RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond’s riverfront folk festival returns for its seventh year (tenth if you count the former event known as the National Folk Festival). It runs from Oct. 10 thru Oct. 12, and will feature more than 30 different performers on five stages.
More than 200,000 people flocked to the river to enjoy this cultural event that showcases crafts, food, dance, and of course music.
This guide will help you plan; scroll below for event, parking, shuttle, food and performer information.
GET YOUR TICKETS
Oh wait. You don’t need any. Admission is free, but food, drink and merchandise are available for sale. If you feel inclined to make a donation, just look for the orange buckets, a.k.a. the bucket brigade. All donations made through the bucket brigade help directly cover the costs of the festival.
EVENT HOURS AND SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 10, 6- 10 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11, Noon – 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 12, Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Music goes on rain or shine. There are four concert tents at the festival if you wind up seeking shelter.
Artist bios, lineups and schedule can be found at www.richmondfolkfestival.org.
FILM FESTIVAL
Yes, there is also cinema! All films are screened at Historic Tredegar Iron Works. Click here for schedule.
YOU CAN NOT BRING:
Items that are not permitted include, but are not limited to:
- Pets (service animals are permitted)
- Coolers, Large Backpacks
- Alcohol
- Bottles/glass containers
- Contraband (drugs and weapons)
- Laser pointers
- Bikes, skateboards, inline skates
- Flying objects (kites, Frisbees, footballs, etc.)
HERE IS WHERE TO PARK, OR SHUTTLE
Free parking and free shuttles, are available in Southside and the West End. All shuttles will stop at two festival locations: one at 2nd Street and one at 5th Street. The buses will leave every 20 minutes and run after the festival.
Spring Rock Green: 7202 Midlothian Turnpike, corner of Chippenham Pkwy
Anthem Blue and Cross Blue Shield: 2015 Staples Mill Road
Shuttle hours:
Friday – 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday – 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday – 11:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Shuttle hotline: 804-358-4782
Parking at the festival is easy. Multiple parking lots are available downtown. A free bike valet will be located at 2nd and Canal Streets in the Afton Field. The valet will be open during festival hours.
Central Parking
$5.00
Shockoe Bottom, 100 Virginia St.
Crowne Plaza, 555 E. Canal St.
$6.00
801 E. Cary Street (Lot between 8th & 9th on Cary)
1200 E. Byrd St.(along the flood wall)
CityParking
$5.00
Main & Foushee
1st & Canal
3rd & Cary
4th & Canal
5th & Canal, 5th & Cary
6th & Canal
8th & Cary
Standard Parking
$5.00
410 E. Franklin Street
Lanier Parking
$5.00
Riverside on the James, 1001 Haxall Point
Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd St.
Mayo Island
$3.00
501 S. 14th St.
Monument City Parking
13 N. 5th St.
2014 FOOD VENDORS
| Browns island | |
| Caribbean Pot | Red beans and rice, curry chicken, curry potatoes, fried plantains |
| Boka Truck | Asian-mexican-american fusion tacos |
| Nadar’s Bistro | Gyros,beef/chicken kabobs, veggie pita, hummus, rice pilaf |
| Ginger Thai Taste | Pad thai chicken, bangkok chicken, satay chicken, dumplings |
| Africanne on Main | Chicken, fish, veggies, rice, plantains, corn bread and ginger tea |
| Cherry Hill Ice Cream | Ice Cream |
| Strawberry Street Event Concessions | Pit beef/ham, bbq, burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, tater tots |
| Croaker’s Spot | Fish, fries, salmon fritters, jerk chicken, reds and rice, grilled oysters |
| Amira Enterprises | Italian/kelbasa sausage, philly steak, chicken philly steak, funnel cakes, butterfly chips |
| Sam Miller’s | Lump crabcakes and soup, oysters, fish tacos |
