✍️ Plus, nominate Richmond's official animals, eats, and more
6AM City In-house

Do you know Virginia’s official emblems?

Do you know the official emblems of Virginia?
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Cardinalis cardinalis, the official bird of Virginia. | Photo by gary_leavens
On Wednesday, Good Morning RVA reported that the General Assembly is debating designating the Chincoteague Pony as the official pony of the Commonwealth of Virginia. That got us thinking about how many official emblems Virginia has — and how many we could name.

We already knew designations like the official bird (Northern Cardinal) and flower (American Dogwood). But there were some surprises as well. We cooked up a little quiz to see how well RIC readers know VA.

Test your knowledge by taking our 10 question quiz. Feel free to brag on your score or tell us what stumped you by sending us an email.

What is the official beverage of Virginia?
A. Beer
B. Cider
C. Wine
D. Milk
TAKE THE QUIZ
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Friday, Feb. 3
  • Strange Love Valentine’s Market | Friday, Feb. 3-Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Studio Two Three, 3300 W. Clay St., Richmond | Free entry | Pick up something sweet from a local artisan at this pop-up shopping event.
  • First Friday Opening Night Reception | Friday, Feb. 3 | 6:30-9 p.m. | RPL Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St., Richmond | Free | See four new exhibits by Richmond artists and enjoy music in the atrium from Mike Klemen.
  • First Friday: Nadah el Shazly | Friday, Feb. 3 | 7-9 p.m. | Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W. Broad St., Richmond | Free | The producer, vocalist, and sound artist will share a performance inspired by 19th century Egyptian music.
Saturday, Feb. 4
  • February Richmond Makers Market | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 12-6 p.m. | Basic City Beer Co., 212 W. Sixth St., Richmond | Free entry | Shop around from 35+ local makers at this pup-friendly market.
  • Ciders and Sliders | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 12-9 p.m. | Buskey Cider, 2910 W. Leigh St., Richmond | Cost of purchase | Enjoy a pint of local cider and dig into sliders from Boulevard Burger & Brew.
  • Black History Month Kick Off Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Virginia State University Gateway Dining Event Center, 2804 Martin Luther King Dr., Colonial Heights | Free | Join the party with music from DJ Chuck Stone and dance along with Break it Down RVA Line Dancing.
Sunday, Feb. 5
  • “Mending Walls” Screening and Workshop | Sunday, Feb. 5 | 1-3 p.m. | Crossroads Art Center, 2016 Staples Mill Rd., Richmond | Free | Learn about the community mural project and participate in a workshop led by local artist Linda Hollett-Bazouzi.
Monday, Feb. 6

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Make the most of the coast in Mount Pleasant, SC 🏖️
Town of Mount Pleasant.png
Visit this waterfront wonderland for its water-based activities and nationally recognized dining. | Photo provided by Town of Mount Pleasant
Craving fresh air, waterfront views, and cold drinks? Enter: Mount Pleasant, the largest coastal town in SC that you shore need to visit.

Escape to this slice of paradise (a ~6 hour road trip or ~1 hour flight) nestled on the Charleston Harbor and surrounded by palm trees and the refreshing smell of salt air.

Need some travel inspo? Here are our four favorite things to see + do:
  • Stroll along the boardwalks or paddle through the tidal, dolphin-laden creeks of Shem Creek.
  • Plan the perfect picnic under the palms at Pitt Street Bridge and check out waterfront activities like fishing.
  • Elevate your getaway by attending staple coastal events like the Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival in April or the Sweetgrass Festival in July.
  • No visit to the coast is complete without trying the local seafood. Take a bite out of the Lowcountry and try the bustling culinary and craft beer scene.*
GET PLANNING

Weather
  • 39º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain
  • Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow yesterday, meaning we’re in store for six more weeks of winter. Richmond also had its first snow flurries of the year yesterday — send us your pics if you captured our short-lived winter wonderland. ❄️ (ABC News)
Civic
Development
  • The Ukrop family is planning a mixed-use infill project which would add apartments, offices, and retail to their property off Westmoreland Street, just east of Willow Lawn. The 20-acre site is currently home to the Homestyle Foods bakery and catering businesses. (Richmond BizSense)
Theater
  • Don’t throw away your shot to see “Hamilton” when it comes to the Altria Theater in April. Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 6. Prices start at $49. 🎟
Transit
  • RVA Rapid Transit is hosting its first Transit Talk event of 2023 on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 12 p.m. The program will feature Sheryl Adams, the new CEO of GRTC and the first Black woman to lead the agency. Register for free to get the Zoom link. 🚌
Outdoors
  • Join Richmond Grows Gardens for an Elderberry Livestaking this Sunday, Feb. 5 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Bellemeade Park. The group will plant cuttings from the native species along Albro Creek. Sign up here. 🌱
Traffic
  • The new(ish) traffic control device on Broad Street near the downtown I-95 interchange is called a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon. A traffic engineer took to RVA Reddit to explain the strengths of a PHB and how pedestrians and motorists should approach it. 🛑
Announced
Finance
  • If cash back is king, this card is royalty. With a big sign-up bonus, up to 5% cash back, no annual fee, 0% APR until 2024 + more, it’s basically a no-brainer. 👀 *
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Official emblems: Richmond edition

Nominate your picks for the emblems of Richmond
RICtoday_Iris_OfficialEmblemFlower
According to city code, the iris became the official flower in 1993. | Photo by Eric Hunt
While digging into the official emblems of the Commonwealth of Virginia, we started thinking about similar honors in Richmond. From the looks of the city code, Richmond doesn’t have too many.

Beyond the standard stuff — seal, flag, logo — we could only find one designation in our search. The official flower is the iris.

So we’ve already got flowers covered, but we want to take the rest of the categories to readers. What do you think should be the (un)official bird, tree, or beverage of Richmond? What about dog breed, fish, or rock?

Feel free to get specific with your recommendations — Virginia has an official television series, motor sports museum, and folk dance. We’ll also hear recommendations for songs, shells, and spirits. The types of categories are only limited by your imagination.

Send us your picks and you could end up in a future newsletter.
NOMINATIONS THIS WAY
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Robin.

Editor’s pick: For my money, Richmond’s official dog should probably be a beagle (to honor Bagel) and my pick for beverage is coffee. ☕️

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