What's Happening Weekend:
May 14 - 20, 2012

Water Country USA opens May 19
May 19
Water Country USA opens May 19 as Virginia's largest waterpark opens for the 2012 season. Suit up and get ready for the slide of your life on Vanish Point, our new 75-foot-tall, 300-foot-long epic drop slide. It will have your pulse pounding with pure liquid adrenaline. Then, keep the thrills coming with nearly 600 feet of body slides, a 700-foot lazy river and plenty of KIDsiderate play areas that families can enjoy together. With 43 acres of pools, water rides and attractions, Water Country USA is the place to go for an extreme day of play in the spray.

Sidewalk Sale - Merchants Square
May 18 - 20, 10 am - 6pm
Don't miss the Merchants Square Spring Sidewalk Sale! Find great merchandise both in-store and out, from top-of-the-line apparel to unique tabletop items, home accessories, jewelry, and gifts. Hours are noon - 6 pm on Sunday. Individual shop hours may vary. Participating shops include: Aroma's, Christmas Shop, William & Mary Bookstore, The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg, Nancy Thomas Gallery, Shirley Pewter, Precious Gem, Wythe Candy and many more!

A Salute to the Nation Concert and Fireworks
May 19, 8 pm
End your evening or begin your weekend with us in the Historic Area by sharing the sights, songs, and words that come together to form the idea of America. Join us as National Memorial Day Concert host Joe Mantegna leads a salute that spans 250 years of ideas that have created the American identity and honors all who serve our country, especially the attending Wounded Warriors. The program concludes with a fireworks display. 800-HISTORY

Civil War Balloons During the Peninsula Campaign
May 18, 7 - 9 pm
Presentation by Dr. James L. Green, Director of Planetary Science, NASA. It was during the Peninsula Campaign that the use of military balloons on both sides reached their greatest glory but also suffered major setbacks as the armies struggled to learn how to us them to their advantage. In the end, systematic balloon observations faded from use by June 1863 and the Union Balloon Corps was disbanded. This lecture will emphasize the exciting details of how the balloons were used on the Peninsula and their subsequent impact on the War from both sides. Free. At York Hall in Yorktown. 757-890-3508

Lincoln: the Constitution, and the Civil War
May 16 - June 29
"Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War," a national traveling exhibition which focuses on Abraham Lincoln's struggle to meet the constitutional challenges of the Civil War, opens at the James City County Library on May 6, 2011 and runs through June 29, 2011. The exhibition vividly evokes Lincoln's struggle to resolve the basic questions that divided Americans at the most perilous moment in the nation's history: Was the United States truly one nation, or was it a confederacy of sovereign and separate states? How could a country founded on the belief that "all men are created equal" tolerate slavery? In a national crisis, would civil liberties be secure? This exhibition was organized by the National Center and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The traveling exhibition has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. "Lincoln: the Constitution and the Civil War" is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the National Constitution Center.

Environmental Film Series: Surviving Progress
Through May 16
Technological advancement, economic development, population increase – are they signs of a thriving society or too much of a good thing? Based on the best-selling book “A Short History of Progress,” this provocative documentary explores the concept of progress in our modern world, guiding viewers through a sweeping but detailed survey of the major “progress traps” facing our civilization in the areas of technology, economics, consumption and the environment. Featuring such visionaries as Jane Goodall, Margaret Atwood, Stephen Hawking, Craig Venter, Robert Wright, Michael Hudson and Ronald Wright, this is an enlightening and visually spectacular film. 6:45 and 8:30 p.m. on May 12 and 13, and 4:45 and 6:30 p.m. on May 14, 15 and 16. At the Kimball Theatre.

Meet the Artists Open House at Shirley Pewter Shop
May 18 - 19
Meet and speak with pewterers Fred and Judi Danforth at this fun and informative event. Fred and Judi have been handcrafting pewter of their own design since the early 70’s, and will be on hand to answer questions about pewter design, production, and history. Fred’s ancestors were pewterers in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and Danforth Pewter is well known to pewter enthusiasts and collectors. refreshments will be served. 20% off all jewelry. Free inscribing to personalize your pewter purchase. And more! Call 757-229-3668 for more info. Hours of event: Friday, 4 - 7 pm; Saturday, 10 am - 7 pm. Located at 417 Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, VA.

