Spring hath sprung, and as temperatures rise, opportunities for entertainment indoors and out have increased as well. In the days ahead, a new hyperlocal beer debuts at Fine Creek Brewing Co., the lights are on at The Estate at River Run, peaceful plans are considered in Ashland, and the play “Love Letters,” begins its run at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. Have a great week!
Peace of Mind
A panel of area clergy members and activists will discuss issues relating to peace and unity in modern times on Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. The event, organized by Arthur Bill, creator of the Ashland Peace Project and owner of visual and performing arts studio Behind the Curtain, will be the group’s first online workshop and aims to ask tough questions around the current political landscape. Panelists will include The Rev. Nik Forti of Fork Church in Doswell, Randolph-Macon College Chaplain Kendra Grimes, The Rev. Randell Williams from Shiloh Baptist Church, Unitarian Universalist Bob Davis and community activists Anthony Keit, Noah Peterson and Beth Almore. Registration is suggested. Also on Monday, Bill will unveil a wooden sculpture of a hand in a peace sign, inspired by last year’s Black Lives Matter protests and the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The sculpture will be displayed at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen following the unveiling. Participants in the online workshop will be invited to write messages of peace, unity and hope on the sculpture.
—Rodrigo Arriaza, Staff Writer/Assistant Editor
So Nice They Named It Twice
Calling all beer lovers: In Powhatan, the team from Fine Creek Brewing Co. has been busy prepping for one of their most anticipated releases yet — the paw paw brett saison. The beer hit taps last week and features paw paws, an oblong, green, custardy fruit native to Virginia bursting with tropical flavors including banana and mango and foraged on the property by the Fine Creek crew. A year and a half in the making, the brew packs citrus flavors, and lends a nice, dry finish. P.S.: Be sure to pair the seasonal suds with bites in the taproom menu from Chef Sarah Tocco.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
Light the Night
Whether you’ve visited wedding and event venue The Estate at River Run or not, a new limited-time experience is sure to shine a whole new light on it. Illuminate the Estate offers a self-guided tour of the sprawling grounds of this riverside property. Color-changing lights, provided by The Lighting and Sound Company, will transform the estate. This outdoor event was created to help support local wedding industry professionals who have seen a decline in business due to pandemic restrictions. The event runs April 2 and 3, and 45-minute time slots are available from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $8.95 for children 8 and under and $11.95 for adults.
—Nicole Cohen, Special Projects Editor
Letter Lovers
In the modern era, words between lovers are sent via electronic devices and apps that can encrypt and disappear emotional exchanges of desire and regret. “Love Letters,” a play presented by the Henrico Theatre Company at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, is about a time when words were committed to paper more frequently, leaving behind a story to tell. Actors Elliot Eisenberg and Rebekah Spence portray a couple who maintain a strong bond over written correspondence, despite life’s interruptions. The play runs April 1-11 at the center’s Sara Belle November Theatre. Tickets are $8 to $10.
—Craig Belcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Memory and Time at Reynolds
The art of Sandy Wiliams IV and Carolyn Case, showing until May 1 at Reynolds Gallery, originates in the immediate cultural conversation while holding potential for endurance. Williams, based in Richmond and New York, addresses contemporary anxiety and assumptions in his work. The digital readouts on the backpacks and luggage of his “Unattended Baggage” series aren’t counting down but indicating how often they’ve sensed movement (you may touch the art). The candle melts of “Wax Monuments” demonstrate how the collective memory of historical figures are not impervious to alteration. Case, of Baltimore, created her vigorous “Test Kitchen” paintings during the past pandemic year. In “Morning Dishes,” a spatula figure, cast up from the abstract whirl, provides a grace note of domestic normalcy amid greater uncertainty.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Other Suggestions
- A new Science Museum of Virginia exhibition, “Mental Health: Mind Matters,” tackles mental illness.
- “Virginia Jazz” is reprised at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.
- Local author Yemaja Jubilee discusses her experience at the 1963 March on Washington in a virtual event via Richmond Public Library.
Cast Your Vote!
Voting is now open for Richmond magazine’s 34th annual Best & Worst survey! Support the businesses, events and neighborhoods you know and love by sharing your picks and enter to win prizes from some of the region’s favorites, including The Mill at Fine Creek and Fine Creek Brewing Co., WPA Bakery, AAA Flooring, and Papeterie. Voting continues through May 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.