22 Venues Offer Arts Experiences During First Fridays of the Valley September 5

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) is thrilled to share its September First Fridays of the Valley lineup, including a variety of arts experiences at 22 venues throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County! Check out the list of venues, online map, and additional information about Sept 5 events at valleyarts.org/first-fridays-of-the-valley/. Thanks to Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Exclusive Sponsor for the 2025 First Fridays of the Valley program.

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

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• Asbury United Methodist Church (205 S Main St) features artist Tiffany Knupp with an exhibition of photography: Created Things. Meet the artist and enjoy refreshments during the reception. asburydowntown.org
• Bridgewater Retirement Community (210 Virginia Ave, Bridgewater) invites you to stop by for a one-night-only event celebrating Artistry in Wood, a woodworking exhibition - by Bridgewater Retirement Community WoodWerks - with pieces highlighting artistic expression from natural origins. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments. brcliving.org
• City of Harrisonburg (409 S Main St) showcases Paint the Park: photographs, by Kylie Hulver and Jessica Newman, highlighting moments from the Paint the Park event held on May 8, 2025. The exhibited photos feature artwork painted by community members during the farewell event for Purcell Park’s Kid's Castle prior to the play structure being taken down. Explore the artwork and meet the photographers. harrisonburgva.gov/first-fridays
• Court Square Theater (41-F Court Square) welcomes Rocktown Improv back to the stage for an evening of hilarity and fun; join these talented actors and improv artists for a live, unscripted performance fueled by 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
• The Frame Factory & Gallery (139 N Liberty St, Ste 101) features two new exhibitions throughout September and October: Parallel Play by Mary Yoder and This House has Always been Haunted by Kate Duffy. Peruse paintings and screenprints; chat with the artists; and enjoy refreshments at the opening reception. facebook.com/events/2028658084623305
• Friendly City Food Co-op (150 Wolfe St) offers new featured artwork, refreshments, and camaraderie at an opening reception for Around the Valley, an exhibition by Bruce Stambaugh. Get to know the artist and admire photography honoring landscapes, flowers, and sunsets from around the Shenandoah Valley. friendlycity.coop/event/first-friday-around-the-valley-by-bruce-stambaugh/
• Furious Flower Poetry Center (500 Cardinal Drive) shares Language, Learning, Lineage, curated by Richard Morrell, in the Broadside Gallery. Connect with these poetry broadsides, meet the curator, and sample light refreshments during the opening reception. jmu.edu/furiousflower
• Gaines Group Architects (141 W Bruce St, Suite 201) highlights Everyday Beauty, an exhibition of watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media works by J. Brooke Chao. Converse with the artist and enjoy light refreshments. thegainesgroup.com/september-first-fridays-at-the-depot-featuring-j-brooke-chao/
• Gift & Thrift (731 Mount Clinton Pike) invites you to participate in Interactive Music with Mike Deaton - a live, hands-on, music-making endeavor! Join the musician-led activity at 5:15 pm and again at 6 pm. All ages are welcome - no experience necessary - and accessible instruments are provided. facebook.com/events/1065888955748514
• Hess Financial (380 E Market St) opens Pastoral Patterns, featuring watercolor works by Kristen Colebank. Have a look around this exhibition of traditional watercolor landscapes and smaller abstracted works, each one appreciating the beauty of rural environments. The opening reception includes refreshments and a chance to meet the artist. facebook.com/events/694684316935067/
• Horizon Gifts and Board Games (60 W Market St) introduces Art Work by Doris Cramer Cline; this exhibition of nature-inspired watercolor and acrylic works opens with a reception including refreshments and time with the artist. facebook.com/horizongiftshburg
• Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) debuts A Colorful Collection by Wendy Lam with an opening reception in the mezzanine gallery. View the featured acrylic, oil, and watercolor paintings from 5 to 7pm, then head to the hotel lobby for live music by vocalist & guitarist Ebony Nicole - who will be performing folk & rock classics as well as original songs - from 6 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) displays Interdisciplinary Faculty Work, featuring Haley Davis, Eric Guinivan, and Casey Cangelosi. During the opening reception, meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and see a pop-up exhibition of crank boxes created by Judith Ofcarcik (whose work will only be on view for First Friday). facebook.com/events/771834761855076/
• Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It (125 W Water St) celebrates the return of the “annual(ish)” Koozie Show! Visit the opening reception for The Koozie Show: A Good Day To Chill Hard, an exhibition of screenprinted koozies designed by various local artists (three of whom will receive awards during the reception itself). Refreshments will be available. facebook.com/events/1182772170326030
• Mashita (105 N Liberty St) hosts artwork by Patrick Simmons in September; admire the acrylic and spray paint creations of Breathe Deep, Stay Calm during your visit to the restaurant. eatmashita.com
• Northwestern Mutual (83 S Main St) invites you to stop by an opening reception for Rachel Bernstein’s featured exhibition at Northwestern Mutual Gallery. northwesternmutual.com/office/va/harrisonburg/86244590/
• North Wing Gallery at Sage Bird Ciderworks (325 N Liberty St) opens Still Joy by Mary Dean Hairston; check out the multimedia paintings and meet the artist from 5 to 8 pm. Complimentary charcuterie will be available. sagebirdciderworks.com/event-details/first-friday-art-opening-4
• OASIS Fine Art & Craft (103 S Main St) welcomes your visit to Delaney Westwood’s latest exhibition of fluid acrylic paintings: Entre Mundos. The works of this show address “interdimensional perspectives and the dynamic, illusory, and ever-changing nature of reality.” Enjoy the artwork, refreshments, time with the artist, and live music by Cousin Jimmy’s Stringband at the opening reception. facebook.com/events/702651206106878
• Pale Fire Brewing Co (217 S Liberty St, Ste 105) showcases visual and performing arts: join in the festivity of an opening reception from 5 to 7 pm for artist Jennifer Rucinski’s exhibition of acrylic and charcoal works, When the World Wearies and Ceases to Satisfy. Then, enjoy live music from The Junkyard Jones from 7 to 10 pm. Refreshments will be available. facebook.com/events/991854872968150
• Rootstock Wine Bar and Provisions (86 W Gay St) features a fresh exhibition in September, celebrating new oil paintings by Pat Augsburger with A Few of my Favorite Things. Make a visit to the opening reception to get to know the artist, sample refreshments, and enjoy a free wine tasting. facebook.com/events/1091434526297312
• Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St) opens two new exhibitions: An Edom Hills Almanac: A Year of Painting Outside by Rebecca Gish and Print Stories by Katelyn Wood. Stop by the opening reception to admire Wood’s printed works and Gish’s paintings; chat with the artists; and partake of light refreshments. While you’re here, make a stop in the sculpture yard behind the Smith House to join Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley in celebrating their 10-year anniversary with a Birthday Kickoff! valleyarts.org/smith-house-galleries-current-exhibition, facebook.com/events/1972740503528366
• Walkabout Outfitter (90 N Main St) hosts live music in the shop! Enjoy vocals and acoustic guitar by musician Josh Mullins throughout the evening. walkaboutoutfitter.com

Other 2025 First Fridays of the Valley participating venues are: Aristocat Cafe, Arts Incarnate, BeFi, Chestnut Ridge Coffee Roasters, Creative Art Studio and Event Center (Bridgewater), Draime Fine Art Studio School, Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art, Explore More Discovery Museum, Fairfield Mediation Center, Friendly City Clay & Art Center, Friendly City Real Estate Services, The Golden Pony, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Park Gables Gallery at VMRC, Rebecca’s Well Gift Shop, Stoney Run Artisans & Highland Designs (McGaheysville), Ten Thousand Villages, 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.