Entertainment Tonight!
While outdoor adventures for visitors are abundant in this area, it would be a mistake to overlook the concerts, stage performances, movies, and other festivities we offer. Here are some entertainment highlights to choose from, if you feel the urge to leave your cabin.
JULY 4th FESTIVITIES
In Luray, Independence Day frivolity includes: an annual Children’s Parade at Inn Lawn Park from 5: 00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Fireworks Display at dusk on Mechanic Street and the Greenway; and a free Party on the Plaza at Performing Arts Luray, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. featuring classic rock from Thundergun.
July 3 – 6 is the 53rd annual Stanley Homecoming. Expect a carnival, live bands, pageants, rides, food, games and more. (Students of Shenandoah National Park history will want to know that Stanley’s Ed Good Memorial Park is the site of a monument to 135 Page County families, who once lived or owned land in the mountains now within the Shenandoah National Park boundary.)
STAGE AND SCREEN
Concerts, plays, comedy acts and other stage productions are all on the schedule this summer at Performing Arts Luray. Catch the Summer Comedy Special July 6 or the Wizard of Oz starting August 9. See the full lineup here.
Community theater at its best can be found at Trackside Theater. This summer see Annie Jr. performances July 26-28 and August 2-4 (at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 pm on Sundays). Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more.
Movies on Main—Free outdoor movies on selected dates at Ruffner Plaza, all starting at 8:30 p.m. See: ET on July 11, Up on July 25, Charlotte’s Web on August 8, and the Wizard of Oz on August 22nd.
LIVE MUSIC
Evenings on Main—Starting in June and held on alternate Fridays until October 25th, the Evenings on Main Concert Series is held at Performing Arts Luray, on Main Street, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A great (free) opportunity to hear local musicians in a casual outdoor setting. See the performers here.
Cooter’s Good Ol Boys Fest—On August 10-11 at the Shenandoah Speedway, see the cars and stars of the Dukes of Hazzard, plus country music special guests. From the Dukes cast will be Tom Wopat (Luke Duke), Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke), Ben Jones (Cooter), Sonny Shroyer (Deputy Enos) and Rick Hurst (Deputy Cletus). If you’ve never seen the General Lee in flight, this is your chance. General admission tickets are $45 for a two-day pass, $35 for a single day pass, and $15 for a two-day kids pass (3-12 years old).
On selected dates all summer, sample superb Virginia wine and hear “Music Under the Arbor” at Wisteria Farm and Vineyard, a few minutes south of Luray. Everything from Bluegrass and Country to Irish folk tunes, all played in the idyllic setting of a working farm and vineyard.
Page Valley Arts Council
This all-volunteer group celebrates and advances the arts and cultural heritage of the area. Live music and other artistic exhibits, fairs, shops, etc. are all promoted on their calendar. Live music can be heard at a number of local restaurants, the Warehouse Art Gallery and other venues. See their listings here.
The Speakeasy and the Mimslyn Inn
Enjoy excellent casual dining and hear authentic local music at The Speakeasy frequently, and plan on some special festivities upstairs at the Mimslyn—a Dinner Show and Dance featuring Elvis on July 6; the Blackberry Festival with live bands on July 20; and a Motown Dinner and Show on July 6.
Page Valley Agricultural and Industrial Fair— From August 18 – 24, at the Page County Fairgrounds, celebrate the many aspects of rural life: youth livestock shows, fresh local produce stands, arts and crafts, live music from Blue Ridge Thunder and many others, tractor pulls, a wine festival, and dozens of other exhibits, races, pageants and performances.
