Take a stroll or a hike in the crisp weather this weekend, or get a head start on holiday shopping at local festivities.
Want to see your event included in What You’ll Do? We pull these ideas from our community calendar, which you can find on the right side of WYDaily.com. Submitting to the calendar is free and easy, so make sure to add upcoming events for your group or organization.
Festivals
The holiday season has already started at the Williamsburg Pottery, which will host November Noel Saturday and Sunday. There will be live music, free food and wine tastings, craft workshops, face painting and photos with Santa. Events start at 11 a.m. both days and continue through the afternoon.
Historic Yorktown will host its Holiday Open House Weekend, with special events, festive decorations, prizes and strolling entertainment. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be at Riverwalk Landing from noon to 3 p.m. both days. Click here for a full list of participating locations and hours for each.
Eat your fill at the Watermen’s Museum’s eighth annual Chili Cook-Off on Saturday in Yorktown. Eating starts at noon, and guests help choose the People’s Choice Award in addition to the judged honors.
The regular visual and performing arts festival 2nd Sundays will be held on Prince George and North Boundary Streets on Sunday. There will live music, children’s activities and more than 80 artisan booths from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Music and Theater
New West Guitar Group, a contemporary trio, will perform Friday at the Williamsburg Regional Library. The group has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Read more about New West Guitar Group in the Hometown section.
The Confucius Institute at the College of William & Mary is hosting China Night: Chinese Karaoke on Friday. At the Rowe House on Jamestown Road, the free event goes from 4 to 6 p.m. and will include pizza, refreshments and a selection of Chinese and English songs.
Hampton Roads Academy’s fall play, Othello, opens this weekend. Performances of the tragedy by William Shakespeare will start at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Svein J. Lassen Auditorium.
A Veterans Day Gala on Saturday will feature the Glenn Miller Orchestra playing classic big band, swing and jazz hits. Cocktails start at 6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at The Doubletree by Hilton, followed by dinner and dancing.
The Williamsburg Choral Guild will open its 39th season with a program featuring J. S. Bach’s “Magnificat,” performed by the mixed ensemble with chamber orchestra and soloists on Sunday. Also on the program are Haydn’s “Te Deum” and an appearance by Warhill High School’s Treble Choir on a piece by contemporary British composer Cecelia McDowall. The concert starts at 4 p.m. at Warhill High School, with a pre-concert discussion at 3 p.m. in the choir room.
Explore the Outdoors
Take in the sights of York River State Park at the photography hike Saturday morning. It starts at 8 a.m. and is led by a ranger. All types of cameras and skill levels are welcome to capture photos of wildlife and landscapes.
Return to York River State Park on Sunday for a hike of the Taskinas Creek Trail honoring service members ahead of Veterans Day next week. Hikers should meet at the amphitheater behind the Visitor’s Center at 2 p.m. for the two-hour trek, which is rated easy and suitable for older children.
Health
From 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Riverside Williamsburg Family Medicine will host a free flu clinic. No appointments are needed, and vaccines are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Live Well Expo on Friday will spotlight health and leisure services for adults ages 55 and older. There will be free screenings and information on nutrition, home health care, pet therapy and more. The expo runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the James City County Recreation Center.
The James City County Recreation Center will also play host to Track Your Health: Know Your Numbers on Saturday. From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., there will be free health screenings including blood pressure, body mass index and non-fasting cholesterol checks for all ages.
Tribe Athletics
Tribe Football takes on Elon on Saturday, coming off a tough loss against James Madison. The game starts at 3:30 p.m. at Zable Stadium.
This and That
Smokey Bear will make an appearance at the Litter and Recycling Expo on Friday. Starting at noon in Legacy Hall in New Town, the event will include exhibitors, demonstrations, games and activities. Read more about the program in the Hometown section.
Hampton Roads Academy will host an open house on Sunday. Learn about the school, starting at 2 p.m.
Michael McCarty give a talk on “Fop To Dandy,” considering the use of the terms throughout the Regency and Georgian eras, at a meeting of the Jane Austen Society of Southeastern Virginia. Sunday’s event starts at 2 p.m. at the Williamsburg Regional Library, and will also include a door prize giveaway and book review.
