River City Magnolias
- sarahwilk24
- Aug 17, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 29, 2025
423 pieces | LEGO: 41008 (retired)
Assembled by Hunter Williams, December 2024
Interaction Rating: 5 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged)
August 18, 2023; August 10, 2024; July 26, 2025
Did you know that Richmond has an artistic (also known as synchronized) swimming team? They do! They're called the River City Magnolias. Sarah and Hunter's friend, Vanessa, joined the Magnolias in 2023 and fell in love with it. In addition to the great exercise and the community she met on the team, another fun aspect is that the team performs regularly during the warm months when Richmond's outdoor pools are open. The couple caught one of Vanessa's performances each year between 2023 and 2025. As it happened, one of Sarah's colleagues that she met while working at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (2023-2024), Marta, was also a member of the Magnolias. Richmond can be a small place much of the time, despite having over a million people in the metro area. What the couple appreciates about watching the River City Magnolias perform is the passion and heart everyone shows, as well as the acceptance the team has for people of all ages and body types. Everyone wears a swimsuit in the same pattern, but in whatever fit they're most comfortable with. Everyone on the team has a swim name, and they introduce themselves before each performance. After many of their shows, the Magnolias invite kids and anyone else who wants to learn some basic moves to join them in the pool. Sarah and Hunter have received training directly from Vanessa and feel quite confident in their underwater egg-beater abilities. The rest of the moves will be left to Vanessa and the River City Magnolias.
Post-swim celebrations with cupcakes and sparklers in 2024.
Performance photos from 2025.