Friday, Apr 3, 2026

Spectrum

Swords, guilds and what else to expect at RVA’s Ren Faire

April 1, 2026

Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer With less than a month until opening weekend, Richmond’s Ren Faire has quickly transformed from a niche idea into one of the city’s most anticipated events of the year.  Virago Alley, the host of Richmond’s first Ren Faire, has been hosting small events leading up to the big one.  First, in February with a showing of  “The Princess Bride,” at the Byrd Theatre, complete with sword fighting and a costume contest. As well as a Lunar New Year Celebration, different beer launchings with local breweries and “Gauntlets, Guilds, and a Goblet of Mead Exhibition Opening,” on April 10 at HI-RES gallery.  Set for April 18–19 at Dorey Park, the Richmond Ren Faire is designed as a “grassroots celebration created by and for Richmond,” blending history, performance and community-driven storytelling, according to viragoalley.org. At its core, the Ren Faire is not just knights and castles, but reimagining the Renaissance through a broader, more inclusive lens. Drawing inspiration from the Silk Road, organizers aim to highlight global exchange and the contributions of everyday artisans and tradespeople. One of the defining features of the Faire is its guild system. Guilds function as immersive and  interactive groups that represent different

Students bring colorful ‘Taste of Sudan’ event to campus 

April 1, 2026

Fakeha Naeem, Contributing Writer  VCU’s Sudanese Student Association hosted “Taste of Sudan,” on Saturday from 2-8 p.m. at the VCU Commons Ballroom. The yearly event has gained popularity with approximately 300-500 people in attendance this year. SSA started preparing for the event a year in advance — booking the venue, planning performances, food, skits, dance and finding the volunteers who help bring it all together each year. It all culminates into a day of celebrating the culture and traditions of Sudan. Some attendees are local, like Aseel Packry, others came from Texas and New York, and some having flown all the way from Canada.  The festival started with a patriotic song “Azza fi Hawak,” sung by the board members who wore white to represent the unity of all regions of Sudan — the East, West, North and Central. They followed it with traditional poetry delivered by Mohammad Ibrahim. “The poetry represents what it means to be a Sudanese and how proud we are to be one,” said Aya Hamid, SSA vice president and fourth-year student.  The event highlights the fashion of Sudanese weddings, the prominent colors being red and gold. Jirtig, a traditional wedding thobe in red and traditional Sudanese

GalaxyCon 2026 was gay nerd heaven

March 25, 2026

Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Superman, Bumblebee, Pompompurin and Frank-N-Furter all walk into the same bar. Why? Because they just got back from GalaxyCon, obviously — the annual convention filled with some of Richmond’s finest entertainers and performers.  GalaxyCon LLC is a convention company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that organizes comic book and anime conventions in the United States. The company has hosted the convention in Richmond since 2019.  Actors, directors and entertainers from all areas of pop culture media come to the convention to speak on panels and meet fans. This year included actor Hayden Christensen from “Star Wars” and the director of “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” Edgar Wright.  Inside the exhibition hall is Artist Alley, a designated area in a convention where artists display and sell their work to convention attendees, according to GalaxyCon’s website.  Austin Vestel, a Salisbury, Maryland-based corset maker and leather worker, has been vending at conventions for 15 years. He said conventions like GalaxyCon have been a huge help to his boutique, Corset & Cogs. “I quickly learned that in a weekend, I could make what I made in an entire month in my physical location,” Vestal said. “So just getting my work

The women behind Ink Magazine: Decades of alternative art and culture

March 25, 2026

Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Ink magazine is a student-run alternative publication that prints issues every semester with out-of-the-ordinary themes such as “cyber,” “sex” or “freaks.” The magazine is unlike other student publications at VCU, but its first issue was unique for a different reason — it was a newspaper created by and for African American students. Reflections in Ink was created in 1978 by the VCU student branch of the League of Black Journalists and the Black Student Alliance, according to VCU Libraries. African American students had just integrated into the college and wanted to create a newspaper based on their collective experiences, according to Marilyn Campbell, one of Reflections in Ink’s founders.  “As a media team, we sought freedom through expression — voicing our truths, reflecting our experiences and embracing the realities of our time,” Campbell stated. “As students, our purpose was to pursue academic dreams while working side jobs, volunteering to gain experience and grounding our ambitions in the lives we were living.” With technical assistance from The CT and information from the Third World Coalition, Reflections in Ink’s first issue was released in March 1978. They noted that it would be the only issue funded by student

