November festivals: Craft Beer Harvest, Touch a Truck, Brunswick Stew Festival

Festivals cool off in November, but there’s still so much beer left to drink! Warning, this month ends in Christmastime.

November 6, 2015; 2:52 PM • by Susan Howson

Photo by: Gord McKenna

Willow Lawn Craft Beer Harvest

Amber waves of beer with Richmonders peacefully swinging scythes–that’s what the phrase “Craft Beer Harvest” brings to mind. This second annual event only requires that you bring two non-perishable food items to donate to FeedMore. You can also test your strength in a stein holding contest ($10 entry fee, also benefits FeedMore), tap your toe to the Jackass Flats, and toss your offspring in the Kids Zone. Oh, and try up to 15 different kinds of beer (probably not that many if you have kids? Let’s not be total idiots.)

• Friday, November 6th • 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• The Square at Willow Lawn
• 2 non-perishable food items gives you a sample mug you can keep, which you can fill with beer for (essentially) $0? Is this the best festival that exists?

Touch a Truck

Remember when Joaquin rudely interrupted all our fun plans that one weekend in October? Well, screw you, Joaquin, because Touch a Truck is back on its rescheduled date for all of the children who will be vibrating with glee as they explore the world of REAL LIVE ACTUAL TRUCKS.

• Saturday, November 7th • 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Richmond International Raceway, 600 E. Laburnum Avenue
• $5 with some discount and group options available

Brunswick Stew Festival

Here’s another vision: guys standing over big cauldrons, stirring with giant spoons, everyone just slurping out of bowls, a blanket of contentment over all. And this year they’ve added craft beer, because without it, Richmonders would run amok.

• Saturday, November 7th • 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• 17th Street Farmers Market, 100 N. 17th Street
• $1 for stew samples, $2 for stout/porter samples, $6 for a full pour

InLight

Only the coolest and most beautiful light experimentation festival around! You’ve gotta see InLight to understand it, and this year we’ll get two nights to enjoy! Plus, it probably will be a nicely temperate evening! That part is just a guess, but I don’t want anything to dissuade you from going, so I’m going to go ahead and say it will not be freezing cold! Public art is so fun!

• Friday, November 13th – Saturday, November 14th • In the evening times!
• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard
• Free!

Mini Greek Festival

The festival you forget is happening until it’s happening and then you realize how much you need it in your life and are so grateful to the organizers for not making you wait an entire year for your baklava. Related note: was the Greek Festival really six months ago?

• Thursday, November 12th – Saturday, November 14th • 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
• Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Avenue
• A la carte pricing, and some “take and bake” options to buy!

Richmond Cider Celebration

Now we’re talking! A festival dedicated to the Best Way to Eat an Apple. Tickets aren’t cheap, but they include a tasting glass, a wine tote bag, 10 different cider tastings, live music, and educational workshops.

• Saturday, November 14th • 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• 17th Street Farmers Market, 100 N. 17th Street
• $20 in advance, $25 at the door

Illuminate Light Show & Santa’s Village

Oh my word, is it time to start talking about the holidays? If you’re ready–and you’re ready for your kids to start talking about them, too–load up the car and shlep the family to Meadow Event Park. There’s a skating rink this year, Santa’s Village, snowglobe photo booth, hundreds of thousands of LED lights that you go through while listening to music on your car radio…honestly this whole thing is pretty neat.

• November 21st — January 2nd • Nightly, 5:30 – 10:00 PM
• Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Boulevard
• $25 per car (buy at Walgreens and save $3)

November 6, 2015 2:52 PM · in Near West End News, North Richmond News, and more 0