Events in Charlottesville today

FIREFLY hosts a trivia night that has received awards, inviting groups of two to six players to compete for prizes including gift cards, pint glasses, and the right to boast. There is no fee to participate. Seating is available inside, with outdoor options when the weather cooperates. To reserve a spot, call 434-202-1050.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise brings the bones North American Tour to the stage with support from Cigarettes @ Sunset. Presented as part of the 2026 Bud Light Concert Series, this concert will go on regardless of the weather. Ticket access includes presales for Humans of RKS Premium Members as well as local and Spotify presales, followed by a general on sale.

Walk-In Wednesdays features drop-in interview sessions for a range of roles across the company. All applicants are welcome, from newcomers and seasoned professionals to those pursuing a career change. For questions, call 434-465-6180.

Farmers in the Park is a lively producer-only market showcasing local farmers, food vendors, and artisans. Browse seasonal produce, enjoy prepared foods, and discover handmade goods while supporting the local community. Turn a quick shop into a full afternoon in the park with nearby options that include a playground, a batting cage, and tennis courts. Those looking to practice their swing can visit the driving range at Meadowcreek Golf Course. Whether stocking up on weekly groceries, grabbing dinner, or simply enjoying the scene, this market offers a relaxed midweek outing.

C'Ville Bachata Social teams up with Crozet Pizza at Buddhist Biker Bar for a monthly Wednesday gathering on the first Wednesday, bringing an outdoor social to UVA Corner with Bachata and Salsa. All experience levels are welcome on the dance floor, DJ SING provides the music, and Salsa and Bachata classes are available. The venue offers full bar service along with pizza, garlic knots, fresh salads, and extensive topping options. Admission is $10 at the door, and parking options include a paid garage or free street parking.

Continue building on a solid foundation with a monthly intermediate lesson series tailored for dancers who are comfortable with the basics. Each session introduces fresh material that expands on beginner skills, and topics rotate monthly with updates shared on Facebook, Instagram, and Discord. Check in at the Front Porch before the lesson, then head to the dance studio located above Jack Brown's around the corner. After the instruction, there is a social dance where participants can practice new moves and mingle. Admission is $10 at the door each night, with credit card preferred. Bringing a water bottle is recommended. For questions, contact the organizers.

Beginner swing dancers, those brushing up on fundamentals, and anyone interested in exploring a different dance role are all welcome. No partner or prior experience is needed. The experience starts with a quick check in at the front desk, then a beginner friendly lesson. After the class, a social dance offers time to practice new moves, connect with other dancers, and have fun on the floor. Admission is $10 at the door, with credit card preferred. Bring a water bottle. This event takes place at the Front Porch downtown.

Build your skills and explore a wide range of partner dances for $20 per person. Instruction includes salsa, bachata, merengue, rumba, and cha cha, as well as waltz, tango, foxtrot, hustle, and mambo. Advanced styles offered include Viennese waltz, west coast swing, quickstep, paso doble, samba, jive, Argentine tango, and polka.

Sam Barber brings The American Route Tour for a live performance that will proceed rain or shine. This event is part of the Bud Light Concert Series. Doors open before the music begins. Ticket access includes Artist, Citi, Live Nation, and local presales, followed by a general on-sale.

Two back to back dance classes welcome all levels, with each session running 45 minutes and no partner or prior experience required. Learn to move to lively music across a wide mix of styles that can include salsa, bachata, merengue, rumba, cha cha, waltz, tango, foxtrot, hustle and mambo, with additional advanced options such as Viennese waltz, west coast swing, quickstep, paso doble, samba, jive, Argentine tango and polka. Pricing is $25 for one class or $40 for both.

Enjoy a welcoming ballroom gathering led by instructor Charity. It begins with a fun, hour-long group class that features a different dance style each week, followed by a lively social where you can practice what you learned. The full experience is $20 per person or $30 per couple, with food and drinks included.

Poet Kiki Petrosino will read from her new collection, Perfect Italian, followed by a conversation with Hodges Adams. The program also includes a short reading in Spanish from the newly released translation of Petrosino’s book Bright, presented by translator Elizabeth Mirabal. This in-person event is free and open to the public, and early arrival is recommended for the best seating. Perfect Italian delves into identity, heritage, and belonging through vivid, carefully crafted poems. Petrosino reflects on cultural inheritance and language as a Black and Italian American, weaving personal memory with ancestral resonance and exploring family, grief, travel in Italy, and the complexities of living between identities. It completes her series on heritage and identity, which also includes White Blood and Bright, published by Sarabande. Petrosino is the author of several poetry collections, including White Blood: A Lyric of Virginia, Witch Wife, Hymn for the Black Terrific, and Fort Red Border, as well as the memoir Bright. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, teaches poetry at the University of Virginia, and has received honors such as a Pushcart Prize, a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the UNT Rilke Prize, and the Spalding Prize. Hodges Adams is a poet and bookseller in Charlottesville. They earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Virginia, teach as a lecturer in the English department, and have poems in CutBank, The Arkansas International, fourteen poems, and other publications. Their manuscript was recently a finalist for the Jake Adam York Prize from Milkweed Editions.

