More What’s Booming RVA: July 27 to August 3
A week of events, announcements, and a link to future fun
Check out the Boomer Top 5 picks in RVA, browse the week ahead … below … or go to our updated events page for Down the Road happenings and ongoing exhibitions and performances.
July 27 to Aug. 3
Thursday, July 27
Carole Weinstein Author Series. Erica Abrams Locklear discusses her book, “Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food and People,” followed by a book signing. FREE. July 27, 6 p.m., at the Library of Virginia, Richmond.
Old Hollywood UnHappy Hour. Smooth jazz by the Sweet Potatoes, craft beer from Tabol Brewing, and food from TBT El Gallo. Go ahead – just try to be unhappy. July 27, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Poe Museum, Richmond.
Henrico Community Band. Take your lawn chair or blanket for music under the stars. July 27, 7 p.m., at Walkerton Tavern, Glen Allen.
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” CharacterWorks presents the classic drama in musical form, the story of Quasimodo and Esmeralda and the question of what makes a monster or a man, based on the Victor Hugo novel. July 27 to 29 at Perkinson Center, Chester.
Richmond Shakespeare Festival: “The Comedy of Errors.” One of William Shakespeare’s finest farces, a romp of mistaken identities as twins separated at birth cross paths. Paired with adult beverages and food. Take a lawn chair or blanket for this outdoor theater experience. Through July 30, 8 p.m., at Agecroft Hall, Richmond.
Friday, July 28
Ashland Fourth Fridays. Sidewalk sales, art exhibits, live music, and outdoor dining, highlighting the area’s jewelers, painters, designers, entertainers, chefs, farmers, and musicians. July 28, 5 to 8 p.m., in downtown Ashland.
After 5 Friday: Summer Breeze – DJ Rayvon. Outdoor party in the Robins Sculpture Garden. Guests can dance to R&B and hip-hop from today and yesterday. Take a blanket or lawn chairs. Beer, wine, and snacks available for purchase. July 28, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond.
Repair, Refuge, & Resilience Art Exhibition Opening. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Kozy Cats. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
“Something Rotten!” Richmond stars perform under the stars. In this musical comedy, the 16th-century Bottom brothers try to compete with their contemporary, William Shakespeare. FREE. July 28 to 30 at Dogwood Dell, Richmond.
Saturday, July 29
Old Jails and Prison Life. A new exhibit, “The Old Jails of Chesterfield County,” details county jails from the mid-1700s through 1962: buildings, escape attempts, trials, and punishments. Opening on July 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Historic 1892 Jail and Chesterfield County Museum, Chesterfield.
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Avec Frère Day. A focus on Belgian-style ales, with all four of Fine Creek Brewing’s Belgians – single, dubbel, tripel, and quad – along with their other beers and food. July 29 to 30 at Fine Creek Brewing, Powhatan.
Thumbstock Music Fest 2023. Seven bands keep the music coming, as the beer keeps flowing. Plus food trucks and a 50/50 raffle. Fundraiser proceeds benefit CJ’s Thumbs Up Foundation. July 29, 1 to 8 p.m., at Center of the Universe Brewing, Ashland.
New Exhibitions at Artspace. Opening reception on July 28, 6 to 9 p.m., with solo artists Erving Del Pilar and Maryanna Williams, along with a joint exhibition by Lee Hazelgrove & Dicke Robins. An artist talk by the featured artists will take place on July 29, 2 p.m. Also a group exhibition by Artspace Artist Members and work from the 2022 Narratio Fellowship in partnership with ReEstablish Richmond. All exhibitions showing through Aug. 19. At Artspace, Richmond.
HeART & Soul Festival 2023. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Lt. Joe Kenda: “All Is Not Forgiven.” The veteran homicide detective, Lt. Joe Kenda, who starred in the nine-seasons hit series “Homicide Hunter,” has written his first novel. Join the discussion with Kenda on his experiences and book. July 29, 2 p.m., at Ashland Theatre, Ashland.
Monday, July 31
“Twinings: Poems at Eighty.” Richmond poet and artist presents her recently released poetry collection, penned as she reaches the age of 80. July 31, 7 p.m., at Libbie Mill Library, Richmond.
Tuesday, Aug. 1
Challenging Some DNA Myths. From ethnicity estimates to X-DNA to mitochondrial DNA and more, just because something is repeated loudly on social media doesn’t make it true. A genealogical virtual event hosted by GRIVA, the Genealogical Institute of Virginia. Aug. 1, 7 p.m., online.
