Because this section is free of charge, community events are subject to run based on available space. Religion items are published on the Saturday church page. Email events to [email protected].
TODAY, MARCH 16
ADULT ARTS AND CRAFTS: Let creativity shine to create a cute craft or inspiring art piece from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium. Ages 18 and up. No fee. Registration is required by calling, 434-799-5195.
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
FAMILY GAME NIGHTS: Relax with family and come out for a fun night of board games, sports and outdoor games at Coates Recreation Center from 5:30 to 7 p.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Sponsored by Parks and Recreation.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 18
CARS & COFFEE: Old Dominion Classic Sports Car Club will hold Cars & Coffee from 9 to 11 a.m. at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. For more information, call 434-548-9862.
JAPANESE CULTURAL EVENT: George Washington High School Japanese class and club will host the third annual Japan Day free event in the GW auditorium from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be Kendo, Taiko Drumming, a tea ceremony, prizes and more. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/yse2tj2z.
CLASSIC MOVIE CLUB: Enjoy a classic movie with discussion following at the Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. “The Adventure of Robin Hood” (1938) for ages 18 and up. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee.
ARCHERY 101 WORKSHOP: Learn the basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment and essential safety skills with a USA Archery certified instructor for ages 5 to 17 at Coates Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $12. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150.
HOMESTEADING 101: Learn from local homesteaders Ben and Amber Martin at Glenwood Community Center from 10 a.m. to noon. No fee. For ages 5 and up; registration is required a week prior.
MONDAY, MARCH 20
PRESSURE CANNER LID TESTING: Virginia Cooperative Extensive Office, 19783 U.S. 29 South, Suite C, Chatham, will check pressure cooker lid and gauge used for canning at no cost from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, call 434-432-7770.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
THE WRITE…
, To read the original article from godanriver.com, Click here
By Madonna Mogul, director of the York Area Chamber of Commerce
This has certainly been quite the summer for the York community. Just a few weeks ago, we had a fantastic weekend of summer fun in York. Sidewalk sales were strong and the various children and family activities were a hit. Thank you to all who participated as businesses, organizations and patrons. York was definitely buzzing with activity during the Balloon Days weekend.
The Leadership York Steering Committee wanted to put a reminder out that applications are open now. Employers, your team members can gain leadership skills and learn more about York while making connections that could benefit your organization by taking part in the 2022/23 Leadership York class. The application is open and ready for one or more of your associates to apply. Leadership York is a nine-month course focusing on the vital aspects of the community. Class members will have the chance to build professional relationships that can be helpful in the future. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. The application deadline is August 5. If you or someone within your business or organization is interested in being part of the class complete the application at: https://yorkchamber.org/leadership-york/.
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Yorkfest registrations are open now! There are several activities taking place throughout the 4-day celebration! Pre-registering for events helps organizations be best prepared for participants the day of their events. Register early and don’t miss out:
• The Fun Run (Thursday, Sept. 8) Registration is free (if registered by Aug. 19) and comes with a commemorative Yorkfest t-shirt. Registrations after this date will have a $10 fee for the shirt.
• Mayoral Prayer Breakfast (Friday, Sept. 9) ticket and table sponsorships are now open. Tickets are just $15 per person.
• Coronation Luncheon (Friday, Sept. 9) is set for noon on Friday. Don’t wait, tickets are $15 per person.
• The INCREDI-BOWL Night of Bowling (Friday, Sept. 9) will take place at Sunset Bowl.
• The Street Fair will take place Saturday morning, Sept. 10. Registrations are being accepted now!
OTTUMWA — Join in the fun as the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra presents “Divas Who Dish” at Bridge View Center on Saturday, April 2 at 6 p.m.
Some of Ottumwa’s best lady cooks will offer samples of their favorite recipes. Enjoy your fill of their delicacies while participating in the Silent and Live Auction, a “Heads or Tails” game and the ever popular “Wine Pull.” A cash bar will also be available.
Divas who will serve you to date include Balba Chiapa, Mandy Walker, Ashleigh Vivian, Cherielynn Westrich, Brenda Anderson, Melissa Childs, Addy and Ellie Yates, Sandra Pope, Betty Ramirez, Sandra Thorne, Andrea Edge, Amy Nossaman and Kaitlyn Noal.
The Divas will be judged in Pre-Dining, Entrée and Dessert categories. The team of judges for the evening include Mark Fisher, Heather Nelson and Taylor Thornsberry. Attendees will select the People’s Choice award.
Items for the Silent Auction will be open for bidding upon arrival (be sure to check out the Blue Line Drawing). Auction items are available now for viewing at the Symphony website: ottumwasymphonyrochestra.net. Some items will be featured on the Symphony’s Facebook. All bidding will occur the evening of the event.
