May 29, 2023
I realized
June had never been
just a month
music…
never just a tremble
on my lips
warmth was never
merely a blanket.
~ Sanober Khan
June is here! Even with the cool spring we've had, the warmth of summer is upon us. Festivals and outdoor performances abound – old favorites like the Richmond Greek Festival and new adventures like the First Fridays Cosmic Block Party! Plus, we have new theatre, new music and new looks at old stories. Check out what RVA has to offer this week!
To list your events on Artsline, go to vpm.org/artsline.
1. ANT THE SYMBOL'S ALBUM RELEASE PARTY W/ MS. JAYLIN BROWN & ELLIOTT
Music
Thursday, June 1, 7:30 PM
Gallery5, 200 West Marshall Street, Richmond, 23220
$15-$20
Join Shockoe Records for the album release of I Know Who I Am and to celebrate the incredible journey to come! This is Ant's first album of this kind. Combining many genres and bringing together many of Richmond's most talented artists, this album is sure to excite you. Celebrate with us, Ant and many of his musical friends! Purchase tickets online.
2. WE STILL NEED DIVERSE BOOKS: AN ADVOCACY PANEL DISCUSSION
Literary Art
Tuesday, May 30, 7 PM
Online
$5
James River Writers presents a panel discussion with three representatives from We Need Diverse Books to learn more about what we as writers and book lovers can do to help move the needle on diversity in publishing. The nonprofit We Need Diverse Books “advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.” This panel will help us understand what the publishing industry looks like today—both how far we’ve come, and how far we need to go. Registration closes at midnight on May 29. Register online.
3. FIRST FRIDAYS EXHIBIT AT THE RICHMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY
Visual Arts
Friday, June 2, 6:30 PM Reception
Exhibits run through June
Main Branch, Richmond Public Library, 101 East Franklin St., Richmond, 23219
The Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch offers three new exhibits for First Fridays RVA: Summer in the City – recent works in mixed media from Metro Richmond Artists; Honest Impressions - oil and acrylic paintings from Chris Nelson; and Feelings from local artist Laila Winfree. No registration required for this free event.
4. LET ME BE FRANK
Music
Saturday, June 3, 7 PM
Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, 23060
$40
Scott Wichmann brings the music of the legendary Frank Sinatra to The Cultural Arts Center in a tribute concert featuring timeless hits such as "Night and Day," "My Way," and "The Lady is a Tramp." Backed by jazz virtuoso Ryan Corbitt, alongside a stellar band of musical all-stars, and featuring a catalog of timeless Sinatra standards, Let Me Be Frank celebrates the unforgettable style of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Purchase tickets online.
5. THE PROM, A MUSICAL
Theatre
Tuesday, May 30 – Sunday, June 11
Times vary
Weinstein JCC, 5403 Monument Avenue, Richmond, 23226
$25
Jewish Family Theatre presents The Prom, a musical by Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin, and Matthew Sklar, tells the story of Broadway’s brassiest stars joining forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens on a mission to transform lives. Four aging Broadway actors travel to the fictional town of Edgewater, Indiana, to help a lesbian student banned from bringing her girlfriend to the high school prom. The result is love that brings them all together. Purchase tickets online.
6. AGUAS, A PERFORMANCE
Dance
Saturday, June 3, 4 PM
Ancarrow’s Landing, 1200 Brander Street, Richmond, 23224
Aguas is a family-oriented dance-theater performed by the Latin Ballet of Virginia, celebrating history, culture and the James River natural treasures. Aguas honors the commemoration of the end of the war and the freedom of all enslaved African American people. This performance is inspired by The James River in Richmond, a 2023 book written by local author John Bryan that not only celebrates the history and beauty of the James River but also provides a guide to its recreational opportunities. It provides readers with a special appreciation for the river and its significance to the city of Richmond. No registration required for this free event.
7. 45TH ANNUAL RICHMOND GREEK FESTIVAL
Music, Dance, Culture
Thursday, June 1 – Sunday, June 4
Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Avenue, Richmond, 23221
Come celebrate the 45th Annual Richmond Greek Festival! Share the legendary food, dancing, music and international marketplace. Tour the beautiful sanctuary at Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral and learn more about the Orthodox religion. The Drive-Thru will be open subject to product availability. Please check the festival website for daily notices. No registration required for this free event.
8. ACTION AT WILSON'S WHARF 2023 CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT
History
Saturday & Sunday, June 3 - 4
Fort Pocahontas at Wilson's Wharf, 13500 Sturgeon Point Road, Charles City, 23030
$10 adults | $8 children
Located between Richmond and Williamsburg on the James River, scenic Fort Pocahontas was the site of the May 24, 1864 Action in which United States Colored Troops defended the fort they built against an assault by Fitzhugh Lee’s Confederate Cavalry. Battle reenactments both days. See Civil War camps and enjoy history brought to life through family-friendly activities. Tickets available on-site, via cash or check only.
9. COSMIC BLOCK PARTY
Visual Art, Music
Friday, June 2, 5 PM
Art 180, 114 West Marshall Street, Richmond, 23220
Step onto the block for this far-oooout celestial celebration of our city’s young artists. ART 180 is showing up decked out for the stars with a First Friday Art Walk street takeover filled with interstellar music, art, games, and dancing, with a DJ set from J.Kirven, and food from the Intergalactic Tacos and Ruby Scoops food trucks. Plus - come dressed up in your best spacey, alien, cosmos-traveling self for a chance to win a prize in our cosmic costume contest. Art 180 will award prizes for the best adult and best youth costume, so break out that mylar and get creating! No registration required for this free event.
10. ASHLAND STRAWBERRY FAIRE
Visual Art, Music
Saturday, June 3
Randolph-Macon College, 500 Henry Street, Ashland, 23005
The Ashland Strawberry Faire is a free, family-oriented event which promotes the community, celebrates the strawberry harvest and raises funds for Hanover County Public School scholarships and non-profit groups. Come visit 300 vendors, including arts & crafts, non-profit organizations, food vendors and Hanover County businesses in historic Ashland, Virginia. The Faire is held on the tree-lined streets of beautiful Randolph-Macon College. Kid Zone, Pet Pageant, BARKing Lot, Motor Mile, music and more! Free trolley service, too! No registration required for this free event.
If you are an arts or cultural organization with lectures, exhibitions, performances, or even book readings, submit your events to Artsline here.
If you are an artist or an arts or cultural organization in need of resources and tools, check out the list of local and national resources from Richmond CultureWorks.
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen and The Weinstein JCC are sponsors of VPM.
