Elise Steele.jpg

Elise Steele

Newsletter Editor

Elise moved to Richmond on a whim after graduating from college in 2021, and she’s loved the city ever since. When she’s not crafting the next RICtoday newsletter, she’s probably spending time outside, shopping local thrift stores, reading (as a proud library book borrower), or making a trip to Lamplighter for a Thai Coffee + Slayer Bagel.

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RIC_river_jra_water_testing_volunteer_2026
Travel and Outdoors
JRA seeking volunteers to help monitor river quality
Join the James River Watch to help test river conditions and keep Richmonders safe.
April 17, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC-record_store_APRIL
Business
Record stores in Richmond, VA
Find your next favorite band or album at a local shop.
April 16, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A clay studio in VisArts
Culture
VisArts summer classes open for registration
Browse through 100+ VisArt classes, and learn how to apply for financial aid.
April 15, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC_ren_faire_JULY
Local names putting the “Richmond” in Richmond Ren Faire
What familiar faces fortify the realm of the inaugural Richmond Ren Faire?
April 14, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
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History
Dine at some of the oldest restaurants in Richmond
Take a look at seven of the oldest restaurants in Richmond, Virginia, ranging from diners to restaurants and pubs.
April 10, 2026
 · 
Robin Schwartzkopf
RIC_wisteria_spring_APRIL
Travel and Outdoors
How to identify and track invasive wisteria in Richmond
Wisteria is a tell-tale sign of spring in Richmond, but there’s more to this beautiful plant than meets the eye.
April 9, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
Stacks of produce on a table with a blue tablecloth and images of fruit; a paper signs reads, "cebolla / spring onion / $3.00."
Live
Farmers markets in and around Richmond
See where to stock up on seasonal produce around the city, from year-round shopping to in-season markets.
April 8, 2026
 · 
Robin Schwartzkopf
Two hands holding up clear plastic cups of limeade with clear plastic lids and black straws; in the background, a street intersection and across the street, the blurred facade of Kuba Kuba.
Gas prices vs. local food and drink deals
As gas prices spike, which Richmond businesses offer deals when it comes time to treat yourself?
April 7, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
The band The Black Keys mid-concert on stage; The band assembles on stage with various instruments; Behind the band is an art display of letters reading "The Black Keys"; The display nearly reaches the height of the stage light fixtures at the top of the frame.
Play
20 summer concerts to plan for in Richmond, VA
Grab your tickets ahead of time for these upcoming summer concerts bringing big names to the River City.
April 6, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
Three fruit sandos stacked on top of each other and held out; the bottom fruit sando features three sliced strawberries in the center of the sandwich, the middle, three sliced grapes, and the top, two sliced mangoes.
Where to try a “fruit sando” in Richmond, VA
We took the advice of a local content creator and ventured to find Japanese fruit sandos in Richmond.
April 3, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A "Violation (Warning)" flier stuck underneath the windshield blade of a car.
City
City of Richmond swaps bike lane parking citations for penalty-free warnings in April
Throughout the month, Richmond Police will forgo citations and instead issue violation warnings to drivers illegally parked in bike lanes.
April 1, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A brown-feathered hen in resting on hay with two eggs next to it; the hen is an an enclosure.
City
Guide to owning chickens in Richmond
Cracking the code to urban farming.
March 31, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A blue sky with dozens of kites; people at the bottom of the frame hold kite strings and tilt their heads up toward the sky.
Events
Plan Ahead: Don’t miss these events happening in Richmond
Bookmark this page to your favorites tab so you can quickly return and find the top events happening each month in Richmond.
March 27, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
Poet Mary Oliver sits on a chair; she holds a dog in her arms and looks in its direction; the dog has multiple spots on its back, ears, and over one eye.
Culture
VCU professor to premiere documentary about poet Mary Oliver
Attend the Richmond premiere of “Saved by the Beauty of the World” at the 32nd James River Film Festival.
March 24, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A girl blows bubbles in the direction of a yellow labrador dog wearing a green bandana around its neck.
Culture
Find a volunteer gig in Richmond based on your personality type
What kind of volunteer are you? Find out, and see what upcoming local opportunity suits your style.
March 23, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC_rainwater_harvesting_MARCH
Real Estate
