The Richmond Folk Festival offers a variety of exciting volunteer areas.
Please see below for job descriptions then click here to register online. You will receive an automatic email confirmation of your application.  Job assignments will be emailed this summer.

The Festival is a wonderful place for civic, school, church and office organizations to volunteer. Please email Jamie Thomas, Volunteer Coordinator, at jamierichmondfolkfest@gmail.com to learn more about group volunteer opportunities.

In 2011, more than 1,200 volunteers joined in the effort to make the Richmond Folk Festival such a success – don’t miss out on your chance this year. Sign up now!

The Richmond Folk Festival Job Descriptions

Airport Greeter: Start the festival right for our Artists and Staff flying into Richmond! Volunteers will connect with the performers or crew members when they arrive in the airport, and ensure they are in the correct festival transportation vehicles. Their festival experience begins when they get to town, and you will help us make sure that it's smooth sailing from the very start!

Backstage and Site Management – Stationed at the stage, you will assist with seating, crowd control, and lost children. You will also serve as an assistant to the performers and stage manager.  A close-to-the-action job!

Beer/Wine Sales – Always wanted to be a bartender? What outdoor festival would be complete without beer and wine? Beer and wine sales volunteers will be in an ideal location to enjoy the music, watch the festival, and meet a lot of people. We’ll take care of ID bracelets. Volunteers will pour drinks and must be at least 21 years old.

Bucket Brigade – Want to help the festival continue in 2012? HERE IS YOUR CHANCE! We need energetic, smiling folks roaming the site with our signature orange buckets looking for simple "drops in the bucket". These donations to the festival will help with production of the next festival, so here is your chance to keep this wonderful event going!  We are looking for outgoing volunteers that are comfortable asking for donations.  This is a fun assignment where you can chat with festival patrons and hear some music all at the same time!  Great assignment for groups to work together.

Bucket Brigade Volunteer Check in – You will be stationed at the volunteer check in area at the 2nd street entrance. Help sign in our bucket brigade volunteers, distribute the special BB tee shirt and give the volunteers directions to their assigned location.

Family Area – Join us in the Family Area as we go on a wild safari! Help children create special art projects using animal tracks, animal prints and more! All Family Area volunteers will apply thru the Children’s Museum and must complete the interview process. To apply click here.

Floater – Would you like to volunteer where help is needed most? Volunteer floaters are assigned to an area when they arrive at the Festival to check in for their shift. Volunteer floaters are very important to the changing demands of a busy Festival.

Green Team – Last year we collected a record number of recyclables, and this year we plan to do even better. In order to do so, we need volunteers who are physically able, appropriately dressed, and ready to make a difference for the environment (and not afraid of getting dirty).

Information Services – Welcome. Direct. Assist. Recommend.  These are just some of the things you'll do as an Information Services volunteer.  Whether you're handing out schedules at Festival entrances, or manning one of the Info Services booths, you act as an Expert Ambassador to the Richmond Folk Festival.  Help festival-goers get what they need, where and when they need it.  What could be more important than that?

Marketplace – Love to shop? Meet interesting people? Volunteers will help set up, resupply and offer breaks to the retail folks so they too can take breaks. Get a great opportunity to see all the cool stuff before anyone else does.

Merchandise and Music Sales – A fun and fast-paced job. Assist the Plan 9 team in selling performer CDs and festival merchandise to the Richmond Folk Festival crowd.

Music Logging – Love being part of the experience, standing next to the sound booth at concerts and shmoozing with the band? We need personable, detail-oriented folks to record the audio and accurately provide hand-written logs of the performances from your seat at the sound booth. These recordings will become part of the permanent collection at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. It is mandatory that all music logging volunteers attend a training session.

Performer Check-in/Check-out – Roll out the red carpet to welcome our Richmond Folk Festival performers! As a Performer check-in volunteer, you will be stationed at the hotel greeting performers as they arrive in Richmond. After your shift, the festival is only a short shuttle ride away! Volunteers must be friendly and organized.

Safety Escort – Always wanted to be a member of a secret service motor escort? Give it a test drive at the Festival. Most of the traffic at the festival is on foot, but performers are transported to the stage by vans and golf carts. Walk alongside the artists’ vans clearing pedestrian traffic with a whistle (and a smile). Wear comfortable shoes, you’ll be doing a lot of walking. This is a great assignment for groups or organizations to work together.

Shuttle Stop – Be the first person to greet and direct our guests as they park their car at one of our off site locations (Diamond and Spring Rock Green).  Work a short shift then catch a ride on the GRTC bus to Festival.

Site Setup/Tear-down – Here’s your chance to help make the Festival happen and still get to relax once the music starts. We need much assistance to make the site ready for the crowds and cleaning it up after they’ve gone home. Setup experience (construction, carpentry, engineering, etc) is ideal but not required. Volunteer must be: ready, willing, and able.

Soft Drink Sales – Sell ice-cold bottled water and sodas from tents in high-traffic areas. You will work within earshot of performance stages and interact with many festival goers!

Transportation Team – The Transportation team is responsible for making sure all artists and staff are transported between the airport, the hotel, and the Festival site at the appropriate times. The Transportation team works closely with the logistics coordinator and local transportation providers to assist in executing the transportation system for the Richmond Folk Festival. This position operates from the hotel and plays a pivotal role in the Festival.

Virginia Folk life Area – Want to meet and work with Virginia’s finest artisans? Assist the demonstrators at the Virginia Folk Life Craft Demonstration area. Help with set up, keep an eye on their booth or bring food and water. Get a close look at what others will be watching from afar.

Virginia Folklife Tear down – Help the tired but grateful artisans pack up their wares on Sunday. Must be willing and able to do light lifting and moving.

Volunteer Check In – The Richmond Folk Festival has more than 1200 volunteers. A warm welcome is a very important part of the volunteers’ experience. You will greet volunteers as they arrive for their shifts, check them in for their shifts, and give them the volunteer tee-shirts.

Volunteer Parking – Volunteers will be stationed at the volunteer parking lot to greet and assist our volunteers enter their free, reserved parking areas.  Listen to the music from a relaxing and beautiful vantage point of the Festival. Great assignment for school organizations or individuals.

Ready to volunteer? click here

---