April Festivals: Earth! Earth! Earth! Art! And Dance!

Spring has arrived. Kiss your leisurely, one-festival’d weekends goodbye.

April 22, 2016; 11:31 AM • by Rachel Marsh

RVA Street Art Festival

Someone once asked me my favorite street art in Richmond. If someone asked you the same question, do you know how you would respond? Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to respond with, “Uh, the one I watched happen, duh.” RVA Street Art Festival. Mic drop.

• Thursday, April 21st – Sunday, April 24th
• Southern States Silos & Manchester, South of the Mayo Bridge
• Free to attend!

Richmond Dance Festival

So many diverse dancers from all over the country, representing dances from all over the world. Lots of art, lots of culture, lots of dancing, and lots of wishing you had stuck with those ballet classes you took in preschool.

• Friday, April 22nd – Saturday, May 7th • Friday & Saturday shows 8:00 PM
• Dogtown Dance Theatre, 109 W. 15th Street
• $15

Earth Day Festival

You Earth lover, you. You like kayaking, don’t you? You like mountain biking, correct? You like craft beer, craft activities, and juggling, eh? Okay, maybe some of that is unrelated to the earth, but you still like it, right? And you still are definitely going to go to the Earth Day Festival right?

• Saturday, April 23rd • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Great Shiplock Park in Shockoe Bottom
• Free to attend!

RVA Earth Day

If you think one Earth Day festival isn’t enough, drive your festival-crazed, Earth-loving self across the river to another just-as-earthy, just-as-fun, just-as-festival-y festival in Manchester.

• Saturday, April 23rd • 12:00 – 7:00 PM
• Manchester
• Free to attend!

The Bard’s Birthday: A Celebration of Shakespeare

This year, Shakespeare turns 452. And what better way to celebrate your 452nd birthday than with songs, games, and sonnets, surrounded by hundreds of your closest friends? And Shakespeare himself will be there, of course, because it’s his birthday; but please be aware that he’s a little sensitive about the age thing, so just compliment his work and don’t say anything about his graying hair.

• Saturday, April 23rd • 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road
• Free to attend!

French Food Festival

I’m supposed to be convincing you why these festivals are worth checking out, but I just…I just can’t understand why anyone would need convincing. It’s French food, guys. That means baguettes. Croissants. Fancy cheese. Red wine. Puffy pastries that dissolve into airy bliss the second they touch your tongue. If you’re still on the fence, just look at the menu page.

• Friday, April 29th • 4:30 – 7:30 PM and Saturday, April 30th • 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Little Sisters of the Poor, 1503 Michaels Road
• Free to attend!

Arts in the Park

If this were Christmastime, I would tout this as a great opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done. But it’s nowhere near Christmas, so you can go and just buy some jewelry, paintings, and other art-related indulgences for yourself without feeling guilty. Plus you’ll be supporting local artists, and double plus, it’s free.

• Saturday, April 30th – Sunday, May 1st • 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday and 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Sunday
• The Carillon in Byrd Park
• Free to attend!

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Previously

French Film Festival

I thought it would be so clever to write this description in French, but here’s the thing, I don’t know any French. Luckily for me, and all you other people who don’t speak French, every one of these films will still be very enlightening, edifying, and enjoyable because, English subtitles, obviously!

• Wednesday, March 31st – Sunday, April 3rd • see site for times
• The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary Street
• $15 per film or VIP Passes for various prices

Virginia Horse Festival

Throw on your cowboy hat (or buy one), jump on your horse (or pretend you have one), and join the Virginia Horse Festival as a true Southerner (or act like you are one).

• Friday, April 1st – Sunday, April 3rd • see site for times
• The Meadow Event Park, 13111 Dawn Boulevard
• $12

VA Homeschoolers Conference

Meet lots of other people who share your views on schooling and doing it outside of a school. Or your potential views on schooling and doing it outside of a school, if you’re currently undecided. They’re offering dozens of expert sessions on dozens of expert topics led by dozens of expert experts.

• Friday, April 1st – Saturday, April 2nd • see site for session times
• The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road
• Registration prices vary, see site for details

Second Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms are often celebrated as symbols of hope, rebirth, and humility (beauty too, most likely, because man are they pretty). The Japanese Student Association at VCU is bringing us an entire festival associated with this incredible flower; included will be music, entertainment, and that gooey feeling you get when you know it’s officially spring.

• Sunday, April 3rd • 12:30 – 4:30 PM
• Virginia Commonwealth University, 907 Floyd Avenue
• Free!

TedxRVA

“I am so mentally motivated and have a lot of important things to think and talk about now,” is what everyone has on their minds for weeks after dousing themselves with live TED Talks. The hoopla around TEDxRVA involves a bunch of festival-like stuff, but you’ll need to cough up 50 bones for this one.

• Friday, April 8th • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Richmond CenterStage, 600 E. Grace Street
• $50

Celebration of the Vine

This is a great time to bring out that wine Koozie necklace with the rhinestones that you bought on impulse years ago. No judgment here, especially when you’re not spilling wine everywhere.

• Saturday, April 9th • 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• The Millworks at the Green, 13872 Coalfield Parkway
• $25

Oyster Roast & Festival

I know that winter is over because my calendar told me so. And because I turned the heat off in my apartment, and because I wore shorts to work yesterday. But I officially know that winter is over because there’s a festival dedicated to oysters in the very near future. That just makes me very excited; the part about devoting a day to oysters while drinking craft beer and wine and listening to bluegrass. But also the part about winter being over.

• Sunday, April 10th • 2:30 – 6:00 PM
• Historic Tredegar, 500 Tredegar Street
• $60

Mozart Festival

I kind of assumed this festival would be a day full of elegant live classical music performed by talented musicians, with a guy dressed up like Mozart complaining that they don’t make music like they used to. While I haven’t heard any mention of a Mozart impersonator, I do know that there will be copious amounts of elegant classical music, interlaced with food trucks, crafts, comedy, craft beer, and burlesque.

• Saturday, April 16th • 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
• Various locations around Jackson Ward
• Free to attend!

Spring Bada Bing

I would recommend shopping before getting beer, or else you might end up with an unnecessary amount of handmade scarves and locally produced candles. Which, now that I think about it, sounds kind of great. So…grab a beer! Or a few beers! Then shop!

• Saturday, April 16th • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, 2408 Ownby Lane
• Free to attend!

April 22, 2016 11:31 AM · in Bon Air, East End Daily, and more 2