The YMCA at Virginia Tech, along with the Town of Blacksburg, the Blacksburgy Library, the Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation, the Blacksburg Newcomers Club, and Literacy Volunteers of the NRV, will host a week of activities for Welcoming Week, Sept. 10 through Sept. 19, 2021.
Welcoming Week is a national celebration that brings together immigrants and U.S.-born residents at community-based events to promote cross-cultural understanding and raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone.
Y-USA has adopted the benefit-driven headline, Belonging Begins with Us, as the theme for 2021 Welcoming Week. The theme aligns with the national Belonging Begins with Us campaign, which is supported by a broad coalition of public and private partners working to help create a more welcoming nation where everyone can feel like they belong.
A team has scheduled activities that include welcoming hour, resources, story time, gallery exhibits, local history tours, art shows, and a Welcoming Week festival. All activities will offer multilingual interpreters when possible and translated written materials.
The schedule of events is as follows:
Friday, Sept. 10
Welcome Hour at the Lancaster House, 403 Washington St, SW, Blacksburg. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 11
Resource table with multilingual interpreters and multilingual story time at the Blacksburg Library, 200 Miller St. SW, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 14
Local history 16 Frogs guided tour with multilingual interpretation at 9:30 a.m. starting at the Five Chimneys, 203 Washington St SW, Blacksburg.
Blacksburg Newcomers Club meeting at 9 a.m. in the community room of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church at 600 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg.
Wednesday, Sept. 15
Free COVID vaccination clinic from 10a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Lancaster House, 403 Washington St. SW, Blacksburg. First come, first served with no ID required.
Friday, Sept. 17
Meet the Artists: Riley Chan at the Alexander Black House from 3 to 5 p.m.
Young International Artists at the Lyric Theatre from 4 to 6 p.m.
Free performance by BANDALOOP at the Moss Arts Center at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18
Free performance by BANDALOOP at the Moss Arts Center at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Sunday, Sept 19
Welcome Festival at Market Square Park from 1 to 4 p.m., free and open to the public with food, music, and family fun.
Ongoing activities
New Virginians Exhibit at the Blacksburg Library during regular open hours.
Gallery Showings at the Lyric Theatre and the Moss Arts Center during regular open hours.
Immigration Exhibit: The International Culture of Blacksburg at the Alexander Black House Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Gallery Show by Riley Chan at the Alexander Black House Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Resource table at the Blacksburg Library during regular open hours.
Take a walk or ride a bike on The Huckleberry Trail.
Visit the Blacksburg Farmers Market, Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Sign up for the 16 Squares Historical Downtown Tour at the Blacksburg Museum.
Market Square Jam from 7 to 9 pm. At Market Square Park, every Wednesday through Sept. 29.
Watch a movie at the historic Lyric Theatre.
Visit the YMCA at VT’s Thrift Shop and local businesses.
