Meet Heather Crislip, this week’s guest editor. Heather is a Virginia native who relocated to the Fan District from Honolulu in 2008. She has two teenagers, two Great Pyrenees, and an elderly chicken who all sometimes roam the city looking for fun. After leading Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia for almost a decade, she was selected to lead The Richmond Forum in 2021 as they began to return to an in-person audience. Her favorite Forum moment so far was sitting on stage with Michelle Obama in front of thousands of Richmonders to fundraise for The Richmond Forum’s Speech and Debate Initiative for middle and high school students in the region.
Heather is here to give a few recommendations for her favorite things in Richmond, an event, some music, and a special treat.
Take it away, Heather…
The Richmond Forum
It’s almost time! I honestly think that The Richmond Forum is the best event produced in Richmond. I am completely in love with our lineup this season, beginning with Isabel Wilkerson in November. In 2024, we will host Joel Sartore, Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci, and Nina Totenberg with Kimberley Strassel. It is always delightful to see Richmonders bond with and connect to the national treasures we bring to town. Many people don’t realize that an online subscription gives them the option to upgrade to be in-person at the theater when we open the Ticket Marketplace the Monday before the program.
I’m a die-hard Drive-By Truckers fan. I love their distinctive sound and lyrical content. There’s a Richmond band that is also a part of the newest revival of country music in Virginia. Woody Woodworth & The Piners are named for the bygone expression “to pine” – a deep longing for something or someone. Influenced by Virginia’s deep musical history and Appalachian culture, Woody Woodworth & The Piners fuse storytelling with country, bluegrass, and rock and roll to create a sound that can be described as Appalachian alt-country with a steady shot of southern rock. I love their down-home stage presence and honest vocals, which remind me of the Drive-By Truckers. Their new album, Outlaws and Saints, was released this summer.
This month, a new bakery opened near our office in Shockoe Bottom that offers a delectable array of oatmeal cream pies. We have gone to get them to brighten up a day of tedious work (like when it was all-hands-on-deck for our small staff to mail tickets out to our thousands of subscribers) and plan to hit them up when we host meetings. The shop is fun and I love an unexpected treat, especially when it makes me remember Little Debbie’s in a lunch box. They feel like a hug.
Every year, the world’s most powerful voices come to Richmond, Virginia to share their ideas, stories, and perspectives regarding today’s important issues and to answer your hard-hitting questions.
This season, we will welcome:
• November: Author Isabel Wilkerson with “The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration”
• January: National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore with “Boarding the Photo Ark”
• February: Former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney with “Principles Over Politics”
• March: Dr. Anthony Fauci with “For the Greater Good”
• April: Journalists Nina Totenberg & Kimberley Strassel with “On the Docket”
The first program of the season is just a few weeks away but there is still time to become a subscriber and attend these exciting intellectual evenings. More information about subscription options is available on our website.
Meet Megan Wilson. Many of you know her as the face and positive personality behind Sweet Sauce Blog, showcasing Richmond area businesses and events. Megan is also a mover and shaker behind the scenes of many local businesses and nonprofits as the creative director of her marketing firm Sweet Talk Strategy. She helps local clients like the Autism Society of Central Virginia, The Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival, Sage & Vine Aesthetics, and Stegmann make headlines, reach new audiences on social media, create video and photo content, and so much more. When she's not advocating for all things Richmond, she's exploring Virginia and sharing her affordable travel recommendations.
Megan got her start at the University of Richmond as a journalism and studio art student; she says she uses these skills every day! This is what led her to make the River City her home for the past 15 years. Fun fact: Megan took the University of Richmond's newspaper online for the first time as Editor in Chief. Today, she's a digital marketing maven and teaches others through her educational events, both online and offline.
This week, Megan shares her fall hit list with events, shopping, and travel ideas.
Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival, October 20th - 22nd
I've been working with this community since 2019, and the artists and businesses who come together for this festival are the most kind, creative, and supportive people. I'm so proud to help them all grow and thrive. This year's event is going to be the best yet —and we mean it! A few highlights of the 2023 Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival:
Ryan Ashley is our headline artist. This is the only event the Ink Master star is attending this year. She'll be a judge on Season 15, which airs on November 1.
The Richmond SPCA is our official festival nonprofit partner. They are benefiting in all sorts of ways, including receiving proceeds from our Sunday ticket sales.
On Sunday, we're launching our first Family & Fur Friendly HallowInk Day. Wear your costumes and join us!! I'm going as Left Eye from TLC with two of my friends.
There will be 62 exhibitors to explore and shop, including some second hand style shops like Saturn Returns and Uptown Cheapskate.
