Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail launches to promote local craft breweries
Visiting breweries in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley just got easier. That’s because the area’s first official beer trail, the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail, launches today, during American Craft Beer Week.
The trail provides an opportunity for tourists and locals to connect with a great craft beer experience.
With 12 breweries all located within an hour’s drive from one another, the Shenandoah Valley region is quickly becoming Virginia’s newest beer frontier.
“I think this is a great regional project with tremendous potential. There’s nothing else like it in the Shenandoah Valley, and we’ve tried very hard to differentiate it from other beer trails in the state,” says Sheryl Wagner, Director of Tourism for the City of Staunton. “It’s a natural pairing – we know that craft beer drinkers love the outdoors, and so after a day of hiking, biking and exploring, now they can tap into our local beer culture.”
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail pairs the craft beer experience with a combination of activities and attractions that uniquely reflect the region’s recreational and cultural activities.
The trail provides opportunities for past and future visitors to discover everything this region offers.
On the trail’s newly unveiled website, visitors can quickly plot out a multibrewery tour and mix their tastings with the tourism experiences that best match their interests. In addition to a print and online ad campaign that launches in June, organizers say that signage will be installed at the breweries to cross-promote the trail, and promotional information will be distributed to Visitor Welcome Centers across the state.
The trail’s breweries include:
- Brothers Craft Brewing (Harrisonburg)
- Pale Fire Brewing Co. (Harrisonburg)
- Seven Arrows Brewing (Fishersville)
- Devils Backbone Outpost Brewery & Tap Room (Rockbridge Co.)
- Stable Craft Brewing (Augusta Co.)
- Redbeard Brewing Company (Staunton)
- Three Notch’d Brewing Company (Harrisonburg)
- Shenandoah Valley Brewing Co. (Staunton)
- Blue Lab Brewing Company (Lexington)
- Wolfe Street Brewing Co. (Harrisonburg)
- Queen City Brewing (Staunton)
- Basic City Beer Co. (Waynesboro, opening this summer)
Tourism officials in the region have been studying the potential of the trail since 2014. The project was developed to promote the Valley’s growing craft beer industry and showcase the region’s natural tie-in with compatible tourism offerings.
“We couldn’t be happier with this partnership,” says Wagner, speaking of the multiple-locality effort behind the trail. Tourism partners in the cities of Staunton, Harrisonburg, Lexington, and Waynesboro as well as the counties of Augusta and Rockbridge jointly developed the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail.
More details about the trail can be found at beerwerkstrail.com.
Trail updates and news can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Darrell Scott to open Lime Kiln Summer Concert Series
Lime Kiln Theater’s Summer 2016 concert series will kick off on Saturday, May 21, as Darrell Scott takes the stage with opener Hoppie Vaughan. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30.
Advance tickets are $20 and are on sale now atwww.limekilntheater.org. Season passes are also still available online for $130, a 20 percent discount for all eight shows in the 2016 concert series. Tickets to the May 21 show will be $25 at the door, with cash, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover all accepted.
Lime Kiln Theater’s summer concert series is sponsored by Devils Backbone Brewing Company and Charles W. Barger & Son Construction. Devils Backbone beer, Kind Roots Café food, and Rockbridge Vineyards wine will be available for purchase at all shows.
Darrell Scott is a Grammy-nominated performer and recording artist, a highly in-demand multi-instrumentalist, and an ASCAP Songwriter of the Year. Darrell delivers his soulful performances in solo, duo, trio, band, and string quintet configurations, all equally dynamic and powerful. Songwriting credits include the Grammy Award-winning “Long Time Gone” and “Heartbreak Town”, and he also performs in Robert Plant’s Band of Joy. Darrell’s new record, Couchville Sessions, will be released just a week before he takes the Lime Kiln stage.
Hoppie Vaughan is a Nashville-trained musician who currently lives in Roanoke, Va. Hoppie’s musical style could be described as rhythm and blue-eyed soul. In Nashville, he learned how to write songs and developed his skills as a performing artist. Having appeared or performed alongside acts ranging from Delbert McClinton to Ronnie Milsap, Hoppie now plays solo and with The Ministers of Soul.
Lime Kiln Arts, Inc. is a non-profit (501c3), operating at Lime Kiln Theater in Lexington. It opened in 1984 and is rooted in and inspired by the magic of a natural, outdoor theater. After a brief hiatus that started in 2012, Lime Kiln Theater is thrilled to begin its third straight summer season of live music featuring local, regional and national acts.
For more information, visit Lime Kiln on the web at www.limekilntheater.org, or check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LimeKilnTheater.
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park announces Battlefield Series programs
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park is pleased to announce a series of special Battlefield Series programs.
These presentations highlight particular stories and events related to the Battle of Cedar Creek and other Civil War sites in the Shenandoah Valley. “The Battlefield Series programs examine these events in more detail than our regular presentations,” according to Chief Ranger Eric Campbell, “They also allow visitors an opportunity to see sites not normally open, or widely accessible, to the general public.” Battlefield Series programs are offered at 2:00 p.m. on select Saturdays, starting May 21st. Each program is free and lasts between 90 minutes to two hours.
May 21, 2:00 p.m.
