Art À La Carte

Art a la carte celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway with small town charm, food and local arts in Harrisonburg.

For 75 years the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park / Skyline Drive has been looking over the beautiful Valleys of Virginia, inspiring locals to create a lifestyle filled with music and art.

Come down the mountain and experience small town charm, great food and local arts. Begin your day in historic downtown Harrisonburg, where you can get connected to the local arts. The Hardesty-Higgins House Visitor Center is the place where History and Hospitality Meet, with travel staff available to your group 7 days a week. Group rates are available at Courtyard by Marriott.

Stroll through downtown beginning with the Smith House, the fourth-oldest house in Harrisonburg, and home to the Arts Council of the Valley and the Darrin-McHone Gallery. Free exhibitions can be viewed Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. While you’re there, find out what’s playing at Court Square Theater, a small intimate theater offering live music and entertainment including foreign and independent films. Next door you’ll find a great place to get re-acquainted with the fabric of art. The Virginia Quilt Museum offers both historic and contemporary exhibits. Then you’re off to Oasis Gallery, the district's only cooperatively owned arts gallery showing works of all media. Over 40 artists are featured; they specialize in painting, drawing, glass, photography, jewelry, fiber art, wood, wearable art and more.

Hungry?

Several downtown eateries host local artists and change exhibits regularly, so you can get your art a la carte with great eateries like the Artful Dodger, featuring sandwiches as well as unique eats like Noodle Night. How about Clementine fresh and eclectic menu; located in the former Strand Theater, they offer dishes like West African Ground Nut Soup or the popular Applewood Bacon Cheddar Cheese Burger in addition to music, drinks, art, and films.

Spend the Night in Harrisonburg

Get acquainted nature at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. The Welcome Center host local artists and offers unique programs, with an emphasis on native plant species of the mid-Appalachian region. Walk through winding woodland trails landscaped with Virginia native plants and enhanced with botanical gardens and wide expanses of lawns. Learn about the environment or spread a blanket out on the lawns and relax.

You’re invited to pack a picnic; get something scrumptious to go from Cinnamon Bear Bakery and Deli. Try one of their sensational wraps with tasty pasta or a fruit salad, and don’t forget our favorite cinnamon rolls.

Just a short country drive with the Blue Ridge Mountains in full view, visit the area’s newest attraction, White Oak Lavender Farm, a U-Pick family owned lavender farm open seasonally, only a few miles from Harrisonburg. You can pick the lavender, enjoy their homemade lavender lemonade, and shop in their farm store.

Don’t forget the parkway is just minutes away. From Route 33 East, Swift Run Gap entrance you can experience the Skyline Drive / Shenandoah National Park. Harrisonburg can help you celebrate 75 years of the majestic Blue Ridge Parkway.