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Richmond’s 13th Annual Halloween Parade

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For 13 years, on Halloween, Richmond’s All The Saints Theater Company has brought the River City one of the most unique and intrepid city events: the annual Halloween parade. An occasion marked by pageantry, creativity, and a dedication to the divine feminine, the parade took to the streets of Richmond last night for what could be the final time. With backing beats from the Party Liberation Front and street musicians, the parade snaked through Oregon Hill in an august procession that was as celebratory as it was solemn, a testament to the enduring intersection that makes Richmond…so very Richmond.

Some of the best photos of the parade can be found below:

 

Photos by Landon Shroder and Branden Wilson

Ring in 2018 in Style With RVA Mag’s NYE Guide

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Christmas has come and gone and we’re nearing the end of 2017. It was a whirlwind of a year with highs and lows, and I think its safe to say many more lows this year than anything else politically, but we can only hope 2018 will be better. Now this post wasn’t meant to get you down, get you dwelling on the past year, or worrying about your New Years Resolutions, but rather send you into 2018 with a bang with a slew of kick-ass parties in Richmond this Sunday.

RVA Mag has put together a guide of some of the best parties around town from burlesque and comedy at breweries, to live music, to DJs and fire-spinning, to glammed up costume parties with champagne toasts, ball drops, and arcade fun. There’s sure to be something that will get you up off your couch and ringing in the New Year with your friends, significant other, or crazy uncle who can drink anyone under the table and always has a good story. And without further ado, here is our NYE Guide for Richmond. Be safe, have fun, get a little weird and we will see you in 2018. Happy New Year!

Decemberween 12

Photo Credit: Janpim Wolf Photography

The wild and crazy group known for throwing some of the best shindigs in town, Party Liberation Foundation is back again with their annual NYE celebration Decemberween. Now in its 12th year, the party will be bigger and better than ever with two stages of music featuring headliner Soohan, a Maryland based producer, local dance-punk favorites Toxic Moxie, Mr. Jennings, Bunk Buddha and more,  art installations inside and out including fire sculptures, Ziggy Sawdust will be carving wooden portraits of partygoers with a chainsaw, live, Man Camp! crew will be constructing a roving Trojan Mop Bucket,  and Davina the Dragon will return for her first PLF event in years. PLF’s legendary pyro circus will also be returning and the group is adding a third bar in their speakeasy/cabaret lounge. All proceeds benefit PLF. Make sure to wear your best costume! Decemberween 12 will be held at Diversity Richmond, Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased here. 8pm-4am.

NYE 2018 Gatsby Soiree at Kabana Rooftop

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If you feel like getting fancy, time traveling back to the ’20s and channeling your best Jay and Daisy impersonations, then Kabana Rooftop’s Gatsby Soiree. Dress as a flapper, a dapper gent, or silent film star or in your finest garb and head out to Kabana Rooftop for a night on the town you won’t forget. Well, depending on how much you have to drink. Music by local DJ favorite MASS FX and Bobby LaBeat. Tickets are $45 for General admission, $75 for couples, $60 for entry and 20s-themed buffet created by the wonderful head chef Mike Ledesma or $115 for couples and it goes up from there if you want to book a room or reserve a VIP table. All tickets include a champagne toast at midnight, party favors, a live feed of the ball drop. Grab yours here. Kabana Rooftop: 700 E. Main St. 7pm-2am.

NYE at Vagabond

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Hosted by Kelli Lemon with tunes courtesy of DJ Lonnie B, Vagabond is ringing in 2018 with an appetizer Buffet and Champagne Toast. Limited reserved tables available. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.

New Years Eve at The Hof

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The HofGarden, a three-story event venue and German beer hall inside Scott’s Addition’s The Hof Building on West Broad Street is bringing back one of Richmond’s most beloved NYE traditions with The Ball Rise. Originally started above the Byrd Theater in 2006, partygoers packed the streets to countdown the new year while watching the big ball go up. The 40-foot ball rise became too expensive so it ended in 2012 with a brief appearance at Hardywood in 2013, but hasn’t been an event in RVA since. The Hof will host the Ball Rise on their rooftop bar this year for their annual NYE party, whose theme is based on Rio de Janeiro’s Rio Carnival. Musical performances by DC’s gypsy/jazz/funk group Black Masala will perform, along with Andrew Alli & the Mainline, as well as DJ Duffy and carnival dancers. 2818 W. Broad St. 7pm-2 am.

