TheCulture of Virginia refers to the distinct human activities and values that take place in or originate from theCommonwealth ofVirginia. Virginia's historic culture was popularized and spread across America byWashington,Jefferson, andMadison, and their homes represent Virginia as the birthplace of America.[1] Modern Virginia culture is largely part of theculture of the Southern United States, however,Northern Virginia has become increasingly similar in culture to theNortheastern United States within the past few decades.[2]
TheSmithsonian Institution divides Virginia into nine cultural regions.[3]
English was passed as the commonwealth's official language by statutes in 1981 and again in 1996, though the status is not mandated by theConstitution of Virginia.[4] English is the only language spoken by6,245,517 (86.7%) Virginians, though it is spoken very well by an additional 570,638 (7.9%) for a total of 94.6% of the Commonwealth which speaks English. Spanish has the most speakers of other languages, with 424,381 (5.9%).226,911 (3.2%) speak Asian and Pacific Islander languages, includingVietnamese andFilipino.[5]
ThePiedmont region is one of the most famous for its dialect's strong influence onSouthern American English. Various accents are also present including theTidewater accent and the anachronisticElizabethan ofTangier Island, as well as a more homogenizedAmerican English in urban areas with a great deal of transplants.[6][7]
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Besides the generalcuisine of the Southern United States, Virginia maintains its own particular traditions.Smithfield ham, sometimes calledVirginia ham, is a type ofcountry ham which isprotected by state law, and can only be produced in the town ofSmithfield.[8]
Barbecue in Virginia is similar tobarbecue in North Carolina. It is mostly pork with a vinegar-based sauce, ranging from almost all vinegar in the east spiced with red pepper flakes, to a vinegar-based sauce that has some tomato and a bit of sweetness to it the further west one goes.
Marble cake originated inRockingham County, Virginia from a Mennonite community.Shoofly pie is popular in theShenandoah Valley and was brought to that area from thePennsylvania Dutch. Fried peaches, cut in half and simmered in butter with brown sugar melted in their hollows, and served with vanilla ice cream, is a more upscale dessert found inVirginia.
Sausage, both link and patties, and usually flavored with sage, constitutes an important aspect to a traditional Virginian breakfast. Virginia is also well known for its peanuts which are prepared by either roasting or boiling them. A traditional Virginian dish ispeanut soup which has been present in the cuisine since the colonial era. Historically,Greengage plums were common in Virginian cuisine, but their cultivation has been in decline since the eighteenth century, although it can still be found in Virginia occasionally. InsteadDamson plums are more often found in Virginian cuisine. It is often used in jams, jellies, preserves, and desserts.
Brunswick stew is a traditional and common dish in Virginia, a type of thick vegetable stew with meat. The traditional meat was the Appalachian flying squirrel, but this has since become endangered and chicken and rabbit are often used in current times. Virginians insist that this stew, common in most parts of the south, was invented inBrunswick County, Virginia, whereas Georgians insist it wasBrunswick, Georgia.[9][10]
In the Western half, apples are important to the local cuisine, especially for apple butter and cider.Winesap apples are commonly grown and used in Virginia, whereas in most other American locales they have fallen out of favor. Seafood is important to the coastal areas, such as oysters, blue crabs, bay clams, blue fish, bay scallops, haddock, shad, and shad roe in the Spring.Blue crabs are prepared in many ways such as crab cakes, crab imperial, soft-shelled in season, or simply plain crab meat that is picked from its shell and dipped in melted butter. Oyster and spinach soup is a traditional New Year's Eve dish in Virginia, although currently in decline. A common seasoning for seafood isOld Bay spice mix, which is based on traditional spices historically used in the Chesapeake region. Black walnuts also have a place in the traditional cuisine, often used in desserts.
Virginia wine is made in many parts of the state.[11] As of 2007, the state has 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) under cultivation, an increase of 14% over the prior year. 5,600 tons were harvested in 2007, a 10% decline from 2006, the majority of which wasVinifera. The entire year's crop was valued at $7,800,000. The state ranks eighth in the nation for both bearing acreage and grape production.[12] There are six subregions in Virginia:Monticello AVA,North Fork of Roanoke AVA,Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA,Rocky Knob AVA,Shenandoah Valley AVA,Virginia's Eastern Shore AVA.
Traditional Virginian Christmas dinners vary but usually consist of either a Christmas ham orroast beef as the center of the meal. A common dinner isroast beef withyorkshire pudding.
TheVirginia Foundation for the Humanities works to improve commonwealth's civic, cultural, and intellectual life.[13] TheVirginia Museum of Fine Arts is a state-funded museum with the largest collection ofFabergé eggs outside ofRussia.[14] TheChrysler Museum of Art is home to many pieces, stemming from the Chrysler family collection, including the final sculpture ofGian Lorenzo Bernini.[15] There are regional museums as well, such as the southwestern VirginiaPiedmont Arts Association of the visual and performing arts inMartinsville, Virginia, and theTaubman Museum of Art inRoanoke, Virginia, both of which also support local art history and artists. Other museums include the popularScience Museum of Virginia, theSteven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, theNational Museum of the Marine Corps, theFrontier Culture Museum, theVirginia Museum of Natural History and theMariners' Museum.[16]Virginia Commonwealth University is the number one public art school in the United States.