The Savvy Gardener
May 19, 10 - 11:30 am
Members of the "Barrels and Bins" team, James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardeners will demonstrate how to build your own rain barrel and utilize the rain water for your garden. Learn how to make you own composter, and a "Do It Yourself" self-watering container. This educational program is for the "Savvy Gardener" who enjoys sustainable and environmentally friendly projects to grow health, delicious, fresh vegetables, herbs, and more. Barrels and bins will be available for sale. The program is free, open to the public, and no registration is required. Contact Dennis Woll at wool@cox.net for more information.

Millennium Falcon Arrival at Ripley's
May 19, 12 - 3 pm
Join Darth Vader and the members of the 501st Legion as we welcome the Millennium Falcon to the museum. We will be giving away great door prizes every half hour and a grand prize for the best child's costume. Everyone in costume will get free admission to the museum! This event is free and open to the public. Regular admission rates to the museum and theater apply. We will also have airbrush tattoos on site and professional photos are available from Helen's Place (additional charges may apply)

The Williamsburg Youth Orchestras' Spring Concert
May 20, 4 pm
The Williamsburg Youth Orchestras present their final concert of the season with a tribute to French composer Camille Saint-Saens. The Symphony will feature three works by Saint-Saens: perennial favorite Danse Macabre, and two violin concertos performed by this year’s winners of the WYO Concerto Competition. The WYO String Orchestras will explore more contemporary works including the rhythmic Danza Latina by Balmages; a new work by R. Meyer, Acrobats, that represents the sounds of a carnival in full swing; and a timeless baroque Sinfonia by Tomaso Albinoni. Come hear the fine work of the area’s most dedicated young musicians! Visit www.wyomusic.org for more information. Adults $8, Students and Children $2. At the Kimball Theatre. 800-HISTORY

"Call for Artists" for the Williamsburg Farmers Market's New Poster Design!
Through May 29
Artists within the Williamsburg area are invited to submit art for a jurored show to select a suitable image for The Williamsburg Farmers Market 10th Anniversary poster. The show will be held at Prince George Art & Frame on Jamestown Road, Williamsburg. Submitted artwork must be suitable for a poster showing something related to the Farmers' market, its vendors and/or products. The art must be available for the poster at no charge to The Farmers Market. If the art is available for purchase, it must be so priced and the gallery will handle the sale for its normal commission. The art must be delivered to Prince George Art & Frame ready to be hung or otherwise displayed on May 29, 2012. Applications may be picked up at the Farmers Market, Prince George Art & Frame, or downloaded and printed from www.WilliamsburgArt.com. The exhibition will be celebrated by a public reception at Prince George Art & Frame on Friday June 1, 2012 from 5 - 7pm. The reception food will all be sourced from the Farmers Market and its vendors. For any additional information, contact Fred Miller at 757-229-7644.

May is Military Appreciation Month at the Williamsburg Premium Outlets
May
May is Military Appreciation Month at Williamsburg Premium Outlets! We are saluting our heroes with a FREE V.I.P Coupon Booklet and a special Military savings flyer when a valid Military ID is presented at the Information Center, located in the Food Court. Sign up for our VIP Shopper Club online for even more savings.

Williamsburg Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8 am - 12 pm
Vendors will begin to transition to spring produce and plants along with mushrooms, meats, crabmeat, cheese, honey, baked goods, jams & butters, peanuts, and chocolate. Knife sharpening services are also available. Check the website for available products and produce.

Death by Disco
Through September 29
Welcome to The Land of Oz Discoteria, and the World Championship King and Queen of Disco Dance Contest! What a night this should be. Our finalists will be bumping to that disco beat, each and everyone of them hoping to be crowned the new monarch of the light fantastic. Our DJ, The Boogie Man, is going to be spinning some killer tunes, so put on your polyester, and your platform shoes, ’cause one of our contestants will Cha-Cha right into the chain gang as murder erupts in this ’70’s disco mystery! Public shows are Wed., Fri. & Sat. until June 16; Mon. - Sat. June 18 – September 1, 2012; Wed., Fri. & Sat. September 5 – 29, 2012. All shows at 7:30 pm, located inside the Clarion Inn & Suite at 5351 Richmond Rd. Williamsburg. Adult tickets $50.00; children 12 and under $33.00; includes dinner, show & tax. Group, senior & military discounts. Call 888-471-4802 or visit our website.