Come to the Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown on Thursdays during the summer for free concerts. There will be a great line-up of music from beach favorites to oldies to Motown. The Colonial Shag Club will be there giving demonstrations and lessons, so don’t forget your dancing shoes.

Concert Schedule:

• June 7:  Mark Roberts and Breeze
• June 14:  The Main Event Band
• June 21:  The Holiday Band
• July 12:  Band of Oz
• July 19:  Slapwater
• July 26:  TFC Band
• August 2:  Atlantic Groove Band

Concerts are scheduled from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Riverwalk Landing is a beautiful waterfront destination for shopping and dining. Enjoy a variety of fine retail stores and restaurants along with a beach and two piers. A mile-long pedestrian walkway links the Yorktown Battlefield with the Yorktown Victory Center. Enjoy great views of the York River as you stroll along.

Ready to amp up your weekend?  The Busch Gardens Williamsburg Ramp Jam begins this weekend and brings a team of extreme BMX riders, inline skaters and skateboarders to the park as part of the ASA Action Sports World Tour.  The X-Games' traveling half pipe will be featured, with athletes performing stunt and tricks throughout the event.  Ramp Jam is included with the purchase of Busch Gardens tickets.

Ramp Jam at Busch Gardens is scheduled for the weekends of April 21-22, and April 28-29.

Featured athletes include:

April 21-22

• Jamie Bestwick
• Simon Tabron
• Jimmy Walker
• John Parker
• Anthony Furlong
• Trevor Meyer
• Adam Taylor
• Lincoln Ueda

April 28-29

• Bucky Lasek
• Simon Tabron
• Jimmy Walker
• John Parker
• Lincoln Ueda
• Anthony Furlong
• Trevor Meyer
• Sergie Ventura

All events take place in Festhaus Park in the Germany section of the Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Fans can meet the athletes between performances or stay after the show for autograph sessions.

Enjoy the natural beauty of the Colonial Parkway when the Colonial National Historical Park shuts down 8.2 miles between Jamestown and Williamsburg to car traffic. Only bicycles allowed for this 16^th annual event held 8 a.m – 1 p.m. on May 5, 2012.

Over 1,000 bicyclists are expected to take advantage of this free event. It’s open and welcome to all ages and abilities, so don’t worry if you’re not a pro!

There will be five access points to the Colonial Parkway with several options for parking.

• Route 359 off Jamestown Road at Jamestown Settlement.
• The end of Neck-O-Land Road off Jamestown Road.
• Treasure Island Road bike access at the end of Treasure Island Road.
• South Henry Street/Route 199.
• Newport Avenue in Williamsburg.

The best bet for parking is at Jamestown Settlement, but you can also find parking throughout Williamsburg and enter at Newport Avenue.

View or print this map of the Colonial Parkway for access areas and points of interest.

Have fun and don’t forget your helmet!

The Grand Opening of Verbolten, the newest roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is less than a month away but anticipation is already building for the multi-launch, indoor and outdoor ride.   The coaster is the largest roller coaster project in the park’s 37 year history.

Verbolten takes its theme from Germany, set primarily in the Black Forest.  The ride begins with a scenic drive through the German countryside, but quickly veers out of control and takes riders on a high-speed journey through the Black Forest.  There are two high speed launches, a free-fall element and nearly 90 foot drop over Busch Gardens’ Rhine River.

Busch Gardens is an action-packed European-themed adventure park with 17th-century charm and 21st-century technology, boasting more than 350 acres of fun-filled exploration. The park is home to more than 50 rides and attractions, including Griffon, the world’s tallest and first floorless dive coaster.

Glory at the Gardens returns this summer to Busch Gardens Williamsburg with an inspirational line-up of popular contemporary Christian and Gospel artists.  May through June, Williamsburg visitors who purchase Busch Gardens tickets will have access to upbeat, Christian-inspired performances at the Royal Palace Theater as well as the entertaining shows and thrilling attractions available at Busch Gardens.

The complete line-up of performers for Glory at the Gardens includes:

• May 6: Newsboys, Abandon & Anthem Lights
• May 20: Kirk Franklin & Group 1 Crew
• June 10: Chris Tomlin & The City Harmonic
• June 24: Third Day & TBA

Remember, Verbolten – Busch Gardens' newest roller coaster – opens May 18. 

Photo by Keith Lanpher.
Copyright 2011, Norfolk Festevents, Ltd.

If you’ll be in Yorktown June 1-3, you’re apt to see some amazing ships docked at Riverwalk Landing for Yorktown Maritime Weekend. Yorktown is an affiliate port with OpSail 2012 Virginia™ and will be hosting tons of events throughout the weekend.

2012 is the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and through commemoration events, OpSail 2012 Virginia plans to “promote goodwill among nations, inspire patriotism and foster interest in American maritime history and heritage, while creating unique educational opportunities for young and old alike and bringing economic and social benefit to our communities.”

