Mathews County Visitor & Information Center

04/29/2025

We are thrilled to announce two more sponsors for our May 2nd Music on Maple concert!

Mason the Magnificent, pictured below, has sponsored the concert at the Groupie level, and he is so excited for the show!

Michele & John Larson are also sponsoring the event as Groupies, and we can't to dance the night away with them!

We still have sponsorship opportunities available, and we are still selling individual tickets, too! Your $30 entry includes one free (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) beverage and a night of fun!

Join us this Friday for the Tristan Dougherty Trio, with Hunter Owens Music, plus delicious beer from Gloucester Brewing Company and yummy eats from Small Town Burger! We'll also have a selection of wines, soda and water.

We can't wait to see you all!

04/28/2025

It’s time for another *Meet the Board Monday!*

Emily Allen Sease currently works as the business assistant for Oyster Seed Holdings and The Hatchery Food Truck on Gwynn’s Island — which basically means anything from logistics and marketing to shuckin’ oysters! Her favorite part? Enticing her community to fall in love with the wild, wonderful world of aquaculture — an interest she probably inherited from watching her dad be a total rockstar in the industry.

With a degree in Conflict Analysis & Resolution (yes, she has certification to win an argument with facts and charm), Emily spent years bouncing around the nonprofit world, from international aid and peacebuilding to women’s empowerment and ecotourism — including a stint as the director of MCVIC. “So basically if you need help with an oversees-gendered-tourism-conflict, ya know who to call? Actually, please don’t…”

When she’s not prying open oysters or strategic plans, Emily and her husband, Will, are the proud owners of Sugartoad Cottage, a vacation rental so cozy you might never leave. In her spare time, you’ll find her being active, or spending time with her pups. She is super excited to be back involved with MCVIC!

04/25/2025

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!! Join us for a great time! 🎶

Great news! Tickets are available for May 2nd's Music on Maple event, featuring the Tristan Dougherty Trio (with Hunter Owens Music)! We are so excited for this show- come by the Mathews County Visitor & Information Center (239 Main Street) soon to grab your ticket before they're all gone! Cash or check only.

Tickets are $30/ each, and include one beverage (beer, wine, soda or bottled water). We also have sponsorship opportunities available- you can grab a form while you're here!

We can't wait to party with everyone for the first Music on Maple in 3 years- it's sure to be a great time! 🎼🎸🪕🎻🎼

Mathews County Historical Society, Inc. Gloucester Brewing Company Small Town Burger

04/25/2025

Finally, a BIG shout out to our Music on Maple "Groupies" for our May concert!

Thank you to Susan Murdoch & Jack White, John & Marymac Hoffman, and Sugartoad Cottage for your support of this event! We are so excited to dance the night away with all of you next weekend!

There are still sponsorship opportunities available if you're interested in joining us for our May 2nd concert!

Book your next getaway at The Toad: https://www.sugartoadcottage.com- if you book during a Music on Maple event, you can walk right over to the fun!

04/25/2025

Today, we'd like to say "thank you!" to our first Roadie level sponsor, Storybound Construction!

We are so grateful to all of our sponsors for our May Music on Maple event, and still have room for more if you are interested! Check out Storybound for all of your construction needs: https://www.storyboundconstruction.com

04/25/2025

Looking for something fun to do this weekend in Mathews?

Tonight, check out some amazing live music at either Richardson's Cafe with Shane Norris (5:30 pm), or head over to The Hatchery Culture to listen to Hunter Owens Music (5-7 pm)! Hunter will also be performing at Richardson's on Saturday at 5:30 pm.

The Mathews County Continental Society's Chicken & Fried Fish Dinner and Bazaar/ Raffle is today from 12-7 pm- see flyer for contact and ordering info!

This is also the last weekend for your chance to catch "Newsies" by The Court House Players Community Theatre! There are four more shows- Friday (7 pm), Saturday (2 pm & 7 pm) and Sunday (3 pm)!

The Mathews Museum has a new exhibition opening Saturday- stop in from 10 am- 2pm to see "Founding Frenemies," open through May 26th! The "Give Me Liberty" exhibition will be accompanying this display- stop by and check them both out!

If you signed up for the The Hatchery Culture's Gwynn's Island Raw Bar Run, don't forget that's on Saturday at 10 am! Registration is full for this event, but the Hatchery will be open from 1-6 pm to the public!

And on Saturday (and every Saturday of the season), don't forget to visit the Mathews Farmers Market from 9 am-1 pm, the Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library Book Store from 9:30 am-2 pm, the Mathews County Historical Society, Inc.'s Thomas James Store and Tompkins Cottage, both open from 10 am-1 pm, the Gwynn's Island Museum from 1-5 pm (also open the same hours Friday & Sunday!)

Saturday evening from 5-7 pm, join the Bay School Community Arts Center for the Opening Reception of the 12th Annual Arts Speaks Juried Exhibition. The gallery will display this exhibition through May 26th.

