Partlow
Partlow, VA · Arts & Culture
alextimes.com
PWLiving
Maryland Independent
Documentary about La Plata tornados airs on 100th anniversary
Stanley Preston was eating dinner at the Charles Restaurant and Bar in La Plata after a day of filming a documentary when it dawned on him that he was sitting in an area that saw devastation. “It’s incredible that we’re sitting here after seeing what the 2002 tornado did to the town,” Preston, director of the documentary “Unseen Hooks,” said. The documentary was going to be only about the 1926 tornado, which swept through La Plata a century ago and killed 13 children and two adults, but many people still alive today remember the 2002 tornado, Anthony Puzzilla, historian and executive producer of the documentary, said. The documentary tells the story of how La Plata was struck by two of the most powerful tornadoes on record. It will be shown on Nov. 9 on Maryland Public Television, 100 years after the 1926 tornado, and was shown at the Utopia Film Festival in Greenbelt last month. “It just seemed like a meteorological anomaly,” Preston said. “They’re still amazed that it could even happen.” While the town is still known for its tornadoes, it gained relationships with other jurisdictions, Mayor Jeannine E. James said during the screening premier of the documentary on
dctheaterarts.org
Reston Community Players’ ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ lets the good times roll
Once Upon a Mattress is a beloved musical featuring music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. Reston Community Players’ version is set in 1920s New Orleans with doses of Mardi Gras inserted throughout the visual elements of the production. Rather than hearing a traditional overture at the beginning, the audience is greeted by the Minstrel (Jonathan Grygiel) dressed as a cordial Southern Gentleman to tell the classic tale of the Princess and the Pea. Grygiel immediately captivates us with his smooth, Benoit Blanc-style persona and beautiful vocal performance.
JamBase
alxnow.com
PHOTOS: Thousands pack Lee Street in Old Town for Halloween
It was a picture-perfect Halloween on Saturday, and thousands of costumed heroes, villains, monsters and historical figures took to the streets in Alexandria. With appearances by characters like George and Martha Washington, Dr. Doom and Harry Potter, S. Lee Street in Old Town was also closed off for its traditional Halloween block party, which started around 5 p.m. and lasted several hours.
fredericksburgfreepress.com
familyvacationsus.com
Why A Whole Virginia Town Vanished To Make Room For Quantico
A concrete sidewalk poured in 1912 still runs through the Virginia woods. It once led families to a little Baptist church. The church is long gone, and so is everyone who walked that path. About 100 farming families once called this spot home. They had a country store, a school,...
thereconstructionera.com
African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C. is at the corner of Vermont Avenue, 10th Street, and U Street NW in the Shaw neighborhood. The neighborhood is named in honor of Robert Gould Shaw, the commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first Black regiments in the Civil War. The sculpture is called the Spirit of Freedom by Louisville artist Ed Hamilton. African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Inc. was the non-profit that commissioned the memorial. It was unveiled in 1998, and is the first national memorial to Black soldiers from the Civil War. The National Park Service currently administers it.
thezebra.org
Alexandria Historian Uncovers Civil War Secrets in New Book on Union Occupation
Alexandria, VA – Alexandria historian Madeline Feierstein has turned her passion for research into a career uncovering forgotten stories of people and places. Her new book, Occupied Alexandria: How The Civil War Transformed A Southern City, published by The History Press, explores how Union occupation reshaped Old Town Alexandria.
PWLiving
Soulful Blues, Piano Classics, and a Tribute to America’s 250th with Stunning Vocal Music
Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. Tickets: $35 (price includes fee) Crowned the new “Queen of the Blues” by the legendary Koko Taylor, Grammy nominee Shemekia Copeland brings a contemporary edge to the blues. The daughter of Texas blues great Johnny Copeland, she has earned nine Blues Music Awards and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year honors. GET TICKETS.
postnewsgroup.com
Michael Shiner: The Enslaved Man Who Wrote His Way into American History
Long before African Americans could freely tell their stories, Michael G. Shiner was quietly documenting history. Born into slavery in 1805 in Piscataway, Maryland, Shiner became one of the most remarkable eyewitness chroniclers of nineteenth-century America. His writings preserved more than five decades of Washington, D.C., history, providing an extraordinary perspective on slavery, freedom, labor, and the nation’s transformation.
culpeperdowntown.com
Culpeper Downtown for the Season Brings Holiday Magic to Downtown November 22
The holiday season is arriving in Culpeper Downtown, and the community is invited to celebrate with festive events, holiday shopping opportunities, family entertainment, and small-town holiday charm during Culpeper Downtown for the Season 2026, presented by Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. (CRI). The festivities will take center stage on Sunday, November 22, with the Holiday Open House & Community Tree Lighting, bringing families and visitors downtown for an afternoon of free entertainment, seasonal activities, local shopping, and holiday cheer. From carriage rides and live music to face painting, balloon art, and a special visit from the Grinch, the event offers something for all ages as downtown welcomes the holiday season. Activities will take place throughout downtown, with entertainment beginning as early as 10 a.m. and continuing into the afternoon. The community tree lighting ceremony will begin at 4:50 p.m.