NRV Magazine May-June 2024

Small Towns. Big Deals.

NEW RIVER VALLEY

P. O. Box 11816

Blacksburg, VA 24062

o: 540-961-2015 nrvmagazine@msn.com www.nrvmagazine.com

A

PUBLISHER

Country Media, Inc.

Phillip Vaught

MANAGING EDITOR

Joanne Anderson

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Vickey Lloyd

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Dennis Shelor

WRITERS

Joanne Anderson

Emily Alberts

Jo Clark

Becky Hepler

Nancy Moseley

Caitlyn Koser

Evan Hull

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tom Wallace

Christy Wallace

Kristie Lea Photography

Kevin Riley

Madison Underwood

Jon Fleming

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After touring a very special place, eating a slice of a very special homemade pound cake, drinking Harrod’s of London black tea from a very special Tiffany & Co. cup with saucer overlooking a spectacular view of lush open pasture land and one-time Civil War battlefield, the hostess asked if there was any other way she could help me. She was probably referring to “helping me” with a magazine article for which I was gathering information.

Pasture Talk

But I responded: “Sure, let me know what you have for guest accommodations. I’ll go home, pack a couple bags, load my horses and be back here by dark.” What a place! What a view! What a woman! What a legacy of historical value! The unexpected tea and cake were excellent, too.

This was not some grand mansion or luxury estate, but the humble, if creative and stunning, home of Mary Catherine Stout. I went there to see the History Room commemorating the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain. She has been a steward of local history for a long time, keenly aware of the need to preserve history and share the stories and artifacts.

I left there not only with more knowledge of the battle, but also with a heart full of Mary Catherine’s warmth, hospitality, kindness, wit and knowledge. You don’t meet people like her often, but I remember one. The name “Hoge” came up in conversation, and decades ago I interviewed 93-year-old Katherine Hoge. Like Mary Catherine, she exuded the grace of Southern charm and had the strong handshake of a Fortune 500 CEO.

Mary Catherine is wisely arranging for the History Room contents to [some day] be relocated to a public exhibit space for future generations. I am the richer person for having met these women, shook their hands [firmly] and experienced their passion for the land, the history, the preservation.

The late Frank Moseley (dad of our writer Nancy Moseley) was good friends with Mary Catherine, participated in reenactments and could spin a story on history that captivated audiences of all ages. April Martin has dedicated most of her life to educating kids and adults on local history that has impacted and shaped who we are, as well as preserving it at Wilderness Road Regional Museum and Raymond E. Ratcliffe Transportation Museum, both in Pulaski County. I did not pack any bags or load up the horses, but I came home with a renewed appreciation for those who treasure history, understand its value, preserve the tangible, learn from the intangible and look to younger generations to pick up the mantle of preservation.

Joanne Anderson ManagingEditor jmawriter@aol.com

Here Comes the Sun…flowers!

Text by Jo Clark

NNothing says summer like sunflowers. These sun worshipers’ cheerful, round, daisy-like faces rotate to follow the sun all day. When darkness falls, they turn again to face east, awaiting the morning sun. This movement is called heliotropism. As the heads become top-heavy with seeds, the heads bow, and this daily movement ceases.

Interestingly, a sunflower is not really “a” flower; instead, it is the pseudanthium (flowerhead), created from many tiny flowers destined to become a seed. Outer petals are ray flowers, multiple petals fused together. Ray petals are usually yellow, but sunflowers can be red, orange, maroon or brown.

Fun Flower Facts

Sun-loving and heat-tolerant sunflowers are also resistant to pests. They attract pollinators like birds, bees and butterflies and make long-lasting cut flowers.

There are numerous varieties of sunflowers, so you can pick the size and color that suits your garden. The most recognizable are the mammoths, growing straight and tall, reaching over 16 feet, with a flower head the size of a dinner plate (or larger). Mammoth is best for producing seeds, maturing in about 90 days. A shorter variety is Teddy Bear, growing only 2 - 3 feet tall, covered in fluffy, dark golden blooms.

This variety is perfect for container growing.

The big guys need lots of room, 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily, and support to prevent breaking in high wind or from their own weight. Planting along a fence or building is recommended. Also, choose a welldrained area; sunflowers don’t like wet feet. However, they do like to wiggle their toes in the soil, so loosen up that Virginia clay with compost and organic materials. And add in some timerelease fertilizer—sunflowers are big eaters.

As seeds fill the mature flower head, they attract hungry birds and humans looking for a healthy treat.

Recipes and directions for roasting the seeds can be found online.

Growing Tips

• Sow seeds into soil after frost date (May 15 is usually safe in the New River Valley)

• Plant 1 ½ inches deep, 6 inches apart

• Stagger planting dates so you have blooms all summer

• If birds scratch up seeds, cover with netting until germination

• Water 3-4 inches from plant

• As plants grow, water weekly with several gallons

• Don’t overfeed, or you get spindly plants that break easily

• Loosely tie plants to fence or bamboo stakes

• Cut flower stems at 45° angle, and change water daily

• Harvest seeds, roast and eat

• Leave some flowers to dry and watch birds feed

• Save seeds to plant next year

Sinkland Farms Sunflower Festival

Sinkland Farms, Susan Sink’s Christiansburg home for 40-something years, is famous for its autumn Pumpkin Festival. And for four years, they’ve hosted a summer Sunflower Festival.

Sinkland started life in 1980 as a dairy farm. Susan and her late husband bought 125 acres and plunged into the dairy business. After losing her husband, she sold the cows and shifted her focus. “I didn’t know anything about dairy farming or milking cows, but I sure know how to throw a party!”

Everybody Loves a Party

Sunflower festivals became popular nationwide, but only a couple were held in Virginia. Sink and her adult children decided this was another need they could fill, and they were off and running — with the tractor and planting seeds.

Seeds of Interest

• Use for whole dried heads? Birdfeeders

• Most expensive sunflower? $39 million — for van Gogh’s “Sunflowers”

• Tallest? 30 feet and an inch

• The Sunflower State? Kansas

Sink ascribes to the movie line, “If you build it, they will come.” Now, on three weekends in August, nearly 12,000 sunflower lovers come to wander through sunflower fields — think corn maze — but green topped with flowers! They come to see 200,000 sunflowers waving as summer breezes ripple through. They come to take annual summer family portraits and enjoy time in the country.

The $10 entrance fee during festival weekends allows you to park, walk the trails, peruse booths of handcrafted items by local arts and crafts vendors, and take home a fresh sunflower. A playground entertains toddlers to ‘tweens, with slides, ropes course and a zipline. You can pet baby animals, take photos and ride ponies. Visitors enjoy live music daily in the taproom, along with wine slushies.

