22 Venues Offer Arts Experiences During First Fridays of the Valley November 7

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) is thrilled to announce its November First Fridays of the Valley lineup, including a variety of arts experiences at 22 venues throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County! Find a list of venues, online map, and additional information about Nov 7 events at valleyarts.org/first-fridays-of-the-valley/. Thanks to 2025 First Fridays of the Valley Exclusive Sponsor Kathy Moran Wealth Group.

The following First Fridays of the Valley venues plan to offer arts experiences Friday, Nov 7. Unless otherwise noted, events are scheduled 5-7 pm.

• Asbury United Methodist Church (205 S Main St) continues The Spice of “My” Life, an exhibition of works in acrylic by Doris Martin. Meet the artist at the reception. asburydowntown.org
• City of Harrisonburg (409 S Main St) exhibits 2025 Show of Gratitude: an annual gathering of the year's featured artists - some with new works to display - as a "thank-you" to the City of Harrisonburg for providing space to share creative works in City Hall. Visit the opening reception to meet the artists. harrisonburgva.gov/first-fridays
• Court Square Theater (41-F Court Square) hosts an unscripted evening of frivolity and fun with Rocktown Improv, talented actors and improv artists who create improvisational scenes through games and audience suggestions! The show begins at 7:30 pm (doors open at 7 pm). A $5 donation at the door is appreciated. courtsquaretheater.org/event/rocktown-improv
• Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art (820 S Main St) hosts m(other)ing, a group graphic design exhibition co-curated by Feixue Mei, Meaghan Dee, and Bree McMahon and featuring zines, posters, and works in mixed media. jmu.edu/dukehallgallery
• The Frame Factory & Gallery (139 N Liberty St, Ste 101) opens Tarot-sonburg, an exhibition of works in a variety of media - from 78 local and regional artists - inspired by randomly-selected tarot cards. Visit between 5 and 8 pm to check out the works, partake of some snacks, meet the artists, and enjoy a few other special opening reception surprises. facebook.com/events/1836620433618077
• Friendly City Food Co-op (150 E Wolfe St) highlights photography on canvas by Geraldine Suter in Close Up. Admire works showcasing the beauty in the ordinary during the opening reception - where you can also meet the artist and sample refreshments from the store. facebook.com/events/1168387678515754
• Friendly City Real Estate Services (525 E Market St) welcomes you to an opening reception for Still Waters, Living Lines by Grace Morgan. Check out Morgan’s observant watercolor paintings; enjoy refreshments; and chat with the artist. friendlycityres.com
• Furious Flower Poetry Center (500 Cardinal Drive) debuts Furious Flower Poetry Broadside Gallery: History Repeating Repeating. Discover this moving collection of poetry and art; get to know curator and Furious Flower Program and Operations Manager Jazmin Witherspoon; and partake of light refreshments during the opening reception. facebook.com/events/835081185643003
• Gaines Group Architects (141 W Bruce St, Suite 201) introduces Bruce Stambaugh’s exhibition of photography honoring several of the countless “photo-worthy” scenes in the Shenandoah Valley: Valley Moments. See them for yourself - and meet the artist - during the opening reception. Refreshments will be available. thegainesgroup.com/november-first-fridays-at-the-depot-featuring-bruce-stambaugh/
• Gift & Thrift (731 Mount Clinton Pike) hosts VOICE, a Harrisonburg-based nonprofit community musical organization striving to “marry the Arts with the art of giving back.” Stop by the store to enjoy a live a cappella performance. facebook.com/events/1984197929098143
• Horizon Gifts and Board Games (60 W Market St) displays imaginative photography and digital art by Sean O'Brien throughout November. Chat with the artist, see his featured artwork, and enjoy refreshments during the opening reception. instagram.com/horizongiftshburg
• Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) invites you to the opening reception for Moments in Life, a collaborative exhibition of oil, watercolor, and pastel paintings by Donna Dietrich & Karen Moyer. Enjoy time with the artists and their works in the mezzanine from 5 to 7 pm, with live folk/folkrock vocals and acoustic guitar by Jane Cox in the hotel lobby from 5:30 to 8 pm. Food and beverages are available for purchase at Quills lobby bar and Monty’s Restaurant. hotelmadison.com
• JMU @ Harrisonburg Innovation Hub (25 N Liberty St) opens JMU Professional Practice Studio Art Students, a new exhibition of paintings and multimedia works by James Madison University Studio Art Students. Partake of light refreshments at the opening reception. facebook.com/events/783364127825227/
• Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It (125 W Water St) welcomes you to an opening reception for Miniature Paintings by Ver Ikeseh. Meet the artist and appreciate his featured exhibition of energizing, story-filled works. facebook.com/events/795619999871530/
• Northwestern Mutual (83 S Main St) exhibits Little Worlds: Surreal Mixed Media Collage by Laura Thompson; explore the surreal works and converse with artist Laura Thompson during the opening reception. northwesternmutual.com
• North Wing Gallery at Sage Bird Ciderworks (325 N Liberty St) kicks off November with the installation of painted works created by Emily Guinn over the past 12 months in This Time, This Year. Pop into the 5-8 pm opening reception to take a look around works dedicated to the things that the artist has found “inspiring and hopeful about being human” this year; meet the artist; and enjoy complimentary charcuterie. facebook.com/events/1616079549017607/1616079592350936/
• OASIS Fine Art & Craft (103 S Main St) continues OASIS 25th Anniversary Celebration - Local Pieces, Shared Heart with a joyful, music- and art-filled reception. Joined this month with a performance by musical guests Frederick Road, OASIS features mosaics created by community members - businesses, schools, organizations, churches, restaurants and friend groups. Refreshments will be available. facebook.com/events/779468248227647
• Pale Fire Brewing Co (217 S Liberty St, Ste 105) shows Rachel Bernstein’s Wildlife Minis, with an opening reception for this photography exhibition from 5 to 7 pm. Stick around for live music by The Norms at 7 pm. palefirebrewing.com
• Rootstock Wine Bar and Provisions (86 W Gay St) invites you to experience varied landscapes from around the world with My Favorite Places: an exhibition of photography by Rachel Bernstein. Find mountains, hills, coastlines, and more when you visit the opening reception; enjoy a free wine tasting. facebook.com/events/1548495026308636/
• Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St) opens its 10th Annual ACV Artist Member Exhibition; visit the opening reception to admire works in a variety of media by 52 Arts Council of the Valley Artist Members; meet the makers behind the art; and enjoy light refreshments. valleyarts.org/smith-house-galleries-current-exhibition
• Ten Thousand Villages (181 S Main St) celebrates First Friday with a one-night-only event featuring Serena Manickam of Fairydiddle Farm; peruse the artist’s handmade crafts and garden preserves. tenthousandvillages.com/harrisonburg
• Walkabout Outfitter (90 N Main St) features Live Music with Travis Valle; enjoy live guitar and vocals in the shop throughout the evening. walkaboutoutfitter.com

