Always RevolutionaryExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 305 / Always Revolutionary
It’s National Travel and Tourism Week, and there’s no better time to welcome Katherine O’Donnell, President & CEO of Richmond Region Tourism, as our guest editor. For more than 20 years, she has helped the region shine, turning tourism into a force for community impact. At her core, she’s a builder who believes tourism can make the Richmond Region stronger, more connected, and more vibrant.
A graduate of University of Richmond, Katherine came for school and stayed for the community. She started out creating maps and visitor guides and worked her way up to leading the organization, where she now sets the strategic vision, priorities, and long-term sustainability of Richmond Region Tourism while aligning its work with the region’s economic prosperity and quality-of-life goals. Along the way, she has championed initiatives that celebrate and support the region, including OutRVA, BLK RVA, and the launch of Virginia’s first Tourism Improvement District.
Outside of work, Katherine and her husband, Darby, are raising their two children, Norah and Henry, who are growing up immersed in the region’s tourism scene — from NASCAR and Kings Dominion to the Virginia Derby, Richmond Flying Squirrels games, and GalaxyCon Richmond.
On the weekends, when she’s not attending a local event or cheering on her kids at sports games, you’ll likely find Katherine walking her dog, Ginger, around the lake at the University of Richmond. She’s an avid reader, loves to travel, and appreciates a good spicy margarita.
We’re honored to have Katherine join us this week as she shares her tips for exploring and celebrating this place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Katherine…
India's Great Mughals: Art, Power, and Opulence
I can’t wait to check out India’s Great Mughals: Art, Power, and Opulence at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which opened last week. The exhibition brings together more than 200 stunning works — from jeweled objects to textiles and manuscripts — and offers a glimpse into the richness and global influence of the Mughal Empire. It’s exactly the kind of world-class experience that makes the Richmond Region so special.
One experience I always recommend is seeing a reenactment at St. John's Church. It’s a powerful way to step right into the moment of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. It’s also part of the new Always Revolutionary digital trail, which highlights the people and places across the Richmond Region that helped shape our nation’s story. With events, exhibitions, and experiences happening through 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary, it’s a great way to explore the region’s history in a meaningful, immersive way.
Vitals: St. John's Church / Summer Sundays — May 24 through Sept. 6 / 2401 East Broad Street
Discover Richmond Tours
If you have friends or family in town, or are simply looking for an adventure in your own backyard, Discover Richmond Tours offers fun walking food tours, brewery tours, and scavenger hunts that reveal the neighborhoods, flavors, and stories of RVA. With tours focused on pizza, ice cream, offbeat history, and more, there’s something for everyone.
Vitals:
Tours take place throughout the week – pre-registration is required / Discover Richmond’s website includes a calendar with locations
More About Richmond Richmond Tourism.
At Richmond Region Tourism, we get to tell the story of this place we all love, inviting visitors who support the businesses and experiences that make our community so special. We represent seven localities across the Richmond Region, and we see every day how tourism strengthens our economy, supports small businesses, and builds pride in where we live. It truly is a force for good.
With National Travel and Tourism Week taking place May 3–9, it’s a great moment to recognize the impact of travel here at home. The Richmond Region continues to outperform state and national trends, and in 2025 alone, we welcomed 19.1 million visitors.
If you’re curious to learn more, our free I Am Tourism workshops offer a fun, behind-the-scenes look at how it all comes together and why the Richmond Region is such a vibrant, can’t-miss destination. Our next session is May 20 at Richmond Raceway.
Richmond, Go Wild 🐾Exploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 304 / Go Wild
Meet this week’s guest editor, Krista Weatherford, Maymont’s Director of Programming and Curator of Natural Resources. Krista exudes a lifelong passion for wildlife and natural resources and shares it enthusiastically with everyone she meets. As a leader of both education programs and animal care at Maymont, she infuses everything she does with a sense of fun and a deep respect for people and animals.
In addition to planning educational programs for more than 18,000 students who visit Maymont each year, as well as summer camps, night hikes, citizen science programs, and more, Krista supervises a dedicated team of animal care specialists who care for more than 300 animals at Maymont — from tiny seahorses to North America’s largest land animal, the bison.
Even when she’s not at Maymont, Krista is an advocate for the environment as a facilitator in Project WET, Project WILD, and Project Learning Tree. She is a Virginia Master Naturalist with the Pocahontas Chapter and a Certified Interpretive Guide. Her hobbies also reflect her love of the natural world, as she enjoys kayaking, hiking, and observing wildlife.
Krista has been with Maymont for 11 years and in the field of environmental education for a total of 25 years, including teaching and managing several programs in Virginia State Parks and at Georgia Southern University’s Center for Wildlife Education. She took time out of her busy schedule this week to offer her tips for exploring and celebrating this place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Krista ...
Virginia Wildlife Trail Grrrrand Reopening at Maymont
After two years of major enhancements, celebrate the reopening of Maymont’s beloved Virginia Wildlife Trail, a forever home for rescued and rehabilitated native wildlife nestled in the heart of Richmond. On May 2, from 10 am to 4 pm, enjoy free entertainment, games, and activities while you explore the new and remodeled habitats, with more accessible pathways, new interpretive signs, and more ways to view our wildlife residents — including old friends Big Bear and Little Bear, and our newest residents: two porcupines and a coyote!
Learn about the importance of pollinators in the environment, planting native plants, and how to care for beehives, presented by the Rockwood Park Backyard Beekeepers Association and the Bumblebee Jamboree at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds. From 10 am to 3 pm, enjoy live music by the Bee Flats, plus children’s activities, local honey and beekeeping supplies for sale, bee-friendly plants, educational talks, face painting, food trucks, and more.
