I had an incredible time at the Chesterfield County Fair last night! I went with my fiancé and a…read morefriend. We decided to do an engagement photoshoot at the fair for some unique photos. They allowed me to bring in my camera, but know that you can only bring in clear bags or small purses. Entry for adults was $12. We went on a Wednesday around 8pm. On weeknights they are open until 11pm. I had really low expectations and was pleasantly surprised, this fair was amazing! We stayed until closing. We caught the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack show which was a bit cheesy, but still fun. We then caught an incredible circus show with acrobats, stuntmen, and more. We were in awe after their performances. We got a lot of fun photos on the rides and at one of the games. We had fun riding the merry go round and the ferris wheel. In between rides we got a really yummy fried cheesecake. We played my favorite fair game, the water race. Everyone who worked the fair was extremely kind. It was such a nostalgic and fun evening. We closed our evening with some hot dogs and fried oreos. The fair is great fun for all ages! Like most fairs and carnivals, do know that it can get expensive with games, rides, and food, but it's a blast. Their is free parking right across the street from the main entrance. There were women and men restrooms in indoor spaces. They even had fair prize winners on display in certain rooms. I loved this fair and can't wait to go again next year.

As long as I've lived in Richmond, I can't believe this was my first time to the CCF…read more Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. Primarily because it's so small! Not a lot of rides. Not a lot of vendors. Not a lot of games. Not a lot of food options. Long, slow lines to get in. We two adults and three kids managed to have a fun time regardless. I liked the butterfly exhibit. Appreciated the clean bathrooms in the exhibit area. Convenient parking at L.C. Bird right across the street. If you're going to ride rides, find your wristband for half price ($12.50) online or... we got ours at a bank. It'll still cost you $10 (adults) to just get in. Doubtful I go again, but it does seem like a fun place to be if you live nearby. It felt like a small, community event.

I've finally made it to Arts in the Park after living in Richmond for nearly a decade. A friend and…read moreI met at City Stadium to take the shuttle. The line was long but it moved quickly. They had a few shuttles in rotation, and they were nice, luxury buses. The area surrounding the festival in Byrd Park looked pretty gnarly with traffic, so I definitely do not recommend driving. There were over 350 vendors at the 2026 event. A large directory and map greeted us upon arrival, which was a nice touch and helped guide us around the event efficiently. The weather was perfect -- early spring mild temps with plenty of sunshine. I found loads of gorgeous pottery for gifts at reasonable rates. We didn't eat on site, but there were plenty of food vendors. We attended on the second day and the porta pots weren't the best. The event was busy but not claustrophobic. The layout was quite nice for strolling, and the Carillon added extra scenery to the day. I will absolutely be back in future years!

This is one of the best Springtime events in Richmond. All different types of crafters, artists and…read moreartisans come to show their wares. You never know what you will find. There are food and drink vendors. I recommend carrying a bottle of water, you will be doing a lot of walking and lemonade was $8.00 this year. The food prices were okay. I got a well smoked BBQ sandwich with coleslaw for $8.00. The food was tasty. The art is fun and you will see all kinds of things like jewelry, artistic notecards, lotions, soaps, whirligigs, and what nots galore. It is a fun event for all ages. Dogs are welcome too.

So many factors could of impacted this…read more First we must of been some of the first people there (even though we showed up at least 40 min after it was supposed to start). The price to get in was only $2 and $3 for a cool stein! The people at the entrance gates were very friendly; plus the weather was amazing. My knocks were that it was $7 for 16oz. of beer, the food didn't look that appetizing and no one was there! Well, I lied a few people were there....these 2 very cute old couples who apparently got all dressed up in their best german gear and were doing the polka in the middle of Main Street. It was very cute and romantic. Yet that wasnt what I paid for when I thought I was going to Oktoberfest. After an hour and a half we split. We did commit that we will try again next year but make sure our friends show up as well.