The farm has an ice cream shop and store and a variety of food trucks on site. Sink your teeth into everything from pizza and BBQ to tacos and empanadas.

Growing Picture-Perfect Blooms

Sunflower varieties need between 60 and 75 days from germination to bloom. Ten acres are planted to ensure peak blooms for festival weekends, staggering three plantings one week apart. Fields are irrigated, and the ground is prepped with fertilizer before planting. When plants are six inches tall, they are fertilized again so plants produce massive blooms. The planting process is repeated in late summer in preparation for the Pumpkin Festival. Susan Sink puts her heart and soul into everything. She learned the lesson of her parents and grandparents in Franklin County: Do it right or don’t do it at all. More than 60,000 visit Sinkland Farms for festivals. She seems to be doing everything right. As she says: “Let us be YOUR family tradition.”

Jo Clark is a photographer at heart. You can probably find her outdoors, snapping her camera to capture anything that catches her eye--especially pretty flowers. Check out her photos on Instagram @JoGoesEverywhere.

2nd Annual Strawberry Festival

May 11, 4-7 p.m.

Pulaski First Church of the Brethren 1749 Newbern Rd, Pulaski

Strawberry delights—sundaes, cookies, breads, pies, cheesecakes, milkshakes and handcrafts. $5 plate dinners with plain or strawberry pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, or hot dog, 2 sides, a drink. Fundraiser sends 6 children to camp and provides school supplies.

4th Annual Sunflower Festival

Sinkland Farm, Route 8, Christiansburg

August 2-4, 3-9 p.m. each day

August 9-11, 3-9 p.m. each day

August 16-18, 3-9 p.m. each day

Unique Designs in Beautiful Jewelry

The desire to look nice and accessorize outfits with jewelry is perfectly natural. According to theprivatetherapyclinic.co.uk: “ An interesting feature of humans, as opposed to other mammals, is our love of adornments such as jewelry and tattoos. Obviously, most animals don’t have the intellectual or physical ability to make such things, but the fact that adornments like this are found in all human societies—and have even been found by archaeologists in association with pre-human ancestors of ours—suggests that a love of adornment is also a healthy, natural function of our species.”

Assuming that Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble

were at least loosely based on real cavewomen, one is quick to note Wilma’s bulky rock necklace and Betty’s charming black strap necklace with a center stone or shell. These fictional ladies have spawned many jewelry collections. Jewelry can express a personality, make a fashion statement, offer self-confidence and serve to launch a conversation. There are observations on jewelry’s connection to one’s personal style found on therarcadiaonline.com website: “If you tend to choose more unique and interesting pieces, people will likely view you as being creative and fashion-forward. If you prefer classic and timeless pieces, you may be seen as being more

Text by Joanne M. Anderson

Photos by Jon Fleming

sophisticated and elegant. And if you like to mix and match different styles of jewelry, you may be perceived as being fun and quirky.” Whatever your particular charm, there’s jewelry to match.

Background Before the Business

In 2000, Susan Brickhouse moved the New River Valley to be closer to aging parents. She had grown up in Roanoke, attended National Business College and worked at Norfolk Western Railway for five years. “I decided to see what the rest of the world was doing and moved to Atlanta,”

she relates. “I attended a fashion merchandising college and, after graduation, worked with a major retail company as a jewelry buyer before moving into retail management.”

Once in the NRV, Susan started another career in real estate, selling new construction residential homes. In 2011, she visited her brother and sister-in-law in Florida, and instead of coming home with a new recipe and some souvenirs, she returned to launch a new business.

“My sister-in-law Debra arranged for us to take a jewelry making class at a local bead shop. We really enjoyed it, and in our excitement said: ‘Let's start a jewelry business!’ I wanted to get started as soon as I returned home.”

Susan dove right into researching supplies and watching numerous jewelry-making videos. “I made several pieces of jewelry, invited all my girlfriends over to view them and get their opinions. I made sure they understood they did not have to purchase anything, just comment. Most of the jewelry sold that night.”

Launching the Business

When she moved forward to form a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), the attorney asked for the name of the business. “My mother had passed away earlier in 2011, and she was always on my mind. Filamina was her middle name and I always loved it, plus my mother adored fashion and bling. She is still my inspiration, so in August of 2011, Filamina Jewelry, LLC, was formed and I created the tag line, ‘Wear It To Be Seen!’”

Susan joined the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon cutting and grand opening event, created a Facebook page and joined the local American Business Women’s Association chapter. She participates in several local craft shows and donates handcrafted jewelry to several charity silent auctions.

“I am always trying new techniques, with wire weaving bracelets being one that challenged me. I was never satisfied with the outcome, so after selling a few pieces, I moved on to something else. What I enjoy most is creating designs using natural gemstones and natureinspired components.”

Custom Jewelry Design

Filamina Jewelry is often contacted to create custom designs for wedding parties, proms, graduations and other special events. The bride or person commissioning the work is invited to the studio to pick out crystals, pearls, gemstones, etc., to go into the design. Susan always sends a photo of the jewelry for approval before she begins crafting it. The largest order for a wedding included eight necklaces, a bracelet and a brooch which were shipped out West.

It was Elizabeth Taylor who quipped: “Jewelry has the power to be the one little thing that makes you feel unique.” And any piece from Filamina Jewelry can do that.

www.filamina.square.site.com .facebook.com/FilaminaJewelry

NRV Summer Pail Challenge

Depending on the county or City of Radford in the New River Valley, public schools end for the summer and begin again within around 10 days of one another. For the sake of comfortable, round, even numbers, there are 12 weeks of summer.

Creating a bucket list can energize and motivate people to dream, to plan and to save – time and moneyoften for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. A smaller, more manageable list is the newly contrived NRV Summer Pail Challenge. The activities may not be as grandiose or

expensive as a bucket list, but they can all be accomplished over the 12-week summer doing five each week. Instead of school Monday to Friday, kids can complete and check off one item per day on the NRV Summer Pail Challenge and still take off weekends. No homework.

