June 2026 Issue

Elderberry Roulette: Tonic or Toxin?

When your author was in high school, and an ardent devotee of that status-killing demographic “theatre kids,” I took part in a production of the play Arsenic and Old Lace. For those unfamiliar with this venerable comedy, it features two dotty elderly spinster sisters, Abby and Martha, who—solely out of kind-hearted compassion, they insist—murder lonely […]

by caroline kettlewell

Celebrating Virginia voices at the Virginia Literary Awards

Each year, the Commonwealth’s finest writers gather in Richmond for the Virginia Literary Awards, sponsored by the Library of Virginia Foundation, for the state’s most anticipated literary celebration. Now in its 28th year, the gala honors outstanding authors across five categories: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, children’s literature, and literary lifetime achievement. Readers statewide vote online for […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Sail250 Virginia Brings Tall Ships From Around the World

When more than 60 tall ships and military vessels from 30 countries glide into Virginia waters this June, they’ll carry centuries of seafaring history—and usher in one of the most ambitious celebrations America has ever staged. Sail250 Virginia, the Commonwealth’s landmark commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, runs June 12–23, transforming Norfolk and 11 affiliate […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Norfolk Harborfest Returns for Its 50th Anniversary

From June 19–21, Downtown Norfolk welcomes a fleet of over 60 international and U.S. tall ships to celebrate VA250. “Harborfest celebrates the rich maritime and naval heritage that defines Norfolk and the Hampton Roads region,” says Jordan Lett, marketing director of Norfolk Festevents. “With something happening throughout the waterfront each day, Harborfest offers an immersive […]

by Abby Borgeson

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Opens a Transformed Campus

Nestled in the heart of Richmond, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has long been a sanctuary where seasons are celebrated, curiosity is cultivated, and the natural world is honored. Founded on the estate of 19th-century businessman and philanthropist Lewis Ginter, the garden officially opened to the public in 1984. Over the decades, it has grown into […]

by Madeline Mayhood

The Life And Legend of Duke, The Hoarding Golden Retriever

There is a golden retriever in Richmond who has solved a problem that has plagued mankind since the invention of interior design: the problem of things being where you left them. His name is Duke, he is 11 years old, and he has decided, with supreme confidence, that everything in the house belongs in his […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Best Patriotic Cocktails to Celebrate VA250

Plan the perfectly patriotic party to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial with these red, white, and blue cocktails that will quench your thirst all spring and summer long. Sip and serve these stylish stars-and- stripes–inspired libations created by some of Virginia’s finest distilleries. Enjoy the tart and sweet flavor of huckleberries on a warm, relaxing evening or […]

by Abby Borgeson

Collect Stamps at Historic Sites with VA250 Passport

This is a big year for the United States. We’ve been independent for two and a half centuries, and our country’s cities and states are commemorating this milestone. As the site of several Revolutionary War events, including the decisive final battle of the war at Yorktown, Virginia offers plenty to visit and learn. VA250, organizer […]

by Elizabeth Cogar

Why Summer Camp Traditions Still Matter for Kids and Families

“A happy, wholesome vacation … which will strengthen the soul as well as the mind.” That was the promise Camp Mont Shenandoah made to its campers in the summer of 1927. A century later, it’s still delivering—proof that some rites of passage don’t fade. Stitched from mountain air, mirrored rivers, and the belief that character can be […]

by Kinsey Gidick

Inside Ken Burns’ Documentary with David Schmidt and Sarah Botstein

David Schmidt spent his childhood doing more than reading about history in textbooks: He lived it. Growing up in James City County, Schmidt’s mother enrolled him in programs at Colonial Williamsburg, and by age 7, he was participating in the living history museum; at 10, he joined the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps, performing […]

by Madeline Mayhood

A Conversation with Best-Selling Author David Baldacci

From reading thrillers in downtown Richmond to becoming one of the biggest names in the genre, author David Baldacci makes Virginia proud. It all started with a confident letter to an agent pitching his debut book: “I’m David Baldacci, an attorney in Washington, D.C. This is about the President, a murder, a burglar, and a […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Imagining Best Products at The Branch Museum of Design

