5 Things for Families

The City of Richmond is working hard to get us out of our houses and into the streets and parks of our city this summer.

June 19, 2013; 7:24 AM • by Kelly Gerow

The City of Richmond is working hard to get us out of our houses and into the streets and parks of our city. One reason: to make us a better, healthier community. Other reason: because someone is planning a city-wide scheme to break into our houses while we’re out doing yoga on a bridge or watching movies outside with our neighbors. Probably the former. Here’s to a healthy summer.

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1. Summer Concert Series at Short Pump Town Center featuring Sister Hazel

Last summer I saw that Toad the Wet Sprocket was playing at Short Pump a week after it happened. How could one of my favorite bands have played in Richmond and I didn’t know about it (answer: because I wasn’t writing an events column and therefore didn’t look at mall events calendars)? While Sister Hazel isn’t my cup of tea, they are bound to be someone’s. Consider this entry “All for You.”

• Thursday, June 20th • 6:00 – 8:00 PM
• Short Pump Town Center, 11800 W. Broad Street
• Free

2. Movies in the Park — Madagascar 3

The nine-week run for Movies in the Park, hosted by the City of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, opens this Friday with Madagascar 3 at Byrd Park. This free event features recent family films (with a few PG-13 ones peppered in) at different city parks throughout the summer. Upcoming films include Rise of the Guardians, Brave, and Oz the Great and Powerful.

(You got that the joke in the previous entry is funny because Sister Hazel sings a song called “All For You,” right?)

• Friday, June 2nd • 8:00 PM
• Byrd Park, 600 S. Boulevard
• Free (refreshments available for sale)

3. RVA Streets Alive!

I don’t know about where you live, but people in my neighborhood celebrate Streets Alive! every day (by that I mean that they don’t use the sidewalks and just walk slowly in the middle of the road). Be part of this official RVA Streets Alive!–a joint venture from the city and Sports Backers–and come and move around on the Manchester and 14th Street Bridges. The roads will be closed to traffic and participants are encouraged to run, walk, bike, roller skate, moonwalk, kick punch–whatever, as long as you’re not in your car. See our write up from earlier in the week for more information.

• Saturday, June 22nd • 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• 2.5 mile loop to and from Manchester Bridge, S. 9th Street
• Free

4. American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training

Seeing the things that are offered for babysitting training–business lessons, CPR, communication tips for dealing with parents, infant care–it’s a wonder that as unqualified as I was as a teenaged sitter that I got any work. I don’t even think I qualify as a good babysitter now by these standards, and I have a two-year-old. Kids are so savvy these days they can probably even get the parents to pay the class fee.

• Saturday June 22nd • 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (the class is offered again on August 17th)
• Simply Fit Kids, 2830 Ackley Avenue, Suite 103
• $85

5. Richmond Kickers Summer Fest

There’s so much fun to be had at the Summer Fest–happy hour at the outdoor bar with music by From the Edge, a splash zone that includes a giant slip ‘n slide, a dunk tank, inflatable games, and food trucks. Don’t get too partied out and forget that the Kickers are playing Vancouver Whitecaps that night. Vancouver? They probably call soccer “football.” Win this one for America, Kickers!

• Saturday, June 22nd • 5:00 PM (game starts at 7:00 PM)
• City Stadium, 3201 Maplewood Avenue
• $7 for youth, $12 for adult ($20 for four tickets if purchased before 6:00 PM)

June 19, 2013 7:24 AM 0