While this has been generated with kids and teens in mind, hey, everyone is welcome to try it. If you haven’t done some of these things in your 30s or later, well, here’s your chance. Pull out or copy the pages, challenge some friends and make a game of it. Check the box and add the date for authenticity.

q Make ice cream

q Build a fort

q Draw a self-portrait

Checklist

q Craft and fly paper airplanes

q Bake pizza from scratch

q Develop a scavenger hunt for friends, parents, others

q Pick flowers, place in a jar and take to someone

q Put on a puppet show or a shadow puppet show

q Host a tea party

q Perform a magic show

q Mix up your own trail mix

q Dance in the rain

q Pick up 5 rocks to see what’s underneath

q Roll down a hill

q Skip stones over water

q Start a diary, journal, scrapbook or photo collage

q Host a board game night for neighbors, friends, parents

q Go berry picking, clean and use the berries in something

q Spend $5 at a flea market or garage sale

q Plan and take someone on a picnic

q Find the Big Dipper

q Bury a time capsule to dig up in 5 years

q Cook a hot dog on a stick over fire

q Go to a baseball game

q Buy and cook something from the farmer’s market

q Complete a 1,000-piece puzzle [with help]

q Collect and identify 6 rocks

q Interview and write about an old person

q Fly a kite

q Climb a tree

q Walk around Pandapas Pond

q Feed a treat to a horse

q Catch a toad or frog [and let it go]

q Paddle a canoe or kayak

q Go to a drive-in movie

q Sleep under the stars

q Make a walkie-talkie with tin cans and string

q Plant seeds and grow something

q Run through a sprinkler

q Whittle a stick

q Pick up pennies from bottom of pool

q Use a compass on a walk to note which directions you are going and learn something about each direction

q Find a 4-leaf clover

q Save flower seeds for next year

q Play hopscotch

q Float a toy boat on water

q Pop a wheelie

q Identify 10 birds and 3 bird calls

q Brew sun tea

q Study a road map and learn a new way to go somewhere

q Walk on stilts or jump on a pogo stick

q Walk on your hands

q Learn 3 animal tracks

q Pitch a tent

q Watch the sun rise

q Design a treehouse, build if you can

q Lie in a hammock

q Press flowers or leaves in a book

q Feed a treat to a horse

q Make your own popsicles

160 Years ~ Remembering the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain

Text by Joanne M. Anderson

by Tom and Christy Wallace

In 1864, the International Red Cross was founded in Switzerland, Jules Verne published “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, and Abraham Lincoln was re-elected President of the United States.

In the same year, our 19th and 25th U.S. Presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley, respectively, came though the New River Valley and fought in the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain. The men forged a lifelong friendship

while serving in the U.S. Army with the 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment.

There have been battle reenactments five and 10 years ago, but there is none planned this year to commemorate 160 years. However, a very special diorama is being constructed by young men who were all once students at Pulaski County High School.

Photos

The Battle

The Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain took place on May 9, 1864, and was the largest Civil War battle in southwest Virginia. Union troops marched from Pearisburg toward Dublin and what is now Radford to destroy railroads, bridges, the shot tower and salt production in this area. While early efforts seemed

to favor the Confederates, the Union attacks were overwhelming, with hand-to-hand combat near the end of a brutal hour of fighting. Several wounded soldiers died in a fire which erupted on the battlefield, and more than 1,100 casualties [wounded + dead] were counted. There was also a smaller battle for the New River Bridge

To commemorate the 160th anniversary, Wilderness Road Regional

Museum is hosting a series of lectures and guided trips to sites impacted by these events. Locally esteemed historians are involved, though many may have occurred when this issue comes out.

The Pulaski County Courthouse Exhibits Committee plans to commemorate 160 years since the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain during the July 4th Veteran’s Ceremony on the courthouse lawn. The new diorama will be unveiled before moving to the 3rd floor of the courthouse building where it will be on display to the public.

The History Keeper

“I am guided by a great desire to share the history of this area due to the love and appreciation that has been shown to me, and also by the knowledge that I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to live on this land,” states Mary Catherine Stout. “A poem by an unknown author says it best.”

I am bound to them, though I cannot look into their eyes or hear their voices.

I honor their history. I cherish their lives. I will tell their story. I will remember them.

“Mary Catherine is surrounded by our local history and embraces her role as a steward of that history with a clear and contagious zeal that inspires others to learn and share as well,” relates April Martin, education director at Wilderness Road Regional Museum in Newbern. “The land, trees and stories of deeds that took place along Cloyd's Mountain are a part of her, and she bubbles forth with tales and tidbits

about them all.”

The 80-year-old former public health nurse and avid historian has lived in two beautiful old homes on the battlefield property which still stand today. Back Creek was built in 1790, and Oakland was constructed in 1885. Mrs. Stout continues to reside nearby with this stunning view out over the battlefield.

The back of the Stout home (PHOTO BELOW) and a small part of the Union side of the battlefield.

“The Witness Oak is in the bottom left corner,” she points out. “It is thought that my house is located where a Union cannon was situated.”

Mary Catherine designed her house 50 years ago. She measured her

dishes to fit in custom-built cabinets, drawers and a large open plate rack, minimized closet space, sanded and stained the wood trim, and lovingly designed each room for its specific purpose. She also unloaded hundreds(!) of dump trucks of rocks collected from her grandparents’ and neighboring properties. In fact, when her husband, Jim Stout, asked her what she wanted to do on their first date, she suggested picking up rocks. We guess he didn’t mind as they will celebrate their 50th anniversary next February.

The History Room

The massive stone fireplace in the living room, formal dining room with Mary

Catherine’s own handcrafted stained glass windows and spacious kitchen with copious windows and spectacular view over the battlefield are each a sight to behold individually. She made all the baskets, framed cross stitch pieces, dolls and other crafts throughout the house, but it is the History Room to right inside the front door that captivates everyone. Here, Mary Catherine has a minimuseum with maps, clothing, arrowheads, iron artifacts, books, photos and flags. It would be a spoiler alert to share the “secret” in this room, so, we won’t.

“Mary Catherine has many items that help tell the stories,” Martin continues. “Some artifacts were found on the land, others have been gifted to her with hope that they are useful in conveying the history of the battle. Each story, each item and each person who visits is very special to Mary Catherine, and she is very special to all who know and respect her.”

Martin brings many museum campers and others to the History Room as part of her history tours. Homeschool kids often visit. Mary Catherine is especially conscientious in planning where the History Room contents will go some day where they will still be available to the public, to continue “honoring their history, cherishing their lives, telling their stories and remembering them.”

When Life Gives You Lemons

Lessons in . . .

Lemonade

I believe that starting any business should be as easy as a 10-year-old starting a lemonade stand. – Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban

Text by Emily K. Alberts

Determined to make a buck, my kids have set up shop in our front yard and sold everything from lemonade to hot cocoa, seashells and even spools of yarn. Cashing in on the cuteness factor, they pulled out all the stops -- which included an actual STOP sign (hand-painted on cardboard) and stopped at nothing until they reached their goal. My oldest even took to lying on the side of the road to grab the attention of passersby. Do not recommend!

