Richmond was made for family fun

Kid-friendly activities in Richmond

Trail Kids RVA is a great outlet for parents and young explorers to meet new people. | Photo by Trail Kids RVA

We’re not kiddin’ around — there’s something in the River City for children of all ages. You’ll have no trouble entertaining the youngsters with this list of 30+ kid-friendly activities around the 804.

Ready to visit these local attractions but don’t know where to start? We’ve created this handy map to explore.

🎨 All about the arts

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. | 🎟️ Family memberships
Wander the galleries or register for kid-specific programming to cultivate their love of the arts. Kids will remember exploring the sculpture garden.

All Fired Up, 2232 Old Brick Rd.
Richmond’s first paint-your-own ceramics studio is walk-in friendly and available for parties. Kids will remember searching the racks for the perfect blank piece.

Virginia Repertory Children’s Theatre, 4204 Hermitage Rd.
The new outpost for Virginia Rep features plays for kids of all ages, camps, and educational programs. Kids will remember embracing the drama at the Young Performers Institute.

🌳 Great outdoors

James River Parks, various locations
Kid-friendly spots include Belle Isle, Floodwall Park, Pony Pasture, and the Virginia Capital Trail. Kids will remember spotting turtles near the T. Pott Bridge.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. | 🎟️ Family memberships
Construction at the Children’s Garden means upgrades to the WaterPlay area and Klaus Family Tree House. Kids will remember Storytime in the Garden.

Riverside Outfitters, 6836 Old Westham Rd.
Get your river thrills on a rafting trip with the whole family. Kids will remember taking a break to jump in the James.

RICtoday_Maymont_BabyGoats — Kids (both children and baby goats) are welcome at Maymont. | Photo provided by Maymont

🦁 Animal encounters

Maymont, 1000 Westover Rd. | 🎟️ Family memberships
Interact with animals on the farm, at the Robins Nature Center, and at wildlife habitats. Kids will remember the 34-foot-tall interactive sculpture River Reach.

Metro Richmond Zoo, 8300 Beaver Bridge Rd., Moseley | 🎟️ Memberships
Feed animals, take a ride in the skylift, and try out the Treetop Zoofari zipline and adventure park. Kids will remember purple giraffe tongues.

22 MORE IDEAS

Kid-friendly bars and breweries are:

A. A life-saver for me and my family
B. A fun place to gather with a group of friends
C. Places I actively avoid

TELL US YOUR ANSWER

Click here to have your event featured.

Friday, March 3

Richmond Home + Garden Show | Friday, Mar. 3-Saturday, Mar. 4 | 10 a.m.-7 p.m. | Richmond Raceway, 600 E. Laburnum Ave., Richmond | $7-$9 | More than 200 home improvement, landscape design, and gardening experts will be on hand to talk shop with attendees.
Lucky Chops | Friday, Mar. 3 | 7 p.m. | The Broadberry, 2729 W. Broad St., Richmond | $20-$65 | Jam out with the brass funk band.

Saturday, March 4

Rolling in Like a Lion at Richmond Makers Market | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 12-6 p.m. | Basic City Beer Co., 212 W. Sixth St., Richmond | Free | Shop around from 35+ local makers at this pup-friendly market.
Scott’s Addition Beverage District Collab Crawl | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 12-10 p.m. | Isley Brewing Company, 1715 Summit Ave., Richmond | Free | Hop around the breweries, cideries, and wineries of Scott’s Addition to try special, limited-edition beverage collaborations.
Swift & Sour: A Taylor and Olivia Dance Party | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 8 p.m. | The Broadberry, 2729 W. Broad St., Richmond | $20 | It’s brutal out here, so don’t miss this Taylor Swift + Olivia Rodrigo Dance Party at the Broadberry so you can shake it off.*

Sunday, March 5

“Young Frankenstein” | Sunday, Mar. 5 | 2 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $8 | It’s alive — and it’s on the big screen at the Byrd.

