The Richmond Folk Festival celebrates its 17th anniversary October 8-10, 2021 and invites fans to downtown Richmond riverside to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance , traditional crafts, storytelling and food.
The free three-day outdoor event is presented by Venture Richmond Events in partnership with the National Council for Traditional Arts (NCTA), the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, the Children’s Museum and the City of Richmond.
Showcasing six stages and featuring the music and dance of over 30 artists from across the country and around the world, the Richmond Folk Festival today announces a second group of artists performing at this year’s festival, a program that will once again be culturally diverse and artistically excellent, with some of the best traditional artists performing throughout the weekend.
“We are proud to be back this year on the beautiful shore of downtown Richmond,” said Blaine Waide, associate director of the National Council for Traditional Arts. “From returning favorites to emerging artists making their Richmond debut to traditions like traditional Sicilian music
never before presented, this year’s program lives up to the festival’s reputation for offering a dizzying variety of artistic expressions and experiences, all for free!
Venture Richmond Events continues to closely monitor CDC and Virginia guidelines regarding COVID-19 protocols for large outdoor events. A commitment to safety and compliance with local, state and federal ordinances and recommendations will guide all decisions regarding the festival. (see COVID-19 guidelines)
The nine newly announced artists to be presented at the Richmond Folk Festival 2021 include:
The Brotherhood Singers (African-American a cappella gospel singer)
Covington, Kentucky
Donny Broussard and the stars of Louisiana (Cajun)
Kaplan, Louisiana
Jasmine Bell & North Bear (Lakota Hoop Dance & Northern Plains Drum)
Riverton, Wyoming
The Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble (Argentine tango)
New York, New York
Rosa Tatuata with Michela Musolino (Traditional Sicilian Music)
Clifton, New Jersey
Sugaray Rayford (blue)
Los Angeles, California
Taj Weekes (reggae)
Saint Lucia via New York, New York
Tres en Punto (trio romantic)
Mission, Texas
The Western Flyers
Burleson, Texas
Previously announced artists of the festival include:
Joanie Madden & Cherish the Ladies (Irish)
Yonkers, New York
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (bluegrass)
Charlestown, Indiana
Nava Persian Trio (Persian Santur)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Plena Es (bomba y plena)
Sunrise, Florida
Rare essence (go-go)
Washington DC
Sean Jones’ feat “Dizzy Spellz”. Brinae Ali (jazz, hip hop and tap dance)
Baltimore, Maryland
Click here for full artist biographies, as well as audio and video samples on our website.
Still Performances on VPM
Every Saturday at 5:00 p.m., watch VPM broadcasts of favorite performances from the last 13 years of the Richmond Folk Festival, as well as the three years the city has hosted the National Folk Festival (2005-07). Tune in to Richmond Public Radio’s VPM stations 107.3 FM and 93.1 FM for great musical memories. Add these shows to your schedule today:
August 28 Dale Ann Bradley
Sep 4 Lurie Bell, Andes Manta
11 Sep Amargue Bachata Quintet with Andre Veloz
September 18 Ahava Raba with Yanky Lemmer
September 25 Sona Jobarteh
October 2 Maggie Ingram, Frank Newsome, The Paschall Brothers, Clinton Fearon
Interactive treasure hunt
From now until Labor Day weekend, the Richmond Folk Festival offers an interactive scavenger hunt. It takes about an hour or two, and you have a choice of two routes. The scavenger hunt provides opportunities to spot often-missed public art, learn about history and different cultures, and listen to relevant musical connections along the way. Like the festival, both routes include hills, steps, and rough terrain. Those who successfully complete the festival’s treasure hunt will be entered into the draw, with the winners selected throughout the summer! The treasure hunt runs until September 7.
For full details, please visit our website: https://www.richmondfolkfestival.org/scavhuntintro
More information on the festival and other artists performing this year will follow soon. For
for updates, visit www.richmondfolkfestival.org. #RVAFolkFest
To donate to the Richmond Folk Festival today, Text to Donate! Text FOLK to 44321.
The Richmond Folk Festival is produced by Venture Richmond Events, in partnership with the
National Council for Traditional Arts (NCTA), Center for Cultural Dynamism, Children’s
Museum, and the City of Richmond.
The Richmond Folk Festival is sponsored by Altria, Dominion Energy, CoStar Group, CarMax,
NewMarket Corp., City of Richmond, WestRock, Brown Distributing, Community Foundation,
Amtrak, LIDL, Virginia Lottery, Atlantic Union Bank, NBC12 & CW Richmond, VPM,
SummitMedia, Hilton Downtown Richmond, ONE Casino + Resort, American Civil War Museum,
National Park Service, Virginia Humanities, JAMinc., Plan 9 Music, RMC Events, PD Brooks,
SmartBox, Virginia Housing, Wells Fargo, Winn Transportation, House of Hayes, TNT Auto
Location, Federal Reserve Bank and Virginia War Memorial
