CVILLE Weekly | August 6 - 12, 2025 by C-VILLE Weekly

UVA chooses interim president, creates committee for hire P.9

CHARLOTTESVILLE’S FREE NEWS AND ARTS WEEKLY

CAAR report: Area home sales still flat while prices rise P.15

Creativity flows for Tim Michel, whose work taps into water P.31

Gentleman Jim

Charlottesville remembers Jim Waive as a rare talent without ego

AUGUST 6 – 12, 2025

AARON FARRINGTON

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Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly. Charlottesville has always had a strong rhythm running through it—a pulse that beats in backroom bars and on downtown stages, in porch jams and late-night radio waves. For more than two decades, Jim Waive was part of that rhythm. His voice—steady, honest, unmistakably his—filled rooms and hearts alike.

8.6.25

In this week’s cover story (p.20), we pay tribute to Waive, who died suddenly on July 2. You may have known him as the frontman of Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees, or maybe you just knew him as that guy who always seemed to show up when someone needed a song. He was a regular at the old Blue Moon Diner, the Southern, and, most recently, Batesville Market. He had a way of making even the saddest songs feel like comfort. In remembering Waive, we’re also remembering a version of Charlottesville that feels increasingly rare: a town where local music could be your life, and where the community showed up for it. Waive was part of the fabric here, not just because he played country music, but because he lived it—straightforward, generous, and from the heart. And always from beneath a beat-up Stetson.

This week’s contributors

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Towns Ackerman

Susan Albert

Catherine Anninos

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Julie Basic

Susan Battani

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Rebecca Berlin

Kim Biasiolli

Patrick Bird

Paddy Bowman

Paul Brewer

Claudia Murray

Brindle

Sumner Brown

Colette Brown

Jack Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Patricia Burkett

Michael Callahan

Brian Carlton

Helen Cathro

Janelle Catlett

James Clark Jr.

Karen Collins

Lorraine Collins

Emily Currier

Maria-Eugenia Dalton

Pam and Peter Dennison

Nancy Dettor

Martha Donnelly

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

Rosa Ellen English

M. Fife

Lavonne Fitts

Kevin Foley

Barbara Fornoff

Joan Forrest

Gerald Giammatteo

David and Janna Gies

Stephanie Goodwin

Andrew Greeley

Cara Hall

Kendra Hall

Madeleine Hawks

Mary Haynes

Chris Hellings

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Deb Jackson

Garth Jensen

Nina Johnston

Nicole Jones

Diane Jones

Janet Jospe

Brian Kelly

Trish Kenney

Tom Kirk

Kathryn Kluge

Julie Lacy

Marcia Langsam

Jacalyn LaPierre

Aaron Lawrence

Eric and Diane

Lawson

Elizabeth Lawson

Frances Lee-Vandell

Sean Libberton

Angeline Lillard

Peppy Linden

Jessica Lino

D. Little

Phillip Long

Rob Lynch

Jeff Martin

Erin Mayer

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Gretchen McKee

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Tim Michel

Parthy Monagan

Vic Monti

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Catherine Moynihan

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Monica Newby

Kathy O’Connell

Dennis O’Connor

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Annette Owens

Timothy Palmer

Joe Peacock

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

Damon Pettitt

Elayne Phillips

Anne Price

Ernest Pugh

Harry Purkey

Leslie Quenichet

Frances Racette

T. Radsky

Scott Ransom

Sarah Ratcliffe

Stots Reele

Marjorie Rein

Cindy Richards

Kevin Richardson

David Robinson

Julia Rubarth

Carol Gilbert Sacks

Audrey Sarate

Joan Schatzman

Sandra Schmidt

Eric Schultz

James Seitz

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Meredith Smoot

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Jim Spencer

David Stackhouse

Nichole Taylor

William Terrell

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson

Prue Thorner

John Titus

Jessica Tobin

Erica Toy

Jill Trischman-Marks

Susan Uland

Rick Vergot

Christina Walker

Steven Ward

David Waters

Chris Waugaman

Phoebe Weseley

Kelly West

Gary and Anne Westmoreland

Jay Wildermann

Marcia Wilds

Andrew Wolf

Natalie Yancey

Suzanne Yeaman

Nura Yingling

Kelly Zalewski

Kathleen Zenker

James Sanford was hired as a “teen reporter” for The Grand Rapids Press while he was still in high school. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University and taught journalism there for seven years. He’s been an arts writer, film critic, reporter, restaurant critic, and section coordinator, winning three awards from the Society for Features Journalism. Read his work on page 20

Sean Tubbs moved to Charlottesville in 2002, and has sought to understand why development occurs the way it does. Since 2005, he’s helped innovate information gathering to try to help people know they belong and how they can have their say. Read his work on pages 13 and 15.

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The music man

Board of Visitors selects erim UVA president. County supes discuss new onomic plan; UVA gets deed : Region’s home emain

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UVA Board of Visitors elects Paul Mahoney interim president, search kicks off for 10th president BY CATIE RATLIFF

IT’S COMING 2025

UVA NEWS

Following the highly publicized departure of former president Jim Ryan, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors named Paul Mahoney interim president at its August 4 meeting. As the board moves forward with its search for a permanent president, groups on and off Grounds continue to raise concerns about Ryan’s ouster, the board itself, and the presidential search process.

Mahoney replaces acting president Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis, who assumed the role upon Ryan’s resignation. Davis continues as executive vice president and the university’s chief operating officer.

Prior to his appointment, Mahoney served from 2008 to 2016 as dean of the UVA School of Law, where he remains a professor. His first day as interim president will be August 11.

Listening sessions were held from July 17 to 23 to determine community priorities for an interim president. Small groups of UVA Health leaders, staff, academic deans, undergraduate students, faculty, graduate students, and vice presidents, as well as the UVA Wise chancellor, were invited to the sessions. Each session had two BOV members/representatives and a member of UVA leadership act as facilitators.

Beyond the small groups, an online nomination form and email were open to “members of the university community” through 5pm on July 25.

According to a community engagement and nomination summary presentation from the BOV meeting, top priorities in the selection of an interim president include “stabil[izing] and build[ing] trust,” “attracting and retaining talent,” “UVA Health,” “academic freedom and protection of research and teaching,” and “community relationships.” Two main challenges—“research and funding cuts” and the “highly complex legal environment”—were also named.

More than 140 people were nominated for the interim president position, with almost 600 nominations submitted. Among those

named, five candidates received 30 or more nominations.

Organizations, including the UVA chapter of the American Association of University Professors, raised questions about the BOV and the process for selecting the interim and 10th president.

“The process for both the interim and permanent president implemented thus far by the BOV would constitute major violations of shared governance. We urge the Board to reconsider its approach for both searches and reconstitute those decisionmaking committees to be reflective of significant faculty, staff and student participation in the process,” reads a July 27 statement from the executive committee of the UVAAAUP. “Unless the BOV changes its course on these search processes, we fear this will only exacerbate the lack of confidence of faculty, staff, students and alumni in the governance and undermine the stability of the university in the coming year.”

As the meeting moved into closed session, an anonymous online attendee “demand[ed] transparency” from the board. When it returned to open session, the BOV provided no explanation for its selection—only holding a formal vote on the interim president nomination and the next board secretary.

Rector Rachel Sheridan elaborated on the decision in a press release later the same afternoon, highlighting Mahoney’s experience as a lawyer, professor, and dean of the UVA School of Law. “In the spirit of UVA’s shared governance model, we took [the] qualities and characteristics [shared by stakeholders] to heart in identifying the right person to shepherd UVA forward during this time,” she said. “We are confident that Paul’s longstanding connection to the University … make him the right leader to guide this institution as the search for a 10th UVA president gets underway.”

A 28-member special committee to search for the 10th president was named July 25,

IN BRIEF

All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)

and includes 10 current and three former BOV members. Among the former members are Babur Lateef and George Martin, who served on the special committee that recommended Ryan in 2017.

The committee’s first meeting will be held this month. A rough timeline of four to six months for the recommendation of the 10th president was given at the August 4 BOV meeting.

While the BOV moves forward with its search for the university’s permanent president, state lawmakers and UVA’s own Faculty Senate continue to take umbrage with the board’s handling of the Department of Justice and Ryan’s resignation.

Longtime Charlottesville representative and state Sen. Creigh Deeds sent a scathing letter to the board on August 1. The six-page document, obtained by The Cavalier Daily, questions the BOV—specifically Sheridan and Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson—and its handling of and communication with the DOJ.

“These questions are designed to clarify the sequence of events that led to President Ryan’s resignation, the role played by members of the Board of Visitors, and the nature of communications between the Board, the Governor’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice,” reads an excerpt from the letter. Among the topics addressed are the March 7 resolution on DEI, the use of outside counsel, communication with state and federal offices, and multiple meetings and calls with the DOJ. Deeds concludes by citing the General Assembly’s authority to conduct oversight on the BOV, and requests responses and all relevant documentation be submitted by August 15.

On Grounds, the UVA Faculty Senate has also expressed issues with the BOV’s actions surrounding Ryan’s resignation, culminating in a 46-6 vote of no confidence in the board on July 11. Eight members in attendance abstained from the vote. Neither the BOV nor the university has publicly addressed the vote, but continue to emphasize the importance of shared governance in the leadership selection process.

