Events
Tickets for 2019 edition of Fire, Flour, & Fork go on sale this Friday
Richmond’s gathering for the food-curious is back for more in year six – more behind-the-scenes tours, interactive classes, events for kids and parents, collaborative brunches and dinners, signature dine-arounds and themed bar pop-ups.

Richmond’s gathering for the food-curious is back for more in year six – more behind-the-scenes tours, interactive classes, events for kids and parents, collaborative brunches and dinners, signature dine-arounds and themed bar pop-ups. Tickets go on sale on Friday, August 16th at 10:00 AM for Fire, Flour, & Fork.
Guests can meet chef/restaurateur and regular “Chopped” judge Maneet Chauhan; Esquire’s food and drinks editor, Jeff Gordinier; former Noma chef de cuisine and Bridgaid founder Dan Giusti; the 2019 James Beard Best Chef of the South, Vishwesh Bhatt; celebrated author and food journalist Toni Tipton-Martin; the 2019 James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and three-star Michelin chef Patrick O’Connell; HBO’s “Wig” co-producer and chef/author David Burtka; Eater Young Gun Ashleigh Shanti, and many others.
Fire, Flour and Fork also will be a stop on The Sporkful’s World Tour on Sunday, Nov. 3. Host Dan Pashman will bring his popular James Beard-nominated podcast to the Richmond stage during FFF’s Food U.
“This year, we’re zeroing in on the word ‘legacy,’” FFF co-founder Susan Winiecki said, “from cooks, both near and far, who have inspired our Richmond chefs, to those sharing traditions and stories with future generations – be it the work of a new Native American seed-keeping coalition, a documentary that will celebrate chef James Hemings, or a dinner to honor Charles and Shirley Sherrod, who began a safe haven for black farmers that became the nation’s first community land trust.”
Fire, Flour & Fork will host a signature event each day of the long weekend:
- Thursday, Oct. 31 – Celebrate Halloween and the Jefferson Hotel’s birthday by walking down its famous staircase in your best food-inspired costume and then indulge in a few over-the-top Halloween candy-inspired desserts and other late-night goodies inside Lemaire.
- Friday, Nov. 1 – Pie a la Mode at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture will bring together our region’s best bakers of savory and sweet pies, along with some pastry guests from across the county, plus craft ice cream makers and coffee gurus. Home cooks can compete in a Virginia sweet potato pie dessert contest.
- Saturday, Nov. 2 – The first “Drag Brunch on the Boulevard: The Her-story of Richmond.” Drag mothers and their daughters will bring us a show that will honor the community in Richmond. Special guests include chef/author David Burtka and drag brunch historian Poppy Tucker.
- Saturday, Nov. 2 – More than 20 chefs from around the state will participate in Sampling the Centuries: Virginia’s Food Firsts at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Go on a journey with food, drink and desserts, traveling through influences from the 1700s into the future. From Ian Boden in Staunton to Aaron Deal in Roanoke, from Joy Crump in Fredericksburg to Brunswick County’s best stewmaster, it will be an evening to remember. A separately ticketed interview event with Chef Patrick O’Connell will kick off the evening at 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 3 – Food U’s talks, chef demos and Tasting Tent will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
- Sunday, Nov. 3 – Smoke on the Water, our global barbecue dine-around event, returns to city center – high above the banks of the James River at Tredegar. Enjoy more than 15 smoked and roasted items from the best around the region and a bit further afield. Home cooks can enter their favorite sides made with hometown favorite, Duke’s Mayo.
- Sunday, November 3 – The fifth annual John Dabney Dinner will trace the influence of chef James Hemings on Fanny Steward and Malinda Russell, John Dabney, Edna Lewis and today’s chefs, and we will honor Charles and Shirley Sherrod.
Learn more and get tickets here.

Events
Hello Kitty Truck rolls into Short Pump Town Center this Saturday
This Saturday’s pop-up event at Short Pump Town Center is the perfect opportunity for fans to check out new exclusive collectibles and see the iconic vehicle up close.

