Photo by Joey Wharton
Best local band or musician
During the early days of the pandemic, it wouldn’t have been advisable for this 11-member group even to rehearse. As restrictions ease, No BS! co-founder Reggie Pace says the group will get back to what it’s known for. “It feels good to be supported by the people in the community,” Pace says, adding that a new single, featuring band members recorded remotely, is in the works.
2. Tie: Pat O’Brien; Three Sheets to the Wind
3. Tie: Carbon Leaf; South Hill Banks
Best theater event or series
In normal times, the fastest way for theater lovers to get to a Broadway-quality production is to make a right turn past Monroe Park. These days, Broadway in Richmond, which brought us “Hamilton” this season, has gone dark. “Currently, the Altria Theater stage is silent, but behind the scenes we are busy planning for when the pandemic threat subsides,” a message on its website reads.
2. Virginia Repertory Theatre
3. The Richmond Forum
Photo by Sarah Ferguson
Best dance event
407 E. Canal St., 804-344-0906
The studio series at the Richmond Ballet offers everything from contemporary ballet to the classics. “The RVA community has always been such an incredible support to Richmond Ballet, and now more than ever we appreciate each and every patron who is passionate about the continuation of dance in our city,” says Managing Director Brett Bonda. “We look forward to returning to the intimate Studio Theatre stage as soon as possible, hopefully this fall.”
2. “The Nutcracker” at Central Virginia Dance Academy
Photo by Dave Parrish
Best music festival
For 16 years, the Richmond Folk Festival has brought a variety of acts to Richmond stages, from big names (Roseanne Cash and Mavis Staples) to obscure acts you’ll never forget such as Tuvan throat singer Hunn-Hurr-Tu. This year’s festival is canceled, but the show will go online with videos of past performances, new performances, a virtual marketplace and children’s activities.
2. Richmond Jazz and Music Festival
Annual event with the worst parking
Of all the things Richmonders miss about the outdoor music scene, finding a parking space isn’t one of them. Getting to the Richmond Folk Festival can be a journey. If you leave your car at one of the festival’s remote parking sites, you can ride a free shuttle to the event, or you can pay parking fees at one of the city’s downtown decks.
2. Richmond Greek Festival
3. Carytown Watermelon Festival
Photo by Travis Fullerton © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
MULTICATEGORY WINNER
Kehinde Wiley’s ‘Rumors of War’ Statue
Valerie Cassel Oliver, the VMFA’s Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, observes, “ ‘Rumors of War’ has been truly monumental in its ability to create a seismic shift in how we perceive one another and, more importantly, how we understand ourselves. This provides a new narrative not only for the Richmond community, but the nation.”
“Kehinde Wiley’s sculpture ‘Rumors of War’ is one of the most important acquisitions that VMFA has made,” adds VMFA Director Alex Nyerges, “and it continues to shape some of the most important conversations visitors to the museum and our community are having.”
Best local statue/monument
1. “Rumors of War”
2. Robert E. Lee
3. Tie: Arthur Ashe; Maggie L. Walker
Best new local attraction
1. “Rumors of War”
2. Top Golf
3. Tie: Drive Shack; Scott’s Addition
Photo by Eileen Mellon
Best live music venue within city limits
Things are quiet at The National, recalling the days it sat dormant after closing in 1983, before being revived by local investors in 2008. The historic venue has hosted rock, rap, pop and R&B artists along with comedians and a recurring dance party known as “Art of Noise.” When live shows return, The National, with its superior sound and clear views, will again be the place to be.
2. Brown’s Island
3. The Broadberry
MULTICATEGORY WINNER
4901 Lake Brook Drive, 800-514-3849
Located in Glen Allen, the outdoor venue regularly hosts country music chart toppers and pop and urban acts from yesteryear. The stage may be silent this summer, but it’s not a question of if the music will return to the venue, but when.
“Music has been bringing our community together for 35 years, and we are definitely not stopping now,” says Matthew Creeger, producer, Event-Makers USA/After Hours Concert Series. Many of the acts that were set to perform this year will now be part of the 2021 concert season, including Lynryd Skynyrd, the Indigo Girls and Ludacris.
Best live music venue in the counties
1. Innsbrook After Hours
2. The Tin Pan
3. Tie: Pocahontas State Park; Uptown Alley
Best concert series
1. Innsbrook After Hours
2. Friday Cheers
3. Richmond Symphony
Best non-music festival in the counties
St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church, 4611 Sadler Road
For 35 years, St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church has invited Richmonders to enjoy authentic Lebanese cuisine, traditional music and dancing in a family-friendly environment. Since 1985, generations of families from Richmond’s Lebanese community have continued the tradition of preparing meat pies, zaatar bread, falafel and myriad other Lebanese culinary delights for a yearly gathering that now attracts almost 40,000 visitors.
