Scott Elmquist

Thousands visited Richmond SailFest over the weekend on the James River at Intermediate Terminal and Dock Street Park. The Virginia Museum of History and Culture partnered with the city of Richmond to bring this colorful celebration of America’s 250th commemoration to the banks of the James, where three tall ships, live local music, living history exhibitions and a dramatic drone and fireworks show were among the highlights.

On Saturday, April 18, the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU marked its eighth anniversary with ICA Gala: Avant-Garden, an inaugural fundraising event that drew more than 600 Richmond civic leaders, artists, patrons, philanthropists, and guests to the Markel Center. Jayme Swain, president and CEO of VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media, was honored for her “leadership in building civic engagement and fostering connection among Virginians” (Disclosure: VPM owns Style Weekly).

Starting with a citywide water crisis the second week of January and ending with the election of the first woman to become governor of Virginia in November, the year 2025 was one of turmoil, triumph and trepidation in Richmond. Over the year, dozens of protests took place, and many thousands took to the streets in defense of democracy, marching against polarizing figures like Elon Musk, President Donald Trump, as well as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).