Editor’s Note: At this time, the only package available for this event is the Couples Graduate Hotel Package for $307.88. Includes two GA tickets to The Hof party, a room at The Graduate hotel, transportation to and from the graduate and the hof, and brunch at the hotel on new years day. Tickets here. 

New Years Eve Fiesta at Havana ’59

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Havana ’59 returns for NYE with its annual celebration of dinner, Djs, and Salsa music. Dinner includes a three-course meal, drink, and additional champagne toast. Time slots for dinner reservations: 5:00pm, 7:00pm, 9:00pm. Dancing takes place upstairs, and Salsa begins at 10pm. A DJ will be providing the Salsa music for the evening.  Dancing: $30, Dinner: $60, Dance/Dinner: $70. Champagne toast included. Call to reserve your tickets now! (804)780-CUBA. 16 N. 17th St. 5pm-2am.

Cirque Du NYE Hippodrome (RVA Escape into the 2018) 

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Step into the multi-act sideshow and entertainment extravaganza at The Hippodrome for NYE. The Jackson Ward venue is channeling Cirque de Soleii for their celebration with aerial dancers, stilt walkers, hula dancers, jugglers, shadow dancers, human blockheads, along with a DJ, buffet from 9 to 11 pm, red carpet style photo, prop photo booth, *Semi-formal attire required. Tickets $25-$40. 528 N. 2nd St.

Skyball NYE 2018- Belle & James 

Kabana Rooftop may be celebrating Great Gatsby style, but Belle & James, the restaurant below the rooftop bar, is throwing its annual Skyball NYE bash Party. The event features a live DJ, with midnight toast, live video feed for the ball drop, complimentary party favors, signature Bond cocktails and more. Tickets $25-$45. 700 E. Main St. 10pm-2am.

New Years Eve Party at The Roost

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Lunch/Supper’s event venue/ brunch market in Scott’s Addition, The Roost is ringing in 2018 with a celebration all their own. Tickets are $110 and will each include: passed hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, full dinner buffet with all your Supper! favorites, four drink tickets with choice of specialty beer/cocktails featuring Belle Isle Moonshine, champagne toast and celebration at midnight, and dancing all night with music from DJ Mike Murphy. A cash bar will be open all night for additional drinks and full VIP table reservations are available by request. Please email [email protected] for VIP requests. $10 of each ticket will be benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of RVA Tickets here. 1213 Summit Avenue. 8pm-1:30am. 

Two Nights! NYE with The Southern Belles and Jackass Flats

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Psychedelic-rockers and Richmond favorite The Southern Belles are ringing in NYE with a two-night event at The Camel with fellow RVA bluegrass band Jackass Flats, Shows Dec. 30 and NYE both $10. Tickets for Saturday’s show are $10 and can be purchased here and Sunday’s are $25 ADV and $40 DOS which you snag here. Doors at 8pm, Show at 9 pm.

New Year, New You at Gallery5!

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The folks over at Gallery5 are celebrating big for New Year’s Eve. The space has a stacked lineup for the night with performances by  Dazeases, Sammi Lanzetta, Citrus City shoegaze guys Fat Spirit (go see them if you haven’t already!), Pete Curry’s new project FM Skyline, along with DJ Skrt Skrt (christian something / Christian Nöthing), DJ Baby Maria (Maria Applegate) Free champagne toast & photo booth. Doors 8pm / Bands 9pm // $10. Keep an eye on the event page for details.

All That Glitters is Gold NYE 2018-Cha Cha’s Cantina and Society Social Club

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Dance into the night and jump back and forth between two nightclubs in Shockoe Slip for Cha Cha’s and Society’s All that Glitters is Gold NYE Celebration. Buy a Gold ticket for access to both bars for the entire night along with drink tickets, buffet, and toast. DJ Bryan One and DJ Joe Fu will be spinning tunes, there will be a live feed of the Times Square ball drop, along with a free champagne toast. General Admission- $20 and Gold tickets are $60. Snag yours here. For VIP Inquiries Contact: 804.648.5100 | [email protected]
Doors at 730PM. 1419 & 1421 E. Cary St. 

Richmond Brewery NYE Parties:

Several breweries in town are hosting their own celebrations if you aren’t the dancing type and prefer craft beer over fancy cocktails. Check out the rundown here.