Live Auction items include a chef’s table for eight at Bridge View Center; a round of golf with five-time Ottumwa City Champion Dusty Stewart at the beautiful grounds of The Club. Dusty won Ottumwa city titles in 2004, 2005, 2012, 2020 and 2021. The Club is sponsoring carts and green fees at no cost for a group of up to three (date and time determined by winner bidder); and Wine among the Roses, where you enjoy a summer or fall evening among the roses. You and up to nine of your friends will be treated to fantastic wine tasting and food pairing in a gorgeous garden setting, sponsored by the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra Guild.
Also included in the Live Auction will be “Food, Fun, and Fish if You Wish” for 12 that includes BBQ, fishing and kayaking by Patty and Alan Babb, sponsored by North Hy-Vee. A disc golf package will be auctioned off for a party of four (date and time determined by the winning bidder), and a disc golf basket, bag, four disc golf discs and a two hour lesson from seven-time Iowa State Champion and Iowa Disc Hall of Famer Bob Kramer, who has also qualified for the 2022 Disc Golf National Tournament.
Advance tickets are $20 and are available from any of the Divas at Bridge View Center or online at ottumwasymphonyorchestra.net. Tickets at the door are $25. For more information or questions, contact Cara Galloway at [email protected] or 515-509-3745 or Barb Sasseen at [email protected] or 641-777-5604.
All profits from the “Divas Who Dish” event go to support activities of the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra, proudly serving Ottumwa by presenting seven concerts annually.
LA MARQUE — Mudbugs, crawdads, crayfish, craydids, crawdaddies, freshwater lobsters, mountain lobsters, rock lobsters or yabbies — whatever you want to call them, if you enjoy a plate or two of tasty seafood treats, tickets are still available for the April 1-2 Big Crawfish Bash in LaMarque, just north of Galveston Bay.
This annual event that set a 2017 Guinness world record for serving 58,083.98 pounds of crawfish in eight hours will include all-you-can-eat crawfish, live music, a crawfish cookoff with more than 50 teams competing, vendor booths, veteran VIP tent, multiple restaurants and a kid zone.
Located at Highland Bayou Park, 1991 Getty Road in La Marque, the rain or shine event is hosted by the Big Crawfish Bash Foundation, a Texas nonprofit corporation that works in partnership with local charities to benefit veterans, children and the disabled. This year, donations will also be made to Camp Hope, Texas Special Olympics and local education foundations, Boy Scouts of America and more.
COVID-19 safety precautions will be implemented per state and local authorities.
While you are in the area, consider taking a trip over to the Texas City Dike, known as the longest man-made fishing pier in the world. Stretching 5.3 miles out into Galveston Bay, the dike is one of the most popular boat launch and fishing areas along the Gulf coast. There are restrooms, a beach area, fish-cleaning stations, bait and tackle shops, restaurants, picnic shelters, a large playground, hike and bike trails, bike rentals, an 18-hole disc golf course and more amenities to enjoy.
From the first weekend in March to the last weekend in October, a charge of $10 per vehicle is required to enter the dike on weekends. It is free during winter months and most summer weekdays. On holiday weekends, the fee goes up to $20 per vehicle per day. Weekend passes for RVs are $30.
Entry fees are only charged to those who drive a vehicle onto the dike. People who want to walk or run or ride bikes do not have to pay.
Authorized for construction by the Texas Legislature in 1935, the Texas City Dike was built from granite blocks ranging in size from a small suitcase to a subcompact car, with a wide paved road running its length. The dike also offers stunning views of lower Galveston Bay, a constant stream of commercial shipping vessels and private watercraft, along with nearby coastlines and islands to include Bolivar Peninsula, Virginia Point, Pelican Island and Galveston’s east end.
Speaking of Galveston, head on down to the island for a visit to Moody Gardens, a 242-acre facility that features three primary attractions: the Aquarium Pyramid, a 12-stories-tall facility containing some 10,000 marine animals including fish, sharks, seals and penguins, each representing various ocean regions from the North Pacific, South Pacific, South Atlantic and Caribbean; the Rainforest Pyramid, with tropical plants, animals, birds, butterflies, reptiles, monkeys and two-toed sloths; and the Discovery Pyramid, focusing on various science-oriented exhibits and activities.
Also at Moody Gardens is Palm Beach, a landscaped, white-sand beach primarily open in the summer months and including a small water park for kids, freshwater lagoons, lazy river, tower slides, hot tub, ziplines and a splash pad. For more information, visit www.moodygardens.com.
Last but not least, there are the many beaches for sunning, surfing, and swimming on Galveston Island.
Heading the list of nicest and most popular is East Beach, known by some as “party beach,” followed by the more family-friendly Stewart Beach, the less-crowded Galveston Pocket Park 2, Porretto Beach with its playgrounds, eateries and picnic areas, and the laid-back El Jardin Del Mar.