There’s lots in store for Richmond, Virginia residents and visitors this weekend!

Strawberry Hill Races takes place at Colonial Downs on Saturday with gates opening at 11 AM.  It’s a veritable rite of spring with spectators decked out in seersucker, sundresses and fancy hats worthy of Derby distinction. For the first time, the Virginia Racing Commission will permit pari-mutuel wagering on four steeplechase races. The Preakness Stakes, the second leg in horse-racing’s famed Triple Crown, a=is also scheduled for Saturday. It will be broadcast live via simulcast at about 6:35 PM.  INFO.   

Friday Cheers on Brown’s Island features Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. This concert by the self-styled “SupaFunkRock” group is part of a concert series that takes place every Friday evening 6 PM to 9 PM on Brown’s Island at Tredegar and South 7th Streets in Richmond’s downtown overlooking the James River, which began May 6 and runs until June 24th. Admission $5 for this concert. Schedule.

Anthem Stride Through Time is also on Saturday with waves beginning at 8:30 AM. This 10K takes place in the historic Fan District of Richmond.

At the Carpenter Theater, the Richmond Symphony Chorus and guest soloists join the Richmond Symphony in Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis” at 8 PM. TICKETS. Performance is repeated on Sunday May 22 at 3 PM.

The Valentine History Center will conduct a History Hounds tour of Ginter Park, the turn of the 20th century neighborhood on Richmond’s northside. This pet-friendly tour will meet at teh southwest corner of Brook Road and Westwood Avenue. Admission $10. Reservations Required. 804.649.0711, extension 301. On Sunday, visit the south Richmond neighborhood of Manchester, once a port city, once a major retail center, and once the county seat for Chesterfield.

Virginia State Capitol historian Mark Greenough will explain how Thomas Jefferson’s famed building accommodated Civil War governments for both the Commonwealth of Virginia and for the Confederacy. Meet Mark and Richmond National Battlefield Park Ranger Mike Gorman, who will highlight Civil War action around and on Capitol Grounds, at 2 PM at the Capitol, Ninth and Byrd Streets. FREE.

This is the last weekend for the exhibition “Dynasty & Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria.” The exhibition closes at 5 Pm on Sunday. Tickets are required.

And, of course, the River District Canal Cruises have started and run from noon to 5 PM beginning at the Canal Turning Basin on Sundays. Cruises also run Thursday through Saturday from noon to 7 PM during May. Tours are $6 for adults and run on the hour every hour during scheduled times. Reservations are available at either  (804) 649-2800 or (804) 788-6466.

Congratulations are in order for those graduates who are receiving their degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University in ceremonies scheduled for this weekend. Great Work! And a hearty southern welcome to the guests of Richmond’s premier bed and breakfast who are celebrating graduation!

George Washington’s vision for a canal system in Virginia began in the 18th century to bypass the falls of the James river.  By 1840, the canal was completed from Richmond to Lynchburg and passengers, wheat, and tobacco filled the boats that cruised its waters. The railroad thundered onto the scene by the 1880′s and canal travel was obsolete.  By the turn of the century, the canals were abandoned and fell into disrepair.  Today Richmond’s canal has been restored and flat-bottomed boats steered by your captain offer unmatched views of the city of Richmond as well as the natural beauty of the James River.   During the 40-minute tour on a 35-passenger flat-bottom boat, your captain will entertain you with tales of the city’s waterways and dynamic history as well as its canal wildlife, centuries old brick warehouses, cobblestone streets, iron railroad trestles and soaring highways.  This is truly an unforgettable experience in an unforgettable city.

You’re invited to step onto a canal boat and step back in time during May Thursday through Saturday noon to 7 PM, and Sundays noon to 5 PM.  In the summer months of June 2 through August 29th, the boats run Wednesday through Saturday Noon to 7 PM and Sundays Noon to 5 PM. Days of operation will be reduced in September, October and November, so plan your trip now and take advantage of this fabulous opportunity!  Adults $5, Seniors (65 years old and up) $4, children $4 or Free if 4 years old or under.  More information about Richmond’s River District.

Add this Richmond tradition to your agenda for your trip to Richmond Virginia and choose Richmond’s premier downtown bed and breakfast as your lodging option.  Free off-street parking, hearty gourmet breakfasts, and complimentary evening wine and snacks are all part of the package. Guests from around the world have delighted in the William Miller House Bed and Breakfast’s version of southern hospitality.

This weekend will be exciting at our historic Fan District Bed and Breakfast in Richmond, Virginia. Publick Days at Henricus Historical Park will be the happening attraction. A reproduction of Godspeed, one of the three ships that brought settlers to Jamestown, will be at the park and open for tours. The park recreates colonoial life with this special event on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 between 10 am and 5 pm. There will be a Powhatan English Tactical demonstration with a live “call to arms” and a mock Indian attack! You’ll also see blacksmiths, carpenters, and a lesson in 17th century surgery and medical practices. For more information, check www.henricus.org or call (804) 748-1613.

Also on the scorecard is “Country to the City” Forest Hill House Tour, where nine homes will be open to ticket-holders in the tree-shaded South Richmond neighborhood of Forest Hill. For more information, see www.foresthillneighborhood.com or call (804) 519-0214.

The canal cruise boats are still running; “Victorians at Home,” costumed ladies and gentlement guide tours at Maymont, Richmond’s own Gilded Age mansion; Sunday is a walking tour of Monroe Ward; American Bluegrass Masters will perform at the Carpenter Theater (CenterStage); and on Sunday evening 5 PM Susan Greenbaum concert sponsored by the Fan District Association will take place in Meadow Park, a few blocks from here.

So much to do, so little time.