he Pages of Rosewell The Mathews Museum, the Mathews Historical Society and the Mathews VA250 Committee will welcome speaker Philip Page at 7 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the Mathews Museum, 200 Main Street, Mathews. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Page is a descendant of the Mann Page family of Rosewell, residents there for over 100 years. He will discuss his family’s role in Virginia history and will detail facts and stories surrounding Rosewell.
The Art in Nature “The Art in Nature” will be held from 4-5 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the RAL Art Center Annex, 43 Main Street, Kilmarnock. Northern Neck Chapter, Virginia Native Plant Society, president Betsy Washington will present “Gardening with Native Plants: Creating Living Art.” RAL members Brenda Sylvia and Carol Vaughn will offer artistic interpretation and RAL member and Master Gardener Katherine McConnell will serve as facilitator.
Brews & BBQ The Stratford Hall Brews & BBQ Festival will be held from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at Stratford Hall Historic Preserve, 483 Great House Road, Stratford. Enjoy barbecue, beverages, crafts, music and tours of the Great House and grounds. Through April 3, tickets are $35 for ages 14 and older and on festival day, $45. Tickets are $10 for ages 6-13 and $5 for ages 5 and younger. Purchase tickets at stratfordhall.org.
First Friday RAL Art Center, 19 North Main Street, Kilmarnock, will hold a First Friday social event from 5-7 p.m., April 4. First Friday will feature the annual “Art and Flowers” competition involving RAL artists and local garden club designers. “Art and Flowers” will be displayed along with two themed art exhibits, “Say it with Flowers” and “Crops and Gardens.”
RCA concert The Rappahannock Concert Association will present pianist Francesca Hurst at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Performing Arts Center, Northumberland High School, 201 Academic Lane, Heathsville. An adult concert ticket is $35, with group rates available. Students are always free. Purchase tickets at www.rappahannockconcerts.org, call the box office at 888-210-8006, or pay at the door, check or cash.
Bluegrass Bluegrass and classic country music will return to the Urbanna Firehouse, 335 Virginia Street, Urbanna, at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5. Admission is free; however, donations are appreciated for the Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department and Auxiliary.
Wren Masters The Wren Masters will return at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5, to Historic Christ Church (HCC), 420 Christ Church Road, Weems with “Textures of the Baroque.” A reception will be held in the churchyard at intermission. Tickets are $30 at ChristChurch1735.org/programs. Featuring the music of Buxtehude, Schmelzer, J.S. Bach, Jean-Philippe Rameau and showcasing Opus 93, HCC’s new continuo organ, this program will explore the contrasting keyboard sounds of both organ and harpsichord with the baroque violin and viola da gamba. Pocketbook Bingo The Woman’s Club of Northumberland County (WCNC), 2928 Northumberland Highway, Lottsburg, will host Pocketbook Bingo beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 8. Doors will open at noon. First-place winners will win a new handbag. The fee is $25 for 15 games. WCNC also will conduct several raffles for prizes from local businesses as well as a bake sale.
Lee’s surrender “A Convulsion at Appomattox: Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and the Long History of Civil War Surrender,” a virtual lecture with Dr. David Silkenat will be presented at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, by Stratford Hall Historic Preserve. The fee is $5. Advance registration is required, www.StratfordHall.org. Join Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey prior to the lecture at 5 p.m. in the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library for a reception and viewing of archives related to the Surrender at Appomattox Court House and the new Robert E. Lee Special Collection. At 6 p.m., there will be a livestream of Dr. Silkenat’s lecture. The fee is $10 for the reception and livestream. Advance registration is required.
Rotary dates The Northern Neck Rotary Club meets at 7:30 a.m. on second and fourth Wednesdays at River Counties Community Foundation, 834 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone.
Speaker series The Second Saturday Speaker Series will continue at 2 p.m. April 12 at the Steamboat Era Museum, 156 King Carter Drive, Irvington. Margery Woodson Nea and Chip Woodson will speak about “The Weems Wharf and Old Home.” Admission is by season subscription or $5. Purchase tickets at the museum, 438-6888, or www.steamboateramuseum.org.
VSHS kuncheon The Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society, Northern Neck-Middle Peninsula Chapter, will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Pilot House Restaurant, 2737 Greys Point Road, Topping. Lunch will begin at noon. At 12:30 p.m., member John Priest will discuss tandem rotor helicopters from the early development by Frank Piasecki to the Chinook. NNO concert The Northern Neck Orchestra (NNO) 2024-25 season will conclude April 26 at the Lancaster Elementary School Theater, 191 School Street, Kilmarnock. A pre-concert talk will begin at 6:45 p.m.; the performance at 7:30 p.m. The NNO and Neave Trio will perform Paterson’s Triple Concerto, “Summit,” and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Admission is by season subscription or $40. Tickets may be purchased at www.northernneckorchestra.org or the door. Students are admitted free. Founders’ tea The Northumberland Homemakers Club will hold an annual tea at 11 a.m. April 28 at St. Stephens Church in Heathsville. The club invites anyone related to the original members of the organization to join them for the tea. Relatives will be seated at the president’s table. Those who plan to attend are urged to call president Yvette Harding, 580-0931. All are welcome.
