5 things

I’m sorry about all of the “I’m back, I’m gone, I’m back again.” I’m back for real, I promise. And in celebration of my return, allow me to present a truly great weekend…

October 8, 2009; 10:45 AM • by Valerie Catrow

I’m sorry about all of the “I’m back, I’m gone, I’m back again.” I’m back for real, I promise. And in celebration of my return, allow me to present a truly great weekend…

1. Marta Rainer’s Unaccustomed to My Name

One-person shows kind of blow my mind. So much work! So much pressure! So much not being able to blame a bad show on other people! Firehouse Theatre has got a great one in store for you, and it’s only showing this weekend. Check out the description:

This dynamic performance is about a bookish woman named Sophie who faces a life crisis at 21, fighting the misfit blues and the ghosts of her high school past by torturing numbskulls in cow town bars after creating a saucy, Slavic alter ego. But her new lease on life is foiled when she meets a charming poetry professor and finds herself in a love triangle with… herself.

Shows at 8pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. A 2pm showing will also take place on Saturday. Ms. Ranier (the writer and star) will be hosting a talk-back after Friday night’s performance. 1609 W. Broad Street, $15. Purchase tickets here. Those who come and the see the show will be given a $5 off coupon for any Thursday night performance during the 2009-2010 season.

2. Richmond Folk Festival

Hooray, it’s finally here! This is the weekend, guys: The Richmond Folk Festival. The weather is going to be PERFECT, the performers are going to be AWESOME, and we are going to be THERE. Check out our Folk Festival Guide for details on performers, schedules, parking, kids’ activities, food vendors, and more. We’ve also got a mobile guide available for you iPhone users. Can’t wait to see everyone out there! Friday, October 9th from 6pm to 10:30pm, Saturday, October 10th from noon to 10:30pm, and Sunday, October 11th from noon to 7pm, Brown’s Island.

3. Touch a Truck 2009

Did you hear that? That was the sound of my son’s head exploding with joy at the prospect of spending an afternoon gazing at 30 different kinds of trucks. Touch a Truck 2009 is put on by the Junior League of Richmond in order to give Richmond kids a chance to “explore heavy machinery and meet the people who build, protect, and serve the Richmond community.” It also includes a Toddler Zone (0-3) and Kids’ Corner (4-8) for the littler ones. Saturday, October 10th, 10am to 2pm, Short Pump Middle School, 4701 Pouncey Tract Road in Glen Allen. Tickets are $5 for individuals and $15 for families. Purchase tickets here.

4. 5th Annual Richmond Italian Street Festival

I tried to think of something clever to say about this, but I’m paralyzed with excitement over how much delicious food will be there. And to makes things even more wonderful, they’re raffling off a trip for two to Italy. I have to stop talking about it or I might start weeping. Saturday, October 10th, 11am to 8pm and Sunday, October 11th, 11am to 6pm, Richmond Raceway Complex, 602 E. Laburnum Avenue, $2 donation is suggested.

5. Hitchcock! A Symphonic Night at the Movies

An evening spent watching footage of Hitchcock films with the Richmond Symphony providing the soundtrack? Movie nerds and music geeks unite! Here’s a quick preview for you:

(Hitchcock! A Symphonic Night at the Movies from rachael weiner on Vimeo.)

Saturday, October 10th, 8pm, Carpenter Theatre at CenterStage, 600 E. Grace Street. Tickets range from $17 to $75 and can be purchased here.

None of these up your alley? See what else is going on around town this weekend.

Did we miss anything? Leave it in the comments.

As the editor of RVANews, Valerie Catrow spends most of her time wrangling people over email and muttering to herself about the content calendar. She also contributes to our parenting column while maintaining her own blog, Made in Richmond. It should be noted that she loves tots, both the potato and child varieties.

October 8, 2009 10:45 AM 2