Ed 179: The Halloween 2021 Edition 👻
Powered by Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop —
check out their Halloween week events here!
Hey, y’all! Alicia here 👋
Whether you’re looking to have a spooky, silly, or sexy Halloween week (and weekend), our RVA Halloween Events Roundup has you covered. No tricks, just treats. Enjoy!
WEATHER
Wednesday: Partly cloudy; high of 70°, low of 49°
Thursday: Mostly cloudy; high of 67°, low of 56°
Friday: Cloudy with rain in the morning, scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon; high of 67°, low of 52°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 7 pm: Halloween (1978) screening at The Byrd Theatre
Thursday, 6 pm: The Unhappy Hour Returns at The Poe Museum
Friday, 7 pm: Scary-Oke! Costume & Karaoke Gala at Diversity Richmond
CITY GUIDES
1. Concerts & Shows Happening in Richmond Now - November 1
2. Where to Get Your Scare On This Halloween
3. 11 of the Best Places to See Fall Foliage in RVA
RICHMONDER(S) TO KNOW
Sabrina Fitz: Owner and CEO at Sweet Spot Ice Cream Cafe in Shockoe Bottom. This shop has one of the largest dessert selections we’ve seen in Richmond yet, with at least 48 flavors in the shop at any given time and more than 300 possible flavors of ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, Italian ice, and vegan soy and coconut-based ice creams in rotation. They also offer an array of waffle cones and topping choices as well as specialty espresso drinks, nitro coffee, smoothies, and frappes!
This weekend, anyone who visits Sweet Spot Ice Cream Cafe dressed in a Halloween costume gets 50% off of any ice cream cone (gourmet or otherwise, with or without toppings)! Take advantage of this deal Saturday, October 30 from 11 am - midnight and Sunday, October 31 from 11 am - 11 pm.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including where to find flights pairing Halloween candy with craft beer and wine this week only, opportunities to dress up for the chance to win prizes at a Vampire Pageant and a Zombie Walk this weekend, the Día de los Muertos-inspired immersive bar experience returning to Carytown this Wednesday through Sunday, and more!
THE LATEST:
THIS WEEK
Bar Muertos is back. Each year, The Jasper celebrates Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with a gorgeously decorated ofrenda, a delicious array of beverages honoring the traditions and tastes of Mexican culture. This year’s Bar Muertos event kicks off Wednesday, October 27 and runs through Tuesday, November 2! Expect an immersive experience and a focus on Mexican spirits and flavors, both behind the bar and in the kitchen.
A portion of proceeds from the week will be donated to Immigrant Families Together, a foundation dedicated to reuniting and supporting immigrant families separated at the US/Mexico border and supporting border partners with critical needs. Learn more here.
Halloween candy, but make it grown-up. A couple of our favorite craft boozeries have put together some delightful candy pairings for your tasting pleasure this trick-or-treat week:
Beer & Candy Flights @ Starr Hill - Each flight includes four 5oz. beers paired with four Halloween candies, with two tasting options to choose from
HalloWINE & Candy Flights at James River Cellars Winery - Enjoy two reds, a white, and a blush wine in this sampling set, each expertly paired with a particular fun-sized candy to bring out the flavors in each vintage
Calling all “undead.” If you’re looking for something a little more specific than your average costume party, then these are the just the events for you:
RVA Moon Market & Vampire Pageant - Don’t miss the crowning of the Vampire Supreme at Richmond's first Vampire Pageant. Dress as your favorite vampire, familiar, slayer, or creature of the night and you could win a cash prize!
Richmond Zombie Walk - All zombies participants are asked to arrive in costume at Boat Lake in Byrd Park at 1 pm for the pre-walk meet-up (where prizes will be awarded for Most Disgusting, Best Couple, Best Group, Best Pop Culture Theme, and more). The walk itself will begin across the street from The Byrd Theatre at 2:30 pm.
Let’s do the Time Warp again. For many, seeing a live performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by a local theatre troupe is an annual Halloween tradition. Unfortunately, a lot of us missed that opportunity last year — which is why we’re so excited to learn that this year, local improv group Yes, And! Theatrical Co. is bringing it back this year! This Sunday, October 31 at 10 pm, they’ll be joined by Trunk Show Band for a screening of the movie accompanied by the soundtrack as performed live by a complete cast and a full band at The Byrd Theatre. Time to start practicing your pelvic thrust! Tickets here.
