"The Nutcracker" ballet
2025-12-13 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-13 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | John Handley High School, Patsy Cline Theatre, 425 Handley Boulevard, Winchester, VA, 22601
Vostrikov’s Academy of Ballet’s presents the 44th annual performance of The Nutcracker, a Winchester holiday tradition since 1982. This full-length production features more than 150 dancers in two acts with one intermission. We are excited to welcome professional guest artist Kfir Danieli as Cavalier for all shows. This beloved classic is perfect for audiences of all ages, offering a mesmerizing experience that will create cherished memories for the entire family.

A Very Merry Tea
2025-12-13 16:00 - 17:00 | The Market at Kimberly’s, 123 N Braddock St, Winchester, VA, 22601, United States
Join us at The Market At Kimberly’s for A very merry Christmastime themed tea.
Included with your ticket:
Bottomless Tea
Cucumber Sandwiches
Chicken Salad on Crackers
Cinnamon Rolls and Cookies
Champagne & Wine, $6/glass.
Tickets: $25 for adults/ $15 for children

Wrapping And Wine
2025-12-14 16:00 - 17:00 | The Market at Kimberly’s, 123 N Braddock St, Winchester, VA, 22601, United States
Learn how to wrap like a pro from Kimberly’s Christmas elves! Bring your own reasonably sized gift in a box, or come shop for your gift in any of our stores & we will box it for you!

Year in Review: Reflecting on Old Town's Growth
2025-12-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Winchester Brew Works
We love hearing from our amazing Old Town community!
That’s why Friends of Old Town is hosting monthly outreach and input sessions all year long. These laid-back, open-forum meetups are a great chance to share ideas, chat about what’s happening in Old Town, and help shape our future together.
Each session focuses on a fun, guided topic to keep things lively and productive.

YDC Esports Open House
2025-12-19 18:30 - 19:30 | Youth Development Center, 302 S Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
The YDC is leveling up with our brand-new Esports Program and you’re invited to preview it!
Join us for an exciting preview of the YDC’s upcoming Esports Program. Families, students, and community members are invited to stop by, explore our new gaming space, and meet the people helping bring this program to life.
Representatives from Shenandoah University’s nationally recognized Esports program, members of the YDC Board of Directors, and our YDC team will be on hand to answer questions, demonstrate equipment, and share what competitive gaming can offer students of all interests and skill levels.
This open house is designed to introduce the community to the educational, social, and team-building benefits of Esports while giving attendees a chance to see the space, talk with experts, and learn how to get involved when the program officially launches in the new year.
Registration is free.

YDC Winterfest
2025-12-22 07:30 - 18:00, 2025-12-22 18:00 - 2026-01-02 17:00, 2025-12-23 07:30 - 18:00, 2025-12-26 07:30 - 18:00, 2025-12-29 07:30 - 18:00, 2025-12-30 07:30 - 18:00, 2025-12-31 07:30 - 18:00, 2026-01-02 07:30 - 18:00 | Youth Development Center, 302 S Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
Need something magical for your kids during winter break? Join us Dec. 22–Jan. 2 for YDC Winterfest! Full days of games, crafts, music, and fun for all school-aged children.
Activities are inclusive & adaptable for kids of all abilities.

New Year's Eve Celebration in Old Town Winchester
2025-12-31 18:00 - 23:59 | Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall
Join us in historic Old Town Winchester for a day of celebration culminating with a spectacular and FREE New Year’s Eve Neon Nights & Laser Light Show at the Old Courthouse Civil War Museum, street performers along the walking mall and the traditional Apple Drop at midnight on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, from 6:00 pm to midnight. Downtown merchants will be open for dining, shopping and live entertainment. Parking in Old Town is FREE on New Year’s Eve through New Year’s Day.

Midnight in Miami with DJ Ophie
2025-12-31 21:00 - 2026-01-01 02:00 | Bright Box, 15 N Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA, 22601, United States
MIDNIGHT IN MIAMI — NYE AT BRIGHT BOX

Still figuring out your New Year’s Eve plans?
We’ve got you covered.

On December 31st, Bright Box transforms into a Miami-inspired nightlife escape — palm-lined walls, neon glow, nonstop music, and a packed dance floor from start to finish.

DJ OPHIE is bringing open-format heat all night
Champagne toast at midnight INCLUDED with every ticket
Dress to impress — this is a fit-check night
Full Miami club vibes, no flight required
Early Bird GA tickets are moving fast — $20 while they last

Ring in 2026 the right way.
Tickets are live — don’t wait on this one.

