5 Things

If I could create a festival, it would be called the Festival Fest and it would celebrate festivals. Festivals. Festivals. Now that word just sounds ridiculous.

August 8, 2013; 6:55 AM • by Susan Howson

Looking for things to do with the smaller versions of yourself? Fire up the family wagon and take a looksee at 5 Things for Families.

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1. Richmond Jazz Festival

Dictionary.com defines jazz as “[music] generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and aharmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism to atonality.” But then it goes on to say, “dancing or a dance performed to such music, as with violent bodily motions and gestures.” Ahh, there we have it. Get all jerky this weekend at the Richmond Jazz Festival, which starts tonight and ends on Sunday. This festival is NO JOKE, and features Chick Corea, Jill Scott, and the great, bearded Michael McDonald.

  • Friday, August 2nd • see site for schedule
  • Maymont and other venues (see schedule), 1700 Hampton Street
  • $25-$125

2. 8th Annual Filipino Festival

The Philippines! You, beautiful island chain, are a big part of American culture, and not just because you’ve provided us the new singer for Journey. You’ve birthed a ton of now-Americans, and we need to celebrate that heritage with gusto. Cultural festivals are my favorite festivals; they’ve got interesting music, cuisine, art, and dance…always dance. Come eat adobo, flan, empanada, and halo-halo while you marvel at people who do this crazy-awesome dance from like a whole nother country, like it’s no big deal!

  • Friday, August 9th – Saturday, August 10th • see site for times
  • Our Lady of Lourdes, 8200 Woodman Road
  • Free to attend

3. Sound City Bands & Brews 2013

This music festival’s headliner is an amazing band called The Breeders who you probably came across in the glorious 1990s. I don’t know who Sound City is, but I’m pleased they are presenting this festival for the rest of us (the rest of us, by the way, are people who like music festivals with beer). Also featured: Deerhunter, El Vez, The Trillions, Black Girl, and more. Oh, and there’s beer. LOTS of it.

  • Saturday, August 10th – Sunday, August 11th • see site for schedule
  • American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, 500 Tredegar Street
  • $30-$120

4. 30th Annual Watermelon Festival

I’m going to pretend you’re new to town, because maybe you are, and introduce you to the biggest festival of all. The Watermelon Festival is a two-day affair that involves a closed-off Carytown, which gets filled with over a hundred thousand people who are there to eat watermelon as well as some Carytown restaurant food. They’re also there to buy things from vendors, including shirts that say “I SURVIVED THE WATERMELON FESTIVAL,” and if that shirt doesn’t exist, it should. This fest is not for the faint of heart, but it is a requirement if you want to advance to the next stage of Richmond commitment.

  • Sunday, August 11th • 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Carytown in its entirety
  • Free to attend!

5. 6th Annual Jonny Z Festival

Before his untimely death several years ago, young Jonny Z was a guy that everyone seemed to admire (he was very active in the community, especially with Food Not Bombs, as I understand it). Well, his friends and fans have put their money where their mouth is and created a festival so popular, it’s still going strong six years later. The Jonny Z Festival celebrates our community and the art and music that brings it together. Sponsored by WRIR with some fundraising goals for Art180, this fest includes lots of fun for the kids, food (Lamplighter and Joe’s Inn), awesome raffles, and Bizarre Market vendors. It’s a good thing. Get into it.

  • Saturday, August 10th • 12:00 – 5:00 PM
  • 200 block of N. Shields Avenue
  • Free!

Future Things

Photo by: cobalt123

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Susan Howson

Susan Howson is managing editor for this very website. She writes THE BEST bios.

August 8, 2013 6:55 AM 3

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