Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation

Genealogy Saturday
2024-12-07 08:00 - 11:00, 2024-11-02 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-09-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-08-31 10:39 (America/New_York) | VA
Join Carol Smith and Don Braffitt in the Ronnie and Faye Marcum Blacksburg History and Genealogy Room at The Alexander Black House for our monthly Genealogy Saturday the first Saturday of each month. Carol and Don will be on hand to assist you as you explore your family tree. They will be able to demonstrate starting your family tree or help you conduct a deeper dive into specialized areas of genealogy. Come with questions about research and discovering your roots or come with no knowledge of your family and let them guide you. Just Come! Free and open to the public. For helpful family tree templates, visit our Genealogy Page.

BRAA Holiday Pop Up Art Show
2024-12-07 05:00 - 12:00, 2024-12-06 05:00 - 15:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Kick off your holiday shopping with us! Featured BRAA members will present a pop up art show and sale on Friday, December 6 from 10am-8pm and Saturday, December 7 from 10am-5pm. Treat yourself and your loved ones with the gift of art while giving back to our community artists.

16 Squares Walking Tour
2024-12-05 07:00 - 08:00, 2024-11-21 07:00 - 08:00, 2024-11-07 07:00 - 08:00, 2024-10-24 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-10-10 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-09-26 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-09-12 08:00 - 09:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Meet us at The Alexander Black House and then explore the historic streets within the original 16 Squares of Blacksburg and learn the rich history and stories behind many of the buildings and landmarks throughout town that may go unnoticed. You may also schedule this tour by appointment if Thursdays don’t work for your group.
By request, as an add-on, can also tour St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall.
Please RSVP by email at info@blacksburghistory.org. Tours limited to 15 people.

Haunted History Tour
2024-10-13 - 2024-10-31 | VA
Take a tour of historic downtown Blacksburg with a ghostly twist! On this 60-90 minute tour, renowned ghost tour guide T.J. Prosalenti will take you to six locations – The Alexander Black House, The Lyric Theatre, Thomas-Conner House, The Municipal Building and Kent Square. The stories at each stop will range from 5-10 minutes in length. Prosalenti has given more than 160 tours throughout Richmond (check out his reviews at Past Reviews — Blacksburg Historic Ghost Tours (blacksburgprotours.com) and we are lucky that he has come to Blacksburg!

The tour begins and ends at the lawn between The Thomas Conner House and The Alexander Black House at 204 Draper Road. Tours will begin at the times listed on the ticket options below.

Each tour is limited to 15 people and needs a minimum of 4 people to proceed. In the event of a cancellation on our end, you will be refunded. Rain does not cause automatic cancellation. Ages 8+
What to Expect:

you will learn both the history and lore of the buildings at each location

we will walk a moderate amount, so be sure to wear good walking shoes

you will hear local ghost stories from the NRV

What is Not Included:

food or drinks (with the exception of Halloween – plans TBA)

transportation of any type

Showing 1 – 1 of 1 results Showing all 1 results Showing the single result No results found Sort by Price low to high Sort by Popularity Sort by Rating Sort by Price low to high Sort by Price high to low Sort by Newness Sort by Name A - Z Sort by Name Z - A Filters Sort results Reset Apply October Haunted History Tours 2025Take a tour of historic downtown Blacksburg with a ghostly twist! On this 60-90 minute tour, renowned ghost tour guide T.J. Prosalenti will take you to four locations – The […] $25.00 Max: Min: 1 Step: 1 Add to cart

