I've finally made it to Arts in the Park after living in Richmond for nearly a decade. A friend and…read moreI met at City Stadium to take the shuttle. The line was long but it moved quickly. They had a few shuttles in rotation, and they were nice, luxury buses. The area surrounding the festival in Byrd Park looked pretty gnarly with traffic, so I definitely do not recommend driving. There were over 350 vendors at the 2026 event. A large directory and map greeted us upon arrival, which was a nice touch and helped guide us around the event efficiently. The weather was perfect -- early spring mild temps with plenty of sunshine. I found loads of gorgeous pottery for gifts at reasonable rates. We didn't eat on site, but there were plenty of food vendors. We attended on the second day and the porta pots weren't the best. The event was busy but not claustrophobic. The layout was quite nice for strolling, and the Carillon added extra scenery to the day. I will absolutely be back in future years!

This is one of the best Springtime events in Richmond. All different types of crafters, artists and…read moreartisans come to show their wares. You never know what you will find. There are food and drink vendors. I recommend carrying a bottle of water, you will be doing a lot of walking and lemonade was $8.00 this year. The food prices were okay. I got a well smoked BBQ sandwich with coleslaw for $8.00. The food was tasty. The art is fun and you will see all kinds of things like jewelry, artistic notecards, lotions, soaps, whirligigs, and what nots galore. It is a fun event for all ages. Dogs are welcome too.

Richmond's Pride may not be comparable to celebrations in San Francisco or D.C., but that's okay…read more VA PrideFest is a low-key, inclusive, family-friendly event celebrating love and openness that the whole community can enjoy. It's a breath of fresh air to have an event where everyone is so friendly and you know that you are accepted and that you belong. There's something incredibly powerful being surrounded by crowds of happy people who may not know you, but support you and who you are. Past Prides have included live music, drag and dance performances, awards presentations, speeches from local activists and community leaders, food trucks, full bars, vendors, and activities for kids and kids at heart. You can come just to enjoy the atmosphere and a bite to eat, as well as learn about the local LGBTQ scene and resources available to the community, from health services and STD testing, counseling and safe spaces, to social clubs and organizations to meet like-minded people. The one downside with holding the event in the city is that parking can be a nightmare, and it's not always the most accessible for those with mobility challenges. I strongly recommend carpooling or using a ride sharing service that can drop you off at the entrance (with the added bonus of having a designated driver!).

When your 17-year-old daughter requests your presence at an event, you must go, right?…read more Not that it's a burden. I'm a screaming liberal and believe in equality across the board. My empathy kicks in and I want everyone to feel welcomed, included and valued. I hadn't thought about going to PrideFest. I feel like id be a heterosexual crashing the party, but that wasn't my experience at all. I felt completely comfortable and welcomed. Thank you Richmond for being so inclusive. As a child of the 80s, I feel like we were on the verge of being really open and inclusive, but we weren't quite there. Thanks to my daughter's generation for taking it across the finish line. PrideFest was a wonderful celebration of humanity and acceptance. Thank you for being you and for allowing me to being me. Love and acceptance is what matters in this messed up world. Keep loving and fighting for each other, Richmond. That will make us the most proud in the long run. If you haven't gone to PrideFest, go. #noregrets #loveisbiggerthananythinginthisworld.

I had an incredible time at the Chesterfield County Fair last night! I went with my fiancé and a…read morefriend. We decided to do an engagement photoshoot at the fair for some unique photos. They allowed me to bring in my camera, but know that you can only bring in clear bags or small purses. Entry for adults was $12. We went on a Wednesday around 8pm. On weeknights they are open until 11pm. I had really low expectations and was pleasantly surprised, this fair was amazing! We stayed until closing. We caught the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack show which was a bit cheesy, but still fun. We then caught an incredible circus show with acrobats, stuntmen, and more. We were in awe after their performances. We got a lot of fun photos on the rides and at one of the games. We had fun riding the merry go round and the ferris wheel. In between rides we got a really yummy fried cheesecake. We played my favorite fair game, the water race. Everyone who worked the fair was extremely kind. It was such a nostalgic and fun evening. We closed our evening with some hot dogs and fried oreos. The fair is great fun for all ages! Like most fairs and carnivals, do know that it can get expensive with games, rides, and food, but it's a blast. Their is free parking right across the street from the main entrance. There were women and men restrooms in indoor spaces. They even had fair prize winners on display in certain rooms. I loved this fair and can't wait to go again next year.