| Crescent Foods | Vegetarian Burritos and Quesadilla |
| Gail’s Gumbo House | Jambalaya, seafood gumbo, po boys, |
| Community Foundation Stage | |
| Leisure Time | Funnel Cakes, lemonade,soft serve ice cream |
| Bruno’s Gastro Truck | Burgers, Angry Tots, Spicy Chicken Curry, Not Your Mama’s Brussel Sprouts |
| MacBrand Foods | Sausage, cheesesteaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, onion rings |
| Goatocado | Vegan Sandwiches and sides |
| Altria Stage Food Court | |
| Food Corner & Grill | Chicken Terriyaki on a stick, veggie fried rice, veggie lo mein, pad thai |
| La Milpa | Quesadillas, burritos, mexican tacos, soft tacos |
| Soul-Ice | Frozen non dairy dessert |
| Mark’s Airborne Kettle Corn | Kettle Corn |
| Grapevine Restaurant | Veggie wrap w/hummus, lamb/chicken gyro wrap, greek burger with feta, tabouli, falafel |
| India K’ Raja | Chicken tikka masala, samosa, lamb curry, chicken kabab rolls |
| Gregory’s Grill | Crab cakes,fish tacos, fried oysters, NC bbq, crab soyp |
| Tredegar Food Court | |
| Espresso A Go Go | Coffee, espressos, teas |
| International Grill | Gyros, steak&cheese, greek salad, veggie gyros |
| Dogs R Us | Hot dogs, italian sausage, burgers, fries |
| Cool Concessions | Oyster, Shrimp, Alligator Po Boys, Crabcake Sandwhich fried Oreos |
| Sherri’s Crabcakes | Crabcake sandwhich, blue crab fritter, grilled and buffalo shrimp, cream of crab soup, hush puppies |
| Carytown Burgers and Fries | Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggies burgers, speciality burgers |
| Gelati Celesti | Heavenly handmade ice creams |
| Richmond Times Dispatch Food Court | |
| Cool Concessions Kettle Corn | Kettle Corn |
| Red Eye Cookie Company | Freshly Baked Cookies |
| Concessions World | Funnel Cakes, Corn Dogs, Lemonade |
Friday, October 10, 2014
Altria Stage
| 6:30-7:00 | Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance) |
| 7:00-7:45 | Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (Mexican mariachi) |
| 8:00-8:45 | The Holmes Brothers (blues, gospel, R&B) |
| 9:00-10:00 | Boban and Marko Marković Orkestar (Balkan brass band) |
MWV Stage
| 7:15-8:00 | Chaksam-pa (Tibetan opera, folk song and dance) |
| 8:15-9:00 | Debashish Bhattacharya & Family (Indian slide guitar) |
| 9:15-10:00 | Le Vent du Nord (Québécois) |
The Community Foundation Stage
| 7:45-9:00 | William Bell (soul/R&B) |
Dominion Dance Pavilion
| 7:30-8:00 | merengue dance lesson with Eileen Torres |
| 8:00-8:45 | Joaquin Diaz (Dominican merengue) |
| 9:00-10:00 | Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers (zydeco) |
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Altria Stage
| 12:00-12:30 | Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance) |
| 12:30-1:30 | Masters of Hawaiian Music: Led Ka’apana, George Kahumoku, Jr., & Richard Ho’opi’i (Hawaiian) |
| 1:45-2:30 | Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys (bluegrass) |
| 2:45-3:45 | The Bailey Hummingbirds (gospel brass “shout band”) |
| 4:00-5:00 | Boban and Marko Marković Orkestar (Balkan brass band) |
| 5:30-6:15 | Trouble Funk (go-go) |
| 6:15-6:45 | Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance) |
| 6:45-7:30 | Lafayette Gilchrist & the New Volcanoes feat. Shodekeh (jazz) |
| 7:45-8:30 | Le Vent du Nord (Québécois) |
| 8:45-9:30 | William Bell (soul/R&B) |
MWV Stage
| 12:15-12:45 | Supaman (Native American hip hop) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Ann Yao Trio (Chinese string ensemble) |
| 2:00-2:45 | Debashish Bhattacharya & Family (Indian slide guitar) |
| 3:00-3:45 | Masters of Hawaiian Music: Led Ka’apana, George Kahumoku, Jr., & Richard Ho’opi’i (Hawaiian) |
| 4:00-4:45 | Chaksam-pa (Tibetan opera, folk song and dance) |
| 5:00-6:00 | Global Rhythms – Rasaki Aladokun (West African Highlife Band); Subhasis Bhattacharya (Debashish Bhattacharya); Amir Naoum (Egyptian Celebration); Shodekeh; Peter Barzey, Juan Carlos Teruel Blanco, Miguel Fenton (Joaquin Diaz) |
