5 Things for Families

Brush off the crumbs of the Halloween candy you’ve been secretly eating from your children’s stash and check out some diverse events this weekend.

November 6, 2013; 7:12 AM • by Kelly Gerow

This week’s events include a coat drive/ballpark party, your new favorite museum exhibit about Hollywood costumes, and a local production of Hairspray. Warning: this is one of the last weekends before everything turns Christmas-related, so get out now if you prefer your events not gingerbread-scented and full of twinkling lights.

1. Hairspray

The John Waters’s Hairspray is delightful, and the film version of the Broadway adaptation of the John Waters’s movie is delightful. So is the Theatre VCU version of the Broadway adaptation of the John Waters’ movie Hairspray also going to be delightful? It’s a safe bet. Treat yourself to this funny and vibrant musical about the integration of a Baltimore TV dance show set in the 60s. Performances run through the next few weekends, starting this Friday.

Opens November 8th • see website for showtimes
Singleton Center for the Performing Arts (VCU), 922 Park Avenue
$25

2. Puritan Cleaners/Flying Squirrels Ballpark Warming Party

The Flying Squirrels partner again with Puritan Cleaners for the 5th Annual Ballpark Warming Party to collect for the Coats for Kids drive that helps families in Central Virginia. Bring gently worn or new coats and stick around to enjoy live music, hot chocolate, games, and a chance to see the reunion of 1989 Richmond Braves

Saturday, November 9th • 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Diamond, 3001 N. Boulevard
Free

3. Hollywood Costume

Hollywood Costume at the VMFA opens this weekend, and it’s sure to be that magical combination of things you enjoy, your kids will enjoy, and (since it’s time to start thinking about it anyway) any family visiting over the holidays will enjoy. View clothes worn in films such as The Birds, Titanic, and Fight Club. This exhibit makes its American debut at VMFA and is the only East Coast showing. Take that, the rest of the East Coast. An accompanying photography exhibit opens on November 23rd.

November 9th through February 17th
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard
$10-$20 (free for members and children under six)

4. Veterans Day Ceremony at Virginia War Memorial

For those who have a three-day weekend coming up, a great opportunity to pause and remember the reason why is to attend the Veterans Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial, which features guest speaker Gov. Bob McDonnell and a performance of “Taps.”

November 11th • 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Virginia War Memorial, 621 S. Belvidere Street
Free

5. A YA Evening with Arin Greenwood and Elizabeth Kiem

Join authors Arin Greenwood and Elizabeth Kiem as they read from their new young adult novels Save the Enemy and Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy (respectively). Kiem’s story is a spy novel about a daughter’s struggle with her missing mother’s past in the Soviet Union. Greenwood’s story is about an unusually skilled girl who moves to a new town and finds herself needing to fight for her family. You can say you saw them before the books were made into movies.