This annual Oktoberfest celebration begins at one Capital Ale House location on one weekend in…read moreSeptember and rotates through the different locations on subsequent weekends in September and into October. Check the web site for an updated list of locations and dates. I usually hit the event at the Innsbrook or downtown location. Both are fun. No matter which location you to go, you show your ID at the door, get a bracelet and a free beer stein that you get to keep. Pretty neat. There's a special selection of German brews, including lagers, ales and hefeweizens, that are sold by the half of whole stein just during the event. At the Innsbrook location, a big tent filled with long tables and a stage is set up on the spacious patio. Girls in laderhosen selling wurst platters, big soft pretzels and other German food. Polka bands play late into the night, so get ready to swing your stein and sing along. The action takes place in the live music hall at the downtown location. It's filled with big, long tables and people just pack in to drink and enjoy. I've generally found the Innsbrook location to be less crowded. It's also got three bars, including one on the patio, which makes it easier to get drinks. The downtown location has one bar upstairs and one downstairs, but the upstairs bar is long, narrow and hard to navigate when it's crowded. The downstairs bar is away from the action. Either way, though, this is one of my favorite events of the year!

If you are looking to chug a bunch of cheap wine and get drunk, this is the festival for you. If…read moreyou are looking to sip some quality wine and maybe find a new favorite or two, this is not the festival for you. Really, if you are looking to actually taste your wine at all without blindly throwing it down the hatch, this probably isn't the festival for you. We arrived expecting it to be crowded. I mean, of course most wine festivals are packed. We were happy to wait a little to get up to taste at the various wineries. Once we made it, we were a little annoyed at the speed the wine was poured at. I mean, I can drink my wine quickly, but when I'm poured a generous several sip taste, I'd like to actually take a second to taste it. Not watch all the people around me chug their wine in one sip and feel like the taster is glaring at me for wanting to swirl my wine or, gasp, drink it in 2 sips. More than once, the person pouring tastes was pretty rude until I asked a few questions about the winery. I guess once they realized I wasn't one of the average clientele just looking to get wasted they were nicer? Also, it wouldn't kill them to actually tell me what wine I am tasting and a little about it (is the chardonnay aged in oak or stainless steel? Sometimes, what wine am I tasting at all?) rather than just dumping and assuming I don't care. I'd expect wine sales would be better if they actually let people like me who might buy several bottles they like know what they are are tasting! WIth the exception of a few, I wasn't too impressed with the wineries represented here, or the fair-food selections. The band was pretty good, though. I probably won't be back.

This is one of the more enjoyable festivals you'll be able to attend. Most other events like this…read moreare packed, making it difficult to move around or to get your outstretched glass noticed though all the rest However, the space provided here is sufficient to allow patrons to move freely and even out crowds at the individual vendors. They might not offer dozens of different wineries, but those that are there will certainly have something you'll like. The food may not be to everyone's liking (mostly carnival-like) but it's pretty welcome after a morning or afternoon of drinking wine. The venue itself is fantastic. New Kent Winery is one of the best put together wine establishments in eastern VA.

Richmond's Pride may not be comparable to celebrations in San Francisco or D.C., but that's okay…read more VA PrideFest is a low-key, inclusive, family-friendly event celebrating love and openness that the whole community can enjoy. It's a breath of fresh air to have an event where everyone is so friendly and you know that you are accepted and that you belong. There's something incredibly powerful being surrounded by crowds of happy people who may not know you, but support you and who you are. Past Prides have included live music, drag and dance performances, awards presentations, speeches from local activists and community leaders, food trucks, full bars, vendors, and activities for kids and kids at heart. You can come just to enjoy the atmosphere and a bite to eat, as well as learn about the local LGBTQ scene and resources available to the community, from health services and STD testing, counseling and safe spaces, to social clubs and organizations to meet like-minded people. The one downside with holding the event in the city is that parking can be a nightmare, and it's not always the most accessible for those with mobility challenges. I strongly recommend carpooling or using a ride sharing service that can drop you off at the entrance (with the added bonus of having a designated driver!).