Swords, guilds and what else to expect at RVA’s Ren Faire

Spectrum Editor April 1, 2026

Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer With less than a month until opening weekend, Richmond’s Ren Faire has quickly transformed from a niche idea into one of the city’s most anticipated events of the year.  Virago Alley, the host of Richmond’s first Ren Faire, has been hosting small events leading up to the big one.  First, in February with a showing of  “The Princess Bride,” at the Byrd Theatre, complete with sword fighting and a costume contest. As well as a Lunar New Year Celebration, different beer launchings with local breweries and “Gauntlets, Guilds, and a Goblet of Mead Exhibition Opening,” on April 10 at HI-RES gallery.  Set for April 18–19 at Dorey Park, the Richmond Ren Faire is designed as a “grassroots celebration created by and for Richmond,” blending history, performance and community-driven storytelling, according to viragoalley.org. At its core, the Ren Faire is not just knights and castles, but reimagining the Renaissance through a broader, more inclusive lens. Drawing inspiration from the Silk Road, organizers aim to highlight global exchange and the contributions of everyday artisans and tradespeople. One of the defining features of the Faire is its guild system. Guilds function as immersive and  interactive groups that represent different aspects of Renaissance life such as combat, craftsmanship, storytelling and trade.  Richmond’s Weavers Guild will not only hold a demonstration, but will further allow attendees to try the art of the loom itself. The demo shows the process and acts as live insight into understanding where clothing might come from, according to guild president Patty Franz. “I think that people need to understand the basic craft and process of where cloth comes from,” Franz said.  Franz began her weaving career later in life, starting with her first loom after graduating from librarian school. She noted that visiting places like Williamsburg when she was a child is where the intrigue of looms caught her attention. As a member of the guild, she has been involved with several events Virago Alley has hosted. This time, the guild invited Clothos, a sister guild that focuses on the craft of spinning, to join them in the Faire. Another group demonstrating their skills is the Historical European Martial Arts club at VCU. With their presence at the Ren Faire, they hope to gain more attention and peak the interests of potential members, according to fourth year biomedical engineering student Brodie Persson. “We understand that the

Swords, guilds and what else to expect at RVA’s Ren Faire

April 1, 2026

Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer With less than a month until opening weekend, Richmond’s Ren Faire has quickly transformed from a niche idea into one of the city’s most anticipated events of the year.  Virago Alley, the host of Richmond’s first Ren Faire, has been hosting small events leading up to the big one.  First, in February with a showing of  “The Princess Bride,” at the Byrd Theatre, complete with sword fighting and a costume contest. As well as a Lunar New Year Celebration, different beer launchings with local breweries and “Gauntlets, Guilds, and a Goblet of Mead Exhibition Opening,” on April 10 at HI-RES gallery.  Set for April 18–19 at Dorey Park, the Richmond Ren Faire is designed as a “grassroots celebration created by and for Richmond,” blending history, performance and community-driven storytelling, according to viragoalley.org. At its core, the Ren Faire is not just knights and castles, but reimagining the Renaissance through a broader, more inclusive lens. Drawing inspiration from the Silk Road, organizers aim to highlight global exchange and the contributions of everyday artisans and tradespeople. One of the defining features of the Faire is its guild system. Guilds function as immersive and  interactive groups that represent different aspects of Renaissance life such as combat, craftsmanship, storytelling and trade.  Richmond’s Weavers Guild will not only hold a demonstration, but will further allow attendees to try the art of the loom itself. The demo shows the process and acts as live insight into understanding where clothing might come from, according to guild president Patty Franz. “I think that people need to understand the basic craft and process of where cloth comes from,” Franz said.  Franz began her weaving career later in life, starting with her first loom after graduating from librarian school. She noted that visiting places like Williamsburg when she was a child is where the intrigue of looms caught her attention. As a member of the guild, she has been involved with several events Virago Alley has hosted. This time, the guild invited Clothos, a sister guild that focuses on the craft of spinning, to join them in the Faire. Another group demonstrating their skills is the Historical European Martial Arts club at VCU. With their presence at the Ren Faire, they hope to gain more attention and peak the interests of potential members, according to fourth year biomedical engineering student Brodie Persson. “We understand that the

