Today, we honor the sacrifices made by the men and women of the United States military. Head to the Virginia War Memorial this morning for the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony and check out additional events below. Also in the days ahead, an exhibition that might be just your type, the annual Richmond Greek Festival and a Roaring ’20s gala. Enjoy!
A Day of Remembrance
In 1956, World War II and the Korean War were fresh in the minds of millions of Americans; in Richmond, citizens gathered to honor living and deceased servicemembers at the newly minted Virginia War Memorial. Decades on, the memorial still carries the torch for the fallen during the 70th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony, today, May 25. Beginning at 11 a.m., the event includes speeches and tributes to all American military members lost to war, as well as music performances and a wreath laying ceremony.
—Kevin Johnson, Lifestyle Editor
Going Greek
An RVA rite of passage: attending the annual Richmond Greek Festival, waiting in line with tray in hand and waiting for it to be filled with generous portions of tender souvlaki and crisp spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, creamy moussaka, and feta-chunked salad; sipping too much Greek rosé; and leaving with a big box of pastries for later. The event returns for its 48th year May 28-31 at the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral. If you prefer a more casual situation, the festival accommodates any crowd-shy Greek food lovers by offering drive-thru to-go boxes. Admission is free. See you there!
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
It’s the Bee’s Knees, Old Sport
Gatsby turned out all right at the end, reflects the unreliable narrator Nick Carraway in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” (which turned 100 last year). But you can reliably enjoy yourself in period glad rags with music by the energetic stylings of the Grace Street Seven (pictured above) at the Richmond Gatsby Gala, Saturday, May 30, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the picturesque Hofheimer Building. Producers After Dark RVA moved this event from New Year’s because why wait to make whoopee? Cocktails, contests and a charity canned food drive; all this, and late-night electric swing provided by DJ Tony-T. Tickets are $55.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
The Right Type
Catch the showcase “Typo Ex, Exhibition of Typographic Expressionism” on display at Anne’s Visual Art Studio Gallery through May 30. Henrico-based graphic designer Brian Vliet uses typography, photo manipulation, pen and ink, and collage to add a tactile element to his artmaking, with his finished pieces characterized by abrasion and distortion. “Typo Ex” is, in his words, a “response to the quiet exhaustion of modern life” and the tension between routine and identity. In addition to Vliet’s layered compositions on display, the exhibition features collaborative pieces with his wife, guest artist Emily Vliet.
—Kelsey Robinson, Associate Editor
Other Suggestions
- Daydream Fest at Main Line Brewery features an all-star lineup of Richmond musicians today, May 25.
- The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar presents “Out of This Strife Will Come Freedom: Free People of Color and the Fight for Equal Rights in the Civil War Era,” a discussion led by George Washington University history professor Warren Eugene Milteer Jr., on May 28.
- Petersburg Area Art League presents the 2026 “Senior Visual Arts Exhibition,” featuring works by the graduating class of Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, through May 28.
- “Fauna,” oil paintings by Kathleen Hall, is on view at Eric Schindler Gallery through May 29.
- View “Broad Street Circa 1919: A Photographic Exhibition” at the Library of Virginia through May 30
More to Remember (All events take place today, Memorial Day, May 25.)
- Chesterfield County and the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia host a Memorial Day Ceremony that will be “Remembering Our Fallen Heroes on America’s 250th” at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Building Exhibition Hall at the County Fairgrounds.
- Join Glendale National Cemetery in Richmond, Cold Harbor National Cemetery in Hanover and Seven Pines National Cemetery in Henrico for a National Memorial Day Ceremony.
- The Sandston Memorial Day Parade embarks from Williamsburg and Beulah roads at 1 p.m. and travels west toward North Confederate Avenue.
- In honor of Memorial Day and VA250, The Valentine museum hosts a historic walking tour of Shockoe and Hebrew cemeteries and the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground.
- Petersburg National Battlefield presents a Catholic Mass followed by a Walking Tour of Poplar Grove National Cemetery, sharing stories of soldiers buried at the site.
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.