Fans of the popular Sanrio character Hello Kitty are in for a treat as the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck rolls back into Richmond this Saturday, March 18th, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The truck will be stationed at the main entrance of the Short Pump Town Center by Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn, providing enthusiasts with an opportunity to indulge in a variety of exclusive goodies and limited-edition collectibles.
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, famous for delicious treats and adorable collectibles, announced that they have added new items to their menu for the Richmond event, including a Hello Kitty Cafe Cup Plush, a Hello Kitty Cafe Coin Bank, a Glass Mug with Sprinkle Handle, a Hello Kitty Cafe Lunchbox, a Hello Kitty Cafe Lavender T-Shirt, a Hello Kitty Cafe Canvas Tote, and a Hello Kitty Cafe Rainbow Thermos. Fans can also grab hand-decorated cookie sets, enamel pin sets, and Madeleine cookie sets.
Visitors to the truck can look forward to the best-selling Hello Kitty Cafe Plush Toys and Giant Hello Kitty Cafe Chef Cookies as well. The truck makes yearly stops in different cities and has been a big hit with fans since it was introduced in 2014.
This Saturday’s pop-up event at Short Pump Town Center is the perfect opportunity for fans to check out the new exclusive collectibles and see the iconic vehicle up close.
Events
2nd annual Farm Graze event will celebrate agriculture on March 25th at Deep Run Park
Coordinated with National Agriculture Day (March 21), Farm Graze will feature live animals, including chicks, goats, rabbits and bees; resources for families; a pet costume contest; crafts; and other activities.

Henrico 4-H Youth Development will hold a free community celebration of agriculture with the second annual Farm Graze event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 25 at Deep Run Park, 9900 Ridgefield Parkway.
Coordinated with National Agriculture Day (March 21), Farm Graze will feature live animals, including chicks, goats, rabbits and bees; resources for families; a pet costume contest; crafts; and other activities. Youth will be able to complete a passport book by visiting the various exhibitors, with prizes awarded for the first 100 turned in.
Farm Graze also will collect donated items for the Henrico Animal Shelter, including used towels and blankets; Kongs and treats for dogs; toys for cats; and dry kibble and formula for kittens. All activities will take place in the recreation center or on the event field.
Henrico 4-H will showcase its programs and opportunities. Other exhibitors will include Henrico Extension, Master Gardeners, Henrico County Public Library, Henrico Recreation and Parks, Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District, Keep Virginia Beautiful, Keep Henrico Beautiful, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Virginia State University Small Ruminant Farm, Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom, West End Farmers Market and RVA City Bees.
For more information, call (804) 501-5160 or go to henrico.us/extension.
Crime
Teen Summit RVA will bring together area students to share common concerns and solutions
The daylong event will be held on March 18th at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Six hundred high school students from the Richmond area will gather at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Saturday, March 18, 2023, for Teen Summit RVA – the first in a series of annual meetings designed to engage and connect regional teens.
Teen Summit RVA 2023 will link high school students as they speak out against violence and seek solutions to daily challenges they face. Henrico County, the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County began collaborating on Teen Summit RVA in fall 2022.
The event will include panel discussions and interactions related to issues and concerns that students face daily – gun violence, drug use, mental health and equity in their school division and community. This diverse group of 14-to-18-year-olds also will be able to attend the [email protected] Regional Summer Opportunity Fair, which is presented by Virginia Career Works. Students will explore exhibits and learn about job, internship and volunteer opportunities as well as career and educational resources available to them.
Students have been selected by their schools to participate in Teen Summit RVA. While attendance is by invitation only, limited slots remain open. Any student from the participating school systems who would like to attend should contact their school’s guidance counselor.
“When students come together, their passion, creativity and hope for the future are greater than any challenge,” said Dr. Amy Cashwell, Superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools. “Teen Summit RVA is a tremendous step in bringing together students from across the region to make connections and spark solutions that cut across county and city borders. This is the start of something important for central Virginia.”
“Teen Summit RVA is a great opportunity for students to build their leadership skills and advocate for issues that impact their peers and our community. By listening to and building up our youth, we know we will see them lead us forward,” said Jason Kamras, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.
Students also will be able to express themselves by contributing to an art installation and recording their spontaneous responses to thought-provoking statements in an audio booth.
Other Teen Summit RVA experiences will cover Mental Health Matters, Changing the World and Keeping Schools Safe: An Open Discussion About School Safety.
Teen Summit RVA will be hosted by nationally known, Richmond-based comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White and is sponsored by the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond.
“This innovative summit for central Virginia teens offers opportunities for them to connect with each other, hear from experts and speak up about issues important to them,” said Dr. Mervin B. Daugherty, Superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“We are so very excited for the youth of the region that this event is being held,” said Dr. Joe Casey, Chesterfield County Administrator. “So often with young people, groups and organizations talk around them and not to them. This entire event is centered on the idea of listening to students and hearing what matters most to them. It’s imperative that we understand the needs of all residents, including young people. We can’t wait to see what comes out of this event and those like it in the future.”
Media outlets are welcome to provide news coverage of Teen Summit RVA. For more information, contact Ron Carrington at (804) 690-3972 or [email protected]. Student participants will be available for interviews upon request.
More information can be found at teensummitrva.com.