As long as I've lived in Richmond, I can't believe this was my first time to the CCF…read more Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. Primarily because it's so small! Not a lot of rides. Not a lot of vendors. Not a lot of games. Not a lot of food options. Long, slow lines to get in. We two adults and three kids managed to have a fun time regardless. I liked the butterfly exhibit. Appreciated the clean bathrooms in the exhibit area. Convenient parking at L.C. Bird right across the street. If you're going to ride rides, find your wristband for half price ($12.50) online or... we got ours at a bank. It'll still cost you $10 (adults) to just get in. Doubtful I go again, but it does seem like a fun place to be if you live nearby. It felt like a small, community event.

LOVED the Festival of India! This is my first year attending, and I had the best time. I love…read moreseeing all the sarees and salwar kameez, the sparkling gems and intricate embroidery. The opulent and glimmering jewelry, I could look for hours! Watching the little girls dance is always a treat, but the star of the show is the food, of course! I've had butter chicken and biryani before so I really wanted to try something new. FIrst I had a kachori. This is basically a puffy paratha stuffed with lentils and seasoning. Then they fry it up (so it gets puffy) and poke a huge hole in the middle. They pour three different kinds of chutney in there... One is like raita (green chutney), then tamarind chutney, then cilantro chutney. Then, they top it with some diced red onions. You go shake some more spices on top and dig in. IT WAS AMAZING. Seriously, I want another one now just thinking about it. I love samosas, so I had several of those, a good chicken curry with rice and salad and a kati roll, which is like a wrap stuffed with coconut chicken and onions. I stuffed myself full of food and floated home on cloud 9. This is authentic, tasty Indian food and a fun experience. Appeal to your adventurous side and give it a whirl!

This was so fun! I was invited by a friend. We went on Saturday. It was at the convention center…read more There were so many booths of food! The options were great. I'm no Indian food expert, but I do have a few faves that I always get. I used this as an opportunity to try new things and I loved what I had. My bf is a novice at Indian food and he loved everything he tried. There was lots of vendors for shopping as well. Overall, I'm glad I went.

If you didn't go to Virginia Tech, you may want to skip this wine festival. The Central Virginia…read moreWine Festival is hosted by the Richmond chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association. 14 wineries are present at Innsbrook, and your ticket ($20 in advance, $25 at the door) gets you unlimited tasting. Here's what I wasn't a fan of. First off, it's a really hot, crowded day to be outside at Innsbrook. The wineries are under tents, but the tasters aren't really, so prepare to sweat. Also, because of the warm weather, most of the wines weren't cold enough to get a good taste. No one wants to drink warm wine, be it red or white. Second, along with wine, they were selling beer. This led to lots of non-wine-drinking Va Tech grads just hanging out getting drunk. Not my favorite atmosphere when I'm actually trying to taste wine. There were lots of the usual player wineries here: Grayhaven, James River Cellars, Cooper, Lake Anna, etc., which is nice if you don't drink much local wine, but if you do, you might prefer to sample these wines at the local wineries or at a festival at a nearby winery with nicer atmosphere. There were people selling food, but nothing looked too great. We stayed for about 2 hours and then were hot/bored/sick of the crowds and left. Go: if you want to get drunk with a bunch of hokies. Don't go: if you actually want to sample wine and find some you like.

This festival was a huge hit! I just adored the crowd and the people in charge. There was music,…read morefood, and, of course, tons of wine. Everything you could ever want in a wine festival was there and it was magical. I happened to be there working the Yelp table, but I did get a chance to walk around as a spectator and experience the festival in that way. This year the sun was beaming down with fury. Around midday you could tell that the heat was taking its toll on folks, but the VIP tent had tons of water so kudos to them for anticipating #TheThirst. My favorite winery in all of VA, Belle Mount Vineyards, was there which made me super happy. No other winery could have shown up and I would have been perfectly fine. But the fact that I could get pepper spray, my favorite sangria from Belle Mount, and clothes from various vendors at the same festival makes it a winner in my book. I also love how it's always very well-attended, but never so busy that you can't move like other festivals in RVA tend to be. Definitely check it out next year!

