Make Plans for These Richmond Events

More Richmond events after May 1

Friday Cheers 2025. Richmond’s longest-running concert series begins a new season on May 2, its 40th anniversary season, on Brown’s Island every week in May and June. Advance tickets for individual shows and season passes to Friday Cheers are available for purchase online at Ticketstobuy.com. Season passes are $55 through March 2, $65 thereafter. For details and to purchase tickets, visit Venture Richmond’s website.

• May 2 – Chaparelle (8:00pm) with Jack Wharff and the Tobacco Flatts (6:30pm)
• May 9 – Bully (8:00pm) with Rikki Rakki (6:30pm)
• May 23 – RVA Music Night: Dogpark (8:20pm), Caroline Vain (7:15pm) and Weekend Plans (6:15pm)
• May 30 – Josiah and the Bonnevilles (8:00pm) with Jonathan Paige Brown Jr. (6:30pm)
• June 6 – Kashus Culpepper (8:00pm) with Ramona & the Holy Smokes  (6:30pm)
• June 13 – La Lom (8:00pm) with Afro-Zen Allstars (6:30pm)
• June 20 – The War and Treaty (8:00pm) with Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns (6:30pm)
• June 27 – Say She She (8:00pm) with  Big Fancy  (6:30pm)

Derrick Stroup. Three performances for this Alabama native, Waffle House enthusiast, and stand-up comedian, presenting with his fast cadence, compelling energy, and detailed stories. May 2, 7 p.m., and May 3, 6:30 and 9 p.m., at Funny Bone Richmond.

Run Wild Races. In honor of Poppy, the new pygmy hippo, Metro Richmond Zoo presents three races: the one-miler Mini, a sprint inside the zoo; the Run Wild 5k through and around the zoo; and the Wild Ninja objstacle course around the zoo, with 41 obstacles over approximately 2 miles. May 3 at 8, 8:45, and 10 a.m., at the Metro Richmond Zoo, Moseley.

Stonehenge Garden Club Plant Sale. May 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at at Stonehenge Country Club Pavilion. Proceeds go to a charity to promote horticulture and love of gardening.

The Pickle Ball Festival. Demonstrations, pickleball vendors, artisan vendors, themed drinks, live music and more. May 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Regency Shopping Mall, Richmond.

The Dinner Detective Comedy Mystery Dinner Show. Solve a mystery while you feast on dinner. The culprit is hiding in plain sight somewhere in the room – and you may be a suspect. May 3 and 31, 6 to 9 p.m., at Hilton Richmond Hotel, Richmond.

“Bodies of Labor: Hands That Built a Nation.” Art depicting the artists’ perspectives of African Americans and labor over 400+ years on this continent – painters, sculptors, illustrators, photographers, traditional printmakers, fabric artists, and glass and wood artisans. Labor provides goods and services – unskilled, skilled, professional, and intellectual – regardless of compensation. African Americans have been a major force in sustaining the economy of Virginia and the nation through both labor and intellectual prowess. They have influenced progress and been a vital force in the workplace, despite discrimination, poor working conditions, and unequal compensation. Opening May 7 at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, Richmond.

Living Your Dash. Full Circle Grief Center presents its annual luncheon. The inspirational speaker, Carson Clough, is a member of the USA Paralympic Triathlon Team. The event helps the organization to provide comprehensive, professional bereavement support in Virginia. May 8, 11:45 a.m., at a private venue.

“Loving v. Virginia.” Richmond Symphony and Virginia Opera present the highly anticipated world premiere of Damien Geter’s “Loving v. Virginia,” an operatic retelling of a true story. A young couple’s interracial marriage in 1958 sparks a case that leads to the Supreme Court and a victory for civil rights in the United States. May 9 to 11 at Carpenter Theater, Richmond.

Cap2Cap. Celebrating its 20th ride, the event highlights history, community, and adventure along the scenic Virginia Capital Trail. Distances range from 7 to 100+ miles, suitable for all skill levels, with stocked rest stops, open-start format, bike tech support, restrooms, party zones, naturally scenic views, and lots of extra perks. May 9 (at Chickahominy Riverfront Park, James City County) and May 10 (at Dorey Park, Henrico County) along the Capital Trail from Williamsburg to Richmond.

Ashland 1949 Film Series. Inspired by the rousing response to its 75th anniversary presentation of 1948 films, Ashland Theatre presents a series of films from 1949. All tickets $5, films beginning at 7 p.m., at Ashland Theatre, Ashland.

• May 12, 2025: “I Shot Jesse James,” starring Preston Foster and John Ireland
• June 16, 2025: “The Small Back Room,” starring David Farrar and Kathleen Byron
• July 14, 2025: “The Third Man,” starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, and Orson Welles
• Aug. 11, 2025: “Jour de fête,” starring Jacques Tati and Paul Frankeur

Dress Like Mrs. Roper. For opening night of the nostalgic exhibition “The’70s,” come decked out in your most fabulous kaftan, chunky jewelry, and retro vibes for a chance to win fun prizes. Sponsored by Virginia Pride. May 16, 5 to 8 p.m., at Crossroads Art Gallery, Richmond.