Jordan Perez of Lockhart, Texas, pleads guilty to 2023 kidnapping-for-ransom scheme that ended in a deadly Belmont shoot-out. Virginia Department of Labor and Industry announces increase in minimum wage to $12.77 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. Dump truck crashes and overturns on I-64 July 29. Albemarle County announces the addition of speed enforcement cameras to Crozet school zones. Circuit Court Judge Claude Worrell sets August 13 hearing date for zoning judgment reconsideration. One dead following collision with Krispy Kreme box truck on U.S. 29 on July 29. In mid-year crime report, Albemarle County Police Department notes 32 percent drop in violent crime and 24 percent decrease in gun-related violence. National Endowment for the Humanities announces $34.79 million in grants for 97 humanities projects across the country, including a $10 million award to the University of Virginia for its project related to the Declaration of Independence, “Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America: Creating and Sustaining Access to Founding Era/Early Republic Primary Sources.” Virginia Business Ready Sites Program awards $9.7 million for Rivanna Futures. UVA swimmers win 13 medals at World Aquatics Championships.

The search for UVA’s 10th president will be conducted by a 28-member special committee that includes 10 current and three former members of the Board of Visitors.

ART & COMMUNITY

First Friday Silent Auction and Exhibition

Friday, September 5 | 5-8:00 pm

Join us for a memorable evening featuring an art auction, live music, catered fare, and community connection.

The auction exhibition will spotlight contributions from our members. This event aims to support our many community initiatives. Preview the auction at mcguffeyartcenter.com/auction

Artist Talks + Retrospective Panel

Saturday, September 27 | 2-4:00 pm

Moderated by curator Sarah Sargent, this dynamic panel will reflect on McGuffey’s legacy, creative milestones, and the artists who helped shape its path. Join us for heartfelt stories, behind-the-scenes history, and inspiring conversations that celebrate our past and look ahead to an exciting future.

UVA gets FEI

The University of Virginia officially acquired the deed to the Federal Executive Institute property, according to an August 1 UVA press release.

Both the university and Charlottesville City Schools were competing for rights to the property following its closure by the Trump administration in February.

In April, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the property to CCS at no cost for use as a preschool and administrative offices, then reversed course and announced UVA would instead receive the site.

The property will house UVA’s ROTC and School of Continuing and Professional Studies programs. The university expects the building to be open and operational by the 2026 spring semester. The property must be utilized by UVA for the purposes listed on the application for at least 30 years. Patrick McDowell

Legislative action

Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine introduced legislation July 31 to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. If passed, the Immigration Enforcement Safety Act of 2025 would require federal and local law enforcement officers to be identifiable while engaging in immigration enforcement actions. PM

Food forward

The Piedmont Housing Alliance was awarded two grants totaling $600,000 to advance work at the 501 Cherry Ave. site in Fifeville, according to a PHA’s August newsletter.

Development of a grocery store, affordable rental units, and a community facility at the site will get $250,000 in grant money, while $350,000 will go toward completing architectural plans that emphasize equitable environmental initiatives. PM

More business

Albemarle’s new economic development plan to get a vote in mid-August BY

SEAN TUBBS

Albemarle County is working on a new strategic plan to guide economic development efforts that will put a priority on defense, intelligence, and biotechnology businesses. This document is being put together at the same time as an update of the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

At a special meeting of the Economic Development Authority on July 22, one resident of the Samuel Miller District asked for the economic development strategic plan (EDSP) to be slowed down to ensure it does not contradict the county’s long-standing efforts to restrict growth and development.

“In a rush to grow the defense, intelligence sector, life sciences, and a modern agribusiness economy, this plan proposes changing zoning and land use policies that protect Albemarle’s special natural environment,” said Joy Heyrman, vice president of the group Historic Batesville.

The EDA’s meeting was held to continue work on a draft before an August 13 joint meeting with the county’s Board of Supervisors. The Rivanna District’s Bill Mechnick said the EDSP works alongside all of Albemarle’s other plans and is designed to both bring in more commercial tax revenue and provide opportunity for people.

“I would say I’d like my kids to stay in the county and actually work in the biotech industry because that’s … their chosen profession and they’re very talented, intelligent, and I don’t want them moving to Baltimore [or] D.C. to do that,” Mechnick said.

David Storm represents the Scottsville District on the EDA and said he understood Heyrman’s concerns. He moved to Albemarle in the 1980s to attend the University

of Virginia and has seen a lot of change, but it is becoming more rapid.

“We need to adjust for that,” Storm said. “I don’t think any of us on this authority or anyone on the Board of Supervisors actively wants to destroy the exceptional quality of life.”

Supervisor Bea LaPisto-Kirtley said about 12 percent of Albemarle’s local tax revenue comes from business-related taxes and the goal is to increase that to reduce the burden on homeowners. The Weldon Cooper Center at UVA forecasts a population of 152,770 by 2050.

Since 1980, Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plan has had a growth management policy that restricts development to only 5 percent of the county. Supervisors decided early in the Albemarle County 2044 process to keep that in place for another five years, but one EDA member asked whether that was realistic.

“Is that sustainable? Is it legitimate as we expand?” asked Steve Hood, a former commander of the National Ground Intelligence

Center at Rivanna Station. “Because what we’re guaranteeing ourselves is everybody on 29 and that for all the time. And it’s not feasible.”

LaPisto-Kirtley said the county believes there is room for more development in the growth area.

“It has to go higher and denser,” she said. LaPisto-Kirtley has also previously advocated softening the growth management policy by allowing restaurants in the rural area with a special use permit. EDA member Jeff Morrill supported the idea.

“You could imagine a winery that has all the facilities, the customers are already there, so we’re not adding traffic,” Morrill said. “It increases for the county the value of the real estate if it’s allowed to serve food there.” That idea is not included in the Rural Area Land Use chapter in the draft Comprehensive Plan.

The draft EDSP can be viewed online and feedback is being taken through August 8.

Albemarle’s Economic Development Authority met recently to discuss the county’s priorities, which include defense, intelligence, and biotech businesses.

REAL ESTATE NEWS House numbers

Area home sales remain flat while prices continue to rise BY SEAN TUBBS

The local real estate market remained relatively flat in April, May, and June, while prices continued to increase. That is reflected in the latest quarterly report from the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors.

There were 1,087 sales in the six localities covered by CAAR in the second quarter of 2025 compared to 1,100 sales the previous year.

“The interest rates are basically the same, the number of sales units is essentially unchanged but the prices continue to climb,” says CAAR President Josh White. “The median price for the region is at $485,000 which is a 5 percent gain.”

That continues a steady trend upwards from a median price of $376,000 in the second quarter of 2021.

The sales volume trend is not universal, with home sales up slightly in Charlottesville and Greene and Nelson counties. In Charlottesville, there were 149 homes sold in the second quarter of this year compared to 134 in 2024. Sales volume dropped 2 percent in Nelson, 4 percent in Albemarle, and 12 percent in Louisa.

Sales prices were up in five of the six localities, with Albemarle County the most expensive with a median sales price of $575,000, up 8 percent from $533,750 in 2024. Fluvanna County is the most affordable, with a median sales price of $385,000. Charlottesville bucked the trend with an average sales price decrease of 2 percent to $509,000, down from $520,000 in 2024. White says that might be because

there were more homes on the market than last year.

“More competition could certainly influence the prices dropping as sellers may be more incentivized to offer their home at a lower price or offer concessions to get the deal to the closing table,” White says.

There was also an 8 percent decrease in the median sales price for new construction from $514,057 last year to $471,610 in the second quarter of 2025.

Rates for a 30-year mortgage are about the same as last year at 6.77 percent. Four years ago rates hovered above 2 percent and have gradually increased as the Federal Reserve took steps to fight inflation.

“If interest rates would drop, that could further increase pricing as more purchasers come to the market who may be priced out by current rates,” White says, adding that sales prices will likely continue to increase until more homes are on the market.

Local realtor Jim Duncan of Nest Realty says he doesn’t think interest rates are playing that big of a factor.

“I see the market is slowing due to intentional national uncertainty with respect to employment, tariffs, and the cuts that are affecting UVA and other educational institutions,” Duncan says. “Homes are absolutely still selling, and buyers do want to purchase.”

Houses and condominiums are also spending more time on the market. In the first quarter of 2021, the average was five days and that has increased to nine days in the second quarter of 2025.

Home sales were up slightly in Charlottesville and Greene and Nelson counties in April, May, and June.

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Musician and actor Jim Waive poured his heart into the joy of music

Waive of kin

dness

LONG BEFORE

he stepped onto a stage, Jim Waive was putting on a show.

“Our household was filled with music,” recalls Patti Rightmier, one of Jim’s three older sisters. “My mom loved music. My mom listened to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass…”

“Tom Jones, the 5th Dimension—a variety,” adds Judy Crist, another sister.

“And Jim—as a young child—I remember him singing, and sometimes he would just make up words and clap and dance,” Rightmier says. “He was so energetic.”

Even so, Rightmier and Crist emphasize, young Jim was not a show-stealer or an attention hog when they were growing up in Portsmouth, Virginia. “He loved music, he loved performing, he loved the people that he played for,” says Crist.

Waive’s taste in music would eventually move beyond “What’s New, Pussycat?” and “The Age of Aquarius,” but his passion for performing would continue throughout his entire life. He was a staple of the Charlottesville music scene for decades, as a solo act, as a songwriter, and often as the leader of Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees, a band dedicated to the classic country sounds that he embraced.

Waive passed away from a heart attack on July 2 at the age of 61, and his memorial service was held last weekend at Live Arts theater.