Other 2025 First Fridays of the Valley participating venues are: Aristocat Cafe, Arts Incarnate, BeFi, Bridgewater Retirement Community (Bridgewater), Chestnut Ridge Coffee Roasters, Creative Art Studio and Event Center (Bridgewater), Draime Fine Art Studio School, Explore More Discovery Museum, Fairfield Mediation Center, Friendly City Clay & Art Center, The Golden Pony, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Hess Financial, Mashita, Park Gables Gallery at VMRC, Rebecca’s Well Gift Shop (Bridgewater), Stoney Run Artisans & Highland Designs (McGaheysville), Three Notch’d Valley Collab House, and The Wing Gallery at The Perch.

Arts Council of the Valley is located at 311 South Main Street in Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia. Programs are supported in part by ACV 25th Anniversary Presenting Sponsor Kathy Moran Wealth Group, and 25th Anniversary Visionary Sponsor Riner Rentals.

A 501(c)3 nonprofit, ACV is dedicated to cultivating the arts, creating experiences, and connecting communities throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Since it was established in 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools, and artists. Today, ACV manages Court Square Theater and Smith House Galleries, funds local art projects through its Advancing the Arts grant program (awarding more than $518,300 since 2001), supports public art initiatives, and coordinates monthly First Fridays of the Valley community gatherings.

ACV is supported in part by the City of Harrisonburg, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. To learn more, visit valleyarts.org.

This press release was provided by Martha Hemingway at Arts Council of the Valley.