Blues, Brews & BBQ
2024-09-28 08:00 - 13:00 | St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall, 203 Gilbert Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24060
The Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation will host its Annual Blues, Brews, & BBQ event on Saturday, September 28, at the restored St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall. The Hall – now a nationally recognized historic landmark – once served as the social center of New Town, a neighborhood for African-American residents during segregation. It houses a museum of African-American history and culture, and serves as an important reminder of the resilience, pride, self-reliance, and community spirit of the people who lived in New Town, as well as the legacy of injustice that segregation imposed. The Blues, Brews, and BBQ event recalls some of the happier times in New Town, when friends and neighbors would gather for dancing, community, and fellowship.
Beer & wine, barbeque, and sweet treats will be available for purchase from Blue Ridge Beverage, Kirk’s Famous BBQ, and Next Door Bake Shop. Additionally, local chapters of the NAACP and The League of Women Voters will be providing voter registration information.
Admission is free, though a $10 donation is suggested. Seating is limited, so you may wish to bring chairs.
Event Sponsor: Virginia Tech Foundation
Performance Schedule
12:30-1:30pm The JoJo Stockton Project
2:00-3:00pm McFadden and Friends
3:30-4:30pm Lady D and Mi$$ion
Musical Guest Information
The JoJo Stockton Project
The JoJo Stockton Project contains a back line: killer drummer Chris Oneal, monster bassist/ lead Nigel Banks, and fire on Keys, Mr. Tom Floyd.
JoJo Stockton (from moonshine capital Franklin County Va.) has opened for several Grammy-nominated artists at venues such as the Harvester Performance Center, The Cove, The Taubman, The Moss Center, 5 Points Sanctuary and the Bower Center. Corey “lil pop” Ledet, “TAZ” Brandon Niederauer , Delbert McClinton, Adrian Crutchfield, Cedrick Burnside, and Rueben Studdard are among the artist he’s performed with or opened for. The list of local artists he’s jammed with is way too long to list.
If you can’t find him downtown Roanoke playing the local scene with his popular band “Solacoustix “, or with a blues jam, JoJo is out supporting other local artists (his favorite thing to do). For that reason, he is coined Roanoke’s “Mayor of Music” and actually received the key to the city from the Mayor himself in July 2023. Even though he loves all genres, coming up playing blues music with his pops (the late Alvin Stockton) this man is committed to keeping the blues alive!
McFadden and Friends
The McFadden and Friends Band was formed in 2018 and consists of five members with many years of experience playing Jazz, Blues and R&B. The band has played at Fatback Soul Shack, Old Salem Brewery, Parkway Brewery, Big Lick Brewery, Twisted Track Brewpub, Mac And Bob’s Restaurant, Joe’s Deli, Homeplace, Vineyard Music Festival, Brady’s Distillery, Eastern Divide Brewery, and many private events.
Members of the Band:
Roscoe McFadden – Keyboards, Vocals, Harmonica
Davel Burch – Saxophone
Jimmy Dickason – Bass
David Gregory – Drums
Glen Holmes – Keyboards
Jeff Criner – Guitar (special guest)
Lady D and Mi$$ion
Lady D was born in the coalfields of Cabin Creek in West Virginia and has since become known as W.Va.’s First Lady of Soul.
Lady D has become well-known for her original one-woman stage play titled, “The Lady and the Empress” and the abbreviated version titled “Bessie’s Blues,” based on the life and music of blues legend, Bessie Smith.
Lady D’s regularly performs as a duo with keyboard or guitar and she has made many appearances with blues luminaries such as Bruce Katz and Johnny Rawls, but she is best known as front woman for her 4-piece band, MI$$ION. This group of seasoned musicians easily cover several genres that make up their shows. From R&B, blues, jazz and reggae to pop and soul, as well as her own original music, Lady D & MI$$ION hold their own on any musical line-up. Lady D & MI$$ION have been the opening act for soul legends such as the O’Jays and Jagged Edge and performed at the Obama for Change Inaugural Ball in Washington, DC in January 2009.
Members of the Band:
Dan Bailey – Guitar
Phil Copney – Bass Guitar
Demetrius “Meech” Cross – Drums
Robert Gray – Keys
Lady D has six CDs to her credit, including her newest and most recently released, “Disturbing My Peace.”

Blacksburg en Blanc
2024-08-10 15:00 - 18:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
BLACKSBURG EN BLANC MAKES ITS RETURN THIS SUMMER!
Some of you may remember the annual Blacksburg en Blanc picnic that The Artful Lawyer, A Fine Gallery Inc. first hosted in August 2014. A few days later, The Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Center opened its newly renovated doors. The gallery and museum had many partnerships along the way as well, so it is only fitting that we celebrate the museum’s 10-year anniversary with a relaunch of this fun event! The concept is simple and will be the same as in years past.

We provide:

a professional tent on our lawn with cafe lighting
tables
tablecloths
chairs
a few table decorations (we also encourage your creativity in bringing your own!)
music entertainment
a silent auction – proceeds benefit the various programming that our foundation brings to our community
we will also provide trash cans and indoor restrooms

You provide for yourself or your group:

food
alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic drinks
cutlery
napkins
think about a picnic in the woods – you pack it in, you pack it out

We hope to see as many people as possible from the picnic’s early days and to introduce new people to what we hope will be an annual event.