Tuesday, March 7

2023 Richmond History Makers Celebration | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Virginia Union University, 1500 N. Lombardy St., Richmond | $50 | Teachers get in free to this 18th annual celebration of individuals and organizations that have improved the community.

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

Weather

51º | Rain | 81% chance of rain

Open

Local chef Theresa Headen is serving up West African eats at Elegant Cuizines, her new restaurant in Monroe Ward. Headen has operated the concept as a catering service since 2016. The spot offers creative fusion dishes with plenty of dairy-free and vegan options. (Richmond Magazine)
The third iteration of Acacia has opened at Libbie Mill Midtown. The coastal cuisine restaurant will be open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner. It plans to introduce a happy hour, lunch service, and patio seating in the future. 🐟

Coming Soon

Regional chain Blue Cow Ice Cream Co. is opening its second Richmond-area location later this month. The new shop at Greengate Shopping Center in Short Pump will host a grand opening on Friday, March 24, with free scoops from 6-10 p.m.

Sports

VCU Men’s Basketball claimed the Atlantic 10 regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming A-10 Tournament with its 79-67 win over Saint Louis this week. The Rams face George Washington tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. to end the regular season before A-10 Tournament games begin next week. 🏀

Festival

The RVA Environmental Film Festival is back to an all in-person schedule for its 13th year. The fest kicks off at The Dome at the Science Museum with a screening of “Wildcat” on Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. The best part? All films are free and open to the public.

Cause

Several groups backed by the umbrella organization Enrichmond, which dissolved in summer 2022, are still trying to figure out how to operate after losing funds and support. Three organizations — RVA Clean Sweeps, Richmond Tree Stewards, and Verdant Richmond — talked about the transition. (Richmond BizSense)

Outdoors

March 5-11 is Invasive Species Awareness Week. Get involved by joining Friends of the James River Park or the James River Association for invasive plant removal events at Pony Pasture, Reedy Creek, or Chapel Island. 🌱

Arts

A new show opens at The Walls gallery (1531 W. Main St.) tonight. “Implied Outside” will feature paintings and drawings by Mat Gasparek. The public is invited to the opening reception tonight from 6-9 p.m.

Home

It’s time to start getting ready for warmer weather, Richmond. Is your air conditioning in need of service? Woodfin - Your Home Team has you covered. Learn more about their services.*

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Job

Do you eat, breathe, and dream about editorial content? We’re hiring a Managing Editor to support the strategic growth and development of 6AM City’s editorial team, specifically as it relates to content management, creation, and strategy. See details + apply.

Travel

Did you know? Going, the travel membership that saves you money on flights, offers veterans, teachers, and healthcare professionals special discounts. Get 25% off a premium membership and take that well-earned vacation with discounted flights to Spain, Mexico, Ireland, and more.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Easter on Parade is back

Easter on Parade returns to Monument Avenue

Bubbles, eggs, and flamingos — oh my! | Photo by Jessica Corbett

After a three-year hiatus, a Richmond favorite festival will return to Monument Avenue on Sunday, April 9. Easter on Parade has drawn 25,000 visitors in past years to march down the street, shop at vendor booths, enjoy live music, and rock their best bonnets.

The free, rain-or-shine event will stretch from Davis to North Allen from 1-5 p.m. Monument will be closed-off for the festivities. We’ll provide more traffic details closer to the event.

Families and furry friends are welcome — there will be people and pet bonnet contests at 3:30 p.m. at Allen Avenue.

This year, the event has several sponsors, including Kroger Mid-Atlantic and the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.

We shared some pictures from previous Easters on Parade on our Instagram.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Robin.

Editor’s pick: RVA Redditors were debating the best bang for your buck restaurants in Richmond the other day. My first thoughts were the generous portions at Joe’s Inn and El Pope pupusas. What’s your answer?

Missed our last newsletter? Make plans in March with our all-local events calendar.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Robin Schwartzkopf, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Peter Baldassare | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?