More than 40 authors will converge on Williamsburg this Saturday, February 24, for the Williamsburg Book Festival. 

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Stryker Center and the Williamsburg Community Building from 10 am to 4 pm.

This year’s featured authors are bestselling mystery writer Mollie Cox Bryan of Corzet, Virginia, and Washington-based magazine journalist Laura Elliot, an award-winning author of historical and biographical fiction. Authors and publishers will exhibit, sign and sell their books.

The festival will also feature workshops, panels and presentations on various topics, such as library resources for book clubs, the craft of writing, the music of poetry and the mechanics of the book industry. 

The winners of the Williamsburg Book Festival’s college, high school and middle school student writing contests will also read from their work and receive awards during the event. For a schedule of the day’s activities, click here.

Some other events to highlight this week include a free Salute to the Presidents program at Colonial Williamsburg, a Virginia Symphony Orchestra Mozart & Rachmaninoff concert at the Ferguson Center, After Angelo – a one-day celebration of African-American culture and heritage – at Jamestown Settlement, a Winter Market at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown and a free concert by The Baltimore Consort, known for their lively renditions of Renaissance tunes, at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church.

Want to submit a future event for consideration? Email me at christin@thetriangle.news.

-Christin

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Events This Weekend, Feb. 23-25

Below is a list of local happenings taking place Feb. 23-25. Click on the bolded event title for additional details.

Friday, Feb. 23

Kids

• Ukulele for Homeschoolers – Tabb Library (Yorktown). Homeschoolers in grades 4-12 are invited to attend a series of ukulele classes. A limited number of ukuleles will available to use during the program. Registration is required and students who attend one session should commit to attending all six sessions. The bi-weekly program will be held 2/23, 3/8, 3/22, 4/12, 4/26 and 5/10 from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. 
• Family Zumba: Feel the Love – James City County Recreation Center (Williamsburg). Family Zumba gives families a chance to be active together. The event features a different theme every month. This month’s theme, Feel the Love, honors American Heart Month. For ages 5+. See the website to sign up. Free. 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Family BAM! – James City County Recreation Center (Williamsburg). Families are invited to drum away stress while increasing their fitness and listening to amazing music. See the website to sign up. For ages 5+. Free. 6:30 – 7:30 pm. 

Nature

• Roaming Ranger – York River State Park (Williamsburg). Meet with a naturalist/ranger and discover the aquatic, insect, mammal and plant life in the park’s ecosystems. Included with standard park admission. 11:00 am – 12:00 pm. 

Teens

• Teens Night Out – James City County Library (Williamsburg). Teens ages 13 and up are invited to celebrate the end of the month with games, friends, snacks, music and more. 6:00 – 8:00 pm. 

Music

• Mozart & Rachmaninoff feat. VSO – Ferguson Center for the Arts (Newport News). Alex Beyer, award-winning pianist and Navy pilot, takes the spotlight in Mozart’s dramatic Piano Concerto No. 20 in D. Minor. The program, featuring the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, closes with Rachmaninoff’s final major work, the Symphonic Dances. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased here. 7:30 pm. 
• Music of Francois Couperin – Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg). Enjoy François Couperin’s Leçon de ténèbres, performed by Morayo Akande & Leah Wenger, sopranos, Katerina Kotar, viola de gamba, and Cameron Kuzepski, organ & harpsichord. 8:00 – 9:00 pm. 

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Saturday, Feb. 24

Special Events

• After Angelo – Jamestown Settlement (Williamsburg). This one-day program honors the legacy of Angelo, one of the first African women mentioned by name in the historic record at Jamestown. The event features a lively celebration of African-American culture and heritage. All daytime performances, activities and speaker presentations during this special event are included with museum admission. Residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg receive free admission with proof of residency. 9 am – 5 pm. 
• Yorktown Market Days: Winter Market – Riverwalk Landing (Yorktown). Attend a winter market featuring vendors and artists selling locally grown, produced and crafted products. There will be baked goods, prepared soups, gourmet chocolates, homemade candles, dog treats, local art and more. Free. 10 am – 2:00 pm. 
• Williamsburg Book Festival – Stryker Building and Community Building (Williamsburg). Attend a book fair featuring more than 40 nationally and regionally renowned authors from a wide variety of genres, including children’s books, sports, historical and contemporary novels, romance and self-help. The authors will exhibit, sign and sell their books. Workshops, panels and presentations will take place throughout the day in Stryker Center Room 127. See the website for the schedule of events. Free. 10 am – 4 pm.

Nature

• Bird Walk – New Quarter Park (Williamsburg). Attend a winter bird walk hosted by the Williamsburg Bird Club. Binoculars are available on loan from The Park Office. 8:00 – 10:00 am. 

Brunch

• Museum Café Brunch – Museum Café (Colonial Williamsburg). Explore the Art Museum’s exhibits and enjoy a brunch featuring Colonial-inspired offerings, like Martha Washington’s Roasted Vegetable Skillet and seasonal bread pudding. 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. 

Music

• Chamber String Recital – Bruton Parish Church (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy a candlelight concert by the Violin Studio of Loretta McCray in a beautiful, 18th-century worship center. 8:00 – 9:00 pm. 
• Dance Through the Decades: 2010s – Alewerks Brewing Company (Williamsburg). Attend the final Dance Through the Decades night, featuring music from the 2010s. Wear your best 2010s outfit and enter for a chance to win a $30 gift card. S&A Entertainment will DJ and offer karaoke and Two Salty River Chic’s will be on site to offer food. 6:30 – 9:30 pm.

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Sunday, Feb. 25

Special Events

• 2024 Cultural Heritage Series: “T E N” Dancers Worldwide – Williamsburg Library (Williamsburg). TEN Dancers Worldwide will perform a dance concert as part of WRL’s 2024 Cultural Heritage Series. The group’s specialty is biblical and Christian dance training and techniques. 3:00 pm. 
• Open Door Concert Series: The Baltimore Consort – Williamsburg Presbyterian Church (Williamsburg). Enjoy a free concert featuring The Baltimore Consort. Known for their lively renditions of Renaissance tunes, the group presents a brand new program featuring their core repertory – music of the Elizabethan era – with songs and consort music from the Shakespeare plays. No tickets or reservations are required.  Doors open at 3:30 pm, concert begins at 4:00 pm. 

Craft

• Sit and Stitch – James City County Library (Williamsburg). Beginners can meet up and learn the basics of knitting at this new program. No registration is required. 1:00 pm. 

Game Day

• Tabletop Gaming – Tabb Library (Yorktown). Enjoy three hours of tabletop gaming. This program is for adults 18+ with all levels of gaming experience. Teens may attend with an accompanying adult. Drop in any time. 1:30 – 4:30 pm. 

Kids

• Paws to Read with K-9 Connection – James City County Library (Williamsburg). Kids are invited to drop in and practice their reading skills alongside a trained therapy dog. No registration required. 2:30 pm. 

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Multi-Day

Special Events

• Kids Run Trains – Yorktown Library (Yorktown). Check out the Kids Run Trains interactive modular layout and try operating the trains. This drop-in event is fun for all ages and will take place in the Yorktown Auditorium. Saturday, Feb. 24, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday, Feb. 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm. 
• Professional Bull Riders – Hampton Coliseum (Hampton). The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour brings high-energy sound, lighting, special effects and action from a world leader in bull riding. See the website for additional details or to purchase tickets. Feb. 23 (8:00 pm) and Feb. 24 (7:00 pm). 
• Hampton Roads Home Show – Hampton Roads Convention Center (Hampton). Attend the largest home show on the Peninsula. This event features landscaping companies, remodeling contractors, interior decorating companies and more. $10 at the gate, $9 for active and retired military, police, firefighters and EMS (with valid ID), $8 if purchased in advance with a coupon. Free for 18 and under. Feb. 24 (10 am – 5 pm) & Feb. 25 (10 am – 4 pm). 
• Colonial Williamsburg Homeschool Days – Colonial Williamsburg will host its annual winter Homeschool Days, February 24 – March 3, 2024. Homeschoolers and their families will be able to take advantage of a special, discounted rate. See the website for additional details.

Kids

• Busch Gardens & Water Country USA Preschool Pass – Busch Gardens (Williamsburg). Did you know Busch Gardens offers a free preschool pass for kids ages 3-5? The 2-park Preschool Pass offers unlimited admission to both the theme park and water park in Williamsburg. Online registration for the 2024 pass opened Jan. 24. You must register online and visit the park by May 31, 2024 to activate the pass. See the website for more information or to sign up.

Coloring Contest

• JCC Coloring Contest –  James City County is conducting a winter coloring contest. To participate, download and print your favorite letter in the word “LOVE,” color the sheet and submit it to the county. Entries must be submitted by the 28th of each month (January or February). Four winners will receive a LOVE swag bag. Click here for full submission instructions. 

Skating

• Skating at the Liberty Ice Pavilion – Colonial Williamsburg. The Liberty Ice Pavilion is open daily from Friday, Nov. 17 through Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, including holidays. One-day skating tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for kids ages 3-12 and free for children under 3. Ice skates can be rented for $5.61 per person. Season passes are also available. See the season’s full schedule here.

Nature

• Treehouses: Look Who’s Living in the Trees – Virginia Living Museum (Newport News). At this newest hands-on exhibition, visitors will roam from tree to tree while discovering the many habitats that trees provide for animals large and small. Climb through large treehouses, become an animal tracker, get face-to-face with wildlife of all sizes, move your feet on the forest-sound dance floor and more. Jan. 27 – May 5, 2024, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. 

Tax Assistance

• Williamsburg AARP 2024 Tax-Aide – Multiple Locations (Williamsburg Area). Williamsburg AARP Tax-Aide returns for the 2024 tax season beginning on Feb. 1 and running through April 15. The program offers free tax counseling, preparation and filing service to taxpayers with low to moderate income, with special attention to those aged 60 and older. Tax-Aide is once again operating out of the downtown Scotland Street library location and will also return to James City County Library on Croaker Road. To make an appointment online, click here.

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Future Events to Note

• Flute Frenzy’s Game Night! Concert – Matthew Whaley Elementary School (Williamsburg). Join Flute Frenzy for Game Night!, an interactive evening of music and entertainment. The concert will feature class video game tunes, game show tunes, sports anthems and more, all arranged small (from piccolo to contrabass)! Youth and adult choirs will perform separately and together. This event is free and open to the public; donations are welcome. Friday, March 8, 7:00 pm.  
• York County Restaurant Week – Various Restaurants (York County). York County is hosting its first-ever Restaurant Week, Feb. 26 – March 3. A list of participating restaurants will be coming soon. 
• VNPS Annual Native Plant Sale – 401 North Boundary Street (Williamsburg). If you’re planning to grow Virginia native plants in your garden this year, mark your calendars for the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society’s Annual Plant Sale. Attendees will be able to learn about plants native to our area and talk to gardening experts. Saturday, May 4, 9:30 am – 2 pm.