Organizers Adam Stackhouse and Liz Sykes, from AV Adventure Productions. (Michael Thompson)
After five years of designing and organizing live-action puzzles for corporate clients, a two-person Richmond firm is testing whether the market will support a ticketed adventure event open to the public.
AVAdventure Productions, a Fan-based video and live events production company, is planning its first RVA Adventure Race, a one-day, city-wide adventure competition to be held Sept. 17.
Starting in City Stadium south of Carytown and ending at Hardwood Park Craft Brewery near The Diamond, participants in RVA Adventure Race will be faced with physical challenges and puzzles that take them all over Richmond by foot and by car. Teams get points for overcoming obstacles and the team that earns the most points in the least amount of time wins.
Organizers Adam Stackhouse and Liz Sykes have been organizing similar events since 2011 with their Fan-based company AVAdventure Productions. The company also has a recording studio downtown.
The company’s website explains, “We create interactive experiences utilizing physical spaces, digital media, and live actors.” For example, AVAdventure Productions puts on The Reset Council, in which participants are tasked with governing the “City of Reset.”
The idea for a larger public race came from Stackhouse and Sykes regularly being asked how people can sign up for their events and having to explain AVAdventure Productions’ events are usually private. That gave them a clue there’s enough demand to go big.
“Our focus has always been this interactive content,” Stackhouse said. “It just made sense to do one of these in our home city.”
As might be expected of a pair of mystery makers, Stackhouse and Sykes were coy about how many puzzles and challenges each team will have to navigate on Sept. 17. They’ve left clues about the events on the race’s website. Participants could be led to the Fan or downtown by way of riddles or treasure hunts, but Stackhouse didn’t want to give away too many details.
Each team starts with the same challenge before choosing among three zones to begin the race. Participants have to drive to each zone but once there can walk through it. Stackhouse and Sykes designed most of the courses challenges and puzzles with help from sponsors hosting the various stops along RVA Adventure Race.
The pitch to the 16 sponsors is that the event is a way for newer companies to get their name out there and for more established companies to show themselves off in a new light.
“They love having people in their door and have had actual return on their investment,” Stackhouse said of companies that have helped out with AVAdventure Productions’ private adventure races. “They’re not paying to be part of this. They’re paying with their space and labor only.”
For potential teams, RVA Adventure Race is being advertised as an accessible, fun and competitive way to explore Richmond. Tickets are $55 or five for the cost of four.
Stackhouse said more than 60 tickets had been sold as of last Monday and that sales will be capped at about 400. Stackhouse wouldn’t say what it’s costing to put on RVA Adventure Race, in part because the budget will be determined by how many people sign up. He said the biggest expense will be staffing the event.
The grand prize winner will get a number of donated items from sponsors, and the top three scoring teams will each get a trophy.
Stackhouse and Sykes’ efforts come at a time when Richmonders appear to have a grown an appetite for entertainment that gets them off the couch. Live puzzle-escape rooms have sprouted up in the West End and Chesterfield. Ravenchase Adventures of Richmond has hosted city-wide puzzle adventures.
Stackhouse says the the RVA Adventure Race is different because it includes physical challenges that might be familiar to reality TV fans.
“This is much more in the spirit off the television show The Amazing Race,” he said.
Stackhouse said more public adventure races could be in the works depending on how this first one goes.
“This is an untested thing, doing a ticketed version,” Stackhouse said. “It will be interesting to see how Richmond receives it.”
Organizers Adam Stackhouse and Liz Sykes, from AV Adventure Productions. (Michael Thompson)
After five years of designing and organizing live-action puzzles for corporate clients, a two-person Richmond firm is testing whether the market will support a ticketed adventure event open to the public.
AVAdventure Productions, a Fan-based video and live events production company, is planning its first RVA Adventure Race, a one-day, city-wide adventure competition to be held Sept. 17.
Starting in City Stadium south of Carytown and ending at Hardwood Park Craft Brewery near The Diamond, participants in RVA Adventure Race will be faced with physical challenges and puzzles that take them all over Richmond by foot and by car. Teams get points for overcoming obstacles and the team that earns the most points in the least amount of time wins.
Organizers Adam Stackhouse and Liz Sykes have been organizing similar events since 2011 with their Fan-based company AVAdventure Productions. The company also has a recording studio downtown.
The company’s website explains, “We create interactive experiences utilizing physical spaces, digital media, and live actors.” For example, AVAdventure Productions puts on The Reset Council, in which participants are tasked with governing the “City of Reset.”
The idea for a larger public race came from Stackhouse and Sykes regularly being asked how people can sign up for their events and having to explain AVAdventure Productions’ events are usually private. That gave them a clue there’s enough demand to go big.
“Our focus has always been this interactive content,” Stackhouse said. “It just made sense to do one of these in our home city.”
As might be expected of a pair of mystery makers, Stackhouse and Sykes were coy about how many puzzles and challenges each team will have to navigate on Sept. 17. They’ve left clues about the events on the race’s website. Participants could be led to the Fan or downtown by way of riddles or treasure hunts, but Stackhouse didn’t want to give away too many details.
Each team starts with the same challenge before choosing among three zones to begin the race. Participants have to drive to each zone but once there can walk through it. Stackhouse and Sykes designed most of the courses challenges and puzzles with help from sponsors hosting the various stops along RVA Adventure Race.
The pitch to the 16 sponsors is that the event is a way for newer companies to get their name out there and for more established companies to show themselves off in a new light.
“They love having people in their door and have had actual return on their investment,” Stackhouse said of companies that have helped out with AVAdventure Productions’ private adventure races. “They’re not paying to be part of this. They’re paying with their space and labor only.”
For potential teams, RVA Adventure Race is being advertised as an accessible, fun and competitive way to explore Richmond. Tickets are $55 or five for the cost of four.
Stackhouse said more than 60 tickets had been sold as of last Monday and that sales will be capped at about 400. Stackhouse wouldn’t say what it’s costing to put on RVA Adventure Race, in part because the budget will be determined by how many people sign up. He said the biggest expense will be staffing the event.
The grand prize winner will get a number of donated items from sponsors, and the top three scoring teams will each get a trophy.
Stackhouse and Sykes’ efforts come at a time when Richmonders appear to have a grown an appetite for entertainment that gets them off the couch. Live puzzle-escape rooms have sprouted up in the West End and Chesterfield. Ravenchase Adventures of Richmond has hosted city-wide puzzle adventures.
Stackhouse says the the RVA Adventure Race is different because it includes physical challenges that might be familiar to reality TV fans.
“This is much more in the spirit off the television show The Amazing Race,” he said.
Stackhouse said more public adventure races could be in the works depending on how this first one goes.
“This is an untested thing, doing a ticketed version,” Stackhouse said. “It will be interesting to see how Richmond receives it.”