vol. 265 / ParkerExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 265 / GALORE
This week's guest editor is a driving force behind Richmond’s creative community. Meet Parker Galore—a Richmonder so deeply embedded in the arts that he hardly needs an introduction. But in case you haven’t had the pleasure yet, Parker serves on the board of directors for both the Richmond Arts District and Gallery5.
With too many ongoing projects to name, Parker’s commitment to cultivating meaningful, artistic experiences that are open and welcoming to all is unmatched. Parker's work is driven by a passion for creating immersive, interactive spaces that showcase the incredible range of local visual artists, performers, and musicians who shape Richmond’s vibrant creative scene.
You can always find Parker working to build safer, more inclusive environments where people can gather, connect, and feel inspired. And this week, we’re lucky enough to have him slow down just long enough to share a few tips for exploring and celebrating the city we all love to call home.
Take it away, Parker …
Stay Gold: Closing Reception & Happy Hour
Stay Gold. RVA Mag & Gallery5 20 Year Anniversary Exhibit Closing Reception and Happy Hour is tonight. This 20-Year Retrospective Exhibition traces the story of RVA Mag and Gallery5 through zines, street art, punk shows, porch hangs, protests, murals, bike parties, hip-hop showcases, food, beer, and the people who kept showing up. It’s a visual history of how two scrappy platforms helped push Richmond’s creative underground into public view.
Vitals:
Stay Gold. RVA Mag & Gallery5 20 Year Anniversary Exhibit Closing Reception and Happy Hour / Friday, April 25th / 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM / FREE / Gallery5, 200 W. Marshall St.
Richmond Restaurant Week in the Arts District
Richmond Restaurant Week is upon us and we have some great local establishments here in the Arts District that are participating. Each restaurant offers a three course prix fixe menu meal for $35.25 with $5.25 donated per meal to Feed More. Head to each restaurant's socials or websites to check out their menu. Participating Restaurants in the Arts District include And Dim Sum, Bar Solita, Birdies, Common House, Julep's, Tarrants Downtown, and The Lobby Bar at Quirk Hotel
Rest Fest is a celebration of wellness, bringing Richmonders together for group classes, speakers, music, food, vendors, and connection. Rest Fest is a platform to showcase the incredible local wellness talent available in and around Richmond. Group classes include breathwork, yoga, ecstatic dance, sound baths, and more. Presentations include an exploration of the Divine Feminine and Masculine energies inherent in all of us, contrast therapy (alternating saunas + cold plunges), a plant medicine discussion panel, authentic interdependence in spiritual community, and more. Live music kicks off the first night with Holy River and Big Fancy as well!
Vitals:
Rest Fest / April 26th - 27th / 10:00 am - 7:00 pm / The Cardinal, 17301 Memorial Tournament Dr.
More About Parker.
A big part of Parker's work includes helping shape and evolve RVA First Fridays, one of the city’s longest-running monthly community events. Parker is focused on strengthening collaboration between organizations, activating underused spaces, and bringing art into the streets—whether through pop-ups, maker markets, mural spots, or public performances.
Parker deeply believes that art belongs everywhere and loves encouraging all kinds of spaces to become homes for expression—barbershops, boutiques, nonprofits, restaurants—wherever there’s room for creativity to show up and thrive.
“Healthier cities are the ones where governments recognize the vital role artists and creative spaces play in shaping culture, fostering belonging, and driving evolution. That means more than just supportive words—it means enacting policies and putting real funding toward the artists, organizations, and community hubs that give Richmond its soul,” shares Parker. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have friends and be part of communities who share these values—and I’ll keep pushing for a Richmond where art isn’t an afterthought, but a priority.”
Meet this week's guest editor, Mateo Smith! A graphic designer with a passion for art and storytelling, Mateo grew up bilingual and immersed in American and Colombian cultures. His multicultural upbringing inspires his belief in design as a universal language that tells stories and sparks meaningful connections.
Mateo thrives on projects that celebrate cultural heritage and bring ideas to life. One of his favorite projects was designing the logo for Memi’s, an Egyptian-themed restaurant where he blended tradition with bold, modern design. For him, graphic design is about more than visuals—it’s about creating experiences and leaving lasting impressions.
Inspired by creative visionaries like Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci, Mateo strives to blend innovation with artistry in his work. A lifelong soccer fan, he admires Lionel Messi and still treasures the memory of the World Cup final. Driven by insatiable curiosity, he is constantly exploring new ideas about creativity, culture, and human connection.
Take it away, Mateo...
The Lab by Alchemy
After a holiday break, The Lab by Alchemy Coffee planned to re-open this week, but the current water issue throughout the City of Richmond is causing a delay. Once it's safe for them to open, they’ll feature a Maple Black Sesame Latte; a limited-time special crafted with their signature in-house syrups. Stay tuned to their socials for updates and start your year with a delicious and memorable cup of coffee; their unique flavors won’t be around forever!
