It’s Damn Hot in Richmond!

by | Jun 24, 2025 | WTF?!

Let’s start here: don’t leave your baby in the car. Seriously. If your brain is cooked enough to forget a living being in a parked car during a Virginia summer, stay home. Put down the keys. This heat doesn’t mess around. A cracked window isn’t life support, not for your baby, your dog, your cat, your emotional support possum, and definitely not for your grandma.

Yeah, your grandma. Or your uncle. Or anyone with more birthdays behind them than ahead. You leave them in a car while you “just run in real quick”? That’s not real quick. That’s how people die. You want to be haunted by the ghost of Meemaw? Didn’t think so. Bring her inside.

It’s too damn hot. And since there’s no escaping it, you might as well lean into the madness. Here have a few terrible jokes to sweat through.

  • It’s so hot, squirrels are carrying tiny portable fans.
  • It’s so hot, the devil applied for a transfer.
  • It’s so hot, my flip-flops melted to the sidewalk.
  • It’s so hot, my deodorant filed for divorce.
  • It’s so hot, the cicadas are asking for iced coffee.
  • Why does sweat come from behind your knees?

Here’s your summer survival guide, Richmond edition:

– Call your grandma. Or better yet, go check on her.
– Drive past the James River with the AC on high. Don’t even get out. Just look.
– Hit a brewery, not for the vibes, but for the AC and the cold beer.
– Go to a restaurant, sit inside, and judge the poor souls baking on the patio.
– Attempt a pool visit, but make it tactical: SPF, hat, shade, hydration.
– Play a game called “How Many Margaritas Until I Don’t Feel This Anymore.”
– Netflix and Chill—no metaphors, just air conditioning and silence.

And again, for those in the back who maybe just woke up and missed the point: Don’t leave your baby in the car. Don’t leave your dog in the car. And don’t leave your grandma in the car. Ever. This heat kills. Respect it. Hydrate. Stay indoors. And check on the folks who might not say they need it.


Support RVA Magazine. Support independent media in Richmond. 
In a world where corporations and wealthy individuals now shape much of our media landscape, RVA Magazine remains fiercely independent, amplifying the voices of Richmond’s artists, musicians, and community. Since 2005, we’ve been dedicated to authentic, grassroots storytelling that highlights the people and culture shaping our city.

But we can’t do this without you. A small donation, even as little as $2 – one-time or recurring – helps us continue to produce honest, local coverage free from outside interference. Every dollar makes a difference. Your support keeps us going and keeps RVA’s creative spirit alive. Thank you for standing with independent media. DONATE HERE

You can also show your support by purchasing our merch HERE.

RVA Staff

RVA Staff

Since 2005, the dedicated team at RVA Magazine, known as RVA Staff, has been delivering the cultural news that matters in Richmond, VA. This talented group of professionals is committed to keeping you informed about the events and happenings in the city.




more in community

Good Day RVA is Back and Bringing Friends Along

For four nights this weekend, bands from different generations of Richmond's music scene are taking over Get Tight Lounge. Called Tonal Recall, the series is part reunion show, part showcase and part excuse for a bunch of old friends to get back in the same room. ...

Fried Chicken and Soccer? Somehow It Makes Perfect Sense

"Richmond has your back... maybe."  That about sums it up, doesn't it? It's the slogan behind KCPFC, a new football-inspired project from Kwame Hayford, the guy behind Kwam's Chicken Project, and Richmond designer Ignatius Friend. The collection blends soccer culture...

Before Anyone Was Watching

I went to Virginia MOCA expecting to hear Andy Howell talk about skateboarding. Instead, I left thinking about community and how people find each other. Howell's installation opens Seamless, the museum's new exhibition exploring the overlap between art and design. At...

Duron Chavis is Building More Than a Farm

How two decades of community organizing grew into a vision for land ownership, education, and self-determination. The first time I met Duron Chavis, he wasn't talking about farmland. He was talking about culture. It was the early 2000s, and Happily Natural Day was...

RVA 5×5 | Leapfrogging Back to 1776, 50 Years at a Time: 1926

Editor's Note: We're sharing this essay from community content partner Jon Baliles of RVA 5x5. If you enjoy his work and want more in-depth coverage of Richmond politics and history, consider subscribing to RVA 5x5 on Substack. The views expressed are those of the...