Community Calendar

May 2
Fridays at the Fort
The 2008 Friday’s at the Fort party series continues today at the Bay Breeze Community Center. Each event features DJ music by L.F. Edwards, karaoke, billiards, food and other family fun events. The doors open at 5 p.m. Karaoke begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call 788-2406.

‘Pippin’
Advertised as a “hip, tongue-in-cheek, anachronistic fairy tale,” the Broadway play “Pippin” will be presented by the Peninsula Community Theatre, Newport News, today and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Additional evening performances are scheduled on May 9 and 10. All tickets are $15. For more information, visit www.peninsulacommunitytheatre.org.

Spouse Celebration
Tickets are now available for the special military spouse appreciation event titled “Evening Under the Stars” that’s scheduled for May 20 at the Hampton Holiday Inn, Mercury Boulevard. This “free evening of pampering” will feature body massages, facials, craft classes, prize giveaways and more. The event hours will be 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available at the Fort Monroe Soldier and Family Support Center. For more information, call 788-3878.

Junior 4-H Camp
Registration is now open for the next Junior 4-H Camp, scheduled for July 14 through 18 at the Jamestown 4-H Education Center. The early-bird signup cost is $185 per child through May 14. After that, the price goes up to $195. The registration deadline is June 30. For more information, call 727-1401.

May 3
Flag Retirement
More than 80 U.S. flags will be formally retired during a special ceremony Saturday at the Gloucester Public Library, 6920 Main Street. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon. Admission is free and open to the public.
During the program, local scouts from the Gloucester area will perform the formal ritual of flag retirement, which includes a recitation about the meaning of our national colors, burning each flag in accordance with U.S. code, and the playing of “Taps.”
The ceremony is part of the community’s Military Appreciation Month activities. For more information, call (804) 693-2998.

Blackbeard Bash
Avast ye scallywags! … There be pirates along Yorktown waters this Saturday.
The Members of Blackbeard’s Crew, a living history group that specializes in re-enactments of 17th and 18th century seafaring life, will be stationed at Riverwalk Landing along the York River tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The day’s events will include weapons and tactics demonstrations, a Schooner Alliance attack and tall tales from the high seas.
The event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. For more information, call 890-3500 or visit yorkcounty.gov/tourism.

‘The Tempest’
Shakespeare’s final play “The Tempest” will be featured at the American Theatre, Hampton, on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Presented by a group called The Acting Company, “The Tempest” combines the elements of comedy, tragedy and romance. At the heart of the story is the usurped wizard, Prospero, who draws his enemies to his enchanted island to exact revenge, but he ultimately finds peace and the ability to forgive.
Tickets range from $15 to $30. For more information, call 722-2787.

Williamsburg Premier
“Our Little Buttercup,” a play that brings back the fun of old-time radio in the 40s and 50s, will open at the Williamsburg Regional Library Theatre on Saturday at 8 p.m. Additional shows are scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m., May 10 at 8 p.m. and May 11 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for members of the “Library Friends” organization. General admission is $12 for adults and $6 for youth under the age of 17. For more information and reservations, call 259-4071 or visit www.wrl.org.

Red Cross Fundraiser
Hampton’s St. George Brewing Company will host a beer-tasting fundraiser for the American Red Cross on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be live music and samples of several ales, lagers, stouts and other beers produced by the brewery, which is located at 204 Challenger Way. The $10 admission cost includes three six-ounce samples. Additional samples are $2 each. For more information, call 715-7035 or visit www.stgeorgebrewingco.com.

Farmers’ Market
A cooking demonstration by Charlie Little of Berret’s Seafood Restaurant and outdoor performances by folk musician Tim Seaman are among the highlights of Saturday’s Farmers Market along Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg. Weekly markets are now scheduled for each Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon throughout the summer.
Each market also features a healthy variety of meats, cheeses, baked goods and Virginia-grown products for purchase. Many events also include gardening and craft classes. For more information, visit www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com.

May 5
History Talk
The Associate Professor of History for Norfolk State University, Cassandra L. Newby-Alexander, will be the guest speaker at the next Port Hampton Lecture Series presentation scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Hampton History Museum. The NSU professor’s talk is titled “Laying Freedom’s Groundwork: Hampton on the Eve of Emancipation.” Admission is free for museum members or $3 per person for non-members. For more information, call 727-1610.

May 7
Career Expo
All military spouses in the Hampton Roads area are invited to a free career expo scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Vista Point Club, Naval Station Norfolk.
Planned events include a pair of workshops that will focus on employment outside the home and continuing one’s education and career. An expo luncheon and fashion show also is planned. The ticket price for the luncheon is $10 per person and reservations are required. For more information, visit www.militarynewsofva.com/heroesathome/expo.

May 10
Family Theatre
Mark Twain’s immortal tale about two mischievous Missouri boys — Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn — will be brought to life at the American Theatre, Hampton, on May 10 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
This foot-stompin’ musical titled “Huck and Tom and the Mighty Mississippi” is being presented by the Theatre IV Acting Company. The audience will be reacquainted with Becky Thatcher, Aunt Polly, Big Jim and many other residents of Hannibal, Missouri. All seats are $8. For more information, call 722-2787.

Fun at the Fountain
The City Center at Oyster Point, Newport News, will conduct a special spring kickoff event for its “Fridays at the Fountain” concert series on May 10 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy live entertainment as they lounge by the scenic center fountain and/or partake of the local eating and shopping opportunities.
Admission and parking are free. Additional outdoor concert evenings are scheduled for May 18 and 30. The Fridays at the Fountain series begins June 6. For more information, visit www.citycenteratoysterpoint.com.

May 14
GI Film Fest
Gary Sinise, Robert Duvall, James Franco and Stephen Baldwin are just some of the celebrities who will take part in the Second Annual GI Film Festival that’s scheduled for May 14 through 18 at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington D.C.
More than 30 feature-length films and documentaries will be shown (many for the first time) during the event. An autograph session with the stars of the World Wrestling Enterprise also is planned. The GI Festival grand reception will be attended by dozens of big-name stars.
Ticket prices range from $5 per event to $300 for an all-access festival pass. For more information, visit www.gifilmfestival.com.

Beach Music
Hot bands, warm sand and refreshing breezes off the Atlantic Ocean are just some of the offerings of the 2008 Beach Music Weekend scheduled for May 14 through 18 at the 29th Street Stage in Virginia Beach.
The event will feature nightly concerts with local groups like Bill Deal’s Rhondels and the Craig Woolard Band. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.beacheventsfun.com.