Often when an artist passes on, people reflect on the work: the Oscar-nominated performance, the hit TV show, the album that sold millions of copies. Waive had plenty of credits worth commemorating: albums (Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees, Strike a Match); My Fool Heart, a movie in which he starred; thousands of concert appearances at an assortment of area venues (The Biltmore, Tokyo Rose, Uncle Charlie’s, Satellite Ballroom, among others), including a lengthy run at Blue Moon Diner, which promoted him as “the man with a velvet voice and an impressive beard.”

But in the weeks after Waive’s death, his friends and associates paint a picture of a man whose talent was equaled by his generosity and supportiveness.

Into that groove

Long before she was a Virginia Department of Public Health official and a Charlottesville City Council candidate, Jen Fleisher was playing upright bass alongside Waive; it was a musical partnership that continued on and off for more than 20 years.

Not every show was a night to remember. Audiences could be unruly. Songs were not always note-perfect, and Fleisher laughingly recalls being embarrassed by Waive’s habit of “telling really terrible jokes during gigs.”

“And yet I never felt more myself than when I was playing with Jim,” Fleisher says. “We would be in, like, Atomic Burrito. Someone would be throwing up. Someone would be spilling a beer on me. You know, late at night, some crazy crowd.

BY JAMES SANFORD

And it did not matter because all of that was completely invisible to me.”

Instead, Fleisher would concentrate on Waive’s “rhythm that was very much his. … He had a real rhythmic way of playing and, for me, that’s where we could really sync up, get into that groove.

“It was just naturally how we worked together, every time. I mean, thousands of hours of playing together, and every single time we were like, ‘I love you, that was awesome. Thank you so much. See you next time.’”

“He was that rare musician with basically no ego,” says Kirby Hutto, who met thousands of performers during his 20 years of managing Ting Pavilion before retiring in 2023; he recalls booking Waive for Fridays After Five shows and as the opening act for headliners like Kenny Rogers and Dwight Yoakam. “He just was doing it for the joy of the music. You always got that sense from him. Always very easy to work with, very appreciative of the opportunities that came his way and, you know, just a very gentle, kind man.”

“Gentle” is the adjective that most commonly turns up whenever people begin to describe Waive.

The best giggle

“It’s like he traveled in this envelope of kindness,” says writer/performer Kay Ferguson, who got to know Waive during the seven years he worked on the grounds at her property, Native Meadow. “He embodied it: a gentle kindness. And it was clear as a bell. … And I think he was a skilled performer, but there was no showing off. There was just delivery, in an absolutely authentic way, you know? No fuss, no faux, no self-promotion, just authenticity. That was true of the way he performed, and it was also true of—just how he was.”

Ferguson worked alongside performer/producer Siân Richards in the Performers Exchange Project in the early aughts and observed the romance developing between Richards and Waive; a loving partnership still intact at the time of his passing. “This long relationship with Siân, just the gentle, accepting way that he leaned into her, was another testament to just what a wise one he was. … It was a beautiful thing to watch.”

Ferguson paused, thought of something and smiled. “He had the best giggle,” she says of Waive. “He had the best giggle in the world.”

Seated beside her, Robbie Shaw, the land conservation manager at Native Meadow, breaks into a smile of his own. Shaw was Waive’s supervisor and recalls a telling incident in which Waive called him after accidentally cutting his leg with a chainsaw on the job.

“It was an E.R. situation,” Shaw says. “It wasn’t bleeding, but you could see his kneecap. I mean, it was deep. He wouldn’t even let me come with him to the E.R. He’s like, ‘No, no, no, you guys

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

stay here, you’ve got too much stuff to do.’

“Even in moments of panic, he was always calm, kind, respectful, and considerate of others. Even when he was the one really in need, he put others in front, ahead of himself. And that was just kind of how he was all the time.”

One guitar made all the difference

Rightmier and Crist credit their mother, Joan Waive, for Jim’s altruism and eagerness to help others. Waive’s father, Henry, passed away when Jim was young, and the five siblings became very tight-knit. “Our mother always supported any of us kids in anything we wanted to do in our lives,” Crist says. “Never said, ‘You can’t do that.’ She never said, ‘You’re not capable. Get a job.’ She never said any of that.”

Joan’s good fortune put her son on the road to becoming a musician. “My mom entered a raffle at one of the local music stores in Virginia Beach,”

Clockwise: Partners in music and love Siân Richards and Jim Waive; Waive at his weekly Blue Moon Diner gig; in his younger days; and Waive, flanked by Young Divorcees members Anna Matijasic Hennessy and Jen Fleisher.

Crist says. The prize was a guitar, and Joan’s name was the one pulled. “And that’s when they got the guitar that Jimmy continued playing his whole life—with the many repairs he had to make!”

As a student at Roanoke College in the early 1980s, Waive initially majored in English. “He thought he might want to be an English professor,” Crist recalls. “But music grabbed him, and he went on from there.”

A country calling

At first, Waive was captivated by rock, playing for five years with the psychedelic-tinged jam-band Echoes Farm. Over time, his attention shifted toward traditional country music. He had a gift for persuading others to appreciate the music he loved, and he used that magic on Anna Matijasic Hennessy, shortly after she graduated from the University of Virginia.

Hennessy is a classically trained violinist, and she recalls that in 2003, “Country music was not a thing we were necessarily interested in. In fact, I expressly disliked it.”

But a friend had gotten acquainted with Waive and couldn’t stop talking about “this sweet, kind cowboy” who made daily stops at the Mudhouse Coffee stand where she worked. To please her friend, Hennessy attended one of Waive’s shows at the Blue Moon Diner, and met him after the show.

“He said, ‘Oh, yeah, you’ll have to play your fiddle sometime for me—come on down.’ Very welcoming. But I think I was a little shy, and I was toying around with Christian Breeden’s band American Dumpster, just here and there.

“Anyway, I showed up at [the now-defunct restaurant] Southern Culture one Friday night, thinking I was going to sit in with American Dumpster, but I had the wrong date, and it was Jim playing.”

Waive invited her to join him on stage, the start of both a friendship and an artistic partnership: Hennessy would soon become one of the Young Divorcees. But before then, she spent some time studying with Waive, sessions that she says had “the biggest impact on my musical life.”

“I felt very insecure because I was coming from a place of training and structure, and I wanted to do some serious practice, like classical musicians do,” she recalls. “And Jim was like, ‘Well, okay, just come on over to my house.’ We spent—I don’t know how many nights that January. … And he played through all of the country songs, all of his covers and some of his originals.

“And he was so patient with me, so patient. I had to write down every little chord. It’s embarrassing to say now, but he did not shade me at all for that. And, you know, I was looking for approval. And he never would say, you know, ‘Would you do a little more of this or a little more of that?’ He just always said, ‘I love it. Do what you’re going to do!’

“… All encouragement, all patience. And now that I’ve been in so many bands since then, and I’m a fiddler of many, many genres and have collaborated with many, many people, I think back on how special that was, and how he operated as a musician from a place of no ego.”

There’s a quiver in Hennessy’s voice, as she adds, “If you played with Jim, you can call yourself very special in my book.”

Fleisher feels the same. Performing with Waive, she says, brought her “that feeling of coming home, you know? This is where the crazy, 51-year-old woman who’s in public health is suddenly the most content: when she’s onstage with a Virginia country boy. That’s clearly where I belong. It’s what will keep him with me in my mind.”

KRISTEN FINN (ABOVE), UNKNOWN (BELOW)

THE WINE DOWN

WHAT’S DELISH AT LOCAL WINERIES?

53RD WINERY AND VINEYARD

A note from Winegrower and Owner, Dave Drillock

No Bot or AI used, just me!

On August 9th, we will release our estate-grown 2024 Barrel-Aged Chardonel. For those who have not heard of Chardonel, it is a cross of Chardonnay with Seyval Blanc and is prized for its large flavorful clusters and resistance to disease. Whole-cluster pressed and aged in French oak barrels for 7 months has produced a dry, medium-bodied white wine with notes of lime, coconut, vanilla, pineapple and piña colada. The 53rd Team has been waiting for this one too! The wine pairs great with oysters, crab, and roasted or grilled pork dishes.

We invite you to visit our serene, meadow-like location in rural Louisa County. We pride ourselves on being genuine and approachable, eager to share our passion for wine without any scripted lines or memorized facts, just a warm and welcome atmosphere.

We are a Winery that just wants to be a Winery!

For more details, please check our website at www.53rdwinery.com or call us at 540-894-1536. We look forward to welcoming you to the winery, and we truly appreciate your business and support.

Upcoming events:

August 9th -

• Barrel-Aged Chardonel release with Oysters & Blue Crabs by Salty Bottom Oysters.

• Music by the energetic “On Permanent Vacation”, Lance Wolak 12:30-4:30.

• Also, the last chance tasting of our intense 2024 red wine from the barrel at 1:30pm. This is a ticketed event, go to www.53rdwinery.com or call to register.

August 16th -

• Farmacy Mexican Fusion Food Truck, 11am to 4pm, and we are happy to have back Matty and Mirabelle Metcalfe who will entertain you from 1-4pm.

• This is a Wine Club Day with a special tasting that you can enjoy for $17 if not a wine club member.

August 23rd – The 2025 Norton Wine Tour comes to Fifty-Third! We will be joined by Barrel Oak Winery, Nokesville Winery and Little River Vineyards.