| 6:15-7:00 | Egyptian Celebration (Egyptian dance and music) |
| 7:15-8:15 | Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (Mexican mariachi) |
The Community Foundation Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Kayton Roberts & Friends (country & western) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Southern Roots: Masters of Soul and R&B – William Bell, The Holmes Brothers |
| 2:00-2:45 | West African Highlife Band (West African highlife) |
| 3:00-3:45 | Le Vent du Nord (Québécois) |
| 4:00-4:45 | Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (Mexican mariachi) |
| 5:00-6:00 | Song Journeys – Simon Beaudry (Le Vent du Nord); Anandi Bhattacharya (Debashish Bhattacharya); Richard Ho’opi’i (Masters of Hawaiian Music); Raul Cuellar, Jesus “Chuy” Guzman, Jonathan Palomar (Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano); Whitetop Mountaineers |
| 6:15-7:00 | The Holmes Brothers (blues, gospel, R&B) |
| 7:15-8:00 | Joaquin Diaz (Dominican merengue) |
| 8:15-9:00 | Boban and Marko Marković Orkestar (Balkan brass band) |
Dominion Dance Pavilion
| 12:00-1:00 | Joaquin Diaz (Dominican merengue) |
| 1:15-2:15 | Throwdown on Brown: Breakdance Competition (urban dance) |
| 2:30-3:15 | Kayton Roberts & Friends (country & western) |
| 3:30-4:45 | William Bell (soul/R&B) |
| 4:45-5:15 | zydeco dance lesson with Talia Moser |
| 5:15-6:30 | Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers (zydeco) |
| 6:45-8:00 | West African Highlife Band (West African highlife) |
| 8:30-9:30 | Trouble Funk (go-go) |
Richmond Times-Dispatch/Richmond.com Stage
| 12:15-1:00 | Kostas Fetfatsidis and Evan Karapanagiotides (Pontic Greek) |
| 1:15-2:00 | Egyptian Celebration (Egyptian dance and music) |
| 2:15-3:00 | Hip Hop Nations – Lafayette Gilchrist, Shodekeh, Supaman |
| 3:15-4:00 | Whitetop Mountaineers (old-time) |
| 4:15-5:00 | Kostas Fetfatsidis and Evan Karapanagiotides (Pontic Greek) |
| 5:15-6:15 | Ann Yao Trio (Chinese string ensemble) |
Genworth Financial Family Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Chaksam-pa (Tibetan opera, folk song and dance) |
| 12:45-1:30 | Derek McAlister (circus arts) – Family Area grounds |
| 1:30-2:15 | The Hot Seats (presented by JAMinc) |
| 2:30-3:15 | Gerald Anderson & Spencer Strickland (presented by JAMinc) |
| 3:15-4:00 | Derek McAlister (circus arts) – Family Area grounds |
| 4:00-4:45 | Supaman (Native American hip hop) |
Union/University of Richmond Virginia Folklife Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Crooked Road Ramblers with Martha Spencer (old-time) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Virginia Luthiers: Made and Played – Gerald Anderson, Spencer Strickland, Chris Testerman, Jackson Cunningham, Walter Messick, Dale Wise, John Hollandsworth, Don Leister (Virginia instrument makers) |
| 2:00-2:30 | Church Crowns (fashion show) |
| 2:45-3:30 | Furnace Mountain (bluegrass) |
| 3:45-4:15 | Oyster Smackdown IV (oyster shucking competition) |
| 4:30-5:15 | Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys (bluegrass) |
| 5:30-6:15 | The Bailey Hummingbirds (shout band) |
Film Series – the National Park Service Civil War Visitor Center
11:00 a.m. Hot Pepper (54 min.)
12:00 p.m. The Music District: Shout Bands (17 min.)
12:20 p.m. All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min.)
12:50 p.m. Breathing Life into the Chesapeake: Of Oysters, Boats, and Men (58 min.)
1:55 p.m. Industrial Heart of the Confederacy: Tredegar Iron Works (12 min.)
2:10 p.m. Guča 2007 (12 min.)
2:25 p.m. The Battle of Fort McHenry (11 min.)
2:40 p.m. The Music District: Go-Go (10 min.)
2:55 p.m. Counting Oysters (10 min.)
3:10 p.m. The Tree of Life (29 min.)
3:45 p.m. All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min.)
4:10 p.m. Spirit of the Bird (37 min.)
4:50 p.m. Anthem: The Story Behind the Star-Spangled Banner (61 min.)
