Brown's Island — Attraction in Richmond

Attended the Crab Festival. Horrible event because of terrible planning. With more than week to make arrangements for the hottest weekend of the year, with heat indexes as high as 115, the organizers swore that the VIP tents would have fans, etc. I believe there were 3 of them. The tents were so crowded, the tables pushed so closely together to cram as many in tightly as they could, that if one person needed to get up everyone needed to get up. The staff set to work the tents were so uncomfortable that they mostly just stood near the fans. Felt terrible for the vendors and the band, it was just too hot for them to get traction. Mediocre crabs, the so called all you can drink craft beer was bud light and bold rock. Three stars for the location, it's really nice and great for well planned events. Terrible terrible...

This used to be a wide open space...just a big open area at the foot of Gamble's Hill...really a refuge to escape the city....At one time there were train tracks in the area, not just the elevated trestle...an old wooden water tower & you could park about wherever your car or bike would take you...pre - 1977. years later The Dave Mathews Band opened for Widespread Panic...Well times have changed...now it is still a sweet spot but that will probably change. It is still a pathway to the river & that is good....the old VEPCO catwalk over the levee now reconstructed & improved as the Tyler Bridge...Parking? Good luck friend ...ride your bike... highly recommend ...Let's juz hope CoStar doesn't swing a deal & make it a...

Realy when deciding on whether to visit Browns Island you need to ask yourself 3 questions a) Do Iike rivers? b) Do I like rivers with islands? and 3) do I like island in rivers? If you ssid yes to most of those questions then Browns Island my be the perfect spot for you. When not in "venue mode" it is simply a large field surrounded by a sidewalk surrounded by a river which is great for an outside venue except for two small problems the first is of course parking .... there is no parking and the second is shade ... there is none of that either except at the very edges and that summer sun is relentless ... but If you prepare properly you should have...