But it begs the question, are these the signs of budding entrepreneurs? Do the same principles that drive success among children’s lemonade stands apply to Fortune 500 companies? As it turns out, yes.

The same tenets apply to both: Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People. And when things aren’t going your way, “PIVOT!” as Ross Gellar would say.

Product. Having a good product is key. As it turns out, the spools of yarn my child was hawking were not a hot commodity. Check the forecast, go with lemonade if it’s gonna be a scorcher, hot cocoa if we’re expecting snow. And check the price. Does the grocery store have a great deal on lemons? Scoop ‘em up! This is exactly what the big companies do when sourcing inventory. If you ever come across a crazy good deal, be thinking, could I turn this into profit? It doesn’t have to be beverages. Homemade jewelry, friendship bracelets, and services like lawn care are all ways your kids can earn spending money during their free time.

Price. Setting the price can be tricky. Too low and you’re going for broke. Too high and they’re passing you by. There was a commercial that aired during the pandemic featuring kids selling lemonade at a steep price, and when their customers seemed surprised, they casually noted everything from supply chain issues to inflation. “Supply chain got us, too,” one child said with a shrug.

Covering costs is a must. One major issue often overlooked in the roadside stand industry is ways to pay. How many people have driven by the sweetest little lemonade stand because they had zero dollars in their wallet? No cash. No coin. Savvy stand entrepreneurs can avoid this by grabbing their Sharpies and drawing a giant QR Code on their roadside poster. That way, even if you’re on your way to a game with no time to stop, you can scan the code from the comfort of your car and donate to the kiddos when you get a minute. It also gives the signal that the stand is tech-savvy and likely to accept payment other than cash.

The kids can take it a step further and set up a free website that pops up when you scan the QR code, letting potential customers know what their dollars are going toward (especially if it is a charitable organization or something noble like guitar lessons).

Promotion. Social media is not to be overlooked when it comes to spreading the news about literally anything. It’s a great way to let your neighbors know about the lemonade stand so they can grab a few dollars before heading out the door. If you really want to sell a product, you must create a buzz! Give customers a chance to win free lemonade if they can successfully toss a lemon into a bucket, or some clever marketing tactic. Add-ons like crushed ice and fancy little umbrellas go a long way.

Place. It goes without saying that no one is stopping for lemonade on the side of a busy street during rush hour. Set up shop somewhere with a convenient pull-off area during mid-morning or late afternoon. Certain downtown businesses may even let the kids set up a table out front. Product sales are heavily tied to location. In a high-traffic area, it may be difficult for the supply to meet the demand. Be prepared with lots of lemons, or go somewhere a bit less populated.

People. Speaking of the population, customers are the heart of any successful business. Good workers draw good customers. And the customer is always right!

Emily K. Alberts has the best neighbors in the world for always supporting her kids and their wild business ventures.

As a rule of thumb, 5% is a low margin, 10% is a healthy margin, and 20% is a high margin. To calculate gross profit, subtract the cost of goods sold (COGS) from revenue. Profit margin is then calculated by dividing the gross profit by the total revenue, then multiplying by 100.

So if you spent $40 (COGS) on lemonade supplies, and you sold 50 cups at $1/cup, that's $50 (revenue). Your gross profit is $10. Divide that $10 by $50 and multiply by 100. Your margin would be 20%.

Making the World Safer, One Sidewalk at a Time

Text by Jo Clark Photos courtesy of Mar-Bal, Inc.

Most people will tell you their most precious sense is their vision, followed closely by hearing. We use sight and hearing to gather information and assess situations quickly. It becomes second nature, and we aren’t even aware it is happening. Imagine losing sight in even one eye, or both, and how you would cope. Imagine what a warning system for dangerous situations could mean. That is precisely

what Mar-Bal’s factory in Dublin creates: Tiles that alert to potentially hazardous transitions.

Warning Systems

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 mandated using detectable warning systems (DWS), specifying the design of sidewalk warning tiles right down to the height

of the domes and the spacing between them. Think of it this way: When you see a red sign in the distance, you’re reasonably sure it is a stop sign. When the visually impaired feel “domes” underfoot, or their cane connects with them, they know what that means. More than 10 million of the 40 million disabled Americans are blind or visually impaired, and that number may grow as the population ages. The

ADA intends to ensure that public areas are safe and accessible for everyone, regardless of disability. Initially, alert systems were made from stamped concrete or brick, but concrete and bricks break or settle, and grass grows in between. Composites are more durable and long-lasting.

Mar-Bal’s mission is to create the best composite material for cast products, peel-and-stick, and molded tiles for use on transit platforms, curbs and sidewalks at street crossings.

Do These Tiles Make a Difference?

Penny Zibula, a visually impaired guide dog owner and travel writer based in Greenville, S.C., says: “I’ve known life before and after detectable warning strips appeared at crosswalks, along subway and

train tracks and other locations. The difference between the presence of these strips and their absence is enormous.”

Penny explains that traveling independently involved a lot of guesswork before detectable warning systems. She recalls several blind subway riders who lost their lives when they stepped too close to the tracks. Even with a well-trained guide dog, she has had some near-misses at street corners and subway platforms.

Splendid, her personal guide dog, would say, while wagging her tail: “When I feel those bumps underfoot, I’m receiving a warning that there’s potential danger ahead.” Both Penny and Splendid know exactly what to do—stop and assess the situation. “Properly installed and maintained detectable warning strips give me

confidence and independence to travel,” adds Penny who hosts a blog at SixLegsWillTravel.com.

Meet Your NRV Neighbor

Mar-Bal, Inc. has been an innovative leader in custom composites since 1970. The company began life in the electrical equipment industry, using composite material to mold components, including insulators and circuit breakers still sold today. You don’t see or think about these electrical power distribution parts, but you’d sure be upset if they weren’t there. With plants in Painesville, Ohio, and Cuba, Missouri, as well as Dublin in the New River Valley, Mar-Bal was recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing companies in 2013 and 2014. It is headquartered in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

The company Detectable Warning Systems has provided cuttingedge devices since 1993, when the Florida Department of Transportation installed the first tiles. In 2018, Mar-Bal began working with the Dublin plant, which uses compression and transfer molding to make fiberglass-reinforced plastics for HVAC, appliance and electrical components.

