Meet this week's guest editor, Mavis Wynn! Mavis is a staple at Venture Richmond, bringing passion, dedication, and a wealth of expertise to her work each day. Starting as a volunteer 30 years ago, she celebrated her 25th anniversary as Events Operations Manager in 2023. Her knack for working seamlessly with vendors, volunteers, security, and government agencies showcases her top-notch organizational skills and leadership prowess.
But Mavis isn't all work and no play! She's deeply involved in her community, church, and family life. She strikes the perfect work-life balance through her love for college and professional sports, live music, travel, and quality time spent with loved ones.
Take it away, Mavis!
Friday Cheers
Friday Cheers is our weekly summer concert series that brings some of the biggest up-and-coming artists to Brown’s Island along Downtown Richmond's riverfront every Friday in May and June! Presented by Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Friday Cheers returns for its 39th season as Richmond’s longest running concert series showcasing some of the nation’s hottest touring bands and all-time regional favorites.
The longest-standing summer concert series held along the James River, Friday Cheers draws popular groups such as the Zac Brown Band, Tyler Childers, Snarky Puppy, The Head & the Heart and hundreds of others. The series showcases emerging headliners - some of the best bands that you may not have heard of yet, and attracts a wide-ranging audience from the very young to the young at heart. Twenty-something’s looking to mingle, young families and older adults all find common ground at Friday Cheers. See you on the island!
Vitals:
Friday Cheers / Every Friday in May & June / Brown's Island: Tredegar St. between 5th and 7th Streets, click here for directions & parking.
¿Qué Pasa? Festival
Produced by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival celebrates the diversity and beauty of the Hispanic & Latin American cultures in the city of Richmond. This event is free to the public and showcases local Hispanic and Latino businesses, artisans, restaurants, entertainers, and more. This festival brings the community together! Stroll through the artisan market, featuring unique vendors, live artist exhibitions, homemade crafts, gifts, and more.
Vitals:
¿Qué Pasa? Festival / Saturday, May 4, 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm / Brown's Island: Tredegar St. between 5th and 7th Streets, click here for directions & parking.
Arts in the Park
Arts in the Park is a nationally-rated, juried art show which offers the opportunity for you to see and purchase fine original work produced by top-quality artists and crafts people from Virginia and throughout the United States. The festival is held in Byrd Park and features over 350 artists and artisans and their fine art, paintings, metal crafts, pottery, and jewelry.
Vitals:
Arts in the Park/ Saturday, May 4, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm & Sunday, May 5, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm / Byrd Park around the Carillon, click here for shuttles, parking, and directions.
More About Venture Richmond.
Venture Richmond has initiated a capital campaign, supported by the City, to raise funds for implementing the Riverfront Plan recommendations for Brown’s Island. These include river and canal terraces, children's play areas, additional trees and landscaping, increased ADA accessibility, and other pedestrian improvements like shade, seating, and permanent restrooms. Additionally, we've recently introduced a new drone-based mapping program on our website that emphasizes downtown economic development and enables virtual tours!
In September, we're set to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Richmond Folk Festival, with past audience favorites returning and more surprises to be announced soon. Following the Richmond Folk Festival, we will honor the history of Historic Jackson Ward during the 2nd Street Festival. Thousands visit Jackson Ward annually to experience its vibrance and remember its past as "the Harlem of the South,” the heart of Richmond's African-American community. The 2nd Street Festival, a two-day celebration, showcases three stages of live music featuring acts like Arrested Development and local superstar, Desiree Roots! In addition, there's a Kidz Zone, food vendors, a marketplace, Artists Row, and the Richmond Metropolitan Antique Car Club. Click the button below to learn more!
Meet Chrystal Neal, this week’s guest editor for Here. Chrystal is an avid community and arts supporter. A few years back, Chrystal broke away from an international finance law practice to create a career that ignited her passion and pushed her limits. She stepped into the kaleidoscope of RVA’s creative scene – connecting people and ideas – to nationally brand the region as a creative, innovative powerhouse, first as executive director of C3, the Creative Change Center, then as innovation and creativity director for ChamberRVA, later becoming the Chamber’s Executive Vice President leading the region’s workforce strategy. Today Chrystal serves as Vice President, Internal Communications & Employer Branding at CoStar Group in its downtown Richmond office.