Saved by The 90s: A NYE Party with the Bayside Tigers-The National 

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New York City’s 90s tribute band Bayside Tigers hits The National NYE for a party that’s sure to be all that and a bag of chips. (Sorry, in advance for the puns in this post.) Performing everything from Beastie Boys, to No Doubt, to Spice Girls, and Third Eye Blind they’re sure to bring back all sorts of nostalgia feels for you 90s kids. So grab your flannel, chockers, denim, and crop tops and party like its 1999. Tickets $25-$40.

Brew Years Eve Party at The Circuit Arcade Bar 

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If you’re a gamer, craft beer lover, or both, and rather spend your new year kickin’ it old school, hit up the new Circuit Arcade Bar in Scott’s Addition. Filled with over 60 throwback arcade games, pinball machines, and other vintage classics like skeeball and air hockey, along with a self-serve bar wall with 50 taps flowing with craft beer, cider, and wine send you into the new year the right away. For their celebration, The Circuit will host a Brew Years Eve party, working with a number of local and Virginia breweries that will bring an exclusive selection of seasonal, limited edition and newly released beer for just Sunday night. Wax Moon Records will be playing the tunes, and the barcade will also have a raffle with prizes, brewery giveaways, lip sync battles and even more. Access to our exclusive New Years Eve beer selection available only for one night. Tickets are $35  ADV/ Door: $40 and get you free food, free token cup with 20 tokens, one free raffle ticket, door prizes, and everything from Jurassic Park pinball, to Ms. PacMan, Dig Dug and more to play. 3121 W. Leigh St. 8 pm. (For an inside look into the arcade and bar, check out our interview with them in our latest issue here.)

Our sister publication, GayRVA.com also has a pretty sweet NYE rundown, you can check that out here.

Decemberween 12: PLF Rings in NYE with More Art, Music, & a Fire-Breathing Dragon

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It’s time for another Decemberween and for their twelfth year, Party Liberation Foundation is bringing all the crazy antics, fire, and pyro effects, dancing, music, art and more that you love to send off 2017 with a bang. RVA Mag President John Reinhold recently sat down with the co-founder of PLF Conway Jennings, who will also be playing a set at the event, to get the rundown on this year’s festivities.

Reinhold: What makes this NYE event different than others around Richmond?

Jennings: Well, I think the main difference is that we create a pretty immersive environment. There’s a lot more going on than just some bands or DJs and a bar. There are multiple rooms inside, plus a large outside area, with many art installations placed all over the event. Musically we will feature a variety of DJs and a few bands, offering cutting edge underground dance music as well as some great live music. Oh yeah, we also go late!

Reinhold: The event is hosted by Diversity Richmond, what do you like about this venue?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: Well, for starters, we feel great about their mission. It’s super important for us to create a safe space for people from all walks of life (including race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) to be themselves at our events. It’s great to work with Diversity knowing that we share this goal. The venue itself is also perfect for us. Because it’s largely a blank canvas, we are able to bring in art, decorations, projectors, lights, etc. to transform the space differently each time. Fire spinning and fire art are both very important for our community, and use of the parking lot allows us to safely include this element. Ivan Trittipoe and the crew at Diversity are also just super friendly and great to work with.

Reinhold: What’s new for this year?

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Jennings: Well, this is the 12th Decemberween, but the third year at Diversity Richmond, and also the third year above ground. It’s been more of a smaller private party in the past. This year we are completely flipping the layout inside, which is exciting. We’re also adding a third bar in our new speakeasy /cabaret lounge, which will help cut down on waiting in line. We’ve also increased funding for art grants, so there will be even more awesome art both inside and out.

Reinhold: Tell me about your headliners and music plans for guests this year?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: We’re really excited to have Soohan as our headliner. He’s been making waves at all the West Coast festivals for the past couple summers, so we’re stoked to have his unique blend of global bass and hip hop at Decemberween. We’re also super stoked to have Richmond dance punk favorites Toxic Moxie in the lineup. Bunk Buddha will be joining us from Baltimore, as well as DJ Shakey from New York City. We have a lot of PLF favorites rounding out the rest of the lineup. The music is really gonna be amazing this year.

Reinhold: Sounds like you have more live music this year. Things like the jazz speakeasy lounge, what’s the plan for that room?

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Jennings: Yup! We are turning the smaller room inside into a speakeasy/cabaret lounge this year. We will have a jazz band playing throughout the night, with a variety of dance and burlesque performances in between. As I mentioned before, there will be a bar in there, as well as tables and couches, so you can take a load off and enjoy the show with a nice cocktail. And while we generally lean pretty heavily on electronic music, we’re stoked to have Toxic Moxie’s blend of live dance music to spice things up a bit.

