This weekend marks the first pitch of the final season for our Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond before the team relocates next door in 2026. Other home-run events in the days ahead include the opening of “Frida” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the National Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Henrico and more. Enjoy!
Wings Up
I will always support kicking the week off with a little fun, and on Tuesday, April 1, The Jasper is rebranding from your local craft cocktail bar to an all-American watering hole dubbed Shooters. Pull up to the Carytown bar to peep the menu takeover, featuring playful drinks and plenty of shooters. On the food front, it’s wings and fried things all night long, baby. “It’s a return to our April Fools’ Day events that we did before COVID,” says Brandon Peck, co-owner of The Jasper. There will also be limited-edition swag available.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
In the Swing of Things
No matter how the wins and losses stack up, our Richmond Flying Squirrels are in for a history-making season of baseball this year, their last at The Diamond. The team’s popularity has soared in recent years, and while the upgrade to the new CarMax Park stadium nearby is much needed, this summer will be a fond farewell to the concrete structure built just over 40 years ago. Witness the final first pitch of the season at The Diamond when the Squirrels take on the Akron RubberDucks this Friday, April 4, at 6:30 p.m. Fans have two more chances to catch season-opener action: April 5 at 6 p.m. and April 6 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $10.
—Kevin Johnson, Lifestyle Editor
‘We’re Playing Basketball’
Tip off the new month with a burst of energy by grabbing tickets to the National Wheelchair Basketball Championship. The 2025 tournament returns to Richmond during the first two weekends in April, featuring over 1,000 athletes competing for a national title. Enjoy the unparalleled on-court action at the Henrico Sports & Events Center, April 4-6 for the junior matches and April 11-13 for the adult competition. Single-day tickets are $20 (valid for any of the six tournament days), and all-access passes are $45.
—Kelsey Robinson, Associate Editor
Her Own Muse
Frida Kahlo was known for painting self-portraits because, in her words, she was the subject she knew best. A new exhibition, “Frida: Beyond the Myth,” opening April 5 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, explores the Mexican artist’s work. VMFA is one of only two venues in the nation to host the traveling showcase, which includes some of Kahlo’s most notable paintings, many rarely seen outside Mexico. Opening day kicks off with ¡FridaFest! at the museum’s Cochrane Atrium and Robins Sculpture Garden from 1 to 7 p.m. It’s a free community event featuring live music, art and food to celebrate Kahlo’s life, art and Mexican heritage. The exhibition continues through Sept. 28, and tickets are $10 to $20.
—Mary Margaret Clouse, Editorial Intern
Chirps and Warbles
When visiting New Zealand in February, I made a point of looking for its unique birds, even bringing home a stuffed kiwi and kea (the world’s only Alpine parrot). Our local songbirds, though ordinary to us, are special in their own way, too. At 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, hear from University of Richmond professor Stephen Ferguson as he explores why birds sing, how they learn to do it, and the difference between male and female calls. Tickets for the Profs & Pints event at Triple Crossing Beer’s Fulton location start at $13.50.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
Other Suggestions
- Jazz violinist and composer Jenny Scheinman plays with her ensemble at Carytown’s Révéler March 31.
- Chesterfield Restaurant Week returns for its second year April 4-13.
- “War in Pieces,” four one-act plays written by Virginia veterans, is onstage at the Virginia War Memorial’s VMI Alumni Hall April 4-13.
- See the Budweiser Clydesdales as they parade through Carytown from Kroger to New York Deli on April 5 from 3 to 5 p.m. (weather permitting).
- Join The Valentine for a History of Scott’s Addition Walking Tour on April 5 to learn more about the neighborhood that came before the breweries.
- Third Coast Percussion returns to the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts with a performance of “Twyla Tharp: Diamond Jubilee” on April 5.
- Brick Fest Live brings more than a million toy bricks to the Greater Richmond Convention Center April 5-6.
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.