• There will be a Norton Tasting by each winery 11:30-1:30 for $20 and no reservation is needed.

• A Norton Food and Wine Pairing experience with all four wineries begins at 2:30. Reservations required. Sign up on our website. Tickets $55 Limited Seating

• Music by customer favorite, Marc Carraway 12:30-4:30

August 30th –

• Perfect Pairings, White Wine Tasting Experience of our 2024 Viognier, 2024 Chardonnay, 2024 Shannon Hill White and our 2024 Barrel Aged Chardonel. Food expertly curated by Food for Functions. This is a ticketed event. Go

to our website to sign up! Limited Seating.

• Music by the popular Danny Kensy 1pm -4pm.

Open 7 days a week, 11 am – 5 pm • Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm 13372 Shannon Hill Rd Louisa, VA 23093 (540) 894-5474 • 53rdwinery.com

DUCARD VINEYARDS

2022 Petit Verdot

The estate grown Petit Verdot exhibits notes of black plum, coffee, and tobacco with a lingering velvety mouthfeel. Pairs well with lamb, and other hearty roasts!

We are open 7 days a week throughout the month of January, with live music every weekend! Make sure to keep an eye on our website and social media pages for the most up to date listings of our upcoming artists.

Fridays- Friday Night Out! Every Friday night through the summer we feature half price wine flights, live music, food for sale, and grills available for use until 8:00pm.

Weekends- Live music all weekend long! Check out our lineup on our website!

August 16th- Farm to Table Wine Dinner: Experience a delectable and locally sourced, four course meal at DuCard Vineyards Farm to Table Dinner on Saturday August 16, 2025, at 6:30 pm. The evening will begin with passed hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary glass of wine. Wine with dinner will be available for purchase by bottle and/or glass. Wine club members will receive complimentary wine by the glass all evening. The cost is $120 per person which includes the service charge and gratuity. Purchase tickets at www.DuCardVineyards.com. Seating is limited, proceeds from the evening will be donated to local farming organizations.

August 25th- 86th Anniversary Screening of the Wizard of Oz at Stonybrook Barn: You’re invited to join us for a one-time free special screening of The Wizard of Oz on August 25, 2025 at 6:00 pm. Released on this date in 1939, we’ll celebrate the 86th! anniversary of this iconic film. And, of course, we’ll have our new Dorothy’s Slippers sparkling Norton Rosé, inspired by the film, available for sale … it pairs well with witches and scarecrows and even flying monkeys, Oh My! BYO popcorn or snacks. Costumes? Sure. Sing along? No doubt. For this screening, follow the yellow brick road to the Barn at Stonybrook, around the corner from DuCard in Syria, at 3101 Old Blue Ridge Turnpike. Reserve your seats by contacting Beth at beth@ ducardvineyards.com

Open daily

Mon-Thurs. 12-5 pm Fri. 12-9 pm

Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm

40 Gibson Hollow Ln Etlan, VA 22719 (540) 923-4206

www.ducardvineyards.com

EASTWOOD FARM AND WINERY

S ummer at the Winery

From Oyster Fridays to Eastwood After Dark, there are a lot of ways to kick back and enjoy the Summer in Charlottesville. In August we are bringing back two favorite events

– Eastwood’s Crab Feast on Saturday August 23rd, featuring Salty Bottom Blue (and live music all day) and the Sangria and Summer Maker’s Market on Sunday, August 24th. We will also be featuring blueberry lemonade wine slushies and a variety of ice cream flavors from SugarBear Ice Cream along with our full lunch and dinner menu. Come for the wine and stay for the fun.

Upcoming at the Winery:

Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration | Every Friday

June-July-August

Our Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration is back every Friday night! The oysters are prepared by Salty Bottom Blue. Enjoy them in a relaxed, fun atmosphere with live music from 5-8pm on the stage in our tasting room.

Music Bingo | Sundays, August 17th and August 31 (& Thursday, August 7)

Everyone loves singing along with their favorite songs and who doesn’t love a competitive game of Bingo? Music Bingo brings together the best of both worlds for a high energy game that is fun for everyone. Simply listen to the music, match the songs to the titles on your music bingo cards, and win great prizes! Free to play

Paint & Sip | Wednesday, August 6 and Sunday, August 31st

Grab a glass of wine (or your favorite drink!) and let your creativity flow in our relaxed and fun Paint & Sip classes. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a first-time painter, the talented instructors of Blue Ridge Brushes will walk you through the painting process as you create your own masterpiece. Ticketed Events - Reserve Your Spot On Our Website

Crab Feast | Saturday, August 23

Nothing says Summer quite like a Crab Feast! Salty Bottom Blue will be serving up Blue Crab and Oysters, both raw and grilled (from 1-4PM) in addition to Eastwood’s regular menu, including the delicious crab dip. Top it off with a glass of Viognier, Petit Manseg, or Blanc de Blancs.

Live Music: Hallie Grace 12:303:30PM and Cake Fight 5-8PM Sangria Sunday and Maker’s Market| Sunday, August 24

Join us for our house-made Sangria (one day only) and a local maker’s market where you are sure to find

some creative treasures.

Live Music: John Benjamin 1-4PM

Labor Day Weekend| Friday, August 29 through September 1 Summer’s not over yet! Come celebrate the long weekend with oysters, wine and live music.

Friday August 29 Oysters and Live Music: Salty Bottom Blue Oysters and Matthew O’Donnell 5-8PM

Saturday, August 30 Live Music All Day: Jim Robertson 12:30 to 3:30PM and Jackson Pendergrass & Townsend 5-8PM

Sunday: Music Bingo 2-4

Monday: Open 12-5PM

MUSIC AT EASTWOOD THIS MONTH!

Join us for the popular Eastwood After Dark featuring upbeat, danceable music on Saturday nights from 5-8pm (in addition to our more mellow Saturday afternoon music program). Eastwood also hosts a range of live performances by talented local and regional musicians every Thursday and Friday night. See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.

Every Thursday: Live Music 5-8PM or Music Bingo 6-8PM

Thursday “Thank You” Community Day at Eastwood—$5 Taps (Beer & Cider)

Every Friday: Live Music 5-8PM Low-Country Shrimp Boil 5-8PM

Every Saturday: Live Music 12:303:30PM + Eastwood After Dark with Live Music 5-8PM

Every Sunday: Music Bingo, Paint & Sip, Maker’s Market or Live Music (See the Winery Calendar on our website for

with spicy dishes and appetizers. Grab a bottle today and WINE down your summer with this Hardware Hills gem. Have YOU seen our social media posts? Trending videos on all platforms... check us out!

Our event venue is now complete and ready for your special event! Contact us at eventteam@hardwarehills. com for details and scheduling a tour! NEW HOURS!

Thursday - Saturday 12 - 8

Sunday 12 - 5

August 8th- LIVE MUSIC with Luke Black. Local artist and Hh favorite, this rising country talent is back at Hardware Hills with his incredible song selection, great personality, and blissful voice.

August 13th- COUNTRY MUSIC DANCE NIGHT at Hardware Hills. Pull on your boots and come sippin’ and stompin’ with us. Line dance coach Madison Kinney returns with new dances to teach and takes us on a spin of the previous ones. No experience necessary (or boots! -- flip flops work!) -- just come have some wine and some dancing fun with us.

August 15th- LIVE MUSIC with Perennial Collection at Hardware Hills. Making their Hh debut, we are so excited to have this band out for some late-summer musical excellence. If you haven’t done a Friday night at the Hills... Here’s your chance to kick off your weekend with some great tunes.

details.)

What about the kids?

Kids can share in the experience with their own juice tasting flights and cheese boards!

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

Winery Hours: Sunday-Wednesday (125 PM); Thursday-Saturday (12-8 PM) We look forward to welcoming you to our cozy tasting room, seven days a week. Join us for award-winning wines, beer, and cider, as well as a delicious seasonal menu by Chef Andrew Partridge that is perfect for lunch or dinner. Delight in lounging on our enclosed & heated veranda with a glass of our gold medal 2022 Meritage Reserve. Or, stay inside and enjoy live music with a seasonal toasty flatbread or our scrumptious Cast Iron Baked Brie. Escape to Virginia Wine Country, only five miles from Downtown Charlottesville. Open year-round, seven days a week.

Pet friendly and large groups are welcome. Ample indoor and outdoor seating.

Rt 20 near the intersection with Avon Extended (5 mi from Downtown Mall) Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 264-6727 www.eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

HARDWARE HILLS VINEYARD

Hillside White

Vidal Blanc shines through in this great summer sipper. With just the perfect touch of residual sugar, this off-dry wine will have you savoring every sip. Great for porch time relaxing or paired

August 21st -MOVIE THEMED TRIVIA NIGHT at Hardware Hills. Grab your team of 6 and come have some brain teasing fun with us! Free admission. Wine and food menu will be in full swing as you put your heads together to WIN! We start at 6:30 this month.

August 22nd- LIVE MUSIC with The Lost Beach Band at Hardware Hills. FOOD TRUCK: Archer’s BBQ. A local favorite -- this fun group will have you up and dancing. They bring the crowds and fun and we pour the yummy wine!

August 27th- RED, WHITE, AND BRIE Charcuterie workshop. Nancy Hicks is back to share with you the many tricks of the trade in creating a crowd pleasingly generous platter of beautiful edible art! This make-andtake class is fun and informative. You’ll go home with a 10” design just in time for Labor Day gatherings! Get your

August 29th- MUSIC BINGO NIGHT at Hardware Hills. Sara spins the tunes... you sip, laugh, sing (dance!?) and win! This is one of the more popular events at the Hills, so don’t miss out! Bring the whole group for a Friday night of good tunes and good times.

