How to make friends in Richmond
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Let's Hang RVA's meet up at the Veil in Scott's Addition this week. Photo: Courtesy of Nadia De Sensi Photography
Making new friends in Richmond is hard, whether you were born and raised here or are a NoVa transplant fighting the gentrifier allegations.
The big picture: We want to help make it easier by sharing where to connect with people before the 5pm sunsets arrive and no one wants to leave their houses anymore.
Why it matters: The loneliness epidemic has become a major threat to our happiness as friendships are declining nationwide — and we simply can't have that.
👋🏼 Join a social club
Let's Hang RVA launched in July and hosts weekly hangouts exploring the city.
- It's free and you can check out the social calendar for the rest of the year here.
Trying to Adult RVA has multiple events per week like trivia, karaoke and book clubs for Richmonders 21 and up.
- Membership is $5 per month but you can join the Facebook group for free.
Common House doubles as a coworking space and a social club with members-only happy hours and events.
- Membership is $130 per month for residents under 30 and $175 for everyone else, with a one-time $500 initiation fee.
🏃🏻♀️ Connect over being active
Richmond has nearly 40 running groups — many of which are free and end their runs at breweries or bars. They include:
Become a climber at Triangle Rock Club or Peak Experiences, both of which are known for having extremely friendly people.
- Monthly membership at Triangle starts at $89. At Peak, it's $80 per month.
The November Project meets at 6am Wednesday mornings at the VMFA year-round for a free 50-minute workout.
🎳 Bond through a sports league
River City Sports and Social Club has kickball, cornhole, axe throwing, basketball and more teams to join depending on the season.
- Team fees vary but range from $45 to $85.
Stonewall Sports is an LGBTQ league that raises money for local nonprofits and has club and league sports like bowling and dodgeball.
- Fees vary per sport but range from $17 to $52.
🎓 Find your local alumni chapter
With college football season starting, alumni chapters usually have watch parties — and you know you'll have at least one thing in common.
- Richmond Hokies
- Richmond Hoos
- Richmond VCU Alumni in Richmond
- Richmond JMU Alumni (and JMU Black Alumni met up at Brambly Park last month)
🍽️ Talk over a dinner series
Food is a love language that Richmond knows well, especially via dinner events like:
The Underground Kitchen celebrates Richmond's Black culinary history via a dining experience that platforms chefs who are people of color, LGBTQ, or women.
- Prices vary but their next event is $195.
Secret Supper Society has pop-ups "where strangers become friends" that are seven-to-eight-course meals with wine pairings.
- Tickets usually sell out and range from $165 to $220
The Celeste Dinner Experience at Henrico's Celeste Farms is a three-hour multi-course meal set in a wildflower meadow. $125.
🍹 Go to booze-free events
Gold Lion Community Cafe has a "New to RVA" meetup every other week with mocktails (cocktails are also available).
Kava Club, Virginia's only Kava and non-alcoholic bar, has community pop-ups and weekly socials at various locations.
🐶 Meet other dog parents
Ruff Canine Club is a membership-based dog park (and bar) that has weekly events.
- Membership for one dog is either $355 per year, $40 monthly or $10 per day.
Richmond Pug Meetup is a free monthly meetup of … pugs.
📍 Choose your own adventure
Meetup is a free social network that has in-person get-togethers accessible via RSVP. They're usually organized around common interests like: