5 Things: Beer, more beer, basketball, and giving back to the community

If your New Year’s resolution is related to weight loss and job advancement, we cannot help you. If your New Year’s resolution is related to drinking more beer, watching more sports, and listening to more music, read on.

January 14, 2016; 12:01 PM • by Rachel Marsh

Drumline competition from Freedom Classic 2013.

1. “The 9” Songwriter’s Series

What happens when you put nine musicians full of stories in a room together with an open floor and no agenda? I have NO idea either! But gosh, I would love to find out!! “The 9” Songwriter’s Series travels across the country, and are performing in Richmond for one night. Nine solo singer/songwriters come together to play songs, tell stories, and make up music on the spot. Basically what I’m saying is, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so don’t disappoint the FOMO in you.

• Thursday, January 14th, 8:00 – 11:00 PM
• The Tin Pan, 8982 Quioccasin Road
• $10

2. Richmond Jewish Food Festival

Find your traditional Jewish and Israeli foods here, like latkes and kugel and a bunch of things I don’t think I can pronounce. The Richmond Jewish Food Festival has a delicious variety for everyone, including vegan and gluten free options. And when you’re done eating but aren’t ready to leave, there’s still live music, plus handmade wares and grocery items available for sale. Here’s our cabbage-filled guide!

• Sunday, January 17th through Monday, January 18th, 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM
• Weinstein Jewish Community Center, 5403 Monument Avenue
• Free, pay only for your food.

3. Freedom Classic Festival

The annual matchup between Virginia’s two historically Black colleges comes with a days-long festival celebrating MLK and all the good stuff he did. It’s focused on mentoring, volunteering, stuff like that, but it is also a whole lot of fun, with drumline competitions, a gospel showcase, fine art sale, and, of course, the VUU vs. VSU basketball game.

• Basketball game: Sunday, January 17th • 7:00 PM, see site for rest of schedule
• Basketball game: Richmond Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh Street
• $20 – $25 for the game

4. Beer Stuff!

4a. Strange Brew Sports Bar

Hardywood, eh? Movies, eh? Canadian stereotypes, eh? This Friday, Hardywood is showing Strange Brew, your favorite Canadians-start-working-at-a-brewery-with-inevitably-hilarious-plot-twists film, with proceeds going to Video Fan Forever. Following the movie will be local musicians, Sports Bar. Drinking great beer for a great cause is almost as good as hockey covered in maple syrup, eh?

• Friday, January 15th, 9:00 PM
• Hardywood Park Brewery, 2408 Ownby Lane
• $5

4b. Brews & Burlesque

Stouts go well with chocolate cake, IPAs taste great next to pizza, and Strangeways beer pairs nicely with scantily clad ladies. Grab a beer and check out these suave and alluring burlesque performers at Strangeways Brewery on Friday…I find that it really brings out the malt flavors.

• Friday, January 15th, 9:00 PM
• Strangeways Brewery, 2277A Dabney Road
• $9 in advance, $12 at the door

5. MLK Day of Service

Make it a day on, not a day off. I wish I had made that up, because catchy! The Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday on Monday, January 18th is also a national day of service. There are nine community projects where you can sign up to volunteer and one DIY you can do at home, all coordinated by HandsOn Greater Richmond. A movie screening and discussion of Selma at the Byrd, is presented by HandsOn, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and the University of Richmond’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement for free at 3:00 PM on Sunday, January 17th (no advance registration required).

• Monday, January 18th, anytime you want!
• Various places!
• The cost of your time!

January 14, 2016 12:01 PM · in Near West End News, Shockoe News, and more 0