When your 17-year-old daughter requests your presence at an event, you must go, right?…read more Not that it's a burden. I'm a screaming liberal and believe in equality across the board. My empathy kicks in and I want everyone to feel welcomed, included and valued. I hadn't thought about going to PrideFest. I feel like id be a heterosexual crashing the party, but that wasn't my experience at all. I felt completely comfortable and welcomed. Thank you Richmond for being so inclusive. As a child of the 80s, I feel like we were on the verge of being really open and inclusive, but we weren't quite there. Thanks to my daughter's generation for taking it across the finish line. PrideFest was a wonderful celebration of humanity and acceptance. Thank you for being you and for allowing me to being me. Love and acceptance is what matters in this messed up world. Keep loving and fighting for each other, Richmond. That will make us the most proud in the long run. If you haven't gone to PrideFest, go. #noregrets #loveisbiggerthananythinginthisworld.

Came here to hang out with my wife for a few hours. We didn't know they opened at 3PM on Fridays so…read morewe were the first people to show up when they opened. Parking was street only. Very big plus is our beers were half off because we also stumbled upon happy hours. The whole place was pretty big, and had a good arcade section. We definitely were able to kill time and had a lot of fun. Staff is pretty chill and let us know we could drink near the games. Can't wait to come back!

My husband and try to find an arcade bar everywhere we go, and this was our choice in Richmond…read more It's super easy to get to and a couple brewery spots around it which were perfect to bar hop a little. For their arcade, you have to use a card that you buy credits on to. In our opinion, the games were a little expensive. I think it's more directed towards parents who want to drink and offload their kids in this area, but for those of us already spending a good amount on drinks, the price on the games kinda sucks. We're used to a cover for all you can play or something a little more affordable. They do have a lot of great, newer games. It definitely kept us entertained for a while. They also had a great variety. It was pretty empty when we got there a little after lunch, but by 4pm or so it started raining and they were PACKED. The drinks were good, nothing special. A couple draft cocktails that tasted like you would expect. Some good beer options. It's a great spot in the area, huge bar area that can fit a lot of people and a really great patio.

This event takes place each year over one weekend in October. After a few years in historic Church…read moreHill, the Original Italian Street Festival moved to the Horticultural Gardens at the Richmond Raceway Complex in 2009 to accommodate more people. I think many of us liked the original downtown atmosphere, but I get the decision. The Raceway Complex has plenty of parking and room for vendors to spread out. Food is definitely the main focus at this event. Italian Restaurants from all over Richmond, such as Roma's, Italian Kitchen West, Bacchus, Angelo's, DeFazio's, Original Gino's Pizza and Cafe' Espresso, set up shop and sell authentic Italian food. I was impressed that the spread doesn't include just pizza and pasta. There's good fried calamari, arborio rice balls and gelato. Even the basic pasta and pizza are fresh and tasty. Nothing tastes like it's been sitting at a festival for hours. There's also Italian wine and beer for sale, live music, crafters and some Italian culture demonstrations. The event gets bigger every year.

Well the entrance is a bit intimidating as they say $5 donation...but they are standing right there…read moreblocking the entrance with the money box waiting to collect as you walk into the festival. Um.....Do I have to pay $5? That was the cheap me asking... The answer was no, but we still gave to the cause (not sure which one...I guess the festival one) and then went in to spend $9 on a plate, $3.5 on a piece of pizza, and $1.?? on a drink, oh and $5 for funnel cake. That plus $5 equals my lunch and dinner and now I'm hungry again. :) But really a fun event, lots of italian food choices, great people, warm sun hitting off the concrete weather good ole time. It's my love for Italy and Italian Food that keeps me coming back for more.

Maybe this year's festival was literally and figuratively dampened by the rain, but it was just…read moreokay. Many vendors all serving tacos, empanadas, beer and margaritas. Many grocery-type vendors with candy and drinks. Two "stages" of performances, one with a particularly bad sound system that made it difficult to hear anything that was being said. Okay crowd, but I'm sure the weather and cool temperatures kept people away this year.

Considering that I'm from New York, multicultural events in Richmond are hard to come by. My…read morefriends and I thoroughly enjoyed this festival especially the empanadas from Happy Empanadas.