Richmond Folk Festival 2025 Schedule

Festival Hours

• Friday, October 10 — 6:30pm - 10:00pm

• Saturday, October 11 — 12:00pm - 9:30pm

• Sunday, October 12 — 12:00pm - 6:00pm

* Sign Language Interpreted Performances

Friday, October 10

Altria Stage

• 6:30 – 7:30                  The Amanda Cook Band (bluegrass)

• 7:45 – 8:45               Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian falsetto singing)

• 9:00 – 10:00            *Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)

CoStar Group Stage

• 7:30 – 8:30                  Richard Hagopian Ensemble (Armenian)

• 8:45 – 9:45                  Cécilia (Québécois)

CarMax Stage

• 7:15 – 8:15                  Melissa Carper (classic country)

• 8:30 – 9:30                  Son Qba (Cuban son) 

Dominion Energy Dance Pavillion

• 7:15 – 7:45                  zydeco dance lesson with Zydeco Steve

• 7:45 – 8:45                 Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (zydeco)

• 9:00 – 10:00                Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band (Togolese)

Saturday, October 11

Altria Stage

• 12:00 – 12:40             The Broussard Sisters (juré)

• 1:00 – 1:40                  Richard Hagopian Ensemble (Armenian)

• 2:00 – 2:40                  Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian falsetto singing)

• 3:00 – 3:40                  Melissa Carper (classic country)

• 4:00 – 5:00                  The Blackbyrds (jazz, R&B, and funk)

• 6:00 – 6:55                  Elizabeth King (sacred soul and gospel)

• 7:15 – 8:10                  Son Qba (Cuban son)

• 8:30 – 9:30                  Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band (Togolese)

CoStar Group Stage

• 12:00 – 12:40             Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble (Kuchipudi dance)

• 1:00 – 1:45                  The Amanda Cook Band (bluegrass)

• 2:00 – 3:00                  Cécilia (Québécois)

• 3:20 – 4:00                  Richard Hagopian Ensemble (Armenian)

• 4:15 – 5:15                  Squares & Two Steps: Social Dances in North American—Cécilia, Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys, Villa 5

• 6:15 – 7:00                  The Broussard Sisters (juré)

• 7:15 – 8:00                  Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian falsetto singing)

• 8:20 – 9:20                  Saami Brothers feat. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami (khayal)

CarMax Stage

• 12:00 – 12:30              The Sinquah Family (Hopi hoop dance)

• 12:50 – 1:35                Saami Brothers (qawwali)

• 1:55 – 2:40              *With Spirit & Style: Dance from South Asia to the DMV—Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble, Beat Ya Feet Academy, The Sinquah Family

• 3:00 – 3:40                  The Amanda Cook Band (bluegrass)

• 4:00 – 4:45                  Global String Section—Troy Boone, Carolynne Boone (The Amanda Cook Band); Kamalakiran Vinjamuri (Yamini Kalluri); Jeff Patterson, Casey Olsen (Raiatea Helm); Franklin Reytor (Son Qba)

• 5:45 – 6:30                  Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble (Kuchipudi dance)

• 6:50 – 7:30                  Cécilia (Québécois)

• 7:45 – 8:30                  Villa 5 (música norteña)

• 8:45 – 9:30                  Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues) 

Dominion Energy Dance Pavillion

• 12:15 – 1:00            *Melissa Carper (classic country)

• 1:15 – 1:45                  Cuban son dance lesson with Eileen Torres

• 1:45 – 2:30                  Son Qba (Cuban son)

• 2:45 – 3:30                  Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (zydeco)

• 3:45 – 4:45                  Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band (Togolese)

• 5:00 – 6:00                  Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)

• 7:00 – 8:00              *Meta & the Cornerstones (reggae)

• 8:20 – 9:30                  The Blackbyrds (jazz, R&B, and funk)

Family Stage

• 12:15 – 1:00                Prabir (presented by JAMinc)

• 1:15 – 2:00                  Sing the Blues & Play the Bones with Jackie & Resa

• 2:15 – 3:00                  Webley Twizzle Project (presented by JAMinc)

• 3:00 – 3:10                  Junior Ranger Swearing-In

• 3:15 – 4:00                  Beat Ya Feet Academy (beat ya feet dance)

• 4:15 – 5:00                  Sing the Blues & Play the Bones with Jackie & Resa

Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage at Allianz Amphitheater

• 12:30 – 1:15                Anya Hinkle (Americana)

• 1:45 – 2:45                  Kadencia (bomba y plena)

• 3:15 – 4:00                  Danny Knicely, Cesar Garabini, & Fernanda Bravo (Appalachian/Brazilian)

• 4:30 – 5:15                  Rodney Stith (soul)

• 5:45 – 6:45                  No BS! Brass Band (brass band)

