN HOUSE
The Wildlife Center of Virginia, the nation's leading teaching and research hospital for native wildlife, hosts one of five open houses for autumn 2007. These are rare opportunities to see the inner workings of a wildlife hospital, as well as meet some of the wildlife that serve as the Center's education staff and ambassadors. Reservations required. Free. Three sessions: 12:30pm, 2pm, 3:30pm. I-64 West to Exit 96 (Waynesboro, Lyndhurst). Left at the end of the off ramp onto South Delphine Ave/Route 624. 1/2 mile, WCV is on the left, look for sign at the driveway. 540-942-9453.

Sunday, Sept. 9
CADILLAC COMMONWEALTH CUP POLO MATCH - OILVILLE
A spirited match between American and British teams. The event also showcases dog agility trials, a wine tasting and vendor tent and contests, as well as a carriage parade and traditional divot stomping at halftime. South Ceres Farm. Cadillac Commonwealth Cup Polo Match

Have a fun weekend!

Karen
www.move2va.com