Richmond beer/outdoors lovers take not: Sierra Nevada has come up with a brew especially for you. Dominion Energy Riverrock, Sports Backers, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. have partnered to create ‘Let’s Go RVA IPA,’ a session IPA brewed exclusively for the three-day sports and music festival set for May 18-20 at Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar.

Sierra Nevada describes the Let’s Go RVA IPA as “light and refreshing, yet packed with hop flavor. Expect a burst of bright citrus and tropical fruit aromas, followed by a crisp finish that keeps you coming back for more.” The name is based on the Sports Backers slogan ‘Let’s Go RVA!’ which is meant to inspire and motivate active living and celebrate the region’s outdoor recreation opportunities.

Let’s Go RVA IPA Facts and Figures
4.8% ABV 34 IBU
Grist: Pale, pilsner, oats, wheat
Hops: Magnum, Citra, El Dorado, Loral, Nelson Sauvin, Mandarina Bavaria, Huell Melon

Let’s Go RVA IPA will be available during Dominion Energy Riverrock as well as at the 5PT Adventure Film Festival presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. on May 17 at The Broadberry. The film festival will feature an evening of inspirational adventure films followed by live music from the Larry Keel Experience. Sierra Nevada is donating a portion of beer sales during the 5PT Adventure Film Festival to rvaMORE, a local nonprofit whose mission is to enhance trail experiences through people, tools, and advocacy. Advance film festival tickets are on sale now for $10 and can be purchased online at https://ticketf.ly/2H6D3sC.

In addition to the 5PT Adventure Film Festival, Let’s Go RVA IPA can also be found at various locations around Richmond, including Boulevard Burger and Brew, Capital Ale House (Main St. location), Colonial Kitchen & Market (New Kent), Dash In Dash Out, Fat Dragon, Heritage, Independence Golf Course, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Kroger (14101 Midlothian Turnpike), Salisbury Country Club, Southern Railway Deli, Strawberry Street Café, The Caboose (Ashland), The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer, Toast, Whole Foods Market (11173 W. Broad Street), Wong Gonzalez, and Zzaam Fresh Korean Grill.

(Home page image courtesy of Riverrockrva.com)

Every year the Sports Backers have the challenge of keeping Riverrock, the annual outdoor recreation and music festival, feeling fresh for the 100,000 or so Central Virginians who will descend on the Brown’s Island area in mid-May. This year is no different. The three-day event will feature several new events and challenges over the course of the May 18-20 festival weekend.

Bouldering at Riverrock. Credit: Sports Backers

New events taking place on Friday, May 18, include the Mountain Bike Time Trial and Belle Isle Blitz. In the Mountain Bike Time Trial, participants will set out to get the fastest finishing time on a rugged course on the James River Park System trails. The time trial starts at 6:30 p.m., and riders will go off in one-minute intervals. At 7:15 p.m. on Friday, the Belle Isle Blitz is a chip-timed race over a roughly 5k course that will offer a fun and unique challenge to hard-core trail runners. Starting on the south side of the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge and finishing in the Belle Isle parking lot, the Blitz also features a dog wave for participants who want to take on the trails with their four-legged friends by their side.

On Saturday, May 19, the inaugural Sierra Nevada Down River Paddle takes place at 11:30 a.m. Using their kayak, canoe, or SUP, participants will take off in one-minute intervals, starting at Reedy Creek. They will battle some of the river’s most challenging rapids as they race to the finish at the 14th street takeout, with the fastest male and female times winning.

On May 20, the Sunday Funday Ride allows bike riders of all ages to take part in a casual cruise while exploring the best of RVA. Setting off at 1:30pm, the Sunday Funday Ride features a 10-mile and 25-mile course option, and, for those still in need of a little friendly competition, the ride will feature several timed segments through Strava, where riders can compete for bragging rights. Both courses will start in the Belle Isle parking lot and will include one on-course aid station.

These new additions to Dominion Energy Riverrock will also help form two new weekend-long challenges: the River Rumble and Trail Trio. The River Rumble, a combination of running, paddling, and biking, is comprised of the James River Scramble 10k trail run, the Sierra Nevada Down River Paddle, and the Urban Assault Mountain Bike Race. A male and female will be crowned River Rumble champion based on the fastest combined time in all three events, and the Rumble will challenge participants’ endurance on Richmond’s signature trails and rapids. River Rumble participants will also receive a discount on their overall entry and a unique River Rumble participant shirt, while the champions will earn additional, and well-deserved, bragging rights.

