Richmond's massive four-night America 250 festival starts Thursday
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Words don't do justice in explaining how incredible this is to see in person. Photo: Virginia Museum of History & Culture
IllumiNATION, the free four-night block party celebrating America's birthday, has arrived, shutting down a major stretch of Arthur Ashe.
Why it matters: The New York Times put Richmond at the top of its list of places to visit for America's 250th anniversary specifically because of this event.
State of play: The Virginia Museum of History & Culture's festival runs Thursday to Sunday and will transform its 250-foot-long facade into a projection screen to tell a sweeping story of the U.S.
- Axios got a sneak peek of the 20-minute show, which moves through the American Revolution and the Civil War to Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech at the Lincoln Memorial and the Stonewall uprising.
- Using archival images, animation and music, it documents the fabric of the U.S. by showing Black, Indigenous and immigrant people at pivotal historic moments.
- And Richmond's 2020 protests make an appearance before the show ends with a shot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Followed by: Fireworks-like pyrotechnics that will be visible from the museum's front lawn and Arthur Ashe.
What to expect: The block party starts at 6 each night. Arrive early for after-hours access to the museum's exhibitions before the projections start at 9pm.
- Plus: Cultural demonstrations, a bounce house, a petting zoo, six food trucks, live music and a live performance from Virginia Tribal Dancers.
- Prepare for major crowds and 24/7 parking restrictions Thursday-Sunday from the VMFA entrance to near Monument Avenue.
- And road closures between Hanover and Park avenues and parts of Kensington and Stuart avenues from about 6 to 10 each night.
Pro tip: Try parking on Grove or Floyd and walking over if you can.
Fun fact: A museum spokesperson tells Axios it's the first time this stretch of Arthur Ashe has shut down (aside from during races like the Richmond Marathon) since the boulevard's renaming ceremony in 2019.
If you go: Check the full schedule here.
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