In her spare time, Chrystal and her husband, Daniel Salomonsky, enjoy trying every new restaurant in town, while loyally supporting their many longtime favorites. They are also big fans of local arts and creativity, having recently opened a co-working space for artists in Shockoe Bottom, 17th Street Studios.
Take it away, Chrystal...
A Painter's Paradise Co-working Space
17th Street Studios opened to fill a niche in RVA’s creative ecosystem - a beautiful space to paint and create community with other artists. If you are tired of getting paint on your bedroom sheets or kitchen floor, maybe it’s time to rent access to a collaborative space with plenty of room to create. Designed by New York-based artist, Sarah Salo, a Richmond native, 17th Street Studios opened on April 15. Read more: A Painter's Paradise by RVA Magazine.
As a Richmond native, it makes me proud that our very own museum, The Valentine, originally devoted to telling the history of Richmond, was courageous enough to open the inspiring exhibit, “Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the ‘Lost Cause’ American Myth,” using evidence to show how leaders in Richmond, and others around the country, reframed the reality of the Civil War. Check out this exhibit and multiple intellectually stimulating events at The Valentine.
I recently volunteered with Historic Garden Week as a host in a beautiful garden in Westover Hills. We are halfway through the gorgeous week showcasing the most beautiful gardens across Virginia, but it is not too late for you and your friends and family to enjoy! Buy tickets here.
I love being a native Richmonder. I have had the good fortune to live in several other large cities in the U.S., and those experiences taught me, among other things, how absolutely unique Richmond is. Our thriving artistic community is second to none. Our food scene is amazing, and Daniel and I have so much fun supporting local restaurants.
You would not necessarily know from our beautiful historic architecture how avant garde our thinking can be here. Our complicated history weaves a good, bad and ugly story with so much opportunity to learn and become better. For me, engaging in community building and conversation is a step in that direction.
I love to read, travel, garden and swim. And did I mention, dine in local restaurants?
Meet Ryan Corrigan, our guest editor this week and a veteran nonprofit fundraiser with 28 years under his belt. He's worked for top notch organizations like the Children’s Miracle Network-Richmond and the James River Association. Nowadays, he's steering the ship at The READ Center, using literacy as his secret weapon for equality. As a doting husband and father, he's always on the lookout for Richmond's hidden artistic gems. He's also teamed up with Andy Thompson, owner of Sharp's Island, and Paul Spicer, of Richmond Grid, to unveil a showcase of Richmond's brilliant artists called "True Places."
Take it away, Ryan...
Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox
A family go-to in Bon Air (can I call it downtown Bon Air?) and now weekend staple is Perk! Coffee and Lunchbox. The owners, fellow former VCU Rams have created a community space inside and out that is chock full of more than just coffee beans. The spot features some amazing baked goods, bagels, sandwiches, and also sells locally made products. Not sure what they put in their banana nut brownies, but my 6-year-old daughter is officially addicted.
Vitals:
Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox / Mon - Fri: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm, Saturday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm 2620 N. Buford Road
The Great Richmond Trivia Bee
Who doesn’t love trivia; especially trivia for a cause? The Great Richmond Trivia Bee has over 50 teams of four showing off their ability to pull obscure knowledge about even more obscure categories all to benefit The READ Center. A great event for a great cause supporting everyone’s right to literacy. Make sure to your ticket today before it's too late to join the fun on April 25th from 5:30 - 8:30pm at the Dewey Gottwald Center.
Black Iris Gallery is a hidden gem nestled between businesses on busy Broad Street. I’ve been to several First Fridays here, curated a True Places art show here and host my holiday Jingle and Mingle for The READ Center here annually. It’s an amazing space that’s as inviting as Dave Jackson, the owner and mastermind behind this urban oasis that features weekly live entertainment from jazz to local rock. The bar is top notch, and for members, there are three floors to relax and rejuvenate. On display now on the first floor gallery is the talented local artist, Mickael Broth, also known as The Night Owl.
As Executive Director of The READ Center, I am humbled daily by our adult students’ drive and desire to overcome any obstacle to achieve their goal: learning to read. I’m blown away by their tenacity to better their situation, for themselves, for their families, for our community. Knowing that several of our adult learners have gone through life challenged by low literacy and yet still hold, in many cases, several jobs is mind blowing. And with more than 90,000 adults in the greater Richmond area needing our services, we are blessed to work with the best tutors, teachers, staff and volunteers to support this goal.
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