Time travel is on the menu this week in the River City, with a retro costume contest at Crossroads Art Center. If you’re looking for more color in your life, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is hosting a floral art class and the return of a seasonal soiree. Also in the days ahead, a gathering of Virginia’s first ladies and four new art exhibitions. Enjoy!
Blooms and Tunes
Sights and sounds abound this week at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Channel your inner interior decorator during an introductory ikebana class on Wednesday, May 14. Get acquainted with the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging as you employ space, balance, mass and other elements to craft unique displays using blooms and branches. Registration is $60. On Thursday, May 15, catch roots-rock cover band The Jangling Reinharts during the seasonal kickoff of live music series Flowers After 5, hosted on Thursday evenings from mid-May through October. The concert is included with garden admission ($10 to $20).
—Kelsey Robinson, Associate Editor
Beyond the Executive Mansion
The pursuits of the first lady of Virginia have evolved far beyond merely being the host of the gubernatorial residence to include restoring the building itself and even serving as state secretary of education. On May 15, hear from current first lady Suzanne Youngkin and former Executive Mansion residents Susan Allen, Anne Holton and Pamela Northam for “Celebrating VA’s First Ladies” at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. During the panel moderated by author Heath Lee, the women will discuss how they used their platform to influence state government, historic preservation and advocacy efforts. Tickets for the 5:30 p.m. event are $30, $20 for museum members.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
Visualizations
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen hosts a free opening reception, 6 to 8 p.m. on May 15, for four exhibitions. Justice Dwight and Lizzie Brown’s “Bold, Black, & Beautiful” portrays the faces and figures of African Americans. Laura Thompson creates her “Little Worlds” using images from vintage magazines and juxtaposing them against otherworldly settings. Virginia McConnell brings dual presentations, the painstaking “Stories Layered and Stitched,” with collage and quilts depicting people in their everyday lives, and “Making Friends,” sculptures of children at play.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
‘Come and knock on our door’
I’m a sucker for good pop culture cosplay, and when I heard about the “Dress Like Mrs. Roper” contest at Crossroads Art Center, my interest piqued. The character of Mrs. Roper appeared on the first three seasons of the sitcom “Three’s Company”; she and her husband, Stanley, were the landlords of the apartment complex where the show’s central trio resided. While the program was before my time, I do recall watching late-night reruns, and throwing on a kaftan and a chunky necklace sounds like a blast from the past. The gallery is hosting the free event in partnership with Virginia Pride, and there are opportunities to win fun prizes. The retro party is Friday, May 16, from 5 to 8 p.m., and it coincides with the opening of Crossroads’ art exhibition celebrating the ’70s, which runs through June 29.
—Nicole Cohen, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Other Suggestions
- Tickets for the Richmond Ballet’s Moving Art Two at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Leslie Cheek Theater are still available, though going fast, for May 15-18.
- Yes, And Theatrical Co. performs “Cry It Out” at Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Theatre Gym May 15-31.
- Richmond Film Network presents Indie Fest: Season Two, Episode Two at The Park RVA May 17.
- The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia continues its Health Equity Community Conversations series with “Powerful Legacies: Racism, Inequality and Healthcare for African Americans” on May 17.
- Maymont hosts its “Vintage on the Green” gala May 17.
- Swift Creek Mill Theatre’s production of “There Goes the Bride” opens May 17 and continues through June 21.
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.
