Friday Cheers, Civil War Museum Opening, and Hollywood Cemetery Picnic This Weekend

As with Party For The Planet this past weekend, the Richmond riverfront around Oregon Hill should be pretty busy this coming weekend.

This Friday, public/private partnership, Venture Richmond starts back up their Friday Cheers concert series on Brown’s Island. They are claiming its their 35th season (though it seems like that would have to include time when there were not events on this part of the riverfront). This Friday, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real with Landon Elliott will be playing. Their photos are above. Tickets cost $10.

On Saturday, the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar will be holding a celebration in honor of its new building. The Times Dispatch recently had a sneak peak of this $25 million, 29,000-square-foot new museum, which is the result of the merger of two museums: the Museum of the Confederacy and the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar. The grand opening will include special guided tours of “A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America” exhibit, walking tours, and artifact encounters with curators. Event also features the hosts of BackStory, eight emerging scholars, and Triple Crossing Brewery, and food trucks.

Schedule highlights:
– 9 a.m.: Ribbon cutting
– 10 a.m., 2 p.m., & 4 p.m.: Cannon firing demonstration by Museum staff
– 10:30 a.m.: Live panel program with the hosts of the podcast, BackStory. (90 minutes)
– 12-4 p.m.: Emerging Scholars lightning talks, sponsored by The Civil War Monitor, also in collaboration with Emerging Civil War. (30 minutes each, beginning every 30 minutes at noon)
– 12-4 p.m.: Beer garden, by Triple Crossing Beer. Food trucks also onsite (TBA).

Cost: Free with Museum admission. Free for members.

And then on Sunday, the Annual Sunday Picnic at Hollywood Cemetery will take place from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket or chair, and join in for an annual tradition that dates back to the 1800s! Live music will be provided by the Oak Lane Band and UNCOMMON, a contemporary acapella band. An ice cream truck and hotdogs will be on site. Trolley tours will also be provided. The picnic is free to attend, but they do ask for RSVP in advance. Please email nrowe@hollywoodcemetery.org or call (804) 648-8501 to make reservations.

Hopefully, rains will hold off for these events, but the forecast is looking iffy.

10th Annual Civil War & Emancipation Day This Saturday

It’s that time of year when things start moving much faster and there about a million events on the weekend here in the R of the VA…

Here’s one just down the hill…

Tredegar hosts the 10th Annual Civil War & Emancipation Day this Saturday.

This free event allows participants to uncover the many stories of how the Civil War, Emancipation, and how their legacies shaped and continue to impact our community. In particular, this event commemorates the 150th anniversary of public education for all Virginians.

Here is the schedule of events:
-11 am: Cannon firing demonstration
-11:30 am: Storyteller, Jamar Jones (Quill Theater)
Historic Tredegar walking tour (American Civil War Museum)
-12 pm: Viriginia Union University choir
-12:30 pm: City Dance Theater
-1 pm: “Then and Now: Teaching the Civil War Era” panel discussion ( $ tickets required)
Panelists:
Lauranett Lee, Ph.D., University of Richmond
Donovan Livingston, educator and poet
Atif Qarni, Virginia Secretary of Education
Kathryn Shively, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
-1:30 pm: Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers
Brown’s Island walking tour with Ranger Mike Gorman
-2 pm: Dylan Prichett, storyteller
-3 pm: Canon firing demonstration
Food trucks and refreshments for purchase will be available onsite.

Foundry Series: Politics and the Supreme Court This Thursday

The American Civil War Museum and the John Marshall Foundation are holding an event at Historic Tredegar this Thursday at 6 pm.

Even during the Civil War era, political parties attempted to influence the makeup of the Supreme Court to further political agendas. Uncover how Lincoln and the Republicans reshaped the Court to advance the twin causes of liberty and union.

Featuring:

Dr. Timothy Huebner, Rhodes College, Memphis
Moderated by Dr. Henry L. Chambers, University of Richmond School of Law

Cost:
$10; $8 for Members

Click here for tickets.