Author Event: A.S. McConnell - Christmas Miracle
2026-01-04 12:00 - 14:00 | Winchester Book Gallery, 7 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
It’s the night before Christmas Eve—when most people think nothing magical happens. But for Lilly and Charlie, a spirited brother and sister, and their loyal dog Lucky, it’s the start of the most incredible adventure of their lives.
When a mysterious snowstorm rolls in and strange flickers of light appear in their backyard, the kids discover a joyful elf named Tinsel, who crash-landed.
Read along and see if Tinsel can find the very important glowing compass that helps guide Santa’s magical sleigh before it’s too late and Christmas is canceled.
Join A.S. McConnell at the book gallery and grab a signed copy!

FREE Midday at The YDC!
2026-01-06 10:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-03 10:00 - 13:00 | Youth Development Center, 302 S Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
Midday at The YDC is a relaxed, inclusive daytime program designed to give families a place to connect, learn, and spend meaningful time together. Open to all school-aged children and their caregivers, this drop-in experience invites families to use The YDC as a community space that supports curiosity, creativity, and connection.
During Midday at The YDC, families have access to our reading rooms, art supplies, game room, and esports room, allowing children of mixed ages to explore interests at their own pace. Parents and caregivers are required to remain with their children at all times, making this a shared experience that encourages engagement and community building.
This program takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and is open to all families, whether you homeschool, have a day off from school, or are simply looking for a welcoming place to spend part of your day. The cost is $5 per day per family, and the first Tuesday of each month is free. Families are encouraged to bring snacks and drinks and enjoy the space in a way that works best for them.
Midday at The YDC creates room in the day for learning, creativity, and belonging, right in the heart of our community.

Goal Getters: Kids Edition
2026-01-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Youth Development Center, 302 S Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
A vision board night for kids to imagine big, dream boldly, and step into the new year with purpose.
Goal Getters: Kids Edition is a fun, creative New Year workshop designed to help young dreamers imagine big, dream boldly, and step into 2026 with confidence. Kids will explore their interests, set age-appropriate goals, and build their own personalized vision boards to take home and enjoy all year long.
This hands-on event is $10 per child and includes all suppliesand guided instruction. It’s the perfect way to inspire creativity, spark motivation, and kick off the new year with intention and excitement. This program is intended for children aged 6-12.
Financial hardships should never stand in the way of a child’s opportunity to learn and grow, which is why we are proud to offer scholarships for families who need them. Please email sf*****@***dc.org for a scholarship form.

First Wednesday Community Information Night
2026-01-07 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-02-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Bridging the Gaps, 31 S. Braddock Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
Addiction is a struggle — for the person and their loved ones. That’s why at Bridging the Gaps, we’re offering 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, a 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜.
This October, attendees will be able to receive Acudetox (ear acupuncture), a technique used in addiction recovery to help reduce cravings, manage stress and anxiety, ease insomnia, and support healing.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
▪️Receive Acudetox treatment from our nurse trained as a NADA Acudetox Specialist
▪️Q&A with our clinicians and admissions team
▪️Practical tools and resources for recovery
▪️Connections to local support and community resources
▪️Light refreshments provided
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝:
💜 Individuals struggling with addiction
💜 Family & friends supporting someone in addiction or recovery
💜 Community members interested in learning more

Create Your Year with The YDC
2026-01-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Youth Development Center, 302 S Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
Start the new year with intention, creativity, and a little sparkle at Create Your Year with the YDC. This guided vision board workshop is the perfect reset after the holidays and a fun way to map out your goals, dreams, and inspiration for 2026. We will provide all supplies, step-by-step instruction, and plenty of space to get creative, connect, and set the tone for your year ahead.
Whether you are manifesting big plans or simply craving a fresh start, this night is all about you. Bring your imagination and we will handle the rest. We cannot wait to see what you create!

Old Town on the Rocks
2026-01-16 17:00 - 2026-01-18 22:00 | Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall
Old Town on the Rocks
January 16–18, 2026 | Old Town Winchester
Old Town on the Rocks is a weekend-long bourbon and cocktail competition celebrating the creativity of Old Town Winchester’s bars, restaurants, and bartenders.
There’s no entry fee — guests simply purchase featured cocktails directly from participating locations while visiting Old Town.Each stop will feature a signature bourbon cocktail made with Elijah Craig Bourbon. Our merchants will compete for:
Best Old Town on the Rocks Cocktail (judged)
Fan Favorite Cocktail (voted on by guests)

Author Event: Heidi Christopher - Lies the Dirt Keeps
2026-01-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Winchester Book Gallery, 7 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, V, 22601, United States
She came home searching for her sister. What she uncovered could destroy them all.
Johnna LaGrange photographs death for a living. But when she gets the call that her younger sister Ori has vanished from their hometown of Sweetwater, North Carolina, the decay she’s drawn to becomes chillingly personal.
Returning to a town that never forgave her for surviving, Johnna finds her family in tatters-her mother drowning in vodka, her brother partying like nothing’s wrong. Only Shannon, her ex turned detective, is willing to help. But as they dig into Ori’s disappearance, buried memories start to surface-of the stepfather Johnna killed in self-defiance, and the darkness that’s lingered in the farmhouse ever since.
When people start dying, and Johnna wakes up with dirt on her hands and blood in her mouth, she begins to question everything-including her own mind.
But the truth is far worse than she ever imagined.
A haunting, explosive thriller about guilt, memory, and the lies we tell to survive, Lies The Dirt Keeps is perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, KL Slater, and Shalini Boland.
Stop by and meet author Heidi Christopher for a signed copy!

