Admission to Lewis Ginter Botanical is FREE on Thursday, June 19, 2025 in honor of Juneteenth!

We’re excited to be able to offer a day of relaxation and fun with 50 acres of gardens, beautiful flowers, woodland paths and friendly people. See details below.

Join park staff, volunteers, and community partners for a series of events celebrating African-American culture, resilience, and joy. We believe that nature is for everyone. Our Juneteenth programs welcomes individuals and families from all walks of life, fostering an inclusive environment where diverse stories come together.

Art in the Park: Celebrating Black Artist and Conservationist - Thursday, June 19 (12 p.m.-2 p.m.) Meet at Pool: Celebrate the creativity and brilliance of Black artists and conservationists.

Our Man Mitchell: The Life and Times of John Mitchell - Thursday, June 19 (4 p.m.-6 p.m.) Meet at Amphitheater: Presented by Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center, this play focuses on the late 19th Century Richmond journalist, John H. Mitchell Jr., Editor in Chief of The Richmond Planet.

The Forgotten Soldiers of Juneteenth: The 116th United States Colored Troops of Dutch Gap Canal - Saturday, June 21 (10 a.m.- 4 p.m.) Meet at Visitor Center: Learn Chesterfield's ties to Galveston, Texas through photos, memorabilia, and discussion with Henricus Historical Park staff.

Group Camp 7: A Hike Through History - Saturday, June 21 (4 p.m.- 6 p.m.) Meet at Bright Hope Horse Complex: Traverse paths that were once marked by segregation, reflecting on how these landscapes played a role in shaping the history of Black recreation.

Additional information can be found on main program description or by emailing Rebecca.Whalen@dcr.virginia.gov.

Wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew had it all. Money, charm, wit, and one of the most elegant mansions in Richmond. So why did she risk everything to become a spy? Author Gerri Willis charts the course of this Civil War spymaster genius, from her early work infiltrating prisons and collecting Confederate secrets. Her path crosses those of assassins, socialites, escape artists, even a cross-dressing spy. As the war ground on, Elizabeth grew more bold, secretly crossing enemy lines, developing agents in the Confederate War Department and collecting the secrets that would prove critical to General Grant’s prosecution of the war in its closing days.

Gerri Willis is an award-winning journalist, television personality, podcast host, and author. Currently a correspondent and anchor for Fox Business, she was the host of two long-running shows for CNN, and an editor and reporter for SmartMoney, Crain’s New York Business, and others. Her journalism earned the prestigious midcareer Knight-Bagehot Fellowship from the Columbia Journalism School. She is the author of Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War. 

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Program Notes:

• Tickets are required for in-person admission. Tickets are not needed if you would prefer to join us live on YouTube or Facebook.

• Admission to this lecture is free for members.  Members, please login above to reserve your free tickets. Your free member tickets will be visible once the items are in your cart. If you are not currently a member and would like to join, please click here. 

• In-person attendees are invited to meet the speaker immediately following the lecture.

• Signed copies of the book will be available at ShopVirginiaHistory.org.

Join us as we celebrate Juneteenth at the Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Jubilation in June Celebration!

Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Location: Intermediate Terminal - 3101 Wharf Street

It’s a day of reflection, joy, and community — with food, music, and fun activities for all ages. Let’s come together to honor freedom, culture, and history.

Stay tuned for more details. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Celebrate Juneteenth here at Stony Point! Activities will be held on The Green & its surrounding areas

• Enjoy a live performance by The Party Rockers Band

• African American-made jewelry, crotchet items, apparel, popcorn, coffee, and more throughout the common areas by members of Youth MBL and the Enough Foundation

• Line dancing by Kemel Patton, RVA’s Line Dancing King

• Face painting

• Yard games like cornhole and connect-4

 Join us on for a community celebration marking the opening of two new exhibitions: (re)Framing Protest (NOW): Design + Hope & Echoes of Us.

(re)Framing Protest (NOW): Design + Hope builds on the 2022 exhibition with new programming and a beautifully produced catalog. Created in partnership with Richmond Free Press photojournalists Regina H. Boone and Sandra Sellars, the show captures the visual language of protest from summer 2020—when design, graffiti, and spontaneous public art became powerful acts of resistance and healing. Designed by April A. Coleman, Vice President of Production at the Richmond Free Press, the catalog features expanded text by writer and creative strategist Nichole Christian, deepening the exhibition’s impact, relevance, and narrative.

Echoes of Us, curated by Kasidi Jordan, brings together over 16 Black artists from across Virginia whose work explores the evolving nature of Black identity—deeply personal, intergenerational, and expansive in its expression.

Featured Artists:

Amuri Morris, Paige Perkins, Kelly Johnson, Michelle Hicks, Aminah McKenzie, Cameron Weston, Dallas Roquemore, S. Ross Browne, SillyGenius, Danny Robinson, Mamadou Barry, Jadea Knight, Christian Chambers, Unicia R. Buster, and Curtis Newkirk Jr.

The shows open with a free Juneteenth community celebration on June 19 at 6pm, featuring a live DJ, book signing for (re)Framing Protest (NOW): Design + Hope, and pop-up print shop featuring work by Hope & Echoes of Us artists. In partnership with ART 180, the event will include a special appearance by Umama, a monumental art installation honoring the resilience of Black women from Richmond and Cape Town. Memory Lab @ Richmond Public Library will also be onsite to capture and archive personal stories.

Open bar and light snacks will be provided. This event is free & open to the public.

(re)Framing Protest (NOW) photo courtesy of Sandra Sellars / Richmond Free Press
Echoes of Us artwork by Curtis Newkirk Jr. Sumthin’ Ain’t Right, 2024. Oils and acrylic on canvas, 84 × 60 in.

*The 68th Festival of Arts at Dogwood Dell is here!*
Join us all summer long at Richmond’s original outdoor amphitheater for an unforgettable season of *free*, *live*, and *local* performances!

June – October
Dogwood Dell Amphitheater
Music, theater, dance, and more — under the stars!

This year’s lineup features can’t-miss events like:
*A Tribute to D’Angelo* by JayWhit and the Fellas
The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition* by SPARC
Once on This Island Musical
RVA Pro Wrestling
An Evening of Prince
Plunky Day in RVA* with Plunky & Oneness
Multicultural Fest & Gospel Fest
…and so much more!

Pack a picnic, bring your crew, and soak in the vibes at the Dell all summer long.

All shows are **FREE** and open to the public!

We are excited to host Juneteenth at Hardywood Richmond Powered by UnlockingRVA! This will be a day filled with fun, celebration, and community!

• Artist Market with the Art Seen

• Silent Disco with Unlocking RVA

• Music all day

MUSIC LINEUP:

Tre Charles 1-3pm (outside)
Keneeka Cook 3:30 -5pm (outside)
Sammie Lee 1-4pm (inside)
Silent Disco 6-9pm (inside, TICKETED)

On Saturday, June 21, we will commemorate the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth with a powerful celebration of freedom. Parking and admission is FREE and open to the public.

We will have a vendor fair featuring 160 local vendors, a kids zone, a community stage showcasing local talent, a main stage with Go-Go music, and a variety of delicious food. Come out, enjoy the fun, and celebrate with us!

Head to Diversity Richmond to check out JOY ON JUNETEENTH, a full-day event packed with wellness activities, line dancing, live music, poetry, and over 25 Black-owned vendors. It’s all about celebrating Black joy, creativity, and resilience in a fun, welcoming space.