Monday, July 14
w Rock out, guitar-style with Guitar Hero & Rockstar with Alan starting at 8 p.m. The free event is at Richbrau Brewery, located at 1214 E. Cary St.
Wednesday, July 16
w Take a noon walk through "Heads and Tales: Portraits of Outstanding Virginians" at the Virginia Historical Society. The exhibit presents portraits of five people with compelling personal stories -- a woman who inspired the English poet Alexander Pope; a royal governor who was murdered by a mob; a Federalist politician struggling against the tide in Jeffersonian Virginia; a patron of the arts who made his fortune as a robber baron in the Gilded Age; and a Virginia suffragette, freethinker and political radical. Their tales are told by analysis of components of their pictorially complex portraits. The walk is free with museum admission.
Thursday, July 17
w Check out some live jazz with Skip at Bank from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Bank is located at 1005 E. Main St.
Friday, July 18
w Jim Gaffigan comes to the Landmark Theatre for an 8 p.m. show. Tickets cost $39.75. The Landmark is located at 6 N. Laurel St.
w Crossroads Art Center will host an open house and artist reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for their new all media show "SUMMER THEME," located in Gallery Ones. Featured shows and artists include members of the Crossroads Gallery Members Show, Linda Bronski, 15 artists participating in the show/fundraiser "My Father's Garden," and Chris Wynn. There will be live music by Jack Jones and food from Qdoba Mexican Grill. The show runs through August 6. Crossroads is located at 2016 Staples Mill Road.
Saturday, July 19
w The Virginians Barbershop Chorus performs at Chester Village Green in Chester to benefit the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and the shows will start at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, contact Music Studies Unlimited at 4314 W. Hundred Road in Chester or call (804) 748-5982.
w Your Richmond Kickers will host the Cleveland City Stars for a 7 p.m. match at UR Stadium.
Sunday, July 20
w Enjoy a picnic and music at the park at the city-sponsored Sunday in the Park in Forest Hill Park from noon to 6 p.m. There will be clowns from Clown Alley; live music by Tammi Kamen, Tinker's Dam, and Corie Kelly and Friends; free food and drink; nature walks; history tours; eco-friendly exhibits; outdoor games; face-painting; a misting tent to keep tots cool; and more. The Sugar Hollow Ramblers, a bluegrass group, will put on a concert starting at 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help with everything from slicing watermelon to supervising children in the misting tent. To volunteer, contact Robley Jones at (804) 233-3748 or e-mail RobleyJ@aol.com.
Government This Week
Monday, July 14
w Richmond City Council will meet informally at 3 p.m. in the second floor council chambers of City Hall, and formally at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 15
w The 18 candidates running for the nine seats on Richmond's School Board will face off during a forum sponsored by the Richmond Crusade for Voters and moderated by WRIC's Anita Blanton. The forum will be held at 7 p.m. in the Military Retiree's Club at 2220 Sledd St., which is off of Chamberlayne Avenue.
Saturday, July 19
w Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner (9th) will hold a South Richmond Community Cleanup, lunch and 9th District meeting from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everyone is invited to meet at the Metropolitan African-American Baptist Church, 5263 Warwick Road. For more information, contact Eli Wong at (804) 233-8288 or eli.wong@richmondgov.com or visit southsiderichmond.blogspot.com