5 Things for Families

With so much happening this weekend, I’m afraid that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will burst out of their 24 hours, and leave sparkling lights, candy sprinkles, and streamers all over the rest of the week. Wait, that sounds awesome.

December 4, 2013; 6:42 AM • by Kelly Gerow

1. Poe Illumination

Although Edgar Allen Poe is the opposite of a jolly old elf, it doesn’t mean that the Poe Museum can’t get in on the holiday spirit. The Enchanted Garden’s illumination is a Victorian Christmas celebration with costumed interpreters, holiday music, crafts, and refreshments.

  • Friday, December 6th • 6:00 — 9:00 PM
  • Poe Museum, 1914 E. Main Street
  • Free

2. RVA Krampusnacht

Talk about the opposite of a jolly old elf. Krampus, the creature who handles bad children during the Christmas season, makes his Richmond debut during this parade through Carytown. Costumed participants are welcome to join in the walk (but there are rules we’re not in Europe, people). If you’ve ever seen footage of a Krampuslauf, you know the demon-heavy walk can get pretty intense and scary, and combine that with people trying to park on Cary Street (the road will not be closed) then you have some fright in your future. But the event is in good fun, and St. Nicholas will show up to lighten things up a bit (pro tip, Nick: Don’t even bother trying to find a space for that sleigh in Cary Court).

  • Friday, December 6th • 6:00 — 9:00 PM
  • Carytown (meet up in front of the Aquarian Bookshop, 3519 Ellwood Avenue)
  • Free

3. Gingerbread Workshop

Building a house at the Virginia Center for Architecture sounds intimidating, but it’ll also smell great since it’s made of gingerbread. Learn more about using ginger, enjoy some snacks, and either make your own house or team up (though since the house can be taken home, choose your fellow builders by location).

  • Saturday, December 7th • 2:00 — 4:00 PM
  • Virginia Center for Architecture, 2501 Monument Avenue
  • $5 per person and $20 per house (advanced registration is required)

4. Historic Holidays

A Christmas Party with Poe? A demon parade? What’s next, decorating festive wreaths to put on coffins? That is likely happening this weekend, too, but who has the time with all the historic Christmas events going on? Court End Christmas is a combo of free admission to ten museums (with a complimentary shuttle between sites), plus carriage rides, caroling, living history, and more. Yuletides at Agecroft is also a free holiday open house with historic characters and entertainment from three different eras of Christmas Past (England in 1640 and 1850, and Richmond in 1942). In addition to the guided Maymont Mansion tours, Victorian Holidays at Maymont offers an afternoon-long Christmas Party at the house and grounds, with an extra event featuring a longer visit from St. Nick, animals, games, crafts, and refreshments.

5. Fresh Beat Band

My three-year-old is too young to really care about seeing the Fresh Beat Band in concert, so would it be weird if I showed up without a child? The titular band from the goofy and upbeat Nick Jr. show plays what I can only assume is a 30-minute concert, but whatever songs they perform are so cute and catchy that the set will be played in your head in an eternal/internal concert. Go bananas!

  • Tuesday, December 10th • 6:30 PM
  • Landmark Theater, 6 N. Laurel Street
  • $24-$45

Five things aren’t enough? Check out our holiday event guide for more ideas.

Photo by: Nikita!

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Kelly Gerow

Kelly Gerow lives and writes in Richmond. She probably does other stuff in Richmond, too.

December 4, 2013 6:42 AM 0

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