TICKET PURCHASE DEADLINE: EXTENDED TO AUGUST 4 – we may be able to fit more in after this date over the phone. You may call us at 540-443-1602

The Dinner’s Early History
The Dîner en Blanc (“Dinner in White” in French) concept began in Paris in 1988 when François Pasquier invited a group of friends to an elegant outdoor dinner at the Bois de Boulogne, asking them to dress in white so they could find each other. It is now a worldwide annual event spanning six continents. Diners are required to provide their own food, tables, chairs and tablecloths. Only a select number of participants who have previously signed up are made privy to the location the day of the dinner, and generally converge in an iconic urban location.

16 Squares Walking Tour
2024-07-25 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-07-11 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-06-20 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-05-23 08:00 - 09:00, 2024-05-09 08:00 - 09:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Meet us at The Alexander Black House every other Thursday and then explore the historic streets within the original 16 Squares of Blacksburg and learn the rich history and stories behind many of the buildings and landmarks throughout town that may go unnoticed. You may also schedule this tour by appointment if Thursdays don’t work for your group.
By request, as an add-on, can also tour St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall.
Please RSVP below. Tours limited to 15 people.

2024 Summer Collection Fashion Show
2024-07-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
CANCELED
We have made the difficult decision to cancel the Alexander Black House x 310 Rosemont fashion show that was scheduled to take place on July 19, 2024. Despite our best efforts, we did not reach the necessary ticket sales to proceed with the event as planned.
We sincerely apologize for any disappointment. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, but we want to respect the valuable time of our multiple partners who were helping to bring our vision to fruition.
If you purchased a ticket, we will issue you a full refund.
A Tribute to the Past: A Reawakening of Fashion
310 Rosemont & The Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation invite you to an evening summer fashion show featuring clothing from 310 Rosemont and Fringe Benefit. Cocktails, wine, treats from Sugar Magnolia, small appetizers, and more will be served.
Thanks to Sugar Magnolia, Fringe Benefit, J.H. Bard’s, and Crow’s Nest for participating in this event. More vendors and sponsors will be added to this page soon!
Dress code is cocktail, formal or garden.
Admission is $10 online. Ticket page closes Saturday, July 6.
Benefits go toward BMCF in its mission to expand programming, offer quality exhibits, improve collections and archival processes, and preserve our two historic structures, The Alexander Black House and St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall.

BRAA Annual Theme Show
2024-07-09 - 2024-10-10 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Help us celebrate Blacksburg Regional Art Association artists as they open the organization’s annual juried and judged theme show. This year’s theme is controversy and the show, with a total of 38 pieces, certainly covers a range of topics. Join us for the opening reception on July 10 from 5:30-8:30pm or visit throughout the show run – July 10 to October 10.

Genealogy Saturday
2024-07-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-05-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States

16 Squares Exhibit
2024-06-12 - 2024-06-30 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
This exhibit explores the land, architecture, and people of the 16 Squares of Blacksburg, the original grid that William Black laid out when planning the Town of Blacksburg. Learn about the buildings, industries, and people who have made Blacksburg what it is today.

New Town Festival Gospel Sing
2024-06-01 08:00 - 14:00 | St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall, 203 Gilbert Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24060
Join us for the 8th annual Gospel Sing, part of our New Town Festival Series, Saturday, June 1 from 12:00 to 5:00pm.
The afternoon will be filled with dancing, singing and fellowship as local groups and soloists perform their favorite current and old-time gospel favorites. And come hungry! Kirk’s BBQ will be onsite with food available for purchase!
Performance schedule includes:

12:00 Bob & Claudia Goldstein
1:00 This & That
2:00 Indian Run String Band Gospel Trio
3:00 New Town Panel Discussion
4:00 The Glorylanders of the New River Valley
5:00 Alexis Johnson & Closing Remarks
This is a FREE event, though donations are encouraged.

Give Local NRV 2024 Campaign
2024-06-01 04:00 - 2024-06-27 08:00 | VA
For this year’s Give Local NRV 2024 Campaign, we hope to raise $10,000 to

expand and enhance our programming
complete important archival work in our collections
continue offering quality exhibits
continue the preservation of our two historic sites, Alexander Black House and St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall

Please consider our organization at Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation | GiveLocalNRV when you give this year!