Besides these sites, manyopen-air museums and battlefields are located in the state, such asHistoric Jamestowne,Colonial Williamsburg,Richmond National Battlefield,Manassas National Battlefield Park,Appomattox Court House National Historical Park andFredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.[17]
Virginia has launched many award-winning traditional music artists as well as internationally successfulpopular music acts.Ralph Stanley,Patsy Cline,the Statler Brothers andthe Carter Family are award winningbluegrass andcountry musicians from Virginia, andElla Fitzgerald andPearl Bailey were both fromNewport News.Hip hop andrhythm and blues acts likeMissy Elliott,Timbaland,The Neptunes,Chris Brown, andClipse hail from the commonwealth. The Neptunes produced 43% of all songs on American radio in 2003.[18] Singer-songwriters from Virginia includeJason Mraz andjam bands likeBruce Hornsby,Keller Williams, andDave Matthews Band, who continue their strong charitable connection toCharlottesville, Virginia.[19] Influential stage-rock groupGWAR also began atVirginia Commonwealth University.
Notable performance venues includethe Birchmere,Jiffy Lube Live, theNorva Theatre, thePatriot Center, and theVerizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater.[17]Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is located inVienna and is the only national park intended for use as a performing arts center. Wolf Trap hosts theWolf Trap Opera Company, which produces an opera festival every summer.[20] TheHarrison Opera House inNorfolk is home to the officialVirginia Opera. TheVirginia Symphony Orchestra is based inHampton Roads.
TheAmerican Shakespeare Center is located inStaunton, and home to resident and touring theater troupes. Other notable theaters include theFerguson Center for the Arts, theBarter Theatre, and theLandmark Theater. Richmond'sTheatre IV, The Children's Theatre of Virginia, ranks as the second largest children's theatre in the nation. The company tours to elementary schools around the country while producing lavish main stage productions at the historic Empire Theatre. Virginia is also home toBarksdale Theatre, the nation's first dinner theatre. Barksdale still operates both atThe Shops at Willow Lawn in Richmond, as well as the historicHanover Tavern in Hanover.
Academy Award winnersWarren Beatty,Sandra Bullock,Shirley MacLaine, andGeorge C. Scott hail from the state, as doesWanda Sykes.
In August 2023, singerOliver Anthony released to the internet a song called "Rich Men North of Richmond" which became an overnight viral success. The song prominently featuredRichmond, VA in its lyrics, and was both praised, as well as criticized, by critics from both the political right and left.[21][22][23]
Literature in Virginia often deals with the state's extensive, and sometimes troubled, past. The works ofPulitzer Prize winnerEllen Glasgow often dealt with social inequalities and the role of women in her culture.[24] Glasgow's peer and close friendJames Branch Cabell wrote extensively about the changing position of gentry in theReconstruction era, and challenged its moral code withJurgen, A Comedy of Justice.[25]William Styron approached history in works such asThe Confessions of Nat Turner andSophie's Choice.[26]Tom Wolfe has occasionally dealt with his southern heritage in bestsellers likeI Am Charlotte Simmons.[27]Mount Vernon nativeMatt Bondurant received critical acclaim for hishistoric novelThe Wettest County in the World about moonshiners inFranklin County duringprohibition.[28] Virginia also names astate Poet Laureate, currentlyRon Smith, whose term began on July 1, 2014.[29]
Virginia furniture and architecture are typical ofAmerican colonial architecture. Thomas Jefferson and many of the state's early leaders favored theNeoclassical architecture style, leading to its use for important state buildings. ThePennsylvania Dutch and their style can also be found in parts of the state.[30]
Many counties and localities hostcounty fairs and festivals. TheState Fair of Virginia was held at theRichmond International Raceway every September until the 2008. The fair is now held at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. The SeptemberNeptune Festival inVirginia Beach celebrates the city, the waterfront, and regional artists.Norfolk's Harborfest, in June, features boat racing andair shows.[31]Fairfax County also sponsors Celebrate Fairfax! with popular and traditional music performances.[32] The Virginia Lake Festival is held during the third weekend in July inClarksville.[33] In Amherst they celebrate Uncle Billy's Day .[34] Otherfood festivals are held around the state.
On theEastern Shore island ofChincoteague the annual Pony Swim & Auction offeralChincoteague ponies at the end of July is a unique local tradition expanded into a week-long carnival. TheShenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is a six-day festival held annually inWinchester that includes parades and bluegrass concerts.[31] From 2005 to 2007,Richmond was host of theNational Folk Festival. TheNorthern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is held on a May weekend inReston.[35]
Two important film festivals, theVirginia Film Festival and theVCU French Film Festival, are held annually in Charlottesville and Richmond, respectively.[31] Annualfan conventions in the commonwealth includeAnime USA, the nationalanime convention held inCrystal City,Anime Mid-Atlantic held in various cities, andMagfest music and gaming festival.[36] TheOld TimeFiddlers' Convention inGalax, begun in 1935, is one of the oldest and largest such events worldwide.[31]
