FunStuff: Charlottesville events August 9 and beyond
Wet and wild
What kid doesn't beg to go to Massanutten Water Park? With its massive slides, surfing pool, outdoor wave pool, climbing structures, and adjoining arcade, It's like Onesty Pool on steroids. Unfortunately, the price tag can also seem like it's on steroids at $38 per person for a full day. So what's a budget conscious family to do? Get friendly with another family! The Park, located about an hour northwest of Charlottesville on Route 33 near Harrisonburg, offers group rates for those who plan in advance, and it doesn't have to be anyone's birthday to take advantage. For $190, a group of 10 can swim and splash for 4 hours and get $30 of arcade tickets– that's less than $20 bucks a person. And if you want to save even more bucks, pack a cooler for lunch, as the park allows reentry with a wristband. Reservations (540-437-3340) are required for group deals.
Year round, Massanutten Resort, various times, $19-$38
Complex characters
She was never a teen mom, but that didn't stop author Kristen Paige Madonia from exploring the subject in her first novel, Fingerprints of You. It's the story of a girl who, upon discovering she's carrying a child, sets out on a journey to find her own father, whom she's never known. There are few authors of young adult fiction as successful as Judy Blume, and Madonia has already won her over. "Her writing is luminous, her voice original, and the journey she takes us on, compelling," Blume writes. Madonia will read from her book at New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall. (And if you miss her there, she'll offer a free seminar titled "Write What You Don't Know" on Thursday, August 16 at 7pm at Writerhouse at 508 Dale Avenue.)
August 9, New Dominion Bookshop, 5:30pm, free
Gettin' kicks
You know fall's around the corner when the UVA soccer teams start playing, and this week, both the men and the women have pre-season matches worth watching. The women, ranked 6th in the NCAA, take on the Georgetown Bulldogs on August 12. And the powerhouse men, who last won the NCAA championship in 2009 but were knocked out in the first round of the tournament by Delaware last year, play St. John's two days later. Players to watch this year include returning senior Will Bates, pictured, a forward who was named to the All ACC team in 2011.
August 12 and 14, Klockner Stadium, 7pm, free
Gypsy funk
They've been described as "equal parts gypsy jazz, vaudeville, circus funhouse, and riverboat steam, rattled around in a boxcar for a couple thousand miles, served with sangria and sausages." That's from fellow Roanoke musician Charles Alan Reynolds III, but there's no doubt that Another Roadside Attraction puts on a unique show with costumed musicians playing instruments including the kazoo, ukelele, and washboard. You don't have to drive all the way to Roanoke to catch the act; they play in downtown Staunton on Saturday night at the Pompei Lounge, a swanky venue on the third floor of upscale Italian eatery Emilio's on Beverly Street. The "Carnival Theme Night" promises other surprises are in store.
August 11, Pompei Lounge, 10pm, free
Just peachy
Sweet, sticky, and delicious. Peaches are in season, and the picking's good. Chiles Peach Orchard out in Crozet has yellow and donut peaches ready to pluck (and white available for purchase). The orchard, located at 1351 Greenwood Road, is open seven days a week, but if you head out this Saturday morning, you can indulge in a peach-heavy pancake breakfast offered by the orchard. Yum!
August 11, Chiles Peach Orchard, 9-11am, $4-7 breakfast
Java n' tunes
Looking for a mellow vibe that's outside the bar scene and not so late? Singer/songwriter Christian Critzer takes over the Crozet Mudhouse on Saturday evening to perform what his bio describes as "acoustic jam/alternative/hiphop/soul fusion." Critzer's a multi-talented fellow, working as a Christmas Tree farm manager by day and making Grateful Dead bear costumes in his free time. Songs including "Better Days," and "Apogee" tell stories and encourage closed-eye grooving and close listening.
August 11, Crozet Mudhouse, 6-9pm, donations encouraged
Bodies of work
Fluidity of motion and graceful lines are the hallmark of a ballet dancer's body, and the work of photographer Kaya Berne captures these details up close. Her works are on display during the month of August at the Mudhouse on the Downtown Mall, offering closer look at the skin, muscles, and form of dancers. According to Berne, the images are "meant to pause the intensity in order to show the grace and strain of the human body as it moves throughout a dance."
Through Sept. 3, Mudhouse on the Downtown Mall, many hours, free
Doing the Waive
He's been compared to John Prine, and he does indeed cover Prine tunes, but Jim Waive doesn't need to ride anyone's coattails to stir emotion with his country crooning, as a review on thevelvetrut.com revealed: "The evening felt like a well-planted seed in good soil. It’s free. They pass a bucket for your music tips. You eat meatloaf or corn beef and cabbage. Drink coffee or PBR’s from a can. Smoke cigarettes. Play and sing country music and praise Jim Reeves and George Jones. Fly Away on eternal hymns. Order a Jack and coke. Eat spicy fries. Listen to John Prine songs. Marvel at Jim Waive songs." Waive performs solo at the most colorful West Main Street diner every Wednesday.
August 15, Blue Moon Diner, 8pm, free
Cityscapes
This weekend's your last chance to view Emilio Sanchez: Cityscapes, an exhibit of the late Cuban-American artist who also graduated from UVA School of Architecture. Sanchez' works depict bright Caribbean scenes but also grittier urban settings, inspired by his experience living in New York City. The Exhibit is on view at the Rugby Road institution now known as the Fralin Museum of Art (formerly the University of Virginia Art Museum).
Through August 12, Fralin Museum of Art, free
Terri Allard Allard's ballads
Charlottesville's first lady of song may just be Terri Allard– after all, she's been playing locally and farther afield for years, winning critical acclaim. "Allard's mastered the art of the Americana ballad," writes Bill Craig in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, claiming that her "most potent weapon is her voice, a sultry combination of sweetness and grit." Hear that combination this weekend, as the Terri Allard Trio plays an afternoon show out at Jefferson Vineyards on Route 53 past Monticello. Sit back, sip, and listen– what a way to wind down summer.
August 12, Jefferson Vineyards, 2:30pm, free
This week's "FunStuff" was compiled by Courteney Stuart, and next week's "FunStuff" will be compiled by another newsroom staffer. To get your event considered, send a press release and photo to [email protected].