Sunday, May 18, 2025

The HandleBards are making their U.S. debut in Hampton Roads, including Jamestown Settlement

The HandleBards will be making their U.S. Debut in Hampton Roads. (Southside Daily/courtesy of the Virginia Arts Festival)
The HandleBards will be making their U.S. Debut in Hampton Roads. (WYDaily/courtesy of the Virginia Arts Festival)

The Virginia Arts Festival is celebrating national bike month by bringing in The HandleBards for the first time in the United States.

This troupe crisscrosses Britain on bikes, taking Shakespeare’s classics to farmers’ fields and village greens — and now brings them to Hampton Roads from May 15-22.

All shows are free and open to the public; additional information including the full schedule below can be found at vafest.org or Virginia Arts Festival facebook page.

This event is supported in part by Pedego Electric Bikes Norfolk, officials said.

Here’s their appearance schedule: 

Friday, May 17, 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by the NEON’s Glow Ride at 8:30 p.m.

Location: The Plot, Norfolk

For more information on the NEON’s Glow Ride, visit norfolkbikemonth.com.

Saturday, May 18, noon

Location: Ocean view beach park, Norfolk

Pre-show ride from MacArthur Square in Downtown Norfolk hosted by Social Cycling Norfolk, 10 a.m. 

Sunday, May 19, 2 p.m.

Location: Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Outdoor Plaza, Virginia Beach

Tuesday, May 21, 6:30 p.m. 

Location: Portsmouth Arts and Cultural Center

Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 p.m. 

Location: Virginia Arts Festival Courtyard

Pre-show ride from the Birch in West Ghent hosted by Social Cycling Norfolk, 6 p.m.

For more information on the pre-show ride, visit norfolkbikemonth.com.

Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m.

Location: Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg

Included with Jamestown Settlement museum admission; free to residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg, including College of William & Mary students, with proof of residency.

Bike rack space will be available for cyclist use.

Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for lawn seating.

Complimentary water will be provided, with additional food and drink available for purchase in the museum cafe.

Coolers, food and outside beverages are not permitted.

Gates open one hour prior to each performance. Individual lawn chairs and blankets encouraged.

No seating provided by venue.

John Mangalonzo
John Mangalonzohttp://wydaily.com
John Mangalonzo (john@localdailymedia.com) is the managing editor of Local Voice Media’s Virginia papers – WYDaily (Williamsburg), Southside Daily (Virginia Beach) and HNNDaily (Hampton-Newport News). Before coming to Local Voice, John was the senior content editor of The Bellingham Herald, a McClatchy newspaper in Washington state. Previously, he served as city editor/content strategist for USA Today Network newsrooms in St. George and Cedar City, Utah. John started his professional journalism career shortly after graduating from Lyceum of The Philippines University in 1990. As a rookie reporter for a national newspaper in Manila that year, John was assigned to cover four of the most dangerous cities in Metro Manila. Later that year, John was transferred to cover the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines. He spent the latter part of 1990 to early 1992 embedded with troopers in the southern Philippines as they fought with communist rebels and Muslim extremists. His U.S. journalism career includes reporting and editing stints for newspapers and other media outlets in New York City, California, Texas, Iowa, Utah, Colorado and Washington state.

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