Learn how to harvest rainwater + get a starter kit in Richmond
Help conserve water and lower your bills with a rainwater harvesting system in your backyard.
March 19, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC_hummingbird_MARCH
Travel and Outdoors
Catch a glimpse of migrating hummingbirds in Richmond
The birds are coming back through our area, and we rounded up the best spots to see them around town.
March 19, 2026
 · 
Patrick Sidwell
RIC_lafayette tavern_FEB
Food
Restaurant roundup: New and coming soon to Richmond
Try out these new places and see what to look forward to in the River City’s restaurant scene.
March 18, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
The Pink Cadillac Diner building with cars parked in front and a background of trees and a blue sky with clouds.
Travel and Outdoors
Underrated day trips from the Richmond area
Eager to get on the road, but don’t want to travel too far? Adventure out to these driveable destinations, and check out our bonus recommendations for weekend stays.
March 18, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
The VCU men's basketball team posing on a basketball court with the A10 Championship title.
Sports
🏀 VCU Rams + UR Spiders join the NCAA Tournament
Root for these RVA teams heading to the “Big Dance.”
March 16, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A graphic from Style Weekly; The background is aqua blue, and a central text bubble shows "Best of Richmond 2026" in pink bubble-letter text; text wrapping around the central text repeats "Readers' Poll" and displays "Style Weekly" in the top right; A zig-zag bubble at the top left of the central text features a pink background and yellow border; yellow text in the bubble says "Vote Now March 9-31"
Culture
Vote for RICtoday in Best of Richmond 2026 poll
RICtoday has been nominated in Style Weekly’s annual Best of Richmond poll, and you can cast your votes now through the end of March.
March 13, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC_veiled_mirror_small_biz_MARCH
Small Business
Local love: RICtoday’s guide to reader-recommended small businesses
Put your money where your community is and help us create a guide to small businesses by submitting your favorite local spots and sharing this page with a friend.
March 12, 2026
 · 
Staff
RIC_winter_MARCH
City
Breaking down the city’s 2026 winter storm report
Crunch the numbers with us, and see what areas of improvement the city noted following Richmond’s double-header winter storms.
March 11, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A grassy area of colorful wildflowers.
Travel and Outdoors
How to turn your Richmond yard into a mini wildlife haven
Help beautify your neighborhood, and become part of a nationwide habit network.
March 10, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A dock in Woodstock, Virginia.
Travel and Outdoors
Northern Virginia day trips to add to your bucket list
Looking to escape Northern Virginia without going far? Here are eight day trips to go on throughout the year.
March 9, 2026
 · 
Ava Wojnowski
A hand-painted emblem represents Legend Brewing Company's "My Faire Lady" beer. The painting is in the shape of an oval with two overlaid gold and navy blue banners below the bottom rim of the oval; the first, outer layer of the oval includes the text, "My Faire Lady" and a wreath of greenery; the interier oval includes encompassing greenery over a red background on the top section and a green background on the bottom section; a white unicorn, central to the emblem, rears its front legs upward, and a woman wearing a navy blue dress with red and gold accent + a gold hood sits atop the unicorn, weilding an upward sword.
Events
RVA Ren Faire + Legend Brewing Co. collab on specialty beer + release party
“My Faire Lady” debuts this weekend. Learn about the beer, the party, and the inspiration behind the beer’s hand-painted symbol.
March 3, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A pink pillow with a needlepoint-made patch that reads, "Ask me about my needlepoint."
Culture
Where to find needlepoint supplies around Richmond, VA
Needlepoint is one of the hottest “anolog” hobbies right now. Find our where to find supplies and meet other stitchers.
March 2, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
A collection of sticky notes and pieces of colorful paper pined to a map, laid out on a table; the notes have writing on them.
City
Help shape RVA’s future with these three feedback opportunities
We found three online surveys to help you share feedback on budgeting, parks, and public safety.
February 25, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
RIC_varina_library_FEB
Culture
Library speed dating: Varina Area Library
Fall in love with your local libraries in and around Richmond.
February 23, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
An exhibit from The Valentine Museum of the lunch counter from Richmond sit-ins
History
Honoring the legacy of the Richmond 34
In February 1960, 34 Virginia Union Students were arrested for a sit-in protest — a pivotal moment in Richmond’s Civil Rights Movement.
February 20, 2026
 · 
Elise Steele
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