After a stroll through the streets of our local towns, it will dawn on you that it’s five o’clock somewhere. Why not head over to Rising Silo Brewery and Farm, one of southwest Virginia’s farm-based breweries? Located on Glade Road Growing, at Rising Silo you’ll find beers brewed with exclusively organic malts and water from the farm’s well. Brew master Greg Zielske also sources produce from other local farms to develop creative seasonal options. Additionally, the brewery utilizes green energy through the power of 113 solar panels that provide 31 kW of solar energy, as well as a solar hot water system.
While you’re there, pull up a stool (or chair) at Tabula Rasa on Glade, the farm kitchen at Glade Road Growing. You can’t get more farm-to-table than when the table’s actually on the farm! Featuring produce, meat, poultry and eggs from right there at Glade Road Growing, Tabula Rasa also sources nearly all or their grains, cheese and oils from Southern Appalachia farms and mills that prioritize organic growing.
At Eastern Divide, treat yourself to an array of different beer styles and flavors for all seasons and occasions. Eastern Divide brews with all Virginia grains provided by Murphy and Rude Malting, lending an authentically local taste to all their brews, and supporting local Virginia agriculture in the process. Eastern Divide also has begun fermenting beers in oak barrels previously used for products like bourbon, wine and maple syrup, adding a greater variety of flavor. When you get hungry, Feast & Company, local to the New River Valley, has its own kitchen at Eastern Divide to feed the brewery’s visitors. serving farm inspired cuisine combining both rustic and refined flavors with the best local ingredients.
Another local favorite, Moon Hollow Brewing Company, boasts an inviting venue where people from all walks of life can connect over fresh, local brews. Named for the small plot of land behind the brewery space, the brewery treats patrons to a variety of locally influenced flavors, from a grapefruit ginger sour to a traditional Hefeweizen. While Moon Hollow does not have its own kitchen (yet), local food trucks are often on site in case you get the munchies.
Next, head to Christiansburg to enjoy Iron Tree Brewing’s wide variety of beers. The tasting room has an industrial feel with a relaxing atmosphere. With a beer for everyone’s taste buds, plenty of seating and in-house board games, Iron Tree is the perfect place to enjoy good company and good brews! Hankering for some food to pair with your beer? Iron Tree hosts a variety of local food trucks on different days of the week to satisfy those cravings.
Iconic Montgomery County Art and Culture Hotspots
With a history dating to pre-Colonial times, two renowned universities that welcome students from across the world, and generations of talented locals, Montgomery County boasts an eclectic line-up of arts and cultural attractions. The opportunities for exploring can be downright overwhelming, so here are some of the most iconic spots that continue to attract and inspire our visitors and locals alike.
Moss Art Center
Virginia Tech’s Moss Arts Center (MAC) is a thriving community of art and inspiration, where visitors have meaningful experiences enjoying arts of the highest caliber in all its forms. In addition to hosting exhibitions and performances from globally and locally celebrated artists, the MAC treats visitors to hands-on experiences, workshops with visiting artists, lectures and symposia, master classes, community celebrations and more. Inside of the MAC is The Cube, a one-of-a-kind black box theater used for research, performances and visual art.
The Lyric Theatre
Fan of the big screen and its history? The Lyric Theatre, originally opened in 1930 and the focus of major restorations throughout the years, is famous for being one of Virginia’s first cinemas to show sound pictures. Adorned with original 1930s tapestries, replica lanterns and the fully restored lobby and auditorium, today the Lyric Theatre is a hub for movies, concerts and performances.
The Lyric Theatre is also home to some of the best popcorn in Montgomery County, so grab a bag and enjoy (we like it better with extra butter). As you’re eating, take some time to observe the blend of Art Deco and Spanish Colonial Revival architectural design from Roanoke architect Louis Phillipe Smithey, as well as the famed comedy and tragedy masks on the Lyric’s façade. The masks are replicas of the originals, which mysteriously disappeared sometime during the 1980s.
Montgomery Museum of Art and History
The Montgomery Museum of Art & History is located in Christiansburg on East Main Street. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Montgomery County, Virginia and the region as well as promoting art by regional artists. As the region’s steward of art and history, the museum takes great pride in inspiring and educating through cultural programming. Additionally, the institution facilitates important community conversations by offering a forum for dialogue across differences and brings the community together using art and history.
Henderson Lawn
If you’re feeling the groove, the air is filled with the sound of music on Friday nights during the summer months with weekly performances at Henderson Lawn, an expansive green space between Virginia Tech’s campus and Downtown Blacksburg. Local musicians as well as performances from Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Art treat visitors to a variety of musical genres that get the feet tapping and the soul racing. Henderson Lawn is also the site of the annual Summer Arts Festival sponsored by Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg.
Starlite Drive-In
After the sun sets, treat the family to a classic movie-watching experience at Starlite Drive-In. The theater has been entertaining locals since 1953 with new and favorite films of the past, like Grease, ET as well as concert performances from some of the country’s most well-known musicians. And if searching for unique pieces of Americana is your thing, the drive-in is the site of a local flea market every Saturday in the summer months.
