Welcome to the Monday Rundown, where Richmond magazine's editors share their picks for the best things to see, do and experience in the region over the week ahead.
For the week of Jan. 1, 2018:
New Year’s Day at Pocahontas State Park
Get in shape for the big bowl games with a hike at Pocahontas State Park. They’re starting the new year with events including a strenuous 5.5 mile off-trail hike, an easy 3-mile Run With a Ranger, a hike for ages 6 and younger, an orienteering excursion, and a moderate 3-mile Hike for the Masses (pets on leashes are welcome). Admission is free today at all Virginia state parks.
A Conversation on Immigration
Immigration continues to be a hotly debated topic, with Congress set to take up in January the matter of whether to extend Obama-era protections for undocumented residents who came to the United States as children, and what conditions might accompany such an extension. The Trump administration announced in September it would phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, leaving its approximately 800,000 participants at risk of deportation when their coverage expires. On Tuesday, Jan. 2, The Valentine continues its Controversy History series of community conversations with a talk on "Job Creation: Immigration," contrasting historical and modern perspectives. The free event is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at The Valentine, 1015 E. Clay St.
The Reality of Dancing
The ABC hit “Dancing With the Stars,” which wrapped its 25th season in November, brings its “Light up the Night” tour to the Altria Theater on Jan. 3. Current champion Jordan Fisher and third-place finisher Frankie Muniz are on the possible cast list, along with a dozen “DWTS” pros, including their partners Lindsay Arnold and Witney Carson, but no one’s appearance is guaranteed, so it’s probably best to go in looking more for dancing than for stars, so you’ll have a good time no matter who’s doing the samba onstage. 7:30 p.m. $55 to $75. 6 N. Laurel St.
First Fridays: ‘Gold for a Silver Situation’ at Gallery5
“Women have always had to be gold for a silver situation,” former New Yorker/Vanity Fair Editor Tina Brown once remarked. This show at Gallery5 features work by a dozen of Richmond’s women artists, including Richmond magazine contributors Katie McBride and Victoria Borges. Friday, Jan. 5, beginning at 7 p.m., featuring live music from several acts. (The exhibition runs through Jan. 28.) Free. 200 W. Marshall St.
