Summer may be winding down, but the Richmond music scene is heating up. This weekend offers classical, jazz, soul and zydeco and a fiddle festival for your dancing delight. Plus, celebrate Black philanthropy, check out some cool cars, tour a National Historic Landmark and more. Enjoy!
Giving Is a Black Tradition
Forget the Rockefellers and the Gateses — it’s time to honor Black philanthropic leaders who have had a major impact in our region, particularly on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The collective impact of that giving is the subject of a fireside chat with Dr. Makola Abdullah (above), president of Virginia State University, and Devon Henry, rector of the board of visitors at Norfolk State University, on Thursday, Aug. 17, at Main Street Station. The event is the culmination of the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia’s fifth annual Black Philanthropy Month Celebration. The VSU Sankofa Dance Theatre will perform, and the L. Robert Bolling and Veronica Fleming Ingenuity Awards will be announced. The event is free, including valet parking, but registration is required.
—Claire Fortier, Special Projects Editor
Get up offa that thing!
If you’re like me, cherishing these fleeting summer moments is at the top of the agenda lately, which means sneaking in all the live outdoor music I can. And no matter the mood, the undeniable funk of James Brown gets the body movin’ and groovin’. Dance away the week’s woes on Friday, Aug. 18, at Dogwood Dell Amphitheatre with some help from the “Godfather of Soul.” Local talents The Big Payback take the stage at 8 p.m., bringing Brown’s classic hits from the ’60s and ’70s to life during the free tribute concert.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
String Time in the City
Is there a difference between a violinist and a fiddler? Either way, you’ll be treated to some great tunes when the third Festival of Virginia Fiddling comes to Dogwood Dell as part of its annual Festival of Arts series Saturday, Aug. 19, from noon to 10 p.m., featuring workshops, concerts and dance. The players include Rockbridge County’s renowned New Plank Road String Band, jazz fiddler Larry Lyles added to the intoxicating mixture of the Rambling Roots, the stylistic adventuring of Dennis Elliott and the Scots variations of John Turner. Bring a picnic basket and maybe one of those concert chairs for the free event.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Heritage Celebration
Head over to Jackson Ward’s Abner Clay Park on Saturday, Aug. 19, for the 32nd Down Home Family Reunion, a cultural arts festival that organizer Elegba Folklore Society says “takes attendees on a journey of heritage and folklore from West Africa into the Americas.” That means plenty of music, dance, stories, food and shopping, including performances from Be’la Dona, Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe, Tunji Band, the society’s dance troupe, and more, plus a special area of crafts, games and contests for children and teens. The free party runs from 4 to 11 p.m.
—Mindy Kinsey, Editorial Director
The Colors of Music
Beautiful music in a lovely setting. What more could you ask for as we approach the last days of summer? The Richmond Concert Band will perform a free outdoor concert at Agecroft Hall & Gardens at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, on the grounds of the historic home. Bring chairs, blankets and a picnic, and soak in the sounds at this free concert (registration is requested). The rain date is Aug. 27.
—Laura McFarland, Lifestyle Editor
Other Suggestions
- Help raise funds for cancer research by stopping by the Hamilton Beach Brands Lemonade Stand Aug. 17.
- Tour Monumental Church, a National Historic Landmark completed in 1814, with Historic Richmond’s Quoit Club on Aug. 17.
- Cars and Coffee, the casual car show, meets Aug. 19 at its new location, Stony Point Fashion Park near Saks Fifth Avenue.
- Dolls in the City is a pop-up turned party featuring felted dolls, brooches and craft kits from artist Nastassja Swift at Quirk Gallery on Aug. 19.
- Comedian Leanne Morgan riffs on motherhood and more at Dominion Energy Center Aug. 19.
- Feel the beat at Ember Music Hall’s Barbie Dream Party on Aug. 19.
- Erving Del Pilar combines souvenirs and nostalgia with a surrealist aesthetic in his “Myth and Musings: A Personal Journey in Collages,” at Artspace gallery through Aug. 19.
- Richmond Triangle Players present “Head Over Heels,” a jukebox musical featuring songs by The Go-Go’s, through Aug. 26.
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.
