March 28, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

50º | 99% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:00 a.m. | Sunset 7:29 p.m.

Know Your City: Dorey Park

Dorey Park’s pond stays stocked with fish year-round. | Photo courtesy of Henrico Recreation & Parks

Just past the eastern edge of the city, in the Varina area, is Dorey Park. The largest park in Henrico, the 400-acre space has just about everything you could want for a day spent outside.

Dorey Park has huge multipurpose athletic complexes, including baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and an 18-hole disc golf course.

Trail systems wind around the expansive area, forming a 1.8-mile loop. The trails are dog-friendly. If you want to let your furry friend off the leash, there’s also a dog park with an acre of space to run around. There are separate sections for large and small dogs, and a six-foot fence to deter any four-legged escape artists.

Five miles of equestrian trails offer local horse enthusiasts a place to ride. The trails are designed for horseback riding, as is the horse ring, which is open to the public on weekdays.

RIC dorey park 2 — Dorey Park has a large playground for families to enjoy.
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Photo courtesy of Henrico Recreation & Parks

In addition to the park’s own trails, there is a roughly .75-mile trail connecting to the Capital Trail. Around 9.5 miles on the trail will get you from the Dorey Park pond to the Great Shiplock trailhead.

Anglers love Dorey Park for the pond on its south end — the Dept. of Wildlife Resources keeps it stocked with catfish and trout. Pro tip: Virginia requires a trout license in addition to a freshwater fishing license between Nov. 1 and April 30.

With warmer weather rapidly approaching, the splash pad will undoubtedly be filling up when it opens in May. Henrico Parks and Rec recommends swimwear and water shoes for kids looking to cool off in the space.

Dorey Park is open from dawn to dusk every day. Find out even more about its myriad amenities on the county’s website.

This article is part of our “Know Your City” series, where we take a closer look at hidden gems around Richmond. We’re always looking for more suggestions for where to explore.

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Events

Thursday, March 28

“Stoke” and “Tea” | Thursday, March 28 | 12-4 p.m. | Artspace Gallery, 2833-A Hathaway Rd., Richmond | Free | Enjoy two new exhibitions at Artspace.
Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day | Thursday, March 28 | 3-5 p.m. | Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, 122 West Leigh St. , Richmond | Free | Celebrate the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen with two documentary screenings.

Friday, March 29

Check Your Head: Beastie Boys Tribute | Friday, March 29 | 7-10 p.m. | Ember Music Hall, 309 E. Broad St., Richmond | $20-$35 | This rocking night will will take you on a musical journey through the legendary trio’s greatest hits.

Saturday, March 30

Moore Than Fitness Anniversary Party | Saturday, March 30 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Moore Than Fitness, 3003 Dill Ave., Richmond | Free | Register in advance for the free 9 a.m. fitness class or turn up at the 10 a.m. party with catering by Brookland Park Kitchen.
Dominion Energy Family Easter | Saturday, March 30 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Maymont, 1700 Hampton St., Richmond | $5 | This year’s eggs-travaganza will be bigger than ever with games, crafts, three entertainment stages, baby farm animals, a golden egg hunt, and the Easter Bunny.

Sunday, March 31

Easter Open House | Sunday, March 31 | 12-5 p.m. | The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, 2501 Monument Ave., Richmond | Free | Swing by the museum for an egg hunt, house tours, and a hat vendor.

More events here

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News Notes

Biz

Amazon has opened a new warehouse at 5901 Richmond-Henrico Tpke. The 2.7 million-sqft building is the second-largest Amazon facility in the state, behind Suffolk’s warehouse. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Sports

City Stadium is getting a new scoreboard this summer, the next of several upgrades that have been in the works since 2020. The current scoreboard had been in use for three decades. (Richmond BizSense)

Kids

Henrico 4-H Youth Development is partnering with the nonprofit 4 Art 2 Heart to offer a free virtual art camp during the county’s spring break. The camp will run April 1-4 — registration is open online.

Eat

Gelati Celesti is creating a new flavor to commemorate Chesterfield County’s 275th birthday. Residents can apply to be one of four randomly-selected taste testers — the winners will be picked on Facebook on Friday, April 5. (12 On Your Side)

Outdoors

The General Assembly has passed a bill requiring that any establishment selling invasive plants display signs warning consumers. Retailers who fail to post such a warning can be fined up to $500 and will have to pause sales until signs are up. (Virginia Mercury)

Arts

The Richmond Office of Elections has extended the deadline for its “I Voted” sticker design contest. The new deadline to submit a design is Monday, April 8 — the contest is open to current VCU students.

History

Uncover the untold stories of the global African American journey at the International African American Museum in downtown Charleston. This month, you can snag 10% off memberships with code IAAM24, and join member-only giveaways every Friday. Explore membership perks.*

Wellness

Therapy isn’t a luxury — it’s an essential tool for navigating life’s complexities. Invest in your wellbeing with 25% off your first month of BetterHelp.*

Arts

Richmond Poetry Fest returns in April

Experiment with a new art form at VisArts. | Photo by RICtoday

Richmond Poetry Fest will return for its second year April 12-13. The festival was created through a partnership between staff at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond and its writers-in-residence.

The celebration of poetry and community will feature poetry readings, free workshops with local writers, vendors, and programming for attendees of all ages.

Check out the schedule of classes led by artists including Alex Dimas, Lyall Harris, and Roscoe Burnems.

A special event on Saturday, April 13 at 5:30 will celebrate Burnems as the city’s first Poet Laureate. “I LOVE YOU AND I WANTED, An Evening of Poetry” will also include readings from other local poets.

TBT El Gallo will serve food and Dentwood Coffee will provide beverages. Pro tip: Bring a t-shirt or a tote bag on Saturday to screen print at the event.

Looking to pitch in? VisArts is also looking for volunteers — sign up for a shift.

The Buy

Jenni Earle Bandanas. Try a new trend this spring with these bandanas – perfect to tie around your neck, hair, or handbag.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

Dorey Park is my favorite place to access the Capital Trail — I ran the fastest half-marathon of my life alone on those trails in 2020.

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