More What’s Booming RVA: Jan. 18 to 25
A week of events plus announcements, and a link to future fun
No need to go stir crazy! Besides live music all around town at our breweries, music venues, and elsewhere, you’ll find entertainment and edification in our active boomer-inspired events listings. More of What’s Booming in Richmond, Virginia, January 18 to 25, 2024.
Check out the Boomer Top 5 picks in RVA, browse the week ahead below, or go to our updated events page for Down the Road happenings and ongoing exhibitions and performances.
January 18 to 15
What’s happening in and around the Richmond region
Thursday, January 18
Profs and Pints Richmond presents: “Ancient Sea Monsters.” An encounter with creatures that were dreaded by Greek and Roman sailors and still dwell in imaginations, with Georgia Irby, professor of Classical Studies at William and Mary. January 18, 6 p.m., at Triple Crossing Beer, Richmond.
Art Night at the Cultural Arts Center. Four new exhibits and a chance to meet and mingle with the artists: Bon Air Artists Association, Zestful Nature by Brenda M. Sylvia, and City & Scenery by Jordan Flowers. FREE. January 18, 6 p.m., at the Cultural Arts Center, Glen Allen.
Ashland Museum History Talk. Book talk and signing with Ritchie Watson for his new book, “Grand Emporium, Mercantile Monster: The Antebellum South’s Love-Hate Affair with New York City.” January 18, 7 p.m., at Brock Commons, Randolph-Macon College campus, Ashland.
MLK VCU Keynote Celebration 2024. Honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with VCU faculty, staff, students, and community partners, celebrating efforts to build a community of hope, inspiration, and service through his legacy. January 18, 5 to 7 p.m., at the Institute for Contemporary Art, Richmond.
“Annie.” Broadway in Richmond presents the iconic, heartwarming musical of hope and optimism. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is right around the corner. Take your hard-knock sentiments and turn them into smiles. Through Jan. 21 at Altria Theater, Richmond
Friday, January 19
“The Boys in the Boat.” See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Darienne Lake: Altered Boy. RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Darienne Lake shares intimate but hilarious anecdotes about her life: growing up as the middle child in a large Catholic family, coming out at an early age as a drag queen, and finding her chosen family and life purpose through humor and self revelation. Jan. 19 and 20 at Richmond Triangle Players, Richmond.
Hanover Tavern ParaCon. Paranormal fun and learning from a variety of experts in the field, macabre tales, an exploration of the historic tavern, and more. Jan. 19 to 20 at Hanover Tavern, Hanover Courthouse.
“Black Card Abstracted.” Opening night reception for new art exhibition of themes of the intersections, dynamics, and complexity of Black culture and identity. Reception on Jan. 19, 5 to 10 p.m., exhibition runs through March 4, at Southside Contemporary Art Gallery, Richmond.
Saturday, January 20
Microbial Activities in Soil & Virginia Snakes. Presented by Hanover Master Gardeners as part of the Home Gardening Series. Jan. 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Atlee Library, Mechanicsville.
Balboa Dance Workshops for All Levels. A one-day workshop with options for beginners, intermediate, and up. No partner needed. Social dance included that evening. Jan. 20, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at RVA Swing, Richmond.
First Drafts and Bagels. Participate in the creative process of making a new play while sipping mimosas and munching bagels. Jan. 20, noon to 2 p.m., at Firehouse Theatre, Richmond.
“Medicine Through the Ages: From Early Man to the Renaissance.” Learn about early medical practices, which curatives lived on and which died out. Reservations required. Sat, Jan. 20, noon, at Magnolia Grange, Chesterfield.
Barrel-Aged Mead – A Guided Exploration. Explore the journey of mead as it ages and develops inside used spirit barrels. Taste up to five meads from the cellar, do some blending, and learn to be a better taster. Jan. 20, 1 to 3 p.m., at Black Heath Meadery Cellars (2004 Dabney Rd.), Richmond.
Poe in the Time of Cholera. Exploring the feverous works of Edgar Allan Poe, some inspired as he wandered weak and weary along the streets of Richmond. Jan. 20, 2 to 3 p.m., at Meadow Farm, Glen Allen.
VCU Health 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Walk. VCU Health is sponsoring a community walk in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 20, 4 to 6 p.m., at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Children’s Pavilion & Children’s Tower, Richmond.
Poe’s Birthday Bash 2024. Celebrate the legendary Richmond-based 19th-century poet as he turned 215 with a keynote talk, live music, drinks, and food. It’s a party to die for! Jan. 20, 4 to 10 p.m., at the Poe Museum, Richmond.
