ArtsMonday, November 2
Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis and a new bluegrass weekend headline the Virginia Arts Festival's 30th season
The Today in Virginia Beach team
If you like jazz, cello or a good bluegrass weekend, the festival's 2027 season has you covered. It opens March 31 with Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax at Harrison Opera House in Norfolk. Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra follow April 3. Samara Joy, a six-time Grammy winner, performs June 11.
Five 2027 headliners play Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach
| Act | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax | Harrison Opera House, Norfolk | Mar. 31 |
| Wynton Marsalis | Harrison Opera House, Norfolk | Apr. 3 |
| Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | CNU's Ferguson Center, Newport News | Apr. 27-28 |
| Martha Graham Dance Company | Sandler Center, Virginia Beach | May 8 |
| Samara Joy | Harrison Opera House, Norfolk | June 11 |
Sources: Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, Daily Press
Executive Director Rob Cross said organizers wanted the year to feel like a “best of” the past 30 seasons. The Martha Graham company plays with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, so bring your dancing shoes in spirit.
- Yorktown Bluegrass & Beyond: May 15-16, Riverwalk Landing; lineup not yet released
- Williamsburg Live: June 25-27; lineup to be announced
- Tickets: vafest.org or the box office at 440 Bank St., Norfolk
- Box office hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Choirs, bluegrass and a lawn party fill out the calendar
- Dec. 15Vienna Boys Choir sings "Christmas in Vienna" at Sandler Center in Virginia Beach.
- Mar. 3Tenebrae performs "The Journey: 25 Years" at St. Bede in Williamsburg.
- Apr. 14Vienna Girls Choir performs at St. Bede; the festival says it's the group's first U.S. tour.
- May 15-16Yorktown Bluegrass & Beyond debuts at Riverwalk Landing.
- June 25-27Williamsburg Live returns to the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg lawn.
Sources: Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, Daily Press
Sources: Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, Daily Press