Best of Virginia Winners
Table of Contents
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PETS
3rd
2SpeakDog
1st
All Dog Adventures
All Dog Adventures offers a flexible training schedule with 15 different instructors. Training options include dog sports, agility, Canine Good Citizen, therapy dog training, and tricks. All Dog Adventures continues to grow by offering education seminars for employees conducted by dog trainers from all over the world and expanding class offerings to accommodate the evolution of dog sports and activities.
2nd
Off Leash K9 Training
2nd
All Dog Adventures
1st
Holiday Barn Pet Resorts
Holiday Barn is a 48-year-old family business that provides fun pet vacation getaways, beautifying grooming services, customized dog training programs, and doggie day camp playgroups. The company is currently renovating the Glen Allen resort by building fresh new rooms for guests, and adding enrichment activities.
Address:
614 Johnston Willis Dr., Richmond – 3800 Mountain Rd., Glen Allen
Phone Number:
804-794-5400
Link:
theholidaybarn.com
3rd
Windy Hill Pet Care
1st
Barker Field at Byrd Park
Barker Field is Richmond’s oldest off-leash dog park. It is a fenced, multi-acre dog park situated in Richmond’s Byrd Park, behind the Carillon and Dogwood Dell outdoor theater. It is located on a wooded site with water, shelters, and seating. The park offers separate areas for large and small dogs.
2nd
Church Hill Dog Park at Chimborazo Park
3rd
Dorey Dog Park
3rd
Cary Street Veterinary Hospital
2nd
Locke A. Taylor Veterinary Hospital
1st
River City Veterinary Hospital
River City Veterinary Hospital establishes personal connections with patients and promotes the health and well-being of animals. Each vet aims to help you make informed and comfortable decisions to meet the medical needs of your furry loved ones in a family-oriented atmosphere. The clinic offers diagnostics, surgery, dental health, immunizations, and senior care.
ENTERTAINMENT & EVENTS
3rd
43rd Street Festival of The Arts
1st
Arts in the Park
More than 450 artists from around the U.S. gather in Byrd Park for the annual juried arts and craft show and display top-quality fine art paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, and home and garden accessories. Arts in the Park’s proceeds support charities, community programs, and local projects.
2nd
RVA First Fridays
2nd
Altria Theater
1st
The Byrd Theatre
The Byrd Theatre expands the big screen experience, celebrates the art of cinema, and preserves Virginia’s grand motion picture palace. The theater continues regularly scheduled Big Screen Classics, Family Classics, and Marathon Mondays. In 2020, expect directors’ talks, Mighty Wurlitzer Organ concerts, the annual horror month in October, the Big LeBYRDski Fest in November, and holiday films in December.
3rd
The Paramount Theater
2nd
Altria Theater
3rd
Innsbrook After Hours
1st
The National
This Victorian theater—distinctive for its Italian-renaissance design, wooden floors, brick walls, and seven full bars—opened in 1923 as a live performance and silent movie theater and reopened in 2008 as a live, general admission music venue. Lineups have featured artists such as Trey Anastasio, Willie Nelson, and The Flaming Lips.
2nd
Arts in the Park
3rd
Dominion Energy Riverrock
1st
Richmond Folk Festival
Richmond Folk Festival, a free three-day festival, has grown into the largest of its kind in the country, drawing upwards of 220,000 fans. The festival features an array of music and dance traditions from all over the world alongside a diverse range of local artists utilizing traditional music genres with a twang of creativity.
3rd
Broad Appétit
2nd
Carytown Watermelon Festival
1st
Richmond Greek Festival
The festival, planned for Aug. 27-30 this year, uses food to educate the Richmond community about the Orthodox Church and to share Greek traditions and culture. Shop in the Agora Marketplace, where vendors sell Greek crafts and handiwork, or try some moussaka, a popular Greek baked layer dish with eggplant, beef, cheese, and a bechamel sauce.
1st
Crossroads Art Center
Over the years, Crossroads Art Center has grown from its original 10,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet, representing more than 225 artists. The art center boasts the broadest selection of art in central Virginia, promoting awareness and understanding of art forms, from crafts to fine art. An expansion of the gallery exhibition space is set to debut this summer.