Emo Night Karaoke brings a full-band karaoke experience to The Southern Cafe and Music Hall, complete with stage production and visuals. A collective of musicians who have performed at Warped Tour and When We Were Young and toured around the world provides the live backing while attendees take the lead vocals. On-site signups are available.

This producer-only market is Charlottesville, Virginia’s largest independent destination for farm-fresh goods. It prioritizes farms and locally produced food, and a weekly vendor lineup highlights who will be participating. SNAP is accepted, and Virginia Fresh Match increases SNAP purchasing power for fresh fruits and vegetables. The market is managed by the nonprofit Market Central.

MorningGloryCville Saturdays at The Front Porch offers 5Rhythms, the movement meditation originated by Gabrielle Roth, inviting participants to deepen connection with yourself, fellow participants, and the wider community through movement. Wear comfortable layers and bring a water bottle. Open to everyone. Pricing is $7 for students, $15 for a single class, or $120 for a ten class pass.

Each week brings a mix of new storybooks and familiar favorites, with readings continuing rain or shine. Open to all ages, and friends are welcome. The shop’s Storytime Leader hosts every session, sharing a variety of books across the hour so anyone arriving a bit late can still settle in for several stories.

A pop-up serving vegan comfort food from the barbecue spot recognized as the number one vegan BBQ joint in the country by VegNews and USA TODAY arrives in Charlottesville. Expect a lineup of Southern staples and special sandwiches, including fried chickun, smoked vegan meats, mac and cheeze, Beyond Burgers dipped in beer cheeze batter, jambalaya, po' boys, Cajun corn, totchos, and more. The menu is prepared without nuts, and gluten-free choices are available.

An afternoon at Fallen Tree Vineyards brings together wine and music.

USA Dance Charlottesville presents an evening at The Center at Belvedere that begins with a ballroom lesson led by a professional instructor, followed by social dancing to a varied playlist that spans Ballroom, Standard, Smooth, Rhythm, Latin, West Coast Swing, Nightclub, Hustle, and more. This month features Gia Ray. The event welcomes all, and no partner or prior experience is required. The class is included with admission. Light refreshments are provided, and there is no smoking or alcohol. Suggested attire is smart casual to dressy, with soft-soled shoes. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for USA Dance members with ID, and $5 for students with ID, payable by cash, check, or Venmo. Free parking is available. Sponsored by USA Dance Charlottesville, Chapter 6044.

New Dominion Bookshop hosts an in-person evening with poet Kari Gunter-Seymour, who will share work from her new collection, All That Teethes Within, followed by a conversation with Sharon Perkins Ackerman. Presented in partnership with WriterHouse, this program is free and open to all. Early arrival is suggested for the best seating. All That Teethes Within explores grief through an Appalachian lens, confronting personal loss alongside the societal and environmental pressures that shape the region. The poems mourn a sibling’s suicide, reflect on opportunities limited by poverty and gender inequality, and consider how identity can fade with age. Images from the natural world, like wind moving through hemlocks, offer moments of calm amid sorrow, while friendships, family, land, grandchildren, and wildlife provide points of light. The collection encourages speaking honestly about pain and joy as part of survival. Kari Gunter-Seymour is the immediate past poet laureate of Ohio and a recipient of the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship Award, the IPPY Bronze Award, the NYC Big Book Award, the National Federation of Press Women Award, and the Feathered Quill Book Award. She serves as executive director of the Women of Appalachia Project and edits its Women Speak anthology series. A retired instructor from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, she founded and curates the seasonal performance series Spoken and Heard, featuring poets, writers, and musicians from across the country. Her work has appeared in American Book Review, Poem-a-Day, World Literature Today, Katie Couric’s Wake-Up Call, and the New York Times. Sharon Perkins Ackerman is poetry coeditor for Streetlight Magazine. Her poems appear in Southern Humanities Review, Atlanta Review, Meridian, Appalachian Places, Kestrel, Broad River Review, and other journals. She won the international Hippocrates Poetry in Medicine Prize in 2019. Her book A Legacy of Birds was shortlisted for the Arthur Smith prize in 2025, and her most recent collection, Sweeping the Porch, was published by Pine Row Press in 2026 and is available through New Dominion Bookshop. She lives outside Charlottesville and traces Appalachian roots to Perry County, Kentucky.

At Rivanna Trails Foundation, the 2026 Loop de'Ville Trail Fest celebrates National Public Lands Day and the 34th anniversary of the Rivanna Trail with a day of guided hikes, bike rides, and runs around the city. Families will find plenty to enjoy, including kids activities and relaxed family walks, along with food, beer, and music. All offerings are free and open to everyone. Additional information about specific programs and registration will be shared.

The Starr Hill Market is making its return. Set a reminder and watch for its comeback.

Enjoy live music alongside wine made entirely from estate-grown grapes and Blue Ridge Mountain views. The Michael Elswick Gathering performs a mix of jazz, blues, Latin, swing, ballads, and Cambodian surf rock, featuring Michael Elswick on saxes, Royce Campbell on guitar, Tom Harbeck on bass, and David Drubin on drums. Wine is available by the glass and by the bottle, and there is no admission fee. In accordance with VA ABC law, outside alcohol is not permitted. Children and dogs are welcome but must remain with their group. For questions, email info@chisholmvineyards.com or text 833-340-0086.