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Altria Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Lafayette Gilchrist & the New Volcanoes feat. Shodekeh (jazz) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Ann Yao Trio (Chinese string ensemble) |
| 2:00-2:45 | Kayton Roberts & Friends (country & western) |
| 2:45-3:15 | Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance) |
| 3:15-4:30 | The Virginia State University Gospel Chorale (gospel choir) |
| 4:45-5:45 | West African Highlife Band (West African highlife) |
MWV Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Chaksam-pa (Tibetan opera, folk song and dance) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Masters of Hawaiian Music: Led Ka’apana, George Kahumoku, Jr., & Richard Ho’opi’i (Hawaiian) |
| 2:00-2:30 | Supaman (Native American hip hop) |
| 2:45-3:45 | World String Traditions – Sergio Alonso (Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano); Nicolas Boulerice (Le Vent du Nord); Ann Yao, Yihan Chen (Ann Yao Trio); George Kahumoku, Jr. (Masters of Hawaiian Music); Jesse McReynolds |
| 4:00-4:45 | Egyptian Celebration (Egyptian dance and music) |
| 5:00-5:45 | Le Vent du Nord (Québécois) |
The Community Foundation Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes (gospel) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (Mexican mariachi) |
| 2:00-2:45 | Lafayette Gilchrist & the New Volcanoes (jazz) |
| 3:00-3:45 | Debashish Bhattacharya & Family (Indian slide guitar) |
| 4:00-4:45 | Guitar Masters: Slide & Slack Key – Kayton Roberts, Debashish Bhattacharya, Led Ka’apana (Masters of Hawaiian Music) |
| 5:00-5:45 | Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys (bluegrass) |
Dominion Dance Pavilion
| 12:00-1:00 | West African Highlife Band (West African highlife) |
| 1:15-2:15 | Throwdown on Brown: Breakdance Competition (urban dance) |
| 2:30-3:30 | Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers (zydeco) |
| 3:45-4:45 | The Holmes Brothers (blues, gospel, R&B) |
| 5:00-6:00 | Joaquin Diaz (Dominican merengue) |
Richmond Times-Dispatch/Richmond.com Stage
| 12:00-12:30 | Supaman (Native American hip hop) |
| 12:45-1:45 | Debashish Bhattacharya & Family (Indian slide guitar) |
| 2:00-2:45 | Kostas Fetfatsidis and Evan Karapanagiotides (Pontic Greek) |
| 3:00-4:00 | Fiddle Traditions – Olivier Demers (Le Vent du Nord); Kostas Fetfatsidis and Evan Karapanagiotides; Steve Thomas (Jesse McReynolds); Guowei Wang (Ann Yao Trio); Raul Cuellar, Jesus “Chuy” Guzman, Juan Rodriguez (Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano) |
| 4:15-5:00 | Whitetop Mountaineers (old-time) |
Genworth Financial Family Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Whitetop Mountaineers (flatfoot dancing workshop) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Silly Bus (presented by JAMinc) |
| 1:45-2:30 | Derek McAlister (circus arts) – Family Area grounds |
| 2:30-3:15 | Andrew Alli Harmonica Workshop (presented by JAMinc) |
| 3:30-4:15 | Shodekeh (beatboxing workshop) |
| 4:15-5:00 | Derek McAlister (circus arts) – Family Area grounds |
Union/University of Richmond Virginia Folklife Stage
| 12:00-12:45 | Linda Lay and Sammy Shelor with Randy Cook (bluegrass) |
| 1:00-1:45 | Wild Ponies (honky-tonk/country) |
| 2:00-2:45 | Saturday Night to Sunday Morning – Aimee Curl, Linda Lay, Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes, Frank Newsome, members of the Family of Praise gospel choir (Virginia vocal styles) |
| 3:00-3:45 | From Africa to Appalachia with Sammy Shelor, Danny Knicely and Cheick Hamala Diabate (Malian griot meets bluegrass all-stars) |
| 4:00-4:30 | Throwdown on Brown: Breakdance Competition (winners breakdancing demonstration) |
| 4:45-5:30 | Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes (Richmond gospel) |
Film Series – the National Park Service Civil War Visitor Center
11:00 a.m. Mariachi High(60 min.)
12:05 p.m. From Africa to Appalachia (31 min.)
12:40 p.m. Counting Oysters (10 min.)
12:55 p.m. The Battle of Fort McHenry (11 min.)
1:10 p.m. The Tree of Life (29 min.)
1:45 p.m. All the Past We Leave Behind (22 min.)
2:10 p.m. Anthem: The Story Behind the Star-Spangled Banner (61 min.)
3:15 p.m. Spirit of the Bird (37 min.)
3:55 p.m. Industrial Heart of the Confederacy: Tredegar Iron Works (12 min.)
4:10 p.m. Breathing Life into the Chesapeake: Of Oysters, Boats, and Men (58 min.)