Of course, there are tattoos -- 185 global artists who may only be coming to the Virginia area once in this decade. Many are Ink Master stars.
Vitals:
2023 Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival / Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Midlothian, 1021 Koger Center Blvd. Richmond, Virginia 23235 / Friday, October 20th - Sunday, October 22nd (schedule)
Second-Hand Shopping for Fall + Home
It's no secret that I'm a second-hand shopping fan. If you're looking for inspiration, I wrote this article last year in Richmond Magazine and I am in the midst of updating my big bad RVA Thrift List. I just moved to Bon Air, so I'm getting my house ready for my first party (Halloween Birthday Bash!) and hosting my first Thanksgiving for my 30+ large blended family. I'm also obviously thinking fall fashion. Here are a few places I'm shopping the next few weeks:
It's no secret that I'm a second-hand shopping fan. If you're looking for inspiration, I wrote this article last year in Richmond Magazine, and I am in the midst of updating my big bad RVA Thrift List. I just moved to Bon Air, so I'm getting my house ready for my first party (Halloween Birthday Bash!) and hosting my first Thanksgiving for my 30+ large blended family. I'm also obviously thinking fall fashion. Here are a few places I'll be shopping in the next few weeks:
A Man's World in Jackson Ward - This is primarily a men's consignment shop, so my guys all have presents from here. BUT this is a hidden gem for women's second-hand finds—trust me!
Fall Road Trips in Virginia
After the Richmond Folk Festival this past weekend, I was reminded again how beautiful Richmond is in the fall. In fact, the entire state of Virginia is the most magical place to explore during this season. I always encourage people to travel locally for family and friend getaways. There's so much you can reach on one tank of gas and support small businesses in every corner.
Virginia's River Realm: Eight small towns flank the Rappahannock River and create a foodie respite you didn't know you needed. Insider tip: I'm the voice behind the brand.
We're working to get some of these lists refreshed, so if you have edits or additions, send an email to sweetsauceblog@gmail.com.
More from Megan...
I'm always looking for ways to help my community grow.
At Sweet Talk Strategy, we're innovative and constantly creating; we're seeing great success with clients we serve and people we teach. Please follow us on Instagram and sign up for our email list for upcoming educational opportunities, service offerings, and even a new membership model: Content Collective. You heard it here first!
Shoot me an email if you have a marketing conundrum to unravel or ideas to tease out: megan@sweettalkstrategy.
Beyond all he does to elevate RVA, he's a drummer for the band VILLAGES, and a dedicated fan of Richmond's music scene. When he's not immersed in music, he's out kayaking on the James River or cherishing moments with his family.
Stephen, we're eager to read your Folk Fest recommendations! Take it away...
Baba Commandant Mandingo Band
With so many amazing artists to choose from each year at the Folk Festival, it's hard to narrow down to a few “not to miss" acts. The 2023 edition of the festival is no different; jam-packed with diverse, dynamic artists. With that said, be sure to catch Baba Commandant Mandingo Band when they perform throughout the weekend. The enigmatic lead singer Baba Commandant (Mamadou Sanou) is an original and eccentric character who is well respected in the Burkinabé musical community. A sort of punk Faso Dan Fani activist for traditional Mandingo music, Baba continues to redefine the boundaries between traditional and modern. This band will have you moving all weekend long. They'll only make a few U.S. appearances, so catch them while you can!
Hungry? If so, the Folk Fest has you covered with over 25 food vendors around the festival grounds. One not to be missed, and new to the festival this year, is BigWife’s Mac N’ Cheese. Everything from Buffalo Mac, Truffle Mac, Broccoli Shiitake Mac and the good old fashioned Classic Mac will have your mouth watering and craving more. BigWife’s Mac N’ Cheese is the real deal. Come and see what all the fuss is about!
Feel like doing some shopping while at the Fest? Head over to the craft marketplace and check out all of the handcrafted goodies made by local and out of town vendors. A new to us vendor for 2023 is Ant.On LLC. This Richmond native features amazing handmade stained glass sun-catchers inspired by nature, womanhood, and Irish heritage.
The Richmond Folk Festival returns this weekend, Friday, October 13th - Sunday, October 15th and celebrates its 19th anniversary, having become one of Virginia’s largest events! The beloved festival draws fans each year to downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness, and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional crafts, storytelling, and food.
The free, three-day event hosts 200,000 people over the weekend and is presented by Venture Richmond Events in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), Virginia Humanities, the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, the Children’s Museum, and the City of Richmond.
Featuring six stages and showcasing music and dance from more than 30 performing groups from around the nation and the world, the Richmond Folk Festival promises, as always, to return with a culturally diverse and impressive program. See you there!
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