“It stood like a granite breakwater, built to beat back the oncoming flood….“
Stemming the Tide: The Stand of the 6th Corps at Cedar Creek
With the collapse of the rest of the Northern army on the morning of October 19, 1864, only the Union 6th corps stood intact to face the Confederate onslaught. Join Park Volunteer Patrick Cooney as he explores the defensive stand made by the 6th Corps and its impact on the battle. Meet at Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown). Visitors will then car caravan to various locations on the battlefield.
June 4, 2:00 p.m.
The Confederate Defense of Miller’s Lane
The Union counterattack at Cedar Creek involved some of the bloodiest and most critical combat of the entire battle. Join Park Volunteer Jeff Klopp as he examines this fighting from the perspective of the Confederate defenders. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown). Visitors will then car caravan to various locations on the battlefield.
July 9, 2:00 p.m.
“Battling in the Streets” Middletown and the Battle of Cedar Creek
Middletown constantly found itself in the middle of war. At no time was this truer than on October 19, 1864 during the Battle of Cedar Creek when fighting raged through the town’s streets both during the morning Confederate assault and the afternoon Union counterattack. Join Ranger Jeff Driscoll as he explores this critical, but often overlooked action. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown).
July 30, 2:00 p.m.
“An Appalling Spectacle of Panic” The Collapse of the Army of the Shenandoah
The amazingly successful Confederate surprise attack on the morning of October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek caused the near total collapse of the Union Army of the Shenandoah. Park Volunteer Guy Young will examine this attack through the perspective of the three Union corps who bore the brunt of the Southern assault. Meet at the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation Headquarters (8437 Valley Pike, Middletown). Visitors will then car caravan to various locations on the battlefield.
August 27, 2:00 p.m.
“Don’t run until the Vermonters do!” The Vermont Brigade at Cedar Creek
One of the most well-known units to fight at Cedar Creek was the Vermont Brigade, which saw action both during the critical morning defensive stand on Cemetery Hill, and also during the Union counterattack in the afternoon. Join Park Ranger Jeff Driscoll as he explains the role of these soldiers from the Green Mountain State. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown). Visitors will then car caravan to various locations on the battlefield.
September 10, 2:00 p.m.
“A great deal of labor was…expended in building breastworks….”
Exploring the Civil War Entrenchments at Cedar Creek
Some of the most well preserved original Civil War entrenchments in the Shenandoah Valley are located on the bluffs above Cedar Creek. Join Park Ranger Jim Horn for a special walking tour that explores both the construction of these field fortifications and their role during the Battle of Cedar Creek. Preserved by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and Belle Grove, these earthworks are the focal point of a newly expanded walking trail in the park. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown). Visitors will then car-pool to another site closer to the entrenchments.
September 17, 2:00 p.m.
Capt. Henry DuPont and the Role of Artillery at the Battle of Cedar Creek
Join Park Volunteer Chuck Barker as he examines the role of Capt. Henry DuPont and his 8th Corps batteries during the Battle of Cedar Creek. DuPont’s actions would later earn him the Medal of Honor. This car caravan tour will explore areas not normally accessible to the public. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown). Visitors will then car caravan to various locations on the battlefield.
October 8, 2:00 p.m.
“Boys, when they come, aim low and give them one good steady fire!” The Battle of Hupp’s Hill
Less than a week before the Battle of Cedar Creek, a short, but bitterly fought engagement took place on the slopes of Hupp’s Hill, just north of Strasburg. Join Park Ranger Jeff Driscoll as he describes this important, yet largely forgotten, fight and its impact on Cedar Creek six days later. Meet at the Hupp’s Hill Civil War Park (33229 Old Valley Pike, Strasburg).
For more information, check the park website (www.nps.gov/cebe) or call (540) 869-3051.
4D Mark Nizer Show comes to Wayne Theatre
Entertainment comedian and juggler Mark Nizer presents his One-Man Show on Friday, May 20, at 7 p.m. at the Wayne Theatre/Ross Performing Arts Center in downtown Waynesboro.
The show features a combination of original comedy, world class juggling, movement, music and technology that promises a spellbinding evening.
“The Wayne Theatre could not be more thrilled to have Mark Nizer coming to the stage,” said Tracy Straight, executive director of the Wayne Theatre. “This is the first time families will get to experience 4D in our theatre.”
The 4D show is the only show in the world that incorporates 4D glasses in a live show. Using these special glasses, light is converted to depth which adds a fourth dimension to our normal 3D world.
“The technology associated with this show is unbelievable,” said Straight. “The performance will really feel like it’s taking place out into the audience.”
Whether juggling laser beams at 1000 rpms, or five ping pong balls being thrown 20 feet in the air using only his mouth; or even juggling a burning propane tank, a running electric carving knife and a 16-pound bowling ball, you’ll discover for yourself why Nizer has been called “nothing less than brilliant” by Performance Magazine.
“The Wayne continues to bring nationally known artists to the area,” said Straight. “Nizer has opened for Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Hope, George Burns, Ray Charles, and now Waynesboro.”
Nizer has taken his one-man show to thousands of venues around the world. He has been on MTV, HBO’s Just for Laughs, and Comic Strip Live.
Tickets are available for $12.50 and $16.50 to the 7 p.m. show. Two matinee shows will also be offered as part of the Wayne’s Arts Education programming. Tickets to the earlier shows are only $7.50 per person.
Tickets are on sale now at the Wayne Theatre box office at 521 West Main Street Tuesday-Friday,10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and one hour before all performances. Tickets are also available online up to three hours before a performance at www.WayneTheatre.org