metropolis | august 2006

Written by Nicci Page

Attention beer lovers: Square Society’s 9th Annual Microfestivus barrels into Elmwood Park on August 12, showcasing the flavors of over 20 micro and craft breweries from across the Mid-Atlantic region and around the country. More than 60 unique brews will be available for tasting, plus a slew of food vendors and live local music to satisfy your other senses. The event takes place from 2—8 pm and features popular local music from the Key West Band, Pop Rivots, and Rocks. Admission is $5 at the gate and tickets cost $1 per 4 oz. tasting, with proceeds going towards a great organization: Center in the Square. Sorry, underagers: you must be at least 21 and have a valid ID to attend.
www.microfestivus.com | 540.521.7139

Since the 1930’s, Roanoke landmark Tinnell’s Finer Foods has a history of bringing quality fare to area foodies. It’s no wonder, then, that the family- owned grocery is upping the ante by teaming with local gourmet Chef Jonathan Kenny for an alternative to standard prepared foods. Kenny owns Comfort Cuisine, the Roanoke catering and personal chef service, and will be offering meals prepared from fresh ingredients at Tinnell’s. From lasagna with roasted veggies to Vietnamese spring rolls smothered in a palette-seducing lime-chili-garlic sauce (I’m getting hungry!), Kenny offers the gourmet in you a unique at-home experience in zero prep time. His 12 years of experience led him to join the American Personal Chef’s Association (APCA) and launch his own personal chef service, Comfort Cuisine. When Tinnell’s owner/operator Rett Ward was introduced to Kenny and the Comfort Cuisine ideology, the two knew they could work together to bring the best of both worlds to Tinnell’s patrons. Tinnell’s is located at 2205 Crystal Spring Avenue and is open Monday—Saturday from 8 am—6 pm. Prepared food menus vary weekly.
www.tinnells.com | 540.345.7334

Roanoke County Parks, Recreation & Tourism and Food Lion present the Summer Blast Children’s Festival Saturday, August 12 this year, making the 5th annual free event an oasis of fun for kids in a season filled with adults-only entertainment. The festival will run from 10 am—3 pm at Greenhill Park in Salem. According to Special Events Coordinator Kate Collins, “there will be activities that appeal to every child…we have games, a bubble machine, arts and crafts and even a celebration of wacky holidays.” More free activities for children 12 and under include: an ESPN Game Zone, clowns, a children’s cakewalk, face painting, karaoke, a misting tent (to cool off kids and parents), hayrides, costumed characters, touch-a-truck (as well as an ugly truck show), giant inflatables, pony rides, Puppets with Pizzazz and many more surprises. Kids can bring their bicycles to enter the Bike Blast ‘06 bike races, too—all participants will receive a certificate of completion, a water bottle and will be entered to win cool prizes.
www.roanokecountyva.gov | 540.387.6078

Hotel Roanoke Conference Center is transformed into the plains of Spain on September 8, as Mill Mountain Theatre brings us their 12th annual Cork & Curtain fundraiser. The See You in Spain Gala & Wine Auction will offer “damas y caballeros” (ladies and gentlemen) an evening filled with Spanish music and flamenco, Spanish wines, a gourmet dinner, wine tastings, and live and silent auctions. “It’s an event that we always have a lot of fun with,” says MMT Public Relations Coordinator Lindsay Mady, “it kicks off the yearly charity and giving events”…Plus, she adds, “we always have excellent wines.” Over 400 attendees annually may bid on vacation trips, artwork, spa services, gift certificates, wine and much more in support of the arts. Tickets are $100 for Patrons and $120 for Benefactors. Basic ticket price covers the costs of the evening: wine tasting, a four-course dinner, more wine, and mucho elegant fun. Auction proceeds benefit the Theatre’s education and outreach programs and all contributions are tax-deductible. For more information or to be placed on the invitation list, visit the MMT website or contact the number below.
http://www.millmountain.org/ | 540.224.1219

The final, free show of this season’s SummerMusicFest Concerts will feature a piano and guitar concert by Roanoke native James Woolwine on Sunday, August 13, at 4 pm. Originally from Roanoke, Woolwine went on to study classical performance and composition at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. Upon graduation, Woolwine stayed on in Boston and has since become renowned for his talents as an instrumentalist and more recently, a composer. The event will be held at Greene Memorial United Methodist Church at 402 Second Street in downtown Roanoke, where for more than three decades The Greene Memorial Fine Arts Series has been host to great music and music-making.
www.gmumc.org | 540.344.6225

As the entire country gears up to celebrate America’s 400th Anniversary, Voyageur Press introduces a book that depicts the beauty and history of Virginia in a lovely coffee table book that continues the publisher’s “Our State” series. Our Virginia is a lavish photo celebration of the state as written and photographed by natives Pat and Chuck Blackely of Staunton. Our Virginia explores the history of the state from the nation’s beginning at its first established settlement in Jamestown, VA in 1607; it goes on to depict the breathtaking beauty of the state’s rural farmlands, historic battlefields, coastal tide plains, lush forests, and rolling mountains. Scheduled for publication this month, it will retail for around twenty dollars and be available in many fine area bookstores as well as online at the site below.
http://www.voyageurpress.com | 800.826.6600