HistoryFest. A fascinating day of festival-meets-conference with more than 20 full-sensory presentations, spanning musical revolutions, films, foods, travel, American presidents, and generation-defining events. May 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond.

Stories of an Abandoned Virginia. A visual storytelling session about beautifully abandoned locales in Virginia and the people that once occupied them. May 18, 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Crossroads Art Center, Richmond.

Virginia State Parks Adventure Series 2025. The multi-sport race series features 20 races, including triathlons, mountain biking races, adventure races, and more, at 11 parks across the state. This year features a broader range of race difficulties and distances forall levels of adventure and one new race option. Highlights near the Richmond region include:

Bike: 

• May 18: High Bridge Time Trial at High Bridge State Park
• June 14: Poca Go! at Pocahontas State Park
• Aug. 3: Guts, Gravel, Glory at Pocahontas State Park

Running:  

• June 14: Night Train Ultra Marathon at High Bridge Trail State Park
• Sept. 20: Paw Paw 5- and 10-Miler at Powhatan State Park
• Oct. 4: High Bridge Half Marathon and 5k at High Bridge Trail State Park
• Oct. 5: Pocahontas Trail Festival at Pocahontas State Park

Steve Earle – Solo & Acoustic. One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation, Earle has been the protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and many others. His 1986 album “Guitar Town” is a classic of the Americana genre, and his 1988 hit, “Copperhead Road,” was made an official state song of Tennessee in 2023. May 29 and 30, 8 p.m., at The Tin Pan, Richmond.

Chesterfield Outdoor Fest. Outdoor-themed fun, plus vendors and food trucks. May 31, noon to 5 p.m., at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, Chesterfield.

June and beyond

8th Annual RVA Clay Tour. Take a self-guided tour of Richmond’s diverse studios as clay artisans show off their work and studio spaces. June 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and June 8, noon to 4 p.m., at various studios in the Richmond region.

Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Richmond’s new open-air amphitheater near Brown’s Island will open in June, with a variety of big names already lined up to play.

• June 6: Kansas & 38 Special with the Outlaws
• June 7: Rick Springfield – I Want my ’80s Tour
• June 10: Dispatch w/ John Butler (with band) – Summer Tour
• June 19: Boyz II Men
• June 21: Dwight Yoakam
• June 26: Parker McCollum – What Kinda Man Tour 2025
• July 12: Counting Crows: The Complete Sweets! Tour
• July 15 and 16 – Dave Matthews Band
• July 17: Brad Paisley: Truck Still Works World Tour
• July 19: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
• July 26: Whiskey Myers – What We Were Born to Do Tour
• Aug. 1: The Head and The Heart: Aperture Tour
• Aug. 6: Styx & Kevin Cronin + Don Felder the Brotherhood of Rock Tour
• Aug. 10: Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts
• Aug. 23: Bailey Zimmerman – New to Country Summer Tour
• Aug. 24: The Red Clay Strays – Get Right Tour 2025
• Aug. 26: Simple Plan: Bigger Than You Think! Tour
• Aug. 28: Gavin Adcock – Need to Tour
• Aug. 29: Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
• Sept. 1: James Taylor and His All-Star Band
• Sept. 20: Steve Martin & Martin Short – The Dukes of Funnytown!
• Sept. 22: “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2025 Tour
• Oct. 21: Tedeschi Trucks Band with Very Special Guest Little Feat: Live in 25

Virginia Museum of History & Culture Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary with Spring 2025 Exhibition and Related Events. “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation,” the first major show for the commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, delves into Virginia’s role in the American Revolution, exploring the confluence of continental and global forces as well as the actions of both iconic and often-overlooked people who together established a new nation and changed the world. Through Jan. 4, 2026. At the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond. Related events include:

• Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865: June 14 to July 5, 2026
• We The People: March 14, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027
• Sail250 with Tall Ships RVA: June 12 to 15, 2026
• IllumiNATION: June to July 2026

Paula Poundstone. The iconic comedian is known for observational humor and spontaneous wit. She is the star of several HBO specials and is a regular panelist on NPR’s comedy news quiz, “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” and heard weekly on her successful comedy podcast. Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. June 20, 8 p.m., at The Tin Pan, Richmond.

RTP’s 2024-2025 Season. Four plays, including a new production of one of RTP’s biggest hits, will take the stage at Richmond Triangle Players, as the company celebrates its 32nd year as one of the Commonwealth’s most acclaimed cultural arts institutions, and the longest-operating LGBTQ+ theatre in the mid-Atlantic region. At Robert B. Moss Theatre, Richmond. Still to come:

• “A Strange Loop,” book, music, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson. Winner of every best musical award in New York for the story of Usher, a young, gay, Black writer in a loop of a hilarious ensemble play. June 25 to Aug. 2, 2025.

2nd Street Festival. In its 37th year of celebrating rich local culture. Oct. 4 to 5, historic Jackson Ward, Richmond.

Richmond Folk Festival. In its 21st year of celebrating the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. FREE. Oct. 10 to 12, along the riverfront, Richmond.