Reinhold: What kind of large-scale art and immersive environments are planned?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: We’re super excited to have Davina the Dragon for her first PLF event in years. Outside we will have a whole bunch of fire sculptures and flame effects, but there will also be all kinds of other fun stuff. Ziggy Sawdust will be carving wooden portraits of partygoers with a chainsaw, live (yes, really!). Man Camp! crew will be constructing a roving Trojan Mop Bucket because …well, why not? Inside, we will have Illumious Plumes, a giant peacock with an amazing paint job, by Emily Wimbis, Alexa Eliana, and Molly Chopin. Ian Hess and crew will construct a wondrous 8-foot tall glowing pyramid, complete with mysterious glowing obelisks. And this is just less than half of the art grants! There will be all kinds of awesome stuff this year.

Reinhold: Tell me more about the fire-breathing dragon?

Photo by Jeremy Parker

Jennings: Davina is a 30-foot long, 10- foot tall fire-breathing dragon art car. She was built in 2010 by Charlottesville artist Christian Breeden, who also built Josephine the Colossal SkeletalMarionette, an integral part of our past two Decemberweens. Davina has been prowling the playa at Burning Man for the past several years, offering rides to wayward burners and dazzling everyone with her flames. But she has made a triumphant return home to Virginia! This will be her first PLF event in many years, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her back. While there won’t be room for her to move around too much at Decemberween, she will definitely be shooting plenty of fire.

Reinhold: So we know you all love fire, are there going to be fire performers or special performances?

Photo by Aaron Kirn

Jennings: In addition to Davina, we will have a wide variety of flame effects and sculptures, as well as live fire performance throughout the night. Expect a lot of fire at midnight, from humans and dragons alike.

Reinhold: The entire event s a benefit for Party Liberation Foundation correct?

Jennings: Sure is! The Party Liberation Front collective has been around since 2006, but we decided to start a non-profit last year. Our goal is to nurture the arts and the creative community in the Richmond region. Over the past year, we have awarded several thousand dollars of art grants both for our events and for local art openings. We have also launched a series of free workshops on performance art, dance, and more. We’re very new to this, but we are excited to see what the future holds.

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Reinhold: How can people purchase tickets?

Jennings: Diversity has allowed us to increase our ticket cap to 700 this year (up from 650), but we do expect it to sell out, as it has the past two years. Grab your tickets here.

Top Photo Credit: Janpim Wolf Photography

PLF Presents the Pyro Circus Street Show at Carnival of 5 Fires

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Party Liberation Front (PLF) is proud to continue keeping the tradition alive at G5 and on RVA First Fridays, October 6th 2017 at the Carnival of 5 Fires 2017 we will once again light the streets up with fire performance, dancing, with tunes provided by some of the finest DJs in the land… crunky, funky, bassy circus style! Come join us for our free, community street party event outside of Gallery5!

Main photo by janpim wolf photography

DJ Lineup:
DJ Danny Baltimore – (Bmore) Camp Beemore
https://soundcloud.com/danny-baltimore-1

Dj Phil Dice – (RVA) EQ Productions
https://soundcloud.com/phil-dice

Tag team set by Mr. Jennings and Dope Solo
Mr Jennings (RVA) PLF 
http://soundcloud.com/mrjennings

Dope Solo – (RVA) PLF
https://soundcloud.com/dopesoloofficial

Pyro sculptures by
Gon

Projections by
Doc Jim
Grey Hash

This event is sponsored and supported by the Party Liberation Foundation 501(c)3 non-profit

Then join us for…
PLF Freakeasy Speakeasy (Carnival of 5 Fires Afterparty)
Vagabond (700 E Broad St. Next to the National)
10pm-2am.
$5 suggested donation

Your PLF DJs for the evening:
Alicia Rox
https://soundcloud.com/alicia-rox

Reinhold
https://soundcloud.com/jreinhold

Beat Kitty
https://soundcloud.com/thebeatkitty

Catering to the sounds of basement jazz bass, where you can dance all your cares away. You’ll be beating your feet, and shaking yo’ booties to the roaring, thumping soundwaves, as we take you hip cats back to the prohibition era of drinkin’ in the dark.

*donations will be split to support the music makers of the evening*
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SPECIAL NOTES FOR PYRO CIRCUS
***If you are a fire performer interested and/or planning to join us in the street with fire props, there are a few things you should know:

*crowd experienced performers only. we take this very seriously. this isn’t for performers new to fire play or for people that just “dabble” in this art.

