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Arts Council of the Valley announces First Fridays Downtown events for May

Arts Council of the Valley’s May First Fridays Downtown features in-person options throughout the month at several locations, with other venues offering virtual arts experiences – or a combination of the two.

A First Fridays Downtown interactive map provides information on each venue (valleyarts.org/first-fridays-map).

Arts experiences during May include:

Arts Council of the Valley

  • Arts Incarnate (292 N. Liberty St.) will host an outdoor concert – weather permitting – May 7 at 7 p.m., featuring Americana/Folk/Indie music by Ears to the Ground, with special guest Jessamyn Day (artsincarnate.com/events/ears-to-the-ground-family).
  • The little Gallery Underground (JMU Music Library 880 S. Main St.) is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Drawings by JMU students are on display in Playlist: Wavelength. Contact JMU Parking (jmu.edu/parking) to park on campus. Or, visit online (facebook.com/ThelittleGalleryUnderground).
  • OASIS Fine Art & Craft plans an opening reception for its Shenandoah Valley Watercolor Society exhibition Friday, May 7, 5 to 8 p.m.
  • Park Gables Gallery at VMRC announces a virtual exhibition of photography by Deborah Pugh, The Keeper of Secret Selves (vmrc.org/keeper-exhibit).
  • Smith House Galleries hosts an online-only exhibition May 3-28 of photography by nine Rocktown Camera Club members (valleyarts.org/current-exhibition). The exhibition is sponsored by United Bank.
  • Ten Thousand Villages (181 S. Main St.) will hold an in-person opening reception 5-7 p.m. May 7 for Texture-dimensions by Chris Hoover-Siedel, who uses macrame and a variety of other materials (https://www.tenthousandvillages.com/harrisonburg).
  • The Virginia Quilt Museum (301 S. Main St.) explores “What’s in a Word” through a virtual tour of quilts that play with words in different ways. The museum is open for in-person visits Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (youtube.com/watch?v=OM55_HWmlY4)
  • Wilson Downtown Gallery (83 S. Main St.) offers a chance to view watercolor, pen, and acrylic works by Rebecca Pence. How Did You Get Here?” is open Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm, and online at wilsondowntowngallery.com.

Other 2021 First Fridays Downtown participating venues include: Dancing With Karen, Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Heritage Bakery & Cafe, Hess Financial, Horizon Gifts, Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center, Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It, The Oliver Art House (in Broadway), Restless Moons Brewing, and Rockingham Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.

Coordinated by ACV, First Fridays Downtown is a full-year community event, including 20 participating venues and bringing arts experiences – virtually and in-person – to hundreds of people of all ages each first Friday.

Support is provided by ACV’s 2021 Cultivating the Arts Platinum Sponsors Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Matchbox Realty, and Riner Rentals.

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