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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...

Blöthar: “GWAR Didn’t Change. The World Freakin Changed.”

Richmond metal band GWAR says the Secret Service contacted the group following a recent performance at the Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C., that featured the mock execution of a Donald Trump effigy. Video of the performance, which showed band members...

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...

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...

Review | ‘I Love You Because’ Is Pure Joy 🏳️‍🌈

It could be said that Shakespeare invented the rom-com. It could also be said that Jane Austen improved it a couple of centuries later. Between the two of them, meet-cutes, notices of love or rejection arriving at exactly the wrong time, and breathless affirmations of...

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...

How Richmond College Students Fit Into the Growing Thrift Economy

Editor’s Note: This piece was written by a student at Randolph-Macon College as part of a feature writing course. RVA Magazine is committed to giving space to young writers across Virginia and will be publishing several student works from this class over the coming weeks. Thanks to the students and to Professor Seth Clabough, Ph.D., for...

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Richmond’s Zoning Code Refresh: Developers Know, Do You?

Most Richmonders haven’t heard about it, but the City of Richmond is rewriting the rules that will determine what can be built, and where, for decades to come. It’s called the Zoning Code Refresh, and right now, it’s quietly moving through the public comment stage. If that sounds boring, it isn’t. Zoning controls whether your neighborhood sees...

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Broke Student’s Survival Guide: Cheap Eats in Richmond 2025

If you’re a broke student back in Richmond and already sick of the dining hall’s gray meatloaf, relax, this city won’t let you starve. The food here has always been a patchwork of dives, diners, and half-chaotic kitchens that somehow keep the student body alive. You don’t need a trust fund, just a few crumpled bills and a willingness to follow...

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A Vegan Feast Awaits! Discover Delicious Options at RVA VegFest

From its humble beginnings over twenty years ago, Richmond’s vegan food festival, VegFest, is returning this weekend Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 12 PM to 6 PM in Byrd Park. VegFest is a family (and dog) friendly, free event in Richmond that promotes a plant-based diet and lifestyle, even if that just means getting the vegan option when you go...

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Broke Student’s Survival Guide: Cheap Eats in Richmond 2024

If you’re a broke student with a craving for more than just the mundane offerings of the university dining hall, Richmond’s got your back. This city, with its ever-evolving culinary landscape, is a treasure trove of hidden gems where you can eat like a king without needing a king's ransom. Nestled near the campuses of Virginia Commonwealth...

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Time For A Richmond Pizza Date!

Over the last decade Richmond has become a proper pizza town. Local pizzerias dish up a variety of styles at every price range. Pizza is the food of the people so naturally it makes a great date. You can learn a lot about a person across a slice. Are they a folder? Blotter? Do they use a knife and fork. Red flags over ketchup? Green flags of...

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We Experimented with Salvia Divinorum Back in 2008

Recently, we came across an infographic based on a 2019 study called Consciousness and Cognition conducted by Tagliazucchi and his colleagues. The study aimed to determine which psychedelic drug most closely resembles a near-death experience (NDE). They analyzed over 15,000 reports of experiences involving 165 psychoactive substances and compared...

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The Salvia experiment by RVA Mag 2008