5 Things: Much Ado, Special Olympics, bikes, bikes, more bikes, and bacon

Hmm, the weekend. Let’s see, shall I cheer on a very exciting good cause? Or shall I see Shakespeare in a beautiful and historically appropriate setting? Should I ride my bike or hear a story about a bike? Or…should I just eat enough bacon until my pants fly apart of their own accord?

June 11, 2015; 12:00 PM • by Susan Howson

1. Richmond Shakespeare Festival: Much Ado About Nothing

As much as I want something heady and intense to be my favorite Shakespeare play, it is in fact this one. Nothing is as fun as a comedy of errors, and if this is anything like the actual Comedy of Errors that I saw this troupe do at the 2013 Shakespeare Festival, it will be the best thing you’ve seen all week. It’s been awhile since I touted Agecroft as the best possible venue for anything ever, particularly a Shakespearean play (by the looks of it, it’s set in the Victorian era–it takes a special kind of romantic nerd to love this. No wait, nope, anyone will find Much Ado funny. It is that good and that relatable.

• Through June 28th • 7:30 PM
• Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road
• $30 with discounts available

2. Special Olympics Summer Games

1500 contestants will compete for gold in the mega-popular (for a mega-good cause) Special Olympics. Make your cheering abilities officially helpful by volunteering to cheer. It’ll ensure there’s a huge crowd for these competitions, which will in turn inspire and motivate contestants. Not that they need the likes of you, puny one. They could probably athlete you (and definitely me) under the table. But pledge your support (it costs nothing) and show up to spectate!

• Friday, June 12th – Saturday, June 13th • see site for times
• Kicks off at Robins Center, University of Richmond, 28 Westhampton Way
• Free!

3. Bacon Festival

Sometimes it’s a lot of fun to watch people walking back to their cars after the Bacon Festival. Their look of satisfaction, their protruding tummies, their meat sweats–it’s all so particular to this one event, that it brings with it a sort of “everything is in its right place” feeling that will permeate your senses like a cloud of bacon grease.

Sunday, June 14th • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
17th Street Farmers Market, 17th and Main Streets
Free to attend!

4. Bicycle Y’all

Secretly Y’all presents an event devoted to bikes and the humans who love them! There will be stories and bikes, beers and more bikes. AND a story-capturing device that is a) mobile and b) a bike. It’s called the Storybike. Everything about all of this is so adorable!?

• Saturday, June 13th • 1:00 – 6:00 PM
• Old GRTC Bus Depot, 101 S. Davis Avenue
• $10 (unless you donated to Secretly Y’all’s Kickstarter campaign)

5. Windsor Farms Bicycle Tour and the RRHA Public Safety Community Bike Ride

A second and third very interesting way to honor bikes and our community! Go on a bike tour with the Valentine and learn the history (and admire the beautiful lawns) of Windsor Farms. OR meet your local cops (particularly if you live in the East End) and go on a 5K around the city.

Windsor Farms Bicycle Tour

• Saturday, June 13th • 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Grace Baptist Church, 4200 Dover Road
• $15 per person, $5 for Valentine members (call 804-649-0711, ext. 301 for reservations, which are required)

Public Safety 5K

• Saturday, June 13th • 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Meet at Gilpin Court, 436 Calhoun Street
• Free! (Kids 8 and up are welcome)

June 11, 2015 12:00 PM 0