Rumor has it the 4th Annual Steamin’ Summer ShrimpFest on Saturday, August 12 is going to be the biggest and best ShrimpFest yet. Held in the climate-controlled arena of the Salem Civic Center, the event has it all: dinner, music, dancing, an auction and needless to say, shrimp, shrimp and—you guessed it—more shrimp. Dinner will be served from 5—7:30 pm and dancing to the smooth tunes of The Fat Daddy Band will follow, along with a silent auction from 7:30—9 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door; children 12 and under are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. All proceeds benefit the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s scholarship program and building renovation of the Carriage House. Tickets are available at First National Exchange Banks, the Salem Civic Center and the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce office in Longwood Park.
www.s-rcchamber.org | 540.387.0267

Stroll through downtown Roanoke August 3 and every first Thursday of the month for a unique art experience that the downtown-savvy know as Art by Night. From 5—8 pm, relax in beautiful galleries and experience works of art that have been created locally, nationally and all over the world, while nibbling on refreshments and mingling with the artists. The cost? Free. Participating galleries include: Art Museum of Western Virginia, Gallery 108, The Gallery at Jefferson Center, The Market Gallery & Studios, McGraw Fine Art, Roanoke Valley Printworks, Signature 9 Gallery and Studios on the Square. Stroll on your own or enjoy a complimentary limousine service that delivers you to the galleries in style. Call or visit the site below for the full scoop on this monthly event.
www.studiosonthesquare.com | 540.342.0703

Virginia Mountain Peach Festival will be held on August 4th from 11 am—5 pm and August 5th from 10 am—5 pm in SunTrust Plaza and will cater to every peach lover’s fantasy. The event celebrates the Sweet Virginia Mountain peaches grown locally and sold on the Roanoke Historic City Market. Enjoy mouth-watering cobbler, shortcakes, sundaes, and all the peaches you can eat; then wash it all down with a delicious peach shake. There will be a range of activities for all ages including live entertainment and a craft show. The Virginia Mountain Peach Festival is an annual fundraiser for the Northwest Child Development Center, a non-profit United Way affiliated agency that strives to promote the intellectual, physical, emotional, and social growth of children. So come out and enjoy some good family entertainment and the sweetest peaches on the planet, and help out a great cause to boot!
540.342.0233

The Pointe at Mariner’s Landing Conference Center in Huddleston will host the 16th Annual Smith Mountain Lake Antique and Classic Boat Weekend August 11—12, offering antique boat enthusiasts a chance to enjoy classic boats from all over the U.S. The show is presented by the Smith Mountain Lake Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society and will include cruisers, mahogany hulls, utilities, outboards, runabouts and canoes. Most are locally-owned but many owners make the trip from surrounding states. On Friday, the boats will cruise the beautiful lake in preparation for Saturday—show day! During the day, boats will be on display for the public, amidst nautical themed events and activities. There will be entertainment, vendors and crafts; souvenir shirts, boat merchandise and other items for sale at the ship’s store. The kids can enjoy “decorate and sail your boat” and other children’s activities.
www.woodenboats.net | 800.851.4988

Head’s up: tickets on sale now for Roanoke Civic Center’s annual Broadway series beginning in September and running through January 2007. The series will feature phenomenal theater hits Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida, I Can’t Stop Loving You, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. With new aisles, seating, a 105’ x 55’ stage, and an orchestra pit with hydraulic lift, the venue is an attractive choice for any performance from musicals to concerts to lectures. Tickets are on sale now, so don’t miss the return of Broadway’s classics.
www.roanokeciviccenter.comwww.tickets.com | 888.397.3100

June 5th marked the dedication of the new Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech, bringing to Blacksburg a new dimension of sportsmanship and natural beauty. World-renowned architect Pete Dye has renovated the course, and after two years of moving 400,000 cubic yards of earth and constructing 18 new greens, the course reopened with features sure to impress even the most fickle of golfers. These include a bisected 70’ rock cliff, two distinct but complimentary nine-hole loops and a unique linear nature that allows 14 of the 18 holes to have splendid views of the river. Eight even play directly to the river’s edge. “The topography, and the fact that Mr. Dye was able to incorporate the river into the design…make it very, very special. You don’t have that anywhere else and it makes this golf course very playable for every player and every set of teams,” explains Tech’s Director of Golf Operations Jay Hardwick. The course has already garnered lavish praise from Golf Magazine, which recently selected it as one of the best new public access courses in the U.S.
www.rivercoursegolf.vt.edu | 540.633.6732

Posted: August 1st, 2006 under Performing Arts.
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~Nicci Ray is a freelance writer whose interests lie in arts, entertainment, fiction and fine cuisine. A Roanoke resident by birth, she has worked with such publications as The Roanoke Times & World News, Artbeat Magazine, Radford News Journal, Christiansburg Messenger, NRV News, and In the Loop Magazine of The Tampa Tribune. She holds a degree in Print Journalism from Radford University. Nicci can be contacted in care of City Magazine at 540.345.6300 or contact@citymagazineonline.com.