Plus, don't forget it's Historic Garden Week in Virginia! While there are no houses in Mathews this year, there are some beauties in Gloucester open for tours on Saturday from 10 am-5pm- visit the website for more info! https://gcvirginia.org/historic-garden-week/tours/gloucester-mathews/

As always, please go to visitmathews.com/events for more info on these events, and to see other upcoming events!

04/24/2025

We're also thrilled to announce our two Producer Level sponsors so far, Reed Lawson & Hunt Thompson!

Each are joining us as a Producer Level sponsor for the May 2nd Music on Maple event- and we couldn't be more thrilled to spend the evening with them and their guests!

As you can see, both individuals and businesses can sponsor these events, and we'd love to have you join us for the fun!

THANK YOU, again, to both Hunt Thompson and Reed Lawson for always being wonderful supporters of this community!

04/24/2025

We are shouting a huge THANK YOU to our first "Backstage Guest" level sponsor, Brass Ring Solution! We can't wait to get out and celebrate with you at ALL THREE Music on Maple events this year!

Are you interested in joining as a sponsor of these events? Please see the attached Sponsorship document for more info.

And thanks again to BRASS RING SOLUTION, LLC- check them out for all of your accounting needs: https://brassringsolution.com

04/24/2025

Did you know that the Bay School Community Arts Center offers art classes for all ages, all skill levels, and in all mediums?

Have you always wanted to learn to make beaded jewelry? What about needle-felting? Clay pots, stained glass, water colors? Do you and your child want to take a class together? You can do all of this- and much more- by signing up for classes at the Bay School! Not only is it a beautiful gallery space, but there are studios and skilled teachers ready and waiting for you!

Check out the current class listings here, and sign up today to get your creative juices flowing: https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/

04/22/2025

Happy Earth Day from all of us at MCVIC!

Our board members packed giveaway bags for the students in Thomas Hunter Middle School and Mathews Elementary School! Thanks to a litter grant the Mathews County Visitor & Information Center received from the DEQ, we were able to order enough bags to give to every student in the county- thanks again to the Key Club for their help with the MHS bags!

Reminder- we also have more that can be picked up at the Visitor Center starting today for homeschooled or private school students! In addition to some fun goodies promoting litter prevention, each bag has an info sheet informing students on the importance of taking care of the environment and our community, and keeping it clean!

Wishing you all a Happy Earth Day! 🌎

04/21/2025

We’re so grateful to the MHS Key Club for their help with packing these Earth Day bags! Thanks to a litter grant the Mathews County Visitor & Information Center received from the DEQ, we were able to order enough bags to give to every student in the county! We also have more that can be picked up at the Visitor Center starting tomorrow for homeschooled or private school students! In addition to some fun goodies promoting litter prevention, each bag has an info sheet informing students on the importance of taking care of the environment and our community, and keeping it clean!

Mathews High School Key Club members Ray Hudgins, Ella Ward and Will Ware, from left, recently assembled kits for the school’s upcoming Earth Day observance. These items, provided by Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, will help students prevent litter and will be passed out to MHS, Thomas Hunter Middle School and Mathews Elementary School students. Other Key Club members who helped with assembly were Bradley Batts, Jacob Heimrich and faculty advisor Kristin Morse. MCVIC will have Earth Day giveaways available for private and homeschool students to pick up after April 22 🌎

04/21/2025

Today, let us introduce you to Dia Lawless for *Meet the Board Monday!*

Dia moved to Mathews over 30 years ago from her hometown of Williamsburg. She started out working at Captain Morgan’s Herb Farm in North.

After graduating with an MSW from Norfolk State University, she worked with the courts providing services for juveniles in Mathews. She and her husband Ned also worked in archeology and have a passion for Virginia history. This passion inspired them to help start the Mathews Maritime Foundation.

In 2001, they opened Southwind Cafe where they provided farm and bay to table food in a “Cheers” style atmosphere. After selling Southwind Cafe, Dia lived in Hopkins, Belize for six years where she and her husband opened a scratch-made ice cream shop and volunteered at the village library.

Now back in Mathews, they operate a food truck, Positive Pizza. Dia also worked as a manager and volunteer helping to develop the nonprofit performing arts center, Flat Iron Crossroads. At that time, she started making jewelry from guitar strings and was drawn to jewelry making, primarily beading. You can see a selection of her work at the Mathews Visitor Center!

In her spare time, Dia cherishes being with her family (furry ones too) and friends on the creek in Mathews. She is a music lover and attends concerts regularly. Feeling at home in the great outdoors, she enjoys being on the water, and in the woods. Dia is honored to sit on the Mathews County Visitor & Information Center board as she believes tourism is critical to our country’s sustainability.

04/21/2025

What a beautiful day and wonderful turnout for yesterday’s Easter Egg Hunt! As always, thanks to Michele Baker & her helper bunnies for stuffing and hiding thousands of eggs for the kids! We hope everyone had fun, and we can’t wait to do it again next year! 🐰

04/20/2025

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday! We will be closed today, but look forward to seeing you tomorrow! 🐰