Illustration by Aldo Crusher
Best Annual Charity Event
Chesapeake Academy Community Oyster Roast
107 Steamboat Road, Irvington, ChesapeakeAcademy.org, 804-438-5575
Chesapeake Academy has a long history dating back to 1889 and a mission to inspire each student to approach learning with curiosity and creativity and to act with integrity. The school’s charity events— including the Community Oyster Roast every May—engage the broader community of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, connecting a wide range of supporters who believe in educational choice in the area.
second place: Rappahannock Community College Preakness Party, Warsaw, Rappahannock.edu, 804-333-6707
third place: Chesapeake Academy Annual Auction, Irvington, ChesapeakeAcademy.org, 804-438-5575
Best Art Event
Arts in the Middle Fine Arts Festival
Urbanna, ArtsInTheMiddle.com
Arts in the Middle is a collaborative event bringing together artists from all along the East Coast and beyond to showcase their works, demonstrate the impact the arts can have on smaller communities, and celebrate the creative spirit in rural Virginia. The event is hosted at the historic Hewick Plantation, one of the most significant manor homes in its heyday of the 1600s.
second place: Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach, VirginiaMOCA.org, 757-425-0000
third place: The Mariners’ Museum and Park Gallery Crawl, Newport News, MarinersMuseum.org, 757-596-2222
Best Art Gallery
Rappahannock Art League Art Center
19 N. Main St., Kilmarnock, RALArtCenter.com, 804-436-9309
For 70 years the Rappahannock Art League—an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts—has been the largest and most active visual arts presence on the Northern Neck. Run almost entirely by volunteers, the league also organizes monthly exhibits, community events, art education programs, and a cooperative artist gallery.
second place: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Chrysler.org, 757-664-6200
third place: Allure Art Center, White Stone, AllureArtCenter.com, 804-323-3169
Best Charity
Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck, Inc.
75 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, AnimalWelfareLeagueOfTheNorthernNeck.org, 804-435-0822
Staffed entirely by volunteers, the Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck has spayed or neutered 1,481 cats and dogs in 2018, funded since 1954 by proceeds from its in-house thrift shop that has helped to significantly reduce the number of homeless dogs and cats on the Northern Neck. The charity also holds several fundraisers each year, all to support the spay-and-neuter mission.
second place: The Haven Shelter and Services, Warsaw, HavenShelter.org, 804-333-1099
third place: Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck, Kilmarnock, BGCNN.com, 804-435-9696
Best Family Entertainment
Busch Gardens
1 Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg, BuschGardens.com, 757-229-4386
Since 1975, the seasonal theme park has been a popular destination for families and fun-loving people from the entire Mid-Atlantic region. Spread over 383 acres, the park offers more than 50 attractions, including the new Finnegan’s Flyer, a swing ride with two pendulum arms that seats 32 riders.
second place: The Mariners’ Museum and Park, Newport News, MarinersMuseum.org, 757-596-2222
third place: Virginia Living Museum, Newport News, TheVLM.org, 757-595-1900
Best Food Festival
Urbanna Oyster Festival
45 Cross St., Urbanna, UrbannaOysterFestival.com, 804-758-0368
First established in 1991, the nonprofit Urbanna Oyster Festival Foundation hosts its signature event once a year, making it a must-attend for lovers of oysters served raw, roasted, frittered, stewed, gourmet, and paired with local wines and craft beers. The 62nd annual festival is scheduled for Nov. 1-2.
second place: Bay Seafood Festival, Kilmarnock, 800-777-9717
third place: Poquoson Seafood Festival, Poquoson, PoquosonSeafoodFestival.com, 757-868-3588
Best Movie Theater
Naro Cinema
1507 Colley Ave., Norfolk, NaroCinema.com, 757-625-6275
Initially founded in 1936 as the Colley Theater, then with 500 seats, Norfolk’s Art Deco-styled Naro Cinema became a local attraction in 1977 after its expansion under the new ownership of Tench Phillips and Thom Vourlas. As a specialty theater with a knack for independent films, the Naro is now in its 41st year of showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show every month.
second place: Cinemark City Center 12, Newport News, CityCenterAtOysterPoint.com, 757-525-9898
third place: YRC Cinema, Hayes, YRCCinemas.com, 804-642-5873
Best Museum
Chrysler Museum of Art
1 Memorial Place, Norfolk, Chrysler.org, 757-664-6200
The museum has 50 galleries and 30,000 objects, and is home to one of the largest glass collections in the world. Visitors can view a glassmaking demo in the Perry Glass Studio or check out new exhibits like Eric Carle: Moonlit Nights & Other Illustrations, featuring more than 80 works by the famous children’s book author, on display June 2019.
second place: Steamboat Era Museum, Irvington, SteamboatEraMuseum.org, 804-438-6888
third place: Virginia Living Museum, Newport News, TheVLM.org, 757-595-1900
Best Music Venue
The NorVa
317 Monticello Ave., Norfolk, TheNorVa.com, 757-627-4547
Dating back to 1922 as a cinema and live entertainment venue, The NorVa Theater is still one of Norfolk’s most popular locations to attend high-quality concerts. With a capacity of 1,500, this charming all-ages venue is known for its top-notch acoustics and star power, including past performances from Prince, James Brown, Bob Dylan, and Justin Timberlake.
second place: Virginia United Home LoansAmphitheater, Virginia Beach, VirginiaBeachAmphitheater.com, 757-368-3000
third place: Willaby’s Cafe and Catering, White Stone, Willabys.com, 804-435-3669
Best Performing Arts Company
The Westmoreland Players
16217 Richmond Road, Callao, WestmorelandPlayers.org, 804-529-9345
Formed in 1979 in Westmoreland County, the nonprofit, amateur theater group Westmoreland Players moved to its current location in Callao, Northumberland County, in the fall of 2000. The group also supports community causes—in June they will host their Missoula Children’s Theatre summer camp to help children improve their self-image and boost self-esteem.
second place: Lancaster Players, White Stone, LancasterPlayers.org, 804-435-3776
third place: Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Norfolk, VirginiaSymphony.org, 757-892-6366
Best Special Event Venue
The Mariners’ Museum and Park
100 Museum Drive, Newport News, MarinersMuseum.org, 757-596-2222
As one of the largest international maritime museums in the world, the nonprofit Mariners’ Museum sits in a 550-acre park that is one of the nation’s largest privately maintained parks and the site of many concerts and other public happenings. Looking ahead, the museum plans to host more community-focused events.
second place: White Dog Bistro, Mathews, TheWhiteDogBistro.com, 804-725-7680
third place: Kilmarnock Town Centre Park, Kilmarnock, KilmarnockVa.com, 804-435-1552
Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.
