Founder and owner of GrowRVA Karen Grisevich (Photo by Monica Escamilla)
Best farmers market
Now a Thursday evening market, the original Saturday SOTJ market moved to Bryan Park last year, allowing it to spread out during pandemic restrictions. The Bryan Park market was recently rebranded as the RVA Big Market, while the Thursday market in Forest Hill Park now has a smaller, more neighborhood feel. Founder Karen Grisevich (left) is grateful to the Richmond community for its “continued love of local and supporting our farmers, artists and culinary artists.”
2. RVA Big Market
3. Farmers Market at St. Stephen’s
Best bowling alley
939 Myers St., 804-331-0416
Now that the worst of the pandemic is over, people don’t need to bowl alone — either virtually or IRL. River City Roll features boutique bowling, a seasonal menu, craft cocktails, a dog-friendly covered and heated patio, and live music. Balls and lanes are sanitized between groups. While it’s fun for the whole family, the facility is ages 21 and over after 7 p.m.
2. Uptown Alley
3. King Pin Lanes
Photo by Brittany Diliberto
Best local band
The Virginia quintet will release its 20th album this fall, and the band has been enticing locals with “ether-electrified porch music” for 27 years. The decades of support from fans is appreciated. “From those early days booking Monday night club gigs in The Fan or Shockoe Bottom to landing support slots for bigger local bands of the time, we owe a great debt to the Richmond community over the years,” says lead singer Barry Privett.
2. Tie: Butcher Brown; Susan Greenbaum; No BS! Brass Band
3. Three Sheets to the Wind
Best virtual cultural experience
“COVID destroyed live music, and creating Shockoe Sessions Live was our response,” says Carlos Chaffin, president of the 30-year-old In Your Ear Studios. The virtual concerts were adapted from art-and-business mixers that started in 2016. “As the veil lifts, live music is coming back strong,” says Chaffin, noting that a new partnership with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery pairs the Tuesday streaming show with a Thursday concert at Hardywood’s new downtown Barrel Room. “We also are opening the studio to a gallery audience this summer.”
Photo by Heather Palmateer
Best museum or attraction for kids
2500 W. Broad St., 804-864-1400
As the Science Museum of Virginia prepared to reopen, the staff redesigned aspects of the museum, providing more space for visitors, making changes to its ventilation system and limiting attendance. The changes didn’t go unnoticed. “We get some really nice feedback from the guests, that they felt safe and that they could bring their family,” says Richard Conti, the museum’s chief wonder officer. “And while there were fewer people that came, I think the quality of the visits was really good.”
2. Children’s Museum of Richmond
3. VMFA
Best mural
Etam Cru, “Moonshine” (Strawberry Girl)
1011 W. Grace St.
The young woman with a bow-adorned band slid into her black-purple hair, bent knees jutting up, is sunk in a giant jar of strawberry moonshine hovering over a 7-Eleven parking lot. Is she preparing to rise up — or is she dozing? The Poland-based muralist team of Sainer and Betzt, working under the collective name “Etam Cru,” created this piece in 2013 for the Richmond Mural Art Project. She’s become part of the scenery, but our girl needs a touch-up — and maybe a towel and some coffee.
2. Nils Westergard, “Sundae” at Richmond SPCA
3. Mickael Broth, “Feel the Bern”
Best theater event or series
Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel St., 804-592-3368
“We are delighted to be recognized for our theatrical efforts,” says Broadway in Richmond spokesperson Cindy Creasy, “and thrilled that Broadway in Richmond is back with classics, family favorites and market premieres.” The 2021-22 season begins with performances of “Anastasia” (Oct. 26-31). It’s followed by the Richmond premiere of “Come From Away” (Feb. 1-6, 2022). Also included in the season lineup: “Disney’s The Lion King,” “My Fair Lady,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Mean Girls.”
2. The Richmond Forum
3. Time Warp Drag Show
Photo courtesy Sports Backers
Best nonmusic festival
Since its inception in 2009, Dominion Energy Riverrock has become one of the country’s top outdoor sports festivals, albeit one with a healthy lineup of musical performers. This year, the event adapted to pandemic restrictions with smaller activities and expanded events. “I think the way that the community came together to celebrate our outdoor scene ... was just incredible,” says Megan Schultz, chief operating officer at Sports Backers. “We learned a lot of new ways of doing things that we’re hopefully able to apply in the future.”
2. Arts in the Park
3. Richmond Greek Festival
Best nonmusic festival in the counties
Tie: Ashland Strawberry Faire; Hanover Tomato Festival; Lebanese Food Festival
The family-friendly Ashland Strawberry Faire, which raises money for the Hanover County Scholarship Program, is set to return on June 11, 2022, following a pandemic-related hiatus.
Dubbed “Hanover’s famous fruit,” the tomato was celebrated during the entire month of July this year in lieu of the one-day Hanover Tomato Festival, with music, a scavenger hunt and an outdoor showing of “Fried Green Tomatoes,” says Marcy Durrer, recreation program director for Hanover County Parks and Recreation.
