After your Halloween bender on fun-size sweets, get out there this weekend and celebrate this place we call home by launching a few pumpkins by slingshot, building a gingerbread house for a cause, or locating one of the best hidden coffee bars in all the land. Let’s get to it.
Pumpkin
Slingshots
With your Halloween fix in the bag, this weekend marks the perfect time to smash some pumpkins down on the farm. That’s right, our friends at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, a farm brewery on 290 pristine acres in Goochland, have been hard at work creating targets and rounding up slingshots for some post-Halloween pleasure. The first ever Smashing Pumpkins & Saison event will take place this Saturday, giving you a chance to try two new Saisons while launching pumpkins at hay bales. Bring your own or use some of theirs!
If you’re a fan of festive craft beer, tasty desserts turned into architectural masterpieces, and a jolly good time for the entire fam, ‘yule’ love this event. The third annual Better Housing Coalition's Gingerbread House Challenge at Hardywood dares Richmonders to form teams and display their holiday spirit by constructing gingerbread houses benefiting Better Housing Coalition. Event attendees will have a chance to vote on their favorite houses, select the $500 People’s Choice Winner, and cheer on the expert judging panel who will crown the $500 Runner-Up and $1,000 Grand Prize Winner. Houses will be up for auction for the public to purchase (and take home that afternoon) in support of Better Housing Coalition's mission to transform communities through high-quality affordable housing!
Once you’ve finished slinging pumpkins and building gingerbread houses, seek out Recluse Roasting, a coffee bar tucked away in a side alley in Scott’s Addition. Set amongst dark reclaimed wood and polished brass, Recluse offers the perfect hole-in-the-wall vibe with a moody interior that is overflowing with ferns and moss. The unique, DIY space was personally built by owners Aimee Biggerstaff and Jack Fleming, who have worked in the coffee industry for years as baristas, managers, and head roasters committed to ethical sourcing. On Sunday, the duo will offer a pop up at the coffee bar, which serves as a culmination of their collective work in coffee and a reflection of the experiences they’ve gathered along the way. While you’re there, make sure to try the Marigold and Honeycrisp Apple Shrub, Recluse’s small batch ode to autumn inspired by the last of the marigolds that they’ve been harvesting in their garden. Chewy's Bagels, a pop up micro bakery, will be serving bagel sammies on sourdough too!
There's nothing like oysters over an open fire in the fall, especially if you're cracking 'em open with a locally made oyster knife by Grid Supply Co. These handmade beauties feature wooden handles created from charred bourbon barrels from Reservoir Distillery and road-tested with some of the best shuckers in Virginia.