Ongoing Events

Around Richmond, and a few worth a road trip

“The Wild Party.” Set in the Roaring Twenties, the story takes place in one night in the Manhattan apartment of vaudevillian performers and couple Queenie and Burrs. Filled with jealousy, violence, excess, and indulgence. Presented by VCUarts Theatre. Through April 27 at Singleton Center, Richmond.

Richmond Restaurant Week. Support local restaurants with prix fixe meal specials. Portions of each meal sold go to benefit Feed More. Through April 27 at restaurants around Richmond.

“Dial M for Murder.” Hitchcock’s classic murder mystery presents former writer Tony Wendice, who concocts a plan to murder his wealthy wife, Margot. When the deadly scheme goes awry, Margot, with the help of a sharp-witted detective, fights to clear her name and reveal the truth about her husband’s lethal intentions. Through April 27 at Hanover Tavern, Hanover Courthouse

“We Are the Builders: Honoring the Contributions of Black Workers in Virginia.” Highlighting the important role that Black people have played in the development of America, with emphasis on the contributions of Black Virginians. Plus “Bodies of Labor: Hands That Built a Nation,“ highlighting African Americans’ contributions to labor over the past 400+ years, reflecting resilience, creativity, and progress. Painters, sculptors, illustrators, photographers, and artisans working with various mediums will be included. At the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, Richmond.

Portraits: The “Style Weekly” Photograph Archive. Richmond’s alternative source of culture, arts, opinion, and local issues started in 1982, through words and photographs. This exhibition includes portraits selected from the archive. Through May 16, 2025, at The Valentine, Richmond.

“Which Way to the Stage?” Richmond Triangle Players presents a comedy about friendship, ambition, and what happens when dreams fall out of reach, on the roles we perform and transcending one’s “type.” Through May 17 at Robert B. Moss Theatre, Richmond.

“Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine.” Bringing 25 rarely-displayed masterpiece drawings by Michelangelo to the United States, the exhibition offers the opportunity to grasp the genius of the famed artist. Displaying Michelangelo’s initial studies and early drawings of the famous frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, it explores the story of the origin of these works, some of the most famous in the world. Through May 28 at Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg.

“Mapping the Commonwealth, 1816–1826.” The story of 10 years, five governors, two principal surveyors, and one lead engraver – the time frame and team needed to create one of the first official state maps in the nation. Examples from 40 manuscript maps that highlight the painstaking task of creating Virginia’s first official state map, without the benefit of modern technologies like GPS. Through June 7, 2025 at the Library of Virginia, Richmond.

Virginia & The Vietnam War. Fifty years since the Fall of Saigon, Virginians still feel the impact of the Vietnam War, a long, costly, and controversial conflict. This exhibit examines, through personal objects and oral histories, what Virginia’s soldiers, policy makers, families, activists, and Vietnamese migrants carried during the war and its aftermath. Visitors explore relevant personal items and engage with multiple oral histories. Through July 6, 2025, at Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond.

“Towers of Tomorrow with LEGOⓇ Bricks.” Celebrating architecture and design, this hands-on exhibition showcases 20 of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers from North America, Asia and Australia, plus LEGO bricks for guests to build their own creations. Through Aug. 24 at the Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond.

Edmund Archer: Perspectives on Black Dignity. Portraits of Black men and women that radiate their dignity in contrast to caricatures and stereotypes of earlier Richmond artists and popular culture. Through Sept. 1, 2025.

Homes & Habitats. Experience nature through the eyes of seven regional artists’ large-scale installations inspired by ecosystems. Many works feature interactive and educational elements. Through Sept. 28 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond.

2025 Season of Valentine Walking Tours. For 25 years, the Valentine’s guides have helped visitors and residents learn about important historic sites, discover off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods and engage with the diverse stories that define Richmond – this year, dog-friendly History Hounds series returns. Various times and locations around Richmond.

Riverfront Canal Cruises 25th Season. The new season offers of 40-minute historical narrated tours and private charters, beginning on April 4 and operate until November. Shockoe Bottom on the Canal, Richmond.

“‘I made this…’: The Work of Black American Artists and Artisans.” The first exhibition looking solely at the work of diverse Black artists and artisans from three centuries opens at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Through Dec. 31, 2025, at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, Williamsburg.

Virginia Museum of History & Culture Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary with Spring 2025 Exhibition and Related Events. “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation” opens as the first major show for the anniversary commemoration, accompanied by traveling presentations across the state. The exhibition delves into Virginia’s important role in the American Revolution, exploring the confluence of continental and global forces as well as the actions of both iconic and often-overlooked people who together established a new nation and changed the world. The opening coincides with Patrick Henry’s “liberty or death” speech. Through Jan. 4, 2026, at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

“Sculpting History.” The exhibition from the Valentine shows how those who created the Lost Cause narrative used cultural and social centers of power to make it successful: education, media, politics, money, religion, and violence. The exhibition demonstrates how sculptor Edward Valentine, Richmond leaders, and others around the country reframed the war. It uncovers the Lost Cause, its legacy, and those who resisted. The Valentine, Richmond.