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Richmond’s Funniest Weekend Returns With 2nd Best Comedy Fest

It’s time for the 9th Annual 2nd Best Comedy Fest running June 11–13, 2026. The Coalition Theater hosts this annual event, and is the brick-and-mortar heart of Richmond's alternative comedy ecosystem. Calling it the 2nd Best Fest is a beautifully defensive undersell...

Stay Hungry pt. 1 | Band on the Road

Editor's Note: Writer's Block is a space for Virginia writers to share personal essays, fiction, memoir, and works that fall somewhere in between. In Stay Hungry, Richmond local Eric Kalata looks back on a cross-country tour and the restless optimism of...

Local, Latino and A New Richmond Cosmos

Tucked into the alley behind 2512 West Main Street, a fever dream of the cosmos has taken shape across a brick wall. The mural is the collaborative work of four Latino artists working in and around Richmond: Visibly Hidden, Monolith, Mars, and Sol. A distant Earth...

The Mayor of Sunny Mart

There are certain people who become part of a neighborhood so slowly that nobody notices it happening until one day they realize the place would feel strange without them.   If you’ve spent enough time around The Fan late at night, then you probably know Sunny Mart....

‘Songs of Truth’ Brings Sojourner Truth to the Hippodrome

Editor's Note: For more on the life and legacy of Sojourner Truth, read Christian Detres' companion essay HERE. This has been an inspirational season for Richmond’s homegrown theatre. We are following up the sold-out run of Witchduck with the mid-project musical...

Review | Get In My Boca! What’s Happening at the Triangle?

Every time I go to the Aldi on Arthur Ashe at Broad St., En Su Boca tries to seduce me with its tequila and tacos perfume. It doesn’t work all the time, but I feel the pull when I’m browsing the nonsense in Aldi’s middle aisle. I once bought sweatpants there. I’m not...

What a Chilean Traveler Found in Richmond

Editor’s Note: We occasionally make space for outside voices whose perspectives help us see Richmond differently. This piece was submitted by Chilean journalist and multimedia storyteller Natalia Freire. Hidden gems. I like that expression. It’s the first thing that...

Photos | BEHOLD! GWAR at The National by CJ Payne

BEHOLD! GWAR at The National, where the mere presence of Richmond’s intergalactic overlords feels like a gruesome embrace. Four decades of chaos and carnage—GWAR has become more than just a band; they’re the dark-hearted, unofficial mascot for the misfit masses of our city. Richmond’s landscape might be evolving, but knowing GWAR still slays in...

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Elissa Rumford, Co-founder & CCO of ApOcene has Tragically Passed

On October 31, 2024, the Richmond community and fashion world lost a cherished member, Elisabeth Mary Rumford, known to many as Elissa. As the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Ap0cene, Elissa was tragically taken in a car accident on her way to take her niece and nephew trick-or-treating. Beloved in Richmond’s fashion scene, Elissa...

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BLKS Opens in Richmond! A Black Queer Comedy You Need To See

In Richmond’s diverse arts scene, the BLK VA Theatre Alliance (BVTA) is making waves by spotlighting stories that don’t always get center stage. This nonprofit theater company, driven by a commitment to diversity, equity, and accessibility, is all about creating spaces where marginalized voices can shine.In this interview, we talk with BVTA about...

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Richmond! Come Watch ‘Army of Darkness’ with Us On Monday

“Alright, you primitive screwheads, listen up!” – Ash Williams, a guy with a chainsaw for a hand and more brains than most of us. In 1992, Army of Darkness hit theaters, and civilization has been on the decline ever since. Why? Because people still haven’t figured out that this is, without question, one of the greatest movies ever made....

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The Sweetest Pickles In The Jar: Meet Sweet Pickles 🏳️‍🌈

One look at Sweet Pickles, and your immediate thought is that she looks like the living incarnation of a clown doll from your childhood. Which one specifically is up to you, and in fact, the answer that springs to your mind is a good way for her to get a rough idea of just how old you might be. When asked to describe her drag, she sometimes says...

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A Richmond Birthday Party Went Viral Thanks to Smashing Pumpkins

In today’s episode of “Is This News?” A private birthday party in Richmond’s Carver District unexpectedly blew up on social media earlier this month. Ava’s 21st birthday, which seemed like just another low-key celebration, turned into a local headline when Richmond’s own rapper Nettspend showed up, joined by rising star Milesisbae—who we’ve had...

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Taking Andreas Addison on a Vampire Hunt 🧛

A trip to the Gun Hole to talk about misinformation and urban myths. October means two things: it's Halloween season and election season. The 2024 election has spread campaigns of misinformation, with panics about controlled hurricanes in Florida, Haitians eating dogs in Ohio, and even widespread voter fraud in Henrico—none of which are true....

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