Mar-Bal’s composite, BMC (bulk molding compound), looks like playdough with fibers. BMC lent itself well to the products, and before the end of the year, Mar-Bal acquired DWS. Now part of the Mar-Bal family, the Dublin plant and Pulaski warehouse employ 140. DWS makes one of the most complete lines of ADA-compliant tactile warning surfaces available for contractors, distributors and localities. “We fully assemble this product at the press,” explains plant manager Eric Stump. “It consumes a lot of work area but prevents further handling.”

Michelle Ward has provided customer service at the Dublin plant for more than 20 years, taking nationwide tile orders. Stump has her longevity

beat by nearly 10 years. They say the privately-held company Mar-Bal is a great place to work, and the people are like family.

The DWS Product

Mar-Bal considers itself “The One-Source Solutions Provider.” It has developed specialized material formulations and uses customized automation to produce the end results. The Dublin plant’s unique verticallyintegrated product line has been integral to Mar-Bal’s growth. Company workers design the molds and the material used, and mold, assemble, package, store and ship the finished product.

The highest-grade UV color pigments are used in tiles to ensure long-lasting color in bright sunlight. Mar-Bal can manufacture its AlertTile products in various colors, including yellow and red, and custom logos can be added. The tiles are lightweight, making installation easy. They can be applied to existing surfaces or set into wet concrete during construction.

Photos courtesy of: MyEclecticImages.com

Anthony Lignetta, MarBal’s senior director of proprietary products, relates that the company is committed to continually advancing its materials and products. It also focuses on helping the visually impaired through involvement with Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education. “ Mar-Bal has a solid relationship with the foundation, and there is an excellent opportunity to provide stewardship through donations of a percent of tile sales.”

I am filled with pride knowing Penny and her four-legged partner, Splendid. They bravely face the daily challenges of the visually impaired with products from companies like Mar-Bal. Hopefully, you will never need these aids, but it is comforting to know they’re out there, in case you do.

Jo Clark, always the animal lover, once thought she would grow up to raise seeing eye dogs. She might be a failure since she would want to keep all the puppies, so she’s content being “Auntie Jo” to Splendid! You can see Jo’s travels at www.HaveGlassWillTravel.com. Penny Zibula and Splendid

Life in the S-l-o-w Lane

Text by Caitlyn Koser

While to the introvert, taking refuge in your mental shell is a coping mechanism, to others – specifically small, green, shelled reptiles – it’s literally a home.

Turtles in southwestern Virginia are one of the most common and well-known species of reptiles. They crop up everywhere like your backyard, near water or (inconveniently) on a road or in the driveway. While many think of sea turtles on the coast and their conservation, these turtles’ backwoods cousins need just as much attention.

Popular Turtles

Some of the most popular species of turtles in Virginia’s forests and wooded areas are box turtles and wood turtles. The two are easily mistaken for each other, but box turtles offer a subtle difference found in a more domed carapace (shell).

Box turtles stand out from their similar-looking cousins by the fact that they are mostly land-dwelling (with a few exceptions). The patterns on their shells look like the work of a wild paintbrush, with highly varied patterns,

brown or black with streaks of yellow or orange. The wood turtle is a semiaquatic turtle often known as a “bottom walker” for its habit of crawling along the bottom of bodies of water to forage for prey.

Snapping turtles are easily recognized for having longer tails, larger heads and a shell that seems too small for their bodies. Folklore passed down over generations has been largely successful in spreading some popular myths. For example, no, turtles cannot bite through a broomstick handle, and they are also unlikely to bite children’s toes while they are swimming.

Take a walk with a turtle. And behold the world in pause.

- Bruce Feiler, writer and television personality

Moving Turtles

Brakes squeal as the latest victim to these slowly moving reptiles’ seemingly favorite hangout spot avoids a turtle making its sweet time across the road. Turtles are a nuisance when found in the road, and “turtle etiquette” raises questions. What to do when one finds a turtle in the road?

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) confirms that one should, if possible and safe, try to move the turtle to the far side of the road in the direction it was traveling.

Snapping turtles offer a slightly different conundrum as the feisty creatures can become belligerent if you try to pick them up. They can reach around the sides and bite you, which is not the kind of experience you want when trying to help one to a more safe place. One suggestion is using a large shovel to move a snapping turtle.

On a side note, as it is illegal to relocate or liberate turtles, if you find one in your yard, leave it alone.

Relocating turtles can result in a tragic end. According to the Virginia DWR: “If a turtle is injured or turtle eggs are unintentionally dug up, contact a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Often human intervention can help save these reptiles’ lives.”

Pet Turtles

For some well-intentioned animal lovers, the idea of keeping the docile turtle as a pet may be appealing. After all, it isn’t illegal … is it? Well, legal questions are important, but what’s equally important is one’s individual circumstances and the situation of the turtle.

According to Virginia DWR, while it is illegal to sell or purchase turtle species native to or naturalized in Virginia, it’s not illegal to keep the reptiles as pets. However, doing so may bring some very limited options, and may tragically result in the humane killing of the turtle when no other resources are available.

Keeping a turtle as a pet often

makes it unable to live in the wild. It can only be released within certain criteria, such as a maximum of 30 days of captivity, no illness or injury, and at the exact location it was found.

If one has kept the turtle for a long time and no longer wishes to, your best efforts are finding a new home for it. However, nature centers are often full of turtles and cannot take any more. If they cannot be returned to the wild based on the criteria listed above, they will have to be euthanized.

Turtles are a slow-moving wonder of creation, and the introverts among us envy their shelled living. However, road mortality and the improper treatment of turtles can cause some of these reptiles, such as the box turtle, to be in a state of decline across the state. It’s a reminder that humans should be good stewards of God’s creation and take care of the introverted reptiles found in New River Valley backyards, driveways and roads.

Caitlyn Koser is a New River Valley-based freelance writer and home school student.

“Into the car I go to lose my mind and find my soul” a woman’s love affair with her classic Chevy coupe

Text by Joanne M. Anderson

Photos by Tom and Christy Wallace

Karen Wadovsky of Christiansburg has always loved to drive and appreciates classic cars. As a teen, she’d drive her dad’s dump trucks and large moving vehicles. But it was “Papa”, her grandfather on her mother’s side, who instilled in her a serious love for cars, specifically Chevrolets, the classic version.

“He only drove Chevys,” she relates. “He cleaned the cars off every day after work, including the engine. We used to joke that you could eat off his engines. My mom told us how much fun she had riding in the rumble seats of Papa’s older cars.”

Though college and work life occupied her for years, Karen never stopped dreaming of having a classic car of her own. “I looked at classic cars for nearly a decade,” she explains, “studying their different body shapes. I like the 1939 Chevrolet shape the best, so my search narrowed to that model.”

