Are you ready for the summer- Take a look at what’s on tap at the hottest outdoor concerts, from Dave Matthews to The Police, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy and more. Plus, here’s your hook-up to classical music fests across the state.

The Gypsy Express at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton has proved to be “the little engine that could” many times over during the course of a half-century. Thanks to its 60-some volunteers, the train is up and running again this season, the 50th birthday of the Gypsy Express, frequented by the children and grandchildren of those who first rode the mini-train during its early years.

Perhaps our assumptions were wrong. When “Pirates 2” came out, it was so bad, we believed everything would better when “Pirates 3” was finally released.  We were wrong.

“I’ve been running back and forth to Nashville working on this new CD and an upcoming project with a few new songs,“ said Allan Ray of Waynesboro. “I’m real excited about this CD and feel like I’ve been really blessed.“

There’s the man who roasts coffee in the morning and sings the blues as the day wears on, the Shakespearian actors who lose their stage English to do a stint as punk rock musicians, the trapper whose heart is in modern rock, the sometimes high-school teacher who just put out a solo alternative album.

With so many sequels coming out this summer, it was inevitable that one of them was going to be . . . terrible.

We live in an area where there are a lot of ticks. Recently I discovered one in the upper part of my son’s ear. I pulled it out but part of the tick remained. The doctor tried but may not have gotten it all out. What is the best way of getting a tick out, if and when he gets bitten again-

With huge engines powering their middle-weight bodies and ominous names like Charger, Cobra, Rebel and Cutlass, Detroit’s muscle cars caught the attention of post-war America. These high-performance machines will cruise out of their colorful past and into Waynesboro Saturday for the second annual Main Street Muscle Car Show downtown.

The Waynesboro High School Jazz Ensemble is planning its seventh annual Spring Fling for Saturday, May 19, from 7-9 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.

The 41st Annual Art in the Park will be held on Memorial Day weekend, May 26-27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. The show is free, and according to Beth Hodge, executive director of the Staunton Augusta Art Center, there will be something for everyone.

Here are special correspondent Tom Netherland’s picks for essential bluegrass CDs.

Bluegrass festivals abound throughout Virginia. From summer to fall, festivals attract bluegrassers—musicians and fans galore.

A guide to bluegrass festivals across Virginia all summer long.