Since 1985, the Lebanese Food Festival has served up tabouli, meat pies, falafel and more. “You always come back because you are treated like family,” says Sandra Joseph Brown, a member of the event steering committee.
Best music festival
Once again, readers agree that the Richmond Folk Festival is one thing the city gets right. After a virtual event last year, the festival is preparing for a return to live stages from Oct. 8-10. “Now more than ever, we know how important it is for us to come together safely in a shared celebration of culture and experiences,” says Stephen Lecky, director of events for Venture Richmond.
2. Friday Cheers
3. Richmond Jazz and Music Festival
Photo courtesy Craig Belcher
Editor’s Best
Musical Moments
This past year has taught me the importance of cherishing what you love and living in those moments. It’s a lesson learned that can be applied to our local arts scene. While the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival was canceled this year, you can still get your smooth jazz grooves on at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W. Broad St.), which is the site for a string of concerts, including Maysa (Aug. 15) and Gerald Albright (Aug. 29) this month.
Music soothes souls in troubled times, and one place that keeps it flowing is Brambly Park (1708 Belleville St.) in Scott’s Addition. The venue, which includes an urban winery, restaurant and park, fills the night with sounds of rock and jazz on a regular basis.
Larger venues have their charm, too, and I’m looking forward to the return of the mighty Whispers when they open for Patti LaBelle at the Altria Theater (6 N. Laurel St.) on Oct. 30. —Craig Belcher, arts & entertainment editor
Best live music venue in the counties
8982 Quioccasin Road, 804-447-8189
Since opening six years ago, The Tin Pan has built a reputation among music lovers as a top-tier venue. Having a schedule of solid performers and great acoustics will do that for you. “We are so happy to come back and serve our Richmond friends and continue to bring high-quality music, food and atmosphere to the greater Virginia area,” club owner Lisa Harrison says via email. “Many thanks to our loyal customers who have supported us throughout the pandemic.”
2. Innsbrook After Hours
3. Pocahontas State Park
Best live music venue within city limits
708 E. Broad St., 804-612-1900
The city’s favored and historic venue The National had its first show since the pandemic late last month, a performance from indie act Japanese Breakfast. Upcoming shows include Tanya Tucker, The Struts and local favorite Lucy Dacus. For music lovers in River City, getting back to normal means getting back to The National.
2. The Broadberry
3. Tie: Brown’s Island; The Camel
Photo by Travis Fullerton © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Multicategory Winner
‘Rumors of War’
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.
When “Rumors of War” made its debut at the VMFA in late 2019, few anticipated the reckoning with Richmond’s Confederate monuments that would occur over the following year. Created by artist Kehinde Wiley, the statue was inspired by the monuments he observed on Monument Avenue during his 2016 visit to Richmond for his VMFA exhibition. VMFA Director Alex Nyerges says Wiley’s sculpture quickly became one of the museum’s most popular attractions: “People are there seven days a week, night and day, having their pictures taken in front of ‘Rumors of War.’ That’s what Kehinde wanted to do, is lift spirits and give voices to those who have not been heard, and I think this does it.”
Best local statue/monument
1. “Rumors of War”
2. Robert E. Lee statue, including its recent additions
3. Arthur Ashe monument
Best new local attraction
1. “Rumors of War”
2. Marcus-David Peters Circle/Reimagined Lee monument
3. Rosie’s Gaming Emporium
Photo by Heather Palmateer
Best arcade
3121 W. Leigh St.
The binga-binging, flipper-flippingest, wham-whammiest place in Scott’s Addition, Circuit has more than 80 games of electro-yore (“Asteroids,” “Galaga”) and now (“Sunset Riders,” “X-Men”). If you sure play a mean pinball, they’ve got ’em, too, from “The Addams Family” to “Star Wars Pro.” Rotating craft beers and ciders and wines on tap are self-serve by the ounce, allowing you to sample flights between games.
2. Bingo Beer Co.
3. Dave & Buster’s
Best escape room
7025 Three Chopt Road, 804-477-6369
Perhaps, during most of 2020, into this year, you wanted to escape from your own house. In the varied scenarios offered by Escape Room RVA, you can challenge your mind as you use a set of clues to unlock an adventure. Current scenarios allow you to locate an apparently missing crew from an abandoned starship or, as an archaeologist, tumble into the temple of Fluffy Sprinkles — Medusa’s pet cat.
2. Gnome & Raven
3. Breakout Games
Best movie theater
Bow-Tie Cinemas Movieland at Boulevard Square
1301 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., 804-354-6008
Housed in a renovated locomotive factory, Bow-Tie Cinemas Movieland at Boulevard Square kept chugging along as the city emerged from the pandemic restrictions. “Richmond reopened almost one year ago, and thanks to our excellent staff and loyal customers, we have been able to welcome back more and more guests each week to a safe and clean movie theater environment,” says Executive Vice President of Film & Marketing Jared Milgram.
2. The Byrd Theatre
3. CMX Cinebistro at Stony Point Fashion Park
