The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL26

"We are sort of a nebulous organization with no dance
a performance hall (2,500 seats), an arena (10,000-plus
school," says director Karen Kalbfleisch. Weekend classes
seats) and even a large trade show space. It is in downare held at the Dance Center in Salem for the 53 memtown Roanoke and features a wide variety of entertainbers. The artistic director is the popular Pedro Szalay.
ment, including a new pro hockey team (the Rail Yard
Auditions are held each year.
Dawgs) as well as college hockey, monster trucks, basTaubman Museum of Art: This $67
ketball, musical concerts and even
million installation was completed with
Broadway plays. A smaller version is
mostly local money and opened in late
JUST A FEW
the Salem Civic Center, with a 7,0002008 to rave reviews for its architecture
seat arena located next to a profesOF OUR MANY
by the late Randall Stout. The Taubman
sional baseball stadium and a football
ANNUAL EVENTS!
struggled for several years, but it has
stadium, both of which serve a variety
From kite flying to beer
become a beneficiary of funds from Adof uses. The Jefferson Center is home
tasting and everything
vance Auto (founded by the Taubman
for several arts organizations and its
in between, events in
family) and its place has solidified. It reShaftman Performance Hall has a
the Roanoke Valley offer
cently was home for an extraordinarily
popular concert series, among other
something for everyone
popular Norman Rockwell exhibition.
things.
all year round.
The Taubman, whose executive diLocal Colors: Many consider this a
April
rector is Della Watkins, has featured a
defining event for Roanoke, one that
wide variety of exhibitions, some conputs the area's efforts at diversity at
Blue Ridge Kite Festival
the front of the line. It was founded
centrating on this region's culture and
Vinton Dogwood Festival
by the City of Roanoke more than a
some of its artists.
May
Live Theater: Mill Mountain Theatre,
quarter of a century ago and over the
Festival in the Park
founded in 1964, has been the bell
next 25 years was run by the estimable
Strawberry Festival
cow for one of the region's most acPearl Fu, who increased its size from
Vinton Wine and Food Festival
complished areas of the arts for many
a sprinkling of cultures to more than
years. It has been joined in recogni125 taking part in the Parade of NaMay-September
tion in recent years by the extraorditions. Local Colors, which also spotParty in the Park
nary Theater Arts program at Hollins
lights individual nations downtown
Party in Elmwood:
University, which is nationally ranked,
monthly, features national costumes,
Beach Music Thursdays
as well as a variety of groups that infood, song and dance and cultural disAugust
clude the Roanoke Children's Theatre,
cussion in a spring festival each year,
Microfestivus
Off the Rails, Showtimers (founded in
one that is enormously popular. Its
1951), Star City Playhouse and commuexecutive director is Beth Lutjen, who
September
nity theater groups in the surrounding
worked with Fu for years.
Smith Mountain Lake
counties.
Downtown Roanoke Inc.: DRI sponWine Festival
Mill Mountain, RCT and Off the Rails
sors large Christmas and St. Patrick's
Olde Salem Days
are professional theaters and they proDay parades, a wide variety of festiOctober
vals (Strawberry Festival, Festival in
vide a mix of mainstream Broadway
Vinton Fall Festival
productions and lesser-known, somethe Park, Virginia State Championship
times edgy work. MMT has its own chilChili Cookoff, among many), a popuDecember
dren's theater and, like Roanoke Chillar regional farmers market, outdoor
Dickens of a Christmas
dren's Theatre, it provides education
music and sometimes even theater.
Vinton Christmas Parade
for locals.
Marketing and communications speWith so many groups putting on
cialist Jaime Clark walks a line beplays, it is difficult to go an entire month without a live
tween municipal representation and private organizatheater opportunity-of considerable quality.
tions, but DRI is, with little argument, one of the primary
Major venues: The Roanoke Valley is virtually full of
reasons Roanoke's downtown thrives in every sense.
venues for the performing arts topped by two major
"Our entire goal," says Clark, "is to make downtown Rocivic centers and supported by the Jefferson Center,
anoke the preferred place to live, work and play." Downamong others.
town in recent years has become a center for public art
The Berglund Center is the biggest of the venues with
and more installations are planned in the near future.n

26 | 2017 VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE



The Roanoker - January/February 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - January/February 2017

Front Cover
Letters/Worth a Click
From the Editor
Lunch With . . .
Streets of Roanoke
The Gist
Events
25 Great Things in Roanoke, 2016
Five National Best-Selling Authors Right Here?
Making it in Roanoke
The “From-Scratch” Bullington Home
Blue Apron, La Petite Fondue: Two for Distinctive Dining
The Dish
SPECIAL SECTION: Valley Life
SPECIAL SECTION: The Menu Dining Guide
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Intro
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Cover1
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Cover2
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 3
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 4
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 5
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 6
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 7
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 8
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 9
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Letters/Worth a Click
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 11
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - From the Editor
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 13
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Lunch With . . .
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 15
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Streets of Roanoke
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 17
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - The Gist
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 19
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 20
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 21
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Events
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 23
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 24
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 25
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 26
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 25 Great Things in Roanoke, 2016
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 28
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 29
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 30
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 31
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 32
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 33
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Five National Best-Selling Authors Right Here?
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 35
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 36
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 37
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Making it in Roanoke
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 39
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 40
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 41
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 42
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 43
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - The “From-Scratch” Bullington Home
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 45
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 46
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 47
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 48
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 49
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 50
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - SPECIAL SECTION: Valley Life
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL2
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL3
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL4
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL5
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL6
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL10
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL42
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL43
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL45
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL46
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL48
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL50
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL51
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL53
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL54
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL56
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL58
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL60
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL61
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL62
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL65
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL66
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL67
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - VL68
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 51
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 52
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 53
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 54
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 55
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Blue Apron, La Petite Fondue: Two for Distinctive Dining
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 57
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 58
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 59
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 60
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 61
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 62
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 63
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 64
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - 65
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - The Dish
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Cover3
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - Cover4
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - SPECIAL SECTION: The Menu Dining Guide
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M2
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M3
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M4
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M5
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M6
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M7
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M11
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M26
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M27
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M36
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M37
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M39
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The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M41
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M42
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M43
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M44
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M45
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M46
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M47
The Roanoker - January/February 2017 - M48
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