Richmond is reviving the Sunday day drink
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Illustration: Victoria Ellis/Axios
Richmond is changing the way it parties, swapping the late 2am Saturday nights for a Sunday day drink.
Why it matters: The weekend isn't disappearing; the party is just starting earlier.
The big picture: The trend in Richmond has accelerated this summer, turning the quietest day of the weekend into prime social time.
- Sunday events like Recess on the James, which usually runs from 4-9pm at the Padel Plant, regularly sell out.
- So do tickets to the Any Given Sunday series from EightyNineEvents, which pops up at different bars around the city.
- CMFRT Co. coordinates Sunday pop-ups with DJs at Marylous in the Fan and Juan's Rooftop & Cantina in the Arts District.
Zoom in: It's not just Gen Zers showing up, either — though they are driving the nationwide switch to morning dance parties and "soft clubbing."
- Millennials and Gen Xers are loving it, too, Juan's Rooftop owner Juan Carrillo tells Axios.
- For the people with kids, Carrillo says Fridays are more for relaxing with the family, Saturday is for the kids' sports teams and hobbies and then Sunday is for dancing.
- "They go out during the day, they're home by 9 o'clock and they're in bed by 10," he says of the draw.
The intrigue: Carrillo tells Axios people have traveled from as far as Newport News and Williamsburg for his bar's Sunday day drinks, which started last summer.
- Carrillo notes that for some people, day parties feel safer, it's easier to get Ubers and they're often paired with food instead of just drinking.
- Another plus: It also offers a boost in revenue for the restaurants hosting, since Sundays tend to be slower days, Carrillo adds.
What we're watching: As it gets colder, Juan's Rooftop is turning the Sunday pop-ups into indoor brunch parties for the first time after Halloween.