Community Notebook: Events Commemorate Constitution Day, Bacon's Rebellion and More

By Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, September 07, 2011

We have a slew of commemorative events coming up in the Triangle, remembering historic events like Bacon’s Rebellion, Court Days, the signing of the Constitution and more. Williamsburg Methodist Church will be celebrating its new pipe organ with a free concert, while the Kimball Theatre will be welcoming fall with late-night movies. Don’t forget to RSVP this week for the monthly Business Roundtable lunch in Williamsburg. More information below.

RSVP Friday for EDA Business Roundtable

The Williamsburg Economic Development Authority is hosting its September Business Roundtable lunch at This Century Art Gallery and Retro’s on Sept. 13.

From 11:30 a.m. to noon, guests can tour the gallery, then from noon to 1 p.m., enjoy lunch at Retro’s Good Eats on Prince George Street in Williamsburg. This Century Art Gallery Director Kerry Mellette and September Arts Month Coordinator Terry Buntrock will be the featured speakers, discussing art in Williamsburg.

An RSVP is required by Friday, by emailing your name, business name and whether you plan to attend the gallery tour to businessroundtable@williamsburgva.gov. For more information, call Marie at 220-6253.

Archaeologist Discusses Excavation of Confederate Bomb Shelter

Jamestown Rediscovery senior archaeologist Dave Givens will discuss recent excavations of a Confederate bomb shelter and other fascinating findings from Fort Pocahontas during a special evening program at 5 p.m. Thursday and again on Oct. 6. Carrot Tree Kitchens will cater a picnic dinner.

The Confederate Army stationed more than 1,200 men at Fort Pocahontas in the summer of 1861, in hopes of blocking Federal ships from moving up the James River toward Richmond. Guests will encounter Confederate soldiers who manned the fort in 1861.

The fort never came under attack, and was abandoned on May 3, 1862. Tickets for the program are $24.95 for adults and $14.95 for children under 12. The ticket price includes admission and a picnic dinner of a sandwich, a vegetarian option, side salad, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. Reservations are required; make a reservation at 1-800-HISTORY.

William & Mary, Colonial Williamsburg Present Constitution Day Programs

The College of William & Mary will present the program, “Why Civic Education is Essential to a Healthy Democracy” at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Williamsburg Library Theatre.

The event is free and open to the public. It will feature Bill White, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Meg Heubeck, U.Va. Center for Politics; Kelly Carmichael Booz, Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier; and Julie Silverbrook, Constitutional Conversation Program at the William & Mary Law School. Dr. Beverly Thurston of the Virginia Department of Education will serve as moderator.

Constitutional Conversations is a nonpartisan, community-based education project designed to send law students into the community to educate citizens about their civic rights and duties.

Merchants Square and Colonial Williamsburg will celebrate the founding of the Constitution with “To Support and Defend,” featuring the combined USAF Heritage of America and USA Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Bands at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 on Duke of Gloucester Street. The program will feature guest narration from interpreters Ron Carnegie, as George Washington; Stephen Moore as James Madison; and Raymond Jones of WHRO.

Williamsburg United Methodist Church Unveils New Pipe Organ

Williamsburg United Methodist Church will debut its new Peragallo pipe organ, with 62 ranks of pipes, at its morning worship services at 8:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sept. 18, followed by a free concert at 3 p.m. Child care will be provided for the concert, and a reception will be held in the Fellowship Hall following the concert.

Current organist Thomas Marshall, former organist Sarah Bland and Organist Emerita Marcia Koller Bowman will perform in the dedication services. Dr. Kimberly Marshall, an internationally acclaimed organist, will perform for the 3 p.m. concert. Marshall serves as director of the Arizona State University School of Music, and has previously taught at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Stanford University.

Additional parking for the concert will be available across from the church at Phi Beta Kappa Hall on Jamestown Road.

Special Evening Tour Focuses on Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon’s Rebellion will be the focus of a special evening tour at Historic Jamestowne at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17.

The evening walking tour will take visitors through the colonial townsite and present the events leading to the burning in September 1676 of Jamestown, the 17th-century capital of Virginia.

The tour will begin at the Tercentennial Monument overlooking the James River. The details of the event will unfold as visitors experience the conflict through the “eyewitness” account of Thomas Matthew, a Burgess in 1676. The hour-long program will include a tour through the town site. Controlled fires will recreate the burning of Jamestown as it occurred on Sept. 19, 1676. Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.

Carrot Tree at the Dale House Café will be open until 7 p.m. on Sept. 17.

Kimball Theatre Offers Late-Night Movies This Fall

Beginning this month, the Kimball Theatre will show both recent and classic films after 10 p.m. on Fridays. The line-up includes:

• Sept. 9: “The Princess Bride,” 10 p.m.

• Sept. 16: “Hobo with a Shotgun,” 10:30 p.m.

• Sept. 23: “Troll Hunter,” 10:45 p.m.

• Sept. 30: “Make Out with Violence,” 10 p.m.

• Oct. 14: “Super,” 10:30 p.m.

• Oct. 21: “Animal House,” 10 p.m.

• Oct. 28: “ZMC: Zombies of Mass Destruction,” 10 p.m.

Movie admission is $7.50 for adults and $6.50 for students. For more information, call 757-565-8588 or click here.

Yorktown Plans Court Day for Sept. 17

The Yorktown Victory Center will host a Court Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. The day will feature the type of recreation, entertainment and trade activities that traditionally took place when court was in session in the 18th century. Demonstrations will range from artillery to spinning wool and include period games such as whirligigs, trap ball, hoops, ninepins, Graces and cricket.

A puppet show will depict George Washington’s 1781 victory over Lord Cornwallis during the Siege of Yorktown. The shows will begin at 11:30 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. At 12:15, 1:30 and 4:15 p.m., fiddler David Gardner will perform.

For more information about Court Day’s events, click here.

Warwick Rotary Club Announces Paul Harris Fellows

The Warwick Rotary Club of Newport News announced this year’s Paul Harris Fellow Awards on Aug. 22.

Nine of the club’s 49 active members qualified for the Paul Harris Fellow Award for making contributions to the Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus or the Humanitarian Grants Program that exceeded $1,000. This year, the club donated $100,000 in support of the Polio Plus effort.

The Paul Harris Fellows for 2011 are Dick Collins; Suzanne Beckstoffer; Iza Cieszynski; Rick Donaldson; Baljit Gill; Faye Gargiulo; Douglas Higinbotham; Dave Peebles; and Bill Sharp.