Sunday, January 21
Wellspring Community Writes. Come write, surrounded by other writers writing. FREE, registration requested. Jan. 21 (and ongoing on Sundays), from noon to 4 p.m., at Quarry, 2707 W. Cary St., Richmond.
Remembering Gene Wilder. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Brahms, The Romantic. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
Monday, January 22
Bird Watching 101. A guide for beginners, on a boardwalk stroll. Binoculars provided (while supplies last). Meet at 2400 Old Coach Lane. Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at Tuckahoe Creek Park, Henrico.
“Key Largo.” A sadistic mobster holds hostages in a Florida hotel as a hurricane swells outside. Starring Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, and Humphrey Bogart. In honor of its 75th anniversary, the historic theater is hosting classic 1948 movies monthly. Jan. 22, 7 p.m., at Ashland Theatre, Ashland.
Tuesday, January 23
The JRW Writing Show: The Inside Scoop on Bookselling. Learn from a panelists of three booksellers about how books get into brick-and-mortar bookstores, strategies for helping them sell, and more. Presented by James River Writers. Jan. 23, 6 to 8 p.m., at NewMarket Corporation, Richmond.
“Sun Seekers: A Novel.” Richmond resident Rachel McRady presents her debut novel, a poignant story of a 6-year-old who tries to rescue her grandfather from his nursing home and the estranged parents who must find them. Jan. 23, 7 p.m., at Book People, Richmond.
Wednesday, January 24
National Day of Racial Healing Concert. (Rescheduled from Jan. 16.) Soul-stirring music from classic to Motown, poetry, and canvas art honors the day inspired by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in a message of hope and inclusion. Proceeds benefit CTVA. Jan. 24, 7 p.m., at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond.
Thursday, January 25
Blood, Sweat, and Years. A tribute to – you guessed it – Blood, Sweat and Tears. Jan. 25, 8 p.m., at The Tin Pan, Richmond.
A Salute to Burt Bacharach. See Boomer’s Top 5 Picks.
2024 Working Wood in the 18th Century Conference. Explore how 18th-century craftspeople passed down their craft through a combination of written materials and oral tradition. Tradespeople, curators and scholars from Colonial Williamsburg will be joined by guest presenters Christopher Schwarz, woodworker, author and publisher of “Lost Art Press”; Dan Faia, master cabinetmaker and educator; and Whitney L.B. Miller, author of “Henry Boyd’s Freedom Bed.” Jan. 25 to 28, virtually and in-person in the Hennage Auditorium at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
East Coast Premiere of “Born with Teeth.” Richmond Shakespeare debuts Liz Duffy Adams’ vision of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe discussing politics and theatre in a tavern. Jan. 25 to Feb. 11, at Dominion Energy Center’s Gottwald Playhouse, Richmond.
“Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the ‘Lost Cause’ American Myth.” New exhibition from the Valentine shows how those who created the Lost Cause narrative used cultural and social centers of power to make it successful: education, media, politics, money, religion, and violence. The exhibition uses evidence – Valentine sculptures, documents, images, quotations, and more – to show how Edward Valentine, leaders in Richmond, and others around the country reframed the reality of the war. It uncovers the stories behind the Lost Cause, its legacy, and those who resisted. Exhibition opening and reception on Jan. 25, 5 to 7 p.m., at the Valentine, Richmond.
News worth knowing
Birthplace of BBQ, Indigenous Art, Cotton Fusion
Virginia: The Birthplace of Barbecue. Move over, North Carolina! Get the truth behind American barbecue’s birthplace. Discover how Native Americans, Europeans, and enslaved African Americans in Virginia contributed to this Southern staple. Presented by Debra Freeman, food anthropologist, podcaster, and writer. Jan. 30, 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., at North Courthouse Road Library, Chesterfield.
Charlottesville Indigenous Art Takeover 2024 in Charlottesville. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection and The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia present an extensive exhibition. The art and events extend to five venues, seven exhibitions, eight public events, and Indigenous artists traveling from their homelands in Australia to engage with the public. Opening reception on Jan. 30, 5 to 7 p.m., at Kluge-Ruhe, with other events Feb. 2 and 3, ending on July 14, in Charlottesville.
“Cotton.” Virginia Opera presents Damien Geter’s powerful song cycle, a fusion of music and poetry inspired by the photography of John Dowell’s exploration of African American life and ancestral journey through the lens of the cotton industry. Dowell’s photographs inspired renowned African American poets, whose poems became the basis of the music. FREE, reservations required. In Richmond for two performances: Feb. 1, 7 p.m., at Concert Hall at VCU, and Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m., at Richmond Public Library main branch.
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