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Things to do September 16 - 22, 2021

September 16th

Fall Native Plant Sale

Virginia Living Museum - September 16; 4 p.m.

Free and open to the public. No admission required. Choose from an incredible array of beautiful and unusual native plants for a variety of garden sites and styles, from wet ponds to dry rock gardens. Many of these are excellent plants for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife to your yard. The Virginia Living Museum’s horticulture staff holds this annual sale as a fund-raiser, but the real goal is to introduce the gardening public to the incredible variety of native plants that will do well in the landscape, and to educate gardeners about those which are better left in the wild. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900. Click here for more information.

Chinese Moon Festival Celebration

Sister Cities of Newport News - September 16; 6:30 p.m.

Join Sister Cities as we explore what some say is the second most important holiday in Asian culture, the mid-autumn festival or Moon Festival. 4th QUARTER Sister Cities Membership Seminar. FREE for SCNN members and University Students. $10 for non-members. Live music, food, drink & comradery. 11820 Merchants Walk, 757-697-3129. Click here for more information.

September 17th

Civil War Discussion: Battle of Antietam

The Mariners’ Museum and Park  - September 17; 12 p.m.
Civil War Discussion returns to The Mariners’ Museum! Presented by John V. Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center. Visit us this Friday afternoon for a lively and informative Civil War discussion. Come hear John speak about the bloodiest day in American Civil War history! There is no charge to participate. RSVP is recommended as space is limited to 20 people. Due to COVID protocols and out of concern for your health and safety, tables and chairs will be spaced out for social distancing. Lunch, snacks and beverages will be available for purchase at the Mariners’ Café! Attendees are welcome to ask John questions, which he will answer following the program. About the presentation: After General Robert E. Lee’s victory at the Battle of Second Manassas, he moved his army into Maryland in hopes of gathering supplies and recruiting soldiers, and desiring European recognition of the Confederacy. General George McClellan’s Army of the Potomac blocked Lee’s advance, attacking the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg. Lee’s army was forced to return to Virginia; the Union declared victory. President Abraham Lincoln used this engagement to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, transforming the war into a conflict to end slavery. 100 Museum Drive, 757-596-2222. Click here for more information.

September 18th

Fall Native Plant Sale

Virginia Living Museum - September 18; 9 a.m.

Free and open to the public. No admission required. Choose from an incredible array of beautiful and unusual native plants for a variety of garden sites and styles, from wet ponds to dry rock gardens. Many of these are excellent plants for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife to your yard. The Virginia Living Museum’s horticulture staff holds this annual sale as a fund-raiser, but the real goal is to introduce the gardening public to the incredible variety of native plants that will do well in the landscape, and to educate gardeners about those which are better left in the wild. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900. Click here for more information.

 

Butterfly Bonanza Event

Virginia Living Museum - September 18; 9 a.m.

Come celebrate butterflies in all their forms! Play games like matching the caterpillar to its adult form and host plant, learn about the butterfly life cycle by making necklaces, and see collected butterflies from all across Virginia and the larger world. Be sure to visit the Butterfly Haven, located just outside the Wason Education Center next to the Virginia Garden. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900. Click here for more information.

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebracion!

The Mariners’ Museum and Park  - September 18; 10 a.m.

$1 admission. Free for Mariners’ Museum Members. The museum will be offering a daylong in-gallery commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Guests visit several stations throughout the galleries that discuss a variety of topics related to Hispanic history and culture. Meet community partners Elena Valdez, PhD, from Christopher Newport University and Old Dominion University’s Martha Daas, PhD. Valdez, who is a Spanish lecturer at CNU, will serve as a guest speaker presenting on the water spirits from Afro-Caribbean spiritual traditions. Daas, the Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish at ODU, will be stationed in the Museum’s galleries and share the intersection of food and culture in the Hispanic world. From ancient peoples of South America to Spanish artists and art in our Collection – there will be much to learn and see! This celebration will take place in person 10 a.m.  3 p.m. in the Museum galleries while the 1:30 p.m. slot will be available online for those who are unable to attend in person. Registration will be required for those joining the program virtually. 100 Museum Drive, 757-596-2222. Click here for more information.

 

The Great Food Truck Festival

Centura College - September 18; 11 a.m.

Get ready foodies, Lux Events is returning to the peninsula for our 4th Annual Great Food Truck Festival! The Great Food Truck Festival will feature gourmet food trucks serving a variety of delicious dishes and tasty treats. General admission (12pm-6pm) is $5.00 ($5.45 total including $0.45 transaction fee) per person ages 13 & up. Children 12 and under admitted free. General Event Parking is Free. V.I.P. early admittance tickets (enter festival at 11am) are available for sale for $7.00 per person ($7.75 total including $0.75 transaction fee) and a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three $100 cash prizes awarded at 12:05pm at the DJ Booth (must be present to collect cash). The festival will feature cash prizes, live performances, face painting, balloon twisting, appearances and photo opps with Disney Princesses, and Marvel Superheroes, a DJ, and more! The festival will also feature retail vendors and non-profit exhibitors. 

