With warmer weather ahead, the Richmond Region is bustling with new openings, events and activities for visitors to enjoy! Whether you’re exploring solo, adventuring with friends, or looking for activities for the whole family, you’re sure to find some festive fun in RVA. Check out this regional roundup of activities, festivals and more happening this spring!
Activities & Events
First Fridays
Every First Friday | 5 PM - 9 PM | Arts District
RVA First Fridays is a longstanding, year-round art walk in the downtown RVA Arts District! Galleries, shops, restaurants, non-profits, and more open their doors in celebration of creativity and community. Explore all of the events along and around Broad Street on the first Friday of each month.
Richmond Black Restaurant Experience
March 5 - 12, 2023 | Select Locations
Celebrate Black culinary excellence in the Richmond Region during the annual Richmond Black Restaurant Experience. This week-long celebration of events highlights Black-owned eateries in RVA and kicks off with Mobile Soul Sunday, a showcase of RVA’s Black-owned food trucks. Get ready to enjoy the delicious and diverse tastes of the region’s Black-owned food scene! Learn more.
French Film Festival
March 30 - April 2, 2023 | Select Locations
Calling all Francophiles and movie buffs! See a diverse sampling of France’s newest feature films by award-winning directors at the 2023 French Film Festival. See acclaimed French films showing at the historic Byrd Theater, plus attend free master classes. For passes and updates on the French Film Festival schedule, click here.
Irish Festival
March 25 - 26, 2023 | 10 AM - 6 PM
Celebrate 36 years of the Irish Festival in RVA! Head out to the historic Church Hill neighborhood for great entertainment, family fun, children’s games, face painting and Irish-themed crafts. Over fifty Irish food and artisan vendors will be in attendance! Click here for more information.
UnlockingRVA: The Silent Party & Brunch on the Plaza
March - October, 2023 | Select Dates
UnlockingRVA highlights events and activities for visitors to enjoy year-round and returns this spring to host outdoor events including The Silent Party at 17th Street Market and Brunch on the Plaza at Kanawha Plaza. Click here to see their full schedule of events. (Photo Credit: @UnlockingRVA via Instagram)
A Million Blooms: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
April 1 - June 1, 2023
A Million Blooms is the Garden’s celebration of spring! A parade of blooms unfurls as the weather warms: daffodils, tulips, peonies, roses and many more. Events throughout the season include Butterflies LIVE! the Spring PlantFest and more! Get your tickets here.
Civil War & Emancipation Day Events
April 1 - 30, 2023 | Select Locations
This April, visit RVA for an educational and enjoyable experience commemorating two milestone occasions from the Civil War era: the anniversary of the Confederate surrender and Emancipation Day. Experience first-hand the historical significance of Richmond through several events featuring panel discussions, demonstrations, live music, stories of African American artisans, and much more. Click here for details on programming throughout the month.
Richmond Night Market
April - December, 2023 | 2nd Saturdays | 5 PM - 9 PM
Support Richmond’s small business and artist community at the Richmond Night Market. Browse handmade goods from local RVA vendors in the Artisan Village, plus enjoy food vendors, kids activities, live music, art and more.
Richmond Flying Squirrels: Opening Night Celebration
April 7, 2023 | 6:35 PM
Mark your calendars! This April marks the return of the RVA's Minor League Baseball team, Richmond Flying Squirrels. The 2023 season begins with a three-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils at The Diamond from April 7-9.
Dominion Energy Family Easter: Maymont
April 8, 2023 | 9 AM - 3 PM
Hop into spring at Maymont during the annual Family Easter event! Bring your friends and family and enjoy entertainment and Easter-themed activities for all to enjoy. General admission is $5 and children under 2 get in free.
90th Historic Garden Week
April 15 - 22, 2023 | Select Locations
Tour through the most beautiful private homes and gardens in Virginia this spring with select tours throughout the Richmond Region! Celebrate 90 years of Historic Garden Week during a showcase of homes and gardens across Virginia during the peak of spring. For more details and ticket information, click here.
Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k
April 22, 2023
Year after year, people from around the Richmond Region and beyond gather to share in the journey of crossing the 10k finish line. Run solo or gather your group for this exciting race through the beautiful, historic Monument Avenue area. For more information on this year's 10k race, click here.
Herbs Galore & More: Maymont
April 29, 2023 | 8 AM - 3 PM
Find everything you need for your garden at one of Richmond’s favorite plant sales, Herbs Galore & More! Browse through a variety of herbs, annuals, perennials, trees, vegetables and garden goods offered by dozens of nurseries and specialty vendors. (Photo Credit: @maymont_rva on Instagram)
52nd Annual Arts in the Park
May 6 - 7, 2023 | Byrd Park
Save the date for this award-winning arts and craft show that features hundreds of creative exhibitors from around the country. Browse through paintings, pottery and ceramics, jewelry, furniture and more for sale. To learn more about this free event, click here.
Ashland Train Day
April 29, 2023 | 10 AM - 4 PM
The beloved street festival and railfan extravaganza celebrates the Ashland community’s love for trains. Now in its 19th year, Ashland Train Day includes freight and passenger trains, kiddie train rides, model trains, arts and crafts, local food, live music, and much more!
