Culture

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

It is a truth universally acknowledged that few people truly delight in finding a snake in their garden. Jason Gibson, however, is one who generally does. An associate professor of biology at Averett University in Danville, he is also a longtime (nearly three-decade) member of the Virginia Herpetological Society: if anyone could be called pro-snake, […]

by caroline kettlewell

Anders Carlson-Wee Interview

A traveling poet, Carlson-Wee finds inspiration in the people he meets and the landscapes he sees. The Low Passions by Anders Carlson-Wee. W. W. Norton & Company. pp.112. $15.95. Konstantin Rega: Though you weren’t born here, you have a connection to Virginia that comes through your poetry collection. Anders Carlson-Wee: […]

by Konstantin Rega

Tied Together

Tyler returns to what she does best, writing about families and making small events paramount. French Braid by Anne Tyler. Knopf. pp. 256. $27.00. Anne Tyler has been writing about families since the 1960s. In her 24th novel, French Braid, she continues that tradition following the Garrett’s from the […]

by Konstantin Rega

Jim Minick Interview

From blueberries to ravens, local author Jim Minick celebrates nature and community. Fire Is Your Water by Jim Minick. Swallow Press. pp. 352. $26.95. Konstantin Rega: So when did you move to Virginia from Pennsylvania? Jim Minick: In 1989. I was attending grad school at Radford in the New […]

by Konstantin Rega

Wool Week

The Frontier Culture Museum celebrates Wool Week in April. (Photo courtesy of the Frontier Culture Museum) In a rite of spring, sheep shearing begins once the lambs are born and, during the Frontier Culture Museum’s Wool Week (April 25–May 1), visitors can experience plenty of both. Once clipped, each sheep produces more than […]

by Konstantin Rega

Stacy Hackney Interview

This Richmond author offers a kid’s book about adventure, magic, and sisterhood. The Sisters of Luna Island by Stacy Hackney. Simon & Schuster. pp. 336. $17.99 Konstantin Rega: have you always wanted to be a writer? Stacy Hackney: Well, I grew up in Fairfax, and like a lot of […]

by Konstantin Rega

Casey Wilson’s Heart is in Virginia

The Alexandria native’s film career began in her own backyard. ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo T8WF5K T8WF5K May 14, 2019 – North Hollywood, California, USA – 14, May 2019 – North Hollywood, California. Casey Wilson attends Showtimes EmmyA® For Your Consideration ‘Black Money’ at The Saban Media Center. (Credit […]

by tupponce joan

Journey with Ernie

A dog lover shares the lessons of an overseas adoption. Leigh Ann Burdett When she adopts a golden retriever from Turkey, Yorktown high school teacher Heidi Speece finds her life turned upside down. Why Turkey? Unlike in the U.S., where dogs are like family, it’s not uncommon there for owners to abandon […]

by Konstantin Rega

A Festive Return to a Beloved Tradition

Winchester’s Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival celebrates its 95 anniversary over ten days this April. (Photo courtesy of Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®) What started as a one-day event with a pleasant parade turned into a ten-day smorgasbord with over 40 events in the following 98 years. The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester continues […]

by Konstantin Rega

Beyond Jelly Beans

Easter egg hunts grow up. Shutterstock Bottle of red wine and tulip flowers in gift basket for Women’s day and month, Mother’s Day, birthday Easter egg hunts aren’t just for children. Many breweries, cideries, and wineries around the state will celebrate the holiday with grownup egg hunts featuring prizes for the over-21 […]

by Vayda Parrish

Sam Weber Interview

If you weren’t lucky enough to catch him on tour in Virginia, make sure to get a hold of his latest release. This past March, Sam Weber played at The Tin Pan in Richmond—just one of thirty stops on his tour around the country, from California to New York. A laid-back, cool kinda […]

by Staff

Spring Books

Here are some notable Southern books coming out this Spring. University of Virginia-alum Alexis Schaitkin follows up her New York Times Notable Book, Saint X with Elsewhere (Celadon Books, $26.99). Her publisher says: “Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. […]

