5 things

Don’t let the chance of rain discourage you, Richmond. This weekend, by gum, THERE WILL BE FUN. Particularly if you choose to show your pretty little faces at any and all of these events.

May 20, 2010; 6:00 AM • by Valerie Catrow

Don’t let the chance of rain discourage you, Richmond. This weekend, by gum, THERE WILL BE FUN. Particularly if you choose to show your pretty little faces at any and all of these events.

1. BackStory with the American History Guys

The Virginia Historical Society is hosting a rare live taping of this public radio program, and YOU get to come. The concept is simple: three incredibly knowledgeable guys (including Edward Ayers, President of the University of Richmond) get together and talk about (you guessed it!) American History! This time around, the Guys will be exploring the complicated and turbulent history of taxation — from the Stamp Act of 1765, to the current Tea Party movement, to Americans’ attitudes towards “the Tax Man.” They will be taking questions from the audience, so come ready to stump them. But you probably won’t be able to.

• Thursday, May 20, 6pm
• Virginia Historical Society (428 N. Boulevard)
• Free!

2. Starry Night – A Special LiveSky Presentation

Looking for something a little romantic and special (and, ok, cheap) before going out to dinner? Head on over to the Science Museum for a special edition of LiveSky where you’ll see recreations of the actual night skies that inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night and his other night pieces.

• Friday, May 21, 6pm (get there early, no late seating, they mean business)
• Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W. Broad Street)
• $5

3. The Girtles

Their tag line is reason enough to show up:

all girls, all beatles, hence, THE GIRTLES

Four of Richmond’s loveliest ladies from some of its favorite bands (Fuzzy Baby, Quatro Na Bossa, Miramar, and Bio Ritmo) join forces to cover early Beatles music. They’re sassy, they’re talented, and they’re so much fun. This one is a must-see. For a sneak peek, check out their recent visit to WRIR.

• Friday, May 21, 10pm
• Balliceaux (203 N. Lombardy Street)
• Free!

4. Grand Opening Ceremonies of the Forest Hill Park Lake

Finishing ahead of schedule and coming in under budget (!!!), the Forest Hill Park Lake is ready to open back up to the public this weekend. The event will start off with a moment of silence in memory of Kathryn and Bryan Harvey and their young daughters, Stella and Ruby, who died tragically in their home in nearby Woodland Heights on January 1, 2006 (the formal dedication of the bridge being built in their honor will happen at a later date). After opening remarks and the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, the first Forest Hill Yacht Club Regatta will be underway with a kayak/canoe race, youth boat race, dog swim, and more. Be sure to check out our coverage of this much-anticipated event early next week!

• Saturday, May 22, 2:30pm
• Forest Hill Park (W. 42nd Street and Forest Hill Avenue)
• Free admission, registration fees may apply

5. Carytown and the Byrd Theatre Walking Tour

You probably spend your weekend walking around this part of town anyway, so why not learn a little sumpin’ sumpin’? Find out about Carytown’s history as a buffalo trail and a streetcar suburb, and get a behind-the-scenes tour of The Byrd Theatre.

• Sunday, May 23, 2pm
• Meet at Nacho Mama’s (3449 W. Cary Street)
• $10 per person ($5 for Richmond History Center members)

None of these sound good? Check out our Events Calendar to see more fun stuff going on around town.

As always, if you know of something that deserves a shout out, please do so in the comments OR submit it to the calendar yourself!

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.

May 20, 2010 6:00 AM 2