CANNABIS CULTURE




more in culture

My First Phish Show in 1994 to Photographing Them in Richmond

In 1994, while in NOVA for high school, a friend who had grown up in Vermont introduced me to a band named Phish around the release of their fifth album, Hoist, and I became obsessed. As a classical-metal-progressive rock music fan, I loved it. My first show was...

Old Grace Street is Richmond History. Let’s Recognize It.

Editor's note: We were sent this petition after publishing: VCU Demolition Blitz: More Richmond Erased HERE. As reported by The Richmonder last week, “The Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan, which sailed through City Council with a unanimous vote Sept. 28, is intended...

Richmond Has The Talent. Tilt Studio Puts It in the Same Room.

“Richmond has always had this DIY, collaborative spirit, and I think projects like this are a great expression of that. There's a lot of talent here, and when those different creative communities start crossing paths, I think the city gets more interesting.”  —...

It’s Still Our City Ep. 25 | Yavé Rust

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Yavé Rust is a Richmond, VA-based music producer and audio engineer specializing in metal and punk. Originating...

Studio Two Three Is Beefing With Bots. Among Other Things

Studio Two Three has been around long enough to forget how likely it was to fail. Sixteen years ago, a small group of friends wanted to keep making art in Richmond. They pooled money from working in local restaurants to pay rent, borrowed equipment and built an...

Richmond Got a Little Filthier. John Waters Was Here.

Monday night I got taken to a church of filth. The Pope of Trash, the Prince of Puke, the Sultan of Sleaze, John Waters, graced the Byrd Theatre for a sold-out one-man show. The actor, writer and director became famous for cult classics like Pink Flamingos, Hairspray...

It’s Still Our City Ep. 24 | Ed Harrington

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Ed Harrington moved to Richmond in 1993 to study art at VCU. At VCU, he was a Communication Arts major with a...

Photos | Jack White & LCD Soundsystem Headline Iron Blossom 2026

Last weekend lived up to the hype. Luckily, the weather held out, and Iron Blossom 2026 turned into a damn good weekend of music. Now in its fourth year, the festival has settled into being a Richmond staple and this year didn’t disappoint with a lineup that...

Virginia’s New Marijuana Law: Everything You Need to Know

After years of legislative battles, vetoes, compromise negotiations, and numerous articles, Virginia finally has a roadmap for legal recreational marijuana sales. The state budget signed into law earlier this week establishes a regulated cannabis marketplace beginning July 1, 2027. Until then, many of Virginia's marijuana laws remain exactly as...

Read More

Virginia-Marijuna-Law_photo-by-Roberto-Valdivia_RVA-Magazine-2026

The Fight Over Who Gets to Sell Weed

A recent report by Radio IQ suggests Virginia lawmakers are once again inching toward a legal recreational marijuana market, this time through the state budget process. Following Governor Abigail Spanberger's veto, Senate Democrats have threatened to fold retail cannabis legislation into the state budget itself, raising the stakes ahead of next...

Read More

Virginia-Cannabis-Marketplace-update-by-R-Anthony-Harris_photo-by-Elsa-Olofsson_RVA-Magazine-2026.jpg June 9, 2026 Virginia-Cannabis-Marketplace-update-by-R-Anthony-Harris_photo-by-Elsa-Olofsson_RVA-Magazine-2026.jpg June 9, 2026 Virginia-Cannabis-Marketplace-update-by-R-Anthony-Harris_photo-by-Elsa-Olofsson_RVA-Magazine-2026

Cannabis Justice Moves Forward in Virginia After Years of Debate

Virginia’s effort to revisit outdated cannabis convictions is moving forward again, though in a revised form that shifts how people access relief. Governor Abigail Spanberger’s amendments to SB 62 / HB 26 replace the bill’s original automatic resentencing framework with a petition-based process. The legislation is intended to give courts the...

Read More

Cannabis Justice_Larry Farr_RVA Magazine 2026

Hemp Retailers Say New Virginia Cannabis Law Would Shut Them Down

With a major cannabis bill now awaiting Governor Abigail Spanberger’s decision, Virginia hemp retailers, farmers, and small business advocates are urging her to step in before it becomes law. The Cannabis Small Business Association (CSBA) and a coalition of hemp businesses are calling on the governor to use her amendatory authority to revise key...

Read More

Virginia-Hemp-by-R-Anthony-Harris_photo-by-Elsa-Olofsson_RVA-Magazine-2026

DAY 8 & 9 | What It’s Like to Judge the Richmond Cannabis Cup

Editor's Note: We are an official media sponsor for February Fire which will be held February 28th at Homegrown VA. Weed has been the diadem of rebellious youth for generations, a product so diametrically opposed to the capitalist urge that its use conjures images of human driftwood lounging in bathrobes. And yet, all over the country, soccer...

Read More

February-Fire_Richmond-Cannabis-Cup-by-Christian-Detres_RVA-Magazine-2025

As Virginia Legalizes Cannabis, New Penalties Spark Backlash

Virginia’s long-running effort to build a regulated cannabis marketplace has hit a new turning point this legislative session. Since adult possession became legal in 2021, lawmakers and stakeholders have spent years negotiating a retail framework to replace the unlicensed gray market with a structured, licensed system. Much of that work appeared...

Read More