Meet this week's guest editor, Nick Serfass! Got an idea? Give it to Nick - he’ll put it down, flip it, and reverse it over and over again until it becomes a hit. Nick is a creative problem-solver who thrives in association life, blending entrepreneurial spirit with event production, media storytelling, and community impact. Formerly an architect with Baskervill, he shifted careers to work in regulatory agencies and student organizations, ultimately landing at rvatech/. There, Nick has positioned Richmond as a potential AI and machine learning tech hub and helped launch a brand platform to attract and retain tech talent in "Tech’s Most Creative City." A proud Midlothian resident since 1988, he’s also a dedicated ultramarathon runner, avid reader, and local coffee, golf, and speakeasy connoisseur.
Take it away, Nick ...
Halloween UnHappy Hour at Poe Museum
Presented by Triple Crossing, come along on Thursday, October 24th, from 6-9 PM for the Poe Museum’s Creature Feature Halloween UnHappy Hour! Don’t miss the most beloved — and spookiest — UnHappy Hour of the year. For this special Creature Feature theme, the Poe Museum will be joined once again by Richmond surf rock legends The Embalmers. As always, there will be a contest for the best costumes, scary-good refreshments, beer from Triple Crossing, and an assortment of wines. Plus, TBT El Gallo will be for sale in the parking lot with elevated Mexican street food for any hungry beasts or ghoulies! Hope to see you there, for a miserable time from six to nine.
Vitals:
Halloween UnHappy Hour / Thursday, October 24, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm / tickets, $12 at the door / Poe Museum, 1914 E Main Street
Richmond Restaurant Week
Since 2001, Richmond Restaurant Week has showcased the city's diverse food scene while supporting Feed More, a Richmond-based nonprofit that collects, prepares and distributes food to our neighbors in need. For two weeks each year, diners can enjoy a three-course meal at top locally-owned restaurants for just over $35. Make a reservation, try something new, and help the community by simply savoring a great meal. Contribute to the local economy and help eliminate hunger just by enjoying a great meal.
Central Virginia's premier fall technology conference, rvatech/'s Women in Tech Conference is curated by Richmond's women in tech community but is designed and built for all audiences including technologists, business leaders, community builders, educators, and students. Aimed at bringing together professionals on a wide range of relevant topics to learn, engage, and collaborate, this event will feature a robust slate of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. Held at the Science Museum of Virginia, the Women in Tech Conference features tracks on technology, innovation, and leadership. Come one, come all to rvatech/'s largest conference of the year.
The Richmond Technology Council recently developed a new brand platform for the city of Richmond and its tech ecosystem: Richmond, VA - Tech's Most Creative City. The brand platform was the result of over two years of research, collaboration, and strategy aimed at positioning Richmond as a higher profile tech town on the national stage. The initiative is aimed at continuing to build and grow the already prominent and world-class tech workforce that exists in the city today. The hopeful result of its implementation will be enhanced recognition, awareness, and perception of the city among the technology workforce nationally.
The Tech's Most Creative City brand platform was developed after careful competitive analysis, persona development, strategy research, and creative design conducted by local ad agency Two Tango. The effort included collaboration among the organization's largest members, including Capital One, CarMax, Altria, Meta, Google, and Amazon Web Services, in addition to input from collateral organizations including local economic development authorities, educational institutions, and partner nonprofits. The first phase of implementation is the launch of https://techsmostcreative.city/, a parallel website focused on telling stories about the creative technology work being conducted by local Richmond companies and practitioners.
Meet this week's guest editor, Jesse Smith! When it comes to art and Richmond, Jesse is often found at the center of the conversation. From his beginnings at VCU as an art student to leading the36th Annual Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention, he’s been an advocate for creatives in the River City and across the globe. In Carytown, his tattoo studio, Loose Screw Tattoo, is home to 12 diverse tattoo artists and host to a rotating list of international celebrity artists. From his iconic mural outside of Taboo to one of his freshest pieces in Carytown in partnership with All City Art Club, his murals are part of the city’s colorful character. Jesse is also an international mural artist, appeared on seasons two and seven of Ink Master. Jesse has a formidable following, two decades of tattoo industry expertise, and is a relentless innovator in the art world.
