Ed 405: Acai Bowls, Drought Warning, Iron Blossom Festival
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Happy May!
Whatever’s going around saw my congestion and raised me an ear infection — so if you spot any typos in this edition, just know I’m writing this with my head elevated at a strict 45 degrees. That hasn’t stopped me from rounding up the latest and greatest around the city, though. Give your lugs a hug for me, and let’s get this show on the road before the amoxicillin makes this intro even more confusing.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including pink-and-gray Squirrels uniforms, a vinyl store expansion, buffer zones for bike lanes, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Morning showers; high of 79°, low of 54°
Thursday: More morning showers; high of 57°, low of 45°
Friday: Mostly sunny; high of 71°, low of 51°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 7:05 - 9:30 pm: RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS VS AKRON RUBBERDUCKS
Thursday, 12 - 1 pm: FROZEN TREATS, LIVE BEATS
Friday, 5 - 11 pm: RICHMOND HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL, DAY 1
CITY GUIDES
1. WHERE RICHMOND TEACHERS SCORE FREEBIES & PERKS THIS WEEK & BEYOND
Image Source: National Park Service via Profs & Pints
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Profs & Pints Richmond: It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, so how could we not shoutout one of our fave educational chapters in the area? Profs & Pints brings college faculty into bars and cafés to give public talks on topics ranging from local history and current trends to practical life skills. This month, you’ll find two “classes” scheduled at Triple Crossing Beer - Fulton. Pencils and bottoms up!
THE LATEST
Image Source: Wax Moon Vinyl & Video
Image Source: Iron Blossom Festival
Image Source: Richmond Flying Squirrels
Image Source: Väsen Brewing Co
SOCIAL NEWS
A winning color combo. The Richmond Flying Squirrels will wear pink-and-gray uniforms featuring their female mascot Nutasha during Mother’s Day weekend (May 9 and 10), marking the first time a minor league team has used a woman mascot’s likeness on jerseys and hats. While female mascots exist, none have previously appeared on uniforms, making Nutasha’s inclusion a notable milestone. Team leadership says Nutasha has built a strong, independent following over her 10-year presence alongside Nutzy, with growing community support. A gender studies expert notes that mascots reflect cultural values and that women are rarely used to represent men’s teams, underscoring the significance of this move. The uniforms were developed with community input and will return later in the season, including during Women 7 Girls in Sports Night, as the team hopes Nutasha’s visibility encourages greater representation of women in baseball. (Richmond magazine)
This fall sounds great already. The Iron Blossom Festival will return to Richmond’s Midtown Green on September 19 and 20 for its fourth year with its largest lineup yet, featuring headliners Jack White, LCD Soundsystem, Geese, Dijon, and Angine de Poitrine, alongside acts like Portugal. The Man, Phantogram, and Kevin Morby. A mix of local and emerging artists will be playing sets, too. Organizers say the festival continues to prioritize both major talent and local acts while evolving its programming, noting that many performers have never played Richmond before. With a reported capacity of around 20,000, the two-day event begins at 1 pm each day and will include food vendors and upgraded ticket options such as GA+ and VIP experiences. Presale tickets open May 7, followed by general sales on May 8. (Style Weekly)
Bananas over this devel. A Powhatan mother-daughter duo, Claire and Victoria Fisher, are opening Waimea Bay, the first brick-and-mortar location for their food truck business Waimea Acai, in a 1,200-square-foot space in the Powhatan Plaza Shopping Center, with a planned opening date of May 23. The restaurant will serve acai bowls, along with breakfast and lunch sandwiches, plus coffee and desserts, expanding on a concept they started to fill a local gap in smoothie bowl options. After experiencing steady demand and outgrowing the limited space of their truck, the pair chose to establish a permanent location rather than move to a more populated area, staying aligned with their original goal of serving their community. The new space, formerly a dental office, has been renovated to include dining, retail, and outdoor seating, and the business plans to continue limited food truck appearances while hiring additional staff to support the expanded operation. (Richmond BizSense)
IIIII neeeeed ittttt. Richmond and much of Virginia have been under a drought warning for nearly a month now, according to the US Drought Monitor and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, signaling that a significant drought event is imminent and raising concerns about impacts on farms, wildfire risk, and low water levels in the James River. Despite recommendations to promote water conservation, Richmond-area localities have not widely implemented such measures, and while Henrico briefly issued a burn ban in April, nearby counties say they do not plan additional restrictions. The region is experiencing a prolonged precipitation deficit, with March and April bringing significantly below-average rainfall — April recorded under an inch compared to the typical three inches —contributing to declining river levels and ongoing dry conditions that officials say will persist without substantial rainfall. (Axios Richmond)
A little buff-and-wax action. Wax Moon Records announced it’s relocating to a new space next to DawnStar Video Games, expanding into a more than 4,000-square-foot location that will offer an increased selection of vinyl, video, apparel, and other items, with additional updates expected in the future. Want to get to know the spot(s) a little better before you head over? Peep 8 ESSENTIAL RECORD STORES TO SHOP IN RVA and 12 UNDERRATED THINGS TO ENJOY IN THE RICHMOND AREA FOR $15(ISH). (Instagram)
Changing the cycle. Richmond City Council has approved a policy change expanding no-parking rules for bike lanes to include buffer zones, allowing vehicles parked in those areas to be ticketed even if they are not directly in the bike lane. The measure, which passed with near-unanimous support, aims to improve cyclist safety by preventing obstructions that can force riders into traffic and reduce risks such as “dooring” collisions. City officials issued warnings in April and began enforcing $65 tickets this month, though the level of enforcement remains uncertain. While supporters say the change will enhance safety and potentially slow traffic by narrowing travel lanes, some residents and one council member raised concerns that it could create new risks for drivers and passengers by pushing parked cars further into active roadways. (The Richmonder)
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain. Cher will open the Richmond Forum’s 2026-2027 season on November 21 at the Altria Theater, appearing in a live conversation format with an audience Q&A segment. The event, called Turning Back Time, will feature Cher discussing her life and career, including her decades-long success in music and film, such as selling 140 million records, earning a number one hit in seven consecutive decades, and winning an Oscar for Moonstruck. Forum organizers describe her as a fitting choice for the speaker series, noting her long-standing cultural impact and message of self-determination. The rest of the season’s speakers will follow in 2027, and subscriptions are currently on sale, with both streaming access and in-person seating. (Style Weekly)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
👀 Did you know about the tucked-away family area at the VMFA? (Instagram)
💚 Opening Night for Richmond Ivy SC happens this Saturday, May 9. (Instagram)
🍻 Friendly reminder that both Väsen Brewing Co locations have plenty of space for your upcoming graduation, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day festivities — or anything you and your crew are doing that requires a little more elbow room. (Instagram)
Image Source: Country Style Donuts
Weekly Giveaway
Country Style Donuts
Mother’s Day is coming up (this weekend!), and that means breakfast/brunch/sweet treats are top of mind. Donut worry — we can help you there.
This week, we’re giving away $25 to use at Country Style Donuts! This no-fuss, grab-a-box-and-go spot has plenty of options to fill you up.
To enter, tell us: What’s your go-to doughnut order?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Brittney H, for winning the Book People giveaway!
Image Source: Zoom Room
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SAVE THE DATE
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Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 10 new members this week: Noah C, Crystal H, LuAnn K, Stacey T, Veronica H, Spencer B, Zachary L, Lisa S, Jill G, and Whitney W, we’re so glad you’re here!
It takes a village, so let us know if you have any questions, thoughts, feedback, tips, or recs! Thanks for reading edition 405 of The Weekly Insider.
Bye!
- The Richmond Experience
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