It's an okay event. several empty tables from no shows and one whole center section with no beer or…read morewine. The burgers were okay. The best one was from the Aloha Cafe...poke burger. Next best was Capital Ale House, just because they put so many things on it you didn't notice the patty. You can definitely eat a ton of food. Glad I didn't pay for the tickets. This is the third year I've attended. To be honest, it might be my last.

I had great time at the burger bast this year and thanks to Yelp for the free tickets! I enjoyed…read morethe dim lighting this year and Griff's band was at a perfect Volume. I didn't have to yell to hear myself speak. Sideways didn't disappoint (it never does) and Shockoe Whiskey and Wine surprised me. I hate blue cheese, but was persuaded to try their burger nd I didn't wasn't even overwhelmed with any blue cheese flavor. Salzon Chocolate was surprisingly tasty. Dark chocolate is not my favoirtie, but I found myself enjoying the Orange Zest flavor more than any of the other orange flavored dark chocolates I've had in the past. Will definitely go find this in stores. I didn't want to arrive too early in order to miss the crowd so I arrived around 8 only to find that most of the restaurants were already out of burgers. Maybe I can find a time that will be just right next year.

Check out the Jammin' on the James summer concert series. Looks like one a months you can chill out…read moreand listen to some good music with the family. We arrived about 30 minutes early. I would definitely suggest that. A lot of people were there already. Parking was down the road directed by attendants. It is abbot of a walk from there. But there was a shuttle available. Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on. Bring a cooler with food and drinks and if you have kids something to keep them entertained. Keep it discrete and make sure you bring a cup for those tasty beverages.

We had decided to visit Wilton House, because it was on the few attractions in Richmond that…read moreappeared to be open. There was nothing on the website about closure due to Covid. But it was padlocked when we arrived. No sign, no explanation. We then tried calling the number on the website but there was no answer. Other attractions in Richmond have updated their websites and/or phone messages to reflect changed hours, procedures, or closures. We went to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts instead and had a nice time. I guess Wilton House will have to wait: but I will call ahead next time, as their website is apparently not reliable.

Awesome fun event to do if you have small kids who enjoy lights my daughter is eight. She had a…read moreblast. Everything was mesmerizing.

It's the end of 2020, and I'd say most of us need some extra cheer in our lives right about now…read more Fortunately, Lewis Ginter didn't cancel their annual holiday lightfest, but this year was certainly different than years' past with lots of pandemic precautions in place. I had visited once prior in 2017 and enjoyed the experience, but what I recall from that visit was that the garden was mobbed and the parking lot was insane. We had to park in a subdivision across the street and run across the street/try not to get hit by cars on Lakeside Ave. that year. And last year, I tried to bring my mom so she could experience it too. But we were stuck in an hour+ line at the Lakeside Ave. to make a left, and then as we got close, the police wouldn't let us turn left randomly. I was pretty upset to say the least and actually had an exchange with someone at Lewis Ginter after I direct messaged them about the incident, and they offered free tickets. I never took them up on it, though. Just went to the Norfolk lights instead the next night. This year was much more limited in terms of how many tickets were sold, plus there were staggered entry times. We were able to park right in the front row near the entrance, which is off to the left side this year. There's one entrance and one exit. We arrived within our half-hour window and showed the tickets to a clerk behind glass. Masks are rightfully required to be worn at all times while on their grounds, which I appreciated as a rule (though of course some people didn't listen - eye roll). We arrived at twilight (5 pm) and that turned out well for photos. I was able to get some in both twilight and total darkness. And with less people at the garden, it was easier to snap photos of the displays without others walking into view (though that did happen a few times). This year is all outdoors (so no big tree inside). The treehouse is also blocked off. They offer hot drinks and some food items, but I didn't buy any. With an hour-limit for the visit, we just made it through in the allotted time. Surprisingly, the gift shop was open. I was actually surprised by that, but I guess they need to boost their sales. Hand sanitizer was available upon entry. The tickets themselves were also pretty pricy for nonmembers like myself. And I attended on a value night, so I'm glad I visited when I did. Hopefully by next year, the pandemic will be a thing of the past, but I do see it being helpful if they continue with the timed entries, online ticket purchases, and limiting the amount of visitors to what the parking lot can hold.

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.