Address:
2016 Staples Mill Rd., Richmond
Phone Number:
804-278-8950
3rd
Gallery5
2nd
Quirk Gallery
3rd
Hollywood Cemetery
2nd
Maymont
1st
Monticello
Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s neoclassical “essay in architecture,” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that brings the past to life by sharing a comprehensive history of the plantation, the more than 600 enslaved, and its namesake. Guided tours are available daily. Beginning this year, all children under 12 are admitted free of charge.
Address:
931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy., Charlottesville
Phone Number:
434-984-9800
Link:
www.monticello.org
1st
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Upcoming garden exhibitions include Wind, Waves and Light: Art in Motion by George Sherwood, running now through Oct. 18, and Frida Khalo’s Garden, Sept. 1 through Oct. 20. Check out Flowers After 5 on Thursday evenings in August and early September, with live music, drinks, dining, and shopping. The 2020 summer outdoor series will offer dance demos on select evenings.
2nd
Maymont
3rd
Monticello
3rd
Massey on the River
2nd
Richmond SPCA Fur Ball
1st
Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k
Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K draws about 25,000 participants annually to run up a historic street alive with costumed runners, live music, and spirit groups. Funds support the Massey Cancer Center and Kids Run RVA to help educate and inspire people to live actively and build healthy, vibrant communities. This year they offered a virtual race for runners worldwide.
1st
Richmond Ballet
Richmond Ballet, the State Ballet of Virginia, flourishes as a home for the past, present, and future of dance. It awakens and uplifts the human spirit both for audiences and dancers. The ballet is offering summer camps and classes in August. Check the websites for updates on the fall season.
2nd
Richmond Symphony
3rd
Virginia Repertory Theatre
3rd
River City Roll
1st
Rosie’s Gaming Emporium
Rosie’s Gaming Emporium offers more than 700 HHR machines and a state-of-the-art gaming floor with cocktails, smoking lounges, and dine-in options. Founded in 2019 as one of the only gaming spots of its kind in Virginia, it is an adults-only, casino-esque emporium giving players the chance to win upwards of a $400,000 jackpot.
2nd
Tang & Biscuit
2nd
Science Museum of Virginia
3rd
The Children’s Museum
1st
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The VMFA is presenting Annabeth Rosen: Fables through April 2021 and Treasures of Ancient Egypt: Sunken Cities, through January 2021. Look for an Ansel Adams exhibition late next year. The museum will be celebrating the return of the renowned Mellon French Impressionist and British Sporting Art Collections in October.
OUTDOORS & ACTIVE
1st
ACAC
This year ACAC is expanding a medical program known as the Physician Referred Exercise Program. Patients meet with a nurse, nutritionist, and exercise physiologists to begin a plan of exercise. Also, many of the personal trainers are certified health coaches, offering clients expertise beyond traditional fitness routines. Amenities vary by location.
Address:
Locations in Charlottesville, Crozet, Glen Allen, Midlothian
Phone Number:
804-378-1600
Link:
acac.com
2nd
American Family Fitness
3rd
Weinstein JCC
1st
Belle Isle Trail
Belle Isle Trail is a 1.7-mile heavily trafficked loop that sits alongside the James River, featuring multiple historical sites, a bike skills park, and wheelchair accessibility. It offers a number of activity options, is accessible year-round, and is suitable for all ages. Dogs on leash are welcome.
3rd
Old Rag Mountain
2nd
Virginia Capital Trail
3rd
Clarksville Marina
2nd
Lake Anna Marina
1st
Rocketts Landing Marina
Rocketts Landing is home to Richmond’s only marina on the beautiful and historic James River, with annual, seasonal, monthly, weekly, and daily leases now available. The marina features a state-of-the-art floating dock system, offers 57 slips, and can accommodate boats up to 50 feet long.
3rd
Deep Run Park & Recreation Center
2nd
James River Park System
1st
Maymont
The Robins Nature Center is debuting a whole new James River experience for guests. Features include a 34-foot-tall sculpture for active play and learning within a series of netted climbing platforms, digital touch pools, a multimedia experience that replicates interactions of animals and water in a river environment, and an exploration area with tactile recreation opportunities.
2nd
Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond
3rd
Richmond Dance Center
1st
SPARC
SPARC programs provide transformative performing arts education to more than 3,000 students each year. Although all summer programs were cancelled due to the pandemic, SPARC has virtual offerings and looks forward to resuming programming in the fall.
