Movies in the Park 2019

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities proudly presents Movies in the Park. This annual series of free movies will be held every Friday night, from June 21 through August 16, in a different city park.

Activities begin at 8 p.m. and the movies start at 8:30 p.m., or as soon as it is dark. Families are invited to bring blankets or chairs and refreshments. Vendors will also have refreshments for sale.

The following is this summer’s Movies in the Park schedule:

Movies in the Park 2017

Join the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities our 2017 Movies in the Park series!

Our first movie of the year will begin on Friday, June 16 at Byrd Park, 600 S. Boulevard, 23221.

For more information or updates, please visit our Facebook page.

Annual Commemoration of Memorial Day with Free Music in the Park

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will host its annual Memorial Day Concert on Monday, May 30 at Byrd Park. Beginning at 4 p.m. at the World War I Memorial Carillon, the city carillonneur Larry Robinson will pay tribute to our nation’s veterans through the ringing of the Carillon Bells, followed by a concert from The Virginians Barbershop Chorus. Mr. Robinson is a dedicated musician who has made the Carillon bells his vocation for more than 50 years.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (804) 646-1031 or 804-646-3680.

Movies in the Park 2016

Join the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities our 2016 Movies in the Park series!

Our first movie of the year will begin on Friday, June 17 at Byrd Park, 600 S. Boulevard, 23221.

For more information or updates, please visit our Facebook page.

Before and After School Program Hosts Extravaganza Talent Showcase

The City Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Before and After School Program will host its annual Extravaganza Talent Showcase program on Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson High School located at 4100 West Grace Street.

This year’s program theme, Recycle Mania will showcase how we can use recyclable and/or reusable items to create some fun, crazy, and usable things. This activity will hopefully teach students how to preserve and protect our environment, think outside the box, and be creative. The program will give each of the ten participating program sites an opportunity to showcase student talents and skills developed during the school year. Students will exhibit keyboarding, dance, art, theatre, and percussion skills to name a few.

Each site will also design, create, and assemble a table display for public viewing at City Hall. This display will showcase what students enrolled in the Before and After School Program have done during their time in the program. The displays can be viewed from May 4-8, 2015.               

For more information, please contact Deidre Davis at 646-5094.

Movies in the Park 2014

Join the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities our 2014 Movies in the Park series!

Our first movie of the year will begin on Friday, June 20 at Byrd Park, 600 S. Boulevard, 23221.

For more information or updates, please visit our Facebook page.

Celebrate Spring!!!!

The Depatment of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities will celebrate the arrival of spring with community based festivals on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. Festivals will include events such as an egg hunt, face painting (at some locations), arts and crafts, and much more!

All festivals are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the individual community center.

Community Center	Address	Times	Contact Phone
Battery Park and Calhoun	2803 Dupont Circle	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-0944
Bellemeade	1800 Lynhaven Avenue	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-8235
Blackwell and Broad Rock	300 East 15th Street	4:30-6:30 p.m.	(804) 646-8630
Creighton, Mosby, and Whitcomb at Chimborazo Park	3200 East Broad Street	10 a.m.- 4 p.m.	(804) 646-4511
Hickory Hill	3000 East Belt Blvd	5-8 p.m.	(804) 646-7934
Hotchkiss	701 East Brookland Park Blvd.	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-4466
Humphrey Calder	414 North Thompson Street	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-1780
Powhatan Hill	5051 Northhampton Street	5:30-7:30 p.m.	(804) 646-0973
Randolph	1415 Grayland Avenue	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-1080
TB Smith	2015 Ruffin Road	4:30-7 p.m.	(804) 646-8490

Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Announces Urban Agriculture Classes

Join the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Communitiy Facilities for the Urban Agriculture Learning Series.  Classes are scheduled to begin on Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 11 a.m. 

The full schedule is listed below.