5199 W River Rd, Scottsville, VA 434.286.4710 • www.hardwarehills.com

KESWICK VINEYARDS

Almost Harvest Time at Keswick Vineyards!

As we roll into August, the vines are nearly ready for harvest and the excitement is building! There’s no better time to visit the vineyard and enjoy all the experiences Keswick has to offer while we await the first pick of the season.

Wine Down Wednesdays | 5:30–8:30 PM

Join us midweek for a relaxing evening of Wine Down Wednesdays. Enjoy Happy Hour from 5–6 PM on select wines, and unwind with live music as the sun sets over the vines.

Live Music Every Saturday | 12–4 PM

Our Summer Saturdays are full of rhythm and relaxation. Grab a glass, settle in, and enjoy the sounds of talented local musicians playing live on the patio.

Dog-Friendly Fun

We love your four-legged friends! Dogs are welcome on a leash, and if you didn’t know, now you know! We have a dedicated dog area where pups can roam freely and stretch their legs!!

Mini Golf & More

Feeling playful? Try our 9-hole mini golf course — Fun for all ages and a perfect pairing with wine and sunshine!

Cool Off with Our Signature Slushies

Beat the August heat with one of our refreshing, flavor-packed slushies!

We have assorted flavors that change periodically that you can enjoy via flight, glass, or a swirl between two extraordinary flavors! A chilled treat with a Keswick twist!

Come enjoy the final stretch of summer with us, see you soon!!

Hours:

Monday- Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm 1575 Keswick Winery Drive Keswick, Virginia 22947

Tasting Room: (434) 244-3341 ext 105 tastingroom@keswickvineyards.com www.keswickvineyards.com

PRINCE MICHEL VINEYARDS

Rapidan River Peach

During the month of August, celebrate summer with Prince Michel’s Rapidan River Peach!

Rapidan River Peach is the ultimate summer sipper—light, sweet, and bursting with fresh peach flavor that captures the essence of the season. Its refreshing fruit-forward profile makes it perfect for sipping chilled on

August 6 – 12, 2025 tickets today.

the patio, pairing with summer salads, or mixing into a sunny sangria. With just the right touch of sweetness, it’s a crowd-pleasing favorite for picnics, barbecues, and backyard celebrations.

At Prince Michel Indulge in a spectrum of wines, from luxurious craft picks such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Manseng, to distinctive options like our Sweet White Reserve from our Rapidan River series. Don’t miss our crowdfavorite Discover Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery, an iconic East Coast estate. Family and pet-friendly, it’s one of the oldest and largest wineries in the Commonwealth. Also, home to Tap 29 Brew Pub, serving local craft brews and delicious pubstyle food seven days a week.

Located in the heart of Virginia Wine Country, our elegant winery on Route 29 between Charlottesville and Washington DC offers wine tastings, tours, shopping, and scenic picnic spots daily from 11am.

Join us for our MAD Jazz Festival on Saturday September 6th from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. More details and tickets available at madjazzva.com

Open 7 days a Week at 11 a.m.

Weekly Events:

Live Music every Friday–Sunday (music lineup at princemichel.com)

Monday Night Trivia | 6–7:30 p.m.

Tuesday Beer & Wings Specials | 3–5 p.m.

Thursday Happy Hour | 3–5 p.m.

154 Winery Lane, Leon, VA 22725 (540) 547-3707 www.princemichel.com

A Woman-Owned Business

REVALATION VINEYARDS

2021 Sauvignon Blanc

A great summer wine. Aromas of papaya, toasted bread, boxwood, orange, and cocoa powder. Its delicate attack combines with a rounded and sweet body. Classic boxwood flavors lead to a fresh saline finish.

August Hours: Friday 12pm to Sunset; Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Thursday 12pm to 6pm.

Until August 31 - Exhibition of artwork by Noreene Janus.

Aug. 8 - Words and Wine at 6:00pm. Poets, novelists, spoken-word artists, and storytellers of all sorts are invited to share their work. RSVP to the event by email - info@revalationvineyards. com. Arrive early to get your glass of wine or verjus and reserve your space in our reading list for the night.

August 10th - Français with Françoise at 5:00pm.

August 15th - Sip & Learn at 6pm: Harthorne and His Sisters by Kris Hansen.

August 17th – Meet the Artist behind the Vineyard at 3:00pm: Furniture designer and maker Christina Boy.

August 22nd - Book Club @ The Vineyard starting at 6:00pm: The Wolves of K Street by Brody Mullins and Luke Mullins. Brody Mullins will be present. Register for this event on our website.

Sept. 5th - Book World Meets Wine World at 5:30pm: James Blakey will read from his book Superstition.

Sept. 7th – Meet the Artists behind the Vineyard at 3:00pm: Painters Richard Young and Anna Marie Dowen. Sept. 27 - Vertical Cabernet Franc Tasting at 6:00pm. Tickets will be available on the website August 1.

2710 Hebron Valley Road, Madison, VA 22727 • 540-407-1236 www.revalationvineyards.com

VIRGINIA WINE COLLECTIVE

Summer and Fall at the Collective

The tasting room at the Virginia Wine Collective is now open! Join us for some of the best local wines in Virginia, featuring wines by the glass and wine flights from Jake Busching Wines, Joy Ting Wines, Delve Wines, Dogwood & Thistle, Zora Chloe and Eastwood (among others) along with a delicious pairing menu by Chefs Andrew and Cory Partridge.

The Virginia Wine Collective is a new wine production facility in Charlottesville. Eastwood designed the space to include nine winemaker suites and an incubator alongside the main production area. The suites provide a space where independent winemakers can anchor a license and make their wines. The Collective has been designed to reduce the costs associated with independent winemaking, and thereby support further innovation and talent in the Monticello AVA.

Upcoming at the Collective:

Winemaker Pop-Ups | Most Fridays Enjoy free samples and tour the facility with some of our independent winemakers on Fridays in July and August! Check the website as we will be adding more dates.

August 1: Jake Busching/Jake Busching Wines

August 8: Julie Linker, Delve Wines

August 22: Erin and Sandy Robertson, Dogwood & Thistle

August 29: Jake Busching, Jake Busching Wines

Collective Wisdom Wine Series | Select Saturdays 12:30PM-2:00PM

August 16: Cab Franc 101 Join Jake Busching for a vertical tasting and educational experience. You will taste four regional Cabernet Francs made by Collective winemakers. Share in discussing Virginia terroir, the impact of winemaker style, and why Cabernet Franc is one of the most widely planted grapes in Virginia.

Ticketed Event - Reserve Your Spot On Facebook or the Website. Tickets: $50 per person and includes tasting, time, and a tour. Full lunch menu also available.

Paint & Sip | Select Sundays, August 10 & 24, September 28 1-3PM

Grab a glass of wine (or your favorite drink!) and let your creativity flow in this relaxed and fun class. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a first-time painter, the talented

instructors of Blue Ridge Brushes will walk you through the painting process as you create your own masterpiece. Ticketed EventsReserve Your Spot On Our Website or Facebook Page.

Open Bottle Special | Every Sunday 3:30 to 5:00 PM

Half off glasses poured from open tasting bottles.

After Hours Industry Night | Sunday August 17th 4-7 PM

All wineries, craft beverage and restaurant industry members are invited! Enjoy 20% off all wine and food and help us kick off our first harvest in the new building with free tours and a special Blanc de Blancs toast. Chefs Andrew and Cory Partridge have also created a special, one-night only menu item featuring tasting portions from the regular menu. If you are a winery, we invite you to wear your commemorative 2025 harvest T-shirts if you have them!

Harvest Days at the Collective | Friday Reservations for Lunch or Dinner “With a View”

Make your reservations now for lunch or dinner “with a view” every Friday in September. The reservation will secure one of the limited seats by the windows overlooking production. Keep in mind that most of the action will be winding down by 5 or 6, but there is always something going on during harvest. Even if you do not have a reservation, there will be ample viewing opportunities. In fact, we will be roping off a small area on the production floor so that you can walk out to view the action all weekend long. We are only taking reservations on Fridays, but there will be winemakers working in the space on Saturdays and Sundays as well, so anytime is a great time to visit the Collective this September. Email Gabrielle@eastwoodfarmandwinery. com to make reservations or if you have questions.

