Friday the 13th events in Richmond to keep the bad luck at bay

The creepiest day of the year is today: Friday the 13th. If the superstitions and bad luck don’t scare you off, there are plenty of events around Richmond to keep even the unluckiest busy. 

For those who prefer to celebrate the holiday with Jason Voorhees, there is a free screening of the 1980 cult classic “Friday the 13th'' at 7 p.m. Friday after a showing of “Freaky Friday'' at the Jenkins Greek Theater. The movie follows teenage camp counselors working to open an abandoned summer camp while being chased and murdered by an unknown killer. The double feature is free, and doors open at 6 p.m.

A tradition for tattoo shops across the globe is to offer deals on Friday the 13th. Local artists, like those at Yellow Bird Tattoo and Black Rabbit, host events where customers can choose a design from a set of pre-drawn designs, called flash, for a discounted price.

“All flash pieces we have will be posted on Friday. The prices will vary based on details and sizes,” Brandon Clark, an employee at Yellow Bird, said. “All of them are traditional or traditional-inspired and range from cute and spooky to tough and mean.” 

Multiple artists at Black Rabbit have posted their flash sheets for Friday, with prices varying between $100 and $200. These designs range from Pokemon to ghosts to classic Halloween drawings. These tattoos will be done walk-in starting at 12 p.m. Friday and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

If a hands-on scare is more your speed, Haunts of Richmond Ghost Tours, a historical look at hauntings around Richmond, would be perfect for you. 

Haunts of Richmond is running three tours on Friday, with spots still available for the Specters & Shades of Court End tour that starts at 8:30 p.m. and the Church Hill Chillers tour at 9 p.m., Chris Houlihan, the vice president of Haunts of Richmond, said. 

“The tours [on Friday] are three of six outdoor walking tours that we offer across downtown, plus special events,” Houlihan said. “We offer nightly tours all year round.” 

Tickets start at $22 and are available on the Haunts of Richmond website. 

The Nightmare Weekend Richmond also begins Friday at the Greater Richmond Convention  Center. There are panels, cosplay meet-ups and Q&As with celebrities like Joe Dante, director of the Gremlins movies, and actress Kimberly J. Brown from the Halloweentown films. 

A three-day pass to the event starts at $95, and single-day passes range from $35 to $55.

The music scene is also joining in on the spooky festivities with WRBX-RVA Boombox, a new venue and live-streamed radio station in Monroe Ward, putting on “Nightmare at the Boombox” featuring artist ANKHLEJOHN, Creative Director of RVA Boombox Brandon White said.

“People come from all over for ANKHLEJOHN,” White said. “Last time we had him perform, people came from Tennessee and Atlanta, just all over.”

Other featured artists include Pro Dillinger and Bub Styles (who both hail from New York) and local artists Noah-O, Rah Scrilla and Profound 79. 

Advanced tickets are $22, but the price increases to $30 at the door. Those with a University of Richmond student ID can get the advanced ticket price at the door on Friday, White said. 

Contact executive co-editor Amy Jablonski at amy.jablonski@richmond.edu.