February 22:  

    Duron Chavis of Happy Natural Day presenting “Economic Impacts of Urban Farming”

    Victoria Campbell presenting “Preparing the Urban Land for Crop Production”

March 1:

    David Stover presenting “Beekeeping”  

    Jan Thomas of the Richmond Tree Stewards presenting “Caring for Your Fruit Trees”

March 8:

    Ellen Shepard of Lynwood Holton Elementary presenting “Developing School Gardens”

    Lisa Taranto of Keelona Farm presenting “Organic Insect Control”

March 15:

    Kristi Orcutt from Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens “How to Get Your Garden to Grow”

    Sean Sheppard of Backyard Farmers presenting “Sustainable Agriculture as an Entrepreneurial Opportunity” 

 March 22:

    Bruno Welsh of CompostRVA with “Composting”

    Cheryl Crawford with “Fundamentals of Preserving Your Garden Crops”

 March 29:

    John Lewis of Renew Richmond presenting “Vermiculture –Worms”

   Ana Edwards presenting “Cooking What You Grow”

One More Movie in the Park

The department will give the public one more chance to enjoy a free movie in the park before fall finally hits. On Friday, Oct. 4, the department will show “Wreck-It Ralph” in Byrd Park.
     The animated Disney movie features the loveable Ralph, a video game villain, who after 30 years is tired of always being the bad guy and longs to be the hero for a change. He sets out to fulfill his dream, but in his quest he brings havoc to the whole arcade in which he lives. This PG-rated film is sure to entertain the entire family.
     The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. beside Fountain Lake in Byrd Park. Free sodas and popcorn will be available to the first 500 people. Refreshments will be on sale also, and movie-goers are encouraged to bring a blanket or their own chairs.
     This program is co-sponsored by Pepsi, 106.5 the Beat, The CW Richmond, Bounce Richmond and the Friends of William Byrd Park. 

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Movies in the Park Starts Friday

The department will officially kick off its annual Movies in the Park program Friday, June 21 in Byrd Park beside Fountain Lake with a showing of Madagascar 3.

     The annual series of free movies will be held every Friday night in a different park through August 16. The movies will begin at 8:30 p.m., or as soon as it’s dark, and families are invited to bring their own blankets or chairs and refreshments and enjoy the free PG-rated movies in the park. Vendors will also have refreshments for sale, and prior to each movie RVA Hoop House will provide hula hoop activities for all to enjoy. 

     This year’s series, co-sponsored by Pepsi, the CW Richmond, Bounce Richmond, and 106.5 the Beat, is scheduled as follows:

Date                            Location                                 Movie

June 21                        Byrd Park                                *MADAGASCAR 3

June 28                        Blackwell                                *RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

July  5                          Broad Rock Complex            *PARANORMAN

July 12                         Jefferson Park                         *HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

July 19                         Hotchkiss                               THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN

July 26                         Humphrey Calder                   *BRAVE

August 2                     Abner Clay                              CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

August 9                     Battery Park                            JACK THE GIANT SLAYER

August 16                   Forest Hill                               OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

                                                                                    * =  animated

For more information, call (804) 646-5733. Park visitors are reminded that no glass containers and no dogs are allowed in parks.

Black History Month Cook-Off

Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will celebrate Black History Month with a Soul Food Cook-Off on February 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. at its Randolph Community Center, located at 1415 Grayland Avenue.

     The public is invited to bring their favorite homemade soul food dish to the community center to share, whether it’s a main dish, a side dish, a dessert or bread. Everyone who brings a dish will get to enjoy the food and will be asked to vote on their favorites.

      Children age 6 and older, as well as teens and adults, are encouraged to enter, and winners will be selected from age groups six to 11, 12 to 16, and 17 and older.

      The cook-off is free to enter, but participants must register by February 15. For more information or to register, call the Community Center at (804) 646-1080.

  

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Northside Dog Park Opening Saturday

The department will open its third public dog park on Saturday, August 18, with a celebration from 9 a.m. to noon that will include food, music, prizes, canine demonstrations, activities and treats for all. All dogs that are spayed or neutered and their owners are invited to attend.

     The Northside Dog Park is located behind Henderson Middle School at the end of Forest Lawn Drive. A map locating the park and much more fun information can be found online at http://northsidedogpark.com. 

