Things to do in Richmond this weekend: the marathon and natural wine

It's marathon weekend in RVA.

Driving the news: The Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon, along with the CarMax Half Marathon and VCU Health 8k, is on Saturday beginning at around 7am.

As a Boston marathon qualifier — and possibly because it was dubbed "America's friendliest marathon" by Runner's World Magazine in 2009 for our historic neighborhoods, party zones and junk food stations — the event brings thousands of runners to the city.

• Around 18,000 runners are expected to participate this year across the three races, marathon organizer Sports Backers tells Axios.
• Locals should expect widespread street closures from the downtown start line through the Near West End, Southside and Northside to the Brown's Island finish.

Spectators can post up anywhere along the 26.2 mile course, or find one of the four official course party zones, complete with live music and food trucks.

• The CoStar Group Post Race Party at Brown's Island is open to the public with more live music and food, plus beer trucks and a free beer (or Tito's and lemonade) and slice of pizza for runners.

Bonus picks: 🍷 Encounter, Virginia's first natural wine fair, is on Sunday from noon-5pm at the ICA. Tickets start at $45. And check out Saturday's satellite natural wine events.

• 🎨 Gallery5 in Jackson Ward is hosting a fundraiser Friday night (7-11pm), complete with live music, burlesque, a silent auction and a live "Exquisite Corpse" drawing contest. Tickets start at $20.
• 👑 "SIX" — the Broadway show about the wives of Henry VIII — runs through Sunday at Altria. Tickets start at $43.50.