SPONSORS: Altria | Dominion | MWV | The Community Foundation | Martin’s | Union First Market Bank | Richmond Times-Dispatch | Genworth | SunTrust | NewMarket | Richmond.com | Loveland Distributing Co | City of Richmond | Children's Museum of Richmond | National Council for the Traditional Arts | Virginia Folklife Program | Wells Fargo | WCVE | Virginia Commonwealth University | VCU Medical Center | Chrysler. Dodge. Jeep. RAM. Fiat. | VFH | JHI | JAMinc. | House of Hayes | SIR | Hot 100.9| NBC 12 | K95 | 96.5 KLR | 103.7 the River| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Spring Rock Green | Comcast | Wells Fargo| Hilton Garden Inn | Plan 9 Music | GRTC Transit System | Virginia Waste Services | R.M.C. Events Staff | City Ice | VHDA | CW Richmond | National Park Service | Winn Transportation | Usry, Inc. | Precision Recycling Industries of Virginia
Last year, more than 190,000 people visited downtown Richmond's riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food. The Richmond Folk Festival has become one of Virginia’s largest and most-loved events of the year and has been voted as the best musical festival in Richmond, 2 years running. The 2012 Festival will bring a new and similarly amazing list of performers, artists and exhibitors.
Friday, October 14, 6 PM - 10:30 PM
Saturday, October 15, Noon - 10:30 PM
Sunday, October 16, Noon - 6:00 PM
The Richmond Folk Festival is a FREE event – you can enjoy the performances, the Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Folklife Area, and the Genworth 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!
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.
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 NEW FOR 2011 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, 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
Anthem Blue and Cross Blue Shield: 2015 Staples Mill Road
Friday - 5:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Saturday - 11:30 AM - 10:30 PM
Sunday - 11:30 AM - 6:30 PM
The buses will leave every 20 minutes.
Shuttle hotline: 804-358-4782
Parking at the festival is easy. Multiple parking lots are available downtown.
Central Parking
$5.00
Shockoe Bottom, 100 Virginia Street
Crowne Plaza, 555 E. Canal Street
3rd & Cary Streets
$6.00
3rd & Main Streets (300 E. Main Street)
4th Street between Main & Cary Streets
City Parking
$3.00
Main & Foushee Streets
Standard Parking
$5.00
300 E. Cary Street
4th & 5th Streets between Cary & Canal
5th and Canal Streets
6th and Canal Streets
824 E. Cary Streets (between 8th and 9th on Cary)
Lanier
$5.00
Riverside on the James, 1001 Haxall Point
Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd Street
Handicap parking is available in the Federal Reserve Parking Deck located on the corner of 5th and Byrd Streets. A traffic control officer will be at the intersection to allow properly identified vehicles through.
During the festival, GRTC buses will be transporting patrons up and down the 5th St hill between Tredegar St and Byrd St to assist folks in getting to the Federal Reserve Parking Deck.
There will not be onsite transportation available between the various stages.
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 Dominion Dance Pavilion, the MWV Stage (both on Brown’s Island), the Martin's/Union First Market Bank Family Stage and Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Folklife Stage. So in the event of rain you can enjoy the performances in a dry environment.
Check your Pocket Schedule or stop by any of the four 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.
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-profit organizers.
Richmond Folk Festival is a green festival Everywhere you turn at the Richmond Folk Festival, you will be able to help our environment! Recycling is available throughout the festival site at the VCU Recycling Centers.
The Richmond Folk Festival has been certified as part of the Virginia Green program.
Through the generous support of its sponsors, the Richmond Folk Festival will fill Richmond area 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 area 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.
