Plus, longtime food truck opens Powhatan location
 
01.15.2024 6AM-Top banner logo-small.png

SUBSCRIBE | REFER
6AM City In-house

Today’s Forecast

40º | Cloudy | 6% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:23 a.m. | Sunset 5:14 p.m.
 

🌲 Spend a day at a national park, fee-free

Spend a day at a national park, fee-free
RICtoday_NationalParks_Shenandoah_Waterfall
Dark Hollow Falls is a 70-ft cascade at Shenandoah National Park. | Photo via ShenandoahNPS
Did you know? The National Park Service offers free admission to sites that normally charge a fee on certain days each year — including today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

If you’re down for a day trip, several Virginia sites participate in fee-free days.

Shenandoah National Park
Waterfalls, wildflowers, and trails to breathtaking views await you on 200,000+ acres of protected lands.

Colonial National Historical Park
Spend the day at Yorktown and Jamestown for your fill of colonial and Revolutionary War history.

George Washington Memorial Parkway’s Great Falls Park
This 800-acre park is just 15 miles outside DC.

Prince William Forest Park
Nature lovers can head to NoVA for an outdoor oasis originally opened in 1936.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Take in the Civil War history of this site with programs about John Brown’s Raid and miles of Blue Ridge trails.

Assateague Island National Seashore
Explore beaches, salt marshes, and maritime forests.

Maggie Walker NHS site

Maggie L. Walker was the first African American woman to charter a bank and serve as a bank president.

|

Photo by RICtoday

There are several national parks and historic sites in the Richmond area which do not charge for admission, including the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site in Jackson Ward.

You could also spend the day exploring the Richmond National Battlefield Park system. Pro tip: Use this map to find all the battlefield sites in the area.

Here are the other fee-free dates so you can plan ahead. Road trip, anyone?
  • April 20 | First day of National Park Week
  • June 19 | Juneteenth
  • August 4 | Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
  • September 28 | National Public Lands Day
  • November 11 | Veterans Day
 
Events
Monday, Jan. 15
  • MLK Day 2024 | Monday, Jan. 15 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Virginia Union Living and Learning Center, 1813 Bath St., Richmond | Free | The city and the Black History Museum will put on a program for youth empowerment as well as a resource fair.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
  • The State of the Union Addresses During World War I and World War II | Tuesday, Jan. 16 | 2-3 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Virginia War Memorial Director of Education Jim Triesler will examine the addresses given by Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt during both World Wars.
  • Yoga with Erin Lingo | Tuesday, Jan. 16 | 5:30-7 p.m. | The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, 2501 Monument Ave., Richmond | $0-$20 | Join in for an hour of yoga in the gallery or backyard of the museum.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
  • Dominion Energy Jazz Café | Wednesday, Jan. 17 | 6-8 p.m. | VMFA, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | Free | Groove in the Cochrane Atrium with local drummer Kofi Shepsu.
  • “Solaris” | Wednesday, Jan. 17 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $9 | See the 1972 sci-fi drama from Andrei Tarkovsky on the big screen.
Thursday, Jan. 18
  • Harvey Street Collective | Thursday, Jan. 18 | 7 p.m. | The Camel, 1621 W. Broad St., Richmond | $12 | The Raleigh alt-rockers will play with Montaines.
Saturday, Jan. 20
  • Genworth Lights Up! Youth Series | Saturday, Jan. 20 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education, 11810 Centre St., Chester | Free | Youth ages 3-18 are invited to participate in free visual and performing arts workshops by local artists.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Arts

Culture

Raise a toast to Richmond’s master of the macabre
Presented by a RICtoday Partner
Exterior of a brick building with three archways and a brick walkway leading up to it.
Event proceeds benefit the Poe Museum and its mission: “illuminating Poe for everyone, evermore.” | Photo provided by The Poe Museum
Richmond’s own Edgar Allan Poe is turning 215…and The Poe Museum is throwing the man behind the tales of terror a birthday bash on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 4-10 p.m.