This annual event in Richmond is a nice way to celebrate compassion for animals and planet earth…read more Great selection of vendors, speakers, entertainment and food trucks. Shockingly good amount of folding tables & chairs. Parking was less daunting than I anticipated. I'm really impressed by how well organized and RVA Veg Fest is. Definitely worth the afternoon. Always a good time and a shortcut to meeting other vegans irl. YES: Vegan friendly YES: Family friendly

Richmond VegFest is always a great time. I've attended the last two years and have enjoyed browsing…read morethe shop and food vendors. It's fun to meet some of the animals in attendance, and there are great educational resources on reducing or eliminating meat/transitioning to veganism. While I'm not there yet, I am veg-curious and trying to add more plant-based items to my diet, so this fest is a great chance to learn more about implementation strategies. All in all, I'm a big fan and will look forward to next year's event.

My family and I have been here a number of times, for both regular tours and festivals. Both have…read morebeen fun and informative. The tour guides have always been very knowledgable and were able to answer questions about the time period, history and family. The gift shop is wonderful. It has the usual history based goods as well as beautifully made china, mugs and pottery.

Lovely tour, a hidden gem! My ladies group went on a Saturday morning for a docent-led tour. A…read moreFederal style house, built in 1822 for a wealthy family that owned over 600 acres and a variety of local businesses, then through the years owned by other wealthy families until acquired by the county in 1984. Historical and archaeological research has restored much of the house and found the foundations for outbuildings, the kitchen, laundry, slave quarters, smokehouse. The house has a surprising variety of the owner's furniture, including the original 1822 family. Don't miss the "high chair" in the dining room - my personal favorite - and the detail in the crazy quilt made by one of the daughters and mothers. All the rooms are decorated and furnished to the time of the different residents, and are really well storied and restored. Although the roof clearly needs work and has damaged some of the second floor ceilings. Our docent was just superb, and led us though with plenty of stories of the owners and times, and pointed out many special furniture items. We took our time and were a larger group of 9, so the tour took about an hour. It was a $5 entry fee, $4 senior rate. Easy access off Ironbridge Road and located directly across from the old 1917 Courthouse and Courthouse Green, although I recommend driving over, not walking, if you continue your local history tour at the County Museum and Old Jail.

Richmond is no stranger to food festivals, but this is by far one of the best. Much less crowded…read morethan the Greek Festival, and in my opinion, the food is better, the people are friendlier, and there is more space to sit and enjoy yourself. Located in the back of St. Anthony's Maronite Church off Sadler Road, this annual event hosts an array of traditional Lebanese fare, dancing, and camaraderie. Some personal favorites of mine are the shawarma, the meat pies, and the zalabia. All the food is spectacular, so be sure to try what looks good. One tip, though - this festival is cash only, but they do have ATM services onsite. I look forward to coming back next year, and forever. Amazing food, awesome people, and an incredible showcase of food and culture. A+

This place is awesome! This is the first time I've been to this Fest in Richmond and I have to say,…read moreit's kind of amazing! The food was amazing and you get SO much of it. I was truly amazed and will be going back on a yearly basis. If you look at the pic I posted, I'd have to say the meat pie's were the best thing I had there! They were so flavorful and surprisingly light. I didn't feel as if I was super full after. I also tried the stuffed grape leaves, stuffed squash, the shawarma, and the spinach/feta pie. All were delicious beyond belief! The grape leaves were nice and rich; I don't think I could eat more than 1 or 2 but they were very tasty. The shawarma was tasty! I almost felt like I was with the Avengers (LOL). Seriously, the food there was SO good. I would highly recommend this place all day, every day.

Had a great time at the parade this year! Parked two blocks away and no traffic at all afterwards…read more Be sure to get there early, it's get packed!

Went to the parade yesterday for the first time in what seems like centuries. Thankfully the…read moreweather was really nice (especially for December) and the crowds were out in full force. Seeing the look on children's faces when candy was thrown from the floats or when they saw their favorite characters (I admit I get excited every time I see Anna and Elsa too!) was priceless. So, to all you parents out there who were unsure of whether or not to take your child or were worried about the crowds, I think that it's definitely something that you should do at least once but get there EARLY. And by early, I mean no later than 8:30am. We had a great spot right outside of the Science Museum where we were able to see all of the floats as soon as they came out. Most of them were very good. I'm still thinking about the Riverside Outfitters bus and Disney princess floats. My only critique would be that I hope next year's parade flows a little better. There were way too many gaps between the floats. Maybe they did that for TV purposes (time for commercials, etc), but I feel like it lost a bit of the magic when you had to wait minutes in between each float. Just a little food for thought!