* In order to perform with fire you must attend one of the two scheduled safety meetings and sign a waiver.

* The safety meetings are scheduled to be held at 6:45 and 8:15 PM.

* Waivers will be available at the safety meetings and must be signed to participate.

* With the exception of fire breathing, we will only be using white gas (naptha, camp fuel). As for fire breathers, please note the below bullet point.

* As is pointed out below, fire breathing performances will be held until last, as lamp oil tends to make the performance area slick for other spinners.

* In the name of fairness and reciprocity, it is encouraged that all fire performers volunteer for a fire safety shift. It’s just like watching fire performance, but you get to wear a brightly colored vest and who doesn’t like brightly colored vests?!

Gallery5 turns 12 in style with fire spinning, live music and visual and performance art

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Gallery5 has a birthday coming up this weekend and if you’ve ever been to one of their parties, you know they bring the weird, wacky and wonderful. The old firehouse-turned-art space is turning 12 and will celebrate the only way they know how – with fire spinning, a group art show, burlesque, live music and dance tunes in the streets this Friday, April 7.

The gallery, located in Jackson Ward, has operated as a 501(c)3 non-profit since its inception in April 2005 to provide a space for diverse local and touring exhibitions, music, comedy, dance and art of all forms. Gallery5 is also no stranger to utilizing its space for various fundraisers.

“It lends itself to housing so many diverse forms of artwork and collaboration, which is one of the big missions of the gallery,” said Parker Galore, Operations Manager at Gallery5 as well as co-founder and former Editor-In-Chief of RVA Magazine.

As the story goes, while the first RVAMag print issue was being assembled, a woman named Amanda Robinson, whose parents owned the firehouse, reached out to him.

Robinson had been in Georgia at Savannah College of Art and Design, but was returning to Richmond in order to transform the derelict firehouse into a space for art.

Around that time, Galore also decided to have Robinson’s story be one of featured articles in the mag as well as have Gallery5 host the launch party of the very first issue in its grand opening.

Ever since, the two Richmond creative entities have often found themselves intertwined.

After the success of their combined efforts, Robinson asked Galore and other local artists and creatives to continue helping out. Over the years countless volunteers and employees have contributed to Gallery5 continued success.

The space itself has always sought to add a unique and diverse voice to Richmond and it is with that diversity in mind that this week’s birthday celebration will include various types of art and entertainment.

Live music on their inside stage includes the haunting tones of Lobo Marino, long-time Gallery 5 board member and legendary RVA musician Prabir Mehta, singer/songwriter Georgie Isaacs and local indie-pop heavy hitters The Trillions.

Beyond live music there will be burlesque featuring Arroh Meuse, Caza Blanca, Jo’Rie Tigerlily, Lottie Ellington, Lula Houp-Garou, and Melody Magpie all guided by the sensual hand of Deanna Danger.

Danger has been a longtime collaborator with Gallery5 and, as of last March, her burlesque studio, Boom Boom Basics, moved into the building. Gallery5 has hosted Danger’s burlesque shows as well as touring burlesque artists for years.

“Gallery5 is a big piece of the burlesque history in Richmond,” Danger said.

“She got in touch with me through MySpace back when MySpace was still a thing,” Galore said of Danger’s earliest involvement, only reinforcing the long and impactful timeline from both orgs.

Meanwhile, outside the venue, The Party Liberation Front will showcase a pyro circus street show with fire-based performance art. PLF is also a 501c3 non-profit that works to fundraise for the art community and is a frequent collaborator with Gallery5.

Party Liberation Front at Gallery 5 from Sean Ruecroft on Vimeo.

PLF will also have a presence inside the gallery with a multi-media presentation called “Visuals 2” on the venue’s second floor. The show was funded by grants from PLF and includes work by Annie Peace and Reginald Conyers called “Reflections.”

Another PLF grant funded piece on dispaly, put together by the All Saints Theatre Company, involves “a haunting singing ceremony with tributes to the 12 foot tall Grandma Moon Puppet with celestial moon/sun masks, choreographed performances and glow in the dark hand painted humans by the lovely Ali Warters.”

There will also be plenty of art on sale from groups like Fallon Corrine Photography, The Art of Nicole Pisaniello, The Clockworks Collective and more.

This week’s upcoming festivities begin at 6pm and will run through until midnight. The event is free, though donations are encouraged. Find out more about the event here.