According to classicautomall.com: With its wind-

swept design and classic good looks, the Chevrolet Coupe series has always been a rare and highly desirable line of cars. Not surprisingly, gear heads, customizers and all but 80 years' worth of dedicated fans have elevated it to one of hot rodding's greatest cultural icons. The curved front grille flanked by large fender-mounted, bullet-style headlights and smaller flanking turn signal bullets is very representative of the design. In these pre-war years, fenders were still king with the running board attaching them, but they were beginning to integrate into the body shell.

A little more than a year ago, this classic car buff found her ’39 Chevy coupe in bright red in Georgia. “There are a lot of scams out there, so I asked my friend Donna’s nephew, who lives near where the car was for sale, to look at it for me. His father was visiting, so both of them trekked over to see it. They sent me photos and commented ‘it’s red and sounds powerful.’ So, I knew it started.”

In hindsight, she realizes she should have asked more questions, but she was star-struck with its beauty. Once

home, she figured out it needed a new battery, a carburetor, a radio and windshield wipers. Some wiring had to be connected properly from front to back so the lights and horn would work.

The paint looked nice enough, but it felt rough to the touch, perhaps from over-spraying. She took it to Mr. Dow at Dow’s Unlimited Cleaning and Auto Detail in Christiansburg. “He dry sanded and buffed it to perfection. He did the other work as well, all at a fair price,” she adds.

Like many others, Karen moved to the New River Valley for graduate school and never left. “I grew up in Franklin, New Jersey, and came to attend Radford University in the 1980s. I grew to love the beauty of the area, the lifestyle and friendly people.” She has retired from 24 years as a school psychologist, mostly with Montgomery County Public Schools and thinks of this beautiful car as her retirement toy. “It’s a dream come true,” she exudes, adding that her twin sister Sharon named the Chevy coupe Miss Betty in honor of their mother.

Miss Betty has a 350 engine, auto transmission, power steering, power brakes and air conditioning. Karen discovered last fall that it doesn't have heat, and she’s working on that. It takes premium gas. “I've had it up to 70 mph,” she reveals, “but it is harder to handle at that speed.” There is a back seat, but no leg room, which suits Riley just

Miss Betty in the Christiansburg Christmas Parade last December, decorated by Karen’s friend Donna and occupied by both of them plus Riley in the back seat.

fine. The 68-pound Lab/Pyrenees dog loves going for rides and having the whole backseat to herself.

Karen drives the car whenever she can on errands and to local shows. “It transports me to another time. It is calming and simple with no computers. The windows roll down by hand, and the sound of the engine is like a loud purr. I know my Mom would love it. And Papa would be proud, even if I don’t spit polish the engine every time I return from taking her out.” Her customized floor mats read: "Into the car I go to lose my mind and find my soul".

Fairs, Festivals, Events & Family Fun

Spring

- Summer - Fall

Farmer Markets & Community Social Sites

Radford

600 Unruh Drive

Saturday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., May - October

Pulaski

Historic Train Station

Tuesday, 4-7 p.m., MayOctober

Pearisburg

Wenanoh Ave.

Saturday, 9-2;

3rd Thursday, 4-8 p.m.

May – October

Narrows

Monroe St.

Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

May – October

Christiansburg

1600 N. Franklin St.

Thursday, 2-6 p.m.

May - October

Floyd

203 S. Locust St.

Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

May – December

www.floydfarmersmarket.org

Blacksburg

Draper and Roanoke St.

Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wednesday, 2-6 p.m.

April – October

blacksburgfarmersmarket.com

ONGOING ENTERTAINMENT

Friday Night Jamboree

6:30 – 10 p.m.

Americana Afternoons

noon - 3 p.m. Saturdays

Sunday Music Jam, 1:30 – 6 p.m.

Old-time music, lots of stompin’ and dancin’, family-friendly

Floyd Country Store, Floyd

Starlite Drive-in Flea Market

Saturday and Sunday weather permitting 6 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Several vendors, shopping 275 Starlight Drive, Christiansburg

Summer Mountain Music Series

Sundays, 4-6 p.m.

Live music, food, drink, great times

Salt Pond Pub, Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

Friday Night Music

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Every Friday through October

Beautiful setting, wonderful music, wine and snack sales

Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg

Courtyard Concert Series

Every Saturday and Sunday, 1-4

Weather permitting, spring, summer, fall

Chateau Morrisette Winery, Floyd

Music at the Villa

Saturdays in summer, 1-4 p.m.

Villa Appalaccia Winery

52 Rock Castle Gorge Rd, Floyd

May June

May 4

Annual Kids Fishing Day

Ages 3 to 15

Narrows Town Park, Narrows

May 11, 9:30 a.m. – 4: 30 p.m.

House & Garden Tour of Floyd County

$35 ticket include box lunch

Floyd Center for the Arts, Floyd

May 11

One Stop Spring Shoppe Craft Show

Many crafts and artisans selling wonderful handcrafted pieces. New River Valley Fairgrounds, Dublin

May 11, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Spring Fever Handcrafted Market

Shop local and handmade

Glencoe Mansion Museum & Gallery, Radford

May 18

Annual Brewridge Music Festival

Bands, beer and brats

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

May 18

Music and Merchants Festival

Downtown Pulaski

May 23-27

Claytor Lake Music Festival @ M2I

5 days of great music on the waterfront

Rock House Marina, Pulaski

May 25

Ripple Run 5K Fun Run

Historic Pulaski Train Station

Downtown Pulaski

May 31-June2

Wellness Weekend

A journey to a better you, naturally Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

June 1 - 2, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Pulaski County Lions Club

Flea Market

7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission $2, free parking

NRV Fairgrounds, Route 100, Dublin

June 2, noon – 4 p.m.

Loyalists in the Backcountry Living History

Learn why some folks supported the Patriot Cause and others remained Loyal to the British in our area during the Revolutionary War.

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern

June 6 & 7; 12-6:30 Friday; 10 a.m.-

4p.m. Saturday

Arts♥NRV Market

Virginia’s Traveling Artmobile Exhibit by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Live music, wine garden, art show with more than 30 local and regional artists

Montgomery Museum of Art & History, Christiansburg

June 7, 5-11 p.m.

