5 Things

You know what? Just stay in this weekend. The sheer amount of amazing things to do might just overwhelm you. But if you like art, more art, comedy, theatre, and music…put on your best duds and venture out.

June 26, 2014; 8:21 AM • by Susan Howson

1. Plein Air

We all like paintings, sure. But paintings that are required to be done out-of-doors?? You didn’t know this, but it turns out that’s pretty challenging. This judged event benefits the Richmond Symphony (be still my classical-music-loving heart) and gets you to go assess national painters on their takes on various Richmond locales. Check out the site for specific information, and know that you can actually buy one of these if you so desire. And you probably do desire.

• Thursday, June 26th – Saturday, June 28th • see site for times
• See site for venues
• Free to watch, but you could also purchase!

2. Arts and Culture Xpo 2014

Celebrate our local arts and cultsha…I’m sorry, I meant “CULTURE” at this one-day event at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Why should I bother with this, you ask, when I have so much culture all around me? Oh, no reason. Or maybe because it is ONE BILLION THINGS UNDER ONE ROOF. Performing arts, visual arts, theatrical arts, historical arts, and dance. That’s a lotta arts! And it’s good for the whole family.

• Saturday, June 28th • 10:00 AM
• Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 N. Third Street
• Free!

3. Coalition Theater 5th Anniversary

If you think that improv is unimportant in your life…THINK AGAIN. And also pretend that I just said a super spontaneous joke. There are lots of people you love who get their confidence and their sense of humor from being involved with local improv. Now is the time to support them with some buy-in to the Coalition Theater’s 5th anniversary series of events. We will laugh and laugh, and then probably laugh again.

• Thursday, June 26th – Saturday, June 28th • see site for times
• Coalition Theater, 8 W. Broad Street
• See site for prices

4. HAIR

Guys, the Sixties. I hear it was a crazy time! I wasn’t alive, but I like the idea that people had a lot of hair then, sort of like during my favorite decade, the 90s. The stories that come out of this age of free love are pretty colorful. To say the least! This iconic musical has given us many classic songs, such as “The Age of Aquarius,” which resulted in one of my favorite They Might Be Giants songs “The Age of Aquarium.” And for that, we should all go ahead and buy tickets to the Firehouse Theatre production of HAIR. If you’re not convinced, it contains brief nudity!

• Starting Thursday, June 26th &bull see site for times
• Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad Street
• $35 with discounts available

5. Ki:Theory feat. Gull and Negative Gemini

Give me one sec to gush about Ki:Theory: it’s super-fun, dance-worthy, and also-chill music that you are bound to like. Local songwriter Joel Burleson has some serious gifts for both recording and performing, and I’m not saying that just because I am a huge fan, you should be a huge fan, but…let’s just say it’s highly recommended. Or this job interview is over. (And the supporting bands are an excellent time, too.)

• Saturday, June 28th • 9:00 PM
• Strange Matter, 929 W. Grace Street
• $10

June 26, 2014 8:21 AM 1