Wednesday, Aug. 2
Carole Weinstein Author Series. Historian Kidada Williams discusses her book, “I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction,” followed by a book signing. FREE. Aug. 2, 6 p.m., at Library of Virginia, Richmond.
The Waybacks. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Thursday, Aug. 3
The Art of Rust … Among our Feathered Friends. Al Bryan, artist and landscape architect, presents slides and an artist talk. Bryan covers America’s love affair with the automobile, especially the iconic Volkswagen, as well as farm work trucks, bird art, and rusty relics. On display through Sept. 5. Opening reception on Aug. 3, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Bella Arte Gallery, Midlothian.
Fortune Feimster in Live, Laugh, Love. The stand-up comedian, writer, and actor – on the radio, on screens both big and small, and touring her stand-up across the nation. Aug. 3, 7 p.m., at Dominion Energy Center, Richmond.
News worth knowing: 1948 films, bier & spirits, holidays
Ashland Theatre’s 1948 Film Series. The small-town theater celebrates its 75th anniversary with 1948 films on one Monday each month throughout the year. Look for classic films with noteworthy directors and actors like Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, and more. At Ashland Theatre, Ashland.
- Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.: “Red River,” starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift
- Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.: “Letter from An Unknown Woman,” starring Joan Fontaine and Louis Jordan
- Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.: “Macbeth,” directed by and starring Orson Welles
- Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.: “State of the Union,” starring Katharine Hepburn, Angela Lansbury, and Spencer Tracy
- Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.: “The Red Shoes,” Academy Award Best Picture Nominee
- Jan. 22, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Key Largo,” starring Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, and Humphrey Bogart
- Feb. 12, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Rope,” starring Jimmy Stewart, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
- March 25, 2024 at 4 p.m.: “Easter Parade,” starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire
- April 15, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Hamlet,” starring Laurence Olivier, Academy Award winner for Best Picture and Best Actor
- May 13, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Unfaithfully Yours,” starring Rex Harrison and Linda Darnell
- June 10, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Sorry, Wrong Number,” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster
- July 15, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “Bicycle Thieves,” starring Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola
- Aug. 12, 2024 at 7 p.m.: “The Pirate,” starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly
Registration open for Chesterfield’s Fall 2023 Government Citizens Academy. Learn more about the operations of your local government. Apply at the link above. Nine sessions, held on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon, from Sept. 6 to Nov. 8, at various locations across Chesterfield County.
Cheers!
Virginia Spirits Expo. Sample craft spirits from distillers around the Commonwealth in an all-access sampling, with live music and food. Bottles and signature cocktails available for purchase. $5 OFF PROMO: VASPIRITS. Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at The Park RVA, Richmond.
Bier-Garden. Toast the fall at a two-night German-style festival on the Carriage House Lawn. Hoist a stein-filled Paulaner beer, local craft brews, or Maymont’s official Fest Beer, brewed by Bingo Beer, while enjoying lively music and authentic Bavarian food. Kinderzone for kids on Saturday afternoon. Sept. 22, 6 to 10 p.m., and Sept. 23, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Maymont, Richmond.
Holiday events
The Bizarre Bazaar 48th Christmas Collection. An upscale holiday gift market of 450 juried exhibitors across four buildings, from holiday decorations to everyday art, jewelry, clothing, foods, and more. Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 at Richmond Raceway Complex, Richmond.
Richmond Symphony: Holiday Brass. Holiday hits, plus a free pre-concert talk. TICKETS GO ON SALE AUG. 1. Dec. 1, talk at 6:30 p.m., concert at 7:30 p.m., at Perkinson Center, Chester.
Soulful Sounds of the Season Featuring Bak N Da Day. Richmond’s harmonious, quintessential oldies vocal group celebrates the holidays with a delightful mix of ’50s, ’60s and ’70s tunes. TICKETS GO ON SALE AUG. 1. Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., and Dec. 3, 3 p.m., at Perkinson Center, Chester.
Merry TubaChristmas 50th Anniversary Celebration. Tuba and euphonium players around the world come together at their local venues for a distinctive concert experience. TICKETS GO ON SALE AUG. 1. Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., at Perkinson Center, Chester.
The Taters: Shiny & Brite Holiday Show. The long-time Richmond fave group presents an eclectic mix of roots-rock, power-pop, and Americana … in the spirit of the season. TICKETS GO ON SALE AUG. 1. Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., at Perkinson Center, Chester.
More holiday events already posted on Richmond Events from Boomer Magazine.
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