VCU Fall Fest to Showcase Multiple Events for VCU and the Community

By Tom Gresham

The first Virginia Commonwealth University Fall Fest will be held the weekend of Oct. 13 through Oct. 15, providing a wide range of activities and events for members of the VCU and Richmond communities.

Some events are familiar from past autumns at VCU, such as the Grace Street Festival, while others are original to the Fall Fest weekend, such as the Fall Fest Band Bash. Among the activities are concerts, art demonstrations, an open house for prospective students, family weekend and the National Folk Festival.

Other highlights include:

• Grace Street Festival, Oct. 14: A festival created by the School of World Studies to showcase many languages, cultures and religions. The festival, which is held at the 900 block of West Grace Street, includes exhibits, food, music and performances.

• Mini Lectures, Oct. 14: A series of half-hour lectures by VCU faculty members on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. Among the lecture topics are the healing power of poetry, red and blue states in 2008, immigration, crime scene investigations and Freakanomics, the book featured in VCU's summer reading project.

• Tours, Oct. 13-14: Guided tours of VCU and historic Richmond sites. Among the tour subjects are Hollywood Cemetery, the architecture of West Franklin Street and the city's "most haunted" neighborhood.

• Ram Madness Basketball Kick Off, Oct. 13: A chance to meet the men's and women's basketball teams, Rodney the Ram, the dance team and cheerleaders. Prizes will be available for students. A volleyball game precedes the event at the Alltel Pavilion at the Siegel Center.   

• "Artificial Light" Art Exhibit, Oct. 13-15: Ongoing exhibit at the Anderson Gallery showcases seven international artists who used actual light to make dynamic and radiant new works.

For a complete schedule of events, visit the Fall Fest home page at www.vcu.edu/fallfest.