The Trail Trio, incorporating the Belle Isle Blitz, James River Scramble, and Bust the Banks trail half marathon, will be a true test of trail running skill over a three-day span. The Trail Trio offers challenges at a variety of distances and takes participants to the North Bank Trail, Buttermilk Trail, Belle Isle, Potterfield Bridge, and Brown’s Island in pursuit of the special Trail Trio finisher medal and legendary status, among other finisher items.

Registration for all Dominion Energy Riverrock events and challenges is currently open. Click here for more information and to register.

Which city on Earth has the most nature and the most engaged residents? City Nature Challenge 2018 aims to find out. Join The Nature Conservancy and partners as they explore metro Richmond, discovering and documenting the biodiversity of our urban spaces.

It’s easy to participate in this friendly competition. Kicking off April 27 at 12:01 am in each time zone, the Challenge runs through April 30, 11:59 pm. Join an event or make observations on your own using the iNaturalist app. Just download the app, then take a picture of a plant or animal in the app, and the iNaturalist community will help you identify them. Any observation made in the metro Richmond area — including the Cities of Richmond and Petersburg and Charles City, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and New Kent Counties — during the preset time period (April 27-30) will count during the four day challenge.

Building on the success of the first City Nature Challenge in 2016 between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the 2017 City Nature Challenge across 16 US cities, the event is going global in 2018. More than 60 cities on five continents are taking part in the City Nature Challenge – and Richmond is one of them! Click here for the full list of cities. Results will be announced Friday, May 4, so be sure to upload your observations by then!

Last year over 126,000 observations were logged in 5 days by over 4,000 citizen scientists, representing more than 8,500 species in the United States. The City Nature Challenge is organized by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences.

Our friends at the Blue Sky Fund need your help. For their 3rd annual crowdfunding campaign, dubbed Blue Skies Ahead, they’ve given themselves only 36 hours to raise $20,000 for their outdoor education and adventure programs. And the clock is already ticking! It started at 6 a.m. this morning and ends tomorrow (Wednesday, April 18th) at 6 p.m.

Over the next two days the non-profit dedicated to providing transformational experiences for Richmond’s urban youth will be sharing behind-the-scenes looks at some of our their programs as well as introducing possible donors to some of the students, teachers, and parents who have been impacted by the work they do.

As Executive Director David Kunnen said in the above video, here are some specific ways that you can help make the #BlueSkiesAhead campaign a success:

1. Donate. The #BlueSkiesAhead link is live until 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Help us reach our goal of $20,000 before then!
2. Be social with us. Make sure you are following us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so that you can share our social media posts far and wide and help #BlueSkiesAhead start trending! 
   •  For each share, like, or retweet that our posts get during the next two days, we will receive $1, up to $5,000. 
   • If you are able to get ten gifts donated to the campaign, the Blue Sky Fund staff will provide an outing for your family, friends, or co-workers (up to 10 people). You will get to experience the activities our kids enjoy every day during program. 
3. Celebrate with us. Join us on Wednesday from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. at Union Market for one of our favorite nights of the year. A portion of the proceeds during those hours will be given to Blue Sky Fund, and everyone who attends will be entered to win an awesome prize basket (valued at $250+ of goods found at Union Market). The weather is looking beautiful, bring the family and all of your friends!

With your support, Blue Sky Fund will be able to provide more opportunities for our community’s youth to enjoy the outdoors while they increase their competence and develop confidence while on a field investigation, paddling down the James, or looking for their next hold on the rock wall. 

We are excited to provide more #BlueSkiesAhead for Richmond’s kids!

On Saturday, April 28^th the Friends of the Lower Appomattox River present the 4th Annual Appomattox RiverFest with co-sponsor Fort Lee, featuring 20+ regional partners, numerous food options, local beer from Trapezium Brewing, and a ton of outdoor activities. This day-long family event is for river and nature lovers, outdoors enthusiast, history buffs, and everyone who wants to spend a day enjoying the scenic and historic treasures of the Appomattox River.

Fishing, for adults and kids, is a big part of FOLAR’s Appomattox Riverfest.

