Downtown Rundown

Ok, I realize it's Monday, but everyone is looking forward to the weekend, right? And this weekend we have got a lot going on.

We did a brief run through about all the events last time, now let's get a little more in depth (And hopefully help you figure out how to hit all the hot spots):

8am - The Blue Ridge Rock and Ride is holding the poker run beginning at 8am today. $10 for admission gets you into the run, and if you've got a bike and never done it, you're missing out. It's the best way to have some fun and ride for a great cause!

9am - In preparation for October as the breast cancer awareness month, the Roanoke Civic Center is hosting Fired Up for a Cure, which will include a 5k/10k race starting at 9am. Fun doesn't stop
there. There will be exhibits open from 10:30am until 2pm, and FREE ice skating from noon until
3pm!

10am - Downtown Living Tour will start, showing you the new and exciting places you can stay, eat,
and play in Downtown Roanoke. If you have ever thought about moving downtown, this is a
great place to start. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate, and a tent will be set up on the
City Market for you to purchase them at.

10am - Virginian Rail Day at the Virginia Transportation Museum celebrates the history of the Roanoke
Valley and its importance to the entire railway system. If you haven't been to the museum, check
it out. It's really interesting how deeply involved Roanoke is in its history! (And you can get a
coupon from here for your admittance fee, thanks to the Smithsonian Museum Day. And
everyone loves free!)

10am - The Star City Latin Dance Festival, hosted by the Jefferson Center, is going on all day long.  
Really. All. Day. Long. Rolling until 1:30am, you'll be hard pressed to find a better way to learn,
dance, and enjoy authentic music.

11am - The Harvest Festival starts on the Historic City Market. Featuring live entertainment by Blue
Moonshine, the Jack Tale Players, and the Floyd Ward Cloggers, as well as all of our Saturday
vendors, and some new additions, you'd be remiss not to go and see what all the buzz is about.
And, back by popular demand, are the antique tractors. It's going to be a great time!

12 noon - The Blue Ridge Rock and Ride hits full swing, with live music from Tuesday's Gone, Untax't
Whiskey, the Phat Boyz Band, and the Gypsy Sons until 9pm, and beer and food for sale, all
for $10? This is gearing up to be a rider's dream!!!

3pm - The Taubman is holding an additional matinee performance of The Guru of Chai. Feel like
expanding your world view and possibly getting a little culture in, too? This one might be for you.

6pm - The Hotel Roanoke is hosting Count Down to Murder, a murder-mystery dinner theatre sure to
captivate the audience's attention and tastebuds!!! Tickets need to be purchased in advance, but
here's the place to do it: bit.ly/p0wHZx

7:30pm - The Civic Center once more plays host to Virginia Tech Hockey, as they play Villanova.
Tickets are free for Tech students, and only $5 for adults. Hey, it's getting cooler out. Hockey's
a totally acceptable pass time!!!

10pm - Paul Pfau and his Dimestore Band bring a special performance to Corned Beef and Co., ending
out a long, long day in Downtown.


Alright, I think that should just about cover the busiest Saturday Downtown has seen in a while. With all of these events going on, some FREE, some benefitting great causes, and all of them being a blast, there is absolutely no reason to miss this! I'll be Downtown. Hope to see you there!