ENVIRONMENTAL




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Fourth of July 2026 in Richmond: Fireworks, Festivals, and More

The best Fourth of July celebration in Richmond probably isn't the one with the biggest fireworks. It's the one where someone forgot the hot dog buns, the cooler is running low on ice, kids are chasing each other through sprinklers, and somebody insists they know a...

IllumiNATION Tells America’s Story on a Monumental Scale

Editor’s Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on coverage related to America’s 250th anniversary, including Richmond SailFest and IllumiNation. It's hard to impress people with just a building. Yet standing in front of the...

Mayo Island is Finally Whole

The acquisition of the island's last privately owned parcel clears a major hurdle for Richmond's plans to create a public park along the James River. The long-running effort to transform Mayo Island into a public park took a major step forward this week after the...

Field Trip Bikes and the Long Ride of Richmond’s Cycling Culture

I recently bought my first bicycle in more than a decade. Like most people, I started my search online, comparing models, reading reviews, and trying to figure out what kind of rider I actually wanted to be. Eventually I visited several local bike shops before...

Before Richmond Was an Arts City, There Was Best Products

Imagine pulling into a suburban shopping center to buy a toaster and finding a department store that appeared to be falling apart with corners breaking away, walls peeling open like a giant cardboard box, or facades seemingly collapsing under their own weight. For...

A Witchy Guide to the Longest Day of the Year

It's sizzling outside, but the breeze is refreshing, the birds are chirping, and summer is in full swing. The summer solstice, aka Midsummer or Litha, is the longest day of the year, and this year it falls on June 21, with the sun setting at 8:27 p.m. It's a time to...

This New Club is All About Getting Tipsy for History

Did you know that at one point Pepsi was the 6th largest navel power in the world, or that there is supposedly a box of dicks in the Vatican Museum? These were just some of the surprising history stories I heard at the first meeting of the RVA Tipsy History Club,...

Where to Watch the World Cup in Richmond

We looked into getting World Cup tickets. Apparently, FIFA believes everyone has a trust fund. For those of us who do not, Richmond has the next best thing. Over the next month, bars, breweries, restaurants, and soccer pubs across the city will fill up with people...

Viral Video Sparks Questions About Cancer-Causing Gas in Richmond

A new Instagram video circulating among Richmond residents is raising questions about ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing gas used to sterilize medical equipment, and whether local facilities and warehouses could be contributing to an underrecognized public health risk.  Ethylene oxide is a known carcinogen, and long-term exposure has been...

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Richmond Is a Top Ten City for Seasonal Allergies.

If you’ve lived here long enough, you know the moment. Your car suddenly looks like it’s been dusted with powdered mustard. Your eyes itch. Your sinuses start to close up. Spring in Richmond has arrived, and with it comes the pollen. After several weeks of freezing or near-freezing temperatures, Richmond is heading into a stretch of warm weather...

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Richmond seasonal allergies_photo by James Peacock RVA Magazine 2026

When Art Meets Activism: Environment at Risk at Glen Allen

The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is hosting Environment at Risk, a group show curated by Appalachian Voices’ Virginia field coordinator Jessica Sims. Installed in the Gumenick Family Gallery, the exhibition gathers paintings, prints, collage, sculpture, photography, and fiber works from more than 35 regional artists grappling with the...

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Working Families Party Brings Its “Wolf Pack” to Richmond

This Saturday, the Working Families Party (WFP) is making its Virginia debut with the launch of the Virginia Wolf Pack, a new grassroots arm dedicated to electing working-class champions and building political power across the Commonwealth. Their first in-person Welcome Gathering happens August 23, 2–4 PM at the Crescent Collective (1800 Decatur...

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Richmond’s Parks Are Something the City Is Getting Right

We spend a lot of time calling out what the City of Richmond gets wrong. And honestly, it’s not hard—just follow the trail of half-fixed potholes, stalled projects, or meetings where words go to die. But every now and then, there something worth pointing to and saying, see, that’s how it’s done. Today, it’s our parks. The city just landed at #16...

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Mayo Island to Become Richmond’s Next Great Public Park by 2026

As reported by The Richmonder last week, the city is moving forward with plans to transform Mayo Island into a public park, with construction expected to begin later this year and the park scheduled to open in fall 2026. The 15-acre island, located in the James River between downtown and Manchester, was purchased by the city in 2024 for $15...

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