Sunday Vintage Market; Back Porch @ GlobeHopper: Eco-Friendly Painting 101; Planning Commission meeting on June 2008 Draft Downtown Master Plan; Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Meeting; open mic @ Poe’s Pub; Introduction to Organic Gardening ; Mini Flicks & Stories; Thursday Fresh Market; Unhappy Hour @ the Poe Musem; 4th Friday Artwalk; Christine Gibson Memorial Concert; 19th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Race; Shockoe Chef Showdown; MORE…

Sunday Vintage Market

Sun Jul 20 9:00 am
@ 17th Street Farmers’ Market
Antiques, collectibles, jewelry and fine arts and crafts. Free admission.
For more information call 804-646-0310 or visit http://www.17thstreetfarmersmarket.com.

Planning Commission meeting on June 2008 Draft Downtown Master Plan

Mon Jul 21 6:00 pm
The City of Richmond Planning Commission will discuss further revisions to and consider adoption of the June 2008 Draft Downtown Master Plan on Monday, July 21. The meeting is open to the public, but there will not be a public hearing. The discussion on the Downtown Master Plan will be held at the end of the regular meeting agenda and will begin no earlier than 6PM. The meeting will be held in the fifth floor conference room of City Hall.

Please visit the Downtown Master Plan web page to view the June 2008 draft plan and to view other information, including: achievements in the 1997 Downtown Plan, meeting minutes from public hearings, and information on other events that have occurred as part of the planning process.

Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Meeting

Mon Jul 21 5:30 pm
@ Sette

Back Porch @ GlobeHopper: Eco-Friendly Painting 101

Mon Jul 21 6:30 pm
This Monday, July 21, come join us for a mini-workshop: Eco-Friendly Painting 101. Guest speakers Carrie Williar of Dramatic Changes and founder of the Richmond Sustainable Living Network, and Derek and Becky Metzler of Urban Painters and BTR Enterprises Inc. will share with us their extensive knowledge of eco-friendly paint options and techniques. Come to learn and share ideas about the benefits of green building and the ways we can creatively retrofit and rebuild our houses to be healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly. For more information and a monthly schedule, visit www.globehoppercoffee.com or www.backporchenergy.org.

open mic @ Poe’s Pub

Tue Jul 22 8:00 pm
acoustic open mic at Poe’s Pub on East Main, hosted by Jim Daab. Sign up is at 8:30, music starts at 9, goes until closing @2AM
2607 East Main Street

Introduction to Organic Gardening

Thu Jul 24 6:30 pm
Tricycle Gardens are presenting the first of a series of workshops on organic gardening: Introduction to Organic Gardening (7/24), Getting Started with Organic Gardening (8/7), and Fall Gardening and Winter Preparations (9/11). Each workshop will cost $15 and take place at 211 West 7th Street in Old Manchester. Please contact allison@tricyclegardens.org if you have questions. Find out more: http://chpn.net/news/2008/07/12/tricycle-gardens-announces-organic-gardening-workshops/

Mini Flicks & Stories

Thu Jul 24 10:30 am
@ Hull Street Library
for preschool & kindergarten children

Thursday Fresh Market

Thu Jul 24 8:30 am
@ 17th Street Farmers’ Market
Farm fresh and homegrown straight from the region’s farms to your home. Homemade and handcrafted right here by highly artistic Richmonders. Free.
For more information call 804-646-0310 or visit http://www.17thstreetfarmersmarket.com

Unhappy Hour @ the Poe Musem

Thu Jul 24 6:00 pm
Matt Koon Foundation
cash bar, refreshments, free museum admission

4th Friday Artwalk

Fri Jul 25 7:00 pm
Celebrate the 4th Friday Art Walk at ArtWorks, Art Space, 1212 Gallery and others.

Christine Gibson Memorial Concert

Fri Jul 25 7:00 pm
@ Canal Club’s Downstairs Lounge
Admission: $5.00 - all ages

19th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Race

Sat Jul 26 11:00 am
@ Brown’s Island, Free admission, 11am-4pm
A premier family event! Pay for a duck or ten and we will send them all down the Canal at Brown’s Island. As the waterway narrows, the ducks feed one by one across the finish line. The first ducks to pass through win prizes for you! Attendees will be able to enjoy vendor displays, great food and drinks along with plenty of family entertainment. For more information call 804-346-5722 or see www.bigbrobigsis.com.

Shockoe Chef Showdown

Sat Jul 26 11:00 am
@ 17th Street Farmers’ Market, Free admission

Calling all Culinary Masters in Shockoe Valley from the Slip to the Bottom and beyond! So, you think you have what it takes to compete for title of Top Chef in Richmond’s Shockoe Districts? This event will pit the Savory-savvy Gurus from Shockoe Slip against the Flavor-chic Experts of Shockoe Bottom, with some local homegrown culinary talent thrown into the pot to spice things up a bit! Competition will be hot with three dish categories to enter: Meat-based dish, Vegetarian-based dish, and Dessert! But you know what they say… “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen…” and get down to the 17th Street Farmers’ Market for the very first Shockoe Chef Showdown! For more information call 804-646-0310.