From the Editor: ‘That’s Entertainment’

For our annual fall entertainment preview, we’ve flipped the usual question. Instead of, “What do you want to see?” we are asking, “Where do you want to go?” Richmond is packed with venues for concerts, exhibitions, lectures, festivals, films and performances of all sorts, and they are all kicking off busy fall schedules. We’re giving you a road map to the hottest tickets in town — and some in the surrounding counties, too. We also take a deep dive into the history of Virginia Pridefest, the commonwealth’s largest LGBTQ+ festival, coming to Midtown Green at the end of the month. In all we’re covering a whole season’s worth of music, theater and other arts, so you’ll want to hang onto this issue as a reference for the months to come.

We share even more events in the Arts & Entertainment section, but there’s no way to pack everything into one issue. To receive updates in your inbox every Monday, subscribe to our events newsletter, River City Roundup.

We are also celebrating written entertainment by publishing a chapter from the winning entry in this year’s James River Writers/Richmond magazine Best Self-published Novel Contest. Reading just a few pages of Corey Stewart’s “An Illuminated Life” opened a window to central Italy and introduced me to characters so lifelike I’m ready to join them for a glass of wine. I hope you enjoy it, as well. And if you happen to be a writer yourself, check the companion article for information on JRW’s annual conference in early October. 

This year’s edition of our Virginia College Guide includes updates for campuses across the commonwealth and highlights Virginia State University’s new programs and facilities and record-breaking enrollment. We also explore trade and professional schools and community colleges here in Richmond. They welcome adults of any age who want to further their education or train for a career but would rather not commit to a four-year college. We’re proud to present options for every learner. 

Also in this issue, we taste vegan cuisine with fast-food flavors, learn the connection between coffee and recovery, figure out floorball, dig into the city’s upcoming zoning refresh, visit the Henrico offices of some international businesses, and much more. Enjoy!