Students bring colorful ‘Taste of Sudan’ event to campus 

April 1, 2026

Fakeha Naeem, Contributing Writer  VCU’s Sudanese Student Association hosted “Taste of Sudan,” on Saturday from 2-8 p.m. at the VCU Commons Ballroom. The yearly event has gained popularity with approximately 300-500 people in attendance this year. SSA started preparing for the event a year in advance — booking the venue, planning performances, food, skits, dance and finding the volunteers who help bring it all together each year. It all culminates into a day of celebrating the culture and traditions of Sudan. Some attendees are local, like Aseel Packry, others came from Texas and New York, and some having flown all the way from Canada.  The festival started with a patriotic song “Azza fi Hawak,” sung by the board members who wore white to represent the unity of all regions of Sudan — the East, West, North and Central. They followed it with traditional poetry delivered by Mohammad Ibrahim. “The poetry represents what it means to be a Sudanese and how proud we are to be one,” said Aya Hamid, SSA vice president and fourth-year student.  The event highlights the fashion of Sudanese weddings, the prominent colors being red and gold. Jirtig, a traditional wedding thobe in red and traditional Sudanese

GalaxyCon 2026 was gay nerd heaven

March 25, 2026

Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Superman, Bumblebee, Pompompurin and Frank-N-Furter all walk into the same bar. Why? Because they just got back from GalaxyCon, obviously — the annual convention filled with some of Richmond’s finest entertainers and performers.  GalaxyCon LLC is a convention company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that organizes comic book and anime conventions in the United States. The company has hosted the convention in Richmond since 2019.  Actors, directors and entertainers from all areas of pop culture media come to the convention to speak on panels and meet fans. This year included actor Hayden Christensen from “Star Wars” and the director of “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” Edgar Wright.  Inside the exhibition hall is Artist Alley, a designated area in a convention where artists display and sell their work to convention attendees, according to GalaxyCon’s website.  Austin Vestel, a Salisbury, Maryland-based corset maker and leather worker, has been vending at conventions for 15 years. He said conventions like GalaxyCon have been a huge help to his boutique, Corset & Cogs. “I quickly learned that in a weekend, I could make what I made in an entire month in my physical location,” Vestal said. “So just getting my work

The women behind Ink Magazine: Decades of alternative art and culture

March 25, 2026

Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Ink magazine is a student-run alternative publication that prints issues every semester with out-of-the-ordinary themes such as “cyber,” “sex” or “freaks.” The magazine is unlike other student publications at VCU, but its first issue was unique for a different reason — it was a newspaper created by and for African American students. Reflections in Ink was created in 1978 by the VCU student branch of the League of Black Journalists and the Black Student Alliance, according to VCU Libraries. African American students had just integrated into the college and wanted to create a newspaper based on their collective experiences, according to Marilyn Campbell, one of Reflections in Ink’s founders.  “As a media team, we sought freedom through expression — voicing our truths, reflecting our experiences and embracing the realities of our time,” Campbell stated. “As students, our purpose was to pursue academic dreams while working side jobs, volunteering to gain experience and grounding our ambitions in the lives we were living.” With technical assistance from The CT and information from the Third World Coalition, Reflections in Ink’s first issue was released in March 1978. They noted that it would be the only issue funded by student

Punks for Liberation holds benefit show for Palestinian man

March 25, 2026

Maeve Bauer, Spectrum Editor  Gold Lion Cafe, a typically quiet coffee shop fit for studying and lulled conversations, transformed into a venue for social change and punk rock during Punks 4 Liberation’s benefit show on Thursday night.  The show was thrown to raise money for Karam Hani Al-manasra, a Palestinian man who was shot by Israeli forces, according to the GoFundMe. P4L was able to raise $500 for Al- manasra and his family, as they struggle to secure essential needs, with his injury only making it more difficult.  Laywaste, Silico and Bleedout were the bands performing. The night ended with a rousing speech from real fro, The Magic Man, a local activist. He encouraged the audience to come together and get stuff done. The energy in the room was alive with the feeling of change.  Mutual aid is a foundation point for P4L, according to Maeve Jenik, one of their main organizers. The idea for the show came from a newer member of the organization. They brought Al-manasra’s cause to Judas, P4L’s founder. He organized it, like he does for all events, and used connections throughout the community to make it happen.  “[Benefit shows] is one of the main things