Street Performance at Tredegar Plaza

• 3:30 – 4:00                  The Sinquah Family (Hopi hoop dance) 

Virginia Folklife Riverlore Workshop Stage

• 12:00 – 12:45              How Rivers Shaped The Land: Carving Out An Inclusive Narrative (Horace Scruggs)

• 1:00 – 1:45                  Indigenous Virginia Shoreline Restoration (panel)

• 2:00 – 2:45                  The Great Return: Atlantic Sturgeon & Migratory Fish (panel)

• 3:00 – 3:45                  Indigenous Virginia Craft Revivals (panel)

• 4:00 – 4:45                  “Ancient New” Exploring the Oldest River in North America (music, dance, spoken word)

• 5:00 – 5:45                  Tales & Tunes of Virginia’s Rivers (music and storytelling)

• 6:30                             Virginia Folklore Society Reunion/Meet up

‘Along the Canal Walk’ Folklife Demonstration Area

• 2:00                             Poling a Batteau

• 3:00                             African American Batteau History

• 4:00                             Poling a Batteau

Sunday, October 12

Altria Stage

• 12:00 – 12:40              Elizabeth King (sacred soul and gospel)

• 1:00 – 1:40                  Cécilia (Québécois)

• 2:00 – 2:40                  Villa 5 (música norteña)

• 3:00 – 3:40                  Meta & the Cornerstones (reggae)

• 4:00 – 4:40                  Son Qba (Cuban son)

• 5:00 – 6:00                  Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band (Togolese)

CoStar Group Stage

• 12:00 – 12:40              The Broussard Sisters (juré)

• 1:00 – 2:00                  Endangered Traditions: Performing Under Pressure— The Broussard Sisters; Richard Hagopian, Philip Hagopian; Raiatea Helm, Kilin Reece; Saami Brothers feat. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami

• 2:20 – 3:00                  The Amanda Cook Band (bluegrass)

• 3:20 – 4:00              *Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble (Kuchipudi dance)

• 4:20 – 5:00                  Richard Hagopian Ensemble (Armenian)

• 5:20 – 6:00                  Saami Brothers (qawwali)

CarMax Stage

• 12:00 – 12:40             Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (zydeco)

• 1:00 – 1:55                  African Crossroads in the Americas—Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band, Meta & the Cornerstones, Son Qba

• 2:15 – 3:00              *Elizabeth King (sacred soul and gospel)

• 3:20 – 3:50                  Beat Ya Feet Academy (beat ya feet dance)

• 4:10 – 5:00              *Soulful Southern Sounds—Melissa Carper, Amanda Cook, Diunna Greenleaf, Elizabeth King

• 5:15 – 6:00                  Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian falsetto singing)

Dominion Energy Dance Pavillion

• 12:00 – 12:45              Villa 5 (música norteña)

• 1:00 – 1:45                  Melissa Carper (classic country)

• 2:00 – 3:00                  Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues)

• 3:15 – 4:25                  Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (zydeco)

• 4:45 – 6:00                  Meta & the Cornerstones (reggae)

Family Stage

• 12:15 – 1:00                Jonathan Paige Brown Jr. (presented by JAMinc)

• 1:15 – 2:00                  Sing the Blues & Play the Bones with Jackie & Resa

• 2:15 – 3:00                  The Sinquah Family (Hopi hoop dance)

• 3:00 – 3:10                  Junior Ranger Swearing-In

• 3:15 – 4:00                  Holy River (presented by JAMinc)

• 4:15 – 5:00                  Sing the Blues & Play the Bones with Jackie & Resa

Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage at Allianz Amphitheater

• 12:15 – 1:00                Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee (classic bluegrass and country)

• 1:30 – 2:45                  RVA Jams for Justin Golden (blues and roots)

• 3:00 – 4:00                  Lonesome River Band (bluegrass)

• 4:30 – 5:30                  The Legendary Ingramettes (gospel)

Street Performance at Tredegar Plaza

• 2:00 – 2:30                  Beat Ya Feet Academy (beat ya feet dance)

Virginia Folklife Riverlore Workshop Stage

• 1:00 – 1:45                  Honoring the African Spirit in the James River (Omilade Janine Bell, Elegba Folklore Society)

• 2:00 – 2:45                  “Waterways to Freedom” (storytelling by Sheila Arnold)

• 2:30                             Assembling an Eel Pot with Brad Hatch (Folklife Demonstration Tent) 

• 3:00 – 3:45                  We Are All Connected: James River Watershed (panel)

• 4:00 – 4:45                  Riverlore Story Hour (Justin Black & Friends)

• 5:00 – 5:45                  Tales & Tunes of Virginia’s Rivers (music and storytelling)

‘Along the Canal Walk’ Folklife Demonstration Area

• 2:00                             Poling a Batteau

• 4:00                             Poling a Batteau