What The Constitution Means To Me
2026-01-22 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-01-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-01-24 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-01-25 14:00 - 16:00 | Stone Branch Center for the Arts, 114 E. Main St, Front Royal, VA, 22630, United States
Selah Theatre Project Presents “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Stone Branch Center for the Arts
Front Royal, VA – Selah Theatre Project is bringing one of the most influential contemporary American plays to the Shenandoah Valley this winter with What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, running January 22–25, 2026, at Stone Branch Center for the Arts. The production offers Warren County and Winchester-area audiences an intimate, challenging, and participatory exploration of democracy, memory, and personal history.
Rather than approaching the U.S. Constitution as a distant historical document, What the Constitution Means to Me places it firmly in the lived experiences of everyday people. The play blends memoir, legal history, humor, and live debate to examine how the Constitution has shaped generations of Americans often in uneven and deeply personal ways.
At the center of the story is Schreck herself, portrayed in this production by Joanna Schilling of Berryville. The play draws from Schreck’s teenage years traveling the country competing in American Legion constitution speech contests to earn college scholarship money. As an adult, she revisits those speeches with clarity and skepticism, interrogating the promises of the Constitution alongside its omissions and failures.
For Schilling, the role requires vulnerability as much as performance.
“This play asks for a level of honesty that’s rare in theatre,” she said. “Heidi’s story is deeply specific, but the questions she’s asking about safety, power, and whose voices matter belong to all of us. Every night feels like opening a door and inviting the audience to walk through it with you.”
That invitation becomes literal in the play’s final moments, when the audience is asked to participate in a live debate and vote on whether the Constitution should remain unchanged or be replaced altogether. The debater, portrayed by Naomi Greenwalt of Warren County, brings youthful urgency and clarity to the conversation.
“The debate isn’t about winning,” Greenwalt explained. “It’s about listening. Each audience brings something different into the room, and that changes the conversation every single night. It’s exciting because the ending isn’t fixed. It belongs to the people sitting there.”
Presiding over the constitutional contest is the Legionnaire, played by Will Speakman of Winchester, a character who represents tradition, patriotism, and institutional authority. Speakman sees the role as essential to the play’s balance.
“The Legionnaire believes deeply in the Constitution as it stands,” he said. “What makes the play powerful is that it doesn’t ridicule that belief. It honors tradition while still allowing space for critique. The audience gets to sit in that tension.”
Director Bleu Do’zia says that tension is precisely why Selah Theatre Project chose the work for this moment.
“This isn’t a play that tells people what to think,” Do’zia said. “It asks people to show up, to listen, to question, and to engage honestly with one another. In a time when conversation feels polarized or shut down altogether, this piece invites us back into shared civic space.”
Each performance will be followed by a hosted TalkBack, giving audiences the opportunity to reflect, ask questions, and engage in guided discussion about the play’s themes. Topics include constitutional interpretation, generational trauma, gender-based violence, and systemic inequality. Due to its subject matter, the production is recommended for older teens and adults.
The production also reflects Selah Theatre Project’s continued growth and evolving presence in the region. While performances of What the Constitution Means to Me will take place at Stone Branch Center for the Arts, the company recently announced that it will open a permanent home in June 2026 at the old First United Methodist Church in Winchester, calling it The Vivienne L. Jackson Sanctuary for the Arts.
The new space will serve as a dedicated hub for theatre, community dialogue, education, and interdisciplinary arts programming. Named after the owner of this historic Ruth’s Tea Room which was the subject of a play Do’zia wrote in 2023.
“This production is part of a larger season of transition and intention for us,” Do’zia said. “As we prepare to open the Vivienne L. Jackson Sanctuary for the Arts this summer, we’re thinking deeply about the kind of work we want to house there: work that invites conversation, courage, and care. This play is a strong reflection of that vision.”
Performances of What the Constitution Means to Me will run January 22–25, 2026, at Stone Branch Center for the Arts. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $5 for high school students, making the production accessible to a wide range of community members. Each show includes a post-performance TalkBack.
Tickets and additional information are available through Selah Theatre Project’s website: www.selahtheatreproject.org