From 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Appomattox Riverside Park (24909 Ferndale Road, Petersburg VA 23803) on the rocky rapids where Dinwiddie, Petersburg and Chesterfield meet – RiverFest will offer these activities and more:

o  Youth Fishing workshops, provided by Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries

o  Kayaking workshops with certified instructors from Fort Lee MWR Outdoor Recreation

o  Archaeological activities and demonstrations and

o  Obstacle course with Fort Lee

o  View rare fauna along the trails with a Naturalist

o  See and learn about the fish, reptiles, amphibians, bugs and birds that help keep the river healthy with Environment Education Specialists and Alliance of Wild Animal Rehabilitators and Educators

o  Stroll or ride a Tram along the River Walk Trail that provides great views of the river

o  Learn the history of the River and Batteau with the Virginia Canals and Navigation Society

o  Enjoy Trapezium Craft Beer, Food Trucks, and Live Music by Mike Packer & Johnny Holt!

There will be plenty of off-site parking with shuttle buses running throughout the day at four locations: (Only handicap accessible parking will be available on-site.)

o   Bank of McKenney, (6300 River Rd., Petersburg VA 23803)

o   Matoaca Baptist Church (6409 River Rd., Petersburg VA 23803);

o   Matoaca Elementary School (6627 River Rd, Petersburg, VA 23803); and

o   Matoaca United Methodist Church (6301 River Rd., South Chesterfield VA 23803)

The event is free and open to the public thanks to title sponsor Anthem HealthKeepers-CareMore-Benefinder.com and many additional sponsors including the John Randolph Foundation, Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District, Virginia American Water, Vulcan Materials, WestRock, Container First Services, Petersburg Area Regional Tourism, and Hopewell Recreation & Parks.

Additional event information can be found at www.folar-va.org or Facebook, or email,

Outdoor and adventure films will kick off Dominion Energy Riverrock weekend starting on Thursday, May 17, with the 5PT Film Festival presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. at The Broadberry (2729 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220). The film festival will feature 12 to 15 short documentary adventure films as well as live music from the Larry Keel Experience. Doors open at 5 p.m., with films slated to start at 6:30 p.m. Music will begin at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through The Broadberry for $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

Credit: Venture Richmond

The 5PT Film Festival focuses on the outdoor industry’s inspirational stories and is dedicated to bringing communities together. Sierra Nevada is pleased to partner with 5Point Film in an exclusive debut showing of their inspiring outdoor films featuring the award winners from the renowned film festival in Carbondale, CO. This partnership brings the film series to Richmond for the fifth year in a row, and the stories of passionate athletes, artists, and filmmakers told during the festival will add to the excitement surrounding Dominion Energy Riverrock.

In addition to its support as presenting sponsor, Sierra Nevada is donating a portion of beer sales during the 5PT Film Festival to rvaMORE, a local nonprofit whose mission is to enhance trail experiences through people, tools, and advocacy. rvaMORE helps support advocacy efforts that protect access to local trails, provides over 1,000 hours of volunteer work to maintain and improve trails, and ensures continued access to local trails by educating local riders about the need to ride responsibly and obey local regulations. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. believes in sustainable enjoyment of the environment, and those values are reflected by local organizations like rvaMORE.

For more information on the 5PT Film Festival presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., visit the Dominion Energy Riverrock website. Dominion Energy Riverrock is scheduled for May 18-20, 2018, and registration for all events is now open.

From RVA MORE, Richmond’s mountain bike/trail building club:

Take your pick and come on out, there will be trail work projects happening at both Buttermilk Trail in the James River Park and out at Pocahontas State Park this weekend.  There’s plenty of work to be done. We need your help!

Buttermilk Access Trail (JRP):
This weekend we’ll be working on an access trail that provides a connection to Buttermilk from Riverside Drive between 25th and 26th streets. There is an old access via a steep set of stairs that will be closed after the new trail is put into place.

We will be meeting at 9 a.m. at the parking lot at Riverside Drive and 22nd Street right across from Canoe Run Park (https://goo.gl/maps/pND9snKWFLk) and will walk to the work site from there.

Pocahontas State Park Dual Slalom:
Saturday will be the first volunteer work day on the new dual slalom course going in at Pocahontas.  This is going to be a huge addition to the already wide variety of trails at the park. When finished we’ll have two side by side lines where you can race your friends from top to bottom!  Meet at the Swift Creek parking lot (7298 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA) at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Sports Backers, in partnership with Ragnar Relay, announced a new event today — the ‘Run Bike Relay presented by Ragnar‘ to be held on June 22-23, 2018.