The Port of Virginia will be hosting an impressive fleet of navy and military war ships that represent the world from June 1-12. Ports include Cape Charles, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Onancock, Portsmouth, Tangier Island, Virginia Beach, and Yorktown.

The Yorktown Trolley will be running daily during Maritime Weekend throughout Yorktown and the waterfront. There will also be a Historic Triangle Shuttle that services Williamsburg and Jamestown.

Photo by Keith Lanpher. Copyright 2011, Norfolk Festevents, Ltd. 

Here’s a glimpse of some of the events taking place in Yorktown, June 1-3:

• Free public tours of character tall ships
• Tours and demonstrations of a Navy gun boat and patrol boat
• Free concert at the Yorktown waterfront
• Flag raising and lowering ceremonies
• Yorktown Market Days will feature a maritime theme
• Parade of Sail

Godspeed

For the complete schedule of events check out the OpSail2012 Virginia website. Yorktown ships include the Spirit of Bermuda, Lynx, Godspeed, and Schooner Alliance.

May 3-6:  Commemorate the Battle of Williamsburg

Visit Williamsburg May 3-6 as the entire Historic Area transforms into a war-torn city to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg.

May 6 & 20:  Glory at the Gardens

The free concert series returns to Busch Gardens Williamsburg May 6. See contemporary Christian and Gospel artists throughout May and June.

May 12:  Jamestown Day at Historic Jamestowne & Jamestown Settlement

Mark the 405^th anniversary of Jamestown with military demonstrations, music, archaeology site talks, and children’s activities. All activities are included with regular admission.

May 19-20:  Run for the Dream Half Marathon, 8K and Kids Fun Run

The picturesque route for this race includes parts of The College of William & Mary and the Historic Area. The half marathon will be held on Sunday and the 8K will take place on Saturday. Register and find out more details online.

May 25-27:  Festival Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg and the Virginia Arts Festival have created a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend. Hear Big Band music, Mahler’s 8^th Symphony, and spend an evening with Jane Krakowski.

May 26-27:  Civil War Weekend at Yorktown Battlefield

See tactical demonstrations, encampments and a Confederate field hospital during Civil War weekend. Observe Memorial Day ceremonies at the Yorktown National Cemetery and Confederate Cemetery.

May 28:  Yorktown Memorial Day Celebration

Main Street in Yorktown will hold special Memorial Day ceremonies including the posting of colors, historical re-enactments, and guest speakers from 12-1pm.

Come to Williamsburg, VA May 3-6 for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The entire Historic Area will be transformed into a war-torn city to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg. See firsthand what it was like as men prepared for battle and women watched them go.

Throughout the four days of this event there will be special lectures, walking tours, demonstrations, and music. Just some of the programs you can attend include:

• Williamsburg Civil War walking tour
• Military field hospital interpretation
• Tours of military camps
• Calvary demonstrations
• Artillery demonstrations
• Military music of the Civil War
• Women of the Civil War walking tour

In addition, there will be a special program on Friday, May 4 that follows Thomas Jefferson as he awaits news on the Missouri Compromise and reflects back over the years since the Revolution.

You also might want to check out Historic Jamestowne and Fort Pocahontas, one of five forts constructed on Jamestown Island during the Civil War. Learn about the recent discovery of a Confederate bomb shelter and other findings from excavations of the fort.

Many of the events are kid-friendly and most are included with all Historic Area admission passes. We have several Williamsburg lodging options available for that weekend, so book online and enjoy a historic and exciting trip to Williamsburg.

Courtesy of Chuck Durfor

It’s time once again for the annual Historic Garden Week, sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia. What started as a flower show to raise money to save mulberry trees on the lawn of Monticello back in 1927 has now grown to include 191 homes and gardens and takes place over 8 days in April. The 79^th Historic Garden Week is happening April 21-28 with proceeds going to fund the restoration and preservation of Virginia’s historic gardens.

You don’t have to be a gardening or landscaping-enthusiast to be amazed at the beautifully kept gardens, homes, and historic landmarks that are on the tour.

The Williamsburg tour is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24. Admission for this tour is $30. Eight homes and gardens will be featured and admission includes transportation throughout the tour and an escorted walking tour. The focus of the day will be Civil War properties in the Colonial Williamsburg area and on the campus of William & Mary.

Courtesy of Chuck Durfor

Thousands of visitors are expected to participate in the 31 separate tours available. Participants can choose a single tour or a statewide pass for all eight days. Single tours range from $15-$40, depending on the location. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or on the day of the event at the tour location.

Courtesy of The Williamsburg Garden Club

The Garden Club of Virginia is comprised of 47 garden clubs from around the state with over 3,300 members. For more information about each of the tours or to purchase a 2012 Guidebook, visit the Historic Garden Week website.