RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Folk Festival will return to the Richmond Riverfront on the weekend of October 12-14.
The free, three-day festival, organized by Venture Richmond Events, is expected to bring upwards of 200,000 music lovers to the area for the city’s signature fall event.
The Richmond Folk Festival is the largest festival in the region, according to Venture Richmond Events. The festival will feature more than 40 artists, seven stages for music and dance, along with food and craft traditions.
“The Richmond Folk Festival has a way of bringing out the best in all of us,” said Venture Richmond executive director Lisa Sims. “People from all walks of life come year after year to discover unique cultural traditions, creating a shared experience that brings our community together like few others. Over the years we’ve made a concentrated effort to produce a diverse and eclectic program celebrating a wide range of cultural traditions, and today the festival itself has become a tradition that connects us all.”
Folk Festival organizers announced the first 10 acts on Tuesday, including legendary rhythm and blues artist Mavis Staples.
The first 10 acts include:
Bounxeung Synanonh: Laotian khaen music from Fresno, California
Claire Lynch: Bluegrass from Nashville, Tennessee
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh: Kathak dance music from San Francisco, California
Jarlath Henderson: Irish music from County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne: Blues and boogie-woogie piano music from Vancouver, British Columbia
Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners: Zydeco music from Elton, Louisiana
Lulo Reinhardt: Gypsy jazz music from Koblenz, Germany
Mavis Staples: Gospel, soul, rhythm and blues music from Chicago, Illinois
Orquesta el Macabeo: Salsa music from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
Tamburaški Sastav Ponoć: Tamburitza music from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
For more on the 2018 Folk Festival artists, click here.
More artist announcements and additional details about the festival will be released throughout the summer.
