Weekend Top 5

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will host The Big Bloom, a festive garden party Friday, April 12 beginning at 6 p.m., to celebrate spring. Tickets for the adults-only event are $30 for members and $40 for non-members. The event will feature a performance by DJ Illexxandra, fire performances, visual projection art, and roaming entertainers in partnership with Party Liberation Foundation. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The garden will be decorated in bloom for the event as part of its ‘A Million Blooms,’ and the event will offer a rare chance to experience the garden after hours. For details or tickets, visit lewisginter.org.

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Natu Camara, a singer/songwriter whose West African heritage, high-energy performance style and passion for social justice make her a unique force in global music, will perform at the University of Richmond's Modlin Center for the Arts on Friday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Camp Concert Hall. Born in Côte d'Ivoire and raised in Guinea, Camara's devotion to music exploded in early success when she joined three friends to form West Africa’s first-ever female R&B/hip-hop band, the Ideal Black Girls. In 2023, she performed a stand-out show with Sona Jobarteh at the Savannah Music Festival. She was awarded the prestigious  2023 SUNSHINE Award for her contribution to the performing arts and humanity. Tickets are $30 to $50 for adults, $10 for youth/students and $5 for UR students. For details, call (804) 289-8980 or visit modlin.richmond.edu.

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The K-Cettes, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus 395, will hold an indoor yard and bake sale on Saturday, April 13 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Columbian Center, 2324 Pump Road. Items for sale include men’s and women’s clothing, craft items, china, cookbooks and more, plus a variety of cookies and pies. All proceeds will benefit the K-Cettes’ charity project, Comfort Zone Camp.

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The Shady Grove Coffeehouse at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church, 11105 Cauthorne Road in Glen Allen, will present folk duo Bill and Pam Gurley on Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. Bill and Pam Gurley are a married couple with deep roots in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Bill is a multi-instrumentalist, moving from guitar to banjo to fiddle, and he writes many of the duo’s songs. Pam has a warm, captivating voice that listeners have found to be quite memorable. Their shows mix folk, bluegrass and blues with a dose of humor. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door; teens 13-18 are admitted at half price and children 12 and under are free. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Coffee, tea, and baked goods are available for purchase. The Shady Grove Coffeehouse, a folk music concert series, is now in its 23rd season. For details, call (804) 323-4288 or visit shadygrovecoffeehouse.com.

The Whiskey Rebellion will perform Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. The band covers a wide array of artists ranging from The Beatles to The Talking Heads to Guns ‘n’ Roses, but their sound remains steeped in the acoustic roots of Appalachia. The band has recorded two regionally-acclaimed original albums, shared the stage with the Sam Bush Band and Carolina Chocolate Drops, and had their 2011 tour of the Pacific Northwest captured by filmmaker Tony Morin for a forthcoming concert film and documentary. The performance will take place on CACGA’s new Center Field outdoor stage. Seating is general admission; bring a lawn chair or blanket. Tickets are $20. Snacks, desserts, wine, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase. For details, call 261-ARTS or visit artsglenallen.com.