Enjoy holiday house tours and historic architecture in Church Hill and the Fan this weekend, then follow the spirit of the season to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden for the annual GardenFest of Lights or check out Richmond Triangle Players’ “Scrooge in Rouge” for a new take on a classic tale. Also this week, the Henrico Sports & Events Center opens, and jazz trumpeter Rex Richardson comes home to Richmond for a performance in Carytown. Enjoy!
It’s Time to Light the Lights
With Thanksgiving behind us, even the biggest scrooge can find something holiday-themed to appreciate, and what’s easier to enjoy than a walk in the park? Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s annual illuminated wonderland, the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights, is in full swing through Jan. 7, dazzling guests with more than a million lights decorating the garden’s trees, buildings and grounds. Tickets (available online only) start at $17 for adults, $8 for children 12 and under.
—Kevin Johnson, Lifestyle Editor
‘A Caroling We Go’
I’m a sucker for a good holiday play, especially when it flips the script, and I can think of no better example than Richmond Triangle Players’ “Scrooge in Rouge,” which takes the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” and creates a hilarious British music hall-style presentation (a form of Victorian-era entertainment similar to vaudeville). The production follows a group of actors as they attempt to stage the play while everything goes wrong, including an outbreak of food poisoning among the cast, no one to play the role of Tiny Tim, missed cues and speedy costume changes. The RTP performances continue through Dec. 23, and tickets are $45.
—Nicole Cohen, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Game On
The new Henrico Sports & Events Center officially opens Monday, Dec. 4, where Virginia Center Commons once stood in the northernmost reaches of the county. A free community celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. and boasts an official ribbon-cutting, music and giveaways throughout the 185,000-square-foot building. There’s more to look forward to next week: Monday, Dec. 11, the arena hosts the Holiday Cheer & Gear sporting goods donation event, followed by a matchup between the Virginia Commonwealth University women’s basketball team and the Delaware Blue Hens.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
Homes for the Holidays
Visiting some of the city’s most charming residences and discovering decorating inspiration is one of my favorite holiday traditions. The 2023 Fan District Association Holiday House Tour features nine private homes and The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (housed in a 1919 Tudor Revival mansion) spanning the streets between Monument and Floyd avenues. The tours run from noon to 5 p.m. on Dec. 9 and 10. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 day of tour. The 57th Church Hill Holiday House Tour takes you from historic St. John’s Church to the 1857 Gothic Revival-style St. Patrick’s Church and inside eight private homes in full holiday regalia. The route also includes neighborhood shops and the oldest firehouse in Richmond. Tours are held from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of tour.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Have Trumpet, Will Travel
You don’t see jazz artist and VCU music professor Rex Richardson around town much because he’s in demand worldwide, with 46 countries on his gig roster. But he’ll be onstage backed by a quintet of powerhouse players for two performances at 8 and 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, at Carytown’s cabaret Révéler. In 2011, when Richardson received Richmond magazine’s Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts, the selectors said, “Richardson stands at the vanguard of jazz, classical and contemporary American music. … He is an extraordinary musician.” So say we all. Tickets start at $15.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Other Suggestions
- “Cabaret” opens at the Weinstein JCC’s Jewish Family Theatre on Dec. 7 with performances through Dec. 17.
- Dec. 8-9 is the final weekend to shop Maymont’s Merry Market, featuring hundreds of unique gifts from local vendors, live music and children’s activities.
- Richmond Ballet performs “The Nutcracker” at the Carpenter Theatre Dec. 8-24.
- The CarMax Tacky Light Run embarks from Mid-Lothian Mines Park on Dec. 9.
- The Ashland Theatre goes to the tots on Dec. 9 for the Toddler Takeover, screening cartoons and other family-friendly shorts for children up to age 6.
- The exhibition “Secrets & Symbols: Hidden Messages in Decorative Objects,” is on view at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture Dec. 9 through Oct. 20, 2024.
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.
