COMMUNITY

The Light That Never Went Out 

The Light That Never Went Out 

How the Hippodrome Theater survived Jim Crow, a highway, and time itself, and became the soul of Jackson Ward again  There is a spotlight still mounted in the rafters of 528 N. 2nd Street. It has been there since 1914. It has outlasted segregation, fire, the...




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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...

New Menu | Richmond Grew Up. So Did Harry’s

Editor's Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with Harry's at The Hof on coverage related to their 10th anniversary celebration and new menu. We stopped by to see what was new, eat some good food, enjoy a few cocktails and report back. Richmond, we blew up our own spot....

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...

Three Tall Ships, One River, 250 Years of American History

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 the upcoming IllumiNation. Also, filmmaker Justin Black of Headwaters Down is sailing aboard...

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...

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, which launched under the name RVA Drunk History Club before a recent rebrand. The...

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RVA-Tipsy-History-Club-by-Callie-Watts_RVA-Magazine-2026

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 suddenly developing strong opinions about countries they have never visited and...

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World Cup 2026 Richmond_RVA Magazine 2026.

New Menu | Richmond Grew Up. So Did Harry’s

Editor's Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with Harry's at The Hof on coverage related to their 10th anniversary celebration and new menu. We stopped by to see what was new, eat some good food, enjoy a few cocktails and report back. Richmond, we blew up our own spot. Or, we are in the middle of a Richmond Renaissance. You choose. I’m not here to...

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Harry's at The Hof by Christian Detres_photos by Mike Guyer_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...

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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

Three Tall Ships, One River, 250 Years of American History

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 the upcoming IllumiNation. Also, filmmaker Justin Black of Headwaters Down is sailing aboard the Pride of Baltimore II as it makes its way from Norfolk to Richmond. Follow...

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Virginia_Photo-by-Nauticus_Julia-Wallace_RVA-Magazine-2026

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 that sets the stage for a cultural blowout.Meet the man who has spent a decade...

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2nd-Best-Fest-2025_RVA-Magazine-2026

Why Richmond Residents Should Be Paying Attention to Shoosmith Landfill

A growing environmental concern in Chesterfield County could have consequences far beyond the county line.The Shoosmith Landfill, located in Chesterfield County near Iron Bridge Road, stopped accepting waste on December 30, 2022. More than three years later, the site continues to generate tens of thousands of gallons of leachate every day. Since...

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The Shoosmith Landfill_RVA Magazine 2026 copy

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 floats above a mountain range and stars scatter across a deep purple sky. A Mayan...

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Latino-mural-by-R-Anthony-Harris_photo-by-Take-one-Aerial_RVA-Magazine-2026

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. It sits right around the corner on Cary Street past Carytown around the corner...

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Junior_Sunny-Mart_photo-by-R-Anthony-Harris_RVA-Magazine-2026