This week marks ART 180’s final youth exhibition before the nonprofit closes its doors later in August. More events to catch before they’re gone include a talk about poisonous plants at Agecroft Hall, plus a literary tour through Carytown ahead of the ever-popular Watermelon Festival. Enjoy!
Art From the Heart
We use “don’t miss it” a lot when discussing upcoming events, but seriously this time: Don’t miss ART 180’s final exhibition. On view Aug. 7-14, “Protect Ya Neck: We Gon’ Be Alright” presents works in a variety of mediums made by the talented youth participating in the nonprofit’s Atlas Artist Residency and assembled by students in the summer curation program. The exhibition is themed around community preservation and collective support, using styles and motifs from history, anime, manga and more. Celebrate these young artists at an opening reception during RVA First Fridays on Aug. 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Atlas Gallery, 114 W. Marshall St. The show is the last before ART 180 closes for good Aug. 28.
—Kelsey Robinson, Associate Editor
Pick Your Poison
If you’ve ever picked up a romance novel, you know beauty and danger often go hand in hand — that association extends to the plant world. On Friday, Aug. 7, Agecroft Hall & Gardens hosts a Poisonous Plants Talk & Tour, where experts discuss species across the toxicity spectrum, diving into their impacts on science, history and culture. Afterward, there will be a guided tour of the property’s gardens to observe real-life examples, and as a sendoff gift, guests will receive their own sinister yet garden-friendly plant (containing toxic elements but unharmful in general). The event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $66.
—Audrey Polverari, Editorial Intern
Getting Lit
For the first time since 2019, the literary sessions organized by Richmond’s independent writers and the events of the nonprofit James River Writers unite in a kaleidoscopic array of poetry and prose, for Lit Crawl Richmond on Saturday, Aug. 8, in and around Carytown. The free day of events kicks off at 11:30 a.m. at Shelf Life Books with an upstairs Poets Market featuring typewriter poetry by Daijah Eames and Morgan Whitehead, plus comics and zines. A reading hosted at 5 p.m. at Quarry features authors Camille Deangelis, Yasmeen Jaaber, Emily Okamoto-Green and Allison Titus. At 8 p.m., hear presentations by writers of the 2-year-old “Flying South” literary series at Nest Realty on Robinson Street. Additional sessions throughout the day culminate with an after-party starting at 9 p.m. at TBT El Gallo. See the website for the full schedule. RVA’s Lit Crawl is also affiliated with San Francisco’s Litquake.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Melon Season
Grab a fork and clear your Sunday for the annual Carytown Watermelon Festival, turning 44 this year. On Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Virginia’s largest one-day festival will see scores of bands and vendors and, of course, tons of watermelon. The event extends from the Carytown Exchange to The Byrd Theatre, and admission is free.
—Mia Debelevich, Editorial Intern
Other Suggestions
- Celebrate RVA with an 804 Day Block Party hosted by the Richmond Flying Squirrels at CarMax Park, culminating with a synchronized drone show, on Aug. 4 (8/04).
- Gallery5 presents a soft opening and printmaking workshop for “From the Ground Up: A Juried Printmaking Exhibition” on Aug. 6, followed by an opening reception on Aug. 7; the showcase remains on view through Aug. 28.
- It’s the final week to catch Quirk Gallery’s “Home Again: Group Craft Show,” continuing through Aug. 8.
- The new Summer on the Southside concert series continues with a performance from Solacoustix at the Broad Rock Sports Complex on Aug. 8.
- The Richmond Jazz and Music Festival returns with “The Soundtrack for the Season,” featuring Erykah Badu, Leon Thomas, Johnny Gill, Samara Joy, Doug E. Fresh and many more artists at Maymont Aug. 8-9.
- The third annual RVA Black Theatre Festival stages multiple performances at Brightpoint Community College’s Midlothian campus Aug. 8-9.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine’s weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week’s installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