The overnight relay event will go from Richmond to Jamestown and back, utilizing trails in the James River Park System, the Virginia Capital Trail, the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge, and the Greensprings Greenway Trail in James City County, among others, as participants aim to complete this new relay event on foot and by bike.

Registration is now open for the event at www.sportsbackers.org, and the course map can be found at the following link: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/1969794191/. During the relay, teams of four, two, or even solo racers will bike and run a 120-mile route from Virginia’s capital city to Jamestown and then trek back to Richmond. There are a total of 12 segments made up of six running and six biking legs<https://www.sportsbackers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/run-bike-relay-format.jpg>. The running segments range in length from four to six miles and consist mostly of dirt trails, while the biking segments range from 13 to 20 miles and will occur on paved trails. Each participant will complete at least three sections of the course, with the specific order determined by each team.

Ragnar offers the largest overnight relay series in the United States, and the Run Bike Relay marks the second time that Sports Backers and Ragnar are partnering for an event, after the Ragnar Trail RVA event, now in its third year at Pocahontas State Park. Sports Backers and Ragnar share a goal of visiting inspiring and scenic destinations, and the James River Park trail system and Virginia Capital Trail, among other course highlights, will provide a challenging backdrop for Run Bike Relay participants.

The Virginia Capital Trail will feature prominently in the new race.

“The Run Bike Relay provides a unique opportunity for participants to experience great active living amenities in an exciting relay format,” said Jon Lugbill, Executive Director of Sports Backers. “We continue to evolve and keep innovation at the forefront of our events, and this is a great opportunity to work with a fellow industry leader in Ragnar to bring new events to the region.”

The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation is the official event charity of the Run Bike Relay presented by Ragnar. Their mission is to enhance, promote, and advocate for the continued development of the Virginia Capital Trail, a 52-mile dedicated multi-use trail connecting Richmond and Williamsburg along the historic and scenic Route 5 corridor. Registration for regular (four-person), ultra (two person), and solo (one person) teams is now available at www.sportsbackers.org, with a June 15 entry deadline.

With the full schedule of events for the May 18-20 festival available and registration for all events now open, Dominion Energy Riverrock is announcing the launch of a new website — www.Riverrockrva.com, to bring the full event experience to participants at home or on the go. Sports Backers and Venture Richmond partnered with Richmond-based web development and design firm COLAB to create an innovative site to serve as the online hub for the festival.

“We’re excited to launch the new Dominion Energy Riverrock website and bring the festival right to people’s fingertips,” said Megan Schultz, Event Director for Dominion Energy Riverrock. “It’s a great reflection of the overall event and we hope it will help enhance the experience for participants and attendees.”

Riverrockrva.com is now live, with details on the concert and event schedule, as well as information on travel, lodging, sponsors, and volunteer opportunities. Fans can also stay up to date with the festival on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Setting up camp at Belle Isle State Park. Credit: Virginia.org

Sure, you can do the whole spring break thing at Daytona Beach or Cancun or Lake Havasu or some other such place, but our friends at Virginia State Parks are here to remind us that there’s a much more local, family-friendly, easy-on-the-pocketbook option out there. This is the perfect time, they say, to take the family outdoors for spring break after a winter of cold, rain and flu.

All 37 Virginia State Parks offer self-guided or ranger-led programs to get outdoors and enjoy early spring, from the week before Easter through the week after. For a list of programs, visit: http://bit.ly/2018VSPspringbreak

All parks offer self-guided explorations including backpacks with field guides and binoculars, GPS units to rent for geocaching, self-guided trails, scavenger hunts and other activities.

Post to Instagram using #vastateparks to share your spring break experiences.

Many Virginia public libraries have nature backpacks available to check out. In addition to handy tools to investigate the natural world, the backpacks include a parking pass for free entrance to a state park. Find a list of participating libraries here: http://bit.ly/LibraryBackpacks

For a day trip or a longer stay in a cabin or campground, Virginia’s state parks offer more than 1,800 campsites and 300 cabins.

For more information about all offerings in Virginia State Parks, including overnight accommodations, visit www.VirginiaStateParks.gov or call the Customer Service Center at 800-933-7275, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.