SPONSORS: Altria | Dominion | CenterStage |MWV | Martin's | Richmond Times-Dispatch |Union First Market Bank | Genworth Financial | SunTrust | NewMarket | The Community Foundation | Richmond.com | Loveland Distributing Co | City of Richmond | Children's Museum of Richmond | National Council for the Traditional Arts | Virginia Folklife Program | Comcast | VFH | JHI | JAMinc. | House of Hayes | SIR | Graphics Gallery | Y101 | NBC 12 | K95 | 96.5 KLR | Mix 103.7 | Comcast | Wachovia | DoubleTree Hotel | WCVE | Plan 9 Music | GRTC Transit System | T.F.C. Recycling | R.M.C. Events Staff | City Ice | VHDA | CW Richmond | National Park Service
Last year 160,000 people people came down to downtown Richmond's riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food.
This year will offer the same overwhelming excellence you enjoyed last year, with a whole new list of performers, artists and exhibitors.
Friday, October 8, 6 PM - 10:30 PM
Saturday, October 9, Noon - 10:30 PM
Sunday, October 10, Noon - 6:00 PM
FREE parking and FREE shuttles, provided by SunTrust, are available from both Spring Rock Green (formerly Beaufont Mall – directly across the street from Cloverleaf Mall) and the Diamond, for your convenience. All shuttles will stop at two festival locations: one at 2nd Street and one at 5th Street.
Spring Rock Green: 7202 Midlothian Turnpike, corner of Chippenham Pkwy
The Diamond: 3001 North Boulevard
Friday - 5:30 AM - 10:30 PM
Saturday - 11:30 AM - 10:30 PM
Sunday - 11:30 AM - 6:30 PM
The buses will leave every 15 minutes.
Shuttle hotline: 804-358-4782
Parking at the festival is easy. Multiple $5 parking lots are available downtown.
Central Parking
Shockoe Bottom, 100 Virginia Street
Crowne Plaza, 555 E. Canal Street
3rd & Main Streets (300 E. Main Street)
4th Street between Main & Cary Streets
3rd & Cary Streets
City Parking
Main and Foushee Streets
6th & Main Streets
Lanier Parking
Riverside on the James, 1001 Haxall Point
Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd Street
Richmond Plaza, 110 S. 7th Street
6th & Cary Street
Standard Parking
Federal Reserve Parking Lot, 5th & Byrd Streets
300 E. Cary Street (between 3rd and 4th on Cary)
4th & 5th between Cary and Canal Streets
6th and Cary Streets
5th and Canal Streets
824 E. Cary Street (between 8th and 9th on Cary)
Paid handicap parking will be available on the corner of 5th and Byrd at the new Federal Reserve Parking Deck. A traffic control officer will be on hand to allow properly identified vehicles into the lot. For onsite assistance, visit any of our four information booths.
The Richmond Folk Festival will go on, rain or shine. In the event of rain, please visit information booths located throughout the festival to receive an updated performance schedule.
There are 4 tented stages: The Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion, the MWF Stage (both on Brown’s Island), the Martin's/Union First Market Bank Family Stage and CenterStage Virginia Folklife Stage. So in the event of rain you can enjoy the performances in a dry environment.
The Richmond Folk Festival is a FREE event – you can enjoy the performances, the CenterStage Virginia Folklife Area, and the Genworth Financial Family Area at no cost. Food, drink and merchandise are available for sale.
Help keep the Richmond Folk Festival a FREE event! A group of community volunteers carrying orange buckets will be circulating the festival asking for your support. All donations made through the bucket brigade help directly cover the costs of the festival. Thank you in advance for your support!
Check your Pocket Schedule or stop by any of the four Community Foundation Information Booths located throughout the festival for details about which performances will be interpreted.
Emergency service centers will be available at several locations at the Richmond Folk Festival. They will be well-marked on festival maps for download and onsite.
Portable restrooms will be located throughout the festival.
DO NOT BRING PETS (other than service animals) to the festival. We expect very large crowds and your pets will be more comfortable at home.
If a child or person in your party gets lost please approach a volunteer immediately. Volunteers will have access to persons with radios, who can get you help right away.
Special photographers and videographers have been hired by festival organizers to document the event. Some images may be used in later promotional materials. Your presence at the event is seen as your permission for such promotional use by the non-for-profit organizers.
Everywhere you turn at the Richmond Folk Festival, you will be able to help our environment! Recycling is available throughout the festival site sponsored by SunTrust.
Through the generous support of its sponsors, the Richmond Folk Festival will fill Richmond city school auditoriums and classrooms with performances and presentations of deeply-rooted cultural expressions.
The week prior to the festiva,l master musicians and artists visit several public schools. Together, the artists and students share music, song, craft, stories and memories that will last a lifetime.
The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar has waived admission fees and has extended their hours from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday during the festival. For more information call 804.780.1865 or visit www.tredegar.org.
The National Park Service Visitor Center is also open during the festival. The exhibits are free and visitors are welcome.