Shop with our retail vendors for a chance to win one of three $50 cash prizes awarded at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm at the DJ Booth (you do not have to be present to collect prize). A fun event for the whole family! 616 Denbigh Blvd, 757-231-7484. Click here for more information.

 

VIRTUAL National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebracion!

The Mariners’ Museum and Park  - September 18; 1 p.m.

Can’t make the celebration in person? Join us virtually with Erika Cosme, content and interpretation developer. Ven a celebrar con nosotros! Join The Mariners’ Museum and Park in recognizing the substantial contributions, rich traditions, and lush histories of the American Latino community that encompasses Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Come learn why National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15, and the importance of September 15 as a key date in the history of several Latin American countries. When thinking of Latin America and the Caribbean, one may envision beautiful scenery and exotic locales. But more impressive is the heritage and culture of the peoples who make up these communities. As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month throughout September and October, venture with us for a closer look into the history and geography of Latin America and Caribbean. 100 Museum Drive, 757-596-2222. Click here for more information.

Civil War Letters Home

Newport News Park  - September 18; 2 p.m.

Come out to the Newport News Discovery Center. Meet the park naturalist at the Newport News Park Discovery Center for a talk on Civil War Letters Home. Free, no registration required. The program is free of charge and great activity for preschoolers or homeschoolers. Social distancing and masks required. 13560 Jefferson Avenue, 757-886-7916.

September 19th

Bird Walk

Newport News Park  - September 19; 7 a.m.

Join other bird enthusiasts and enjoy viewing birds in their natural habitat. No experience necessary! The group meets in Picnic Area 1, behind the ranger station at Newport News Park, but may drive to other areas of the park during the program. Dress for the weather, bring water and hand sanitizer, and don't forget your binoculars! When you get home, share your best photos with us on Instagram. Use #nnvirtualbirdwalk and #nnparks for possible feature! You can also post them here in this event. Co-hosted by the Hampton Roads Bird Club.13560 Jefferson Avenue, 757-886-7916 . Click here more information.

 

Fall Native Plant Sale

Virginia Living Museum - September 19; 9 a.m.

Free and open to the public. No admission required. Choose from an incredible array of beautiful and unusual native plants for a variety of garden sites and styles, from wet ponds to dry rock gardens. Many of these are excellent plants for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife to your yard. The Virginia Living Museum’s horticulture staff holds this annual sale as a fund-raiser, but the real goal is to introduce the gardening public to the incredible variety of native plants that will do well in the landscape, and to educate gardeners about those which are better left in the wild. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900. Click here for more information.

 

Jazz  Concert Series: Jennifer Gammill Quartet

Port Warwick - September 19; 3 p.m.

Bring your lawn chairs (no tents) and pack a picnic and your choice of beverages. The Event is BYOB. Food Trucks will be on hand. Come and enjoy a relaxing afternoon of Jazz on the Square. 3100 William Styron Square. Click here for more information.

September 20th

Maritime Mondays

The Mariners’ Museum and Park  - September 20; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hop online for a reading adventure every Monday! Fun for both children and caregivers, enjoy a book reading with Lauren T. Furey, Manager of Visitor Engagement, and discover an interesting artifact from our Museum’s Collection! Designed for children from 18 months to 8 years, Lauren takes you and your little mariners on a journey to show how we are all connected to the world’s waters. FREE. Pre-registration is required. Be sure to register in advance, and join us for a new book every week! 100 Museum Drive, 757-596-2222. Click here for more information.

 

 

September 22nd  

Warwick County Historical Society

Lee Hall Train Depot - September 22; 11:30 a.m.

Open to the public and this month’s meeting will feature a talk by Michael Moore on the Depot’s history with a self-guided tour. Boxed lunches are available. 9 Elmhurst Street, 757-888-3371. Click here for more information

 

 

Continuing Events

Butterfly Haven

Virginia Living Museum - Open through early October; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Guests will experience the beauty of the seasonal BUTTERFLY HAVEN, a 14′ x 24′ butterfly enclosure located alongside the Virginia Garden just outside the Wason Education Center. The exciting new exhibit will engage guests of all ages as they immerse themselves in a world of butterflies and plants! The house will support the Museum’s conservation efforts to preserve pollinating species such as the Monarch Butterfly. The initiative also supports education and awareness for the challenged annual Monarch butterfly migration due to deforestation in Mexico, extreme climate fluctuations in North America, and the growth of herbicide-based agriculture destroying crucial milkweed flora in the Midwest. Cost: included in museum admission

524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, 757-595-1900. Click here for more information.