We’re not foolin’ when we say Richmond area activities are amping up with the temps. Celebrate spring break the RVA way this week: cool kids at Maymont, Susie’s is back at Stanley’s, Profs & Pints talks Titanic, Ratboys rock Richmond Music Hall, it’s First Friday and more. Enjoy!
Spring Staycation
If your idea of spring break leans more toward local relaxation than crowded airports or amusement parks, amble over to Maymont this week. Three adorable baby goats named Bunny, Berry and Birdy are the top draw at Maymont Farm, but signs of spring are popping up all over the 100-acre urban park. Visits to the farm and grounds are free and open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, while tickets are required (and reservations suggested) for The Robins Nature Center and Historic Garden Tours ($6-$8 each); attractions close at 5 p.m.
—Mindy Kinsey, Editorial Director
Ratboys in Richmond
Chicago-based roots rockers Ratboys make a stop at the Richmond Music Hall Tuesday, April 2, as part of their 2024 tour. They’ve picked up good press with their latest record, “The Window,” full of power-pop jams and folksy ballads on par with contemporaries like Big Thief and Wednesday. This show, with support from indie rock duo Ducks Ltd., will be their first time back in Richmond since their 2016 performance at the cherished and now-defunct Strange Matter while touring their debut album, AOID; with any luck, it won’t be another eight years before they come to town again. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $18.
—Kevin Johnson, Lifestyle Editor
Love Language
It’s been about three months since I’ve had food from Susie’s, which, in my opinion, is three months too long. Helmed by Yael Cantor, the pop-up is a showcase of her family heritage, blending the flavors of her Jewish-Mediterranean upbringing in the form of chopped liver crostinis, tuna melts on challah bread and homemade dips such as schug and hummus. While we patiently await the debut of her forthcoming deli and cafe in the Fan — a cozy two-level space expected to open in the fall — I suggest getting reacquainted with her cuisine. On Tuesday, April 2, Susie’s will return to Stanley’s from 5 p.m. until sellout with a first come first serve menu. Pro tip: Don’t risk it, get there early.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
Iceberg, Dead Ahead
Nearly 112 years ago, the Titanic sank into the icy North Atlantic Ocean — and our hearts will forever go on. The expedition, however, was doomed from the start, argues Vincent Brannigan, professor emeritus of the University of Maryland's Clark School of Engineering. Brannigan will discuss the Titanic’s mechanical and human-caused failures at the next installment of Profs & Pints at Triple Crossing Brewing’s Fulton outpost on Wednesday, April 3 — and what we have and haven’t learned from the disaster. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets start at $13.50.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
'Who are Virginians?'
Although there is history all around us in this city, it’s the many untold or ignored stories that bring critical thinking to our cultural understanding. The Virginia Forum draws together myriad historians and activists to explore those stories in a weekend forum April 4-6 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Centering on the theme “Who were/are Virginians?” wide-ranging discussions on topics from Virginia’s history of eugenics to post-pandemic secondary education promise to stimulate conversations and challenge status-quo assumptions. Registration starts at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 4. Tickets are $30-$150.
—Claire Fortier, Special Projects Editor
Doing What Comes Naturally
The First Friday opening at Gallery 5 of “Botanical Bodies: An Exhibition on the forms of Flora and Humanity” features the work of more than 20 artists. The variety of work interprets the natural world and our place as organism within the environment. And because this is Gallery 5, there’ll also be music by the Sweet Potatoes, We Never and others, plus a celebration of the sheer joy of living: DJs, fire artists, projection art and more. So far, so Richmond. The general merriment begins at 5 p.m. Friday, April 5.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Other Suggestions
- Renowned classical pianist Emanuel Ax will perform Beethoven, Schoenberg and Webern at University of Richmond’s Camp Concert Hall, April 5.
- The American Civil War Museum hosts a kids’ program, “My Day with Abe Lincoln,” and other events during Civil War & Emancipation Day on April 6.
- The Charles Owens Trio will perform in the first in a series of concerts to benefit the restoration of Moore Street School, 7 p.m. April 6.
- Hardywood hosts a spring artisan market, noon to 5 p.m. April 7.
- Wrapping up: It’s the final week for “Satchmo at the Waldorf” at the November Theatre; “Zero Hour,” presented in partnership with the Jewish Family Theatre at Virginia Rep’s Theatre Gym; and Chesterfield Restaurant Week — all three close April 7.
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.