1st
Independence Golf Club
Independence Golf Club is currently creating a full-service fast food restaurant, Monster Taco & More, to serve fresh tacos to players halfway through the course. The club also features the Tavern 19 restaurant, plus ropes courses and zip lines at its Canopy Adventure Park.
Address:
600 Founders Bridge Blvd., Midlothian
Phone Number:
804-601-8600
2nd
The Country Club of Virginia James River Course Richmond
3rd
The Federal Club
TRAVEL
2nd
Boar’s Head Resort
3rd
The Inn at Willow Grove
1st
Wintergreen Resort
Wintergreen Resort is a year-round club and resort, and home to one of the most popular ski areas in Virginia. Amenities include a full-service spa, 45 holes of golf, year-round tennis, 30 miles of hiking trails, a swimming and fitness center, Lake Monocan, yoga classes, children’s programs, and four restaurants.
Address:
39 Mountain Inn Loop, Wintergreen
Phone Number:
434-325-2200
3rd
Craddock Terry Hotel & Event Center
2nd
Quirk Hotel
1st
The Jefferson Hotel
The Jefferson Hotel is revered for its grandeur, showcasing Tiffany stained-glass windows, stately statues, and portraits throughout. Since 1895, it has created exquisite experiences featuring award-winning restaurants, suites, and the spa. The hotel is celebrating 125 years of hospitality this year.
1st
Dominion Aviation
One of Virginia’s oldest general aviation firms, this full-service company offers 21 planes and one helicopter. The business focuses on safety, with customer service running a close second—they even detail cars so they are clean when passengers return. This year, the team is building a new hangar and will be adding new planes to the fleet.
2nd
Martinair
3rd
Million Air
2nd
Museum District Bed & Breakfast
3rd
The Henry Clay Inn®
1st
The Inn at Little Washington
The inn evolves continually, refining more than 40 years of operation and high-quality service. The five-star country house features 23 bedrooms and suites, a famed restaurant, and a wine cellar. This summer, plan to visit James Beard award-winning chef Patrick O’Connell’s new PatiO’s Café and Bakery, a new alternative dining experience for guests.
KIDS
1st
Brilliant Summer at St. Catherine’s School
The Brilliant Summer camp at St. Catherine’s offers educational curriculum for kids of all ages through a Young Explorers Camp, special interest camps like babysitter certification and creative coding, and a Design Your Day Camp that allows kids to choose three to six topics to create their own camp experience.
3rd
Camp Hanover
2nd
YMCA Camp Thunderbird
1st
Collegiate School
Collegiate School is a JK-12 coed preparatory school that focuses on integrative learning through STEAM. The specially designed curriculum prepares students for life in a global world, offering programs like the annual International Emerging Leaders Conference, wellness initiatives, summer camps, sports, and arts.
2nd
Fredericksburg Christian School
3rd
Hargrave Military Academy
1st
Deep Run Park & Recreation Center
Deep Run Park opened in 1987 on 165 acres, featuring almost three and half miles of trails, newly upgraded playgrounds, lakes for fishing, shelters, basketball, and a renovated multi-purpose field. Deep Run Recreation Center was added in 2005 and hosts recreation programs.
3rd
Mary Munford Playground
2nd
PARK365
3rd
Defy Extreme Air Sports
2nd
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
1st
The Children’s Museum
The Children’s Museum inspires growth in all children by engaging families in learning through play. Party packages are designed for families who enjoy an exciting, well-organized party in a one-of-a-kind learning environment. The party fun starts in a special celebration room and continues with exploration of the entire museum.
2nd
Elizabeth’s Early Learning Center
3rd
Tuckaway Child Development & Early Education Centers
1st
Westhampton Day School
Westhampton Day School promotes intellectual, physical, and social/emotional development. This school year it will focus on Impact Projects—students, teachers, and families donate different supplies to help a local business or charity, like soda pop tops for The Ronald McDonald House, canned goods for CARITAS, and items for a local elementary school.
1st
Kings Dominion
This summer, Kings Dominion’s all-inclusive water park, Soak City, will feature a newly redesigned Coconut Shores where kids can splash in Sand Dune Lagoon, a 3,000-square-foot mini wave pool featuring playful one-foot-tall waves, and Lighthouse Landing, an aqua play structure with eight slides, hundreds of interactive elements, and two dumping buckets.
2nd
Maymont
3rd
Richmond Flying Squirrels
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