Sperryville Concerts + Blue Ridge Art: A May Weekend Plan
Combine the free Sperryville Summer Concert Series with a gallery stop in Charlottesville for a full Blue Ridge weekend
Two Reasons to Head to the Blue Ridge This Weekend
If you're plotting a late-May or early-June escape from the DC metro, two distinct cultural draws are pulling people toward the Blue Ridge right now: a free Thursday-evening concert series in Sperryville, and a thoughtful pair of contemporary art exhibitions at a landmark Charlottesville gallery. Here's how to combine them into one worthwhile weekend.
Thursday Night: Sperryville Summer Concert Series, Season 6
The Sperryville Summer Concert Series returned for its sixth season on May 21, and early indicators suggest the format is as crowd-pleasing as ever. Season 6 opened with Rebecca Porter Music, performing her honky-tonk and Shenandoah roots fusion — and due to cool, damp spring weather, the show moved indoors to Copper Fox Distillery at 9 River Lane.
The setup is simple and genuinely welcoming: gates and food trucks open at 5pm, live music runs 6–8pm, and admission is free. Being inside the distillery — home of Wasmund's single malt whiskey — adds a distinctive backdrop that an outdoor lawn simply can't match.
Future concert dates are expected to continue on Thursday evenings through the summer. Check local listings or the Copper Fox Distillery website for upcoming performers and any venue changes before you go.
What to Know About the Venue
Copper Fox Distillery produces Wasmund's single malt whiskey and has historically offered daily tours. The distillery's social presence has been quiet recently, so it's worth a quick call before visiting outside of concert dates to confirm tour availability and current hours.
Weekend: Contemporary Art at Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville
While you're in the region, Charlottesville's Les Yeux du Monde (LYDM) is showing work that rewards a detour. Asa Jackson's celebrated solo exhibition Paradise Found: Where Heaven and Earth Meet closed May 24, but Dean Dass's 2024 work Passenger remains on view and available for purchase.
Passenger is built from pencil and inks on paper prepared with gouache and acrylic — a layered, luminous piece that art historian Victoria Beck Newman has described as exploring "the poignant and perhaps incompatible juxtaposition of human aspiration and vulnerability." The gallery calls it a work inhabiting a "liminal space," where Dass's cloud form becomes simultaneously shelter and suspension.
The gallery itself is a destination: a W.G. Clark–designed building with Blue Ridge views, with more than enough visual interest to justify the stop after a morning in the mountains.
Building Your Itinerary
- Thursday afternoon/evening: Arrive in Sperryville, explore the River District, then head to Copper Fox Distillery by 5pm for food trucks and the 6–8pm concert (free)
- Friday or Saturday: Hike, wine taste, or browse Sperryville's artisan shops along Main Street and River Lane
- Saturday or Sunday: Make the drive to Charlottesville to see Dean Dass's Passenger at Les Yeux du Monde before the run ends
Planning Your Visit
Copper Fox Distillery (Concert Venue)
- Address: 9 River Lane, Sperryville, VA 22740
- Phone: (757) 903-2076
- Website: copperfoxdistillery.com
- Concert admission: Free | Music 6–8pm | Food trucks from 5pm
- Note: Confirm upcoming concert dates and any indoor/outdoor changes before attending.
Les Yeux du Monde (LYDM)
- Address: 841 Wolf Trap Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22911
- Phone: (434) 882-2622
- Website: lydmgallery.com
- Purchase inquiries: info@lydmgallery.com
- Note: Call ahead or check Instagram to confirm current gallery hours before visiting.
This article was generated from verified local data and reviewed by AI. Learn how we write these stories
Photo via Unsplash