Vitals: 15th annual Chesterfield Bee Festival / Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. / Free, children welcome / Chesterfield County Fair Grounds, 10300 Courthouse Road
Clean the Bay Day at Pocohontas State Park
Each year, Virginia State Parks participates in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Clean the Bay Day, an event dedicated to protecting and preserving the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Park visitors are invited to join a clean-up to help remove litter, debris, and pollution from rivers, streams, and shorelines that feed into the Bay, contributing to the health of the Bay’s ecosystem and ensuring cleaner water and safer habitats for wildlife. Volunteers will work alongside park staff to keep our natural areas beautiful for everyone to enjoy. This event is a great opportunity for individuals, families, scout groups, and community organizations to give back while spending time outdoors. Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and dress for the weather. Bring water, sunscreen, and work gloves; trash bags and additional supplies will be provided.
Vitals: Clean the Bay Day / Saturday, May 2, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. / Free, children welcome / Advance reservations required / Pocahontas State Park, CCC Field, 10301 State Park Rd., Chesterfield
More from Krista.
The newly enhanced Virginia Wildlife Trail is included in Maymont’s free general admission, open from 10 am to 7 pm during daylight saving time and from 10 am to 5 pm when days are shorter. Additional guided experiences and up-close programs with some of Maymont’s wildlife are available for advance reservation at Maymont.org/tours. All program fees help support the operations of the nonprofit Maymont Foundation, which cares for the historic collections, gardens, and animals, and provides educational programs.
Don’t miss the visiting wildlife that stop in at Maymont as part of the James River wildlife corridor. Wildlife photographer Bill Draper frequently documents some of the deer, foxes, groundhogs, birds, and butterflies that use Maymont as a temporary or permanent home.
In BloomExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 303 / In Bloom
Meet this week’s guest editor, Brit Trible, owner of Gilded Lily Designs, a Richmond-based container gardening and holiday arrangements business known for elevating homes and businesses across the region. Brit grew up on a horse farm just outside the city, and from an early age, she always had her hands (and feet) in the dirt. If you ask us, there’s just something about the beauty of the outdoors that stays with you and shapes how you see the world.
But Brit didn’t begin her career designing outdoor spaces. After earning a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from James Madison University, she spent 15 years working in geriatric rehabilitation across hospital systems, home health, and rehab centers.
During COVID, after having her third child, she felt a pull toward something more creative. The shift wasn’t just about artistry, it was about connection. She wanted to build relationships while creating something tangible and lasting. That’s when Gilded Lily Designs was born.
Today, her business has adorned nearly 200 homes and businesses from Richmond to Charlottesville with custom container gardens and seasonal plantings. Brit sources planters and designs each space to match the style and scale of the property. She’s drawn to both sides of the work, the creative process and the relationships that come with it.
When she’s not growing her business, Brit enjoys exploring Richmond and beyond with her husband, Paul, and their three children. This week, she’s taking a moment to join us at Here Weekly to share her favorite ways to celebrate the place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Brit ...
Richmond Symphony League Designer Show House
The Richmond Symphony League is hosting its 20th Designer Show House. Located at 3937 Old Gun Road West in the historic Bellona Arsenal neighborhood, designers work for months to transform each room into their signature space. The home is then opened to the public to showcase their style and talent. Now through May 10, tour this gorgeous property and walk through the home and grounds to see the transformation in person.
Vitals:
2026 Designer Show House is open to the public through May 10, 2026 / 2026 Designer Show House Tickets / Foundry Manor, 3937 Old Gun Road West
Inaugural Fan Flea Market
The first-ever “Official” Fan Flea Market is Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We know The Fan is im-fan-mous for having a good sale or two, but this one brings together 50+ participants from South Harrison Street to South Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Come find trash-to-treasure gems — this is about as organized as a yard sale can get. Fan residents and participants have also created an online map to track participating homes.
Vitals:
Fan Flea Market / April 25, 10 am to 3 pm / Houses across the Fan will be hosting yard sales at the same time / Up-to-date map of all the participating houses
Richmond Restaurant Week
For two weeks each year, diners can experience a three-course meal at some of Richmond’s best locally owned restaurants while giving back to the community. Whether you’re exploring new dishes at a favorite spot or trying somewhere new altogether, you’ll want to make more than one reservation. When you participate, a portion of every meal purchased goes to Feed More, a Richmond-based nonprofit that collects, prepares, and distributes food to neighbors in need.
Presented by the Garden Club of Virginia, this week’s statewide tour is the nation’s only house and garden tour of its kind, offering access to more than 120 private homes, public gardens, and historic sites across Virginia, each enhanced by over 1,000 floral arrangements created by Garden Club members. While Richmond’s Westhampton tour took place today, events will continue across the Commonwealth through the weekend. Highlights include the Executive Mansion on Friday, along with tours on the Eastern Shore and in Lake Gaston on Saturday. With downloadable maps and half-day ticket options, it’s an opportunity to explore some of Virginia’s most beautiful spaces at the peak of spring.
Gilded Lily Designs specializes in custom container gardening, helping homeowners and businesses bring their outdoor spaces to life. From one-time installations to seasonal container refreshes, Brit and her team handle everything from design and plant sourcing to installation. Each project begins with an on-site consultation to understand the space, style, and vision, followed by thoughtful planning and execution. The result is a tailored design that keeps properties looking polished, vibrant, and in bloom through every season.
Go
