40 YEARS OF THE DIAMOND
Before the shovels hit the dirt for its replacement, Richmond took a moment to celebrate an icon. The Diamond turned 40 this year. Since the doors opened in 1985, The Diamond has been the backdrop of home runs, tee shirt tosses, movie nights, nut races, fireworks and more. This year, to say goodbye, fans poured in for a season-long celebration of the ballpark’s greatest moments. From classic Richmond Braves nostalgia to the Squirrels’ most hilarious and chaotic theme nights, the Flying Squirrels final Home series was one for the history books. Diamond’s might not be forever, but the memories certainly are.
THE WATER CRISIS OF 2025
No one in Richmond will ever forget “that week” in 2025. A major city-wide water outage swept through the city, taking out showers, dishwashers, and everyone’s will to live for several very nasty, dramatic, days. Restaurants scrambled, schools adjusted, breweries and coffee shops got creative, in the five to six days that will forever bond us. May the collective struggle never be forgotten and the water in our pipes flow cleanly forever.
ALLIANZ AMPHITHEATER OPENS
Richmond officially leveled up its live-music game with the grand opening of the Allianz Amphitheater, a bright and shiny, new, riverfront venue that immediately became the place to be. Opening weekend sold out in minutes, drawing thousands to the James River for shows under the skyline. The amphitheater quickly joined the ranks of Richmond staples. 2025 will be remembered as the year RVA claimed its spot on the national touring circuit map. Pretty cool actually.
TOP 50 QUEER CITIES
For the first time ever, Richmond landed on Lonely Planet’s list of the most queer-friendly travel destinations! What we’ve always known is finally being acknowledged globally. The vibrant, joyful, deeply rooted LGBTQIA+ community that has shaped the city for decades is finally getting their moment in the spotlight. From state-wide Pride festivals, and local drag shows, to the queer-owned businesses and locally run arts spaces, RVA showed the world what inclusivity can look like when it’s lived, not just talked about. The recognition really does only affirm what locals already know: Richmond is, and has long been, a haven for creativity, identity, individuality, and chosen family.
Rest in Peace Vicky Hester, the owner of Babe’s. In addition to being one of our favorite places in the city, Babe’s is also one of the oldest lesbian bars in the country, a detail that surely influenced Lonely Planet’s ranking of our city.
40 YEARS OF FRIDAY CHEERS
A Richmond tradition hit a major milestone in 2025 as Friday Cheers celebrated 40 years of live music rolling across Brown’s Island. What started as small riverfront shows has grown into a beloved, multi-week citywide ritual. Generations of Richmonders have kicked off their weekends here. From dancing barefoot in the grass, listening to artists who somehow blow up six months later, and watching the sun set behind the bridges Friday Cheers is one of our favorite traditions. This anniversary season honored its roots with throwback acts, local talent, and crowds that proved RVA will always show up for good music and even better vibes.
50 YEARS OF KINGS DOMINION
From roller coaster legends to funnel-cake-powered summers, Kings Dominion turned 50 this year, marking half a century of thrills just up the road from Richmond. The park unveiled special events, nostalgic merch, and a lineup of revamped rides that had both locals and tourists re-living childhood memories. Whether you're loyal to the Dominator, a Soak City regular, or still bragging about riding the Shockwave (RIP), this golden anniversary reminded everybody why KD has been a regional rite of passage for five decades.
Here’s the top 5 Kings Dominion rides of ALL TIME (according to our team):
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5. Racer 75 (Rebel Yell)
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4. Shockwave (RIP)
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3. Drop Tower
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2. THE Grizzly
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1. Pantherian (Intimidator 305) OBVIOUSLY
THE BYRD MAKES VARIETY’S TOP 21 COOLEST THEATERS
In a massive win for RVA’s cultural scene, the Byrd Theatre was recognized by Variety as one of the Top 21 Coolest Theaters in the World. The world! The 1928 movie palace shined on the global stage with its opulent interior, Mighty Wurlitzer organ, $5 ticket prices (bless), and the kind of charm you can’t fake. Richmonders have always known the Byrd is special, but this year the rest of the world caught on. Even in it’s revamp… Long live the chandelier, the ghosts, the velvet, and the pre-show organ flourish.
VIRGINIA WILL SURVIVE AN ALIEN INVASION
In one of the strangest but most delightful headlines of 2025, a national study ranked Virginia NUMBER 1 among the top states most likely to survive an alien invasion. And We took that personally. Social feeds filled with memes, local shops sold (even more) alien-themed merch, and the city leaned into its newfound extraterrestrial resilience. Whether it’s our resourcefulness, our terrain, or our general ability to “figure it out,” RVA embraced the honor like the quirky badge of pride it absolutely is.
20 YEARS OF BLANCHARD'S
What’s more Richmond than coffee? And what’s more Coffee than Blanchard’s? Richmond’s favorite coffee roaster celebrated 20 years of keeping the city caffeinated. From its humble beginnings to its status as a regional roasting powerhouse, Blanchard’s has become woven into the daily rhythm of this city. The anniversary brought limited roasts, celebrations, and plenty of love for a Richmond original that has shaped our coffee culture since 2005.
Here’s a list of other notable events from 2005 that we think Blanchard’s is better than:
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Microsoft launched the XBOX 360
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The first ever YouTube video
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Google introduced Google Maps
50 YEARS OF THE A-10 CONFERENCE
Richmond is a college-sports town through and through, and in 2025 the Atlantic 10 Conference (A10) celebrated its 50th anniversary. With VCU continuing to make noise on the national Men’s basketball stage and U of R doing the same for the Women’s game, the milestone hits close to home. The VCU Women’s Volleyball team played in the A10 Championship this fall, but lost to Loyola Chicago in the fifth set. But there’s still hope for both Richmond’s and VCU’s Winter and Spring sports to take home championships in their monumental 50th year. The conference is hosting special events throughout the year that highlight its competitive legacy.
For Richmond fans, it’s a reminder of the countless buzzer-beaters, tournament runs, the heartbreak-turned-hype, and hype-turned-heartbreak that has defined the A10 for five decades.
U of R joined the A10 In 2001, while VCU followed suit later in 2012.
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