Things to Do

Let the search begin. All eyes and ears in the Richmond area’s classical music realm will be on the candidates for music director of the Richmond Symphony, to succeed Mark Russell Smith.

Music venues in the Richmond area range from clubs and corners to college centers.

For years, if you wanted to hear music from major acts in Richmond, you had to leave Richmond.

From amateurs to the more experienced, young to mature, find a group where you can lend your talents and make beautiful music.

Colleges and universities in the Richmond area are alive with music by campus and visiting musicians throughout the school year.

Richmond is starting to leave its mark on nightlife conversations all over the East. Richmond is beginning to get noticed, and it gets rave reviews.

It’s no secret that the Richmond area probably has more arts offerings than any area its size in the country. With its massive expansion, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is bidding to become one of the nation’s finest art spaces.

Who needs New York City when Richmond has so many theater options? Old standbys like Barksdale, Theatre IV and Swift Creek Mill are balanced by more alternative companies, such as the African-American Repertory and Richmond Triangle Players.

Performances by groups such as Richmond Shakespeare and Sycamore Rouge offer an experience that far surpasses a darkened theater with a simple stage.

A SECRET IN HANOVER COUNTY
One of the oldest theater experiences in Richmond is also one of the newest. Depending on how you count, the Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern is either 55 years old or 2½.

There’s always something exciting to experience at a gallery in Richmond.

For 23 years, 43rd Street Gallery has focused on fine crafts from around the United States and Quirk Gallery is an integral part of Richmond’s rich gallery scene.

A SECRET IN HENRICO COUNTY
With a 10th anniversary approaching, the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is celebrating.

If you want to dance, metro Richmond has plenty of outlets for whatever style you choose.

You don’t have to be young and shapely to be a member of Jewels of the Oasis, a Middle Eastern belly-dancing troupe.

Regardless of your interest, the Richmond region probably has a museum for you. There are museums dedicated to African-American and Jewish history, trains, planes and nature. There’s even a museum for fans of horror writer Edgar Allan Poe.

The move toward eating local foods has received much attention as people try to increase their environmental awareness and decrease reliance on costly fuels.

With more than 135 wineries in Virginia available for visits, arranging a day trip or a weekend wine getaway might seem to require a lot of work. Not true!

A SECRET IN PETERSBURG
If you know exactly what you want to buy, because you’ve seen it everywhere and need your own copy, Old Towne Petersburg may not be the shopping experience for you.