Dogwood Dell Offers a Family Fourth and Fireworks

Pack a picnic, grab a blanket and bring the entire family to the City’s annual free Fourth of July celebration and fireworks extravaganza presented by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities on July 4 at Dogwood Dell in Byrd Park.

     The program will begin at 5 p.m. with Susan Greenbaum performing on the Dell stage. This much-loved local singer/songwriter never fails to delight audiences with her intelligent lyrics, versatile voice, and compelling personality. Her set of pop/rock selections will be followed at 7 p.m. by a selection of musical pieces on the Carillon bells performed by Larry Robinson, who has been the City’s carilloneur for more than 50 years.

     At 7:30 p.m., the Richmond Concert Band will take the stage to perform a program of rousing patriotic music, including many traditional numbers the audience will recognize and want to sing along with. The highlight of the evening is the annual finale, the “1812 Overture,” played with a live orchestra, cannons, carillon bells and fireworks as it was originally composed. This finale usually takes place around 9:30 p.m. and continues once the “Overture” is complete. 
     Event parking will be available at City Stadium, located at 600 McCloy Street, with shuttle bus service to and from the Dell.   

     The public is reminded that the adjacent Barker Park dog park will be closed July 3, July 4 and July 5 for safety purposes, and no pets are allowed at the Dell.

     The rain date for this event is July 5. For more information or last minute updates, call the Dogwood Dell Hotline at 646-1031.

                                                                        ###

City Pools Closed; CarMax Basketball Games Cancelled

Due to the inclement weather, all City outdoor public pools are closed for the remainder of the day today, Monday, June 25. In addition, the City’s youth CarMax basketball games scheduled for this evening at Pine Camp have been cancelled.  

                                                                        ###

P Think Green - Please do not print this email unless necessary

         Save Energy - Just Unplug It!

Tonight's Movie in the Park Cancelled

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities has cancelled tonight’s Movie in the Park due to inclement weather. The movie, “Thor,” was to be held on the lawn of the department’s T.B. Smith Community Center on Ruffin Road.

      The next movie is scheduled to be held on June 29 at 8:30 p.m. at the Broad Rock Sports Complex located at 4801 Old Warwick Road. For the complete Movie Night schedule visit the department’s website at www.RichmondGov.com/parks.

                                                                        ###

Department's Freedom Fest Starts Tonight!

Celebrate freedom as the City of Richmond recognizes the emancipation of enslaved Africans and celebrates African-American cultural life in the city today with a variety of events and programs through June 22. The schedule of events is as follows:  

FRIDAY, JUNE 15

Book Signing & Jazz Reception (Free)

5 – 8 p.m. at Elegba Folklore Society's Cultural Center, 101 East Broad Street, 23219

Join Freedom Festival goers and meet attorney/author Mary Blevins Cox at a reading and signing of her book, “A Journey to Justice: Fire in My Belly: Love in My Soul,” with a jazz concert and reception featuring the Bill Lowe Trio. Light refreshments, cash bar, art and unique gifts to browse and buy.   

Saturday, June 16

A Juneteenth Celebration (Free)

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, 00 Clay Street, 23219

Celebrate Juneteenth with a sampling of African American food, free profile sketches by Greg Paige, and children’s crafts. Learn more about the middle passage with an exhibit entitled “Shackles,” co-curated by the Black History Museum in conjunction with The Boys and Girls Club of Metro Richmond.  Buy a raffle ticket and win a chance to receive a quilt by Sisters of the Yam. You may also register to win a DNA test kit from African Ancestry.  (You must be present to win.)

Juneteenth 2012, A Freedom Celebration by the Elegba Folklore Society

“Reflections” (Free)

1 – 11 p.m. at Manchester Dock, Ancarrow’s Landing, 1308 Bander Street, 23224

1 p.m.              Pre-festival Dance Workshops

3 – 8 p.m.        Festival with performances, speakers, exhibits, a Freedom Market and children’s activities to guide us in reflecting on history 

Food will be available.  Cultural attire encouraged.

8 – 11 p.m.      The Slave Trail – Take a walk along a torch lit path in the James River Park and learn of the experiences of enslaved Africans through storytelling and song.

Transportation will be provided for elders and others who are unable to walk and return to their cars. 

Art-Rising - A Companion Exhibition (Free)

Ongoing during regular operating hours through June 30 at Elegba Folklore Society's Cultural Center, 101 East Broad Street, 23219

(Re)Purposed Art, Wearables & Music by Voodo Fé

A Brooklynite of Haitian parents, Voodo Fé is regarded as one of the industry’s edgiest and most innovative multimedia artists. He is adept at seeing beauty and usefulness in the discarded objects he finds.  He has developed a signature style centering the political and socially conscious, as well as whimsical caricatures. 

Sunday, June 17

A Day of Reflection

Churches are requested to read the Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ proclamation of freedom in their services. Visit www.richmondgov.com to download a copy.

Tuesday, June 19 

A Night of Live Music! (Free)

6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at Dogwood Dell Amphitheater at the corner of Garrett Street and Blanton Avenue

6:30 p.m.      Freedom Drum Circle on the lawn led by Rham Bhagat – Bring your drum & sit-in.