by Staff

F. Scott and Zelda’s Excellent Adventure

A serendipitous road trip led to a night at The Jefferson. (Illustration by Maddalena Carrai) They were newlyweds in July of 1920 when, on a whim, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald set out on an eight-day road trip that would take them through Virginia. Zelda longed for the breakfasts she’d known at […]

by John William Van de Kamp

The Violin Conspiracy

Does the instrument make the musician? The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. Anchor Books. pp.352. $28 Brendan Slocumb’s debut novel, The Violin Conspiracy, tells the story of Ray McMillian, a young black violinist who discovers a lost family secret that beggars belief—a genuine Stradivarius violin in his grandmother’s attic, worth […]

by Matt Cantor

Where Inspiration Stikes

A new exhibit at The Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) explores the move from external to internal subject matter. Gideon Appah, White Castle Gideon Appah, White Castle, 2021. Oil on sewn canvas. Photo: Adam Reich In his first institutional solo exhibition (Forgotten, Nudes, Landscapes), artist Gideon Appah gives a look into how an […]

by Konstantin Rega

From Five to One

The dream-pop band Barrie loses some members but not its smooth sounds. “Just wanna move to Virginia, get a dog and a house with a human name,” comes from the second track “Frankie”—off of Barrie’s new release, Barbara. Formerly a five-member group, singer-songwriter Barrie Lindsay now continues the project as a solo effort following the […]

by Staff

A Dream Deferred

An interview with bestselling, local author S. A. Cosby. S.A. Cosby is the author of the New York Times bestseller Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, was a New York Times Notable Book. His works discuss race, class, and sex. When not writing, he is an avid […]

by Konstantin Rega

Racing Lover’s Dream Weekend

Racing fans, get your engines ready for an amazing trip. (Photo courtesy of The Bristol Hotel, a Charlestowne Hotels managed property) Bristol’s first boutique property in the heart of Southern Appalachia, The Bristol Hotel, is launching a “Racing Lover’s Dream Weekend” package today in partnership with famed NASCAR short track, Bristol Motor Speedway, tied to the Food City Dirt Race. Taking […]

by Staff

An Interview with Amber McBride

Showing the capacity for humans to love in 5,000 different ways. Amber McBride is an English professor at the University of Virginia and holds an MFA in poetry from Emerson College. Her poetry has been published in several literary magazines including Ploughshares and The Rumpus. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her dog, Shiloh. Me (Moth) is […]

by Konstantin Rega

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Events

July 26, 2025

Jimmie’s Chicken Shack at The Alpine Goat Brewery

Alpine Goat Brewery

July 26, 2025

ARTfactory’s Actors Theatre presents Cabaret

ARTfactory

July 26, 2025

Waitress at Virginia Repertory Theatre

Virginia Repertory Theatre

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Around the world, as both a beverage and a pastime, tea is steeped in history and ritual. From the casual to the ceremonial, tea is a throughline for many cultures, and now, it’s enjoying a renewed interest from beverage pros who are drawn to tea’s unique flavor characteristics, health benefits, and cultural connections. Recently, two […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

STAUNTON – Festival of Concerts June 26–Aug. 2: The stunning strums and resounding chords of classical music echo through Staunton’s mountain landscape as Heifetz International Music Institute students from around the world take the stage, with new concerts every day. HeifetzInstitute.org GLOUCESTER – Food Truck Frenzy July 13: Virginia’s most mouthwatering food trucks descend on […]

by Hope Cartwright

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Making the most of summer’s fleeting sweetness reaches new heights in a mountaintop setting. From the Blue Ridge to the Alleghenies, sun-soaked adventures unfold among soaring trees and peaks. Discover what Virginia’s ridges offer at mountain venues this summer. Chairlift Sunset Sessions, Roseland July 12 & Aug. 16 Take in sunset views of misty blue […]

by Hope Cartwright

Culture

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

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Events

Jimmie’s Chicken Shack at The Alpine Goat Brewery

ARTfactory’s Actors Theatre presents Cabaret

Waitress at Virginia Repertory Theatre

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New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Culture

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

Current Issue

Events

Jimmie’s Chicken Shack at The Alpine Goat Brewery

ARTfactory’s Actors Theatre presents Cabaret

Waitress at Virginia Repertory Theatre

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today