Weekend Top 5

The Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will take place from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 22-24. This holiday tradition featuring millions of lights was voted one of the Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights in the U.S. by USA Today in 2023. There will be model trains in the Kelly Education Center, a warming fire in the Children's Garden, a fairy village in the Lora M. Robins Library, and other exhibits. Hot chocolate, s'mores and other beverages and treats will be available for purchase at the Carriage House. This year's theme is "Homes & Habitats: A Celebration of Connection." GardenFest continues through Jan. 5 but is closed Thanksgiving Day and Dec. 24-25. Tickets are $12 to $22 for nonmembers and $8 to $12 for Garden members. Click here for details or call (804) 262-9887.

The Richmond Holiday Craft Show will take place at the Henrico Sports and Events Center on Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Discover a wide variety of handmade crafts, jewelry, art and more from talented local artisans. Saturday admission (with free return on Sunday) is $10. Sunday-only admission is $8. Click here for details.

The Richmond VA Comicon will take place Saturday, Nov. 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Richmond Raceway. There will be a costume contest in addition to a variety of exhibitors and artists selling comics and toys. Tickets are $10 to $20 and are available online only; no tickets will be sold at the door. Kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Parking is free. For details, visit vacomicon.com/events/fall2024.

Travel back in time 250 years ago to when tea parties meant more than just tea and cookies. Protests sparked across the 13 original colonies with citizens destroying tea, setting ships ablaze, and creating formal resolutions to demonstrate their beliefs. Meet Loyalist and Patriot citizens as well as British soldiers to get their thoughts on this year of protests. Sample the same types of tea dumped overboard and some sweet treats. There also will be family-friendly crafts and activities, games, and historic music. The Henrico 250 event "Tea at the Tavern" takes place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Walkerton Tavern. Admission is free. For details, click here, email den63@henrico.gov, or call (804) 501-PARK.

Amanda Tyler, author of "How to End Christian Nationalism," will speak Sunday, Nov. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at River Road Church, Baptist. "How to End Christian Nationalism" is the essential guidebook for Christians alarmed by the rising tide of Christian nationalism, yet unsure how to counter it. Join Tyler for a timely discussion about the threat of this dangerous ideology and learn about how she drew on her experiences, conversations with pastors and laypeople, research, scripture, and her Baptist convictions to write this new book. Tyler is executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), leading the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty: defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $10. Books will be available for purchase before and after the presentation. Part of the Distinguished Speaker Forum at RRCB. Click here for details.

Looking for more fun things to do in Henrico? Check out our enhanced community calendar where you can now search by date or event type. Click here to submit an event for the calendar.