The imaginative, one-of-a-kind Best Products retail buildings of the 1970s and 1980s are getting their moment in Richmond. Imagining Best Products (May 7–June 21) at The Branch Museum of Design traces the visually radical retail experiments led by Richmonders Francis and Sydney Lewis—Best’s owners and passionate art collectors—who partnered with architects James Wines, Malcolm Holzman, […]

by Elizabeth Cogar

Baltik’s Bagel Rises to the Top at New York BagelFest

It’s no secret that New York City has some of the best bagels in the world. So when a Richmond-based shop walked into New York’s BagelFest 2025 and left with the People’s Choice Award, you know their bagels are serious. Baltik’s Bagel, owned by Yero Rudzinskas, achieved the impossible, putting Richmond on the map for […]

by Sadie Porter

Ken Burns Wins the First-Ever Commonwealth Prize

When the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond established The Commonwealth Prize to commemorate America’s 250th, they defined the ideal recipient’s accomplishments as “exemplary patriotic service or extraordinary and lasting contributions to the history and culture of Virginia.” As a career chronicler who has illuminated our nation’s past through his documentary films on […]

by Elizabeth Cogar

Grill Like a Pro with Tips From Belmont Butchery

What better way to wish your old man a happy Father’s Day than to prepare the perfect cookout? Tanya Cauthen at Richmond’s Belmont Butchery has the perfect tips to get you started. The key to success is knowing your audience: Is your dad the one who wants to man the grill? Or does he want […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

How Music Therapy Can Rewire the Brain

There’s a video that has circulated widely on social media—an Alzheimer’s patient who hasn’t spoken in years suddenly singing along to a beloved song, clear and present, as if the fog had lifted entirely. For most people, it’s a moving mystery. For Audrey Weatherstone, it’s science. Weatherstone is a board-certified music therapist at Sheltering Arms […]

by Madeline Mayhood

VCCA: The Quiet Virginia Residency with a Loud Legacy

Tucked away in Amherst County, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) has been quietly incubating celebrated literary voices since 1971, offering writers, visual artists, and composers uninterrupted time and space to create. Fellows like Alice McDermott and Beth Macy have gone on to win Pulitzers, National Book Awards, and MacArthur Genius Grants. “This […]

by Madeline Mayhood

10 VA250 Events to Celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial

The Flame of Revolution: 5th Va Convention Williamsburg May 15–16: Embark on a historical journey and learn how Williamsburg served as the political center for the American Revolution. View powerful reenactments and fireworks while understanding how the 13 original colonies came together. ColonialWilliamsburg.org Memorial Day Parade & Festival Falls Church May 25: Falls Church honors […]

by Abby Borgeson

Buc-ee’s Opens Its First Virginia Location

If you happened to be standing near the I-81 exit for Mt. Crawford in the early morning hours of this past June 30, you’d have witnessed a spectacle. Shoppers flooded into the parking lot and shuffled into block-long lines in hopes of being among the first through the doors of Virginia’s first Buc-ee’s travel station. […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Norfolk Harborfest Returns for Its 50th Anniversary

by Abby Borgeson

U.S. News & World Report Names This Virginia School as One of The Best in The Nation

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology’s streak of hard-hitting accolades continues this year with a glowing review from U.S. News & World Report. The outlet recently crowned it the top high school in Virginia—and fifth best in the nation—for 2026. The ranking praised the Fairfax-based magnet school’s STEM-focused curriculum that builds toward a […]

by Eric J. Wallace

June 2026 Issue

Elderberry Roulette: Tonic or Toxin?

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Buc-ee’s Opens Its First Virginia Location

Norfolk Harborfest Returns for Its 50th Anniversary

U.S. News & World Report Names This Virginia School as One of The Best in The Nation

June 2026 Issue

Elderberry Roulette: Tonic or Toxin?

Current Issue

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Most Popular

Buc-ee’s Opens Its First Virginia Location

Norfolk Harborfest Returns for Its 50th Anniversary

U.S. News & World Report Names This Virginia School as One of The Best in The Nation

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