The great Richmond ‘Chud-Off’ held in Monroe Park

March 25, 2026

Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer A time was had this past Saturday, as a crowd assembled in Monroe Park to watch around the judges table to behold a positive competition for those who feel like outsiders — Richmond’s first ever “Chud-Off.”  The definition of chud changes with the eye of the beholder, according to Dylan Grasso, the lead organizer. The beauty of the contest is that anyone could be a chud and win. Grasso created the event after a throw away joke he made about a contest where the winner would be crowned the biggest chud. “The joke was made and about a month later, and here we are,” Grasso said. “It’s a lot more planned out now, more fleshed out then it was before. A lot of it is based on the performative male contest that was here in the fall.” Some notable chuds of history include Ronald Reagan and Will Smith, according to Grasso. “Chudnana,” a banana-costume-wearing-chud, gave his own definition of what truly makes a chud. “So my definition of a chud is someone who stays inside, never does anything with their life, unemployed and dumb, essentially a big, fat chud,” Chudnana said.  As the Chud-Off commenced, the

Thrifting and hardcore to collide for Salad Days Market

March 25, 2026

Cora Perkins, Assistant Spectrum Editor  Vintage clothing, old school records and collections from local Richmond hardcore bands will be for sale this upcoming Sunday, March 29, at Salad Days Market. A collaboration between Cut and Run Vintage — a pre-loved clothing store featuring items from the 90s and early 2000s, and Vinyl Conflict — a record store on Grace Street.  The market will be held at Studio Two Three, a nonprofit community arts space in Manchester. The hosting vendor will be joined by 1115 Mobile Kitchen.  “With United Blood coming back, it felt like the right time to finally make it happen,” said Cody Denzler, the owners of Cut and Run Vintage. “One day I was at Vinyl Conflict talking with [Bobby Egger, owner of Vinyl Conflict] about other markets I’d been hosting, and it just clicked that we could team up and do this together.”  The name pays an homage to Minor Threat and their 1985 EP titled “Salad Days,” and to the idea of early days in the scene, according to Denzler.  The vendor lineup for the market was intentional, with many selling pieces from their personal collections. There will be a range of punk, metal and hardcore

The women rocking Richmond’s hardcore scene

March 18, 2026

Cora Perkins, Assistant Spectrum Editor  Behind the distorted tracks and stage dives that have long made Richmond a beacon for hardcore music, the women performing, shooting and attending these shows have been the backbone of the scene for years. Richmond has long been known as an influential city for hardcore music. From house shows packed to the brim with fans of slam drums and moshing, to record stores dedicated to stocking their shelves with heavy riffs and powerful vocals — Richmond has put its love on display. Kimmy Rivera, the vocalist for local post-hardcore band Athera, has loved music since she was a child.  “Growing up, me and my siblings would play Guitar Hero almost every day,” Rivera said. “My older brother was really into nu metal at the time and as I always looked up to him, I naturally liked it too.” Once Rivera started at VCU, she made it her mission to go to more local shows, attending her first Richmond show at Cobra Cabana, an essential bar and venue in the neighborhood of Carver.  “There, I saw Sick Of It All and Wasted Space. I was with Sonny and Jackson [of Athera] and I had the most

Zines, poems, photos and more to be found at Agony Books

March 18, 2026

Cora Perkins, Assistant Spectrum Editor  Tucked near the heart of downtown, Agony Books, a Black-owned specialty bookshop and gallery, has become a meeting ground for dialogue, art, culture and community.  Books on art, critical theory, culture and history line the shelves — and squeezed between them are zines that create a sense of life in the store. Art from a multitude of creators lines the space. Founded in 2021 by David Jaycox and Jesse Feinman, the store focuses on photography, design, critical theory and political commentary, according to its website. Jaycox initially reached out to Feinman with the idea for Agony because of what he built with his publishing practice, Pomegranate, according to Feinman.  “I was 25 at the time and the world felt really endless and big,” Feinman said. “I think it’s not so much that there wasn’t something being met, but maybe that a conversation could continue further, new things could be introduced, and I guess I saw myself as a good person to facilitate something like that.” The people behind Agony try their best to keep the selection in store from feeling stale or predictable, according to Feinman.  “When the project first started, we were much more