All Shacked up

Nearly a month after its June 23 opening, Shake Shack at The Shops at Stonefield still has lines stretching out the door—and, on some days, down the block. The burger chain, which got its start in 2004 as a humble hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park, has built a cult following […]

Be More Chill at Live Arts 7/10 – 7/26

In a timely tale exploring high school, belonging, and artificial intelligence, Broadway hit Be More Chill brings to the stage plenty to ponder. Based on the novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini, the play follows outcast teenager Jeremy Heere, who trades mediocrity for popularity after ingesting a supercomputer. Young love, identity construction, and […]

Jason Cale Band at Dürty Nelly’s 7/10

Hailing from Virginia Beach, Jason Cale Band peddles a distinctive brand of musical mashup dubbed swampfunk. Blending Southern rock, blues, funk, soul, Americana, and New Orleans-inspired grooves into a rich sonic gumbo, the band pays homage to the soulful sounds of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Cale infuses tunes with […]

The U.S. Army Brass Quintet at the Ting Pavilion 7/11

Keep the Independence Day vibes going as the Cville Band presents America’s 250th Birthday Celebration. The community band offers up an exultant and family-friendly concert of standards and favorites, including Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, narrated by actor and vocalist Doug Schneider. The U.S. Army Brass Quintet will perform with the band, and The Cville Singers […]

Our Town at Blackfriars Playhouse through 8/9

Representing one of the most beloved works of American theater, Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town dives deep into community and quotidian rhythms. Leaning into simplicity over spectacle, the play employs a Stage Manager to guide audiences through the ordinary happenings of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. Follow members of the Gibbs and Webb families as […]

Baaba Seth at Fridays After Five 7/3

Charlottesville’s pedestrian thoroughfare is half a century old. Party down in its honor at the Downtown Mall 50th Anniversary Celebration, featuring a full day of family-friendly events. The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society leads ticketed tours of the Mall and the special exhibition “Then and Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s,” mounted at Vault Virginia. Free ice […]

Monticello’s Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello 7/4

Commemorate 250 years of the American experiment across the city. Monticello’s Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony features keynote remarks from Gov. Abigail Spanberger. Print your own copy of the Declaration of Independence and enjoy family-friendly demonstrations and activities with Revolutionary Printing at the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library. Carter Mountain Orchard’s Happy […]

July galleries

The Center at Belvedere 540 Belvedere Blvd. “Belonging,” paintings by Randy Baskerville. July 1–August 31. Reception July 11, 11am–1pm. Crozet Artisan Depot 5791 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. “The Art of Gathering,” handcrafted functional works by gardener, beekeeper, and artist Liz Buckner-Yordy of Petite Buzz Farm. Meet-the-artist event July 11, 11am–1pm. “Virginia Plein Air,” oil and […]

Chuck Ragan at The Southern 6/25

With punk rock bona fides running through his veins, Chuck Ragan brings forward a gritty brand of Americana music. Known as one of the distinctive voices co-fronting Hot Water Music, Ragan infuses folky rhythms with rock riffs and working-class ethos, creating a harder-edged sound than the plucky bluegrass acts that usually come through town. The […]