The Summer Arts Festival (a joint effort by Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg) was established in 1991. This Festival is held each summer beginning in late May and ending in late August. This year's events will provide New River Valley residents, Tech faculty/staff/students, conference attendees, and tourists with an attractive array of arts and cultural attractions. These include: live theatre productions; gallery exhibitions at the Perspective Gallery and the Armory Art Gallery; outdoor musical concerts on the Virginia Tech drillfield, an Independence Day Celebration sponsored by the Town of Blacksburg; the Steppin' Out Street Festival sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association; and three classic films sponsored by and being shown at The Lyric Theatre on College Avenue.
The devoted and consistent attendance at all the events offered by the Summer Arts Festival more than demonstrates the public's desire for the kind of events that the SAF provides for citizens of the Greater Blacksburg/Virginia Tech community in the summer.
It is our hope, with the continued support and funding of Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg, with the devoted attendance by our community, and with the wide variety of tremendous talent in and around the New River Valley, that the Summer Arts Festival will continue to grow strong and flourish and become a welcome tradition for many years to come.
Cordially, E. Jane Harrison, Producer, Summer Arts Festival
Updates!
Check back in April, 2010 for an update on the 2010 Summer Arts Festival!!
NOTE: SAF CONCERTS ARE COMING HOME TO HENDERSON LAWN!!!
Persons with disabilities desiring accommodations should contact (540) 231-5921 (TDD/RC 800-828-1411) M-F, 10AM - 4 PM. Please make requests at least 72 hours prior to the event.
Events Information
Music - Theatre - Art -
Classic Movies - Special Events
Scroll down for full details.
"Friday Night Out" Concerts
All concerts are presented by the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts & Cinema and the Town of Blacksburg as part of the Summer Arts Festival. The concerts will be located on Henderson Lawn (Corner of Main St. & College Avenue in downtown Blacksburg) this Summer. The rain site for all concerts is in the Old Dominion Ballroom, located on the first floor of the Squires Student Center. Music begins at 6 PM and ends at 7:30 PM. For more information, call 231-5921.
Time: 6:00 PM-7:30 PM
Admission: Free
Venue: VIRGINIA TECH DRILLFIELD
May 29, 2009:
Gerry Timlin (Irish, Canadian, American and Australian Folk Music)
June 5, 2009:
Island Pan and Panjammers (Steel Drum Orchestra)
June 12, 2009:
Crossties (Bluegrass Band)
June 19, 2009:
No Strings Attached (eclectic and jazz on acoustic instruments)
June 26, 2009:
Key West Band (Caribbean Rock)
July 10, 2009:
Front Porch Swing (hillbilly swing, blues, and jazz)
July 17, 2009:
Dixie Power Trio (Dixieland Jazz)
July 24, 2009:
Blues Agents (Variety Band)
July 31, 2009:
Summer Musical Enterprise
(Excerpts from "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat" and songs from past musicals)
Theatre Productions
The theatre performances are presented by the Department of Theatre Arts at Virginia Tech as part of the Summer Arts Festival. Check individual performances for show time and venue. All theatre performances are free and open to the public. No tickets are required.
"WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF" written by Tom McCabe and directed by Michael Anthony Williams
SQUIRES STUDIO THEATRE
Friday, June 19 @ 7:00 pm
Saturday, June 20 @ 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday, June 21 @ 2:00 pm
Friday, June 26 @ 7:00 pm
Saturday, June 27 @ 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday, June 28 @ 2:00 pm
CRC AMPHITHEATER
Wednesday, June 24 @ 1:00 pm
Thursday, June 25 @ 1:00 pm
Art Exhibits
The art exhibits are presented by the Virginia Tech School of Visual Arts and the Virginia Tech Perspective Gallery as part of the Summer Arts Festival. All art exhibits are free and open to the public.
PERSPECTIVE ART GALLERY
2nd Floor, Squires Student Center
Open: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 am-6 pm, Friday, 10 am-10 pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 2 pm-10 pm
"Material Fabrications"
by Elaine Fleck
Award winning Roanoke artist, Elaine Fleck, displays intricately surfaced work with themes both personal and surreal.
Show runs from: June 1-July 1, 2009
"New Work by Jennifer Collins"
Local Painter, Jennifer Collins, explores personal and spiritual themes in a new body of work.
Show runs from: July 3-August 5, 2009
ARMORY ART GALLERY
201 Draper Road
Open: Tuesday-Friday, 12 noon-6 pm, Saturday, 12 noon-4 pm
"Selected Views"
by George Preston Frazier
Works from Virginia Tech and Private Collections
Show runs from: June 3-July 10, 2009
"Conversations with Liz Ferrell"
SOVA alumni Heath Ballowe continues the Converstion with Rhode Island School of Design printmaker, Liz Ferrell
Show runs from: July 21-August 28, 2009
Classic Movies
The classic movies are presented by The Lyric Theatre, 135 College Avenue in Downtown Blacksburg. These classic movies are being shown at The Lyric Theatre as part of the Summer Arts Festival. All classic movie presentations are free and open to the public. For information please call The Lyric Theatre at (540) 951-0604.
"Singin' in the Rain" - June 13 & 17@ 3:00 pm
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" - July 18 & 22@ 3:00 pm
"Vertigo" - August 15 & 19@ 3:00 pm
Special Events
The special events include an Independence Day celebration, the Summer Solstice Fest, Art Along the Alley, and the annual Steppin' Out street festival. All special events are presented by the Town of Blacksburg and the Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg as part of the Summer Arts Festival. All special events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 231-5921.
June 20, 2009:
Summer Solstice Fest
July 4, 2009:
Independence Day Celebration
July 17 & 18, 2009:
Art Along the Alley
August 7 & 8, 2009:
Steppin' Out Street Festival
Venues
(Unless otherwise indicated on the individual venue, please call 540-231-5921 for further information)
Armory Art Gallery
Draper Road
Downtown Blacksburg
Individuals or groups seeking to make special arrangements to visit the Armory Art Gallery should call the School of Visual Arts at (540) 231-5547, M-F, 9AM - 4 PM.
College Avenue
off Main St.
Downtown Blacksburg
Haymarket Theatre
Squires Student Center
Campus
Henderson Lawn
College Avenue
Downtown Blacksburg
Lyric Theatre
135 College Avenue
Downtown Blacksburg
Call (540) 951-0604
Old Dominion Ballroom
First Floor
Squires Student Center
Campus
Perspective Art Gallery
Squires Student Center, Second Floor
Campus
Call (540) 961-6040 for more information
Virginia Tech Drillfield (middle of VT campus)
Rain site: Old Dominion Ballroom-Squires Student Center
Studio Theatre
Squires Student Center
Campus