     The new dog park includes two sections, one for large dogs and one for small dogs, and has ample parking, park benches and picnic tables. It was built with volunteer help from the Friends of the Northside Dog Park, who were instrumental in organizing support for the park and determining its location. Organized as a 501-C3 under the Enrichmond Foundation, the Friends of the Northside Dog Park are also sponsors of the opening celebration and have developed the website at http://northsidedogpark.com to continue to raise support for the park.

     The dog park’s hours will be from sunrise to sunset, and is free for anyone to use. The park rules are posted at the site.

     “We are very pleased to see the opening of this new city dog park,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “With our other dog parks, Barker Field located in Byrd Park and the Church Hill Dog Park located beside Chimborazo Park, this helps us round out our services to our canine friends and their families. We are most appreciative of the Friends of the Northside Dog Park, who have helped make this possible.” 

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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.

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City to Hold Egg Hunts at Community Centers

Richmond, VA – On Monday, April 9, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., children age 12 and younger are invited to hunt for 25,000 candy- and prize-filled eggs that will be hidden at the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ community centers and participate in other fun activities for free. The centers are located as follows:

• Ann Hardy Plaza                            3000 First Ave.                          646-4824
• Battery Park                                   2803 Dupont Circle                    646-0944
• Blackwell                                         300 E. 15th St.                        646-8630
• Creighton Court                               2101 Creighton Road                 646-4511
• Fairfield Court                                  2506 Phaup St.                        646-0029
• Hickory Hill                                       300 E. Belt Blvd.                     646-8663
• Hotchkiss                                         701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.     646-4466
• Humphrey Calder                               414 N. Thompson St.              646-1780
• Pine Camp                                       4901 Old Brook Road               646-3672
• Powhatan                                         5051 Northhampton St.            646-0973
• Randolph                                          1415 Grayland Ave.                 646-1080                 
• T. B. Smith                                        2015 Ruffin Rd.                      646-8490
• Westover                                           1301 Jahnke Road                  646-8995
• Whitcomb Court                                 2302 Carmine St.                    646-2988

Children who want to participate in the egg hunts will need to bring their own baskets. For more information, contact the community center of interest.

      These events are co-sponsored by the city of Richmond and Radio One.

Free 'Eggstravaganza' Set for March 24

The Department has partnered with Radio One to hold a free spring “Eggstravaganza” for children age 12 and younger on Saturday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Forest Hill Park, 4021 Forest Hill Ave. The event will feature two egg hunts at 12:30 p.m., one for ages 5 through 8 and another for ages 9 through 12. A total of 25,000 candy-prize filled eggs will be up for grabs in the two egg hunts.

     The event will also include music by DJ Milli, hula hoop demonstrations by RVA Hoop House, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, a balloon artist, free give-away’s, opportunity to purchase photos with Mr. Bunny, children’s fingerprinting provided by the Richmond Sherriff’s Office, and vendors selling a variety of foods.  In addition, children age 4 and younger can enjoy story telling every 30-minutes and other activities in “Bunny Town.”

     Children who want to participate in the egg hunts should bring their own basket. In the event of rain, the Eggstravaganza will be held on Sunday, March 25, from 1 to 4 p.m.  

Spotlight Gallery to Feature African-American Artists

In celebration of Black History Month, the department will host an art exhibit featuring the works of two local African-American artists: Dawn Cherry Miles and Thaddeus LaCrette. The exhibit, titled “Imagery, Imagination and African Influence,” will open with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on January 27 at the Spotlight Gallery, which is located within the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center at 4901 Old Brook Rd.

      In addition, the artists will discuss their work on Friday, January 27, from 6 p.m. to 7p.m. in the theater at Pine Camp. Both events are open and free to the public. 

     The works on display will include Thaddeus LaCrette’s life-sized beaded sculptures and ceramic sculptures by Dawn Cherry Miles. Dawn Cherry Miles is a Richmond native, while Thaddeus LaCrette is originally from Grenada and has lived in Brooklyn, NY, and Atlanta.