Friday Cheers
May 6th - June 24th, 2023 | Every Friday
Friday Cheers, presented by Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, returns to Brown's Island for its 38th season. This weekly summer concert series brings some of the biggest up-and-coming artists to Brown's Island and downtown Richmond's riverfront. Click here for more event details and this year's performance lineup.
22nd Annual ¿Que Pasa? Festival
May 6, 2023 | Brown's Island
Immerse yourself in the rich cultures of Latin America! Join the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for a day of arts, cuisine and entertainment celebrating the diversity and beauty of Latin culture. For more information, click here.
Fort Clifton Festival
May 13 - 14, 2023 | Colonial Heights, VA
This family-oriented and educational festival portrays the historic significance of the fort and its importance in the Civil War to the Petersburg defense line. This free, two-day event will feature Civil War relic exhibits on display, along with re-enactors and demonstrations. Plus enjoy concessions, children's activities and door prizes. For more information, click here.
Dominion Energy Riverrock
May 19 - 21, 2023
Celebrate RVA's nationally-acclaimed outdoor scene during this year's Dominion Energy Riverrock! This outdoor sports and music festival returns this spring with high-energy, heart-pumping outdoor activities and sports competitions, plus musical performances, food vendors and more! Catch the action this year at Brown's Island and throughout the parks and trails surrounding the James River. Click here to check out the full festival event schedule.
Attractions, Tours & Exhibits
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Check out the VMFA's latest exhibit, A Powerful Influence: Early Photographs of African Americans on display through May 8. Drawn from the collection of Dennis O. Williams and presented in the Photography Gallery, some 25 portraits of Black Americans—some enslaved, others free—offer a powerful and poignant way to explore the complicated history of how the invention of photography shaped concepts of identity, family, citizenship, and race. This installation was conceived to complement the museum's new exhibition, Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour—Frederick Douglass. For ticket information and details on other VMFA programming, click here.
Institute for Contemporary Art
Don't miss exciting new events and exhibits this season at the ICA! This spring, the ICA will return with Test Pattern, a hybrid performance series that invites visiting artists to use the ICA auditorium as an experimental production studio. Don't miss the upcoming performance on April 7 featuring Holland Andrews. Plus, check out current exhibits like So It Appears, examining abstract art on display through July 16, 2023.
Kings Dominion
Kings Dominion is the perfect destination for adrenaline-seekers this spring season! Check out the Jungle X-pedition, an immersive x-perience x-ploring an ancient jungle civilization, or take a ride on Tumbili, Virginia’s first 4D spin coaster. Plus, enjoy the warmer spring temperatures and visit Soak City, their 20-acre waterpark. Visit the Kings Dominion website for ticket information.
Valentine Museum Walking Tours
The Valentine Museum offers free, self-guided tours through Richmond neighborhoods such as historic Jackson Ward, the Fan, Oregon Hill and more. Explore the area’s architecture and public art at your own pace. Head to The Valentine’s website to download a PDF mural guide and view Google map information.
Richmond Metro Zoo
The Metro Richmond Zoo is open this spring for walk-in access, rides and up-close views while feeding the animals. Want to see the animals from above via zipline? Try out the Junior Explorer or Treetop Zoofari Course! Visit the website for ticket information.
The Science Museum of Virginia
The Science Museum of Virginia offers fun and interactive experiences for all ages to enjoy. In the museum's upcoming spring exhibit, Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience, get a glimpse of the wonders of human space exploration through interactive, hands-on experiments. Check out this exhibit on display May 27 through September 4, 2023. For a full schedule of upcoming SMVA events, click here.
Explore the Richmond Beer Trail
Tour the region’s widespread lineup of breweries on the Richmond Beer Trail. The trail serves as your guide to nearly 40 craft beer destinations that span the region. Score exclusive Richmond Beer Trail gear by grabbing a cold one at participating breweries and asking to have your map stamped. Collect 5 stamps to redeem your prize!
Winery Tours & Tastings
Just 25 miles east of the heart of Richmond, enjoy a number of wineries nestled throughout beautiful New Kent County. Plan a day for wine tastings and snacks and take in the serene views at locations like Jolene Family Winery, Saudé Creek, and Gauthier Vineyard. For wine and beer lovers alike, New Kent Winery recently expanded to open Talleysville Brewing Company, New Kent County’s first Farm Brewery.
The Virginia Capital Trail
The Virginia Capital Trail is a popular recreational trail that stretches over 50 miles from Jamestown to Richmond, Virginia. Walkers, cyclists, runners and skaters alike are welcome to enjoy this paved trail with over 45 different attractions along the way. Start your excursion at any point along the trail and stop by a historic site or local restaurant on your route.
Plan an Adventure on the James River
With warmer weather approaching, the James River Park System is blooming with outdoor recreational activities to enjoy. Grab a rental from RVA Paddlesports or Riverside Outfitters and spend a day kayaking or whitewater rafting on the James River. Looking for a relaxing day in nature? Check out Belle Isle for a picnic along the water or a refreshing dip in the river once temperatures heat up.
Looking for more ways to get active in RVA this spring? Explore more outdoor fun, HERE!
