With Dominion RiverRock getting started, its also a good time to remind readers that the volunteer sign-ups for the James RIver Cleanup (June 11) and the RIchmond Folk Festival (Oct. 14-16) are available online.
The quote came from a James River News Hub post. The picture is from the North Bank Trail last week (see snake across the trail?):
Look for running, biking, and lots of visitors.
Listen for music.
From the festival website:
Dominion Riverrock is the East Coast’s premier outdoor lifestyle festival, bringing athletes, spectators, musicians, and even dogs to Brown’s Island for a two-day festival against the backdrop of Richmond’s downtown riverfront. The party begins on Friday with performances by Big Gigantic and Perpetual Groove, a 5k mud run, and acrobatic kayak and freestyle bike competitions. Then, join in the fun Saturday in high-adrenaline activities both in and around the river – like the James River Scramble 10k trail run, mountain biking, kayaking, Ultimate Air Dogs and much more. The festival culminates with a performance by Yonder Mountain String Band. New to the event in 2011 are bouldering and Stand Up Paddleboarding. With additional musical performances, food, exhibits and more, Dominion Riverrock is a must-do for people of all ages.
Really Really Free Market Saturday
School choice group meets Saturday
Disney’s Beauty and The Beast continues at the Landmark Theater
Pine Street yard/garage sale on Saturday-
May Day Parade…er…Celebration on Sunday
Pescados brunch service starts on Sunday
Monday is City Council budget meeting…perhaps we will see if Patrick Henry School gets more funding.
And don’t forget that Tuesday is the first official Byrd Market of the year!
Also Tuesday, there’s a meeting about Richmond’s transportation policy…I might have a few thoughts on that.
Despite the American Civil Liberties Union’s assistance, the memorandum opinion 4-28-11 came out today against the plaintiff.
From the Times Dispatch article:
A federal judge on Thurday morning turned down an ACLU bid that would allow an activist group to hold a May Day parade in Richmond without paying for off-duty police escorts.
“Obviously we’re very disappointed with the ruling, and our clients will have to make a decision on how to proceed,” said Rebecca Glenberg, legal director of the ACLU of Virginia.
In a ruling, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson wrote, among other things, that the group failed to show the Richmond police decision to deny the parade permit “was based on anything other than reasonable public policy considerations.”
The ACLU asked Hudson to allow the Richmond May Day Coalition/Organizing Committee to hold a May Day parade Sunday without paying $294 for off-duty police officers to serve as escorts.
The “May Day International Workers Day” was expected to draw 200 or more participants and involve marching bands, banners, flags, a bull horn and a small public address system, said city officials.
The parade would start at Monroe Park, proceed west on Main Street, north on Lombardy Street, east on Broad Street, south on Laurel Street and end back at Monroe Park.
From the Facebook page:
Richmond’s Really Really Free Market is celebrating 3 years this April!
Come join the community on Saturday April 30th from noon until 3pm at the corner of Main and Laurel in Monroe Park. Bring your excess and unwanted things- food, books, cds, movies, clothes, furniture, knick knacks, paddy whacks (no live animals though), to share with other people. Its good for the environment, its good for your wallet, and its good for building community.
This weekend is also May Day weekend, which includes workshops on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a rally and parade on Sunday. There will be out of town people around, so hopefully the RRFM will be a fun place to hang out. You can find out more about these events at www.maydayrva.org
Please bring games to play, music to play, balls or frisbees to throw around etc.
Anyone interested in performing, giving workshops, tabling with free literature etc. is more than welcome to.
As always, folks are encouraged to make their own fliers to advertise this event.This event and more can be found at www.rvaradicalendar.blogspot.com
Thanks to the City for giving our historic gazebo a fresh coat of paint.
This Saturday is the 2011 VCU Intercultural Festival.
The Richmond Audubon Society released a press release today that confirmed a sighting of a rare ‘Virginia Jesus’ bird on Oregon Hill’s riverside park this past Monday night.
“One of our members was walking down to the river just before dawn and was pleasantly surprised to see the bird sitting on a park bench”, said the group’s President. “We immediately contacted James River Park City manager Ralph White about the sighting.”
Ralph White, who has been ecstatic about the great blue heron rookery on the Pipeline portion of the James this year, was also happy to give more details about this new avian serendipity.
“The ‘Virginia Jesus’ is a species unique to Central Virginia, although it has ‘cousins’ all over the world”, he explained. He went on to say the ‘Virginia Jesus’ bird sighting was another great sign of the James River’s natural recovery after years of pollution and neglect. Most people think of the Australian Jesus Bird, which is famous for it’s ability to walk on water.
From announcement:
May Day 2011 Richmond, VA | Workshops | Rally | Parade
April 30, 2011 – May 1, 2011Sunday May 1, 2011
Monroe Park (VCU Campus)
Music / Gathering: 3:00 pm
Rally / Food Not Bombs / Speakers: 4:00 pm
Parade: 5:00 pm
Closing Ceremonies: 6:00 pm