Production Tours and Guided Tastings

We look forward to welcoming guests to the Virginia Wine Collective for tours and guided tastings. Please email our Wine Collective Coordinator, Gabrielle Thomas, if you would like to schedule a tour or guided tasting. She may be reached at gabrielle@ eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Large Party Reservations

Interested in making a large party reservation for your group? Reach out to emma@eastwoodfarmandwinery. com to book.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! Winery Hours: Friday 1-8PM

Saturday 12-8PM Sunday 12-5PM

1585 Avon Street Extended Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 264-6727

https://eastwoodfarmandwinery.com/ virginia-wine-collective/

C-VILLE.COM

CULTURE

THURSDAY 8/7

FIRST NATIONS FILMS

Featuring a curated slate of short films by emerging and established Indigenous Australian filmmakers, Nunga Screen presents a selection of documentaries, dramas, and animations in a blend of contemporary and traditional storytelling from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The screening is presented in two parts, with the first half featuring films suitable for all audiences, while the last portion includes narratives containing adult themes. Nici Cumpston, director of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, hosts a Q&A at the conclusion of the event. $11–13, 7pm. Violet Crown Cinema, 200 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. charlottesville.violetcrown.com

Wednesday 8/6 music

Beleza Duo. An evening of funkalicious samba soul—music that moves you from the inside out— with Madeline Holly-Sales on vocals and keys, and Berto Sales on guitar, voice, and loops. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Big Gavel Band. Rockin’ and classic country music. Free, 5:30pm. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. All ages welcome. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

Straight No Chaser—Summer: The ’90s Part 2. The captivating sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music. $39–74, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

The Wavelength. Vintage jazzy blues and rock for your mid-week music boost. With special guest Jon Bisgaier on drums. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com dance

Weekly Swing Dance. Beginner-friendly swing dance lessons teaching the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and blues. No partner needed. Stay for social dancing after the class. $10, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com classes

Paint + Sip: Colorful Country Road. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials provided. $36, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridgebrushes.com

Wickedly Fun Wednesdays. This week’s activity: Nerf battle. Materials and snacks provided. For teens ages 11–18. Registration required. Free, 4:30pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org etc.

Bent Theatre Improv. A hilarious evening of improv comedy where you make the show by suggesting scenes for the players to act out. Free, 7pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St. benttheatrecomedy.com

Bingo Night. Four rounds of family-friendly play, with prizes after each round. Free, 6pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Dürty Karaoke. Dive bar karaoke for your hump days. Free, 8:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Rapture Karaoke. The longest-running karaoke event in town. Hosted by Jenn DeVille. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Thursday 8/7

music

Berto & Vincent. Lively flamenco rumba with Latin and Cuban influences. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Tail Light Rebellion. A mix between the Pogues, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Waits. With Mischief Brew and World/Inferno. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Travis Elliott. Originals and covers, with thoughtful takes on classic and contemporary songs. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. An escape room meets a pub crawl. Visit the Preston Avenue breweries, crack codes, unravel riddles, and sample Charlottesville’s best brews. Players get $1-off pints at each brewery. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Nunga Screen. Short films celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories. $11–13, 7pm. Violet Crown Cinema, 200 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. charlottesville.violetcrown.com

Friday 8/8

music

Annie Stokes x Ammonite. Layered and delicate three-part vocal harmonies with fuzzy electric guitar and steady bass from D.C.’s Ammonite, and expert songwriting with neo-bluegrass and indieAmericana influences by Stokes. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

David Sun Trio. A sunset soirée featuring the David Sun Trio, with Joseph Nichols on bass and Pat Hayes on drums. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Fridays After Five: Erin & The Wildfire. Virginia roots, powerful vocals, and indie-pop soul. With Adam’s Plastic Pond. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Gina Sobel. Award-winning songwriter and composer brings together elements of funk, jazz, and American folk music into a fresh and compelling sound. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. Blues, rockabilly, honky-tonk, and rock ‘n’ roll. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

John Kelly. A Charlottesville-based singer-songwriter with more than two decades of solo acoustic performing experience. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarm andwinery.com

Mr. Spacecat. A straight-up rock ‘n’ roll band with male and female vocalists, electric and acoustic guitars, and a grooving rhythm section. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

The Wavelength. Vintage rock, blues, and original tunes. With special guest Jon Bisgaier on drums. Free, 5:30pm. Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. merriemillfarm.com

Woody Woodworth and the Piners. Influenced by Virginia’s deep musical history and Appalachian culture, this band fuses country, bluegrass, and rock ‘n’ roll with traditional storytelling to create a powerful and timeless sound. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

stage

Goodbye Summer: Drag & Dance Party. A night of high-energy drag and dancing, hosted by the one

SATURDAY 8/9

TO-DO LIST CULTURE

and only Sweet Pickles. Featuring standout performances from Stacy Max and Tijuana Spark. Ages 16+. $20–25, 9pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com classes

Paint & Sip: Peach Tree. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials provided. $39, 6pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, August 7. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Trivia with Olivia. Get the weekend started with beers and trivia. Free, 6pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Saturday 8/9 music

Ark of Mark x XOAP. Alternative rock, folk, and jazz from Mark Coffman, and alt-rock from XOAP. With Patrick Coman. $16, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Harmony. A three-piece group playing various acoustic and electric stringed instruments to cover classic rock tunes. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. Gilliam and the boys are back to blow the roof off in Batesville with rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and honky-tonk music. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Josh Mayo. An up-close-and-personal show featuring original rock and classic covers. Free, 10pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

LockJaw. Covering fan favorites spanning the decades from the ’60s through the ’80s, and beyond. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Metal Mayhem. Another night of mosh pit love with False Sense, Paradiso, Lay Waste, Red Brick, and Willow Tree. $10, 7:30pm. Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, 600 Concord Ave. acebbq.com

Mike Proffitt. A singer-songwriter bringing a mixture of original and classic acoustic rock. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Oh He Dead. D.C. funk band plays Rivanna Roots. With Lua Project. $15–18, 5pm. Rivanna River Company, 1518 E. High St. frontporchcville.org

REEL RESISTANCE

Sharing the story of a civil rights activist targeted by the FBI under its counterintelligence program, The Price of Resistance: Sala Udin, An American Agitator chronicles the life of a community leader and former Pittsburgh city councilman through archival footage, intimate reflections, and interviews with a former agent that provide context to the bureau’s extensive surveillance of Black activists. Presented by the Indie Short Film Festival, the evening also features the film Uprooted, a powerful companion documentary that explores the forced displacement of a thriving Black neighborhood in Newport News, Virginia. $20, 7:30pm. Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org

Porch Dogs. Come bark with the Dogs. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Second Saturday Music Series. Kelly Carney performs an eclectic range of folk, bluegrass, acoustic rock, and maybe even an opera aria or two. $5–10, 6pm. The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler, 1643 Salem Rd., Schuyler. quarrygardensatschuyler.org

South Canal Street. Covers from the golden era of music—the late 1950s to the 1970s. Free, 6pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Starry Nights. Applebutter Soul is one of the region’s most electrifying bands, integrating soul, funk, jazz, R&B, Motown, and Top 40 hits. $125, 5:30pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com

Winegrass. Nelson County soul searchers. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durty nellyscharlottesville.com

dance

EDEN: SUN/SETS Afterparty. An after-hours party with tribal-afro-house rhythms. Free, 10pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

SUN/SETS Episode Three. Sunset meditation and a full moon dance party. Ages 21+. $25–35, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com stage

Sorry, Most Sorry: An Adaptation of The Winter’s Tale for Young Audiences. Step into a world where a single act of jealousy sets an entire kingdom adrift, and only a brave heart can bring it back home. Pay what you will, 10am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com classes

Crochet for Beginners. Learn the basics of crochet. Leave with a crochet hook and a small crocheted washcloth. Ages 12+. $25, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Learn to Knit. Learn the basics of knitting. No experience needed. Leave with a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it. Ages 12+. $25, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com Upcycled Journal Making and Beginning Book Binding. Put together a journal using up-cycled items such as fabric, paper, cardboard, and string. Ages 12+. $45, 3pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

JABA empowers adults 60+, adults with disabilities, and caregivers with meaningful opportunities for social, health and wellness, and caregiving support. With 50 years as the leading nonprofit for older adults, JABA is equipped to support you throughout your aging journey. Prepare for your future, enjoy your present, and appreciate your past at JABA.

Reach your goals and explore opportunities as you age with JABA.

TO-DO LIST

DEAD RECKONING

Hailing from Washington, D.C., Oh He Dead brings funky rock with poppy vibes to every stage it graces. The five-piece outfit fronted by CJ Bowlin’ and her powerful voice are known for high-energy shows featuring incredible instrumentation and soulful sounds that only a close-knit crew can conjure. Local cultural pollinator Lua Project also performs, bridging musical styles from different continents and centuries with contemporary themes about family, community, work, and loss. This Rivanna Roots Concert Series show goes on rain or shine. $15–18, 5pm. Rivanna River Company, 1518 E. High St. frontporchcville.org

if you got ’em. Free, 2pm. Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

See listing for Thursday, August 7. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Mar-

Produce and products from 80+ local vendors. Visit the Market Management tent to match your SNAP dollars up to $50

South River Strings. A four-piece string band producing an eclectic mix of rock, blues, and bluegrass. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

The Davis Bradley Duo. Local singer-songwriters Kathy Davis and Bradley Bishop bring an acoustic blend of bluegrass, old-time, and swing renditions of classics, plus original tunes. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Tristan Dougherty and The Heart Pines. A group fingerpicking and harmonizing its way into the hearts of serious music lovers. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

: A Sneak Preview. A first look at a soaring new musical production by Richmonders Jerold Solomon, Foster Solomon, and Ron Klipp chronicling Gabriel’s Rebellion, one of the most important slave uprisings in Virginia. Free, 1:30pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Paint + Sip: Wildflower Wineglasses. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials provided. $38, 1pm. Virginia Wine Collective, 1585 Avon St. Ext. blueridgebrushes.com

2025 Soul of Cville: Firmly Planted. FierceA week-long celebration where culture, community, and Black joy as resistance collide. Events take place throughout the week during the 5th annual festival. Learn more online.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, August 7. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Paramount On Screen: Ocean’s 11 Eleven pals prepare to carry out a—theoretically—foolproof plan to rob five Las Vegas casinos at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Featuring the original Rat Pack. $7–9, 4pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Paramount On Screen: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. When Pee-wee Herman’s idyllic world is destroyed by the theft of his fire-engine red bicycle, the pre-pubescent adult sets out on a manic crosscountry odyssey to recover his most valued possession. $7–9, 1pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Rush Stern Army Silverball Sunday. An International Flipper Pinball Association main tournament featuring raffles, prizes, and fun. $10 tournament entry, 11am. Pro Re Nata Brewpub & Music Hall, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. pinballroomcville.com

Monday

8/11

music

Flamenco Monday. Berto and Vincent present a night of flamenco song and dance. Must say “olé!” Free, 7pm. Mejicali, 852 W. Main St. #110. mejicalirestaurant.com

Monday Mixtape. Brought to you by the infamous Koda Kerl. A rotating revue of interesting jams and hangs. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

etc.