The Jewish Food Festival hosted by the Weinstein Jewish Community Center is one of my favorite…read moreRichmond food events. It's not only some of the best food, but also the friendliest staff or any local festival. I don't know how they do it, but the smiling, ever helpful volunteers run the event like a well oiled machine. Every year the event is absolutely packed and yet they are still able to provide fast service and great home cooking to the entire community. The festival takes place once a year during the Sunday and Monday of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, as Saturday is the Sabbath and many local businesses are closed for the holiday on Monday. The Community Center has a private parking lot which fills up quickly, but for the event other businesses volunteer their parking lots across the street and police are onsite to direct pedestrian traffic. Admission is free, and it's a very family friendly event. When you enter the Center everything is labeled to make navigation easy. Large rooms are set up with tables and chairs on both sides of the lobby to sit and enjoy food and guest musical performances. Their are vendors selling crafts, clothing, jewelry, and traditional Jewish baked goods as you walk through, and at the back of the lobby is the entrance to the main food service tent. The line is long, but don't be intimidated! It moves incredibly quickly, and it's a good time to study the menu. When you get to the front of the line, grab a cafeteria tray and a volunteer will direct you to an open station. The front of the tent has European Jewish dishes like brisket, latkes, knish, and corned beef. In the back there is an Israel station with shwarma, falafel, and kefta. The line to pay also goes through the drink and silverware stations, so you can choose from beer, wine, coffee, water, and a variety of sodas. In the years I've gone I have never been disappointed by the quality of the food. This is a real Jewish home cooking, and the prices are very reasonable. Everything is served in to-go containers in case you don't want to eat on site, and ordering ahead is also available. I definitely recommend stopping by!

This event takes place each year over one weekend in October. After a few years in historic Church…read moreHill, the Original Italian Street Festival moved to the Horticultural Gardens at the Richmond Raceway Complex in 2009 to accommodate more people. I think many of us liked the original downtown atmosphere, but I get the decision. The Raceway Complex has plenty of parking and room for vendors to spread out. Food is definitely the main focus at this event. Italian Restaurants from all over Richmond, such as Roma's, Italian Kitchen West, Bacchus, Angelo's, DeFazio's, Original Gino's Pizza and Cafe' Espresso, set up shop and sell authentic Italian food. I was impressed that the spread doesn't include just pizza and pasta. There's good fried calamari, arborio rice balls and gelato. Even the basic pasta and pizza are fresh and tasty. Nothing tastes like it's been sitting at a festival for hours. There's also Italian wine and beer for sale, live music, crafters and some Italian culture demonstrations. The event gets bigger every year.

Well the entrance is a bit intimidating as they say $5 donation...but they are standing right there…read moreblocking the entrance with the money box waiting to collect as you walk into the festival. Um.....Do I have to pay $5? That was the cheap me asking... The answer was no, but we still gave to the cause (not sure which one...I guess the festival one) and then went in to spend $9 on a plate, $3.5 on a piece of pizza, and $1.?? on a drink, oh and $5 for funnel cake. That plus $5 equals my lunch and dinner and now I'm hungry again. :) But really a fun event, lots of italian food choices, great people, warm sun hitting off the concrete weather good ole time. It's my love for Italy and Italian Food that keeps me coming back for more.

This outdoor wine festival takes place for one weekend every April. About 12 wineries come to the…read moreInnsbrook Pavilion and set up tasting booths. There's also live jazz, arts and crafts and food for sale. A word of warning: this event gets packed! Be prepared to wait a bit to taste, and if it's a hot day, to be dripping with sweat by the end. That said, it's still a fun afternoon of wine tasting. This past year most of the wineries around Richmond were present, including Cooper, Grayhaven, Horton, James River Cellars and Lake Anna Winery. A few from further afield were also present, including Amrhein, Hill Top Berry Farm/Winery, Rebec Vineyards and Rockbridge Vineyards. Veritas Vineyards, one of my favorite Charlottesville area wineries was on site. All their wines are high in quality and soo drinkable. It's always hard to decide what to buy. If you've never done it before, you also have to go by Peaks of Otter Winery. You get to taste a slew of fruit wines, and finish with a hot pepper wine called Kiss the Devil. Everyone shoots it at the same time and then you get a sticker to wear for the rest of the day boasting "I kissed the Devil." Kind of fun. You can buy glasses of wine or open bottles to sip on-site, and sometimes this provides a nice break from the tasting. Tickets are available at a variety of local wine stores and cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door.