10 Events in Downtown Richmond to Check Out This Summer
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6/28/22

Celebrate Your Summer in Downtown Richmond

From outdoor festivals and concerts to community celebrations and monthly art walks, there's something for everyone to do in downtown RVA this summer!

RVA First Fridays

1. RVA First Fridays

First Friday of every month in the Richmond Arts District

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Explore downtown Richmond's Arts District and show the small businesses along and around Broad Street some love at this monthly, self-guided art walk where the Arts District's many galleries, shops, restaurants and non-profits open their doors for a special night of programming, collections, exhibitions, live music, events and more on the first Friday of every month.

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RVA First Fridays Summer Dates:

  • July 1
  • August 5
  • September 2
Find more information about this event here!
RVA Reggae Jerk Fest

2. RVA Reggae Jerk Fest

July 9 at Brown's Island

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Virginia's most-talked-about Caribbean Festival is bringing rum from around the world, live roots reggae performances throughout the day, the best East Coast food "jerkers" and more. Come celebrate along the bank of the James River in downtown Richmond.

Find more information about this event here!
RVA Music Night with Matthew E. White, Benét and The Last Real Circus

3. RVA Music Night with Matthew E. White, Benét and The Last Real Circus

July 15 at Friday Cheers on Brown's Island

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Come celebrate the last Cheers of the 2022 season with RVA Music Night featuring your favorite local bands and artists like Matthew E. White, Benét and The Last Real Circus, food vendors, beer and good vibes.

Find more information about this event here!
Broadberry Entertainment Group Presents Concerts on Brown's Island

4. WNRN Presents Lucy Dacus & Courtney Barnett w/ Samia

July 29 at Brown's Island

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Brought to you by The Broadberry Entertainment Group this summer, you can enjoy an assortment of acts along downtown RVA's riverfront at the best outdoor venue in Richmond: Brown's Island! Enjoy a stellar line-up all summer long, like the long-awaited return of Lucy Dacus to the Brown's Island stage!

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Find more information about this event here!
Richmond Night Market

5. Richmond Night Market

Third Saturdays of Every Month at 17th Street Market

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Richmond Night Market is an open-air night market at 17th Street Market in downtown Richmond that takes place the 2nd Saturday of every month and offers a variety of handmade products and independent artists/makers, live music, cultured and diverse programming, activities for all ages and more!

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Richmond Night Market Summer Dates:

  • July 9
  • August 13
  • September 10
Find more information about this event here!
JamPacked Craft Beer & Music Festival

6. JamPacked Craft Beer & Music Festival

August 13 at Brown's Island

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JamPacked is literally too much great stuff in one place: environmentally conscious craft brewers, inspiring bands and concertgoers who want a better future!

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The JamPacked Craft Beer and Music Festival is meant to be both inspirational and aspirational: we are committed to creating a waste-free event utilizing only recyclable materials and helping to create a great local experience in the Richmond market.

Find more information about this event here!
Crabs, Beers & Spirits by the James

7. Crabs, Beers & Spirits by the James

August 27 at Brown's Island

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The all-you-can-eat Crab Festival. There will be hot and fresh crabs, live bands featuring Butcher Brown Band, Legacy Band, Joe Fu, DJ Drake and DJ Sir RJ . There will be food vendors, merchandise vendors and more.

Find more information about this event here!
RVA Street Art Festival

8. RVA Street Art Festival

September 16-18 at Canal Walk Murals

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The RVA Street Art Festival will return to celebrate its tenth anniversary at the spot where it all began, the Power Plant building along the Haxall Canal from September 16-18, 2022. In the last ten years, Richmond’s biggest outdoor art gallery has become one of the City’s most visited and photographed spots; this fall, the Festival will bring another fresh dose of color and creativity to downtown. The festival will not only celebrate the growth of street art in Richmond over the last decade but also highlight the growth of the culinary, brewing, and arts communities in RVA.

Find more information about this event here!
Run Richmond

9. Run Richmond

September 17

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Run Richmond 16.19 is part of the AFRICA RECONNECT Event Series that the Djimon Hounsou Foundation is rolling out from 2022 onwards. The running events aim to symbolically reverse the direction of the slave trade, showcase how the past is connected to the present and future, and celebrate Unity in Diversity.

Find more information about this event here!
Virginia PrideFest

10. PrideFest

September 24 at Brown's Island

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Virginia Pridefest 2022, presented by Virginia Lottery, is a FREE event celebrating Virginia's LGBTQ+ community with performers, vendors, food, live music and more!

Find more information about this event here!