Music, Café Dinner Menu, Wine, Shopping, and $5 Admission to Highlight the Night
Winchester, VA 12/11/13…Big Band holiday music from the Yesterday Swing Orchestra will highlight the Friday, December 13, Galleries at Night event at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV).
For Friday’s event, the galleries and Museum Store will be open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., and the Museum Café by Bonnie Blue will serve a special dinner menu from 5 to 8 p.m. At 7, 8, and 9 p.m., the Yesterday Swing Orchestra will perform in the Reception Hall. The band will play the same set of music in three 45-minute concerts. Comprised of musicians from the Shenandoah Valley, the Yesterday Swing Orchestra is an eighteen-piece ensemble under the direction of Bob Johnson. At the MSV, the band will play holiday favorites, such as “Winter Wonderland” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” along with Big Band classics from the 1930s through the ‘50s.
Concert admission—which includes admission to the Museum galleries—is free to MSV Members and youth ages 12 and under and is just $5 for all others.
Before or after enjoying the music, attendees are encouraged to visit the galleries and browse in the Museum Store. Also on Friday night, wine and beer will be available for purchase in the lobby for $5 a glass, and the Museum Café will offer a special dinner menu. The evening’s selections will include: a cup of the seasonal soup of the day ($4); a plate of seasonal fresh fruit with honey drizzle ($6); salad made with roasted local beets and goat cheese, pomegranate, and candied walnuts ($8); roasted chicken pot pie with a side salad ($9); a pork shank braised with red wine and served with mashed potatoes and green beans ($14); Louisiana-style jambalaya with smoked sausage ($12); and a domestic cheese plate ($9). A selection of desserts also will be offered.
Those interested in attending Friday night are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited and concert tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the evening’s concerts will be available at the MSV Visitor Information Desk beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday.
Following this Friday’s event, the MSV will host two additional holiday concerts. At 2 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 15, Larnell Starkey & The Spiritual Seven Gospel Singers will perform traditional and contemporary gospel music. The Spiritual Seven performance at the MSV is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. At 6 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 21, acclaimed dulcimer-player Madeline MacNeil will perform songs of Christmas and the New Year.
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the MSV will be closed December 24 and 25, and January 1. In conjunction with the First Night Winchester New Year’s Eve celebration of the arts, the MSV will be open on Tuesday, December 31, for gallery tours and family-oriented daytime entertainment. Admission is not required to visit the Museum Store, which is open during regular museum hours. Additional information about holiday activities and events at the MSV are available at www.theMSV.org or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 235.