Puzzle Madness. Drop in any time. Choose a puzzle and play with friends. Recommended for ages 12+. Registration recommended. Free, 11:30am. Northside Library, 705 W. Rio Rd. jmrl.org

Tuesday 8/12

music

BRIMS. Irish music jam featuring performers from the Blue Ridge Irish Music School. Free, 6:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Cville Band Presents: Summer at The Paramount. The municipal band closes out the 2025 Summer Season with a bang, featuring a number of guest artists. Free, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Jazz Tuesdays. Master trombonist Doug Bethel is joined by a lineup of top-tier local musicians for a night of inspired, high-level live jazz. Free, 7:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Vincent Zorn. Lively flamenco rumba guitar with a unique percussive technique that incorporates a diverse range of strumming styles, rhythms, and taps. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

classes

Paint + Sip: Sunset Palms. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials and first drink included in ticket price. $40, 6pm. Ellie’s Country Club, 16 Elliewood Ave. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people compete to win prizes like gift certificates and pint glasses, plus bragging rights. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

The Run Club. Do a 5K run, then drink beer. $1-off pints for runners. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St.

Follow on

THE WORKS CULTURE

Tim Michel takes inspiration from water’s transitions in Chroma show

BY SARAH SARGENT

Tim Michel became interested in deltas after a friend, a follower of Carl Jung, suggested it would be useful to have a personal symbol or archetype that could carry you to the next stage of your life. “This was interesting to me,” says Michel, whose “Delta” show at Chroma Projects considers these alluvial phenomena through a series of prints.

“I had no idea what that might be,” he says. “But over time, it evolved into the delta.” He went online and looked at the earth’s great deltas. “To realize that all over the world there are these rivers all feeding into the sea resonated with me, so I began to draw them.”

Deltas are formed when a river encounters a body of water where there’s resistance in the form of tides or waves. As the river slows, sediment is deposited and the water diverges into a fan shape. This creates diverse and ecologically important ecosystems. A delta’s sediment-rich, fertile soil, and abundance of naturally filtered water make it a magnet for all sorts of species, including humans who’ve developed them into thriving agricultural centers around the planet.

“This idea of transition from one state of order to another, felt very good to me,” says Michel. The Greek letter delta, ∆, which means change, derives from an earlier Phoenician letter, dalet, meaning door. The letter was absorbed into the Greek alphabet where it became triangular, inspired by the shape of the Nile River delta.

Michel began immersing himself in creating deltas, looking at them in different ways, and typically depicting them at night, often with comets and sometimes stars. “I use celestial imagery a lot, I find it very important,” he says. In some cases, he uses these astronomical objects as a visual device to take you out of the plane of the delta and pull your eye upwards. In one print, a delicate Big Dipper points to the North Star above the delta in a confluence of meaning about the flow and direction of life.

In most of Michel’s work, the viewer has a bird’s-eye view, rendered with traditional perspective. Sometimes the river snakes toward you and sometimes it flows away. The first piece in the show, an etching, depicts a river coming toward you from the direction of a mountain range. In the foreground the delta splits into its network of distributaries. In the upper right, a comet, with a prodigious tail, barrels toward earth. It’s a simple image, but it has a curious power. Michel brackets the landscape with a lemon sky and emerald sea, which he mud-

dies with etching marks that bloom across their surfaces. He edges the mountains that evoke the Blue Ridge with a thick white line highlighting the jagged ridge.

In two works—the eighth one and the final one in the show—the artist abandons his marks for a hard-edged, graphic effect and perspective shift. Using a laser cutter to produce plates, the images are reduced to sharply delineated shapes of color—and while the subject matter isn’t obvious, the elegance of form is. Michel finds that the printing plates hold their own beauty, and displays them alongside the work.

“Delta #1” and “CP” are made from the same plate. Michel changed the ink, shifting the cool energy of the expected blue sky color to something more arresting in the

orangey pink. “I used the same plate, but I did it in two colors—you can’t do that with a painting,” he says. “The two prints are very different and they feel very different.” He did the same thing with the fourth and 10th prints, and here again, the same image with different colored inks creates a completely different effect.

“I treat every print as a monoprint where the variations in the inks, plate preparation, wiping, and press pressure combine to make a unique, one-of-a-kind impression on each piece of paper,” says Michel, who appreciates the roles serendipity and chance play in printmaking. “When you print, you don’t really know what’s going to happen because your partner is the press,” Michel says. “Sometimes it can be a good partner and sometimes it can be a bad one … you have to always be thinking ahead.”

It’s worth getting up close to Michel’s prints to examine his marks. These range from pinpricks to more animated flicks and lines. In some, he inserts funny little images that have symbolic importance for him: stars, fish, comets, spirals. In one, there’s actually a little settlement. You can make out a church steeple, a temple-like structure, and other buildings.

“A delta represents the completion of the journey a river takes,” says Michel. “I had to keep doing deltas because I was learning from it. I was learning something about myself and now I’m learning something about the world, and where I’ve been in the world, and where I am in my life, all those things fit with what the delta represents for me.”

Tim Michel’s “Delta” is on exhibition at Chroma Projects micro gallery Inside Vault Virginia through August 29. More information at chromaprojects.com.

More than a membership, our Houses provide an inclusive space to dine, work, and discover. Commonhouse.com

LUXURY BOUTIQUE INN

SURROUNDED BY HISTORY

A hidden gem nestled in one of Charlottesville’s most charming historic neighborhoods, Oakhurst Inn is an intimate boutique hotel conveniently located just steps away from the University of Virginia. Experience luxurious accommodations, delectable cuisine, an inviting ambiance, and picturesque surroundings. A place connecting visitors and locals alike.

FOR FUN PUZZLES

SUDOKU

#4 #2

#2 #5 #4

ACROSS

1. Former Swedish imports

6. Budhaditya Mukherjee’s instrument

11. Nose around 14. Roman courtyards

Steaming

“Smoke and Pickles” cookbook author Edward

Places for competition

TV’s “Teenage Witch”

26. Molybdenum, e.g

27. Tartan patterns

28. “Can do”

29. Recurring-theme composition

30. Get up

31. Direct deposit abbr.

34. “Dies ___” (Latin hymn)

35. Ziggy Stardust’s alter ego

36. Actress Delevingne

37. Cable channel whose first aired show was a rerun of “What’s My Line?”

38. Rafael, the “King of Clay

39. “Air Music” composer Ned

40. Yoga postures

42. Rogers ___ (retractable roof stadium in Toronto)

43. Letter sign-off

45. Placated

46. Part of an intro for a local hero, maybe

47. “Clue” weapon

48. Precious metal, to Mateo

49. It means a great deal

54. ___’wester (waterproof hat)

55. BP acquisition of the late 1990s

56. Atlantic feature

57. 1/6 of a fl. oz.

58. Smallest amount

59. Bring up

DOWN

1. Pine goop

2. ___ moment’s notice

3. Abbr. at Midway

4. Two-wheeled excursion

5. Got hitched

6. S as in Socrates

7. 401(k) alternatives

8. Pine goop

9. Had a table for one

10. Bum

11. It means the world to me

12. “King Lear” daughter

13. Vintner ’s supply

18. Grandmas, to some

22. Radiohead’s former record label

23. Bit of basil

24. “Zut ___!”

25. It means a bunch

26. BCCed message

28. “___ a dark and stormy night ...”

