5 Things

If you planned things right this week, you COULD drink some things from one event, grab some tomatoes from another, and tell some performers from a third just what you think of them via a direct splat right on the kisser. I would never condone that, ever. But I would watch the video.

July 10, 2014; 8:32 AM • by Susan Howson

1. Richmond Symphony – Summer at CenterStage

I had the acoustic pleasure of catching the last Richmond Symphony Rush Hour series of the season this year–a similar set up to their Summer at CenterStage event. Picture it: you, drinking a glass of wine or a bottle of beer (or both! they don’t judge!), right up close and personal with the symphony. I mean, SUPER close, so the sound washes all around you and you have an intimate view of the soloists’ fancy fingerwork. This week kicks off the series, which runs through August, with Brahms and both Schumanns.

Thursday, July 10th • 6:30 PM
Gottwald Playhouse at CenterStage, 600 E. Grace Street
$22

2. River City Secrets

SECRETSSSSS. The secret of this event is that it’s poetry-themed, not, like, some group where you get together and tell a secret you promised never, ever to tell. (PS – I’d go to that.) But this PARTICULAR event is also art-themed, as it coincides with the Henry Street Gallery’s latest opening (from 6:00 – 10:00 PM that very evening). The main event is a guy who, I hear, is not-to-be-missed: James MrSpeaker Sears, but all are welcome to get on the mic, get on the mic, Mike.

Friday, July 11th • 7:00 PM
Henry Street Gallery, 422 W. Broad Street
$5 suggested donation

3. Hanover Tomato Festival

I always forget how much I’ve missed that super-cool tomato, kicking back with its arms and legs and shades, until I see the Hanover Tomato Festival’s logo every year. If they ever change that thing, I will include the whole event on my wildly unpopular “5 Things at Which You Should Upturn Your Nose” column. That’s a warning, Hanover County. Anyway, the tomato fest is a fun jam with lots of food, music, and things to do for the whole family. Get there early and you’ll see some weird but tradition-based child pageantry. And also this year: tomatoes!!

Saturday, July 12th • 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Pole Green Park, 8996 Pole Green Park Lane
Free!

4. Two Intoxicatingly Exciting Beer-Centered Events

My favorite place in my entire neighborhood (and there are lots of contenders now), Union Market, welcomes Terrapin Beer Co. from Atlanta to takeover the ol’ taps while musicians Josh Small and Andrew Alli PLAY “Taps!” Just kidding, that would be too somber. But they will be playing something, one would guess. Kicking off slightly earlier in the day (plan your overlap wisely and preferably using a taxi service), Hardywood releases their new Virginia Blackberry ale with the help of The Cheats Movement, who has booked The Big Payback (the James Brown tribute band), Photosynthesizers, and Radio B. You’re not allowed to complete a Richmond weekend without some sort of beer event logged on your Swarm app, so get to it.

Saturday, July 12th • 2:00 PM (Hardywood) and 4:00 PM (Union Market)
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, 2408 Ownby Lane and Union Market, 2306 Jefferson Avenue
Free to attend! Beer will cost ya!

5. Jammin’ on the James

“We COULD call this gorgeous river the Thames, like its namesake, but what if there’s a big fun musical event on a historic site overlooking it one day? What will our descendants ever call it? Truckin’ on the Thames? Gross. Trottin’ on the Thames? Grosser. No, sirs, it shall be the mighty James River, so that all shall jam upon it at the Wilton House this week featuring swing band, the Tom Cunningham Orchestra for years to come! Let it be done!”