Vitals:
The Lab by Alchemy / re-opening soon, date TBD / view menu / The Lab by Alchemy, 814 W Broad Street
Legend of the Poinsettia by the Latin Ballet of Virginia
As someone with Hispanic heritage, I deeply value events that celebrate Latin culture. Legend of the Poinsettia, performed by the Latin Ballet of Virginia and presented by Dominion Energy, is a heartwarming tale of love, hope, and the true spirit of giving. Inspired by a cherished Mexican legend, this vibrant production weaves together captivating dance, music, and storytelling to honor Latin American and Spanish holiday traditions.
Performance Dates:
Friday, January 10th at 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 11th at 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, January 12th at 3:00 pm
Looking to try something new? Memi’s, Richmond’s newest Egyptian-themed restaurant, is offering a free appetizer with the purchase of any two entrées! Located at 2229 West Main Street, Memi’s brings cultural heritage to life with its modern and flavorful take on Egyptian cuisine. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy a taste of something extraordinary.
Memi’s/ happy hour and dinner daily (hours listed above) / Memi's, 2229 West Main Street
More From Mateo.
One of my favorite projects is Hydrate Now, a Richmond-based company founded by my mentor and friend, Ash Malaisamy. By using innovative, eco-friendly aluminum water bottles, Hydrate Now turns everyday hydration into a powerful storytelling tool for businesses. I’ve had the privilege of designing key brand elements that align with their mission and bring their vision to life—a truly rewarding experience. Learn more at hydratenow.org.
Meet this week's guest editor, Nick Serfass! Got an idea? Give it to Nick - he’ll put it down, flip it, and reverse it over and over again until it becomes a hit. Nick is a creative problem-solver who thrives in association life, blending entrepreneurial spirit with event production, media storytelling, and community impact. Formerly an architect with Baskervill, he shifted careers to work in regulatory agencies and student organizations, ultimately landing at rvatech/. There, Nick has positioned Richmond as a potential AI and machine learning tech hub and helped launch a brand platform to attract and retain tech talent in "Tech’s Most Creative City." A proud Midlothian resident since 1988, he’s also a dedicated ultramarathon runner, avid reader, and local coffee, golf, and speakeasy connoisseur.
Take it away, Nick ...
Halloween UnHappy Hour at Poe Museum
Presented by Triple Crossing, come along on Thursday, October 24th, from 6-9 PM for the Poe Museum’s Creature Feature Halloween UnHappy Hour! Don’t miss the most beloved — and spookiest — UnHappy Hour of the year. For this special Creature Feature theme, the Poe Museum will be joined once again by Richmond surf rock legends The Embalmers. As always, there will be a contest for the best costumes, scary-good refreshments, beer from Triple Crossing, and an assortment of wines. Plus, TBT El Gallo will be for sale in the parking lot with elevated Mexican street food for any hungry beasts or ghoulies! Hope to see you there, for a miserable time from six to nine.
Vitals:
Halloween UnHappy Hour / Thursday, October 24, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm / tickets, $12 at the door / Poe Museum, 1914 E Main Street
Richmond Restaurant Week
Since 2001, Richmond Restaurant Week has showcased the city's diverse food scene while supporting Feed More, a Richmond-based nonprofit that collects, prepares and distributes food to our neighbors in need. For two weeks each year, diners can enjoy a three-course meal at top locally-owned restaurants for just over $35. Make a reservation, try something new, and help the community by simply savoring a great meal. Contribute to the local economy and help eliminate hunger just by enjoying a great meal.
Central Virginia's premier fall technology conference, rvatech/'s Women in Tech Conference is curated by Richmond's women in tech community but is designed and built for all audiences including technologists, business leaders, community builders, educators, and students. Aimed at bringing together professionals on a wide range of relevant topics to learn, engage, and collaborate, this event will feature a robust slate of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. Held at the Science Museum of Virginia, the Women in Tech Conference features tracks on technology, innovation, and leadership. Come one, come all to rvatech/'s largest conference of the year.
The Richmond Technology Council recently developed a new brand platform for the city of Richmond and its tech ecosystem: Richmond, VA - Tech's Most Creative City. The brand platform was the result of over two years of research, collaboration, and strategy aimed at positioning Richmond as a higher profile tech town on the national stage. The initiative is aimed at continuing to build and grow the already prominent and world-class tech workforce that exists in the city today. The hopeful result of its implementation will be enhanced recognition, awareness, and perception of the city among the technology workforce nationally.
The Tech's Most Creative City brand platform was developed after careful competitive analysis, persona development, strategy research, and creative design conducted by local ad agency Two Tango. The effort included collaboration among the organization's largest members, including Capital One, CarMax, Altria, Meta, Google, and Amazon Web Services, in addition to input from collateral organizations including local economic development authorities, educational institutions, and partner nonprofits. The first phase of implementation is the launch of https://techsmostcreative.city/, a parallel website focused on telling stories about the creative technology work being conducted by local Richmond companies and practitioners.
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