Poe-tential adventures under the heated tent include:
  • A keynote talk on Poe’s lasting impact on pop culture by Professor Scott Peeples, author of “The Man of the Crowd: Edgar Allan Poe and the City”
  • The Coldharts, masters of Poe-tic theater, bringing excerpts from their critically acclaimed shows to life
  • The Embalmers and The Charles Owens Trio setting the mood with spine-tingling tunes
Raise a pint of craft beer by Garden Grove Brewing, a glass of wine, or a non-alcoholic drink to Poe and satisfy your culinary cravings with TBT El Gallo. The Sweets Bar will be providing all the treats — because what’s a birthday party without a little something sweet?

Formal wear is not required, but the always dapper Edgar Allan Poe would certainly appreciate it.
Raise a raven-feather quill to Poe and snag tickets
News Notes
Open
  • A longtime food truck now has a brick and mortar location in Powhatan. River City Wood Fire Pizza is now open Wednesdays-Sundays at 2300 Genito Rd. There is limited seating and takeout is available. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Development
  • Virginia Union University has a new master plan for its next 10 years. The Northside campus could see new student housing buildings, athletics facilities, and a performing arts center. Get all the details on the $500 million plan. (Richmond BizSense)
Transit
  • Several GRTC service changes went into effect yesterday. The Pulse should now run every 10 minutes on weekdays until 7 p.m. Route 1A now goes eight miles further into Chesterfield County on Midlothian Turnpike. See the full list of updates.
Drink
  • Kindred Spirit Brewing is opening a satellite location in the former Castleburg space on Ownby Lane. The Goochland operation has plans for small-batch beers, a full menu, and a space theme. It should open in March. (Richmond BizSense)
Edu
  • Those interested in serving as the interim Ninth District School Board Member should submit their application by 4:30 p.m. tomorrow. Interviews will take place over the next two weeks. The School Board wants to swear in the new member on Friday, Feb. 9.
Plan Ahead
  • Tickets are on sale now for the VMFA’s museum-wide celebration Art After Hours. The Saturday, Feb. 10 event includes dancing, tunes from DJ Lonnie B, karaoke, food, cocktails, and free admission to the special exhibition “Dawoud Bey: Elegy.”
Travel
  • New name, new venues, and new events. For 77 years, Historic Charleston Foundation has celebrated houses, history, and culture through its annual spring festival — this year The Charleston Festival (formerly known as the Festival of Houses & Gardens) is happening March 14-April 14. See this year’s lineup + snag tickets.*
 
Today Is

Spend MLK Day giving back

Events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Richmond
RICtoday_MartinLutherKingJr_Minnesota
Many people regard MLK Day as a “day on” — to give back to the community — rather than a day off. | Photo via Minnesota Historical Society
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. City offices will be closed in observance, and you might have the day off work — here’s how you can spend it in the community.

Richmond Grows Gardens is hosting several work day events. Sign up to help at Powhite Park, Fonticello Food Forest, Reedy Creek, or Evergreen Cemetery.

The Kickstand is also looking for volunteers to help clean up around its bike rental site and the surrounding Capital Trail.

Honor the life and legacy of Dr. King by participating in a candlelight vigil. The group, led by brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., will meet at VCU Art Depot at 5 p.m.

VCU is also hosting a Keynote Celebration at the Institute for Contemporary Art on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. The event is free, but registration is required.

Find more local causes to support at the button below.
35+ volunteer opportunities
The Buy

The Buy 1.15.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Kitsch’s rice bar shampoo and conditioner. Reviewers noticed touchably soft hair and even improvements in hair loss, plus the bar is plastic-free thanks to its intelligently concentrated design.
Share RICtoday
 
ReferralGIF1-RIC.gif

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

{{profile.vars.rh_reflink_22}}
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_22}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.
Claim your rewards
 
 
The Wrap
 
Robin Schwartzkopf in a red button down shirt

Today’s edition by:
Robin
From the editor
I’ve loved seeing people engage with our story on how to make friends in Richmond. We’ve been adding even more social clubs to our article thanks to friendly readers like you.
Missed our previous newsletter?     ›
Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback     ›
Become a Member     ›
Advertise     ›
Shop     ›
 
 

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY