Linda Lay & Springfield Exit to Perform at July 10 Gardens at Night

Event also includes wine from North Mountain Vineyard, food, and nighttime garden tours

Winchester, VA 7/08/09… A concert from Linda Lay & Springfield Exit, wine from North Mountain Vineyard, and grilled delights from Food-on-a-Stick will accompany nighttime garden tours at the July 10 Gardens at Night event from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Linda Lay and Springfield Exit is a trio that performs an entertaining mix of traditional country, blues, swing, bluegrass, and folk music. Comprised of Frederick County residents Linda Lay, her husband David Lay, and David McLaughlin, the band has performed for audiences nationwide. Some of the group’s notable performance venues include the stages at the Library of Congress, several national folk festivals, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the legendary Birchmere music hall in Alexandria, Virginia, and Floyd Fest, a multiday celebration of music in Floyd, Virginia.

Linda Lay—the group’s lead singer, bass, and autoharp player—was chosen to be a Master Artist for the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in 2006. David Lay, a highly respected vocalist and rhythm guitar player, has been featured on several recordings and concert tours, including the Masters of the Steel String Guitar tour. David McLaughlin, a founding member of the bluegrass group The Johnson Mountain Boys, has been nominated twice for a Grammy Award. For their Gardens at Night performance, the trio will be joined by friend and fellow bluegrass musician Rickie Simpkins. An accomplished fiddle player, Simpkins has performed with Emmy Lou Harris and The Tony Rice Unit.

Along with music, Gardens at Night offers visitors the opportunity to see the Glen Burnie Gardens under dramatic nighttime lighting and to enjoy wine from an area vineyard. This Friday, North Mountain Vineyard will be in the gardens selling its Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc Reserve, Oktoberfest, and Mountain Sunset wines.
Attendees interested in non-alcoholic drinks and delicious food will be able to purchase sodas, bottled water, and freshly grilled chicken breast, hot dogs, and pineapple from Food-on-a-Stick. Strawberry shortcake will also be available. Food prices will range from $3 to $8.

During Gardens at Night, visitors are invited to explore six acres of gardens, tour the garden Visitor Center, and view a video detailing the story of the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens. The Visitor Center includes a fascinating detailed miniature model of the historic house. The house and Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) are not open for tours during Gardens at Night. In the event of rain, the musical performance will be held in the MSV Reception Hall and the Museum galleries will be open for tours.

Following this Friday’s event, Gardens at Night will be held on August 14 and September 11. In August, wine from Shenandoah Vineyards and the sounds of Latin jazz by the band Los Gatos will highlight the night. The summer’s final Gardens at Night in September will feature gypsy jazz performed by Le Hotclub de Biglick and wine from Barrel Oak Winery. The July, August, and September Gardens at Night programs are partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gardens at Night admission is $5. MSV Members and children aged six and under are admitted free. Additional costs apply for wine and food purchases. No outside food or beverages will be permitted in the gardens. Those bringing picnics are welcome to enjoy their food and drink in the picnic area next to the garden entrance.

The Glen Burnie Gardens are located on the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley campus at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia. The Museum complex—which includes the Museum, the Glen Burnie Historic House, and the gardens—is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Additional information is available by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 235, or referring to www.ShenandoahMuseum.org. – END –