23 Venues Offer Arts Experiences During First Fridays of the Valley December 5

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) delightedly announces its December First Fridays of the Valley lineup, including a variety of arts experiences at 23 venues throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County!

Find a list of venues, online map, and additional information about Dec 5 events at valleyarts.org/first-fridays-of-the-valley/. Thanks so much to Kathy Moran Wealth Group: 2025 First Fridays of the Valley Exclusive Sponsor.

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

• Asbury United Methodist Church (205 S Main St) opens Everyday Ordinary People, an exhibition featuring acrylic paintings by Arnita Taliaferro. Meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments at the reception. asburydowntown.org
• Being Financial (328 S Main St, Ste 101) introduces Master Meyer In Real Life, an exhibition of functional wood art by Dennis Meyer. Visit the opening reception from 4 to 7 pm to peruse the works, sample refreshments, and meet the artist. being-financial.com

• Bridgewater Retirement Community (210 Virginia Ave – Bridgewater) hosts an Open House celebrating the holiday season with a wide array of decorated Christmas trees throughout the Houff Community Center. Stop by and admire the creative festivity and partake of light refreshments. brcliving.org/exploring-campus/
• City of Harrisonburg (409 S Main St) promotes art in the community while emphasizing the importance of fire safety with the 17th Annual Fire Safety Art Contest exhibition. Swing by the lobby of City Hall to check out 41 works selected - out of a recordbreaking 300 submitted - by Harrisonburg City elementary and middle school students; meet the artists; and enjoy refreshments.
• Explore More Discovery Museum (150 S Main St) is gearing up for a fun and festive evening of crafting; stop by with the art-loving kids in your life for Gingerbread Man Ornament Making. iexploremore.com
• Friendly City Clay & Art Center (1157 S High St) opens Hope, with works by members and instructors - many of whom you’ll have the opportunity to meet during the opening reception. friendlycityclay.com
• Friendly City Food Co-op (150 E Wolfe St) welcomes you to an opening reception for The Center Cannot Hold by Emily Johnson. Connect with this exhibition of quilted works in the cafe gallery and enjoy light refreshments from the store. friendlycity.coop/harrisonburg-events-classes/
• Furious Flower Poetry Center (500 Cardinal Drive) shares History Repeating Repeating in the Broadside Gallery. Explore this moving collection of poetry and art; chat with curator and Furious Flower Program and Operations Manager Jazmin Witherspoon; and sample refreshments while you attend this reception. jmu.edu/furiousflower/broadside-gallery/current-exhibit.shtml
• Gaines Group Architects (141 W Bruce St, Suite 201) celebrates First Friday and the holiday season with its annual Holiday Party and an opening reception for Subjective Beauty - mixed media works by Lauren Henderson. Get to know the exhibiting artist; also peruse works by Rosie Clark and Moriah Asbridge; enjoy live music from Red Wing Academy; partake of refreshments; and catch a special visit from Santa Claus. The fun this month takes place on both the first and second floors. thegainesgroup.com/december-first-fridays-and-holiday-party-at-the-depot/
• 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.” Visit the store to enjoy a live a cappella performance. facebook.com/events/1466520447792066
• The Golden Pony (181 N Main St) debuts Derelict Transmissions Presented by Porter Electric: a Collection of Prints and Originals by Chris Porter; stop by the opening reception from 6 to 8 pm and peruse a brand new exhibition of paintings and prints. Refreshments will be available. goldenponyva.com
• Hess Financial (380 E Market St) displays mixed media artwork by the late Bill Shumway in Pegasus Rising. At the opening reception, learn about this prolific artist through his featured works and by chatting with his daughter, Hess Financial’s own Robyn Hill. Refreshments will be available. facebook.com/events/25207303302245694/
• Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) showcases a collaborative exhibition of oil, watercolor, and pastel paintings by Donna Detrich & Karen Moyer in Moments in Life. Explore the artwork and chat with the artists in the mezzanine gallery from 5 to 7 pm; enjoy live vocals, guitar & percussion by acoustic duo Smith Avenue (Cameron Church & Graham McDowell) playing originals and genre favorite folk covers in the hotel lobby 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) introduces Forms to Faces Jana: The Chromatic Kannada Wood Typeface with a hands-on letterpress technique workshop from 4 to 5 pm and an opening reception from 5 to 7 pm. Meet artist Zenab Bastawala, explore the exhibition of vibrant letterpress works, and enjoy light refreshments. facebook.com/events/1154814893442305/
• Mashita (105 N Liberty St) invites you to stop by the restaurant and check out It Must Be A Sign, an exhibition of hand-painted aluminum and glitter-dusted glass works by Jimmy Bruce. eatmashita.com/
• Northwestern Mutual (83 S Main St) features artist Julia Koehler with a collection of her mixed media and acrylic works. Meet the artist and enjoy this month’s exhibition during the opening reception. northwesternmutual.com
• North Wing Gallery at Sage Bird Ciderworks (325 N Liberty St) celebrates the Friendly City with an opening reception for the second Greetings from Harrisonburg group art show. From 5 to 8 pm, savor works in a variety of media by 18 artists sharing the Harrisonburg moments that move them; enjoy complimentary charcuterie; and meet the creative humans behind the art. facebook.com/events/1906144783448601
• OASIS Fine Art & Craft (103 S Main St) kicks off December with Artful Giving, an annual holiday exhibition of works in a variety of media by OASIS members. Live music by Simply Folk, time with the exhibiting artists, and tasty refreshments make this a very merry opening reception. facebook.com/events/826905573417045
• Pale Fire Brewing Co (217 S Liberty St, Ste 105) exhibits photography by Tony DiStefano in Small things that matter. Connect with these poignant works during the opening reception. palefirebrewing.com
• Rootstock Wine Bar and Provisions (86 W Gay St) welcomes your visit to an opening reception for Wild Things, a collaborative exhibition amongst artists Pat Augsburger, Cynda Valle, and Aga Elliott. Delight in oil paintings galore and enjoy a free wine tasting. facebook.com/events/1498057681455823/
• Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St) hosts a holiday reception for its 10th Annual ACV Artist Member Exhibition; stop by to admire works in a variety of media by 52 Arts Council of the Valley Artist Members and enjoy cider and sweet treats to close out ACV’s 25th Anniversary year-long celebration. valleyarts.org/smith-house-galleries-current-exhibition
• Three Notch’d Valley Collab House (241 E Market St) invites you to check out Paintings by Caris, an exhibition of artwork by Caris Omiecinski. Converse with the artist and admire her works at this First Friday opening reception. threenotchdbrewing.com
• Walkabout Outfitter (90 N Main St) features Live Music with Daniel Inal; enjoy a live performance by Daniel Inal in the shop throughout the evening. walkaboutoutfitter.com

Other 2025 First Fridays of the Valley venues are: Aristocat Cafe, Arts Incarnate, Chestnut Ridge Coffee Roasters, Court Square Theater, Creative Art Studio and Event Center (Bridgewater), Draime Fine Art Studio School, Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art, Fairfield Mediation Center, The Frame Factory & Gallery, Friendly City Real Estate Services, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Horizon Gifts, Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It, Park Gables Gallery at VMRC, Rebecca’s Well Gift Shop (Bridgewater), Stoney Run Artisans & Highland Designs (McGaheysville), Ten Thousand Villages, 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 $524,800 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.