Weekend Top 5
Table of Contents
The Dachshund Enlightenment Foundation will host its 4th annual RVA Dachtoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richmond Raceway Complex. Enjoy a day of dachshund-themed fun for families and dogs, including wiener dog racing, costume and mini contests, guest speakers, demonstrations, vendors, raffles, and more. Advance tickets (through Oct. 3) are $10. For details, visit definc.org/dachtoberfest.
The Glen Allen Ruritan Club and Henrico Recreation & Parks will host the 2025 Glen Allen Day on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Crump Park. A parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of John Cussons Drive and Mountain Road, traveling to Meadow Farm/Crump Park. A vendor fair at the park will follow from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring more than 100 vendors, food trucks, stage entertainment and family activities. Admission is free. For details, visit henrico.gov/calendar/glen-allen-day-2025.
The Varina Fair, hosted by Varina American Legion Post 233, Henrico County and Virginia Career Works, will take place Saturday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Road in Varina. The free event will feature a car, truck and bike show from 10 a.m. to. 3 p.m., with first, second and third place winners announced at the end of the day. (The fee to enter the show is $20 at the entrance.) Visitors also can enjoy a Scout demonstration by Troops 500 and 501, a line dance show and demos by RVA’s Kat, General and Crystal, and a special Tai Chi demonstration. Music will be provided by DJ Smooth, and guests will have the chance to meet Henrico County leaders, VIPs and staff. Food, prizes, vendors and family-friendly activities will round out the celebration. For details, call (804) 859-1359 or email varinastrong@gmail.com. For details about the auto show, email al233varinapost@gmail.com.
Book People will host Thrillers with Teeth: Page-Turners with Purpose, a panel discussion by mystery writers, on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Moderated by John Copenhaver, each panelist brings something distinct to modern storytelling. From KT Nguyen’s sharp, culturally layered storytelling; to Katharine Schellman’s fierce, justice-driven historical heroines; to LynDee Walker’s fast-paced, journalistically savvy thrillers; to I.S. Berry's psychologically astute, morally complex spy fiction; to John Copenhaver's own queer, noir-tinged historical mysteries. Each of these writers works within the crime and thriller tradition, but they are also twisting it—challenging tropes, expanding who gets to tell these stories, and raising the stakes beyond just whodunit. This event will spotlight how crime fiction can entertain and interrogate power, recover lost narratives, and ask bigger questions about justice. Admission is free. Click here for details.
The Shady Grove Coffeehouse at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in Glen Allen will present singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Kaplansky started out singing in Chicago folk music clubs as a teenager. She has now been in the industry for more than 30 years and has released 10 albums, many of which have won awards. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door; teens 13-18 are admitted at half price, and children 12 and under are free. Doors open at 7 p.m. Coffee, tea, and baked goods are available for purchase. The Shady Grove Coffeehouse is a folk music concert series now in its 24th season. For details, call (804) 323-4288 or visit shadygrovecoffeehouse.com.
Looking for more fun things to do in Henrico? Check out our enhanced community calendar where you can search by date, event type or location. Click here to submit an event for inclusion in the calendar.