COMING SOON
Keep the outdoor illuminations going! Tickets are now officially on sale for the annual Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden!
This holiday tradition features thousands and thousands of lights and light displays, seasonal decorations, model trains, holiday dinners and hot chocolate for purchase, and more.
The event season kicks off on Monday, November 22 through January 9 — advanced tickets will be required, so pick your preferred dates and snag yours here!
P.S. We’ll be hosting another RVAx Member Meet-up on November 29 at 6 pm to explore GardenFest of Lights together! We’ll be able to host a maximum of 50 members, so follow these steps to reserve your tickets ASAP at a discounted rate. (A $10 savings and a chance for you to meet some rad RVAx members? Talk about a win-win!)
We’ll stick around after we wander through this winter wonderland to sip hot cocoa together and hang out. We hope to see you there!
A timely tongue-twister: Tuk Tuk Tacky Lights Tours (say that three times fast) are also officially booking out for the holiday season already through RVATukTuk!
This year, you have two options to choose from:
Traditional Tacky Lights Tour: See all of the best and brightest lights displays around Richmond on this 1.5-hour tour complete with holiday music (or your choice of playlist), heated seats, and rain guards to keep things cozy no matter the weather! This tour is BYOB, too, so feel free to bring along your favorite seasonal bevs to sip on throughout the ride.
Holiday Cheers Tour: New this year, this 1.5-hour tour will feature stops at some of the city's most-loved lights displays *plus* stops at both SWITCH RVA and Kabana Rooftop for a holiday cocktail at each spot — and the drinks are included in the price of your tour!
Spots are already filling up fast, so be sure to book yours soon! You can even add an RVATukTuk ornament to your booking, and you'll receive the keepsake during your tour.
Weekly Giveaway
Buskey Cider
We know Richmond tends to be touted for its craft beer scene, but we happen to also be huge fans of our craft cider scene!
One of our favorite cideries is Buskey Cider, located in Scott’s Addition with a menu of some of the most unique hard cider flavors you’ve ever seen (like Coffee Maplewood, Pomegranate Habenero, Pumpkin Pie, and more) and some of the first folks we’ve seen offer alcoholic cider soft serve.
We’re giving away a $25 Buskey Cider gift card to one lucky member of The Richmond Experience this week!
To enter to win: Tell us something that’s on your fall bucket list! A trip to The Poe Museum is on ours.
Last week: Congratulations to last week’s winner, Julia H., for winning a free class at Canvas and Cannabis!
Member Perks
Mise En Place
We’ve got fall flavors on our minds as temperatures (finally!) start to drop, and we’re looking to the culinary professionals at Mise En Place to help us in the kitchen as we take on autumnal ingredients. Specifically, we’ve got our eyes on these upcoming classes:
November 2 - Autumn Soups (In-Person Class, 6:30 pm) - Join Chef Lawrence in exploring fall soups ingredients, techniques, preparation, and storage, including: Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese & Sage, Provencal Vegetable with Pistou, and White Bean and Kale with Smoked Ham
November 3 - Seasonal Side Dishes (Online Class, 6 pm) - Follow along with Chef Christine to explore cool weather side dishes that will make your holiday dinner table pop, including: Butternut Squash, Apple & Fontina Risotto, Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pears, Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Pepita Pesto, and Autumn Pearl Couscous Salad
Members of The Richmond Experience can use code RVAX for 10% off at check-out when signing up for a class — book now!
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We'd like to welcome 27 new members this week: Matthew C., Cierra H., Thasin S., Jasmine G., Ariana C., Andrea M., Shelby R., Caitlin B., Rapp L., Jordan T., Annie Z., Elaina L., Claire B., Erin M., Jessie B., Ashley S., Caroline R., Kami F., Olivia B., Cara S., Clare L., Jennifer J., Mallory M., Ev E., Chris D., Lauren L., and Srija K., we’re so glad you’re here!
It takes a village, so let us know if you have any questions, thoughts, feedback, tips, or recs! Thanks for reading edition 179 of The Weekly Insider.
Enjoy your week!
- Alicia @ The Richmond Experience
Thank you to Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop for powering this edition of The Weekly Insider from The Richmond Experience!
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