     The exhibit will be on display through March 2 in Pine Camp’s Spotlight Gallery. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

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Veterans Day Program Scheduled at Byrd Park Carillon

The city of Richmond will host a Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 11, at 4 p.m. at the World War I Memorial Carillon in Byrd Park. “The city of Richmond is proud to honor the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces, and we will never forget their courage and commitment to protecting our freedom and fighting for the rights of the oppressed,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones.

     

     Among the selections to be performed by the widely-praised Cantare Choir will be an Algonquin prayer written by Kenneth Swift Eagle Custalow of the Mattaponi Native American Tribe and A Prayer of Desmond Tutu by British Composer and Conductor James Whitbourn.

     For more information, call (804) 646-1031.

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The City’s department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is organizing the event which will include an invocation from Reverend Angelyn Poe, a concert on the Carillon bells by City carillonneur Larry Robinson, vocal selections by the Cantare Choir of the Greater Richmond Children’s Choir, and the presentation of a memorial wreath in honor of the Nation’s veterans.

Department Extends Free Movies in the Park Series

Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities has added another free movie to its series of family films shown in parks around the city. “Cats and Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore” will be shown at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, in Jefferson Park at 21^st and East Marshall streets.  

     In the animated family comedy, cats and dogs join forces for the first time in history to take down Kitty Galore, a former agent for the spy organization MEOWS, who has hatched a diabolical plan to make the world her own scratching post. The film features the voices of Chris O’Donnell and Jack McBrayer in the starring roles.
    This movie concludes the department’s series of free family Movies in the Parks, co-sponsored by 106.5 the Beat. The series kicked off on July 15 in Byrd Park and has featured a PG-rated film every Friday night in a variety of parks around the city.
     Families are encouraged to bring their blankets, popcorn and drinks to enjoy the movie.

James River Park Programs Scheduled

The department has scheduled three programs to be held in its James River Park System.       
     On Friday, July 29, children and their families are invited to come to the park’s headquarters at Reedy Creek, 4001 Riverside Drive, for a program called “Insects at Night.” This program offers a hands-on investigation of insects caught in light traps and is co-sponsored by the James River Park System and VCU. No fee or advance registration is required for the program, which will take place from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

     On Saturday, July 30, back by popular demand, the department will offer a guided Torch-Lit Walk on the Slave Trail. The walk, which will cost $5 per person, will start at 8:30 p.m. from Ancarrow’s Landing, located at 1308 Bander St. No advance registration is required, and return transportation to the parking lot following the walk will be provided.

     On Friday, Aug. 12, the department will offer a “Moonlight Paddle and Picnic for Wounded Warriors.” This free program is co-sponsored by the James River Park System, the James River Outdoor Coalition and McGuire Veterans Hospital, and all veterans, “wounded warriors,” handicapped individuals, and the general public are invited to participate. The event will take place from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Huguenot Flatwater, located at 8200 Riverside Drive. Advance registration by Wednesday, Aug. 10, is required by calling (804) 646-8911. There is no fee to participate.

 

Department Kicks Off Free Outdoor Movie Series

The department will kick off its third year of free movies in the park on Friday, July 15, at 8 p.m. with the showing of "Megamind” in Byrd Park beside Fountain Lake. The animated film features Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Tina Fey in a sci-fi comedy that finally gives the underdog a chance to save the world.
“Megamind” will be followed by six more free family movie nights in Richmond’s parks. The schedule is as follows:

· Friday, July 22
“Despicable Me”
Battery Park
2803 Dupont Circle

· Friday, July 29
“Alpha and Omega”
Hotchkiss Community Center
701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.

· Friday, August 5
“Shrek Forever After”
Mary Munford Playground
211 Westmoreland St.

· Thursday, August 11
“Justin Bieber: Never Say Never”
Bryan Park
4308 Hermitage Road

· Friday, August 12
“Sister Act II”
Byrd Park’s Dogwood Dell
1100 Blanton Ave.

· Friday, August 19
“Tangled”
Forest Hill Park
4021 Forest Hill Ave.

All movies will begin at 8 p.m. and are rated PG. The department's movie night series is co-sponsored by 106.5 the Beat.