Pearisburg Festival in the Park 1410 Wenonah Ave., Pearisburg

June 8, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Claytor Lake Festival

Live music, car show, arts & crafts, food, wine tasting, fireworks at dusk

Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin

June 8, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pearisburg Festival Cruise In and Cancer Kids and Christmas

Live music, crafts, food, carnival rides, history

Pearisburg Community Center

June 8 & 9, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Floyd Artisan Trail

Art studios open, galleries, farms,

demos, special events on backroads and in town

www.floydartcenter.org/artisan-trail

June 14-15

Annual Henry Reed Memorial Celebration

Fiddle, banjo, music competitions, shows, workshops, kids tent

Kairos Resort, Glen Lyn

June 15

Spring Fly-In

Poker runs, bouncy houses, free airplane rides for kids, aircraft on display

New River Valley Airport, Route 100, Dublin

June 15, 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m. concert

MusicFest at Randolph Park

Live music, food trucks, beer and wine, bring blanket or lawn chair 5100 Alexander Road, Dublin

June 15

Annual Summer Solstice Festival, 1-11 p.m.

Live music, vendors, entertainment, food and drink, dog parade

Downtown Blacksburg at Main and Lee St.

June 15

Lamb Symposium

New River Valley Fairgrounds, Dublin

June 16, 2 – 5 p.m.

Annual Pulaski County Juneteenth History, education, entertainment

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern

June 17-21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. each day

Time Travelers Summer Camp

Campers learn about travel in our area from the Ice Age to the Airports.

$100 for the week, daily lunch included Ratcliffe Transportation Museum, Pulaski

June 20-22

Summer Solstice Festival

Observe beekeeping, lectures, art, celebration

Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, Floyd

June 21-23

"Dirty Dancing" Theme Weekend

Dance lessons, dance parties and more

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

June 29-30, noon-6 p.m.

Lavender Festival

Beautiful country setting, live music, wine, everything lavender

Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg

June 29

FCA Outdoors Faith & Follow

Through Clays Tournament

Clay shoot fundraiser for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and NRV Youth Ministry.

Kairos Resort, Glen Lyn

July

4th of July Celebrations!

Parades, music, fanfare, flag waving and fireworks throughout the New River Valley celebrating independence and freedom

July 4-6

Chasing Cars & Vintage Steel Car Show

New River Valley Fairgrounds, Dublin

July 6, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Central Appalachian Cherokee

Tribal Council

Chief Ren Herdman is organizing and Wilderness Road Regional Museum staff is assisting Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin

July 6

New River Valley Garden Tour, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Beautiful gardens and property grounds

Tickets and map, mfrlfriends.org/ wp/garden-tour

July 6, 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m.

MusicFest at Randolph Park

Live music, food trucks, beer and wine, bring blanket or lawn chair

5100 Alexander Road, Dublin

July 6&7, noon-6 p.m.

Lavender Festival

Beautiful country setting, live music, wine, everything lavender Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg

July 12, 7:30 p.m.

Celebrating 20 Years of the Crooked Road

The Crooked Road runs more than 300 miles through Southwest Virginia, celebrating heritage music

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

July 13, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

New River Valley Garden Tour

Showcasing beautiful gardens and yards

Buy tickets at any public library

July 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Art at the Market

Fine art vendors, kids art experience, breakfast

Blacksburg Farmers Market, downtown

July 19, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sanctuary Open Day & Pollinator

Plant Sale

Experience the wonder of bees, gifts

Spikenard Farm Honeybee

Sanctuary, Floyd

July 20

Family Fun Night

Live music, comedy and magic show on the waterfront

Rock House Marina, Claytor Lake

July 22-27

New River Valley Fair

Livestock, food, rides, evening events, blast for everyone!

New River Fairgrounds, Dublin

July 24-28

Floyd Fest

Music-Magic-Mountains

100s of musicians and much more 5826 Floyd Hwy North, Check

July 26-28

"Dirty Dancing" Theme Weekend

Dance lessons, dance parties and more

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

July 26-28

250th Commemoration

Lectures, tours, reenactment, blacksmith demos, kids activities Historic Smithfield, Blacksburg

July 26-28, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day

Mary Draper Ingles Festival

Honoring the legacy of one strong, determined

frontier heroine, family-friendly activities, history, food, drink across 4 great locations. Glencoe Mansion, Ingles Farm, Longway Brewing, Wilderness Road

Regional Museum, Radford

August

August TBA

Hidden History Boat Tours of Claytor Lake

Check wildernessroadregionalmuseum. com for dates and times

August 2 & 3, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Annual Steppin’ Out Festival

Blacksburg Battles Cancer olf Tournament

y, September 23

Presented

For the past ten years, Blacksburg Battles Cancer, under the banner of the BlacksburgCountryClubCharitable Foundation(BCCCF) has raised more than $350,000 for cancer-focused non-profit organizations that serve the local community. We invite you to join us for our annual golf tournament as we strive to reach $400,000 in 2024!

SCHEDULE OF E VENTS

2024 Blacksburg Battles Cancer Entry Form ($600 per team; $150 per person)

Make a check payable to the Blacksburg CountryClubCharitableFoundation.You may also register online and pay via Paypal at www.blacksburgbattlescancer.org. Member charge for BCC members is no longer available.

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

Team Members (name and email - please print)

(Captain)

PAST BENEFICIARIES

OPTIONAL Hole Sponsor: ($125 per hole)

Please make your hole sponsorship check payable to the BlacksburgCountryClub CharitableFoundation). We are a 501(c)(3) organization.

Sponsor Name or Corporate Name:

Battles Cancer

Virginia 24060

Please contact info@blacksburgbattlescancer.orgif you have specific wording or logos for your hole sponsor sign.

More than 200 booths, food, drink, live entertainment

Downtown Blacksburg

August 2-4

Wellness Weekend

A journey to a better you, naturally Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

August 2-4, 3 – 9 p.m. each day

Sunflower Festival

Arts and crafts vendors, food and drink, awesome kid zone, pop up boutiques, family fun to the max and 200,000 sunflowers in bloom

Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

August 3, 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m.

concert

MusicFest at Randolph Park

Live music, food trucks, beer and wine, bring blanket or lawn chair

5100 Alexander Road, Dublin

August 7, 8, 9, 10, 7 p.m.

“Mary Poppins”

Presented by the community and all volunteer

Summer Musical Enterprise

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

August 9 & 10

Newport Agricultural Fair

More than 80 years, oldest agricultural fair in VA. Kid rides, food, games, horse show, horse pull, produce, baking, flower competitions, live music. Saturday night fireworks.

Newport

August 9-11, 3 – 9 p.m. each day

Sunflower Festival

Arts and crafts vendors, food and drink, awesome kid zone, pop up boutiques, family fun to the max and 200,000 sunflowers in bloom

Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

August 10, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Pirate Festival

Come in pirate garb or not, pirate music, dancing and more

Rock House Marina, Claytor Lake

August 10

Rhythm by the Rails

Life music and family fun

Fine Arts Center of the New River

Valley

Jackson Park, Pulaski

August 11, 2 p.m.

