5 Things

With this much stuff to do, it’s almost as if previous weekends didn’t exist.

April 19, 2012; 6:59 AM • by Susan Howson

With this much stuff to do, it’s almost as if previous weekends didn’t exist.

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1. Richmond Earth Day Festival

THE PLANET EARTH–it’s something we all have in common. Why don’t we all get together this Saturday and celebrate that and the other things we have in common, namely eating, drinking, watching our kids do fun activities, and listening to music. Oh, and learning. Lots of learning! You’ll get to find out how to be more eco-friendly so that you’re on better terms with Mother Nature. Maybe you didn’t exactly have bad blood with her before, but you were certainly frenemies. Don’t you think you’re both too old for that kind of drama?

• Sat. Apr. 21 • 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Manchester
• Free!

2. RVA Fashion Week Final Show

New York, Paris, Milan, Richmond. You have to admit, we’re an oddly fashionable town. And you can interpret “oddly” however you like! Check out what the local imagination is capable of when it’s allowed to have its way with fabric. The RVA Fashion Week Final Show wraps up a week of stuff-strutting at The Hippodrome, where designers will converge to delight you with a showcase that runs the whole gamut of style.

• Sat. Apr. 21 • 7:00 PM
• The Hippodrome
• Free during the week. Price for the Final Showcase varies.

3. Wild West Space Opera (In Space) with Dinosaurs

There can be only one Thing (per week) that wins Best Name, and this, without a doubt, is it. Join Vaudeville Galore and Mab, Just Mab at Gallery5 this Friday for this variety show that encourages you to come in costume. A space costume. Or a dinosaur costume. Or a cowboy costume. Or any combination of the three.

• Sat. Apr. 21 • Doors at 8:00 PM, Show at 9:00 PM
• Gallery5, 200 W. Marshall St.
• $10 in advance, $15 at the door, $8 for members (18 and up only, please)

4. Kings Dominion Opening

Yeah, yeah, we live close to the beach and close to the mountains so everything is so convenient and beauteous, but more importantly, we live within easy driving distance of lots of roller coasters. What nearby Kings Dominion lacks in quaint charm, it makes up for with a billion thrilling rides. If you’ve turned up your nose at the Old Faithful of Central Virginia Theme Parks, point your shnozz in a more downwardly direction and walk, humbled, through the gates (in comfortable shoes and clothes that you don’t mind getting wet). This year, the WindSeeker dominates those sissy old fair swings with a 30-story, 30 mph spinning wheel of delight. Once your kids stop staggering around in dizzy circles, take ‘em to Dinosaurs Alive!, the interactive stroll down prehistoric lane. It’s located right next to the Grizzly, which is as old as a T. rex and twice as terrifying.

• Opens Sat. April 21 and continues throughout the spring and summer • 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM (hours change as the season progresses)
• Kings Dominion, 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell
• $49.99 for adults, $37.99 for kids (see website for ticket deals)

5. Church Hill Secret Gardens Symphony Tour

There are a lot of hidden botanical treasures in Church Hill, the city’s oldest neighborhood. And when you found them…and you WILL find them…they’re filled with wine, cheese, and live classical musicians. That’s how Church Hill does it, y’all! For 35 buckaroos, you can hobnob with local green thumbs or just look at them awkwardly and head straight for the wine.

• Sun. Apr. 22 • 12:30 AM – 5:00 PM
• St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall (ticket pickup), 2401 E. Broad St.
• $35

Bonus event – GOOD Ideas for Cities

GOOD Magazine has a thing they do in cities they choose to do it in: they get a number of creative types together in a room to solve the city’s problems. Then, those same creative types turn around and tell The People what they’ve come up with. You get fresh takes on old chestnuts, and you get to bring your own ideas to the presentation. On Tuesday, go hear what GOOD ideas have been happening all around, ask some questions, and get involved.

• Tues. Apr. 24 • Doors at 5:30 PM, Program at 6:30 PM
• Virginia Historical Society, 428 N. Boulevard
• Free! (but please RSVP)

April 19, 2012 6:59 AM 0