2. Hanover Tomato Festival
Best non-music festival in the city
Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Ave.
Andrea Junes Baker, who has worked with the Greek Festival for all of its 44 years, shares the secret ingredient to its success: “Philoxenia,” she says. “It’s kind of like a state of mind that Greeks have. It’s a love of strangers, and eagerness to show hospitality, love and warmth.” The festival is slated to return June 3-6, 2021.
2. Dominion Riverrock
3. Tie: Broad Appetit; Richmond SPCA Fur Ball
Best arcade
When it comes to retro games and fun, our readers know The Circuit doesn’t play around. They’ve got a serious collection of side-scrollers, first-person shooters along with arcade staples such as Skee Ball, vintage pinball and dome hockey. The games are on pause for now, but hold on to those tokens, because when the screens power up again, you’ll want next.
2. Bingo Beer Co.
3. Slingshot
Photo courtesy Arts in the Park
Best art-focused event
Arts in the Park began as a small showing inside the Virginia War Memorial Carillon and grew to an annual event that extends throughout Byrd Park. This year’s event was canceled, but organizers are planning a triumphant return for their 50th anniversary. “We hope to make it one of the best we’ve ever had,” says public relations chair Paige Quilter.
2. Richmond Folk Festival
3. InLight
Best escape room
Ravenchase Adventures: Escape Room Rva, Gnome & Raven, Warehouse 29
With more than a decade of experience with the riddles, puzzles and adventures that captivate people who love escape rooms, it’s no surprise that readers think the three rooms Ravenchase Adventures offers are the best. In response to the pandemic, the company moved some of the drama behind its brainteasers online with virtual Zoom rooms. Last month, the doors to many of its themed rooms were set to reopen with new safety precautions.
2. Breakout
Best museum or attraction for kids
These are times when tired parents would love to tell their quarantined children where they can go — for fun. For years, one of the best places for that has been the Children’s Museum. “Here, kids find a world designed especially for them,” says Danielle Ripperton, chief executive officer. “Of course, what they don’t realize is how much they are learning, growing and developing while playing.”
2. Science Museum of Virginia
3. VMFA
1 of 2
Photo by Jay Paul
2 of 2
Photo by Jay Paul
Best mural
Tie: Mickael Broth’s Bernie Sanders; Etam Cru’s “Moonshine”
3300 W. Broad St.; 1011 W. Grace St.
Since Mickael Broth painted the mural of a slam-dancing Bernie Sanders on 3300 W. Broad St. in April 2016, the towering image of the politician has remained an iconic symbol of Richmond’s vibrant street art scene and progressive spirit. “My wife, Brionna Nomi, and I knocked it out in one day, and it took on a life of its own,” Broth says.
In 2013, Sainer and Bezt of the Polish street art duo Etam Cru left an indelible work of art on the side of the apartment building at 1011 W. Grace St. that became well known not just in the Fan. “Moonshine” placed at No.3 on Buzzfeed’s “Best Street Art in the World 2013.”
2. Canal Walk/floodwall murals
3. Emily Herr’s “Girls! Girls! Girls!” at Sheppard and Broad
Illustration by Em Roberts
Best bowling alley
River City Roll
939 Myers St., 804-331-0416
This boutique bowling alley boasts fine dining, copious outdoor space and live music. Inspired by Brooklyn Bowl in New York, co-founder Rob Long brought his vision to Scott’s Addition in 2018. With current capacity restrictions, Hall says, “It’s tough being a place where hundreds of people gather to have fun, and everything is stacked up and empty inside. We’re just ready to let it rip again.”
2. Uptown Alley
3. AMF bowling alleys
Best trivia night
Tie: The Grill at Patterson and Libbie; O’Toole’s; Penny Lane Pub (Trivia With Ben & Patrick); Vasen Brewing Co.
The only question local trivia players don’t know the answer to is when their favorite game will return. Ryan Byrne, the general manager of The Grill at Patterson and Libbie, is unsure when Tuesday-night trivia will resume, but he’s glad his customers haven’t forgotten the event. “The reason we do trivia is to make it exciting for our customers to come out and have a good time,” he says.
2. Tie: Isley Brewing Co.; Rare Olde Times