30. Drink dispenser options

32. “___ Jacques” (children’s song)

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

By Rob Brezsny

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now is an excellent time for you to swear sacred oaths. I suggest you get less comfortable with transitory arrangements and short-term promises. The near future will also be a ripe phase to make brave commitments that require you to go farther and deeper than you’ve dared to before. I recommend you forgo the cheap thrills of skipping along from one random moment to the next. Embrace a game plan. Finally, I urge you to cast magic spells on yourself that will release your unconscious mind from old fixations that subtly drain your power to fulfill your dreams. Please please please surrender trivial obsessions that distract you from your life’s key goals.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In West African traditions, griots are key figures in their communities. They serve as storytellers, oral historians, poets, genealogists, and advisors. Their presence is often central to events like weddings, funerals, and ceremonies. In the coming weeks, Libra, I hope that you will embrace a role that resembles the griot. Your ability to enhance and nurture your network is at a peak. You have extra power to weave together threads that have become frayed or unraveled. Given your potential potency as a social glue, I advise you to avoid gossip and instead favor wise, kind words that foster connection.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov.21): The phrase “elegant sufficiency” is an old English expression meaning “just enough” or “a sufficient amount in a refined or tasteful way.” I am expanding it to also mean “the simplest solution that solves a problem completely without unnecessary complexity.” It’s your power phrase, Scorpio. What you need is not intricate perfection, but elegant sufficiency: enoughness. I suggest you welcome this gift with enthusiasm—not in a resigned way, but with a quiet triumph. Maybe your plan doesn’t need more bullet points. Maybe the relationship doesn’t require further analysis. Maybe your offering is already thorough. Allow yourself the sweet satisfaction of having just the right amount. What you have created may be more organically whole than you realize.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec.21): How do you become a maestro of desire? What must you do to honor your beautiful yearnings and cull your mediocre ones? What’s the magic that will help you fulfill your life’s purpose by trusting your deepest cravings? Here are some tips. First, jettison your inessential desires and cherish the precious yearnings that are crucial. Second, dispose of outmoded goals so you can make expansive space for robust goals that steer you away from the past and guide you

(July 23-Aug. 22): In the Arctic, the sun shines for 24 hours a day during midsummer. There is no night, only the surreal glow of prolonged gold. The human body, confused by the unending day, may be confused about when to sleep. For some, this creates disorientation, and for others, a strange euphoria. In my astrological opinion, Leo, you have entered a metaphorical version of this solar dreamscape. Your creative powers are beaming like a relentless sun. There may be little darkness in sight. So how will you rest? How will you replenish under the glow of fervent possibility? Be wisely discerning with your energy. Don’t mistake illumination for invincibility. Bask in the light, yes, but protect your rhythms.

toward the future. These are challenging tasks! The very good news is that the coming weeks can be a turning point in your quest to claim this birthright.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m writing a fairy tale about an ancient land whose queen regards poetry as essential to the public good. She often invites poets to perform for her and her court. When they finish a stirring passage, they bow— not to the queen or other observers, but to the silence they mined to access their inspiration; to the pregnant chaos from which the poem was born. The pause is a gesture of gratitude and acknowledgment. I invite you to partake in similar acts of appreciation, Capricorn. Bow toward the mysteries from which your blessings flow. Honor the quiet sources that keep you fertile. Praise the treasures in the dark that fuel your intense activities.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I advise you to get naked, I’m not necessarily suggesting that you doff your clothes. What I primarily mean is the following: Shed the armor around your heart; strip off your defense mechanisms; discard knee pads you wear while kissing butt or paying excessive homage; recycle shoes, jackets, pants, and opinions that don’t fit you; and discard pride-spawned obstacles that impede your communions with those you love.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): The Finnish word sisu describes a radical, unglamorous persistence. Those who possess sisu can summon extraordinary determination, tenacity, and resilience in the face of confusion or difficulty. It’s not

about bravado or flair, but about soulful gutsiness. I suspect it’s time for you to draw on your sisu, Pisces. It will empower you to tap into reserves of strength that have previously been unavailable. You will activate potentials that have been half-dormant.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): The Tagalog word gigil refers to the urge to squeeze or pinch something adorable. It’s an ecstatic tension that verges on overflowing the container of decorum. In the coming weeks, you Aries could feel gigil for the whole world. Everything may seem almost too vivid, too raw, too marvelous, and altogether too much. I advise you to welcome these surges and allow them to enhance your perceptions. Laugh hard. Cry freely. Invite goosebumps. Please note: But don’t actually squeeze anyone without their permission.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): In Japan’s Snow Country, artisans practice yuki-sarashi. It involves laying woven cloth on snow under sunlight to bleach, brighten, purify, and soften the fibers through the effects of snow, sunlight, cold, and ozone. Because this process doesn’t require harsh chemicals, it helps maintain the fabric’s strength and prevents it from yellowing over time. I propose you make yukisarashi a useful metaphor, Taurus. Something fragile and fine is ready to emerge, but it needs your gentle touch and natural methods. You are often grounded in the adept manipulation of raw material—what works, what holds, what can be relied on. But this burgeoning treasure needs maximum nuance and the blessings of sensitive care.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): When African American dancer Josephine Baker arrived in Paris in 1925 at age 19, she was seeking refuge from her home country’s racism. Her electrifying performances soon made her a celebrity. Author Ernest Hemingway said she was “the most sensational woman anyone ever saw.” As she grew wealthy, she donated generously to French charities, hospitals, and schools. Her compassionate works evolved further, too. During World War II, she worked as a spy for the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation. Later, she became a civil rights activist in the US. Can you guess the astrological sign of this multi-faceted star? Gemini! I hope you will be inspired by her in the coming weeks. May you, too, use your natural gifts and stylish flair to serve the greater good. Look for opportunities to mentor, encourage, and advocate for those lacking your advantages.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): When a glacier moves, it doesn’t rush. It presses forward incrementally, reshaping mountains, carving valleys, and transporting boulders. In a metaphorical sense, Cancerian, you are now in glacier time. A slow, relentless, and ultimately magnificent process is afoot in your life. Others may not yet see the forward momentum. Even you may doubt it. But the shift is real and permanent. Trust the deep, inexorable push. Your soul is hauling whole landscapes into new configurations.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

P.S. THE HOTSEAT

Never souled out

Now in its fifth year of celebrating Black excellence in Charlottesville, the Soul of Cville festival returns with a week of engaging and exciting events throughout the city. Kicking off on August 10 with a free Soul Skate at McIntire Park and peaking with Soul of Cville at IX Art Park on August 16, the festival celebrates accomplishments, creativity, and culture. Ahead of the weeklong fête, we put festival co-founder Khalilah Jones in the HotSeat.

Name: Khalilah Jones (pronounced like Delilah with a “K”)

Age: 46

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Job(s): Children’s Services Act program coordinator by day; Atmosphere shifter by night (also, by day!)

What’s something about your job that people would be surprised to learn? That I actually have one (since I’m so active in the community).

Why is supporting cultural festivals important? Supporting cultural festivals is important because in a world that’s tried to silence, erase, and rewrite our joy, showing up and celebrating ourselves out loud is not just wanted … it’s so necessary, radical, and healing.

What does this year’s festival theme of Firmly Planted. Fiercely Flourishing represent? Whew, honey … year five is a milestone. We started from the bottom, now we’re here! Firmly Planted, Fiercely Flourishing means we’ve rooted ourselves in purpose and community, and now we’re blooming out loud with no apologies.

What is Black excellence to you? Black excellence to me is showing up twice as bold while working twice as hard … being undeniable in rooms that weren’t built for us, then kicking open the door, thriv-

ing out loud, and making sure there’s space for the whole cookout to flourish right alongside us.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s festival?

Whew, that’s a tough one … but I’m equally hype for Soul Café: Blacks in Tech, Afrobeats x Carnivale Fusion Line Dancing, Trap

Karaoke with Black Women Who Wine, and of course the Vinegar Hill Best in Black Cville Awards at the Paramount. (Shoutout to our marquee sponsor United Way and VIP reception sponsor Black Professional Network.) And let’s not forget the fashion shows, because clearly, I don’t do favorites, I do vibes.

Best part of living here: Hands down the best part of living here is the unwavering community support. There’s no way something like Soul of Cville would see a year five without it. Thank you, C’ville!

Worst part of living here: Honestly? Trying to explain to out-oftowners that yes, I meant Charlottesville, not Charlotte. And no, we don’t all live on a vineyard or bump into Dave Matthews at the farmers’ market every weekend.

Favorite Charlottesville restaurant: I am not a restaurant chick. I just have fave dishes like the Thai chicken burrito from Continental Divide, but the Brussels sprouts at Black Cow Chophouse for sure give them a run for their money.

Favorite Charlottesville gallery/ museum: IX Immersive Art Museum, duh. Check out their community day on Thursdays!

Favorite Charlottesville landmark/attraction: Jefferson School African American Heritage Center Bodo’s order: Not a bagel gal. If it’s round dough with a hole in the center it better be drowning in glaze.

Best advice you ever got: Sometimes the ship you’ve been waiting for is the ship you need to build.

Proudest accomplishment: I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of an amazing team that’s brought Soul of Cville to life for five years straight, especially last year, exactly five months after my bilateral knee replacement, which made it all the more meaningful.

Describe your perfect day: My perfect day in C’ville looks like waking up at 6am to roller skate at McIntire Park (before it gets too

hot), grabbing a Thai chicken burrito from Continental Divide, a carrot bundt cake, and driving over to Chris Greene Lake to have a car party with my family, and then midday naps.

If you could be reincarnated as a person or thing, what would you be? I’d come back as a bold red lip: timeless, intentional, and never out of place at a photo shoot, boardroom, or block party. Yasss!

Most embarrassing moment: Hands down the time I accidentally drove through the Dogwood Parade. Yep, just cruised right in like I was the opening act. Once I realized what was happening, I committed to the bit and started waving like “don’t mind me.” Super embarrassing. Thanks for unlocking that core memory.

Favorite book: Who Moved My Cheese?

Who’d play you in a movie? Younger me: Marsai Martin. Older me: Sheryl Lee Ralph.

What’s your comfort food/meal? Carbohydrates

Go-to karaoke song: “Before He Cheats”

Best journey you ever went on: Co-founding a cultural festival as a form of resistance in a town I am not from.

Next journey: Daring to take the risk, whatever one presents itself that speaks to my soul.

Favorite word: My absolute favorite word is OONTZ.

Hottest take/most unpopular opinion: Melted cheese is an abomination.

What have you forgotten today?

To take my perimenopause supplements to help with brain fog.

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