Take it away, Jesse ...
Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention
You can find me at the Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention October 18-20. The 3-day event brings together world renowned artists from a variety of disciplines for a weekend of connection, creation, and community. Family-friendly fun is infused with Live Art for Charity, interactive comedy shows, Ink Master celebrity experiences, local food, after parties, and more.
My family loves Maymont’s Garden Glow. The annual creative adventure runs from October 16 to November 10, with new light sculptures along the expanded Kinsale Glow Path and the Japanese Garden! It’s a great chance to enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family.
The Live Art for Charity event during the Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention features 15 global artists! Supply RVA will provide materials and set up 3-by-3-foot canvases on Friday for the artists to begin mapping out their masterpieces.
By Sunday, each canvas will be filled with a truly one-of-a-kind piece that event attendees can bid on to support Hope vs. Cancer. The nonprofit marries art with mission in its pursuit to spread awareness of childhood cancer, raise funds for research and clinical trials, and most importantly, lift children’s spirits as they are undergoing treatment. The paintings will be available for auction online after the convention ends on Sunday, October 20.
Through a stroke of luck and RVA charm, Jesse and Carbon Leaf's bassist Jon Markel have become close friends and collaborators. In fact, the tattoos adorning Jon's arms were all created by Jesse!
Carbon Leaf, the Virginia-based indie-rock band known for their fusion of folk and rock, just released its first full-length album in a decade, “Time Is The Playground.” Jon recently enlisted Jesse to design a custom pickguard for his new Lakeland bass, which he’s taking on tour to promote the new album.
Meet this week's guest editor, Shep Roeper! As the co-founder of Beyond Boundaries, Shep believes adventure is for everyone. His Richmond-based nonprofit is on a mission to empower individuals with disabilities, veterans, underserved youth, and those in recovery through adaptive outdoor adventures. Be it rafting along the mighty James or climbing the Manchester Wall, Shep does everything he can to make sure everyone in the River City has an opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime.
When he’s not leading his nonprofit, Shep enjoys spending time with his family. Together, they love paddle-boarding on the James River, creating art, and fishing in local parks.
Take it away, Shep ...
Autumn Garden Walk at Agecroft Hall & Gardens
Being outdoors is something that my family loves to do together, and Agecroft Hall & Gardens is a beautiful place to explore. This walking tour will reveal the history of the formal Renaissance gardens, weaving tales from the days of King Henry VIII's gardening obsession with stories of historic harvest festivals, and the "Virginia Garden" design from the 20th century. Each piece of history adds a layer to the garden's charm.
Who's ready for Halloween? I know we are! We have our skeletons out and orange lights on as long as we can get away with it! What better way to get in the spirit of Halloween than a ghost tour? Throughout October, check out the Haunts of Richmond Ghosts tours and hear all about the best known ghost stories, haunted experiences, and spots that our old city has!
The Bonfire Gala is a special evening of revelry and fundraising around the bonfire at the beautiful Dundee Preserve. Spend the evening with Beyond Boundaries as we come together and enjoy dinner, drinks, live music, auction items, and hear from participants about how Beyond Boundaries has impacted and benefited their lives! This event takes place outside, under the stars, (and a tent with bistro lights) and the dress code is 'fancy bonfire' - "imagine if a cocktail party married a bonfire!"
Vitals:
The Bonfire Gala/ Friday, October 18, 6:00 pm / tickets, $100 pp (enter code HEREXBB for $10 off) / Dundee Preserve, 7301 River Road, Hanover, VA
More about Beyond Boundaries...
Beyond Boundaries is excited to keep growing our impact! We started 9 years ago running 2 rafting trips and working with 15 people. This year we will facilitate over 300 trips and work with 2,500 people! New programs are on the horizon and we are always looking for volunteers.
So stay tuned, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and join us at the Bonfire Gala to support our mission and learn more.
Use code HEREXBB for $10 off per ticket for Here.Weekly subscribers!
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