As you probably know, this year will be very different for us. We will not have our large on-site Festival on the banks of the James River as we have the past 15 years. COVID-19 has been a serious blow to our plans and we know you have likely been impacted as well.

Since our initial Festival in 2005, we have built up a large family of dedicated volunteers. Over 1,200 people give us their time each year in a wide variety of assignments, and we are so blessed to have their dedication and enthusiasm. Nearly 100 volunteers have been with us since the very beginning!

Even though we won't have our usual party on the James, the Richmond Folk Festival is still celebrating! We are excited to announce some great activities as we lead up to the “Virtual Celebration” in October. Although volunteering won't be the same, volunteers have been busy developing fun activities and we will still have opportunities coming up.

Some of the fun activities that volunteers have been working on

Scavenger Hunt

An interactive scavenger hunt on downtown Richmond’s riverfront is a fun, new festival activity! Participants can explore historical clues they may not have noticed before, learn Richmond Folk Festival history they may not have known, and share relevant musical links along the way. The hunt was designed by volunteers and includes 12 hints and solutions scattered throughout the Festival site. You can have a socially distant time or bring your family along, all you need is a smartphone. Learn more and get started!

The Scavenger Hunt is now open to everyone and will stay open through October 13.

Time Capsule

If you have already been walking down memory lane and looking through your favorite Folk Festival pics, why not add to our new Facebook group, The Richmond Folk Festival Time Capsule. Once you join the group, feel free to upload your pictures (please tell us what year so we can make annual albums) and memories of the Festival since our start in 2005. We like to think of each edition as a Family Reunion and want to make some great new memories of 2020 as well. Tell us your stories and what the Festival means to you. We love hearing from everyone!

Community Art Piece

A new and exciting aspect of this year’s Festival is an interactive art installation on Brown’s Island. Conceptualized by artist Kevin Orlosky, it will be a community project that draws parallels between our experiences during this period of social distancing and illustrates our similarities as well as the unique ways we deal with this pandemic. Kevin found human touch to be what he yearned for most while isolated, and quickly came to see how a handshake, a hug, or even a high five makes such a tremendous impact on overall happiness.

He will be using a hand as imagery to create an interactive community sculpture. The artwork will manifest as a massive stone labyrinth that when viewed from above makes a hand. He will then ask the community to paint a small rock that represents something they are excited to experience again after the period of social isolation ends. People can place their rocks within the contours of the rocks he has laid out to make the hand on Brown’s Island. This art installation project will take place starting on Friday, October 2. Community participation will begin on Sunday, October 4 and run through October 11.

We will be looking for volunteers to help get the materials unloaded before the event and after the celebration ends. Please let us know if you might want to help unload the rocks and get in a workout! Email me at jamierichmondfolkfest@gmail.com for more information.

2020 Volunteer Opportunities

As planning continues for the “Virtual Celebration,” our Volunteer Team Leaders are meeting monthly to come up with ideas and determine the number of volunteers and what job assignments we may need for the Festival weekend. Keep an eye out for opportunities in future Folk Fest Insider e-newsletters and on the Richmond Folk Festival Facebook page.

Thank you and I hope we can gather again soon!

Jamie Thomas,
Volunteer Coordinator
Richmond Folk Festival