Right Around the River Blog
Rocketts Landing 2011 Events: Year in Review
Post Date: 01-04-2012
As many Rocketts Landing residents and visitors know, active lifestyles abound in our community. In fact, you could say we're turning into a bit of an outdoors playground for Richmonders, thanks in large part to our connection to the James River and commitment to having a good time! From hosting regattas to bike races and more, we stay busy with an array of events focused on fun, fitness and the great outdoors. So, in the spirit of the New Year, we thought we'd highlight the breadth of events we hosted at Rocketts Landing in 2011.
FEBRUARY
RVA Fashion Week: Catwalk for Kids & Grand Finale
An annual event, RVA Fashion Week celebrates the best of Richmond fashion by local artists with a week of events and gatherings around town. Rocketts Landing hosted both their fundraiser, Catwalk for Kids -- featuring renowned NYC-based designer Amy Smilovic of Tibi -- and their final celebration, resulting in one stylishly dressed week along the James River.
APRIL
Rocketts Landing Collegiate Regatta
As Richmond's only collegiate regatta, this event attracts rowing teams from schools across the region for a high-impact day of competitive rowing and excitement. The VCU Crew Club organizes the Rocketts Landing Collegiate Regatta, and last year brought a variety of rowing enthusiasts and collegiate fans to Rocketts Landing for a day of camaraderie and athleticism.
MAY
Richmond Ballet’s Kentucky Derby Day
Hailed as one of Richmond’s foremost spring events, the Kentucky Derby Day party features everything Derby fans need to celebrate the race in style. From enjoying a heavy hors d'oeuvres buffet and open bar with (of course) mint juleps to watching the race and dancing to a live band, guests party until the stars shine above while also raising money for the Richmond Ballet.
Cap2Cap (recently recognized as a Richmond.com “Richmond Outdoors: Best of 2011” top choice)
As one of the largest (and fastest growing) cycling events in Virginia, Cap2Cap offers cyclists a way to flex their muscles while raising money for the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation — an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the 55-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail currently being built to link Richmond and Jamestown. Rocketts Landing serves as one of two starting points, and for those who start here, we also throw a festive afterparty featuring live music, food, drinks — and plenty of sweaty spandex!
JUNE
Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta
In another nod to rowing, the Virginia Boat Club hosted their annual sprints regatta — in its 8th year at Rocketts Landing — attracting rowing clubs from the Greater Atlantic region for a day on the river. Beyond the wonderful crowd this event attracts and the rowers’ focused competition, perhaps our favorite part is their traditional toss of the winning coach into the river at the event’s end!
JULY
Rocketts Landing Triathlon
Richmond Multisports organizes this annual 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run at and around Rocketts Landing. The course starts at Rocketts and takes athletes into the James River, out into the countryside and back through downtown Richmond before ending with an afterparty on the Rocketts Landing riverfront.
Dragon Boat Festival (recently recognized as a Richmond.com “Richmond Outdoors: Best of 2011” top choice)
The Dragon Boat race at Rocketts Landing combines century-old traditional racing (featuring dragon head boats) with a cultural festival along the James River to create one unique athletic event. Last year’s event attracted over 3,000 spectators and even saw some Rocketts Landing residents and employees compete together in our own boat. While we didn’t take first place, we’ll definitely continuing hosting this unique, engaging event.
OCTOBER
Run to the River
As an event dear to our Rocketts Landing hearts, Run to the River is both a fundraiser for the Neighborhood Resource Center (NRC) in neighboring Fulton Hill and Richmond’s only urban cross-country race. The event consists of a challenging 10k hill run through several of Richmond’s historic neighborhoods and 5k walk through Montrose Heights, Gillies Creek Park and along the river through Rocketts Landing. An afterparty with live music, food and free massages closes the race!
So whether spectating or participating is your style, be sure to keep an eye out for Rocketts Landing in 2012 — these are only the beginning of even more events we have in store!