Summer events encouraged Spiders to discover a hidden gem in their own backyard or explore a new city. Some of the SummUR in the City events included a curated series of cultural and culinary adventures in Richmond, Chicago, New York, and Boston.

“We wanted to create spaces for folks to explore different places together,” Johnson said. “It’s this idea of plugging into the places you might overlook in your city or, if you’re traveling, some of the touristy things you might want to do.”

In Chicago — where the local group also organized gatherings at a Cubs game and a waterfront happy hour — alumni met for a night of music at the Shedd Aquarium. In New York, Spiders enjoyed a private cocktail class at The Raines Law Room, a 1920s speakeasy-themed bar, where they learned to make classic drinks inspired by the city. In Boston, alumni toured the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Back in Richmond, URAA partnered with the Alumni Multicultural Programming Board to explore diversity and culture in the area. In July, they visited the Frida: Beyond the Myth exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which highlighted the personal story of the Mexican painter.

During an Arts District Food Tour in August, alumni visited restaurants with a Mexican-Chinese fusion menu, Ethiopian cuisine, Mediterranean flavors, and West African-inspired dishes. The tour also showcased the historical Black community of Jackson Ward.

Many of the city-based programs were limited to small groups, allowing for meaningful encounters — an intentional counter to large-scale events like Reunion. “If you’re touring the Frida exhibit, you can have an in-depth conversation about an art piece that moves you. If you have two hours to talk to eight people, you’re going to get deeper with them,” Johnson said.

Longstanding baseball tradition

Baseball games are a longstanding tradition for many regional groups. This summer, 250 Spiders showed up to the Diamond to root for the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Spiders in North Carolina’s Triangle region have long enjoyed a family night watching the Durham Bulls, a Triple-A team. The game typically draws alumni who graduated from UR over the past 50 years.

Christian Kubista, class of 1995, moved to Raleigh from Richmond in 2011 and has attended the annual alumni event for 10 years. He said the event provides a way to get to know fellow Spiders. 

“We have about 400 alumni in Raleigh, and this is a great opportunity to connect and hang out,” Kubista said. “It’s fun to hear about their different paths and use the connection of being Richmond grads as a starting point.”

Alumni in Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, and other cities cheered on their local teams as well.

Paddleboarding in the great outdoors

Many regional events happen because a local alum raises their hand with an idea and an offer to host, said Johnson.

That’s the case in Denver, Colorado, where Maddie Bright, class of 2019, proposed a paddleboard session on Georgetown Lake, located an hour outside the city. During the two-hour paddle, the group made their way to a small island where they stopped to chat about life, from their time at Richmond to their careers, pets, and household projects. After returning to shore, they gathered for food and drinks at Cabin Creek Brewing.

“I’ve done this trip many times on my own, but this was the first event of its kind for the Denver alumni group,” Bright said. “Paddleboarding is a fun, relaxing summer activity no matter where you are, but even more so in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.”

Other seaside and riverside gatherings took place in Annapolis, Maryland, Avalon, New Jersey, Chicago, and Orlando.

Johnson said the SummUR in the City series will return in 2026, with plans to expand to more locations and include a wider variety of events. “We thought this year was very successful,” she said.