Hills & Heights
Weekend Event Picks: Richmond Jazz Festival, Carytown Watermelon Festival, Filipino Festival, & more
World-class Jazz, Filipino and Tibetan culture, NFL football, and watermelon all intersect for a fun-filled outdoor weekend around Richmond.
Redskins Training Camp Fan Appreciation Day
The Washington Redskins are hosting their annual Fan Appreciation Day this Saturday–a chance for fans to get up close and personal with their favorite players. Following practice, both players and coaches will be available to sign autographs and take pictures, schedules permitting, at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center on W. Leigh Street. The team and Bon Secours will also offer health screenings, giveaways, and more.
When: Saturday, August 13th; 1:30 – 3:30 PM | Where: Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, 2401 W. Leigh Street | Cost: FREE | Training Camp website
Richmond Jazz Festival
The Richmond Jazz Festival returns for its seventh year this weekend with an impressive bill of nationally- and internationally-known jazz, blues, and funk acts. The fun began Thursday evening at Hardywood and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and continues Saturday and Sunday at Maymont, where hot acts such as Herbie Hancock, The Roots, Al Jarreau, Michael Franks, Esperanza Spalding, Vanessa Williams, Ramsey Lewis, Diane Schuur, Grace Kelly, and Arrested Development will perform. In addition to live jazz, the festival will also feature complimentary wine tasting by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, as well as chef demonstrations, artist meet-and-greets, and over 30 food and merchandise vendors from across the region.
When: Thursday, August 11th – Sunday, August 14th; view schedule | Where: The Hippodrome Theater, the VMFA, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and Maymont | Cost: View available packages | Festival website
Filipino Festival
For over a decade, the Filipino Festival has been a popular community showcase of the richness of the Filipino culture and heritage. The festival features a wide variety of traditional food, music, folk dancing, and more. It also serves as a cultural immersion program for more than 100 youth of Filipino descent each year. For nine months, they are immersed in bi-weekly classes that teach them their parents’ language, culture, stories, history, dances and songs to pass down to future generations.
When: Friday, August 12th 5:00 – 10:00 PM; Saturday, August 13th 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM | Where: Our Lady of Lourdes, 8200 Woodman Road in the West End | Cost: FREE to attend | Festival website
Carytown Watermelon Festival
This annual celebration of watermelon and the dog days of summer takes place along Richmond’s Mile of Style, Carytown, this Sunday. Expect a bevy of local food and retail vendors, food and drink specials at many of Carytown’s unique and vibrant restaurants, live music, and of course, plenty of cold, fresh watermelon sliced up and served by the bowl. Last year festival organizers estimate over 118,000 people attended–quite a crowd. If you live in the neighborhood, keep in mind that parking is restricted on W. Cary Street and towing will begin at 2:00 AM Sunday morning.
When: Sunday, August 14th; 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Where: Carytown, West Cary Street between Nansemond Street and N. Boulevard | Cost: FREE to attend | Festival website
Public Sand Mandala Celebration at the Virginia Holocaust Museum
Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery will be at the Virginia Holocaust Museum this weekend for a unique event. For the past several days, the monks have been creating a sand mandala–a Tibetan Buddhist tradition as much about creation as it is destruction. Watch them create this work of art or join in and even help fill in the design. There will also be lectures and daily evening meditation at 6:00 PM. At the closing ceremony around noon on Sunday, the monks will destroy the mandala and release the sand into the James River to spread blessings upon the world.
When: Ongoing through Sunday, August 14th at noon; various times | Where: Virginia Holocaust Museum, 2000 E. Cary Street in Downtown Richmond | Cost: FREE to attend; $10 suggested donation | Event page
Community
Three Accidents, One Deadly Along Forest Hill Avenue and Semmes
Speed appeared to play a factor in most if not all of the accidents.
Last night at Kenmore Road and Forest Hill Avenue around 6:30 PM there was a fatal accident. ABC 8 has some details but it isn’t clear whether it was the driver or someone else that was killed.
Earlier in the evening an accident occurred at Forest Hill and Bliley.
Finally, while driving to Manchester we spotted an overturned car on Semmes and W. 14th. Unsure if it was unrelated but saw a man a block away being handcuffed.
Even to my non-traffic engineer brain this is pointing to a significant problem and without changes, either physically changing the layout of the roads or a ton more enforcement this problem will continue.
Events
PlanRVA Day on June 1st offers host of free learning opportunities
The Richmond region’s planning district commission is opening its doors to community members and partners next month for a day of learning and networking.
PlanRVA will host PlanRVA Day on June 1 from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. at its new office at 424 Hull St. Rd. in the Manchester neighborhood. The event will focus on the topic of placemaking, the process of creating quality inclusive places where people want to live, work and play. Sessions will explore various aspects of inclusion and public engagement, with a focus on community connection through regional trails, public art and the environment.
The day will conclude with a film screening of the documentary “A River Called Home” with filmmaker Jess Wiegandt from 6-7:30 p.m. The film focuses on the journey of four women who launch at the headwaters of the James River and paddle to the Chesapeake Bay over three weeks, while conducting a water quality study.
“PlanRVA is where the region comes together to look ahead,” said Martha Shickle, PlanRVA’s Executive Director. “Regional collaboration and cooperation happens every day in Central Virginia. PlanRVA Day is an opportunity to celebrate the progress we’re making together to support quality of life and growth in the region. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting event.”
Attendees can tour PlanRVA’s office space and connect with staff and community partners throughout the day.
Sessions are free, but registration is required. People can sign up for single sessions or for the entire day.
Community
RVA Bike Share No Longer Biking or Sharing
The vendor Bewegen Technologies abruptly shut down and took down the current bicycle rental system with it.
Rumors were afloat yesterday of the sudden shutdown of Richmond’s bike share program. The rumor became reality when the city sent out the following press release.
Due to a last-minute, two day notice and shut down by Bewegen Technologies, the city was forced to suspend the current bicycle rental system until a new software system is in place.
Bicycles will not be available to rent while the City secures a new contractor. In the meantime, the City encourages bike share users to utilize the three e-scooter vendors – Bird, Lime, and Spin.
Once the new bike share system is operational, the City will welcome users back with free rides for everyone for 30 days.
The City is diligently working to resolve the situation and we appreciate our residents and visitors patience as we go through this transitional phase.
For more information, please visit us online at rva.gov/public-works or email us at [email protected]
Three Accidents, One Deadly Along Forest Hill Avenue and Semmes
Photo of the Day: Barbie
PHOTOS: Spaced Out at the Science Museum of Virginia
Photo of the Day: So Many Cars So Much Bikelane to Block
Photo of the Day: Stepping Stones
Arts in the Park Returns this Weekend
Fan Arts Stroll Walks into the Neighborhood May 11-12th
Renderings: James River Association breaks ground on James A. Buzzard River Education Center
Free childcare scholarships for moms: United Way accepting applications for WomenRise program
