The Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Texas, attracted more visitors last year than it had during any year in the previous decade. The storied natural swimming area with a view of downtown Austin drew nearly 1 million aquaphiles in 2025, up from the shallows of 2020, when 300,000 or so defied the pandemic to take […]
The Fralin Downtown Film Series screens Art for Everybody, a documentary that digs into the life and work of Thomas Kinkade, the self-described Christian “Painter of Light.” Kinkade’s bucolic landscapes and quaint cottage scenes peppered with overt religious symbolism gained the artist an immense following. But as his professional star ascended, Kinkade’s personal life devolved […]
Weaving together incisive British wit, affective audience engagement, and uncanny extrasensory perception, Peter Antoniou offers an astonishing stage show spreading magic around the world. With a childhood goal of being recruited by the X-Men, Antoniou honed his mind-reading skills studying under tarot readers, psychics, wizards, magicians, hypnotists, profilers, and psychologists. The “America’s Got Talent” alum […]
Multitalented singer, songwriter, performer, and producer PJ Morton brings a whole lot of soul to everything he does. The six-time Grammy Award winner has earned outstanding accolades while selling out venues around the globe. The first Black composer to write an original song for a Disney attraction, Morton has collaborated with icons including Stevie Wonder, […]
Joe Firstman is a musical journeyman who’s taken an uncommon career path. In the early 2000s, he inked a deal with Atlantic Records and played piano-driven pop music that emphasized the soulful depth of his voice. Then he made an interesting pivot and became a late-night talk show bandleader, fronting the musical ensemble for “Last […]
The Center at Belvedere 540 Belvedere Blvd. “Belonging,” paintings by Randy Baskerville. Through August. Crozet Artisan Depot 5791 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. “Two Takes on Clay,” celebrating two distinct yet complementary approaches to ceramics, with functional pottery by Holly Horan, and imaginative sculptures by John Pluta. Through August. Meet-the-artists event August 8, 11am–1pm. C’ville Arts […]
Of the 12 songs on Erin Lunsford’s second solo album Rhinestones, the Americana singer-songwriter and frontwoman for Erin & the Wildfire says she cried while writing four of them, especially “Watch Out For Deer.” That one’s stuck with her. “I cry almost every time I play it if I’m with my family,” Lunsford says, “because […]
Presenting a broad survey of disciplines and conceptual concerns, McGuffey Art Center’s “All Member Summer Show” highlights the diverse output made by member artists of Charlottesville’s downtown arts hub. From unexpected and eccentric assemblage and sculpture to alluring paintings in lush oil and vivid watercolor, the two-floor showcase offers an incredible amount of art to […]
In a first-time collaboration between Venture Stage Company and DMR Adventures, Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical storms to the stage. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, the production brings together professional performers and student actors to create the magical kingdom of Arendelle. The musical follows Princess Elsa, whose magical powers are exposed when […]
The Barons bring rock sounds ranging from heavy-hitting indie to a lighter fare of introspective love songs to Charlottesville. Formed in 2016, the group consists of lead singer and guitarist Peyton Alley, drummer Mathes Glymph, lead guitarist Josiah Ragland, bassist Kirtland Gray, and saxophonist Jack Peacock. With a signature sound blending beauty and destruction, the […]
Two-time Grammy Award-winner Patty Griffin traffics in the personal and introspective, inviting audiences to shed outdated narratives and embrace living in the moment with a soulful blend of folk, Americana, and blues. Griffin shares intimate moments and universal emotions, while her stellar storytelling, evocative voice, and ability to produce rich and resonant melodies has kept […]