“Mary Poppins”

Presented by the community and all volunteer

Summer Musical Enterprise

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

August 16-18, 3 – 9 p.m. each day

Sunflower Festival

Arts and crafts vendors, food and drink, awesome kid zone, pop up boutiques, family fun to the max and 200,000 sunflowers in bloom

Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

August 17 & 18

AJSA Jet Ski Race

Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin

August 19, 8:30-10 p.m.

Full Moon Paddle

Paddling on the water in the light of a full moon

Rock House Marina, Claytor Lake

August 23-25

Cube Fest

Immersive Indigenous Experiences

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

August 23-25

"Dirty Dancing" Theme Weekend

Dance lessons, dance parties and more

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

September

September TBA

Hidden History Boat Tours of Claytor Lake

Check wildernessroadregionalmuseum. com for dates and times

September 6, 6 p.m.

Plena Libre

Free concert outdoors with Grammy-award-nominated band playing Caribbean rhythms infused with Afro-Puerto Rican sounds and songs

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

September 11, 10 a.m.

123 Andrés

Around the Americas

Latin Grammy Award-winning music, geography and culture

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

September 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. rain or shine

Floyd County Fair

Celebrating agricultural heritage, livestock shows, demos, petting zoo, horseback rides, live music and more

Floyd Family Campground, 2697 Franklin Pike SE, Floyd

September 13, 7:30 p.m.

An Evening with Renée Elise Goldsberry

Multi-award winning singer and actress

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

September 14-15, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Pulaski County Lions Club Flea Market

Lots and lots of vendors, $2 admission, free parking

NRV Fairgrounds, Route 100, Dublin

September 15

Farmhands Games (inaugural event with annual intent)

Celebrate local farming history in a strong way!

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern

September 17 & 18, 7:30 p.m.

Ontroerend Goed ~ Fight Night

Belgian theater and performance group

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

September 13-15

"Dirty Dancing" Theme Weekend

Dance lessons, dance parties and more

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

September 19 - 21, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fall Equinox Festival

Autumn celebration, learn about bees

Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, Floyd

September 21, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Annual Kiwanis Wilderness Trail Festival

Vendors, kids fun, music, food, classic cars, raffles, silent auction, craft demos Downtown Christiansburg

September 22-28

4th Floyd Plein Air Biennial Week-long painting festival in and

• June 14-15 - Henry Reed Memorial Fiddlers Celebration at Kairos

• Every Monday Night - Open Mic Night at The Happy Hog in Pearisburg, 5pm

• Every Thursday Night - Narrows Jam at the MacArthur Inn, 5pm

• 1st & 3rd Fridays - Bluegrass & Old Time Jam at Newport Community Center, 7pm

Run at Kairos Resort May 25

around Floyd County

Featuring regional and national artists. Dinner with Artists, demos, competition, sale Floydartcenter.org/plein-air

September 26, 7:30 p.m.

Riyaaz Qawwali and the Harlem Gospel Travelers

Singing Together: Qawwali and Gospel Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

September 27-29

Pumpkin Festival

Live music, family activities, art & crafts, corn maze & hay rides, more!

Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

September 28

G.O.A.T. Sheep and Goat Festival

New River Valley Fairgrounds, Dublin

Mountain Lake Brewridge Festival May 18

Pearisburg Festival in the Park June 6-8

September 28, 8 a.m. registration opens, run 8:30

Gobble & Wobble 5K

Randolph Park, Dublin

September 29, 2 p.m.

Lightwire Theater ~ Dino-Light

Visually stunning glow-in-the-dark adventure

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

October Weekends

Pumpkin Festival

Live music, family activities, art & crafts, corn maze, hay rides, food, drink and more!

Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

October 2, 7:30 p.m.

Mariza

Acclaimed Portuguese singer

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

Poker

October 11, 7:30 p.m.

Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn

One of the greatest banjo players, Fleck teams with Washburn in Grammy award-winning folk music

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

October 12

Radford Highlanders Festival

Heavyweight games, Celtic music, sheepherding, vendors, fun for all ages

Radford University Campus, Radford

October 12 & 13

Newbern Fall Festival

Vendors, arts and crafts, music, food, family fun

Hosted by the Newbern Volunteer Fire Dept

Main Street, Newbern

October 14, 7:30 p.m.

Voices from the Urban Indigenous Campfire

Perspectives of indigenous communities around the world

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

October 20, 3 – 7 p.m.

Spirits Along the Wilderness Road

Wagon Ride

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Dublin

October 21, 7:30 p.m.

Broadway in Blacksburg, Dear Evan Hansen

Acclaimed musical which opened on Broadway in 2016 and is performed worldwide

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

October 25-27

"Dirty Dancing" Theme Weekend Dance lessons, dance parties and more

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

October 30, 7:30 p.m.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan 13 Tongues

Sensational, emotional dance performance

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

November 1-3

Pumpkin Festival

Live music, family activities, art & crafts, corn maze & hay rides, more! Sinkland Farms, Route 8, Christiansburg

November 13, 7:30 p.m.

Cirque Kalabanté ~ Afrique en Cirque Colorful, amazing, acrobatic show of daily life in Guinea

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

November 20, 7:30 p.m.

An Evening with Ta-Nehisi Coates

Author of best-seller “Between the World and Me”

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

November 22, 6 p.m.

Harvest Thanksgiving Dinner

Log Kitchen

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern

November 23 – January 6, 2025

A Magical Christmas Village and Marketplace

Experience sparkling lights and joy of the season

Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke

December 6

Winter Lights Festival

Downtown Blacksburg

December 7, 4 p.m.

Roanoke Symphony Orchestra

Holiday Pops Spectacular

Cherished tradition in a spirited holiday event

Moss Arts Center, Blacksburg

December 7

Newbern Noel Night and Barn Bazaar

Heritage Craft Sale

Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern

December 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and after dark

Pulaski County Winterfest and Tree Lighting

Food trucks, music, hot chocolate, socializing, DAKLights show

Randolph Park, Dublin

Bull & Bones

Celco FCU

Dehart Tile

Blacksburg, Inc.

Dwight Atkinson

Energy Check Eric Johnsen State Farm

Freedom First

Giles County Tourism

Goldsmith Design, Build

Joba Studios

Kesler Contracting

Long & Foster Blacksburg

Macado's

Matrix Gallery

Member One FCU

Mike Weber

Moss Arts Center

Mutt's Primitives

Nest Realty

&

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