Illustration by Aldo Crusher
Best Annual Charity Event
READ Art Show & Sale
4211 Hermitage Road, Richmond, TNCS.org, 804-266-2494
The READ Art Show & Sale features local and regional artists over a Friday and Saturday in March. All proceeds benefit the New Community School, which aims to empower middle and high school students with dyslexia and other related learning differences and to prepare them for college.
second place: Richmond SPCA Fur Ball, RichmondSPCA.org, 804-521-1300
third place: Children’s Hospital Foundation Ball, Richmond, CHFBall.org, 804-228-5814
Best Art Event
READ Art Show & Sale
4211 Hermitage Road, Richmond, TNCS.org, 804-266-2494
One hundred local and regional artists reserve tables at this annual art show. Even students sell their artwork at the show, which gives them a special sense of accomplishment. This year, the band Little Known Legends kicked off the opening reception. Artwork is marked down starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday the weekend of the show.
second place: Arts in the Park, Richmond, RichmondArtsInThePark.com
third place: RVA First Fridays, Richmond, RVAFirstFridays.com
Best Art Gallery
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
200 North Blvd., Richmond, VMFA.museum, 804-340-1405
Since it opened in 1936, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has expanded five times—its historic expansion in 2010 increased its gallery space by 50 percent. The VMFA’s collections of Art Deco, English silver, Fabergé, and the art of South Asia are among the best in the nation. This summer, enjoy Cosmologies from the Tree of Life: Art from the African American South, June 8 through Nov. 17.
second place: Quirk Gallery, Richmond, QuirkGallery.com, 804-340-6036
third place: Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, CrossroadsArtCenter.com, 804-278-8950
Best Charity
Richmond SPCA
2519 Hermitage Road, Richmond, RichmondSPCA.org, 804-521-1300
The Richmond SPCA is a national leader of the no-kill movement and the largest private, no-kill humane society in Virginia. The organization provides shelter and care to homeless pets in addition to providing veterinary care to more than 11,000 pets of low-income families. In 2019, the organization helped save the lives of homeless cats in Puerto Rico and expanded its Paws for Reading program, where elementary school-aged children read aloud to dogs, which provide a nonjudgmental audience.
second place: FeedMore, Richmond, FeedMore.org, 804-521-2500
third place: SPARC, Richmond, SPARCRichmond.org, 804-353-3393
Best Family Entertainment
Maymont
1700 Hampton St., Richmond, Maymont.org, 804-358-7166
Families can explore much more than beautiful grounds at Maymont. Children can feed goats at Maymont Farm, watch otters at the Robins Nature & Visitor Center, or see bears and bison in the wildlife exhibits. Golf cart tours that allow visitors to see the grounds with their own personal tour guide are available, and in the fall Garden Glow, a popular light show in the Japanese Garden, will return.
second place: Goochland Drive-In Theater, Hadensville, GoochlandDriveInTheater.com, 804-457-3456
third place: Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, SMV.org, 804-864-1400
Best Food Festival
Greek Festival
30 Malvern Ave., Richmond, GreekFestival.com, 804-358-5996
This year marks the 44th year of the Greek Festival at St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, May 30-June 2. With popular dishes like souvlaki and mousakka and an array of sweets from the pastry booths, the festival offers lovers of Greek food all kinds of delicacies to enjoy, while promoting religious, cultural, and culinary awareness of Greek Orthodoxy as well as donating proceeds to local charities.
second place: Broad Appétit, Richmond, BroadAppetit.com
third place: Lebanese Food Festival, Glen Allen, LebaneseFoodFestival.com, 804-270-7234
Best Movie Theater
The Byrd Theatre
2908 W. Cary St., Richmond, ByrdTheatre.com, 804-353-9911
Love movies, but don’t love the previews? Richmond’s historic Byrd Theatre shows movies without the coming attractions 365 days a year. Prices haven’t risen much since the theater opened in 1928—back then 50 cents was the going price for an evening movie—and today the regular ticket price is $4. This opulent theater is both a state and national historic landmark.
second place: Bow Tie Cinemas Movieland at Boulevard Square, Richmond, BowTieCinemas.com, 804-354-6099
third place: CinéBistro, Richmond, CobbCineBistro.com, 804-864-0460
Best Museum
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
200 North Blvd., Richmond, VMFA.museum, 804-340-1405
The museum is one of the top 10 comprehensive art museums in the country, offering teacher training, films, lectures, and studio classes in addition to what can be seen in the galleries. Upcoming exhibitions include Cosmologies from the Tree of Life: Art from the African American South, opening on June 8, and Edward Hopper and the American Hotel, opening on Oct. 26.
second place: Science Museum of Virginia, RichmondSMV.org, 804-864-1400
third place: Children’s Museum of Richmond, ChildrensMuseumOfRichmond.org, 804-474-7000
Best Music Venue
The National
708 E. Broad St., Richmond, TheNationalVa.com, 804-612-1900
A live music venue offering everything from rock to R&B to cover bands, The National gives concertgoers the full experience. Guests can dine at the Vagabond restaurant next door and (with valid tickets for that night’s performance) be escorted by security into the venue 15 minutes before the doors open to the public, allowing them to settle in before the crowds arrive.
second place: Innsbrook After Hours, Glen Allen, InnsbrookAfterHours.com, 800-514-3849
third place: Altria Theater, Richmond, AltriaTheater.com, 800-514-3849
Best Performing Arts Company
Richmond Ballet
407 E. Canal St., Richmond, RichmondBallet.com, 804-344-0906
With an expansive repertory of 19th- and 20th-century classics, as well as more than 75 new works by contemporary choreographers, the Richmond Ballet has been bringing the art of dance to Richmond since the 1950s. The ballet also houses the School of Richmond Ballet and its Minds in Motion community outreach program. In May, Studio Three presents Summerset, Sweet Bitter Love, and a newly commissioned work by choreographer Rex Wheeler.
second place: Virginia Repertory Theatre, Richmond, VirginiaRep.org, 804-282-2620
third place: SPARC, Richmond, SPARCRichmond.org, 804-353-3393
Best Special Event Venue
Walden Hall
17440 True Blue Lane, Reva, WaldenHall.com, 540-764-8000
More than just a venue for weddings, Walden Hall added a new business conference center in 2019 and houses a variety of event spaces such as the Banquet Barn, a garden, and a poolside patio. Tables, garden chairs, and decor items are also available to rent.
second place: Craddock Terry Hotel & Event Center, Lynchburg, CraddockTerryHotel.com, 434-455-1500
third place: Maymont, Richmond, Maymont.org, 804-358-7166
Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.