7 p.m.           James Gates Trio (jazz)

8 p.m.           Jason Marsalis Vibes Trio (jazz)

Marcus D. Wiley Comedian (Free)

7 p.m. at Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road, 23223

Join national gospel/radio personality “Bishop Secular” of the Yolanda Adams Morning Show in concert.  For more information call (804) 643-4000.

Wednesday, June 20

Elegba Folklore Society Presents: African American Reflections on the Civil War (dance theatre)

7 p.m. at Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, 4901 Old Brook Road, 23227

Witness the lives and roles of Africans and Africa's descendants unfold in this drama that informs and empowers. Music and dance punctuate the stories of the spirit and magic of Africa, conditions of enslavement, resistance, the Black Dispatchers, United States Colored Troops, women in support, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment.  90 minutes with an intermission. 

Marcus D. Wiley Comedian (Free)

7 p.m. at Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road

Join national gospel/radio personality “Bishop Secular” of the Yolanda Adams Morning Show in concert.  For more information call (804) 643-4000.

Thursday, June 21

Marcus D. Wiley Comedian (Free)

7 p.m. at Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road, 23223

Join national gospel/radio personality “Bishop Secular” of the Yolanda Adams Morning Show in concert.  For more information call (804) 643-4000.

Saturday, June 23

Richmond Boys Choir

4 p.m. at Coburn Hall, Virginia Union University, 1500 North Lombardy Street, 23220

Join Richmond’s ambassadors of song in a concert entitled “Dare to Dream” featuring a medley of musical styles in Acappella, choral arrangement and other traditions.  For more information call (804) 788-6404. Tickets are $10 and may be also purchased at the door.

# # #

Pools to Open Saturday!

The department will open its outdoor swimming pools for the summer on Saturday, June 16, at noon. It is free to swim at all City pools, and trained lifeguards are always on duty.

       Pool hours are from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. In addition, adult and family swim hours are from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

       The pools are located as follows:

Battery Park Pool

2917 Dupont Circle

Blackwell Pool

238 East 14th Street

Hotchkiss Pool

701 East Brookland Park Boulevard

Powhatan Pool

5051 Northhampton Street

Randolph Pool

1401 Grayland Avenue

Woodville Pool

2305 Fairfield Avenue

                                                                        ###

Festival of Arts Kicks Off Sunday, June 10

The department will kick off its 56^th Festival of Arts season on Sunday, June 10, at 8 p.m. with Orquesta Tropikiimba and the Salsa Youth Orchestra heating up the evening on the Dogwood Dell stage.

     
Tropikiimba plays Afro-Latino music that’s guaranteed to get people on their feet and dancing. Salsa, Timba, Bolero, Danzon, Cha Cha, Merengue, each distinctly different style is more exciting than the next. This is one of the few authentic Afro-Caribbean orchestras in the region, and many of the band’s members are from countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and St. Thomas. They will be joined by the Salsa Youth Orchestra organized in 2005.

     
The festival, Richmond’s longest-running, brings a wide variety of free outdoor family entertainment every summer to Richmond’s Dogwood Dell, the department’s amphitheater located in Byrd Park at 1100 Blanton Ave. It continues throughout the summer with music ranging from rock, to bluegrass, to jazz and more, and includes theatrical performances as well as Richmond’s traditional Fourth of July concert celebration and fireworks display. 

     In addition, an entire lineup of entertainment for young audiences is presented throughout the summer on the adjacent Ha’Penny Stage, and the Third Annual Gospel Music Fest, which draws thousands, will be held July 15.

     
New to the festival this year is a series of “Curtain Warmers,” or pre-show events at the Carillon adjacent to Dogwood Dell. Scheduled for June 28 and July 12 at 7 p.m. and July 27 at 6:45 p.m., they will feature music and the opportunity to tour the Carillon and learn about its history.

    
You can see the entire lineup of performances on the department’s website at ww.RichmondGov.com/parks  under Cultural Arts and call 646-DELL to check for weather cancellations.

###

Free Movies in the Parks

The department will kick off its series of free family movies, Movies in the Park, on Friday, June 15, at 8:30 p.m. with a showing of "The Muppets” in Byrd Park. The movie will be shown on the lawn beside Fountain Lake, which is located beside the 500 block of South Boulevard.

     The series will continue through Aug. 17 with free PG rated or PG-13 rated movies in parks around the city every Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

·         Friday, June 22

“Thor” (PG-13)

T. B. Smith Community Center

2015 Ruffin Rd.

·         Friday, June 29

“Zookeeper” (PG)

Broad Rock Complex

4835 Old Warwick Rd.

·         Friday, July 6

“Captain America” (PG-13)

Jefferson Park

21^st & E. Marshall St.

·         Friday, July 13

“The Adventures of Tin Tin” (PG)

Hotchkiss Community Center

701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.

·         Friday, July 20

“Puss in Boots” (PG)

Humphrey Calder Community Center

414 N. Thompson St.

·         Friday, July 27

“Real Steel” (PG-13)

Abner Clay Park

200 W. Leigh St.

                       

·         Friday, Aug. 3

“Kung Fu Panda 2” (PG)

Battery Park

2803 Dupont Circle

·         Friday, Aug. 10

“Hugo” (PG)

Fonticello/Carter Jones Park

2813 Bainbridge St.

·         Friday, Aug. 17

“The Lorax” (PG)

Forest Hill Park

402 Forest Hill Ave.

In the event of rain, these outdoor programs will be cancelled.

###