I can hardly believe another year has passed, and we’re in the month of trying to slow down and enjoy the season, all the while pulling our collective hair out trying to buy it all, wrap it all, cook it all, and celebrate it all.
There are so many ways to get into the holiday spirit in RVA, and I’m looking forward to visiting some of our tried-and-true favorite family spots, as well as checking out some of the new offerings this season. Our family is excited to visit WinterFest at Kings Dominion and witness the Eiffel Tower’s transformation into a 300-foot tall Christmas tree. And who hasn’t grown up dreaming of sneaking a toe into their famed International Street fountain? Now, you can actually ice skate on it! Kings Dominion has a ton going on this month, so head to our website and click on Local News under Community to read all about what they have in store.
I’m going to be sure our annual tacky light tour includes a visit to Walton Park this year. We’ve never crossed the river on our journey, but as I’ve learned by reading our feature on page 24, Chesterfield County is now the place to be to see some amazing light displays, and specifically the Walton Park neighborhood, where nearly all of the 900 homes there decorate for the holidays. I can’t wait to see them!
I got a sneak peek of GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and I’m here to report that you’re in for a feast for the eyes once again! I love that it’s different every year, so none of us ever tire of this holiday must-visit destination. This year’s theme, Bringing Art to Light, includes famous works of art brought to life through lights, as well as lots of partnerships with local arts organizations, including new displays and activities. And there are more lights than ever before – over a million! You’ll find more about this under our Local News tab as well.
One of our favorite family holiday traditions has our all-time favorite theme this year: ICE! at Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center is all about A Charlie Brown Christmas! Since we know just about every word of this TV classic, it was amazing to see the scenes recreated in ice. We have a ton of pictures in the photos section of our Facebook page, but they don’t do it justice, you have to experience the 9-degree fun of it for yourself. They also added a 25-minute show in the atrium this year, Cirque Dreams Unwrapped, and my family gave it two (eight, actually) thumbs up!
Back on the homefront, RVA has its own Cirque holiday show coming to town, with Cirque Musica flying into Altria Theater on Tuesday, December 11. It promises to be a concert and visual experience for the entire family, blending the spell-binding grace and daredevil athleticism of today’s greatest circus performers with some of the greatest holiday music of all time. I’m pretty excited about this holiday treat, even if it is on a school night!
From all of us at RFM, we wish you a joyous holiday season!
