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Good morning, Blacksburg.
Virginia Tech's dressage team won a national championship in April. In intercollegiate dressage you don't bring your own horse, you draw one the host school provides. This means you get about ten minutes to get acquainted, and then ride a judged test on an animal you met that morning.
In today’s Blacksburg Connect:
❤️ Blacksburg get’s it’s own LOVE sign
🌱 Seed Peace day at the Christiansburg Farmers Market
🗳️ Three amendments, one free forum, tonight
Let’s get to it.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, September 10th
🗳️ Community forum on the three constitutional amendments on the November ballot — 7:00 p.m. (Blacksburg Town Council Chambers, 300 S. Main St.) — free. Hosted by the League of Women Voters and Virginia Tech's Lifelong Learning Institute
🥕 Christiansburg Farmers Market — Thursdays (Huckleberry Park, 300 Huckleberry Park Dr. NW)
🚶 16 Squares Walking Tour — every other Thursday, departing the Alexander Black House (204 Draper Rd. SW)
🎸 Travis Reigh at The Farmhouse — 6:00–9:00 p.m. (285 Ridinger St., Christiansburg) — Southwest Virginia singer-songwriter, rock roots with a country sound
Friday, September 11th — 25th anniversary of 9/11
🇺🇸 Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets remembrance formation — morning, Upper Quad. The Gregory Guard precision rifle drill team fires a rifle salute with blank ammunition between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m. The public can watch from the porch of Lane Hall
🎉 Kickoff on College Avenue — Draper Rd. and College Ave., downtown. Free street party before the home game
🎻 Jam Session: Solitude Strummers — 12:00–1:00 p.m. (Solitude Porch, 705 W. Campus Dr.) — free open jam with Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole
🕯️ Radford "A Tribute to Heroes" ceremony — Glencoe Mansion & Glencoe Field, 600 Unruh Dr., Radford. New River Classic Cruisers on display at 5:00 p.m., music from Rotary president Jim Mitchell at 5:30, ceremony at 6:00. Hosted by the Radford Noon Rotary Club with Glencoe Mansion, VFW Post 776 and the DAR
🪕 Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole outdoor concert — 6:00 p.m. (Moss Arts Center lawn) — free. Four-time Grammy nominee, Creole and zydeco. Bring a blanket
🔥 Intro to Glass Blowing — 6:00–7:30 p.m. (Paint 'n Fun Ceramics) — registration required
🤸 Friday Nite Hype — kids' night with inflatables and giveaways (1550 Roanoke St., Christiansburg)
🏈 Blacksburg High vs. Floyd County — 7:00 p.m. (Blacksburg High School)
Saturday, September 12th
🥕 Blacksburg Farmers Market — 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (Market Square Park)
🏈 Virginia Tech vs. Old Dominion — 12:00 p.m. (Lane Stadium). Noon kickoff, so campus and downtown traffic builds through the morning
🎤 Rockin' Christiansburg — 5:00–9:00 p.m. (Uptown Mall, 782 New River Rd.) — second concert at the series' new Uptown location
🐟 Mount Tabor Ruritan Fish Fry — 5:00–7:00 p.m. (Slusser's Chapel Picnic Shelter, 1543 Mount Tabor Rd.) — fish, fries, slaw and homemade desserts. Adults $12, under 12 $6, under 3 free, carry-outs $12. Music from the Blue Ridge Vocal Connection. Rain or shine. This is the last fry of 2026. 540-449-6178
🎺 1940s Swing Dance Night — 7:00–10:00 p.m. (1531 N. Main St., Suite C, Blacksburg) — The Old Pro's Big Band, open to the whole community
Sunday, September 13th
🕰️ Blacksburg Vintage Market — 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Market Square Park, corner of Roanoke and Draper) — second and fourth Sundays through November
Looking ahead
🎃 Sat, Sept. 19
New River PawpawFest at Rising Silo Brewery (11 a.m.–9 p.m., free)
Wilderness Trail Festival in Christiansburg,
Sinkland Farms Pumpkin Festival opening day,
Blues Brews & BBQ at the St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall,
Have an idea for a local event, business, or anything else you think would be good to get the word out to fellow Blacksburg locals? Hit Reply to share your ideas!
❤️ Blacksburg get’s it’s own LOVE sign at 4:00 today
Henderson Lawn, across from The Lyric at 135 College Ave. Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and regional partners unveil a new Hokie-themed LOVEworks sign and launch a tourism partnership aimed at Blacksburg and the New River Valley. President Tim Sands and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery speak, Pamplin Dean Saonee Sarker introduces them, and there's a Hokie Shop pop-up.
There are roughly 300 LOVEworks sculptures around Virginia. This is the first time "Virginia is for Lovers," a slogan running since 1969, has been built around a university.
The celebration will continue Friday, Sept. 11, when College Avenue will close to vehicle traffic for a Kickoff on College Avenue. The event will bring together Virginia Tech and community partners for music, vendors, family-friendly activities and other opportunities to experience the campaign and the town.
🌱 Seed Peace day at the Christiansburg Farmers Market
The Christiansburg Farmers Market runs 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. today at the Huckleberry Park Playground Pavilion, 300 Huckleberry Park Dr. NW, and this week it's hosting Seed Peace.
Seed Peace is Casey's Fund Supporting Farmers, a nonprofit that gives grants and support to regenerative farmers in memory of Casey Piscura. It works in two places: four counties in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley, and five here — Pulaski, Montgomery, Giles, Floyd and Wythe.
Today's vendors:
🗳️ Three amendments, one free forum, tonight
The League of Women Voters and Virginia Tech's Lifelong Learning Institute host a community forum on the three constitutional amendments tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Blacksburg Town Council Chambers, 300 S. Main St. Free, open to everyone, and timed well — early voting opens in eight days.
All three amendments cleared the General Assembly twice, in 2025 and 2026, which is what Virginia requires before voters see them. Each is a straight yes or no.
The Virginia Department of Elections posts the official ballot language and an explanation of each. Bring questions tonight.
The dates that matter: early voting opens Sept. 18 and runs weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Montgomery County Office of Elections, 1546 N. Franklin St., Christiansburg.
Registration closes Oct. 23, early voting ends Oct. 31, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Also on your ballot: U.S. Senate, the 9th District U.S. House seat, and Montgomery County Sheriff.
Check out the Cardinal News' county guide for more information about whats on the ballot.
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